weekend recap, perception_collection recap, april 28

1. blur | 2. table | 3. dinner from a paris kitchen | 4. gulls at the game | 5. wetlands coming back | 6. violet wants a contract as a super model

Let me ask you this? Why do smoke alarm batteries always die in the middle of the night? Never at, say 10AM? So after ours started beeping in the deep dark last night, we discovered that our 9Volt batteries are defective. Said smoke alarm is sitting in Neel's sock drawer right now, still beeping.

Please forgive me for moving a little slow today.

Quiet weekend. Great day at the ball park for our team. Our boys beat a team that had previously crushed them 21-5. Nice, huh? Teams and sportsmanship can be so weird. The first time we played these guys, early on, our coach said, "Look, we're gonna lose. These guys stack their team. I don't know why they do it, but that's what they do." It makes little sense to me, and I go back to the question I keep trying to ask myself, "how does this help?" Not just how does it help opposing teams who end up losing by a lot, but how does it help that team, only winning because they're "stacked." Does it not inflate their sense of their own worth on the team? Does it not prevent them from striving to do better? But I guess we're in a place where winning is the only lesson.

Their parents and fans were raucous. Ahem. Proud of their boys, I guess, but loud. One of their kids hit an in-the-park homerun (a real feat) and we all clapped. One of ours hit one the next inning (a grand slam), and they didn't. Ultimately, the umpires called the game for time with one half inning left to be played. We won! As the kids lined up to shake hands, we all cheered and clapped our boys' big feat, and suddenly those loud moms turned on us! "That's uncalled for!" they screamed. (yeah, screamed) "That's not necessary." Well. The dad next to us said, "All righty then."

I love baseball, and I love watching Cal do well and our team win, but let's face it. This game, at this stage, is about way more than baseball skills. Seems a shame those kids aren't learning that.

As a side note, when we told Cal, he said, "You should have yelled back at them." (He is 14, after all!) Uh, no. Those moms were scary.

Row One {Reflection}: cleggosarus | atha_94 | maggiemuses ; Row 2 {Tiny}: delyndaw | mlkmoore (private) | nmsullivan0909 ; Row Three {Negative Space}: pkimball60s | jenni_429 | nobleandpond; Row Four {Found}: mjkeim | bodaciousbread | hildi74; Row Five {Architecture}: tempusfugitrapidus | beemer123 | tabender70; Row Six {down low}: bedsidedesign | myfourbabes (private) | mawlovesbsd; Row Seven {Memory}: tkreisky | shalaghhogan | we_are_blessed

And you guuuuuuys.... Holy perception_collection, batman! Never in our wildest dreams did Christine and I imagine that this little challenge would resonate with you so much. Can I say that we're thrilled? We're thrilled! Thrilled with the photos we've seen (How could I ever choose? I couldn't. It was like throwing darts at a board.) and thrilled with the support and love you all have given each other. We decided to break our features in half and do two weekly shout-outs, so check The Plumed Nest to see what caught Christine's eye, and check back here on Monday to see how the second half of the challenge shook out.

We're already working on Round 2 (every where I go I seem to get an idea for a prompt and jot it down so I don't forget), so sad as I am that we're winding up this week, I'm already looking forward to starting again! You guys rock!

five things, april 25

1. I think the very first thing I have to do is thank you for all of the wonderful comments and questions you left on Cal's post yesterday. He can't wait to answer each one of them, but his mother made him because we got home late from a baseball game last night and there's homework yet to be done. We'll work on it over the weekend, so check back Monday to see his heartfelt thanks and answers to any questions you may have had.

2. I think one of the best things about my day yesterday was when my drive home from dropping Neel at work was slowed by a beautiful white duck who took his (her?) time crossing the road in front of me, changed his mind halfway across and waddled back again. I think it was ruined by the guy in the huge truck who couldn't wait 30 seconds and had to speed around to get past me and scared the duck. Thankfully he didn't hit it. What a jerk! Was it really necessary? We both got stopped at the same stop sign, so it wasn't like he got anywhere any faster than me. Jackwagon. To cheer myself up, I've watched this video over and over again.

3. I think yes. It was my birthday this week. Possibly one of the most unceremonious birthdays I've had in awhile. We spent the day in Richmond, so all eyes were on Callum, and that's okay.  Some years are like that, I guess.

4. I think was the one of the weirdest things to happen to us in awhile. We checked in late to our hotel Thursday night, and had a room high on the 8th floor with a view of the capitol. Neel left our keys with the valet for them to park the car. We'd been in the room awhile, all changed into jammies, when Cal called from the window, "Papa, can you come here real quick. Someone's in our car." So Neel pulled his pants on, shall we say, super quick, and bolted downstairs as fast as the super-slow elevators would take him. The clerk who checked us in was asleep at the desk. Cal and I watched the whole thing from our window. Neel stride across the street to the car, the guy in the car (it was the valet) jump out of his skin, Neel tear open the door and yell at the guy in the car. Those of you who have met Neel may have a difficult time imagining this. After Neel came back inside, he woke up the clerk at the desk, and uh, explained the situation to him.

We worked it all out the next morning (and didn't pay for parking, by the way), but: creepy, weird, and strange.

5. I think I can speak for both Christine and me that we're having such fun continuing on with #perception_collection. We're going to showcase some of your photos on Monday, and in the meantime, keep 'em coming! Every day you're inspiring me and pushing me. It's been great!