Here we go again.

But this time, we're flying.... 3,ooo miles, into the very heart of Thoms-ness. Not for the timid. Nor those who do not like to drink Manhattans.

Finally, proof!

Finally, proof! That other women cry while trying on swimsuits! O, I know the tissue is for hygienic purposes, but who among us hasn't shed a tear? It's loathsome and humiliating. I know what you're thinking: Bec, we know you heart hyperbole, but "loathsome and humiliating?" Surely, you're being over-dramatic. Who did you take swimsuit shopping with you? Mr. Blackwell? One of your skinny and gorgeous sisters? Giselle Bundchen?

Why, no. I brought two little boys with me. One of whom is just young enough to remember my boobs as a primary food source, and one of whom is just old enough to find them hilarious.

The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men,

.... lea'e us nought but grief an' pain, when the kids get the flu.

The shore.

The sand is fine and the water is nice, but there's that narrow margin of in-between, that overlap, that is so perfect and magical. I could spend any amount of time there. Longer, if there are sandwiches.

6. Go camping.

I am not a camper. I could go on and on into a four-page rant (available on request) but I won't do that here out of pure gratitude to the beautiful and amazing friends (and handsome husband) who fed me and handed me adult beverages and tolerated my discomfort on this trip.

The kids had a fantastically good time - they roasted marshmallows, climbed on rocks, and got dirtier than I ever thought possible. And we only went to the Emergency Room once! (Seamus fell off his scooter and got one stitch in his forehead, and a purple band-aid. He was brave.)

Was I pleasantly surprised? There was a moment when I was sitting at a picnic table, in my pajamas, in the middle of the night (having fled the tent in a fit of overly-warm, claustrophobic pique) when I looked up to see the sky full of stars and thought: well, that's pleasant. Surprise!

Pleasantly surprised.

We're on the road again, but this time? There's camping involved. This morning, Joanna said (in a chipper and almost convincing manner): I hope you'll be pleasantly surprised! I hope so too.

Chocolate-chip Banana Bread.

papernstitch!

Sometimes, you find a site that you really really love and admire. Because it's so beautifully designed and the blogger has just fantastic taste and all the vendors there are talented and amazing and you want to be like them. And they're accepting applications, but you don't apply because you're intimidated by the general wonderfulness and maybe you will one day, when you get the shop in order or the kids go back to school or you finally get the studio cleaned or y'know, hell freezes over.....

And then one night, you have a glass of wine. Or two. And feel particularly like writing brave copy about yourself and sending in your best and most delightful photos..... And they let you in? Absurd! Of course, you have to accept immediately, before they change their minds and then run around the house yelling: papernstitch! papernstitch! papernstitch!

Come check me out there, and be sure to click on that cute little heart next to my picture. If I get the most votes, I win cash prizes! And I think we all know how I feel about cash prizes.....

1. Visit the SF MOMA.

Seamus's favorite part of the museum: the elevator. Fin's? "Nothing." I'm raising cave people. At least the cave people had Lascaux, so there's hope. They were very well-behaved for little barbarians and touched almost none of the artwork. Some things, like Katharina Fritsch's Kind mit Pudeln, proved too difficult to resist. 

Postcards from Bend....

Okay. Eight hours in the car is too many. Bend is amazing, though - and the cousins make it worthwhile....Also the bike races, and throwing rocks in the river, banana-carrot pancakes, riding a two-wheeler for the first time, the cozy striped hammocks in the sun and listening to sitar music in the park. But mostly, the cousins.

French Riviera Soiree, anyone?

Won't you join me for a French Riviera Soiree? You're very welcome, especially if you don't mind talking about the Tour. Because that's pretty much all I want to talk about. And the fact that BananaSaurus Rex is featured on the Storque today. C'est Magnifique!

On the road again.

I'm totally not kidding. This time my monkeys and I are headed north to Bend, Oregon, which features the most glorious of all the world's natural resources: cousins! Back next weekend!

Free stuff!

Who doesn't love free stuff? Over at the Ardent Sparrow, Rebecca (no relation) is giving away free handmade goodness all week. It's the best! BananaSaurus Rex will be featured on Thursday.... Go check it out!

A handful.

A handful of carrots. I grew them in my backyard. They were delicious.

Postcards from Ventura....

Whew - just got back from lovely Ventura, CA. Julie and I went and stayed with her parents, in her childhood home. It was not at all unlike a week-long sleepover with a high school girlfriend. And five kids. Julie's dad even took us out for ice cream.

We tried to be our most patient selves, to be the most relaxed go-with-the-flow Mamas we could. We left the house without knowing where we would eventually arrive. We didn't worry about who had eaten what and when. We sang songs about Jesus. We diverted cranky preschoolers with tickles and pink milk. We drank wine in the afternoon. It was exhausting! And I found that it confused my children mightily.

4. Swim in 2 oceans - part 1

To those of you who would argue that we are not actually "swimming," I have one thing to say: You go swimming in the Pacific Ocean. Hypothermia can take effect in under two minutes, good day to you!