Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real

::Pretty::

I made a peach pie the other week, and it looked so lovely!  In the end, the pie was only so-so, but I was pleased with the crust.

::Happy::

An assortment of summer fun!  

Lily *loved* the playground equipment at a friend's park birthday, and the only thing I wish I had captured was Ben and his friends taking their turns playing.

Some of the neighborhood kids playing together, which must be one of the best things about summer!

And the magic of a box, which continues to be one of the best toys ever. 

::Funny::

What is the ticket to making dinner uninterrupted?  Setting up your two year old with a bowl of soapy water, a cloth diaper, and a dump truck.  He worked diligently for half an hour cleaning his truck.  Perfect!

::Real::

Zosia has started reading to the littler kids, which makes us so incredibly happy.  She just fluent enough a reader that they seem to accept her as a stand in for a parent.  Here, Ben let her read Hugo his bedtime story. I don't think we'll make it a habit, but it's definitely handy in a pinch.

I'm linking up with Like Mother, Like Daughter today: I went to their DC meetup last night and it was a very nice evening.  So many lovely women, cute babies, beautiful pregnant women, and wise experienced mothers.  It was nice to sit down and talk about everything from creating community to raising boys and helping children behave at mass.  I was definitely taking notes!