Enough said

So, after bath time, I ran downstairs to get my phone, thinking I'd take a cute shot of the boys, but as I headed back up, to hysterical cackle-type laughter, I caught sight of the above. Oliver's sweet bum with WHAT tucked inside? Apparently, a small bit of styrofoam packing material from the box in which my new sandals were (still?) nestled.

Really, this moment perfectly encapsulates Ol's mischievousness, the sort of comedy which makes Jack tick (I about peed in my pants because as a surprise, this was hilarious), and my day.

Butts come up SO often in my daily conversations. It's just remarkable. As such, it may not surprise you that I am, at the tender time of not-yet-seven, at the very-last-drop end of my second glass of wine. It's an excellent bottle of wine, if that makes any difference: the Greywacke 2012 Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, NZ. I highly recommend it. As with many NZ Sauv Blancs, it's nearly clear in the glass; straw-colored I'd say if forced to choose a hue. Immediately you are confronted with the fabulous, racy, herbal grassiness of good NZ SBs. I absolutely love these wines when done well. Each and every sip manages to cleanse, satisfy, excite and entice. Which is one reason I've just finished la deuxième.

I am dying, DYING to make the Giant Green Pie recipe published in today's NYT Dining section, but I am NOT sure I want to wait two more hours for the finished product. Instead I might do something with the enormous mess o' arugula I recently culled from my garden. A pesto? A spread? Ooh, what about a Bûcheron and arugula pesto frittata? And that's a go.

Fab MD feast

Before Jack's baseball game this evening, T's parents came over for a Mother's Day fete and feast. I'd planned to make lobster rolls, and then T decided to butter-poach the tails (quick-boiled for two minutes, shells then removed, recipe a la Thomas Keller) in his sous vide machine. To toss with the poached meat he made a homemade Dijon mayo; I added snipped chives. We had a fresh loaf of challah from our challah-share at Ol's school, and from that I made split top, butter-toasted rolls. Rolls-stuffed with lobster-topped with fresh micro greens = un.bel.ievable. So, so good.

I also managed to get myself off the couch to make a rhubarb-strawberry pie (mostly rhubarb) spiced with cinnamon, orange and almond extract. Un.bel.ievable. That made for a fab dessert, and then we all rolled to the field for J's last regular-season game.

Let me tell you that I was so proud of my little slugger. His team hasn't won a game all season, a trend that kept going like a wildfire tonight. But they just get out there and have fun and do their best and all the parents cheer and no one seems to care that they're losing which I think is SO surprising and SO great. He got a couple hits, got on base, had a ball and is now in the bath.

I'm going back to the couch but as a happy and grateful mama. PS- T has won hubs of the year this weekend. WOW!

Mother's Day morning at the farmers market

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms, grandmothers, aunts and women who serve as mother figures in my and many others' lives. I hope you're all having a marvelous day. It was a cool morning here, but it's warming up and is beautiful out. Jack just hadn't gotten enough of that blasted report done, so while he continued to work, Oliver and I headed out to the market. First stop Bonaparte for an eclair for O, raspberry palmier for J, and a hulking piece of flan for moi. Divine. We bought pounds of fresh rhubarb, some sausages, cheese, flowers for moi, asparagus and so on.

I've never seen such a little guy eat such a large eclair so quickly. It was extremely impressive! And then he requested two chipotle buffalo jerky sticks. An indulgent, sweet morning with my littlest one.

Did y'all ever read Fifteen by Beverly Cleary? It was one of my very favorite books growing up; I'm sure I read it at least two dozen times. When I saw these snapdragons this morning, I remembered the scene in which Jane is babysitting the mischievous little girl who traps flies in snaps. What is that little girl's name? I know it'll come to me later, but anyway, Jane gently releases all the ensnared flies after her charge loses interest. I told Oliver that story and showed him how to squeeze the snap blossoms open, which he found fascinating. Nanny always grew snapdragons; she had plenty of sun and they seemed to like the Louisiana heat. Anyway, I love them too so bought a half dozen stems this morning to arrange in with the sweet peas and few ranunculus I also purchased.

On our way home, Ol and I called Nanny to wish her a Happy Mother's Day. She sounded good, and I told her she had more lives than a lucky cat. She laughed and said, "I guess so." I wish I could go visit with her right now.