tuesday 10: what I love about...

A second post today! Seriously? Seriously.

Read on. Prepare for having your mind blown.Just kidding, probably. But you've been warned.
Linking up with one of my favorites, Lena @ Mom2MemphisAndRubyfor her final 10 for 4 whole weeks!*gasp!*
This weeks theme is
What I love about _____.Fill in the blanks! I was always so good at those.
So, I read through everyone's lists that have posted so far, and I'm so torn about what to share! Everyone is sharing why they love their family, boyfriend/husband, etc. Julie at The Funny Thing of it is... made my day with her love note for her cell phone. I actually lol'd. No joke. I almost didn't write a 10, because hers trumped my unwritten 10 in every possible way. 
It's with much consideration that I present you with...
The Top 10 Reasons Why I Love...My Bed.
1. It generally provides me at least 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night.
2. It is not too hard and not too soft - it really feels like a firm snuggle.
3. It is my very first big girl bed. I mean, not like I've been sleeping in a crib for 29 years. I haven't. But, I haven't had a proper bed before this one. Just a mattress and boxspring on a metal frame. Mine is a real, honest to God, beautiful black wooden sleigh bed. I've been begging B for one since we moved in together, and finally got one when we bought the nest.
4. I can do work while laying in it and my back never hurts.
5. It's accessories are the best. I have a gorgeous light blue and green paisley quilt that I LOVE, and throw blankets coming out of my eyeballs, and two throw pillows (one with roses and one made of burlap with birds on a wire in vintage-y material) that I also love.
6. Memory foam pillow. That's it.
7. It's big enough for my entire family to fit into. That's right. B and I co-sleep with our kids dogs and cats. Conrad always sleeps in my armpit or in the basket of my arm if I sleep on my side. Or with B in his basket. Or under B's butt. Actually Conrad isn't really picky about where he sleeps, as long as it's warm. Lexi generally sleeps along the bottom of the bed, or when she's feeling sassy, on my side of the bed and I have to move her to actually get in my spot. The cats come and go throughout the night. Cessie's favorite spot is somewhere that cuts off my breathing (chest/face/pinching my nostrils shut). Sookie generally stays near my feet... the better for biting them while I sleep. I know this sounds unpleasant, but for me, it's my favorite.
8. I write best in my bed. I swear, the darkness combined with the sheer comfort of the bed itself, is the very best muse I've got.
9. I can look out of my bay window and see the morning sun and super blue sky first thing in the morning. And when I'm not being a total mushroom, that makes me happy.

10. Because I get to wake up and see this...

yup, that's Conrad's foot in a sleeping B's nose. It's the cutest thing that I've ever seen.

B, don't be mad. You look adorable with min pin toes in your nose.

That's it, babes.... Have a great rest of your Tuesday!!!

father's day weekend/tuesday reviewsday

 You guys. This weekend was so jam packed. I literally didn't take a single picture.

That's a lie. I took one. This is it:

Some pretty dismissive graffiti as seen in Park Slope 

oh! And this one:

There is a coffee called Jet Fuel.
I don't think anyone should drink this.

They really have nothing to do with anything that I did this weekend at all.

My mom and dad got into town late on Friday night. We spent most of the weekend eating - which is a favorite thing in this family. Honestly, we just leave food out on the counters at all times and graze like cattle. It's totally different from what I'm used to, because I never really get to eat during the days normally - except for regular meals - because I'm all runrunrungogogo all the time. But it was nice to have the weekend to be a little lazy and spend time with my people.

My dad was definitely in "fix up the nest" mode. He installed some lights over my sink (which I had no idea that I needed until they were there), rigged up a towel bar in the guest bathroom, and hung my new jewelry case (this fancy, wall mounted, mirrored, vintage looking thing that my mom got for me. Totally amazing from Kirklands - where she works! Check it out here.) up with B. I should've taken pictures of these processes, but I was too busy eating Eat N Park Smiley cookies and laying on the couch with my mom and the cats.

Saturday, we went to Lowe's and did laps of the inside of the building until I thought I would drop of starvation (note: eating your weight in Smiley cookies and iced tea doesn't store up calories for a long trip to the hardware store. I know, I was shocked too.) Then we went home, dropped my dad off, and my mom and I went on a little excursion to Manhattan for errands like Target and Marshals. You know, really important stuff.

We were all so done when we got home that we ate chinese take out together at the kitchen table instead of going out to eat for dinner. I then proceeded to pass out on the couch, sleeping on my moms shoulder, while we watched Robert Downey Jr's Sherlock Holmes for the second time. I could not be woken up. Eventually I zombie walked back to my bed and passed out on top of the covers. I do not remember any of this. Ben also tells me that I said sleepily, "I need a cookie." before falling face first onto my pillow. Clearly Saturday wasn't my most attractive day, but luckily I was surrounded by people that would like me anyway.

Sunday, we hung around for most of the day. We went to Coney Island (I am SUCH an idiot for not taking pictures), specifically to Nathan's, and ate (some more!). My dad was happy with his hot dog and soft shell crab sandwich. Ben and I ate cheese fries and ice cream.We couldn't find a parking spot, so we ended up just hanging out in an illegal parking spot with the windows down, watching cops not ticket anyone and eating our amazing beach food.

For the finale of our weekend, we went to father's day dinner (I know, you're fully shocked that we still had room to eat more food. I am too. It's a miracle.) at a VERY sweet little Park Slope find called Scalino. It was SO GOOD. SO GOOD. I actually said, "This sauce is made from the tears of angels, it's so good." My mom proceeded to tell the owner what I said, and I couldn't tell if he was rolling his eyes or genuinely tickled by my fancy metaphor. The meal was ridiculous. I would tell you about everything I ate, but I think we tried one of everything on the menu. And, for four of us, the bill was only $150. Seriously. In New York, this is practically a miracle. If you're local, go to Scalino. And take me with you.

A brief word about my dad...
My dad is great. He's smart, fun, and affectionate. He knows SO MUCH stuff about so many things. He's warm, and funny. I've just spent an entire weekend with him, so I'm a little spoiled. Thank you for putting things up for me, showing me how to do things that I never would've thought to do. Thanks for teaching me about baseball stadiums, Sherlock Holmes stories, and how to be real person. I appreciate it more than I ever say. I love you a whole bunch. <3

A brief word about my husband...
You're a great dad. I love you. Thank you for sacrificing your time and working so hard to provide for us. We all love you. Even Sookie. No one emailed me and told me that you were the worst today. ;)

Happy Father's Day guys.

This sort of became an epic post.

The short story is, I wish they could've stayed longer.

...

Also today...

I hit 50 GFC followers. I cannot believe that 50 people care to read what I write. Thank you friends. It means a lot.

I'm participating in this little GFC bloghop sponsored by The life of a not so ordinary wife and a bunch of other fab gals.

I'm also fully planning to do a Tuesday 10 today... just dragging a bit from the wicked weekend.

go fly a kite

My father in law came to visit, briefly, Sunday and Monday. It was great to have him - he's such a strange (in a good way!) and eclectic guy that you inevitably learn something from him, even when you don't think you are.

He's been making and flying kites since forever. I know that that probably sounds very Charlie Brown to you, but the truth is, it takes understanding of tons of math and physics to be able to make and fly kites well. He can coax a kite into the air in any wind conditions... it's kind of amazing. He's had pictures in the newspapers in our hometown too - maybe that was a slow news day. But still, really cool stuff.

A little backstory is that my FIL grew up in Brooklyn, close by where we now live. He spent a lot of his childhood bounced around to foster homes (yet, his parents were still alive), and then went to boarding school. He was drafted by the army in 1963, served in California, and ultimately ended up coming back to New York. He never finished college, though he's one of the smartest people I've ever met. I think that, somehow, academic achievement meant very little to him because it wasn't a challenge. That's just my guess though.

The idea of flying kites off of our roof had been B's. He knew his dad wouldn't be able to resist. I personally hate going up on the roof. Serious and major fear of heights for this girl. I snapped this photo, and a few others before I had to hand the camera to B and go back inside.

Just looking at it makes my knees feel like liquid.

When presented with the flying kites from the roof notion, my FIL said thoughtfully, "It'll be the first Brooklyn flight since 1976..."(his sentences always sort of drift off, like he has another thought to back up the one before, but he's keeping the rest of it to himself.) So, without further ado... a flight 36 years in the making.

All kites are handmade with weird plastic things - like paper towel packaging and chinese take-out bags.

It took no time to get this baby in the air.

Thank you and have a nice day.