A little of this and a little of that...

Let me begin with my boys...

On Saturday we attempted to have a family picture taken.

 Charlie behaved like a wild animal that had been recently set free from captivity.

I am not exaggerating.

He seems to have taken turning 2 to heart.

He wasn't bad, quite the contrary, he was having the time of his life.

Chasing the photographer (who worked up a sweat running after him),

throwing acorns into a sewer, making sticks into weapons, climbing precariously over stone walls,

using benches as balance beams.

He was so tuckered out, that he was an angel when we went out to dinner afterwards.

Not a single peep, happily coloring waiting for his food, never getting up out of his seat.

And then there's the other monkey...

On Sunday night, Andrew flooded the downstairs bath and adjoining playroom

when he forgot to turn off the faucet after brushing his teeth.

Our poor little sink drains very slowly (old house charms) and couldn't keep up.

20 towels, 2 buckets filled with water, and a giant mess later it was semi-back to normal.

But that was only act 1 of his weekend follies..

When I returned home on Sunday after a trip to the grocery store Andrew was covered in red marker.

He had decided to get in the Halloween spirit early by making "bloody" marks on his face and all over his chest. Nice. He said not to worry because it was Crayola and it says "washable".

More towels, water, lots of soap and scrubbing later he was presentable again.

He kept saying "well that wasn't such a good idea ,was it?"

I do believe Jimmy and I must be going soft as parents because we thought it was all quite hysterical.

And somehow amidst all this excitement I still found time to enjoy 2 books over the weekend..

First up, an early bday present from a very dear friend. (thank you, Jen!  mwah!) 

If you like traditional, classic interiors, you'll love this book.

Want a little peek?

antiques, slipcovers, monograms, leopard prints a-plenty throughout...

And second, this book.

Could not put it down.

Truth be told..I was reading while the aforementioned bath room sink was overflowing.

Completely oblivious was I.

Very well written.
One of the better books I've read lately.

Read the reviews here.

And lastly...

I've been baking.

I cannot tell you how much I love making an unhurried Sunday night dinner to the sounds of my husband playing with our children outside through an open kitchen window. 

Especially when it's autumn and showers of leaves fall  

every now and then as a gust of wind loosens them from the branches. 

I like having the kitchen all to myself, but with them nearby. 

I love when they say it smells good, even all the way outside.

It is such a simple pleasure. 

For Sunday night dessert, I made an apple galette. It was yummy.

But I found it was even better with coffee this morning.

 When I make it next, I will brush the top with apricot jelly and Calvados

after I remove it from the oven, like I did with Ina's Apple Tart last year.   

 

That was a long one.

Thanks for hanging in there and reading.

Now go bake something yummy, grab a good book,

and make sure your children turn off the faucets.

Tessa