Tuesday Ramblings...

I love that little hand clutching my necklace.
(better that, than the top of my dress, or I'd be in trouble!)

Let's pretend I'm whispering something really sweet in his ear too.
Not correcting him for wildly swatting a stick a few inches from other children.
A few of these pictures were taken Sunday night at our annual "Taste of Mariemont".
It is held at the Concourse, a large open grassy area with a pretty, vine covered, stone overlook.
We like to pretend the ocean is visible on the otherside.
Ohio River, Ocean, tOmato, tomAto,  pOtato, potAto
It's a picturesque little spot for a picnic or after dinner family baseball game.
I'm still hoping to squeeze in one while the weather is warm.
Also, many/most of our backyards are small so it's nice to have this around the corner.
I know a number of you requested a little village show + tell.
I will, I promise. Maybe this fall.
We live in the first "planned community" in the US and it has all sorts of fun historical tid-bits,
if you are into that sort of thing! :)
I can tell you the bakery I took the kids to on the first day of school is
NOT part of our town.  It is a cute spot a couple towns over in Milford.
Also deserving of a little tour.  But one town at a time, shall we.

We've been enjoying these late summer days.

Spending as much time outside as possible.

{C and his buddy, Elliot, in the octopus T}

My Saturday night (I'm moving backwards in this post..)...
was a dinner of spaghetti with garlic, lemon, pine nuts, basil and Parmesan with my three favorite boys followed by Frank Sinatra on Pandora, a glass (or two) of wine, open windows and 

the production that was this fig + strawberry + hazelnut tart. 

I somehow missed the prep time of 3.5 hours when I set out to make it.
Here's my review...I love Martha, I am not her, and her recipes are not my favorite.
I enjoyed the dollop of fresh whipped cream more than the tart, though Jimmy said it's his favorite
dessert of all time.  Then he went on to have three servings.
It was fun to make, but will not become one of my go-to desserts.   

While Andrew's been in school, summer is still in full swing with my little smiley boy.

This child knows how to have a good time.

He loves his friends and makes new ones so easily.

Charlie is always up for new adventures.
I honestly have 100 pictures from an afternoon at a fabulous new park (below) and
his face and body radiate joy in each and every one of them.
Don't worry, he can scream with the best of them when the urge strikes,
but MOST of the time he is one happy, affectionate, little camper.

Let's see...what else.
Oh, my bedroom wallpaper is up.  I'm crazy about it!
Can't wait to finish off the room and share a peek with you gals.

And I finally finished a book this summer that isn't related to Harry Potter or Narnia.
I heard Diane Rehm's interview with the author and thought I might enjoy it.
It's about three women who live in a small town in Massachusetts with
husbands fighting in WWII.  It's the story of how their lives and
relationships are changed in the years following the war.
I'd say it was good.  Not great. Worth checking out at the library but not buying.
A solid B if I was giving out grades.

That's all for now.
Thanks for the painting advice + empathy!!
Still searching...
xo,
Tessa