Mwah!

This week Christopher started giving "kisses." It is, without question, the cutest (and sloppiest) thing in the world.

While there's not a noticeable smooch - or even a puckering for that matter - they're definitely kisses and he's doling them out like it's going out of style (I'm not complaining).

If I lay down on the floor and call his name, he'll giggle as he crawls over to plant a few big ones on my forehead or my eyelid or my shoulder - whatever happens to fall within the reach of his gaping little mouth.

Of course, I laugh and match his kisses 10-to-1, so it's something of a game and I hope it continues for a while.

Dude, it's hot.

Hot enough to make me invent dinners that require no stove or oven use. Why not BBQ? Because sometimes, the idea of standing over hot coals in the aforementioned heat sounds just as icky.

So... I wanted to share last night's main with you in case you're experiencing the same stickiness.

Couscous Salad with stuff from the garden (all measurements approximate, of course)
1C whole wheat couscous - Pour boiling water over couscous from electric kettle (no stove required!) until just covered, cover bowl with plate or plastic wrap and let sit while you...

Halve one pint of grape tomatoes
Cut up one English cucumber into 1/2" pieces (de-seed and peel if you want, or be lazy like me!)
Rinse one can of garbanzo beans

Fluff the couscous with a fork (which is likely done by now) and dump the tomatoes, cucumber and garbanzo beans on top. Fold everything together.

Crumble a good handful of feta on top.

Go outside and pinch off all of the basil tips that are threatening to flower, plus a few of those big old leaves from underneath. Hack off a few sprigs of mint. Wash it up, chop it up, and dump into salad... mix and finally...

Dress lightly with olive oil, red wine vinegar, Salt-N-Pepa. Dance and eat.

Serve with big chunks of cantaloupe or whatever fruit/veg is taking over your refrigerator this week.

For the love of jam.

The baby loves a little bread with jam. Who doesn't? The Von Trapp kids sang about it ("Ti/Tea, a drink with jam and bread), Frances loved her bread and jam, and when it's homemade with berries from the farmer's market... well. Hard to argue.

However, this love combined with the exploration of gravity leaves me looking like Cinderella on a daily basis. Scrubbing spots of strawberry stickiness from the floor on my hands and knees.

And I thought a rug would be nice under the dining room table. Ha ha ha.

I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my own personal Fairy Godmother.

This week...

A wrap up of what's been going on around here, because I love lists.

listening ::
Mike - The Pursuit, Jamie Cullum
Megan - Declaration of Dependence, Kings of Convenience
Christopher - Here Comes Science, They Might Be Giants
*we are all enjoying the track Cells, in particular... see the video below :)



reading ::
Mike - At the Helm, Kathy Barker
Megan - The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin; MS Living Magazine (July 2010), Mothering Magazine (July - August 2010)
Christopher - Five Little Ladybugs, Melanie Gerth; Trucks, Byron Barton

tasting ::
Mike & Megan & Christopher - fruit smoothies with veggie odds and ends, hummus and pitas, blueberry pie with homemade peach ice cream, grilling cheese and fish with fresh dill, anything and everything that arrives in the Fresh Picks box!

doing ::
Mike - planning experiments, writing proposals, biking to work and jogging with C in the mornings
Megan - devising ways to make dinner without turning on the stove, sewing roman shades, subbing for church jobs
Christopher - dancing (bobbing), experimenting with standing and cruising, training for speed and distance, enjoying his new water table, looking forward to seeing Grandma & Grandpa!!!

Happy Weekend!