I have been busy living large which is why you haven’t heard from me for the last few days.

Neylan took me to Jean Georges for my birthday.

How do you say YOWZA in French? (YOWZERRRR? Only don’t pronounce the “r” – it is silent, right?) Help me out with this one, Parker. I need your French pronunciation expertise, my brotha!

There are no words to describe how amazing it was.

It was divine dining. And they also peel the asparagus there, just in case you’re wondering.

Thank you, sweet friend for a gastronomic experience NEVER to be forgotten.

The following morning at 6:00 AM I was “up and at um” and painting our deck! I felt like Donna Reed.

Only I am pretty sure that Donna could button up her pants, and I can’t… at one point when Jan was taking these pictures he suggested that I pull my shirt over the top o’ my trousers. So I took his advice.

I look like I am concentrating on painting the deck but really I’m thinking to myself, “Hmmm! I wonder if I will ever be able to button up these pants again?”

I can’t blame dear Jean Georges for my predicament, as we only just met. So who can I blame?  I am sure there is someone out there I can hold responsible (other than YOURS TRULY) for my inability to button-up said trousers.

I got the first coat on before 8:30 when Jan had a conference call.

Then I spent the rest of the day trying to get the mission accomplished.

It took great effort

And many stops

and starts and stops

and more stops and starts

At one point we had to completely walk away from the project and just play! Mom, I get why you couldn’t get anything done. It is impossible to do ANYTHING when little kids are around.  By the end of the day I was so ticked off at my children I wondered to myself, “Is this worth me turning into a beastly mother?”

When I finally let go and stopped trying to get the deck finished things got better.

I got to play the prince

to Millie’s Rapunzel.

They kissed a lot.

It was fun.

And you know what? After dinner and putting the girls to bed I went back out side and finished what I had started.

And it looks BEAUTIFUL! If I do say so myself.