Already?

Last week, we had to bring out the heavy coats. I was a little sad that it was only September and we already had our coat rack overflowing with an array of jackets, sweaters, raincoats and coats, but it was mainly the mornings that were cold and by afternoon we didn't need any of it. This morning however, we had to bring out the hats and mittens. A certain family member who adores her pink Hello Kitty hat and her oh so soft princess mittens, has no problem embracing these cold and damp mornings, but another member was less than thrilled. I think the pictures speak for themselves. And this was even before we removed the heavy coats so that they can each fit safely and nicely into their car seats (I had to watch a horrifying car seat safety video at a previous place of employment and I absolutely can NOT put my kids into their seats wearing their coats due to some very graphic images) and then when we arrived at our destination, redressed everyone including those items a certain person removed herself. I still have not mastered leaving enough time for this oh so fun part of colder weather.

So it is cold today, but very damp so it feels colder. Sarah and I had to take care of a few things this morning and one of them included dropping Daddy's car off to be serviced while he is traveling. The dealership is very close to our house so after we dropped it off, we walked home. Well, I walked and she strolled in her plastic covered buggy. Ironic that we now own a plastic covering for each of our strollers because I could not imagine ever putting plastic over my children's heads when I first saw this interesting mode of rain gear. I know the plastic is not literally over their faces, but how many times do you have to read "THIS IS NOT A TOY" on a plastic bag to get that kids and plastic don't mix? I just kept wondering if they were getting enough oxygen and is it okay to re-breathe so much carbon dioxide? You can take the nurse out of the NICU...I digress.

We stopped off at the store for a few items including the ingredients for Rice Krispie Treats we'll be needing for next week's International Festival...I couldn't have been more obvious about my nationality if I stood up on the conveyor belt singing the Star Spangled Banner, than by buying 5 bags of marshmallows (they are tiny bags) while the cashier had to call some mysterious place to get some sort of special number for each specific bag in order to ring them up as all the Belgians looked on. She did this for the first 3 and then realized there were two more, which caused her to sigh very loudly and heavily muttering something under her breath while glaring at the oblivious American also buying "Cool American Doritos" and hamburger buns. What? We also eat other things, but this was just today. She didn't even try to speak to me. I'm sure my purchases alone told her it would be a waste of her time. Oh well, at least my American child was behaving...that plastic really does muffle the noise. JUST KIDDING! I promise I only use it outside.

Here is something bloggable. Our neighbor shared this video from our neighborhood cookout last month. I haven't really checked out this website yet and I have no idea how long this will be on, but we especially love the music. This was our second annual BBQ with the neighborhood and even though last year the invitation was printed in English and French for us (they must have figured we didn't need the translation one year later ha!), we still don't seem to understand exactly what we should bring. One neighbor (from Scotland) suggested that we all bring something next year from our home country. She said our Japanese neighbors can bring sushi (again--it was brought this time and gone very quickly) and we--Joe and I-- can bring "cookies". Again with the cookie reference. That must be why there are bags of Nestle Toll House chocolate chips (for what amounts to about $10/bag) in the "americain" section along with those tiny bags of also overpriced marshmallows I mentioned earlier. So I was thinking more along the lines of potato salad, but we can bring cookies. Lucky for us, we can import our own chocolate chips for a fraction of the cost. Hard to believe that in a place so famous for chocolate, we feel the need to bring in our own just for the convenient shape. I mean everyone knows I am more of a slice and bake kind of girl (until that convenience was left an ocean away), but couldn't we just break up some of these abundant and inexpensive chocolate bars for the same result? While I'm confessing my lack of domesticity, I might as well confess that this week I have been too nervous to iron on Cub Scout badges for fear of doing it wrong and I also bought the Belgian version of Stitch Witchery to hem Nathan's school uniform pants. A domestic goddess I am not.