Pete playing with dolls. An interesting image.

Ha! (Tho' you realize that I was talking about the bird skull accessory TO Pete, right?)

No, he's in the other room, playing L4D2.

I think when you're blonde nobody will believe you don't fetishize your hair like everyone else does.

True 'dat.

I went through years of loathing it because I just didn't need to hear about how much people pay for their highlights...it's also got a crazy texture that keeping it long does no favors for. It's a weird little voyage through the American psyche growing up to look like...I don't know, Gwen Stefani Gets In A Horrible Accident. I'm 36, and I still don't get it. Just in time to get old and whacked-out about that.

ND, that is a fantastic wedding gift. You do indeed have a marvelous landlord.

Dinner Review: Success! With an overcreaming of the potatoes I added (in a bit of a Hail Mary) some pre-cooked hash brown patties on the theory that (a) they could catch up on the hour of cooking and (b) they'd soak up liquid. Instincts scores 1! It worked exactly as expected. Left it in until the Parmesan browned. It was almost like raclette at that point.

Oh, it was super rich and satisfying on a cold, rainy December night.

I had mine with two hot Italian sausages and a liberal dipping of Dijon mustard. Strong, spicy, tangy flavors to go with the creamy, cheesy spuds. A good pairing. Chased it with a green salad with a balsamic dressing. Fiber plus acidic equals just right.

I'm about three quarters of the way through Breaking Dawn. I think I may be in a permanent state of "WTF???"

I know! I read it a year ago...still WTF-ffy. We ate cashew chicken and egg rolls tonight.

Yeah, that never goes away.

Hmmm. I under-potatoed my scalloped potatoes. It is now a particularly rich and cheesy potato soup. This could still be a win...

Glad you saved it, but yowza does the under-potatoed, generously scalloped potatoes sound amazing.

my brother in law never married his son's mother and they split when he was 3. They, too, worked out a 50/50 split. He put A LOT of work into it--including keeping his job prospects well within the area, and bending over backwards in giving his ex their house (he paid for it, she didn't work) and the better vehicle. He paid her more than an official custody arrangement would have required for support payments and carried all insurance and medical costs. I think the generous financial arrangements helped smooth the way but my nephew is nearly 7 and is EXTREMELY well adjusted, having spent more than half his life shuttling between households.

Where I lived changed over the years, as did the amount of time I lived with each parent, but the fact that both my parents loved me and never took out any anger on each other in ways that could affect me is something I am entirely grateful to have grown up knowing. That is still priceless to me.

My heart breaks when parents take out their issues on their kids. (Hi, just got back from Christmas and I am glad I know a lot of amazing parents because seeing the bad ones is awful and I need a mental cleanser.)

Glad you saved it, but yowza does the under-potatoed, generously scalloped potatoes sound amazing.

Right? Baked soup can be good. Uh, so uhm, make this recipe with less potatoes and more milk and you'll be good.

but the fact that both my parents loved me and never took out any anger on each other in ways that could affect me is something I am entirely grateful to have grown up knowing. That is still priceless to me.

That is the trick. People compliment EM and I for having such a good working relationship, but I am always quick to say that it required a lot of work. That it wasn't an accident of easy good will but an effortful prioritizing of Emmett's well being.

Not to claim credit for us, but to say that it requires putting aside your ego and loving your child more than your righteous anger.