I am over my blog angst ... probably

So ... confession: I've actually been actively avoiding posting to this blog. At first it was because I was on vacation, but not too long after I got back the tornadoes ripped through the South, and I ended up feeling (justified or not) like anything I posted would be rather trite, when so many of my friends were dealing with big issues. And then after that writing a post seemed suddenly both overwhelming and inadequate. Overwhelming because I hadn't posted in so long I couldn't even decide what to talk about, and inadequate because, let's be honest, most of what I spend my life doing is extended babysitting.

But having been motivated by the wonderful LL's post on Monday, I am sucking it up and getting over my blog angst. Woot woot! And in order to do so, I have decided to go all Maria Van Trapp on you and make a list of my favorite things (that have happened since I last posted).

[Disclaimer: the list will not rhyme. Nor will it be set to music. It is also only four items long. Deal.]

1. Toast with butter, berry jam, and goat or sheep cheese (chèvre or brebis). I have this feeling my host family thinks it's weird, and possibly you do too, oh ye of little faith. It's the Best Breakfast Ever. So go try it - now.

2. Yard sales. I love them. And a couple weekends ago some other au pairs and I went to our favorite crêperie (2-3 Tbsp of nutella/crêpe. LOVE) and discovered that the neighborhood was having their semi-annual gigantic yard/garage sale. Seriously, if Paris had blocks, this would have covered about 3. Finding it was, truly, a beautiful moment.

3. Bizarre conversations with my children. Mostly this happens with the 6 yr old, who talks pretty much constantly (yes, I do sympathize with my parents now, because I swear he is impossible to stop once he gets going). ANYway, our conversations often go something like this:

6: Heyheyhey, I have a question.

Me: Can you brush your teeth first?

6: Yes, but first, how does Superman-

Me, cheerfully: Brush your teeth first, ask questions later!

6: Yes, but how can he fly? And why-

Me, sternly: We'll talk about this after you brush your teeth, you're going to be late for school.

6: Yes, but did you see the other superman? Why-

Me, increasingly desperate: Teeth! Now!

6: Yes, but why-

(At this point I usually give up in despair)

He's still young enough that the TV v. reality distinction is a little difficult for him, and given that they've recently been obsessed with Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, we've had quite a few variations of the above conversation. It's the times like that which make watching kids rewarding.

4. Sudoku. I used to chuckle at people who played it - they claim to have fun putting numbers in little boxes. Lame. But then the dad went on a business trip to the US, and brought back presents for the kids and his wife, and, so that I wouldn't feel left out (which really was nice of him) brought back a little Sudoku book for me. Yeah, I'm not ashamed to admit that I was completely, utterly wrong. Sudoku is, to quote the Irish au pair who lives nearby, deadly.