Life's no picnic... except on weekends

Claire and Linda started something that I see becoming a tradition around here - indoor picnics on the weekend. If it doesn't become a tradition, then I'm confident Claire will have something to say scream about it. She's already suggested we have a picnic everyday after preschool, but she's not as adamant about doing so as she is on weekends. What started as picnics downstairs in Claire's "tree house" (what she calls her nylon cottage playhouse) has transformed into a picnic in the living room while watching Sprout TV (PBS Kids shows on some channel above 100). Yea, we realize plopping Claire in front of the TV during mealtime isn't necessarily a good thing. Actually, I can't think of any good that could come of it at all other than it provides some relaxation for everyone involved. But at least the picnics don't last longer than 30 minutes, then it's time for Claire to do her house chores while Momma and Papa drink Manhattans. Just kidding. Momma's a wine drinker, while I like beer.

So here's a picture of Claire, Linda and Bogey enjoying last weekend's picnic time. Notice the bath towel in lieu of an actual picnic blanket because we're high class people. Claire's meal of choice - at least for the last three picnics in a row - is a selection of four fish sticks served with a Trader Joe's low fat mayo dip and accompanied by a portion of sweet potato fries (ketchup on the side). For dessert, a traditional Stewart Family staple - cottage cheese mixed with chopped pears in a light simple syrup. The only thing you can't see in this family picnic photo is me out of frame bitching about the heat, crying about the flies swarming around my head, and complaining that Linda "didn't put enough mayonnaise on my ham sandwich!"