This is what happens

When I try to get them to sit together for a picture. Awesome! I love the look on Leo's face in the second picture. So determined!

A Little Melancholy

Josh is home, hooray! Although being jet lagged and exhausted means he's spent most of the day relaxing in bed.

However, as summer days pass and I start looking to fall I'm feeling a brush of melancholy begin to color my moods. Having lived in Wymount for four years, I've seen lots of families come and go. Now as Guy gets older I feel even more keenly as my friends and his playmates depart, moving on to the next stage in their lives.

I am constantly reminded of the joy of having even a few good friends, but the playground that was once overwhelmingly full of children's bodies flying in dizzy patterns is now nearly empty most mornings. I'm blessed that I'm quite close to the mothers in the ward who remain, but that delight is still overshadowed by the disappointment that as Guy asks to go to Allie's house, or Addie's, or Tyrus', or Jaxon's, he'll always receive a gentle explanation that his friend no longer lives or plays here.

Transitions seem to ceaselessly strike me, almost as though I were the rock upon which the flint strikes; eventually something will start to smoulder. I'll hope that from the ashes will arise a phoenix. I could use an alter ego. :-D

How awesome is that?

Just about the only friend I still have from high school (one of two, actually) is coming through Provo today! I had no idea until I saw her post something about SLC on facebook last night, and she and her friend have decided to take a detour through Provo to come and say hello!

I'm super excited to see Caitlin. She and I did theater in high school together, and thoroughly enjoyed our silliness and our Theater and French classes.

"Est-ce que ton homme ressemble un homard? Ne t'en fais pas! Beaucoup d'Hommes peut t'aider!"

Good times. I'll post pics if I remember to take any.

NYC

Josh is heading to the Big Apple tomorrow morning, dark and early, for the AAA Conference.

No, not that AAA. This AAA is for accountants. Josh is going to present the paper he co-authored on ranking Accounting PhD programs by current faculty members' publications.

Which is exciting for him! Great chance for networking, and BYU is paying for everything for his trip.

And it's exciting for me! I get four days to play, and tomorrow I get to play the organ in our ward, which I always love. I've even already practiced, which is a miracle in itself.

Which means, Hell's Kitchen on Tuesday night! Woot!

Bel Canto

So, a book review of Bel Canto. Anybody who frequents the playground knows that I was passionately in love with this book.

Until somewhere around page 235, I believe. When there was a half page scene that was tasteless and profane. But nevertheless I pushed on, hoping that it was not representative of what would come; I relied on the 234 EXCELLENT pages before that one to make a prediction that it would be worth it in the end.

I wish I had been right! There was more profanity. The ending was succinct but a little bland. The epilogue? Downright lamely written.

So, while I really liked the book until the last page of a chapter about 2/3 of the way through, I can't say I would recommend it to many friends.

That's what little boys are made of

Enjoy. This is just a snip of the hilarity that we see every day at the Coyne house. Love it!

Finally!

Two children who are THRILLED BEYOND BELIEF at the prospect of bathtime? I feel like I won the lottery.I cannot tell you how exciting it is that Guy is now HAPPY to take baths, and requests them even! He's showered or bathed every day this past week. All it took was the addition of one *very cute* baby brother. The best part is, two kids get cleaned in half the time!

A far cry (thankfully!) from the screams and tears of months past. Sincerest apologies to my neighbor Natalie, who has doubltess heard many a cry on Sunday mornings through our woefully thin bathroom walls.