1. Being Baby Captives- Somebody got used to being cuddled for everything/ falling asleep to the sweet buzz of benadryl, so now he basically won't sleep unless held, therefor continuing our 4 months of constant sleep-related drama. I have got nothing done. On the bright side, he is more willing to cuddle, and that is pretty darn cute.

2. Finishing our PEPS group- We are one week away from ending our first Peps leadership, and it was all in all a really lovely experience. It makes a big difference to work helping others into our schedule even now when things are consistently nuts. We are planning a short hiatus until the fall, and then we will be back to it. Have other moms with babies found ways to volunteer?

3. The End of July- I know I am like the only person, but I really hate summer. We live in a city where summer isn't even all that summerish, but thanks to El Nino, we have had some hot days in air conditioner-less homes. Things start cooling down/ raining again in Seattle in August, so I am hoping even if it stays summery, it will be more tolerably so. July kicked our butts, and no one needs a sick baby in a hot house. Ready to turn the page for sure, so we can get to my favorite season- fall!

from newsweek.com

4. Greenpeace vs. Shell- I was blown away with the world-changing commitment of the protestors who blocked the way for the Shell ship in Portland the last two days. I genuinely hope that Shell misses their small window to drill, because there is no known way to clean up a spill if (and when) it happens.

You can still write the White House or sign a petition to ask him to change his position on this issue, as it is incredibly disappointing that he would even allow this while simultaneously speaking on the White House's commitment to the environment. It seems so amazing to me that a few people could make a difference like this, and I hope that people continue to fight back like they did in Seattle and Portland (2 of the only ports that still allow Shell to park their ships in for repairs- so shame on them as well).

5. Ice Cream Surprises- Man, we have some good will to pay forward after this week, because my family has been particularly good to us as we fight through The Bub's sickness. It was so fun to get ice cream in the mail, and I just feel lucky to have such a wonderful sister in law who is looking out for us.

6.  Preserve- This company (you can buy their stuff on amazon) makes plastic plates and cutlery in the US from 100% recycled plastic. It's throwaway/ lightweight stuff you can use over and over again. Or if you don't want to, you can mail it back to them. The Boy's Aunt Patty is a ninja master at reusing disposable silverware, so I think they should consider her as a mascot.