The computer is fixed!  The computer is fixed!  My link to the outside world!  Hoo-ray!!  OK, I had to get that out.  I was going stir crazy.  Here’s a helpful hint, always pay for the protection plan when buying a computer.  We actually did not need a new motherboard.  Philip just needed to call Geeksquad and they had to make sure he’d paid for the priceless information they keep under lock and key.  Then, they told him when he turned on the computer and it said, “Leave me alone, I’m dead,” it really means, ”Hold down ctrl and hit F9 47.3 times, that’s how I likes it.”  And, like magic, it started up like nothing had ever happened at all.

So, I have some pictures, first things first, The Bangs:

please ignore the weird exposure

Why, yes I should clean the toothpaste off my mirror before posting pictures on the internets.  On the plus side, they do a fantastic job of covering my unibrow.  Shut up, I’m Italian, we are hairy women.

Next order of business, Dana had our her baby girl!  Miranda Jade was born on 1 July at around 11:30.  Nate and I were in Dana’s hospital room by 3.  ‘Cuz that’s how we do.

Miranda Jade and her Cool Aunt Caroline

I had to wait until the nurse was done with her before we took this shot.  She backed way from the clear plastic bassinet, and I swooped in silently screaming, “Me first!  Me first!”  Sorry, grandma.

And then lastly, there was our holiday weekend. Friday night, we went to the farm and Philip’s brother set off a wonderful show with some legal in Indiana and Tennessee fireworks.  Nate met a gorgeous little boy

he says, "Baaay-Beeee."

(By the way, that kid is 14 mos old, y’all.)  and got to hang out with his cousins.

redheads

I hope with all my heart Nate’s hair will turn that delicious shade of red.  Maybe because I’m a little jealous, what with my mousy-brown-roots-with-faded-auburn-split-ends look.  Anyway, the fireworks did not bother Nate one bit!  He spent most of the time running back and forth between me and Philip clutching his cucumber, not even paying attention to the lights and noise.  He sat for a moment

See? Cucumber.

On Saturday, we went to the parade.  This would be my first sober parade as an adult with a child, which is a far cry from stumbling around drunk and heckling the clowns.  First, Mama had the best seat, right up in front

How grown ups do a parade

But then decided that daddy’s shoulders were the best

back off girls, he's mine

And then the sky opened up and we went home, where it was dry and warm.   I just have two questions: First, why do people take pictures of parades?  I have 182 pictures of random people walking, riding bikes, driving motorcycles/cars and two pictures of drag queens (I think we all know which of the two I should have more pictures of).  And, second, why would the city of Louisville have a float in the Lexington parade (but it wasn’t even a real float, just a bus)?

arrogant city

Are they trying to prove some point?  That just because they have a zoo and a six flags, and some crappy baseball team, they’re better than us?  On the bottom, it says, “It’s possible here.”  Anyway, I scored some coupons to the zoo, so that was cool.  And, I’m spent.  Good to be back.