Bassets and Bakeries and Plans for Self Improvement

 On Friday, mom and I took the girls and my niece, Neve, to Shirlington to have lunch with Mary and Dad.

Commander Land Mass attempts to jump over the back seat

but, upon further inspection, realizes that the backseat might be vast a hurdle, as her legs are wee

and thus, the land mass retreats to her den of sloth

It's interesting, the effect that dogs have on strangers. I know that I see a friendly looking dog in public, I'll instantly turn to mush, dog-talking and d'awwwwing while quelling every urge I have to go up and hug it. And 99% of the people who passed the girls on Friday had the same reaction.

Dogs are just fabulous, fantastic creatures. Even if they are slothful, barking, drooling stink factories. 

being adored by passing crowds is exhausting

Ellie prepares to receive a crowd of ladies. Notes to single men: get thee a dog and head to the park. Dogs= panty peeler.

OMG! A picture of Lucy smiling!

and then, as soon as it arrived, the happiness was gone.

Neve can't leave the house with out wearing an elaborate head piece or a ball gown. Apparently elaborate head pieces and ball gowns are only acceptable if you're 3 years old or a drag queen, not if you're a 27 year old white girl. Snap.

Commander Princess Bride at the Milkshake Helm

We also went to Old Town Warrenton so that we could swing by The Red Truck Bakery. They sell these red truck cookies that Neve is obsessed with.

I told her to look at the camera and smile, so she looked at the camera and picked her nose. Alright, Neve.

she has the best little kid curls

Virginia has the best Old Towns. I need to do some more exploring in OT Warrenton, but I love OT Alexandria and Manassas. They're filled with great little shops, fantastic restaurants, and beeeeautiful old, genteel Southern houses.

In other news, I woke up this morning  with a stomach flu and feeling like an absolute space cadet zombie in a room that's so messy it's embarrassing. It's like a Trash and Clothing Bomb went off in here and the devastation is incalculable, but my motivation to clean it is...

except I don't have a boss afro. /sigh

So, to that end:

Shit that needs to be taken care of this week:
-wean myself off xanax, learn to sleep/control Feelings Monster on my own
-excavate room
-excavate car (or, as my dad calls it, "de-skanking Audrey's car") (my car is pretty gross, guys)
-hire someone to pimp out my resume
-write something, damnit
-make cupcakes and buttercream frosting from the Back in the Day Bakery cookbook

So I'm off to begin quest for self-betterment, version 6,789.