Mama Storms: Chubby Canvas and a Carnival

A story about two adventures in one day. We're just three mothers trying to enrich the lives of the little ones even though it's so hot that a kid can barely enjoy a popsicle. I met a couple of my favorite mommies downtown for an "art in the park" event for kids, featuring live music by local celebrities the Biscuit Brothers, stroller parking, various craft tables and free ice cream.

There were clowns, there were paper hats, there was music-but the show was so packed we just wandered around drinking lemonade in paper cups and trying not to grab the wrong children.

At some point in the confusion Hannah spontaneously lost her British citizenship when she was coerced, not only to give a high five (horrid fratboy gesture) but to give it to none other than Ronald McDonald in the flesh. Sorry about that.

Alison was cool and breezy, and didn't care a whit about the sweltering mouth that was the weather or the thousands of strange children swarming around our feet trying to sweep our own dear progeny into oblivion.

We stayed just long enough for free ice cream, (identical to some I had in my freezer) and when I saw the look on Jesse's face I knew there wasn't too much fun left to be had at the wilted art tables. Not to mention the line for face painting was longer than the line for the bathroom at SXSW. I invited everyone to come to our messy house for conditioned air, snacks and face painting without the wait.