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Ping Pong Sundays

My run this morning nearly killed me. Seriously, running at 7am with a margarita hangover is not smart. Not smart at all. I think I might have experienced a small coronary infarction about two miles in, not to mention the sun was beyond blinding and HOT. Despite all of these issues, I pushed through and feel 100% better. But don’t think I wasn’t cursing Ping Pong Sundays the entire time.

This summer, Casa Whoorl’s front yard has become ping pong central on Sundays. D is a great ping pong player and it just so happens that our neighbor played tennis in college and is quite the player himself. Mix in the family on the other side of us, who force us to eat things like tacos and homemade rice and beans, and I think it’s safe to say, Sunday is now officially my favorite day. The play continues for a couple of hours while the grand total of 6 children run (well, Wito crawls and cruises the side of the house) through the grassy lawns, kicking balls and laughing hysterically. And what do the non-pongers do? We keep our eyes on the children while sipping delicious margaritas. I like our job the best.

After the fierce competitors have had their fill, the gaming table becomes host for all of the delicious food. Last night it was homemade salsa, guacamole, carnitas, tortillas, rice and beans and all the fixins. I’m pretty sure I ate my body weight in pork last night. There’s just nothing like a juicy carnitas taco followed by a tart margarita. And so we eat and laugh and eat and laugh until the only light left is from the moon, straining to see each other’s faces across the lawn.

However, the very best part is listening to the unpredictable comments from the 4 and 5-year-olds. As we were discussing our neighborhood’s overactive security force, one neighbor joked that if you sneeze too loudly, the security helicopters will circle your home for 45 minutes. Without missing a beat, the 5-year-old looked up from his ice cream cone, completely exasperated, and said, “Well, YOU KNOW, a red dog and a sweater just won’t cut it anymore!”

Huh?

After we put Wito down and the other children had finished dinner, the remaining kids scurried inside our neighbor’s house to play. As we continued to chat outside, we heard the leader of the pack (a 4-year-old girl) yell from inside her room, “Now, let’s get this PARTY STARTED!”

I can’t wait to hear what comes out of Wito’s mouth in the upcoming years. I have a feeling we won’t be disappointed.

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23 comments
  1. Natalie 42

    August 27, 2007 at 9:26 am

    Oh damn. That sounds absolutely fabulous. If I just happen to show up, I mean…b/c I’m lost of course (or whatever), I’ll make sure to at least bring some empanadas…I make a mean empanada.

  2. cocodrie

    August 27, 2007 at 10:32 am

    Bruh-zilliant! I love the random kid insight into the universe…so wise.

  3. Janssen

    August 27, 2007 at 9:55 am

    Wow, no wonder you don’t want to move. Not only is your house perfect, your neighborhood is too!

  4. Angella

    August 27, 2007 at 10:06 am

    Seriously? Three years and up for kids provides a WEALTH of hilarious statements. I laugh many, many times a day :)

  5. Jamie

    August 27, 2007 at 10:26 am

    Be careful what you wish for – according to family lore, I started escaping my seat in restaurants around the age of 3. My mother found me halfway across the restaurant, standing at the edge of someone’s table, introducing myself and offering to take their order.

    Or as my mother would say, “Early and often talkers make for early and often trouble. Good thing you were cute.”

  6. Rattling The Kettle

    August 27, 2007 at 10:48 am

    You should have had a shot of tequila (or three) before starting the jog. That would have helped with the hangover, for sure.

  7. BeachMama

    August 27, 2007 at 11:28 am

    Now that sounds like a perfect Sunday. Nobody is working, everybody is having a great time and enjoying each others company and you are all doing it outside. And the margueritas are just like the icing on the cake. Sorry it made for a rough run this morning, but I am sure it was worth it.

  8. Kami

    August 27, 2007 at 12:16 pm

    Sounds like great fun, our neighborhood is no where near as cool ;-)

  9. kris

    August 27, 2007 at 12:17 pm

    I’m going to start compiling a list of sayings for Wito to shock you with. I’ll email them to him on his fifth birthday, along with some PBS plush. I promise; Auntie Kris won’t disappoint you. :)

  10. Karen

    August 27, 2007 at 1:11 pm

    My kids keep me in stitches every day. Wito will be a hoot.

  11. alphadaddy

    August 27, 2007 at 2:16 pm

    wait…I thought you graduated from the couch to 5k thing…doesn’t that mean you don’t have to run anymore?

    We used to have a red dog and a sweater patrolling our neighborhood..and our car STILL got stolen. That kid is so right. Red dogs and sweaters can no longer be trusted.

  12. Mary O

    August 27, 2007 at 3:45 pm

    Sounds fun. Wish I lived in your neighborhood!

  13. A Small Snapshot

    August 27, 2007 at 3:48 pm

    Ping Pong Sundays!?
    Oh, won’t you be my neighbor?

  14. gorillabuns

    August 27, 2007 at 4:04 pm

    just wait until they start asking complex questions like, “why doesn’t god wear shoes?” and “when i’m dead, what happens to me?”

  15. Photo Lori

    August 27, 2007 at 4:14 pm

    Sounds like our neighborhood! :)

    Can’t remember if I left a message here or over at SAJ…

    It was so great meeting you on Saturday! Thanks for coming. :) Didn’t Brenda’s artwork look awesome hung up all together?

    L