We went out to dinner last night with the Brookses and each baby got a balloon (after some rather impressive squabbling).

Jess's was "red". Or maybe "pink."

"It's maroon," I said.

"It's not on an island." Kevin said firmly.

"No, not a marooned balloon. A MAROON Ballon."

"Well," said Matt. "It could be a Marooned Maroon Balloon."

I shrugged and nodded.

"In fact," he continued. "If it had a coconut candy in it, it could be a Macarooned Marooned Maroon Balloon."

"In the summer," I agreed. "A Macarooned Marooned Maroon Balloon in June."

"Exactly, and if the candy had a Spanish coin, it would be a Dublooned Macaroon Marooned Maroon Balloon in June."

"And if it wasn't on this planet, it would be a Dublooned Macaroon Marooned Maroon Balloon in June on the Moon."

Liz, meanwhile, is laughing so hard she's turning the same shade as said balloon. Kevin put his face in his hands and said, very clearly... "I'm going back to work."

(Note: because I'm the sort of person I am, I kept going mentally for a while... and eventually I came up with the following:

Soon, the Dublooned Macaroon Marooned Maroon Runed Balloon who Crooned a Tune in June at Noon on the Moon is owed a Boon by the Racoon with a Bassoon - who was a bit of a Loon - and lived on a Dune near the Lagoon and gave him a Spoon Hewn from a Prune. )