*Seattle

I can't find my camera cord to get all the pictures from our trip to Seattle, but I wanted to post something! We had a really amazing time up there this year. The forecast had said it would be rainy and cold, but we were treated with some pretty beautiful weather. We stayed with my brother George and his family except for one *spontaneous* night where we stayed with Julie. Here's a few pictures I got with my phone:

Out in the city with Tamara:

Putting on a show for the cousins.  They kept handing her markers and she would make the funniest face trying to get the cap off:

Tuckered out.  She didn't sleep through night once and usually woke up extremely early.  Like 4:00-5:00 early.  Naps were ok if we were home to take them...

Marie did all her "required reading" with Vera.  Very sweet:

Beautiful Easter Sunday:

Eva's front yard.  It was fun to see how these two have grown into big little girls.  They got along really well!

 

Julie [Eva's and Kate's mom] and I:

*por la mañana

Mornings with little ones is fun - all the snuggles, wrestling on the bed, jumping on the still sleeping parent, hiding under the covers... We've been pretty lucky - until recently Edie would get up around 7:30 and I usually have to wake Vera around 8:00.  This last week, Edie has been waking up at about 6:00 which isn't as fun - especially since I have been so bad about getting to bed early myself!  She's so cute though in the morning - we usually watch some Baby Signing Time together while I have mate and then she putzes around while I empty the dishwasher or straighten up a bit.  By 8:00 we are ready for the rest of the family to be up :)  [I will say Ben is awesome about sometimes getting up with her and letting me sleep some more, then trading off so he can get another hour or so too]

The other morning here she had a little plan: took all the cups to her little kitchen, filled them at the pretend sink, lined them up on the tray and then served Vera and Daddy in their sleep.

*

Edie took the baby doll out for her first walk down the block yesterday. It's funny how you do things differently with the second - Vera and I used to do this all the time!  Anyway, Edie thought it was a fantastic idea.  She immediately turned right up Tia's walk which was cute.  She also picked a few lavender leaves for the baby to smell - she must associate that with her walks with me :)

She also had two wittle pigtails for the first time ♥

*la conejita

I off-handedly told Vera a couple months ago that maybe she could get a real bunny when she turned 5.  It was one of those things you say, not thinking they will give it another thought.  Well not Vera!! She talked about it all the time and for a few weeks would tell anyone she saw that she was getting a bunny on her birthday.

Then, last weekend our friends asked us along to the farmers' supply store to see the baby chicks.  You might know that I too, [dare I say more than Vera?] am obsessed with bunnies and really hold the memories of mine growing up very dear.  Two of the bunnies there were just so ridiculously cute that I immediately decided we had to get one.  Long story short, we got Vera her first bunny.

After we were at the store but before we went back to get her, I was talking to my dad on the phone about it.  He said if we named her something French [one of my french lops was named Louis L'Amour] he would help us out with the purchase. My dad is funny like that - he gives funny conditions, though you know he just loves to give.  Vera had said she would name the girl bunny "Ellie" and so we suggested "Eloise" be her full name.  Now that we have her, Vera loves the name Eloise and that's what we call her. Or just "the bunny."

She really is a sweet thing and seems to like being held.  It's been so much fun already - Vera has even conquered her fear of being in the back of the backyard alone.  The first few nights she didn't want to go to bed, because she was thinking of her bunny and just "wanting to hold her."  I was surprised how tough Vera is with all the scratches!  She's usually one to avoid anything where she might get hurt, but it doesn't bother her and she hasn't even asked for a bandaid.  Edie is a little ... worrisome and we have to closely supervise or really just keep her away.  She is very intense - hiiiii buh-buh!  hiiiieee!! - squeezing, hitting, poking eyes, pulling ears, etc. It's a little stressful.

She always holds her like this - like a baby. It makes me cringe a little, but Eloise really doesn't seem to mind.

The first thing Vera did was introduce Eloise to Bunny and Becca Bunny:

*primavera

There is nothing like that heart-swelling happiness that comes with Spring.  The warmer temperatures, the coolish, almost warm breezes, the bulbs coming up, the need to be outside enjoying it all - I will never get over it.  Today I was a little overcome with Spring fever and actually got Vera her first bunny.  More on that little sweetheart later - meanwhile here's some Spring photos I downloaded from the camera today:

We've been up to Red Butte a few times already with Jenny and her little ones. Such a perfect time of year before it gets too hot.  Here we were trying to get a picture of our 5 kids together.  Just before Vera let go of poor Jubilee who nose-dived into the dirt :(

Jenny brought some fun nature coloring sheets and we had a pleasant little picnic on the ground here:

Edie adores baby Jubilee:

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Both girls love spotting birds out this window - there are a ton of them for some reason - sparrows, robins, quail, finches..  Some little ones must live in Tia's roof and go in and out a little attic vent with bits of grass and things.  I admit I love to watch sometimes too.

"Edie can you wiggle your nose like a Bunny?"

Edie loves Boone and loves to throw his ball for him:

showing me some seeds:

I was trying to get a good picture of their faces here to send to my Grandma.  It is hard to get a good picture of your kids!!

I tried to get her to look at me here by saying, Edie what's on my head?? and she just pointed to her own :)

*palabras

Ben taught Vera how to play hangman the other day which has been fun. When it's her turn, she does "cat" about 90% of the time, so you have to pretend to not know for a bit :) A simple game we all know how to play - but such a new concept for a very beginning reader! It's neat to see when she can guess what the word will be from her small assortment of known sight words: bunny, daddy, etc.

*el iphone

I am now the proud and grateful owner of an iphone!  I was reluctant to make the switch from a regular ol' phone to a smartphone, but well I guess the time had come. The thing I looked forward to most was the camera - I love it!!  So much fun.

Here's some favorites:

Vera was happy to pose for my very first picture:

  

wittle cutie pie:

 

eating her hummus at mazza:

 beading her hair:

cool day at the park:

riding her "bike with pedals and no training wheels!"

first flowers at red butte gardens:

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*2 comidas

I thought I'd share these two winning meals we've had this week.  The first is a recipe that I got from the chef at that restaurant I worked at a few years ago and haven't been able to find since then - though I knew I'd made it once and it was a hit.  He wasn't really excited to share the instructions to his own creation, but I got it anyway  :)  I love it because it is cheap and delicious and a good way to get my girls to eat some protein without knowing it!  I scribbled the brief recipe on a notepad:

Pasta with Chickpea Sauce

boat ton of olive oil + chili flakes [his words - funny another chef's recipe I have calls for a sh*t ton of something :)]

add onion [finely chopped or in cuisinart], rosemary, thyme [whatever you want, oregano sounds good too?]

add pureed chickpeas and some whole san marzano tomatoes [pulsed the chickpeas in cuisinart unti smooth. this time I just added a few regular canned romas and broke them up a bit, hardly any of the sauce]

That's all I had written - minus the notes I took now.  When I made it the other day, I added some of the cooking water from the penne to the sauce and grated some good parmesan and made sure to add plenty of kosher salt. It's kind of a funny color, so it's not the prettiest - but super tasty.  We all loved it! Next time I will be sure to have some really good quality olive oil on hand to finish it with.

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This next one was a "go-to" from one of the ladies at the mom's group I attend.  It is so easy and so healthy and delicious - I'm determined to make it one of my regulars as well. The girls had something else, but I bet they might even like it..

Kale and Sausage

Brown sausage [I used this uncooked chicken, spinach feta from Harmon's, but she says she uses any kind] in a pan with some olive oil and a few chili flakes. 

A minute or two in, add chopped red onion. Saute until sausage is cooked through, browned and onions are nice and golden [they started to burn a bit which was the tastiest part].

Add washed, chopped kale and saute just a minute or two until it is wilted. Top with kosher salt.

*familia

My parents and brother+nephew were here [at different times] in the last month. Besides the fact that Edie sleeps 100x better in her own basement room and has to give it up when visitors come - we LOVE having family.  It just makes me ache inside that we don't live down the block from grandparents or cousins.  One reason it was so sad that Ben didn't get the job in California - I let myself get so excited thinking about being near the Caters.  

Anyway, here's a cute little video of Papa Sam and Edie:

Someday we will have more seating both in the living room and at the dining room table! someday :)

We do live near my oldest brother which has been really amazing as I never really knew him that well otherwise [he's 12 years older]. His kids are a lot older than ours and are really busy with sports and activities, so we don't spend a whole lot of time with them. Vera has always been enamoured with them though, and I was especially touched how Katie spent time with her this last time we were there for dinner.  Edie doesn't know them really well but you could see she was 'enamoured' as well :)  This was the night we were there with George and Tyler - I thought I had a picture of Edie and George but I think it was deleted somehow.  She was a little shy with him until he started feeding her his ice cream and brownies...

*17 months

Edie and I made muffins this morning while Vera was at preschool. I love love love this stage - I mean it's just more fun every day.  I know I keep saying that but it's just true!

She was mad here below because I put the muffins in the oven and she didn't understand that we couldn't have them right now.  So she threw herself on the floor - doesn't kick or scream, just lays down on the floor in protest.  Don't worry, I don't let her get away with being naughty or having fits - it is pretty funny though and we often have to hide our laughter at her little antics.