A Family Weekend



 Henry was quite ill from the middle of Friday night to Sunday morning and when he gained some energy, he had some tantrums.  These tantrums ranged from run of the mill to full-fledged toddler anger.  My poor boy was frustrated and still a little run down, even after his fever broke. 

 

Fortunately, he did reason to perk up a bit.  Chris set up a big boy bed in Henry's room.  Evelyn and Henry were both excited and eager to "help."   



Today was full of moments of like this. 

And this.

But, fortunately, there were also sweet moments.

Water colors are fun (and calming) for a while.

If the Sun Won't Come to Us. . .

For my birthday this year, I wanted to spend time outside in nature with my family.  I love hiking and I love the mountains, so we thought a little hike would be lovely.  I also really wanted some sunshine.  It has been difficult for me to accept that June in Seattle is not like June elsewhere.  It is not the beginning of warm summer days.  May is spectacular here and we saw plenty of the sun then; for some reason, however, the sun takes a month off in June before giving us its all in July and August (and into September).  Luckily, we were able to go where the sun does shine by crossing over the Cascades for the day.  We drove through 60 degree drizzle, up into 45 degree fog, and we admired the snow covered mountain sides and snowy peaks.  Then, we cheered as we saw blue sky ahead. 

We hiked for a short while at the Icicle Gorge Loop in the Wenatchee National Forest.  Unfortunately, it was chilly in the river gorge and a bit drizzly at the start of the hike.  It did clear up for us.  The kids raced ahead and we kept them from falling off the trail and into the raging white waters of the river below.  They admired saplings, sticks, rocks, and mud.  We enjoyed ourselves.  The hike was cut short when I slipped backward over a downed tree and gashed my left calf.  Evelyn was happy to help out by getting the first aid kit to me.  (Tonight, my leg features some major bruising and a nasty cut that I hope looks better in the morning!)  Chris helped me clean up and we trekked back and drove into the town for some sunny dining and strolling around the main street. 

The kids danced to an oompa band and enjoyed ice cream before we called it a day at around 7:45.  It really was a lovely early birthday present.

A slightly wet start to the hike

rushing waters

The kids loved this little bench!

The Sleeping Lady

Happy Hour and an early dinner at a pub

Cuddly Henry and Mom in the sunshine

Sunny and 70.  It is June, after all.

Skagit Valley 2012

We made it to the Tulip Festival this year and we were so glad that we did.  The kids had a lovely time, despite the drive.  Amazingly, Evelyn and Henry were very gentle with the tulips.  They seemed to really enjoy looking at all of the different varieties, too.

These beauties look like they might be home to fairies.

Family shot

"Ice Cream Tulips"  Evelyn's absolute favorite!

Evelyn and Henry in the field

Vibrant colors!

Family Afternoon

Cheese in the making at Beecher's!

Fruit stand fun

Evelyn's first Beecher's Mac-n-cheese.  World's Best!

Merry Christmas, 2011

Merry Christmas!  In light of our recent trip to the East Coast for Thanksgiving, we rather enjoyed a low-key Christmas this year.  We went to Christmas Eve Mass and then had a nice dinner at home and let the kids each open a gift (matching pajamas) before bath time.  The kids were so excited that they had a hard time winding down and I don't think either one fell asleep before 10:00.  It's a good thing that Santa was able to assemble and arrange gifts in just about two hours, because he (we) sure were tired!  Fortunately, we all slept in until about 8:30 to make up for it.

Thanks to Xbox Kinnect, we were able to video chat with a large part of my family and we plan to video chat with more family members in the next day or two as well.  I love that the kids can sing and dance and show off their gifts to grandparents on the opposite side of the country!  Evelyn was originally a little disapointed that there wasn't a door to open on her Advent calendar for Christmas, I think it is safe to say that she has officially moved on.  We don't focus much on gifts before Christmas morning in our home.  Gifts don't slowly pile around our tree-- we keep them hidden away for the most part until the big morning.  It was so sweet to hear the "Wow!" from Evelyn (and then from Henry) and see their eyes light up.  I think they were pretty surprised. 

Some highlights:

The calm before the storm.

Dress up

I love these customizable paper dolls.  I found them here.

Bubble wrap fun

My helper, washing potatoes.

Thanksgiving Travels

We are settling in after a two week trip to New England.  Today, Evelyn told me that she is cranky because she is lonely for Mimi and Dabo, her Grandparents.  To be fair, she was cranky at their house too, particularly around dinner, by which time her energy had been sufficiently depleted by a day filled with adventures and activities and plenty of family members on hand.  I think it is safe to say that both kids had a great time.  They're still talking about it; and Henry has been asking for "Ee-o" (Leo, the dog) and pointing out Dabo and Mimi in pictures. 

I'm glad we had planned a long trip (and very glad that this was OK with my in-laws) because under the best circumstances, air travel with two young children and the subsequent time change can be unpleasant.  There is always a bit of an adjustment period.  Still, the kids are really quite great on airplanes.  Nevertheless, the best planning in the world couldn't prevent Henry from picking up an awful virus.  We washed hands, sprayed, wiped, and took supplements, but one by one, every single member of the family fell ill in twelve-hour intervals the day after we arrived.  Fortunately, the virus moved quickly.  We were glad to have a full, healthy week after that.  And, thankfully we made it to the big extended family Thanksgiving.  Evelyn even sang in the Talent Show.  It was very sweet and I was so proud of her confidence in front of about sixty people. 

Evelyn sings her "Shapes" song.

The rest of our trip involved time with family and plenty of outdoor fun for the kids.  The weather was sunny and very mild-- perfect for tractor rides with Dabo and long walks through the fields with Mimi.  Evelyn and Henry especially enjoyed playing with their doting uncles and exploring new toys.  Evelyn played with a set of Babar figures every day and loved to play with Mimi's childhood dollhouse. 

Tromping around outside.

Happy Birthday to a Fabulous Husband and Dad!

A Mountain Retreat

"Welcome to 'family camp,' said one of the women by the pool.  We exchanged smiles and then, "splash!" our respective attentions returned to the kids jumping from boulders into the deep end.  She's right, the Sleeping Lady felt a lot like a summer camp for families and adults-- and I mean this in a good way.  Instead of 4H mess hall meals, breakfast and dinner were three course affairs (and perfectly suited to even our gluten-free, vegetarian, young children needs).  And, the views were phenomenal.

Evelyn was thrilled to stay in our little cabin and, as the resident "big girl," she got the alcove bed to herself.  Chris and I loved the real sense of retreat as we stared up at the face of a mountain or listened to the wind rustle leaves or make huge pine branches sway.  It really was an ideal "end of summer" getaway. 

For his part, Henry is a new walker in every sense of the word.  He no longer crawls at all and he prefers to walk on his own (rather than ride in a baby carrier).  He has some newly minted toddler battle wounds that break my heart as his Mama.  But, he's certainly found ways to enjoy himself. 

 

We ventured the few miles into downtown Leavenworth several times and it is a charming tourist town for sure.  We indulged in some handmade chocolates and Chris had a veggiewurst at the Beer Garden.  Evelyn liked poking around in the Kris Kringle and Music Box shops.  Downtown was just too much stimulation for Henry, though he really enjoyed some of the music.

Even with the time limitations of young children needing snacks, breaks, and naps, the getaway was wonderful.  Some mountain air and excellent food and wine with the people we love. . . cheers!

Children Get Older



Over the weekend, we attended an alumni event with the kids.  The picnic coincided with Sea Fair weekend festivities, taking advantage of the amazing views from the hosts' home.  We all had a great time, though the Blue Angels were a bit too loud for Henry's liking (and nap time was approaching) toward the end of the shin-dig.  I'm glad we made it this year, as the previous three years we've been unable to make it-- apparently we've been quite busy with newborn, then summer travels, then another newborn.  Whew! 



And, if you (parents) ever want to throw your mind into a real tail spin, write your child's name followed by their potential year of graduation.  It was just a cute little addition to the name sticker, class of '32, but it was crazy to think about my little ones all grown up and in college. . . of course, being "double legacies," they'll either really love our alma matter or they'll be really sick of hearing about it.  Only time will tell!

A Little Muffin With Her Jam

Evelyn ordered a bran muffin for lunch (it was huge!) at a cafe out in the country today.  It was upstaged by the two cups of jam and the butter pad though.  She spent the majority of lunch licking jam from her fingers (and the knife, when I wasn't looking).  I'm glad she enjoyed it so much, but I'm even happier that she didn't stain her new little dress! 

Saltwater Air

Have you had moments with your family which make you think to yourself, I am going to look back on this-- years from now-- and I will desperately miss this time?  I've been lucky enough to have a few of those moments this weekend. 

The easy smiles on my children's sun-kissed faces and the laughter between my husband and me as we dug our toes into the sand and admired the mountains across the Sound. . . I wish I could bottle that kind of happiness.

Introducing . . .

Now that she is almost three, Evelyn has reached the rank of pet owner.  A couple of days ago, I took the kids to a pet shop so that Evelyn could choose a fish.  I tried to really "talk up" the beta fish-- they were all packaged to go in small glass bowls and looked very low-maintenance.  She was unimpressed by their solitude.  Evelyn decided on a fancy goldfish with a white body and orange face.  We chose a nice little tank with a filter and Evelyn picked out colorful rocks (blue, like the ocean) and artificial plants.  She also added a miniature eiffel tour, but only because none of the castles would fit in our tank. 

Dorothy, or-- as I am inclined to say-- Dotty, is everything I can handle in a pet.  She is silent, easily contained, and brings joy and pride to my little girl.  Score!  Evelyn gets to feed her pet and turn on and off her light at various times of the day.  Evie also talks to Dorothy and shows off her art projects.  Perhaps the best thing about goldfish is that they are fantastic listeners.  And Evelyn certainly has a lot to say.

A shark!  No, it's just Henry, hoping for some goldfish action.

Family Hike

 We decided to head out for a family hike this weekend.  In a miraculous turn of events, we made it out of the house before 10:30 AM (and we didn't even forget any shoes, jackets, or snacks).  Thankfully, this relatively early start time meant that Henry was ready for a nap when we arrived.  Chris wore Henry in one of our Ergos and after about 1/3 mile, Henry was sound asleep.  Evelyn was giddy at the prospect of a little exploration.  She had plenty to say, which meant that we didn't exactly make friends with wildlife.  That's OK; I didn't really want to see a cougar while out with little ones. 

Hello, squishy slug.

Half-way through May?

Henry is already eleven months old!  My sweet "newborn" crawls at the speed of the light, climbs up steps (and usually back down), and has begun to say words.  He loves "d" and "b" sounds, so we're hearing a lot of "Dada" and "dig" along with plenty of mimicing.  Henry is starting to dance a little when we turn up the music and sing and dance around.  It's adorable to see his smiling face turning side to side as he bounces up and down.  He also does the hand motions to "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and many of the signs to the song we sing (and sign) at Toddler Group:  "The More We Get Together."  He is very proud of himself and claps enthusiastically when he's done.

Evelyn, for her part, has come up with some new "Evelynisms."  Currently, she likes to say that things are "neat, cool."  For example, "look at my neat, cool sneakers!"  They are pretty neat. . . and cool.  In other news, we have tickets for a cross-country flight and the idea of being in a confined space while strangers exchange looks of "please, don't let those kids sit near me!" makes my heart race, to say the least.  Evelyn was an excellent traveller at about 14 months and I hope she'll do well with books, snacks, and maybe a movie or two.  Henry, on the other hand, may not be so content.  I hope I'm wrong.  I'll leave you with this (joy on a stick):

   

Beautiful Day for an Egg Hunt!

Our neighborhood gathered together for a Spring Parade and Egg Hunt today and the weather couldn't have been more cooperative!  Aside from an initial case of "I'm terrified of all costumed creatures and won't go near that Bunny,"  Evelyn really warmed up to the idea of the Egg Hunt and she had a fantastic time.  Henry enjoyed banging eggs together.  He also loved the long stroller ride and fell asleep on the way home from the trails. 

Henry finds an egg!

Mama Cooks: A Variation on a Theme

 

 

 

 

Fresh ingredients

At least once or twice each week, I make a coconut curry.  It is one of the best dinner solutions for our family's needs (gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, vegetarian).  Also, it fulfills my major preference for only using one (maybe two if you include the rice) pot! 

This recipe serves as the starting point and I tweak it depending on our CSA farm box or our preferences.  One thing is for sure, the curry definitely involves kale or swiss chard!  This time around, I used zucchini, swiss chard, sugar snap peas, mushrooms, onion, tofu, coconut milk, and red chili paste (with some other spices).

Evelyn's version:  Uncooked tofu strips, fresh snap peas, plain rice

Voila!