Visiting Bubbie

The last time Samuel went to Bubbie's house was the weekend before Shira was born, so we figured it was high time to make the trek down to Nipomo.

We were originally going to go down on Thursday night, after I went to class, and Steve took the kids to music class, but I was sick as a dog, so Steve stayed home, and we decided to head down early in the day. The kids both slept most of the way, we stopped in SLO for lunch (yah! for yelp's iphone app) and made it the last half hour without incident.

One of the first things Samuel insisted upon doing, as soon as we got there, of course, was jumping in the pool, despite rainy 60 degree weather.

And of course, one of the first things Shira did, was eat some of Bubbie's chicken.
Bubbie had lots of fun playing fashion show with an obliging Shira...
Insisting that Shira clearly loved her hats...Samuel's birthday frog pinata was created And this little piggy was playedOn Saturday we visited Great Grandma Sarahand planted tomatoes

Imaginative Play

Samuel has begun to do a great deal of imaginative play in the last few weeks in a way that we have not seen in the past.
He particularly enjoys his trains and legos, taking them out at least twice a day and creating long tracks with multiple bridges that he calls "cities" with the former, and houses with the latter.
He creates drama with the trains and duplo characters. Trains, people, animals, motorcycles and tractors all speak and have their own roles to play.

A Whole Different Side To Happy Hollow

A couple of weeks ago, we went to Happy Hollow and had a great time with the animals. Steve, our resident zoo and animal lover wanted to get a chance to see what he had heard so much about so we went again yesterday, and found a whole new side to the park.
Apparently the zoo is just one small part, and there is a huge kiddie amusement park side to Happy Hollow. We also discovered that Samuel is an amusement ride fiend at only 3 years old. Doesn't get it from his Mommy, who shed tears and endured major anxiety before riding her first upside down roller coaster, and stuck her head under her Dad's shirt when riding the Log Ride.

Lucky I didn't fall in.

Steve and his girl

(Did I mention that I spent the three hours before going to Happy Hollow at San Jose State taking my comprehensive exam for my credential and MA? Only 100 hours and a thesis to go. Woot!)

This is Peter

Meet Peter. He is our contractor.

This is the Building and Planning Office (Samuel took this picture)

What might we be doing at the city Building and Planning Office, you might ask? Why, submitting our remodel plans in order to get Building Permits, I reply.

Time to retire the high chair

I tried Shira out in the Stokke last week, and she was very pleased to sit at the table. And very stable. Samuel saw what was happening and wanted in on the action.So we pulled the second Stokke over and adjusted it just for itty bitty Shira.

What's coming on Friday?

Our CSA sent out the list for what we will get in the box:

- Strawberries or mystery
- Salad Mix
- Broccoli
- Butternut Squash
- Snow Peas or Sugar Snap Peas or Artichokes
- French Tarragon
- Fennel

• Steve will be lucky if there are any strawberries left when he gets home from work.
• Salad mix will be gone by Saturday, most likely.
  
• Broccoli - I frequently make a pureed soup, but maybe I'll try something different and do it Asian stirfry style with sesame seeds, ooh and soba noodles, maybe tofu?
  
• Butternut squash will probably end up in pumpkin spice muffins to be shared with friends.
  
• Peas will be eaten raw as snacks or thrown into a salad.
  
• Fennel will also go into salad raw, or straight into Steve's mouth.
  
• Tarragon....hmmm, I'll have to think about that one. I know when I was cooking out of my "Once Upon a Tart" cookbook a lot, it favored tarragon. Maybe I'll have to check that out again.
  

Any suggestions?

Mommy? Are kiwis made from cow milk?

Me: Kiwis are fruit and grow from the ground (ok, I know this isn't very accurate, but it's what I said in the moment)

Samuel: Oh. Like the oranges we like to eat?

Me: Yes.