Holding On To Moments

Watch out for that tree!

2012-01-06T13:46:00.002-05:00

To make up for the fact that I had a "fake" tree, while we were visiting my aunt Cyndi bought the largest real tree on the lot! (Okay, maybe not the largest on the lot but definitely the largest that would fit in the living room - I had to smush the angel on the top/kind of wedge it against the ceiling!) Peter and my uncle Ben managed to get it through the door and get it open and centered in the stand. Then it took three people to get the lights on and five to decorate! My cousin Rebecca was visiting from Germany and we had a fantastic time having Thanksgiving dinner for the second week in a row, watching movies, and hanging out/relaxing. Our adopted cousins Greg and Lilly came up from South Carolina as well so we had a really full house! I loved it!

There wasn't quite an ornament on every branch, but we did manage to get a few on!

San Diego, Post-Thanksgiving

2012-01-06T13:20:00.002-05:00

Being an only child, I never thought I'd get to experience the joy of being an Auntie. Luckily, I was wrong! and Peter lets me borrow these adorable wee people. One day, I hope to make our relationship to one another official but let me tell you, it is already pretty permanent in my heart! Seriously, how cute are they? We got to spend a few days in California the day after Thanksgiving and despite a serious cold on my end (note how tired I look/how dry my face is), we had a blast! Lots of hours spent playing on the floor and chasing just to chase...

Oh, and smooching babies... bliss!

Traditional Christmas Cookie Playdate

2012-01-06T10:22:00.001-05:00

The holidays were a busy time around here! So busy, in fact, that I haven't blogged in a zillion years. Sigh.

Here is a post, better late than never... Baking and decorating Christmas cookies has really become my holiday tradition with the kids. In fact, the kids look forward to it so much they start asking about it around September! This year we were a little short on time but we still managed!

The girls helped me with the baking. They are close friends and at this point, cookie professionals! They sprinkled the flour and spread it around, warmed up and pat down the dough, rolled it out with ease, selected cutters and cut! They also closely supervised the baking process, sitting close enough to enjoy the smell!

After picking up the boys, we settled into the decorating! The kids totally took over the whole process this year (they are growing up so fast!) icing their own cookies and creating complex designs with multiple colors, layers, and patterns! Each cookie was done so carefully - the overall look really mattered to everyone (as opposed to other years when the only goal seemed to be to load on as much candy as the cookie would hold).

In the end, they were so beautiful! and more importantly, delicious!

Christmas at Home :)

2012-01-06T09:47:00.002-05:00

This year I only spent half of November/December at home thanks to a TON of personal and work travel. As a result, I was originally not going to decorate for Christmas at all (see Scrooge in the dictionary for a recent picture of me). I've seriously been dragging from burning the candle at both ends (note no blog posts in two months) and yet, at the last minute... inspiration hit and we decided to get an artificial tree for the first time (to prevent an inevitable tree death from lack of water/attention from so much travel). I decided on one in Target and Peter and I drove around the greater Boston area until we found one with it in stock (nothing is ever easy, is it?). When we unpacked it I was so disappointed! It was flat and hideous and tiny! I thought they gave us the wrong tree! Luckily, Peter kept his cool and assured me I could fluff it out and make it lovely... he was right, as usual, don't tell him I said so...

With a little TLC, it turned out just fine! Every year we add a few ornaments with meaning/linked to something about us at the given time... This years ornaments were a teapot, spoon, and later cup and saucer because of our semi-regular night time tea ritual that began a few months ago. We also picked up a glass ornament with 2011 and a partridge/pear tree reference and a glass Fenway stadium ornament to make the tree a little more representative of Peter too...

While decorating our tree, Peter made our traditional chilli and then later we went on a fancy date (Chez Henri, oh la la so French!) to celebrate. We didn't actually open presents until New Year's Eve (funny for us since we normally open so early) because we were apart so much beforehand. Overall, a very nice holiday!

Favorite Fall Finds

2011-11-10T11:18:00.003-05:00

This post is way overdue!

Before Christmas I was particularly enjoying:

- Fall colored flowers
- Pumpkin decor (some of the pumpkins below were a gift to friends, while the other was a gift from a friend!)
- Our new teatime scrabble mugs!
- The She & Him Christmas album
- Those life factory glass/silicone water bottles below...

Just a few little details of my day to day...

Halloween-ie (Beter late than never!)

2011-11-10T11:15:00.002-05:00

I hope to always go so all-out for Halloween! This year Peter and I went as Chucky/Bride of Chucky while Jay went as himself in 1982 and Laura went as Butters/A sleepover victim in Sleepover Massacre... We had a low key party night at Trilby and Matt's house (which was decked out to the nines) - lots of drinking, eating, games, and some scary viewing material...

Fantastic Four: Scavenger Hunting

2011-11-10T11:13:00.001-05:00

The weather has been unbelievably gorgeous this week! I decided to take full advantage of it during our playdate by hosting a fall scavenger hunt outdoors.

Our first find: this "leaf with animal holes":

They raced around, each at one point or another taking a leadership role in choosing what to hunt for and where to find it. It all happened very naturally and I just followed, snapping pictures and occasionally offering encouragement.

My favorite found object - a tree with a (massive!) hole in it!

Overall, a fantastic and fairly simple playdate that got us all moving outdoors and honing our reading, teamwork, and observation skills!

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-01T17:42:00.001-04:00

And a grrrreat beginning of November to you!

The Halloween Spirit

2011-10-27T13:38:00.000-04:00

Who is the cutest kitten around?

Well, I think that's pretty obvious!

My smallest friend, looking very pleased and festive (and not so small!) on a recent afternoon walk... where she delighted all who passed by!

Fantastic Four: Fun with Flour

2011-10-27T13:21:00.002-04:00

It was spooky how much fun we had making cookies! this past Wednesday (ha, get it?). The weather was dreary and I was in the mood to bake so I spent the morning mixing up some sugar cookie dough and digging out festive cookie cutters. The dough has to rest an hour in the fridge so while it was setting, I picked up the girls. They were all smiles but cheerfully complaining about the rain and the cold when LS's Friend suggested we have a warm playdate. You can imagine how excited they got when I told them we were going to do just that, since we were going to use the oven! I let the suspense about our exact plans build on the drive and when we made it into the house they burst into the door, ran through the entryway, and flew to the kitchen island where they saw the decorations and became even more enthused about what the afternoon would bring!

The girls chatted up the babypants while I made lunch and then got down to business eating. Somehow I didn't have to remind them even once to focus on food so that we could play! They did take breaks to tell me about their days and sing me halloween songs, collapsing into giggles every time I jumped when they yelled boo or attempted to be scary in some other way.

Post lunch, babypants went up for nap and we rolled up our sleeves, washed our hands, and went to work! The plan was that the girls and I would roll, cut, and bake the cookies and then we'd wait on the boys to decorate - which ended up being perfect timing (I love when that happens)!

LS's friend was especially chipper and eager to help. At first LS was hesitant to get her hands dirty (despite making cookies with me countless times before) but her friend's good mood was contagious and eventually she was getting nice and messy with the rest of us! The girls did a great job taking turns and complimenting each other on tasks well done. Each watched attentively as I demonstrated rolling, cutting (push all the way down, wiggle and pull), and transferring onto the baking sheet and needed little help afterwards (only some getting the cookie out of the cutter, which is tricky even for me!).

They were very focused bakers and kept a close eye on the cookies in the oven!

When they were finished we moved the decorations over to the kitchen table and slid the cookies onto the cooling racks - just in time for the girls to play in the living room (unicorns, mostly) while I picked up the boys.

At this point, everyone was VERY ready for the final steps - icing and eating! I helped frost everyone's first pumpkin (I wasn't sure we'd have enough but then it became clear we were going to end up with a ton extra) and then just let the kids have at with frosting and toppings. They were amazing - very patient, taking turns with colors, and again complimenting each other in very thoughtful and genuine ways! The cookies (pumpkins, witches, and cats) turned out beautifully - though everyone was eating and frosting at the same time so I didn't get them all lined up for my usual photo!

LS wanted to eat her cookie right away while the others waited until they were all decorated. Here you can see her semi-lecturing me on how tasty it is and why (the chocolate chips, apparently!).

These four have such a beautiful and easy friendship. When we are working on an activity together they are such a delight to be around. Here LS's friend was cracking a halloween joke and later they were all singing absentmindedly together while focused on frosting:

Yum! (The cookies were a big hit with the grown ups, too!)

That's a lotta soup!

2011-10-27T10:44:00.001-04:00

Thoughts:

Whoa.

That's a serious pot!

This is not what we were looking for...

But it's huge!

What would you cook in this?

Hmm.... maybe a person?!

Unflattering but hilarious.

Friends, Fall, Fun!

2011-10-27T10:42:00.001-04:00

This past weekend was a blast! Friday night I had an unexpected amount of fun during an impromptu meet up at Charlie's in Harvard Square. Catching up and seasonal beverages and a fire pit? Don't mind if I do! We stayed up well into the night, waaaay past my bed time... and it was wonderful. Saturday Peter and I took it slow - slept in (rare for me!) and then went on a rather serious hunt for halloween costumes (we were successful!)... ending the day with mindless t.v. and cuddling (sometimes just what the doctor ordered!). Then Sunday was a baby shower (I flippin' love babies and baby accoutrements) and down time with Jay's family... how lovely!

Also, I was surprised at work by Trilby with this lovely arrangement of edibles (ha). She is supportive of my dream of home ownership (one day, I say... save save save!) and wonderful in general.

Yummers. (The kids were maybe the most excited and helped make a pretty nice dent in the melon and chocolate covered strawberries! They also fed Peter some hot peppers and thought that was hilarious. Random.)

The Halloween Hunt

2011-10-20T14:56:00.001-04:00

Treasure hunts are a VERY popular playdate activity. They are always somewhat similar and consist of me making up little poems/clues of some sort (usually some involving logic, some math, some decoding, etc.) and hiding them around the house. Each clue leads to the next and when on the hunt the kids wildly tear through the house squealing but then settle down into the task at hand and then take turns reading and solving (though often they solve together, there is a lot of teamwork involved!). Since we've done so many, everyone knows to wait until the whole group is together before moving on. This week, inspired by some halloween spider pails, I put together a spooky little hunt that was a huge hit. The proof is in the notes each kid wrote me using their new halloween post-its.

The assembled loot buckets:

At first when I was making these hunts they took a long time but now they are pretty quick to put together. Even the poems roll freely off the pen! This particular hunt had 15 clue locations but with a twist, each kid had one of the clues and had to figure out when it was time to open it!

We waited until the boys came home from karate to begin. Here you can see them all eager to get started! (The girls spent the first part of the playdate thanking me for making all of the playdates! which was very heart warming. We then played upstairs on the 3rd floor - stamping, coloring, "school" where I was the teacher and Littlest Sister was the tiny principal!, and "entertain the baby".)

And they were off!:

Digging through the dino bin:

Gathered around:

And victory, at last!:

Their discovery was met with a sweet chorus of "ooooooohs!" and they were very happy with their prizes. They all ran up the stairs and sat (without me asking) at the kitchen table writing notes and sticking stickers. I think this was my most popular playdate without an edible treat!

BB & LS's friends were quite chatty on the way home - BB's friend about the Red Sox and LS's friend mostly about the playdate. The most notable quote was "Bobbie, I have a penny in my pocket. That's one cent! We learned that at the last playdate!" I'm not sure there is higher praise than that!

SALEM!

2011-10-20T10:37:00.002-04:00

This past weekend we had a fantastic afternoon/evening away in Salem - Halloween central! We did some serious people watching, bopped around to different pubs, gave pumpkin presents, breezed through a haunted house and then haunted them back, ate monster sized burgers, discovered Jay's love of blueberry beer, plodded through a cemetery and got locked in/stuck on the gate (oh wait, that was just me), tried to climb into a dance party, and ended the evenings in a strange little bar that was a million degrees...

(In this picture I look the most like my mom I've ever looked, I think!)

Fun!

And we all made it home safe and sound...

When you know, you know...

2011-10-20T10:29:00.002-04:00

Say hello to my new friend, Roland.

He used to be in the now defunct Boston store Domain. Now he lives with me and my other strange little creatures (ugly fish, silver birds, guardian Indonesian frog, Dominican statue, etc.). I guess I have unknowingly settled on some sort of artsy, eclectic animal accented home decor! I have been watching my money lately and avoiding unnecessary purchases but when I passed him in the aisle (while looking for a duvet cover, a fruitless search that is leaving me VERY frustrated and semi-ready to settle) I knew he had to be mine. I waffled a little but the price was right and I could picture him in my future homes, reminding me of this particular time in my life and being very stylish. Also, I can picture him next month decorated with Christmas lights and ornaments.

In short, I loved him and there is no fighting love!

New Season, New Routine

2011-10-19T08:22:00.002-04:00

Into the new year, my new morning routine is as follows:

Monday - Cardio on my own + Strength training w/a trainer

Tuesday is "Get-My-Ish-Together" Tuesday - gym if not recovering, straightening apartment, assessing laundry, grocery shopping

Wednesday - Spin class - I'm considering buying special shorts

Thursday - Cardio on my own + Strength training w/a trainer

Friday - Zumba!

I don't work until 10 and for the past three years I've spent my mornings sleeping until the last possible minute. Granted, when phase one of the "fitter into my thirties" took hold I started getting up twenty minutes or so earlier for breakfast... but still... there were a lot of "wasted" hours making sleep and general lethargy. I have decided... no more of this! I wanted to start an exercise routine but can't make it work with my evenings (mainly because I want to spend those with friends, reading, watching Community, or curling up with a mug of tea and Peter)... so... morning is all that is left! I am not a morning person and I'm only on week three so we'll see how this goes... 3 training sessions down, 19 to go! Come on, arms!

This Tuesday I treated myself to flowers with groceries and set up a little scene on my kitchen table to inspire me for the rest of the week. I love fall and fall colors and fall holidays... so far it's working!

I cranked out spin this morning and came home for some peanut butter on sprouted cinnamon raisin... I am motivated like a dog, but whatever!

In other news, the side bangs are back. I had missed them... Note Hernan grimacing in the background (it is absurd how much I love that ugly fish!)...

Here goes! Goal: fit and fab!

Fantastic FALL!

2011-10-13T12:01:00.001-04:00

I am not gone - just incredibly busy again! I'm back at the gym several mornings a week, transitioning into a fall work schedule, and trying to soak up autumn!

This past Monday we took advantage of the beautiful fall weather and the school holiday and decided to carve PUMPKINS! :) We've had them for ages and were just waiting on the right time. The kids loved it (even littlest sister was part of the fun, on the monitor at least!) - taking great care into deciding on a design, goop scooping (though LS gave up on my when it seemed some might get on her hand!), and carving (with special little saws).

They each settled on very classic jack-o-lantern faces. When LS decided scooping was too "icky" she gave herself a new job (she was still eager to help out!) - seed sorter. She was very keen to roast the seeds (her suggestion) and spent a good half hour separating them from the pumpkin "guts" into the strainer.

Very spooky indeed!

Once the pumpkins took up residence on the porch we boiled and roasted the seeds - delish!

Fantastic Four Fall Playdate

2011-09-28T14:47:00.000-04:00

It's beginning to look a little like Halloween here...

I spent this week with the kids slowly decorating to set the tone for our playdate this afternoon.

Our agenda: picnic lunching, outside playing, card making, muffin baking, and pumpkin decorating! A very full afternoon, as you can see...

Picnic lunching, check!:

The weather was exceedingly agreeable - 70s and sunny, delightful!

In the middle, our baby friend joined us - much to everyone's delight!

And then on to the playdate!

I supplied the materials (paper, clear spider webs, glue, construction paper, markers, and scissors) and the kids supplied the creativity. I suggested cards and they all ran with it. BB's card had a hole with an eye peeking out and when you opened it there was an epic spider versus dinosaur battle! LS's had her whole family looking quite terrified underneath the giant spider web!

A special treat, one of the cards was for me (from LS, who is apparently doubting my love):

And then, we moved on to making pumpkin muffins (with chocolate chips and sprinkles). Everyone took turns adding ingredients and stirring and there was running commentary noting when it looked good or gross or wet or dry, etc. etc. etc.

Then a sprinkle of sugar and they popped in the oven.

YUM! They came out very well (even if they stuck to the liners a bit). In fact, for the first time ever!, I got the thumbs up from each kid! (All four children eating something new and liking it? Unheard of! Admittedly, it was chocolate based...)

While they were baking, we decorated ("carved") silly and scary faces into pumpkins with Sharpies. :)

This was a big hit! There was much deliberation about the merits of a scary versus happy face.

The gang's all here!

We spent the remainder of the time outside (playing on the play structure, catching bugs, jumping on the trampoline, and watching the leaves fall).

4 Kids, 1 baby, 1 Bobbie

2011-09-23T13:20:00.001-04:00

School has started so that means Wednesdays are playdate days! This week we decided to return to our roots a bit and have a science themed playdate! The term of the day was oxidation and we used the oxidation of pennies to talk about acids and bases using a few helpers from around the kitchen.

First we talked about pennies and what they were made out of, highlighting the metal copper. Then we discussed how copper loses its shine over time due to dirt but also due to the oxygen in air which causes a coating over time called an oxide. We then learned that oxides could be removed with acids and discussed all we knew about acids and bases (quite cleverly, the volcano making playdate was recalled and discussed and everyone remembered what happened when acids and bases were mixed!).

Our plan? To test the acidity and baseness of different liquids by seeing the degree to which each removed the oxidation from pennies. We poured out a collection of pennies and sorted out the dullest ones, noting that they were likely the most oxidized. Then we went around the kitchen, choosing liquids to test (maybe the most fun part for the kids).

Our list: lemon juice, lime juice, ketchup, three or four types of vinegar, baking soda, soap, water, ice, buttermilk, yogurt, prune juice, worchestersire sauce, soy sauce, tabasco, orange juice...

We carefully labelled cups and then put a penny in each. Then we poured in our liquids and it was time to wait. (During our ten minute waiting period we practiced our silly faces and then experimented with team work in building magnatile structures.)

Ding! Time was up! First we made guesses about which liquids were acids and which were bases and then we fished out our pennies one at a time, noting how shiny they were! Former experiments and knowledge was drawn on quite a bit and most of our guesses were right. Everyone was surprised when the ketchup was seemingly the most acidic (beating out the vinegars and citrus juices barely) though we also talked about how our experiment might have been a little faulty (noting that our pennies might not have been quite the same level of oxidized).

Lastly, we decided to mix all the bases and acids together (putting a penny in for good measure) to watch the explosion (and see if the chemical reaction cleaned the penny best). Everyone squealed with delight as each acid set off another mini explosion and was fairly disappointed when the penny remained dirty (though we noted how it was coated with baking soda so that the acids didn't have a chance to contact the penny and also the quickness of the contact).

A very successful experiment now to be followed up by free play!

Spotted...

2011-09-21T18:02:00.002-04:00

...on a walk in Concord: a lone mushroom worthy of Alice in Wonderland!

Magnificent!

Little miss... :)

2011-09-21T14:50:00.003-04:00

My tiniest friend and I enjoying a walk on a beautiful fall day. I can't resist buying up every hat with ears I encounter... I fear that one day my own children will be doomed(/blessed) to a life in costume.

Quintessentially fall...

2011-09-18T22:23:00.006-04:00

Apple picking!

Pumpkins, a hay ride, picking!, goats and sheep and chickens... oh my!, the most delicious cider donuts right from the fryer and rolled in cinnamon sugar, almost endless flower fields... all on a crisp, sunny, perfect fall afternoon...

And now?

Cooking! On the docket: apple crisp, squash and apple soup, and some sort of crazy turkey apple picadillo (chilli?)... delicious! Of course, we'll be eating quite a few as well... and Peter has petitioned for apple cheddar melts...

Maryland :)

2011-09-14T17:36:00.003-04:00

This past weekend we ran down to Maryland (not literally, though it felt like it with a Saturday morning flight there and a Sunday evening flight back - yeesh) for my uncle's 50th! It was a good time and fairly relaxing... Saturday was catered BBQ and bands in his backyard and Sunday involved a lot of food, the couch, and a moviefest (as usual, sooo calming). I've enjoyed seeing everyone but I am ready to stay local this weekend - my first in a month!

My Photos of Oslo...

2011-09-09T10:58:00.003-04:00

Our hotel:

My idea of a PERFECT meal:

5 days, 1 baby, 1,000,000 coffees...

An outpouring of love after an individual's hate:

Art. I like it:

I was accidentally locked inside, but found my way out:

Lazy blogging, for the win...

My Photos of Maine...

2011-09-09T10:53:00.002-04:00

I wish I could hit rewind and be in this weekend all over again...

Finally uploading a few weeks of photos while the smallest one naps...

Norway...

2011-09-01T22:09:00.001-04:00

...was lovely, though I didn't see much. I spent 24 hours a day with the smallest one, ate a lot of pastry, drank a lot of coffee, and bonded with a borrowed iPad (I want my own!). I have a few more pictures to post later but on the whole, this trip only made me want to go back...

Ogunquit

2011-09-01T21:56:00.004-04:00

Main Maine Memories: Peter sending along mix CDs, a bucket full of gin, and flowers to the room (as a surprise!), fully stocked bar and snacks, walking the rocky ledge, little shops, a full day toasting and swimming (cold!) at the beach, frozen drinks, hot dogs, drinks and dancing, jumping off of bridges, more dancing, making new friends (who were shoe enamored), loving old friends, chatting, laughing, even more dancing, lots of delicious food (and waiting for said food), traffic...

Delightful.

Two of the three...

2011-09-01T21:55:00.001-04:00

I love them. :)

I am VERY behind in my blogging again. Sigh.

We didn't let a rainy old Monday get US down...

2011-08-18T14:44:00.002-04:00

...instead, we crafted up a paper city! and taped it to some blocks for stability. Both kids pitched in enthusiastically and by the end we had a very impressive skyline, a lake (800 ft deep) complete with sea monster, a residential area, a dinosaur museum, a Whole Foods, a Starbucks, a fossil yard, and a jail (in which to "keep the robbers")...

It became inhabited by our tiny toy people and dinosaurs... quite the thriving metropolis!

Lastly we added grass, trees, and roads...

Fun!

2 years :)

2011-08-18T14:34:00.002-04:00

Last night Peter and I got dressed up AND had some place to go - Henrietta's Table, to be exact! It was fun to get all dolled up and to see Peter in an outfit that was very similar to the one he wore on our first date, two years ago. The night was much cooler, unseasonably pleasant even and we walked there and back rather leisurely...

My adventures with the self timer yielded only limited success... blurry and pinkish but I'll take it!

I didn't bring my camera to dinner but it was delicious! I snagged a few photos from the website... the inside:

The sangria that went with dinner:

And my dessert - chocolate bread pudding with rum and carmelized bananas...

I had the most succulent pot roast of all time over mashed potatoes with a side of summer squashes and Peter (feeling more adventurous) had duck confit in a raspberry glaze... also quite tasty! When we got home we requested the cookbook from our local library!

Sporty Bobbie?

2011-08-14T09:36:00.002-04:00

Who knew being pulled on a raft behind a boat would be so much fun?

Embarrassingly, today I am a bit sore...

...but it was worth it! We spent the day with Peter's family, on the lake... conversations, a ton of delicious food, and nice weather by the water.

Day to day...

2011-08-12T16:27:00.002-04:00

I've been busy enjoying the sunshine with my expanded brood. Also, today, balling melons and soon baking a cake for a day away with Peter's family... squeezing some summer into my summer right at the last minute = priceless! Next weekend, the beach!

Culinary Adventure!

2011-08-10T10:55:00.002-04:00

What's better than a week night with an old friend and some new cuisine? Not much! Tuesday, Kevin and I headed into the square but decided to forego old standbys to try a new spot - The Russell House Tavern. Verdict? Delicious! And right around the corner! Who knew?

They have a raw bar which we avoided and some very creative small plates but I stuck with my standard chicken (I was lured in by the promise of mashed potatoes - a rare treat these days and my favorite!) while Kevin was more adventurous with the Artic Char (a nod to Suvivorman who made it look appealing, even right out of the water!)...

Yums all around! and so nice to catch up... I need to carve out more time for friends even when life is so hectic... *especially* when life is so hectic...

Middle of Nowhere, New York :)

2011-08-10T10:22:00.002-04:00

This past weekend managed to be both relaxing and entertaining as we headed to New York to visit Peter's mother and sister. A little less than a four hour drive yielded us a few days full of family, delicious junk food (cookies, pizza, and ice cream - oh my!), a hidden gem of a little art museum, and some little city browsing... all in all, delightful!

The Hyde collection is a preserved art collection/estate very similar to the Gardner Museum here in Boston (we found out, similar for good reason as it was inspired by it! and around the same time - oh how I wish I had enough money to cultivate a collection!)... It was wonderful, a well rounded collection, and boasted a glorious Rubens, several pieces by Ingres, and a Boticelli...

My second favorite spot? A walk up ice cream shack boasting TOO MANY FLAVORS! In the end, I went with Peanut Butter & Jelly and was not disappointed.

Peter's sister has delightful pets and I tried to take this one home but got busted in the process because apparently her head was sticking out! D'oh, next time!

Look how sad she was that she had to stay! ;)

Sunnies

2011-08-05T14:10:00.003-04:00

Over the years I have had MANY, many pairs of sunglasses. More than style statement (though they are a HUGE one) they are functional and healthy for your eyes - score! I've gone from small to huge and from favoring plastic to wire (gold rims, specifically)... while there will always be room in my heart for an oversized pair of frames, there is something undeniably chic and sexy about the aviator. I ALWAYS feel more polished with them on...

This morning, I stepped on my favorite sunnies. RIP Jimmy Choo Charleys in Ivory/Gold... 2009 - 2011, 2 good years and through 5 or 6 countries...

Hello, Oliver Peoples ... may you have a long and lovely life!

I am a big believer in splurging on accessories instead of individual clothing pieces. I'll be wearing these almost every day (same thought behind spending more on your haircut than your tshirts or say, a coat in New England!), the frames are light and strong AND the lenses are polarized. Delightful! I loved my old sunglasses because of the ivory color and side studding and was complimented on them super frequently (and as recently as last week) but I'm also in the beginning stages of love with these because they are classic and a very flattering shape, size, and shade...

A whole blog post about sunglasses when other craziness is happening in my life? Ahhh well...

Working at the Beach...

2011-07-27T09:32:00.004-04:00

Our home away from home this week is the house in the top left of the first picture. This is our fourth year spending a week at the Cape and each year the house has been nicer and the trip slightly more relaxed and enjoyable. While I end up working really long hours, the days are unstructured and flow fairly smoothly and I feel tired but relaxed at the end (most of the time).

Our current place sits right on a little beach - perfect for darting down and back if something is forgotten or needed. The water is fairly warm (especially by the end of the day) and quite shallow which allows for the kids to explore on their own quite a bit. Much to my dismay (and their delight) it is overflowing with minnows, snails, hermit crabs and even larger crabs and horseshoe crabs! I like seeing them but dislike when they scuttle over my feet or swim past my legs. Talk about the heebie jeebies...

We've been spending our days exploring, sunning, and crafting. A few nights ago the father of TFINF talked me into taking the kids out in a little rubber boat...

I was feeling quite confident at first as you can see!

Though, that's a lot of charges! and they were a bit heavy...

Look at me steering them from the prickly grass! Okay, I admit it, then Pap joined me! It's no good with only one functional oar! We were snug - the six of us in one boat - but managed to paddle around fairly effectively and even managed to paddle against the current over to a little platform...

...where the kids promptly hopped out and we semi-accidentally floated away! Much hilarity ensued! Big Brother, as you can tell from the photo, was quite confident in us while the girls were not as sure! Eventually, BB (tired of waiting for us to paddle back, remember - against the current!) hopped right in and paddled over! When we got back, Pap tried to pull is in by the oar and it snapped in two! While we were busy laughing, we floated away again... geez, whose idea was this anyway? At some point, a bit later, we managed to reunite the oars (Pap took a bit of a swim), get back to the platform, load the kids back in the boat (of course, we had one of them already), and paddle back to shore... with sore arms (for me) and sore abs (from laughing so much)... truly, hysterical....

The next day we decided to have slightly lower key fun! We loaded up the kids again and went to a nearby pebbly beach. At first, Little Sister wasn't having much fun because it was chilly and the water was freezing! but then we started making use of the nearby materials for some art-y fun.

Our first project? Turtles! While BB and Pap explored the dunes, we spent at least twenty minutes selecting the PERFECT rocks for turtle construction... I think they came out quite nicely!

Bolstered by our success, we constructed a slightly larger long neck! Big Brother returned just as we were finishing and gave our project the thumbs up. Of course, LS suggested that we didn't make it, we discovered it! and it must be some new species...

Later, as Pap and BB set off to build their own dinos, I set about making a mermaid...

And then? Lunch and home - we were exhausted!

And yesterday? Well, a bit of relaxing was in order...

Luckily, my little best friend was feeling pooped too and decided to join me... we donned our specs and suits for a bit (how can I not be enjoying myself with this little ham?) ...

...and then settled in with some good books! (Admittedly, I've read 3 of the Sookie Stackhouse series in the last 4 days... they are compulsively readable and perfect for the beach, if a bit embarrassing!)

And today? Who knows... nursing a tiny sunburn (super mild, only on the places where I've had straps for the last two years and now don't because of a different bathing suit style, finally!) is high on my list... as is making some coffee!

Balance!

2011-07-19T14:56:00.002-04:00

I've spent the last year learning moderation when it comes to food. I'm not sure why it was such a hard lesson (truly, it took the last 27 years!) but I'm starting to feel like I have the hang of it. People keep asking what I've done to take the weight off... and the truth is, I've changed my mindset about food and the way I eat... pretty drastically! Each day I try to focus on making good choices, on incorporating as many fruits and vegetables as I can (and they're delish - bonus!), on finding low calorie foods that fill my belly and make me happy...

I spend the week eating like this:

And I love it! Especially the watermelon... yum-mo!

Of course, now that I've switched into maintenance mode (or slow loss mode since I still have a few pounds to go), I'm a little less strict on the weekends. What's life without a bit of fun, food-wise? When I'm enjoying my "sometimes foods" I try to focus on really enjoying what I'm eating... and also, on portion control! I try to savor and split.

Peter took me to breakfast this Sunday, for example... and we split the chocolate roll and I had a tomato and feta flatbread with an iced coffee with skim milk and a dash of whole.

In eating, I strive for balance...

Now to apply this to the rest of my life...

Superkids :)

2011-07-19T14:52:00.001-04:00

A few repurposed t-shirts + my new best friend felt = super kids! ... all dressed up for super hero day at camp...

Not bad for hand sewing! I was especially pleased with the cape...

I may make myself a matching one... supernanny!

SPLURGE!

2011-07-19T14:42:00.002-04:00

I have been SO careful with my money lately... diligently paying down student loans, saving for all sorts of grown up things (moving out, buying furniture, buying a house one day, yadda yadda yadda), buying inexpensive clothing (because it gets baby drool on it and my sizes have been so temporary)... etc., etc., etc. - very responsible, not so fun...

I've been SO careful, in fact, that I was in need of these... NEED, I tell you... after all - they are beautiful, classic beige, complimentary to my skin tone, not too tall and thus infinitely wearable... and did I mention they were on a KILLER sale (sometimes it pays to have giant feet, more leftover shoes for me)... oh, and the red sole... swoon! I love them. I love their cut outs and little silver heels. I love everything about them...

I may or may not have also picked up some beautiful wardrobe staples - a replacement black shirt dress, a little black dress, a silvery gray sleeveless wrap dress... and earlier in the week a creamsicle colored sundress with hidden orange tulle and a purple silk tank. Sigh, I was bit by the shopping bug! In all honesty, as I rebuild my clothing collection I've been trying to do so very mindfully (before my method to clothes shopping was quite haphazard!) - separating work and play clothes and attempting to buy pieces that will last/that I can get tailored if necessary. It's quite the process! but I feel comfortable buying now that I'm settling into a weight I'd like to stay in/stay close to. Up next? Searing for pants! Eep!

Birthday Goodness :)

2011-07-15T17:12:00.001-04:00

This morning, after 3 tries and a bit of blood loss, I successfully crafted two "long neck cakes" in the birthday girl's requested colors!

I had pulled out my cake decorating arsenal - sprinkles, fake rocks, leaf tips... and ended up using only frosting and food coloring! I just went with the flow...

This one is my favorite of the two! I love that they are facing different directions (and thus can face each other when it's time to display them)...

Purple-y is complete with pink toenails and eyelashes! Little Sister (who is not so little any more, nor the littlest in the house... maybe she should be Middle Sister now?) is pleased! I can't wait to hear how the birthday party goes! (I also planned dinosaur themed games - a dino dig for fossils in the sandbox, pin the tail on the dinosaur, etc. - and there is a dinosaur pinata! and there are dinosaur favors and balloons and inflatables... it is a future paleontologist's dream!)

Sharing is Caring

2011-07-13T09:56:00.002-04:00

This week a friend of mine shared her farm share - with us! We've decided to use our locally grown (very dirty, fresh picked!) produce in two dinners this week - pork chops and roasted root vegetables (to be joined by a turnip and sweet potato from WF) and summer squash with pan fried chicken breasts - um, yum! Thanks for the dinner inspiration, Carolyn! (Mental note, it might be worth looking into a farm share just for the forced vegetables... gotta use 'em or lose 'em!)

Mas, Mas, Mas!

2011-07-13T09:45:00.002-04:00

Not a bad way to spend a few minutes... on the porch swing, in the sun, with a wee one.

5!

2011-07-11T21:31:00.002-04:00

Little Sister is a whopping 5 - can you believe it? I had to get her some flashy accessories for the occasion, right? Right!

Weekend Recap: Sunday

2011-07-11T21:15:00.002-04:00

Sunday we went to an open market in the morning, ate food off trucks (though did I get any pictures? no! - I had a grilled cheese, a grilled nutella/banana/marshmallow bliss-wich... Laura had Italian ice, Peter had the best fish sandwich ever! and an additional salted caramel cupcake), wandered a bit, started sweating, hung out back at Jay's, played some games, chatted and enjoyed...

Then in the evening, dinner with Peter's Dad! Again, no pictures... eep! One of these days I'll do a better job capturing ALL the important memories and not just some of them! We had a delicious meal and a lovely end to a weekend of festivities...

Weekend Recap: Saturday

2011-07-11T20:46:00.002-04:00

I had a fantastic and action packed weekend! It was Peter's two day birthday extravaganza... Saturday involved Formaggio BBQ in the morning with Peter and Laura, margaritas and Mexican delights with 10 or so of his closest friends, and girl's night while the boys went to the game!

Admittedly, I ended up with acid reflux... sigh, I guess we are aging! but it was all worth it.

Beef brisket sandwiches with sauce and onions, corn, cornbread, and honey sweetened lemonade...

Then later, sangria and more margaritas than one can count, lots of catching up, chatting, laughing... surprise cupcakes for Peter (thank you again, A!), baseball or not, people watching...

Oh right, and a VERY bearded Abe Lincoln!

Back into the swing of things...

2011-07-05T11:06:00.002-04:00

We had a wonderful weekend filled with family, friends (Julia and Matt! Thank you so much for coming down!), and soooo much food. It was wonderful and relaxing with lots of time spent in the pool and curled up watching movies. In fact, it was so relaxing I forgot to take any pictures - GAH!

Now Peter and I are back, thanks to a 6 am flight (boo). I am attempting to get the house settled before my little friend wakes up. We've been getting well acquainted and into a little routine of our own...

I'm especially enjoying our morning walks!

Summer.

2011-07-01T09:33:00.002-04:00

Grilled dinner: greek style burgers (with onions, peppers, feta) on rye with lettuce and heirloom tomato, summer squash and zucchini, red peppers, corn, and Formaggio-inspired peaches for dessert!

I like the squash best right off the grill - super hot, slightly crispy, juicy and delicious! We ate quite a few while waiting on the corn and the burgers to finish up...

YUM! Mine barely made it into the house...

+ True Blood and end of the night popsicles? Delightful!

WOO!

2011-06-29T14:19:00.001-04:00

Who is that biking behind big brother? Why, it's ME! I'm still a novice but I circle the island in the middle of the street like a champ. :) One of these days I'm going to get a bike of my own... when storage is a little more convenient.

New York State :)

2011-06-28T15:11:00.002-04:00

This past weekend, Peter and I took a trip down to visit his friends (and now officially my friends - I'm claiming them!) in New York. It's a very scenic drive (better on the way back because it wasn't dark and we weren't dodging deer) through mountains and near blooming wildflowers. We spent our time together chatting, eating, and relaxing and only took a break from all the resting to take a walk over the Hudson river and check out a local brewery restaurant.

The weather was a bit strange - with short, quick rain showers - but mostly agreeable and I think it's safe to say that a good time was had by all. It's so fun to get out of the city quickly. Most of our summer weekends (and the first two in September!) are booked up but if they weren't, I'd be looking to fill them with these little jaunts.

T-Shirts!

2011-06-28T13:19:00.000-04:00

Today was the much anticipated vegetable dress up day! I thought the kids looked pretty cute!

The Wee-est One!

2011-06-22T14:24:00.002-04:00

I've been making a serious amount of baby food and princess chubby cheeks has been ingesting it as quickly as I can make it. Below you can see my first attempt...

Admittedly sometimes her facial expressions indicate she's wondering if I'm up to the challenge of actually hitting her mouth! or if I'm just going to continue smearing food all over her face. It's difficult to find a moving target sometimes.

She has a very good appetite at least! Go chef Bobbie!

Crafty Tees! :)

2011-06-22T14:20:00.001-04:00

Next Tuesday is Vegetable Dress Up Day at camp where the kids are supposed to come dressed in homage to their group veggies! BB is a broccoli and LS is a tomato. A few nights ago I had them pick out a green and a red tee for a base and gather up our old felt scraps, some scissors, and a needle and thread. An hour or so later - voila! - we had some fun and easy themed shirts!

Then BB reminded me we needed pants! so he and LS trouped back up the stairs and brought down green bottoms. Perfect!

Weekend deliciousness...

2011-06-22T13:14:00.002-04:00

I am loving weekends lately. They've been full of fun and food and friends - perfect. Peter and I spent Saturday morning walking through the neighborhood, browsing in shops, and then hitting up a few of our favorite super local spots to get our grub on.

I know I've talked about it before, but there is nothing yummier on Saturday afternoon than the barbeque offerings outside the Formaggio. This week they had a special treat, grilled peaches! The perfect end to an indulgent meal - they were juicy and flavorful and warm. (We also split a beef brisket sandwich, a hot dog, corn, and a slice of cornbread...)

On the way there we picked up iced coffees at a little market/convenience store across the way that also happens to have a tiny diner style restaurant in back. It doesn't look like much and it is never super crowded but all the food is yummy and fresh and their coffee is the best around, in my opinion. And also cheap!

Friends :)

2011-06-20T09:13:00.003-04:00

My life is not all babies and crafts, I promise! I spend a lot of time trying to find balance these days - dividing my time can be tricky between work, mundane day-to-day chore-type things, eating right and moving my body, Peter, and a social life! but I manage. I am going to try and squeeze in volunteering or working in some other way towards a career goal too! As soon as I develop a regular routine with the baby, that is... (likely fall? but hopefully earlier). They always say, if you want something done ask a busy person to do it. I don't know who they are, but I hope they're right!

Friend time is some of my favorite time! We've had really great weekends lately - full of fun and meeting up and fantastic food.

Celebrating a Lucy visit:

Laura's 25th :)

I really do love summer. The next two weekends Peter and I are going to be on the road (well, and in the air) visiting far away friends and family - yay for mini getaways!

Silhouettes

2011-06-17T13:21:00.002-04:00

I've made silhouettes for Big Brother and Little Sister each year that I've been their nanny. They are really easy and so fun - I love the crisp look of them and the way that you can see their faces change from year to year (especially LS - losing all her baby fat in her face really caused her features to be defined). This year I even added Princess Chubby Cheeks! and then made them for Mother's Day Gifts of the kids I have regular playdates with... (two of which are pictured below):

One day, should I have my own wee ones, it's something I'd like to do every year as a fun tradition... maybe on birthdays?

Banana Chocolate Chip Goodness

2011-06-13T21:13:00.003-04:00

No school/camp + Playdate + Black bananas + Desire for additional baked goods =

Banana chocolate chip muffins! These were dangerously delicious (said the two out of four kids who tried them... the other two were grossed out by the mushy bananas, Peter also gobbled his, as did the parents!) and relatively simple...

Also, they popped up and over beautifully...

I think next time I might experiment with ways to make them healthier - whole wheat flour? less sugar? (the banana and chocolate chips and yogurt already make them pretty sweet)... but they were pretty perfect... (Note I did not say I'd be skipping the chocolate chips.)

Recipe (from my favorite - allrecipes.com):

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup vanilla! yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the egg, oil, yogurt and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in bananas and chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Food To-Do List

2011-06-13T20:44:00.002-04:00

I'm not sure if everyone has a mental list of places they'd like to eat, but Peter and I certainly do... and near to the top of the list for a while now has been The Biscuit! Situated in a strange spot but semi-close by, The Biscuit didn't really have biscuits that I saw... (surely they must and I'm just blind?)... but they did have a delicious looking assortment of breads and baked goods and a fairly comprehensive list of sandwiches. Did I mention there was a line out the door on a Saturday morning? Always a good sign... so in we went to grab a quick bite...

Peter went with a savory cheese and onion scone which was the perfect consistency and rather delicious to boot. It tasted like a high end Red Lobster cheddar biscuit... I was swayed by the quiche - bacon and asparagus - but was disappointed in the whole wheat crust which was too sweet for the savory filling. Sad... Luckily we also split a chocolate brioche (pictured, bottom left) which more than made up for the sins of the quiche - holy moly, it was delicious - bursting with chocolate chips and oversized... messy but memorable!

I see more sampling in our future...

A Very Merry Un-birthday

2011-06-10T10:19:00.002-04:00

Step one of making rice krispie treats? Create a herd of tiny longnecks, of course... in various shades of pink and purple, some with spots and some with stripes... in order to decorate the bags! And find some matching pink and purple ribbon... and then decide that the treats should be pink and purple too! And then go crazy and throw in some blue ones just for fun... and then eat too many and see what happens when all that food coloring goes through your system - surprise! Okay, maybe that was more than just step one...

I whipped together some treat bags for Little Sister to take to school for her un-birthday (since hers is in the no man's land of summer)... My favorite parts of my job are the crafty parts! and I had a ball drawing and cutting all the dinos and bagging and tying all the treat bags. The teacher's said they had never seen anything like it before!

I was pleased! :)

I left my heart...

2011-06-02T22:50:00.006-04:00

...in San Diego...

...and so did Peter.

Cribbage + the boys

2011-05-27T11:21:00.002-04:00

It finally stopped raining! so that New England can remember that it is spring/almost summer - including me... (I was getting some pretty serious seasonal affective disorder from lack of sunlight, despite doubling up on Vitamin D!)

Tuesday night my favorite boys decided to bond over grill & game night... and I watched and carried the watermelon (ha)! Cribbage is a three (or two) player game that has some strange scoring, so I was getting a handle on the rules. Next time, I may be ready - watch out!

This week has been packed full of friends and fun and I wouldn't have it any other way. I read somewhere (probably random blog or trashy magazine) that you should treat every day like it is your birthday (maybe minus the cake consumption) and I'm starting to see the wisdom there.

Simply the best...

2011-05-27T11:11:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite things to do in Cambridge (honestly, in general) is to pop over to L.A. BURDICK for a quick bit of scrumptiousness. They are so close to my house, actually, that I have to practice a lot of restraint! They have the BEST thick, creamy hot chocolate I've had outside of Paris (at Angelina's... mmmm) and a variety of baked goods which I normally bypass in favor of a beverage (seriously, it is that good). (They also have pricey but yummy handmade chocolates... including little mice that they are known for.) There are lots of hot cocoa options to choose from - the three main being milk, dark, or white (I like the milk best - the dark is a bit too bitter and the white a bit too sweet), you can mix the mains, OR they have several single source options (I like the Nicaraguan). Paradise? Yes.

Since coming back from Paris, Peter and I have been a little obsessed with macaroons and the little round cookies that weren't even on the radar pre-France are constantly catching our eye in various locations. This past trip to Burdick's was no exception! There they were in all their glory... so we decided to indulge. We selected two each and were delighted to find six macaroons in the bag - Burdick error in our favor! Then when picking up our cocoa we were handed another bag, which they had packed in error but said we could keep.... Talk about sugar-y heaven! (We obviously didn't turn it down!) They are smaller than the macaroons at La Duree and just a tiny bit less flavorful but still remarkably fresh and with the perfect texture. (The best macaroon I've had in Cambridge/Boston has been a burnt sugar one at Crema Cafe in Harvard Square, followed by these, followed by the ones they sell at Formaggio grocery... all pretty tasty options!)

The moral of the story? Life can be a bit troublesome and dreary (the night of the double macaroons it was too cold for frozen yogurt in MAY and we thought we were 'settling') but if you persevere with the right attitude - you randomly get double cookies!

Birthday w/the Monkeys...

2011-05-27T11:05:00.001-04:00

...involved lots of hugging, singing, and the above chocolate cake on dinosaur plates. Delicious!

Birthday.

2011-05-25T23:36:00.000-04:00

Year 26: worked a fun and lucrative job, spent lots of time with friends, visited Virginia Beach/Wmsbg w/Peter and went on several other trips home to see my family and Peter's, savored a weekend spa retreat, beached it up in Punta Cana!, explored Paris!, hosted my Dad! in Boston, learned to ride a bicycle, attended a zillion (slight overestimate) red sox games & lots of great concerts (The National, She & Him, Wolf Parade, Vampire Weekend, LCD Soundsystem, Kate Nash, Cut Copy, Peter, Bjorn, & John, Fleet Foxes), bought fresh flowers, rediscovered the library, lost 46 or so lbs...

Year 27: TBD :)

Red lips!

2011-05-23T13:58:00.000-04:00

I would wear them more often but they are so high maintenance!

Birthday Finery :)

2011-05-23T13:25:00.008-04:00

I have the best friends! This Sunday we went out for fancy afternoon tea (delicious tiny baked goods, finger sandwiches, and dessert treats - oh my) and then ended up staying out for drinks which meandered into a casual dinner.

The lovely tower:

The bar was empty (a surprise at 5 on a Sunday, no?) which was perfect! Our little group filled up the space with big laughs and easy conversation. There were old buddies and new faces and everyone mixed and mingled. The decor was quite fun and the drinks were inventive... I stuck with lavender cosmopolitans (with some sort of berry pulp).

Plus, the little orange stools made for great impromptu bongos!

Yum!

I felt very loved and lucky. Cards have been trickling in from various locations, making me feel even more special! and this Thursday (my actual birthday...) the kids are looking forward to taking me out to dinner and cupcakes! What more could a girl want?

Peonies, if you please...

2011-05-23T13:20:00.002-04:00

Birthday flowers, from Peter, in various stages of blooming... my room is dark but warm, so they opened quite quickly.

I love the delicate petals, how they unfurl from a tight ball into ruffle-y crepe paper style perfection.... and their subtle, spring scent!

A bit of brightness in a windowless apartment...

The shirts!

2011-05-21T09:19:00.002-04:00

It finally stopped raining! I decided to take full advantage of the afternoon sun and pulled out some bubbles for the kids... (We haven't blown bubbles in a year, I'd guess!) They quickly grew tired of blowing them but spent the rest of about an hour chasing them down, popping them with sticks, and lastly soaping their hands and trying to catch the biggest mass...

AND they were both wearing their shirts (and socks)!

Adventures in Tie-Dye!

2011-05-20T11:31:00.002-04:00

The school year is wrapping up which means (much to the dismay of the kids) only a few playdates left. Each year I try to do something (or a few things) with the kids that will leave them with a tangible reminder of the time they spent together. Despite the rainy weather, I decided tie dying would be a fun repeat project (especially since everyone is a bit older which allows for a lot more autonomy in design and color choices!).

I started by preparing the unsuspecting basement! by laying out a plastic tablecloth (later we added paper towels) and all the necessary supplies.

I am a sucker for organized, well presented supplies!

Everyone was quite enthused and very patient. After binding the tshirts with rubber bands, they have to soak in soda ash for twenty minutes so the dye will set. During this time, we played a round of "I'm going on a picnic..." (a game where you take turns saying things you will bring based on what letter of the alphabet you are on at that time) to slightly hilarious (Big Brother wanted to bring a flamingo!) and Captain Underpants inspired (nostril nuggets, was friend of Little Sister's contribution for N!) results! When it was time to dye, we donned our fashionable plastic bag smocks (after a lengthy discussion about the dangers of putting plastic bags over your head and why we were making an exception) and got down to it! The kids were really great at negotiating sharing colors and complimenting outstanding dye jobs!

It's just so satisfying to watch the colors spread and mix - and pool on the plastic, creating new colors! This year there was a great accidental teal and a very pleasing (especially to Annalise) purple!

Truly, the perfect way to brighten up a dreary day...

We ended up with a tshirt and two pairs of socks each... post-washed pictures to come, I'm sure!

(BB and LS wanted to wear their tees right away!) Miraculously, we only ended up with dye a few places it didn't belong - a smudge down LS's arm, circles on BB's knees, and multicolor swirls on the bottoms of both of my feet!

Paper Dollies

2011-05-11T13:56:00.003-04:00

A while back, Little Sister was very interested in cutting out pictures/drawing pictures and laminating them to use in dramatic play. We have an entire bin of cut outs - everything from self portraits to dinosaurs to popular book characters. I thought she had completely outgrown this but yesterday we made a set of family dolls at her request. It's come back around, I suppose!

After we prepared them we played with them for a long time - first we built a magnatile Children's museum, complete with climbing structure and then several cars for them to drive around in. Later, we hibernated during winter and practiced standing on top of one another - too funny! We finished by driving around in magnatile cars!

In this picture, Mom is driving the kids around!:

Sometimes, the most fun is homemade...

Cute!

2011-05-11T11:41:00.001-04:00

Your daily dose of princess chubby cheeks...

Gotta love it! Oooooh tiny fingers and toes...

My brood....

2011-05-09T21:59:00.002-04:00

2 kids are less work than 3... by far, so far! I am constantly buried in laundry... there are diapers to change again! and naps to navigate... and yet, how much fun are babies?! BB and LS are very warm to the wee one and very helpful - LS kept her entertained during the half hour I was making dinner by cooing and pulling funny faces... BB constantly holds her and captures her attention... We have help specifically for the baby but she's been out this past week and I've been enjoying long stretches of baby time! It is good to get the practice in as this summer I'll be her primary nanny... I'm up to the challenge.

Go Sox?

2011-05-09T14:23:00.002-04:00

Sporty Bobbie makes a rare appearance...

Now that I'm involved with a sports fan, spring means something new to me - the opening of baseball season.... (the very LONG baseball season ;). Peter has 10 tickets a year as part of a season package deal and I typically accompany him to most of those games. This year we've been really lucky - the weather has been agreeable (not always so, especially for the April games) and the timing has been good (with work I've been able to get over right as they start plus an afternoon weekend game!)... This year, knowing more about the sport, watching the games is more interesting... though not so secretly I'm really there for the company, the sunshine, and the hot dogs!

Golabkis!

2011-04-28T14:05:00.002-04:00

During my blogging hiatus, I had my first adventure in Polish cooking - making golabkis for Peter! Golabkis are delicious stuffed cabbage leaves in a tomato-y sauce served with mashed potatos - yum! I must say, they are a little labor intensive and I was nervous about making them but they turned out really well (even Peter's Dad loved them)... I'll definitely be doing these again!

Easter!

2011-04-27T15:43:00.002-04:00

We spent Easter with Peter's family (as we did last year) and had so much fun! The fare is Polish (kielbasa, kapusta, golabkis, sour cream salad, Polish cookies, etc.) + ham... so delicious! This year I opted to bring several desserts - my traditional carrot cake (pictured above), peanut butter cookies, sugar cookie rabbits, and homemade brownies (my first attempt, and quite tasty)... we had quite the feast! (I think I went a little nutty because I've really missed baking while focusing on making healthy foods - boo!) After eating we watched the kids hunt for eggs and then all played bingo (for money! and I lost!)... a perfect, leisurely Sunday-funday.

Money, Money, Money, Mooooney!

2011-04-27T15:42:00.001-04:00

This Wednesday it was time for another of our Fab Five playdates! After lunch, the weather was so agreeable we spent an hour outside - mostly coloring on the playstructure with washable chalk (the girls in order to decorate it and the boys practicing their color bombs/defusing said color bombs), playing freeze tag, and staying away from the Bobbie-monster!

Then it was time to come inside and learn about dollars and cents! Little Sis/Big Bro have been very interested in currency lately so I thought it would be a good time to have a math based, money themed playdate! It was challenging at first to come up with ideas that worked with the various ages and math skills in our group but it worked out brilliantly thanks to a lot of web searching and some teamwork with the girls!

I started off with five baggies full of money/different currencies - 1 dollar bill, 4 quarters, 10 dimes, 20 nickels, 100 pennies. The kids chose numbers out of a bowl to determine who would pick first and then each chose a bag. We then took a minute to investigate our own bag and the bags of others - noting the sizes, colors, and general look of each piece of currency. We then talked about the names of each (everyone knew them, pretty much) and the values (these were less known but we figured them all out with teamwork). Afterwards we determined the value of each bag - all the kids were a little surprised that they each contained the same amount of money! Tricky! We then spent a little bit of time discussing the different ways to make a dollar with various amounts of coins.

Post chatting we did a few worksheets - one identifying different coins, one that involved adding different coins together (easy for the boys, more challenging but doable for the girls), a challenge one for the boys where there was an amount of money/some coins listed and other coins to find in order to make the listed number, and to integrate crafting (how could I not? :) a worksheet designing your own currency - both the look of it and how much it would be worth (after all that brain stretching it was nice to color a bit/let it all soak in!).

The hit of the playdate came after when they could use their dollar at the Bobbie Treat Shop!

I had four treats to buy at different prices (m&ms for 5 cents - a little steep!, animal crackers for 20 cents, chocolates for 30 cents, lollipops for 35 cents). Each kid came to the shop individually (we determined who went first via number drawing again!) and had to budget to get what they wanted. We worked on making change after each purchase as well! (BB was on to me - after his trip to the treat shop he told me that I had a very good idea because they got treats but also it worked his brain by incorporating math!)

While enjoying our treats we went back to the concept of making a dollar with various types of coins and tried to come up with all the ways we could think of to do it. We did fairly well but didn't get anywhere near the 293 ways I had printed out earlier! If you're feeling adventurous you can try and find them all - if not and you live at our house the print out will be in the kitchen! ;)

All the kids had so much fun... and were very gracious, thanking me when they left! Delightful!

Stomachs, Who needs 'em?

2011-04-19T22:45:00.002-04:00

Once again (no, seriously - for the 4th time this winter/spring), I have the stomach flu... after 48 hours without food and 24 of mediocre television (300 channels, no winners?)... I am ready to be back to normal... bleh! Little germ-filled monkeys get me every time... will my immune system ever toughen up?

Where have you been? HMMM!?

2011-04-15T11:02:00.003-04:00

Alternate title: A Long December (yet another blatant Counting Crows reference)...

I have been a terribly absent blogger. I know that you know but I also wanted you to know that I know...

There are multiple (huge) reasons why....

Here is the cutest reason:

My job is changing a bit thanks to the sweet babyface above and a few other factors... it will all be lovely but does require some settling in. She is beautiful and agreeable and caring for her lifts my heart... but I have no established daily routine currently and that is a bit tough... six months or so from now, I bet everything will be back in order (kids back in school, normal schedule for days) and I'll be a pro... now? Not so much... different schedule from week to week, everyone adjusting...

AND - I've been thinking a bit about what to do with my career long term... which, honestly, is stressful and overwhelming and more than confusing. I'm definitely staying here another year and I love my job.... but worry that it isn't on any sort of career track and time is slipping by. All sorts of questions are swimming around my head... Can I start my first "real job" when I'm 30? What does it mean to be happy in the moment? If I love my job, is it okay to stay as long as I like and worry about the next step afterwards? On top of that, I've been looking into all sorts of different programs - different MAs, MAs in teaching, PhDs, EdDs... at all sorts of different schools... at all sorts of different price points... seriously, I am drowning here... information overload... and it all seemed to personal to really blog about in detail...

ALSO, I've been a bit down because the winter was too long, too gray, too wet.... etc. Living where I work has a lot of advantages, but also makes me feel a bit caged in... luckily, this problem has taken care of itself... spring has finally arrived and my medium-sized best friend took it upon herself to give me a tour of the budding flowers yesterday and then suggested planting some... thank you, change in seasons... I was really needing some sunshine!

Brilliant!

Sad Bobbie didn't feel much like documenting the somewhat dreary day to day.

NEXT, I spent my blog hiatus losing 45 pounds. Holy emotional roller coaster, Batman. Again, it felt somewhat embarrassing to blog about... in the beginning because I wasn't sure if I would succeed this time (where I had failed so many others) and later because I was succeeding but not anywhere near where I wanted to be, and lately because there has been a lot to process about being slimmer. I had no idea there would be so many strange and complex ups and downs... that was naive of me... but as someone who had carried that weight around for all of her life, there was a big adjustment period and a settling in. I'm still adjusting. I'm still settling. I'm learning what it is like to occupy a different amount of space. It is FANTASTIC but it was/is hard sometimes.

Lastly, I was deepening my relationship with Peter, which feels wrong to talk about on the blog... but suffice it to say, he is wonderful and a lovely partner... while attempting to maintain balance, see my friends/carry on socially, and so on and so forth (laundry and general life to-dos never go away)...

Physically I've been in PARIS! which was ridiculous in an amazing way (pictures to come), Virginia, and New York... and then back to Boston... with about a zillion work trips and a few personal trips on the horizon....

My spring resolution? To return to documenting my day to day... and to not be so absent. I love looking back on previous years and don't want such giant gaping holes... plus, I miss communicating with my (admittedly few ;) readers...

So... keep a look out and keep me honest and if we haven't talked for a while - give me a call, it wasn't you - it was me!

Dinosaur Party!

2011-02-16T16:00:00.002-05:00

I took a break from my normal day-to-day to make Big Brother's birthday cakes! Even without the help of professional supplies, I think they turned out pretty nicely!

In other news, Peter and I are going to Paris on Saturday - without all that much pre-planning! Yay for spontaneity! Time to pack!

Sledding!

2011-01-14T10:40:00.000-05:00

Sledding

My one attempt, with Little Sister... afterwards we played in the snow for two (impressively long) hours!

Winter Wonderland...

2011-01-12T10:33:00.002-05:00

This morning, I woke up to a blizzard. Come to think of it, our second blizzard of the winter. It is beautiful, if somewhat troublesome to get around in... luckily my work commute is only up a set of interior stairs!

I am still recovering from a whirlwind visit to Virginia last weekend. We decided to go last minute to visit my grandfather who is recovering from hip surgery after a slip on the ice. As with all family-related trips, it was a mixed bag and left me with some anxiety... but it was totally worth it for his face when we popped into his room.

Off to play in the snow with the wee ones... the new snow clothes were a wise investment!

SNOW!

2010-12-21T17:21:00.002-05:00

Today I spent about three and a half hours playing in our first snow of the year. (Warmth and happy smile courtesy of my new snow pants/coat/hat/gloves!) We threw about a zillion snowballs (100 pictured below) and made the above snowman... also there was a lot of running around/laughing in general.

The red things to the side are snow ball formers - perfect for keeping hands dry and warm AND for keeping snowballs ridiculously round. I love them! (Yuppie-tastic, I know...)

Our house or cookie factory?

2010-12-17T13:23:00.002-05:00

After another wildly successful cookie making playdate, I am slightly convinced that my calling in life may be to open up a hands-on bakery for children...

The girls were so thoughtful - choosing each shape and topping with care.

And the were... delicious! Chocolate chips really belong with gingerbread, who knew? (Sidenote, cookies everywhere? totally derailing my healthy living plan/downwardly trending weight... though I am finally hovering around the 40 lb loss mark and I am pictured above in size 12?! jeans!)

Warmth/Style

2010-12-15T15:09:00.003-05:00

Last week I purchased a new winter coat (totally necessary in the frigid, frigid North) that is both super functional (olive - so it goes with black and brown shoes with a removable fur collar so there are two looks in one) and extremely glamorous (it makes me feel like a snow princess!). While at first I was a bit afraid it was "too much"... now that I've worn it a few times my reservations have completely dissipated... it certainly doesn't blend in (I will be easily spotted walking around in Cambridge, through the sea of black pea coats) but it provides a much needed smile when my nose is froze!

O Christmas Tree...

2010-12-15T15:02:00.002-05:00

I am in LOVE with our Christmas tree this year. It doesn't photograph all that well, but it is adorable... a fantastic shape, nice supple needles, great branches for hanging, and a fun mix of ornaments.

We used all our ornaments from last year, the ones I picked up after Christmas from Pier 1 (glass from Poland and each one a gem), and several passed down from my Grandparents that my Grandpa and Mom made together.

They are super special to me... and since they are wooden provide a nice contrast to all the bulbs.

I'm still on the fence about the LED lights we used though. Peter loves them but I think in a small space they might be a little too bright. Oh and next year, I want an even BIGGER tree!

A Cookie Playdate!

2010-12-15T15:00:00.001-05:00

5 kids for cookie decorating? No problem! All it takes is a little planning and a lot of organization...

But first, a healthy lunch! Everyone ate heartily (while eyeing all of the treats).

Our boys and girls, checking out the goods:

Then the fun really began! This year we all decorated the same shape at the same time. The kids did a FANTASTIC job being patient and taking their time. They all had such different styles.

Red, green, and white frosting were all available... though after decorations were added sometimes it was hard to tell if there was frosting on the cookies at all!

All our cookies, completed!:

They all turned out so lovely. The kids had a somewhat difficult time choosing which to eat.

YUM!

Merriment!

2010-12-13T18:14:00.001-05:00

I am alive... even if I have let this blog die a bit!

The days and weeks tick by - full of friends and work and some family and decorating and cookies!

Thanksgiving was fantastic and I'm looking forward to an even merrier Christmas... and maybe in the new year, a return to blogging?! Wouldn't that be crazy...

An oldie but a goodie...

2010-10-20T16:42:00.002-04:00

Today the kids (while blindfolded) touched a giant's teeth (mixed beans), a giant's EYEBALLS (mini kiwi passionberries), and a giant's braaaaaaaaaaains (overcooked, cold spaghetti!).... GROSS! There was a LOT of squealing.

Big Brother loved it though his friends peeked and ruined the surprise. Little Sister, despite having the objects' true identities revealed, was not interested unless she could forgo the blindfold! I guess you can never be too careful!