if I had an extra $250 and lived in Chicago

I might be tempted to do this.

Also, while I am daydreaming (and in Chicago), I'd like to go to the Shedd Aquarium and visit this guy:

while we were away, we...

(We have been home from our recent visit to California for over a week now, so I've decided it must be time to post some pictures.)

... made fresh OJ with Grandma.

...warmed up after swimming (sadly, no photos of the actually swimming, but we did that a lot, too.)

... drove the steam locomotives at Travel Town.

... played in the sand at the beach (and the waves after much convincing. The first time we went there, W1 repeatedly asked me to turn the water off).

... touched a sea star.

... explored the tide pools.
... checked out the flamingos at the Santa Barbara Zoo (man, they smell).

... all leading to lots of this:

W1, L1 and I had a wonderful time visiting family and friends, playing games, enjoying the beach, etc. We can't wait to go back again.

and so it begins.

It does not bode well that I have to bribe W1 with M&M's to even sit on the potty, let alone use it properly.

But, on or around December 21, I don't want to be changing three sets of diapers. That would be awful.


Hey, don't pressure me.



*A sidenote: Did you notice the really ugly wallpaper and yellowing linoleum in our bathroom? I know, I know, somebody needs to do something about that...

Something to add to the list

The Things-I-Want-to-Have-in-Our-Yard-When-We-Settle-Down list that is.


Citrus trees! Definitely orange, tangerine and grapefruit. And hey, why not a lemon, also? Oh, and of course lime! (Could this be influenced by all the fresh fruit we are picking and eating in California right now? Exactly.)


Ah, but what if we live in a climate that is deadly to these trees? We will just have to have a sun room, or greenhouse, or something. We'll find a way to beat Mother Nature. All to have fresh citrus.


See? W1 agrees with me.

W1's latest observation.

First, a few updates:

1. W1, L1 and I flew to California on Wednesday for a little vacation at my parent's house. R1 stayed home for some good interruption-free working time.

2. W1 is mostly done being ill. He apparently had strep throat and fifth disease at the same time.


On Thursday, W1, L1 and I took a walk outside and picked some oranges. I cut one of the oranges into wedges for W1 and L1 to eat (in a very, very messy fashion. It's a good thing we were outside.)

Upon his first taste of the orange, W1 said:

"Mom, it's just like orange juice"

Ah.

An astoundingly accurate observation, wouldn't you say?

A Saturday spent in pursuit of:

1. Other people to buy our unwanted stuff. We participated in our neighborhood yard sale and spent many boring hours in the front yard. The extra fridge that has been sitting in our garage since we moved in (an embarassingly long time ago) is now gone, however. We are one step closer to a garage that we can park in!

2. A healthy W1. He has had a couple of rough weeks. He now has strep throat, so we spent Saturday pumping him full of Amoxicillin, Tylenol, and Gatorade.

3. The perfect apple fritter*. Some time ago, R1 and I discovered that really good apple fritters are hard to come by in Rochester. We had a tip on a good place, so we had to see for ourselves. The verdict was: the best so far in Rochester, but still not quite up to par.


*If you happen to share our obsession, it was the Ridge Donut Cafe off of E. Ridge Rd. Their glazed donut holes are pretty tasty, too.

Salad, anyone?

We are enjoying the first harvest from our garden this year.

Green leaf lettuce

and spinach.

Both were started from seeds in pots with a little help from W1 and L1. I was trying to remember exactly when we started these so I would know how long they have been growing. Around the first of May is my best guess. We did have to pull the pots inside a couple of nights to protect them from frost.

So, we are eating a lot of salad. The fresh spinach really tastes good, no bitterness at all.

I have discovered that balsamic vinaigrette is my consistent favorite dressing. I have also discovered that W1 and L1 really don't like balsamic vinaigrette, or any other dressing they have tried.

Ketchup it is, then*.


*or if anyone has a better idea for a kid friendly dressing...