Grammie's Spring Break

It didn't match up with our Spring Break unfortunately.  The kids are off from school all next week.  We have a lot of things planned that you'll hear about soon.

But, Mom works for a doctor who was going to be out of town last week so it really made sense for her to take a vacation at that same time.  Besides, we try to have her visiting us every St Patrick's Day because she and I are the only ones who like corned beef and cabbage.  Well, we were the only ones.  Now, we have a new recruit!  Carl loved the corned beef.  Not the cabbage, potatoes or carrots, but he loved the meat!!!  There are no pictures of our yummy meal.  It also included some Trader Joe's "Blarney Scone" Irish Soda Bread.  Technically, it was not the traditional Irish soda bread, though.  Apparently, according to many sites on the internet - so we know it has to be true, right? - it is only "soda bread" if it contains no eggs and no fruit.  Since the TJ's has both along with rye, it was what should be referred to as "Spotted Dog" or "Railway Cake".  You can read it for yourself here if you love links.

We finished the meal with Key Lime Pie and Pecan Pie.  We visited with our good friend, Lindy on Saturday night and we brought 2 pies from a local favorite bakery.  He wouldn't keep them and sent them home with us as leftovers.  We protested politely, of course, but as the week progressed, I was (can't actually speak for the others, but I'll be willing to bet you a fresh pie that they would agree with me) happier and happier that we had leftover pie!  Even sneakier... Lew doesn't like Pecan Pie, so Mom & I enjoyed that one all week long!  mmmmm... pie!!

(Once in NY on the thruway, Lew & I saw a vanity plate that read MMM...PIE.  I would have to have bags of money lying around to ever waste it on a  vanity plate, but letmetellyou, I'd consider that one first on my list.  Not in NY, though.  It's already taken.)

Throughout the week we....

• cleaned the garage
• went to the library book sale
• went to Lindy's for dinner
• helped the kids ride their bikes at the school track
• shopped gift stores
• got photos printed and framed for me to exhibit
• Mom read to the first grade class
• had lunch at school
• attended the class Easter Party
• had dinner with my camera club friends before we went to the general meeting
• went out for frozen yogurt
• went to the children's museum
• more bike riding with the kids at school
• finished off those pies
• ate some good lunches out
• didn't clean the garage any more

Mom read Cranberry Easter to the class.  A different parent reads to them almost every day.  I am in there about once a week and Lew reads a couple times per month.  I have read them the other Cranberry books... Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's, so it was cool to have Grammie read Cranberry Easter.  

Then we stayed for lunch.  Well, the kids ate, we passed on corn dogs and picked up chowder at the local seafood place on our way home.

 A couple afternoons, we picked up the kids and then pulled into the parking lot to pull out Gretchen's bike.  Carl desperately needs a larger one, so he is learning to ride on Gretchen's new one for now.  Even it is too small for him.  Mom and I have been looking at a used one at the local bike store.  Kind of pricey, but Kenny says it is a good one.  I need to find online reviews, though.  And really think about whether or not I want to spend that much money on a bike without really knowing how much use he will get out of it.  Did you know Gretchen won her new bike at the school's fall festival raffle last fall?  How cool is that?  She loves it!  (it would cost considerably less than the size and one we are looking at for Carl.)

 Whoa!  Stopping fast without falling over!

This is Gretchen's best friend.  She was a great source of support this afternoon!

 Carl's turn for some pointers.

I have to admit, I did not think he would be this successful this quickly. Hmm, maybe that nice bike would be a good investment.

 He did get frustrated easily when trying to learn to start himself without anyone holding onto him.

We had one of these caterpillar climbers on the playground at my elementary school.  I assumed it was removed because it wasn't safe.  Guess not.  Or, maybe NC is livin' on the edge with playground equipment.  This school is less than 12 years old.  I was in elementary school more than 12 years ago.

Taken by Carl.

a little playtime out back at home... speaking of things you have outgrown.....

Oh, by this point in the week, I had decided to spend the money on that nice used bike. Mom and I checked it out at noon and said we'd get the kids and some money from my gift envelope stash and come back to get it.  By 4:30, they had sold it.  Ha ha!  I am not one to say "it was/was not meant to be"... but in this case, I was disappointed and relieved.  I supposed you could say "It was not meant to be."

We always take a picture of our guests next to the airport sign before they leave.  After doing that, Lew took this one for us.  Ugh... my hair is on Carl's head.  Weird.

On the way home from the airport, we stopped so Lew could pick up his car from the restaurant.  Carl rode home with him and Gretchen stayed with me.  She said, "I didn't want to cry in the airport, but I really miss Grammie already!"  She and I began planning and brainstorming for our week of spring break and that made her happier.  We are not going to do Lego Mania again.  This week, be ready to see pictures from....... drumroll here......   Garden Mania!!!

It was much too short a week.  We all miss you, Mom!!!  Carl is already planning his "trip to NY".    Oh, and they were fascinated by the fact that security makes people take off their shoes to see if they are hiding anything in them.  The only time they have ever flown is on the corporate jet and there is no security for that plane.  If they ever have to fly coach, they are going to be shocked!

"Did I miss anything?"

You are supposed to ask that.  Yes....  here's what we have been up to.

Grandma visited for a weekend while she was in NC for a funeral.

The Children's Museum has a new sponsor for their grocery store exhibit... Trader Joe's!  I knew they were switching over, but did not tell Carl so he was surprised and so happy when we went there to play the day they re-opened the exhibit!

 

 Molly and Angus turned 12 on March 8th.  They celebrated with baby food peas and pumpkin muffins.  Gretchen & I made them a present... a cardboard house to play in and sit on.  Got our March family photo in, too.

I got a new lens for my camera!  I am normally a prime lens person, but I bought a nice zoom lens to have in my bag.  I got a Nikon 18-200 mm which means I can stand across the room and shoot face shots like these....

Time playing out back in the nice "winter" weather.

We took the training wheels off the bikes.  This is the first day.  I didn't bring my camera out for the second attempt - that was a trip to the school playground to use the track to learn better on.  Both kids just took off there!  We need to work on being able to start yourself, but they are really doing great with balance and riding otherwise.  We are shopping for a nice (used) bike for Carl because he is so big.  He needs a 24" bike!

Grammie has arrived and we are getting ready to go to school later today.  She is going to read to the class.  I'll have more pictures from her visit soon.  But, for now, you are mostly caught up.

is this too cutesy..... Happy St "Catty's" Day?

Well, since I didn't take any photos of the kids in green over the last few days.. and believe you me, there has been a lot of green goin' on around here. Seems Kermit may have been wrong.  It has been fairly easy for the twins this week.... anyway, you will be getting these cute photos to enjoy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

oh yeah... you can see how happy these two are about it!  They didn't even get any of the green waffles and scrambled eggs for breakfast.

Note:  Carl loves corned beef.  Nothing with it.  Just meat on a plate.  He ate 3 huge helpings!   It was a delicious meal.  Irish Soda Cake (not traditional bread if it has eggs and raisins in it... which ours did... and was yummy.  Thank you to Trader Joe's for the Blarney Scone), and then just good ol' corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and carrots!  We got to finish the meal with some leftover pie!  Mmmmm... pie!   Not drooling yet?  I challenge you to not lick you lips now.... we had pecan pie and key lime pie!   Flashback to a quote from Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman from November 2010. "This is pie, people.   It's no time to practice restraint."    Can I get an amen?

Dr Seuss day at school