CSA 2

What a wonderful Friday we had yesterday! No work for the Mr. and for the 3rd day in a row we were out of the house by 9am. Where to? Only our favorite place to go, you often hear Gabby and Clay discussing trips... to the "hardware store" aka Lowe's. We bought a BBQ, and other things for projects to be (sanding and painting dressers soon I hope). We have been without a BBQ since we sold ours when we left Japan. No way did we want to have that dirty grill packed and shippe half way around the world. Our apartments didn't allow them on the balcony (plus would there have been room?) and so it has brought us to now. Clayton feels we are now whole again, being able to BBQ. I am happy we don't have to use the oven on hot days. Last night we used the new grill for homemade turkey burgers, grilled corn, a little red onion and then we had baked beans too!

While Clay was slaving away in the HOT sun putting the BBQ together I took the kids to pick up week 2 of our CSA. The girl working said that last week's bag was spinach and not swiss chard. It sure was meaty for spinach, but then again I am used to store bought baby spinach. This week our basket had: spinach, 4 squash (yellow ones that look like zucchini) a basket of strawberries (already gone!), a bundle of green onions and a cabbage.

I had to use the spinach from last week up since we now have another bag. I put together a frittata, sauteed spinach, mushrooms and a little of the green onion all together. Didn't notice I had bought southwestern egg beaters, heck I didn't know they came in flavors! Add a little flour and a dash of cream (on hand for the chocolate ganache we are making for my molten chocolate birthday cupcakes) and then bake it! I like it, Clay won't touch it b/c well it has spinach and mushrooms and eggs!

Elliot just woke up, from what has turned into his once a day nap. We no longer do 2 naps, although he still gets a little too tired to not have 2. He naps later, for almost 2 hrs and then he goes to bed anytime between 6:30p and 7:30pm. What a big boy he is growing to be! Smart too! I sometimes don't realize how brilliant he is because he isn't quite as articulate as Gabby always has been (who is?). We sing songs and he follows along, yesterday throwing his hands up and saying what sounded like "hooray!" When asked he will point to his; eyes, ears, nose (well he sticks his finger up it), mouth (sticks out his tongue), fingers and toes. Plus he has known his belly and head for a few months!

Gabby is really into watching cooking shows. Whenever she likes what you cook she says "can I have your recipe?" Once I get a few minutes I will have to write the ongoing conversation we have about when she grows up and where she will live!

Allegiance

My heart and mind tell me I am a Bellingham Girl. My body, well it is telling me that 65* is COLD and that we need to change out of capri pants and a t-shirt into, well something that includes socks and long sleeves. Gabby and I just got a blanket to snuggle with on the couch while Elliot napped. Oh and it is 70* in the house. Clay mentioned too that it was cold, although he had just come home from fishing, which means he was waist deep in the Atlantic Ocean. After working his 5th day of night shift, he got off work at 7:30am had his fishing cart in his car, his gear packed and bait in the work freezer. No fish, but in his words "a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work!"

I guess after living in warm weather locations; San Diego, Japan, Virginia Beach since graduating from Western in 2004 I have adjusted to warmer weather.... although I am still not comfortable above 85*

baskets, buckets, cupboards and more!

Gabby loves to paint. We got new paints and a table cloth that we can put on the floor, sometimes it is just easier than up at the table. Pants are not required for painting, less clothing to get dirty.

Our new bucket, it has been used to hid under, to drum on, pull the kids down the hallway, toy basket, and to roll Gabby around in! Notice E's new hat, I am trying to get him to wear one to protect his head from the sun and he actually keeps it on- backwards only tho!

What have we been up to the past week? Well last week we tried to think of things to do when it gets 94* outside, you can't spend all day inside because it is too nice outside- and your a/c isn't working! We have been thinking up new ways to have fun, and truthfully we have been having a blast. I bought fans when I realized our air conditioning was causing the house to go up a degree when you turned it on- one night we slept at a sticky 85* ugggg. Called the property managers, they sent out a guy and he fixed it pronto!

The biggest news of the week is that we signed up for a Community Supported Agriculture. We picked up our very first basket of produce on Friday and were a little iffy on the contents but am still optimistic on what the next 21 weeks will have in their baskets. We should get things like melons, beans, apples, pumpkins, apple cider, okra, beets. This week we got: carrots (old, the core is very large and hard), strawberries (used for pancakes and then today's experimental orange strawberry bars- a take on lemon squares), asparagus (roasted for dinner tonight) and a bag of what I first thought was maybe spinach but after talking with my mother think it may be swiss chard (still need to use it).

This is the kids watching Clayton mow the lawn! Exciting day, the garbage truck came too!

Elliot has become a climber, he climbs everything! The couch he mastered and now hops up on it and back off of it like it is no big deal. The ottoman is another thing, we use it to block the tv cabinet that he has figured out how to open- so now he climbs both (there is a TINY ledge on the cabinet door, or he uses a box of diaper wipes for a boost), I found him in the computer chair today with a smug grin, and the stool Gabby uses to help bake is a new obstacle for him to conquer!

The only cupboard without a child lock in the kitchen is the one we throw tupperware and sippy cups in. It's a double edged sword to me, Elliot pulls out everything in it a minimum of 6 times a day- however if he is happy playing with it I can cook or clean up the kitchen. He does drag cups all over the house, and I have found a few lids to the tupperware in the play room lately. Clayton wants to put a lock on it b/c we are both tired of picking up the contents of it so many times a day, I am hanging on to the fact that it keeps him occupied!

This was our dance party tonight, we were dancing to Tracy Chapman!

Easter!

all the cousins, pretty impossible to get everyone to look- especially when eggs are falling!
Someone, a child we think, yelled "GO!" to start the egg hunt!
walking back from the beach.
Gabrielle and Aunt Kayali!
Gabby found her Easter basket, we saw the Easter Bunny as we were leaving for church.

Easter this year was the best in recent memory! Not only were we home in WA, we were with ALL of the Lenssen siblings and their families- minus Uncle 'Mas who was off trying to help the World. It took lots of planning, and quite a few issues to get there- but we all made it and it was WONDERFUL! It was soo good to see everyone and the cousins love each other, even though they rarely all get together. It made my heart full of love to see us all together and having a good time. We had lots of good food, great walks to the beach and playground and a really exciting egg hunt! Hope that one year soon we are all able to meet up in the same place again!

Big Bird

While we were home we tried to do as many things as possible, although that always ends up being not everything you want. We did have a wonderful trip home, and it was filled mostly with family- lots of wonderful and fun family time! One day we drove down to meet up with the Ross family at the Woodland Park Zoo. Somehow we managed to get out of the house EARLY, and had extra time. It was the perfect time to stop and visit with Great Grandpa Clayton, better than on our way home when we would all be tired. His memory may not be sharp, but he was still so kind and happy to have us there. He got out his guitar and stummed along while Gabby sang some of her made up songs and even allowed the kids to play on it too!

Happy 1st Birthday Elliot!

Laying on his new fish bean bag chair. notice XYZ
Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, made by Marella, Gabrielle and I.
Sitting on the table, singing to him.... couldn't find my candles- a crayon stood in its place!
This one year old boy LOVED eating his cake.
The sun was out, and 85* so we had our first (many more to come) day of playing in the sprinkler.
Ladybug boy, he had two ladybugs on him while splashing in the water. Yesterday he had one on his back too!
Not afraid of geting wet!
I think it is a boy thing, they all seem to like sitting on sprinklers!

I am amazed that it has been one year since this little boy came into the world and captured our heart. It is hard to think what life was like before he got here. He is the sweetest thing, the hugs he gives melt my heart as do the kisses. There are the kisses where he sucks on my lips, real kisses complete with the sound, kisses where he just presses his lips on your cheek. There are so many wonderful things about this handsome guy, he has a laugh that fills the air, and perfect timing with it too. He climbs everything, opens all cupboards and drawers, gets out all the tuperware and baking dishes below the stove. He adores his big sister, and the love is mutual. He has a slight obsession with phones, holds it by his shoulder (and knows the difference between real and fake ones, although a remote control can substitute).

Words he "says" Dad, Mom, GAAAABBbby, dog, duck, "kitty", quack, woof, MOOOOOORE, Milk, iloveyou, hello.

He was so excited about his birthday that he only took one nap. After the amount of time he spent outside in the sprinkler, then a walk around the pond he was exhausted and 6:30pm was bedtime... lets hope he doesn't think it is just a nap! Thank you family and friends for being part of Elliot's life!

Spring Vacation!