Nine Year Letter

Dear Scott,

Remember this?

Like it was yesterday, right?

Nine Years.  Nine years of being married to you.  This is something I love. 

 Nine years sort of seems like a long time.  But then, not really.
I hope this is just the dawn of our marriage.
I hope it goes on and on for many more years.  (60 or more?!)

Walking this life with you is a privilege and joy.
There are sometimes clouds in our skies, sometimes there is a lot of dirt.
We encounter rocks and weeds along our way.
There are also little wild flowers.  And cultivated ones, too.
Refreshing waters and soft grasses.

But the looking behind and ahead and in the right now, the view is really beautiful.

Things look lovely, standing here with you.  

Happy anniversary my love!

Your wife (Erin)




*First photo is our wedding.  Obviously.
Following photos are from our anniversary date,
Early morning hike at Wilder Ranch State Preserve Santa Cruz.
Then we had one of the best breakfasts ever at Cafe Brasil.
Brazilian food?  YUM.  I tried to do a Brazilian dinner tonight, in fond memory.
It did not compare.  I need to work on this.  But, I am not complaining.
It will be a fun work.
We bummed around the rest of our day, after breakfast,
shopping and walking and exploring more.
We bought the kids shark teeth and the Daddy told them a tale about Sharks at Wilder.
They were in awe.

The Way it Really Turns Out

I love Valentine's Day, you guys.
I also love Pinterest.
There are so many great ideas to be found, right?

I printed off these cute tiny valentine's.

Source: sisterssuitcaseblog.com via Erin on Pinterest

I set them out on each dinner plate.
I think the kids thought they were okay.
But, I forgot to read them aloud to each of them.
And, they can't read.  So, I don't think they were particularly touched.



How about these gorgeous little pink pasta bows?

Source: warmhotchocolate.com via Erin on Pinterest

Perfect.
So, I made those for the kid's special dinner.
Only, they never pinked up.
The just got super chubby and soggy from the 1.5 hour soak.

I made a cream sauce with peas that I thought was tasty and kid-friendly.
My kids did not agree.
They kept asking, "What is this?!!"  They claimed the smell was too hard to bear.
I suggested they try at least one noodle while I watch.
Our boy put one in his mouth, and then almost exploded.
He ran to the trash and spit it out.  Unbearable!
Gillian wondered why I planned such a joke, of making everyone throw up.

I quickly cut some salami slices into hearts to make up for the fail dinner.


Kids off to bed, and my man and I got our living room picnic together.
Fabulous cheeses and toasts and fig preserves,
asparagus bundles wrapped and roasted with prosciutto,
spinach puff pastry rolls
and our favorite champagne.

I had the idea to make a spectacular canopy of lights in the living,
with paper doilies added on,
like I saw on Pinterest.

Source: superbarbs.tumblr.com via Erin on Pinterest

Gillian and I worked for a good portion of the afternoon on this project, earlier this week.
We had fun.  We were both excited about our progress.  But, we still weren't done.
The kids and I left the house for an hour or two.
Once we got back, all of the lights had fallen down.
I just left them there.

So, we had our living room picnic with lights and doilies scattered all over the floor.
The way it all really turned out?
Lots of laughing & loving.  It was actually quite lovely.

When is Babyhood Officially Over?

A couple weeks ago, our sweet baby Kendall turned two.

The night before her birthday, I had gone out to get balloons for her celebration.
We set them up in her room, to hover above her.
The mommy and daddy were a little giddy.
Watching sleeping baby, we smiled at how crazy excited she would be when she woke up.
But, she woke crying.
I woke up wanting to cry, too.
It turned out, she & I were both feeling super sick.
Scott went in to bring her to our room.
He's like, "She didn't even see the balloons!"
Once she was snuggled into our bed and done crying,
I asked her if she saw the balloons in her room.
Matter-a-factly, she said, "Yes."
Did you like them?  I ask.  "No."
oh.
The Daddy went out to get her birthday donuts.  She did like that.

The only thing she asked for her birthday was a party hat.
So, we did make party hats.
But, we didn't wear them & make cupcakes until a whole week after her actual birthday.
She blew out both of her candles on her own.
That seemed amazing to me.
But, I guess she was 2 years old, plus a whole week.
Otherwise, I would have declared her to be a genius.

Speaking of... she has quickly been learning all the punk and spunk two year old spirit.
It's amazing, really.
Last month, she was oozing preciousness & pudgy adorableness.
Now she does things like stomping on your toe, to hurt you on purpose.
She screams NO at mommy and daddy sometimes.
She cries when we tell her no.
She used to just obey.  I promise.  She always listened.
I guess our baby is growing up and expanding her world.

That's okay.  Such is life.
But, I really need to get her on video camera before all her babyhood is but a whisper.

P.J.'s in Wonderland

We went hunting for awesome Christmas lights.

Or, as Moira said, we were looking for Wonderland.

We found it!

(Drive up Hilltop off of San Jose Soquel and you may find it, too.)

Christmas Gathering

I printed these for the kids and decided to color one myself.  Just so, so cute.

Paper Nativity - Made by Joel

Source: madebyjoel.com via Erin on Pinterest

Way, way, cute telling of the Christmas story.  This is a must see, must share.
We watched it at Scott's company party.
And, I've watched it a couple times at home with the kids.  Watch.
(Doesn't the sheep look like Moira?)

The Christmas Story by St. Paul Art and Media



Can I get a raise of hands for everyone who loves the Jesus Storybook Bible?!
Watch The Nativity story video here.


We checked at the library for a CD of the Nutcracker music.  NOTHING.
What?  Are you kidding me?  I came home and Googled it - Bam.
Free Nutcracker audio downloads


I'm hoping to make some of these little treats.  Tonight?

Sea Salt Caramels

Source: askannamoseley.com via Erin on Pinterest

I did so much baking for our adoption fundraising Bake Sale
(which was a smashing success, by the way),
that I wasn't planning to bake anymore.  But, maybe these again.
They are just SO tasty.

Chewy Chocolate Chunk Ginger Cookies

Source: marthastewart.com via Erin on Pinterest

It feels real

It's the Holiday Season.
I can feel it.  

This year seems to have been flying by.  
In a way, it is hard to believe November is almost over.
But, really, everything feels like November. 

All the anticipation, beauty, stress & worry colliding in my head.
There are all the plans made & plans let go of.
There is my husband working a ridiculous amount, like happens in his job every fall.
There are the movies coming out that are a MUST SEE in theater.
(The Hobbit & Les Misérables!  Am I right?)
There is the taking the sewing machine out of hibernation to find that it is broken.
There is the house being a mess, with stuff everywhere 
& it is hard to shake the feeling that you shouldn't be buying anymore stuff.
There is the serious thought to myself that I would love to make 
the whole month of December a school-break month.  Just close up shop, you know?

I do love this time of year.  
But, not so much, if I don't remember to breath deep & lower my voice.
Calm, calm, down.
Read a book, have some tea (or wine), buy some flowers.  
Take the kids to visit the elderly neighbors.
Keep eating the leftover chili & minestrone every night for dinner.
Just calm down, self.

Scott was working away from home for a total of 5 weeks over the last 6 weeks.
Yep.  You read that right.  
I think he only has one more week away from home coming up in the near future.
Phew!  

Morocco - One of Scott's destinations

Apparently the Coke and Fish heads were tasty

It makes me feel like we should take a vacation.  
But then, adoption money & property taxes & Christmas make me think otherwise.
At least some out of the house date nights.
I need to find us an awesome babysitter.  
You know, fun, responsible & not busy.  
After the time change, it always feels like date night season to me.
I don't know why.  
The darkness coming in so early makes me want to grab my man & run for Cafe Cruz.

We are also due for updating our homestudy for the adoption.
So, we will be running around getting fingerprints taken and physicals done, 
and not so much dining in a cozy restaurants.

(I'm going to sign off and go on a babysitter hunt.)

Pumpkin Patching

I need to post more pictures from our pumpkin patch visit.
Pumpkin patch pictures are one of the best things about Fall, right?
Plus, we've been apart from the daddy for too long.
He needs a reminder of what we look like.

Good times at Rodoni Farms, Santa Cruz.

It was her golden (and pukey) birthday

Gillian turned 6 years old last weekend.

We also had sickness strike our household and spoil her party.

We attempted the pinata and games regardless.  

But, the kids were all dragging.

She ate her requested Caterpillar cake 4 days old.

She was very good natured about it all.

She's been six for a week.  

Her highlight of being six so far was getting to eat her cake.  

(although, she didn't really eat it.  4 days old, not very tasty, in truth.)

Her best memory of her 5th year of life - 

Fairytale Town in Sacramento. 

Rainbow snowcones in the heat of the Sacramento summer

But, since she wasn't actually 5 yet when we went to Fairy Land, 

she thought a second time about her best memory of being 5 - 

And decided it would be the Bay Area Discovery Museum 

The museum is at Fort Baker on the north side of the Golden Gate.  Awesome location.

Gillian's biggest dream for her 6th year of life is that she could learn to ride a horse.

Apparently she has wished for along time that she could ride a horse.

Perhaps this will be the year?  We'll see.

She did already get her dream of going to the Henry Cowell swimming hole for her birthday. 

(Prior to us realizing that we all had a stomach flu churning in our bellies.)

She (and we) got a sweet, surprise day with Daddy 

where we went to Gayle's bakery for breakfast 

& romped across Rodoni Pumpkin patch on the coast.

And, she has her first year of going to a school class.

Gillian is loving school.

(CFT is awesome and so is my sister, founder and director and teacher)

She sure is growing up!

Here's to being six years old, Gillian!

Cake Talk

Can we talk about cake for just one minute?

For Moira’s birthday I made chocolate cake with salted caramel frosting.

I found the recipe through Pinterest.  Looks amazing, right?

Source: kimberlytaylorimages.com via Erin on Pinterest

Through the process of making it all, I couldn’t wait to finish the final product.

The cake batter was tasty!  And Caramel frosting?  Yes please!

But…  I ended up being rather disappointed.

The cake has potential for me.  But, I found it far too heavy in thick layers.

I baked my cake in 6” pans.  The final cake ends up cool looking – slender & tall.

If I were to make this recipe again, I would most certainly spilt each cake layer in half.

And I think I would make syrup to brush on each layer, too.

This cake recipe seems it may be at its best in a trifle. 

The frosting was sad for me, too.  The flavor of caramel was great.

But, I am reminded with the frosting that I do not like basic powdered sugar buttercream.

I find it gritty & overly sweet.  Some people believe they don’t like frosting.

I think that belief may be the fault of powdered sugar buttercreams.

Before you write off all frosting, please try meringue buttercream.  

(like in this honey & jam post.)

The difference is incredible.

And, if you don’t want to make cake yourself, please try Kari’s Malva Pudding.

Really. 

Kari is a Santa Cruz local with a small business just making amazing malva pudding cakes.

We first tried the cake when she was giving samples at our Nob Hill grocery store. 

We loved her South African accent & her lovely personality.  And we loved her cakes.

The kids kept asking her for more & more (& she was happy to share). 

It was hard to pull them away. 

Gillian exclaimed multiple times, “I just can’t besist that cake!!”  (besist = resist)

The cake is not sold everywhere - yet..  Check out the locations here.

Kari makes a Chocolate cake & a Caramel cake. 

We get one of each & then we split each of them in half

& put half caramel cake & half chocolate cake in a box.

Then throw the boxes in your freezer for when you want an amazing dessert last minute.

We had the lovely pudding cake for our mother’s day treat.

  

A Letter for Moira

Moira Quinn,

Have we really only had three years with you? 

You are such a beautiful, vibrant addition to my life.

You are a gift.

I see joy in you – your bright eyes & your ready laughter.

You are so eager to love others.

I love the way you say “der welcome!” when someone thanks you.

When we praise you for your kindness to another,

your smile beams bright & your shoulders come up to hug your own face.

You run & jump & squeal & sing & you are a delight.

I know you are stubborn, too.

That’s okay.  That means you can stand strong.

If you give all this up to Jesus, He will use you in great ways.

I am blessed to be able to watch you grow.

Your year number four is looking like it will be pretty wonderful.

I love you,

Mom

Moira is Ready to Turn Three

Moira had been anticipating her birthday with the typical pre-birthday excitement.

She has been talking about her hopes for Hello Kitty scones,

Hello Kitty hot chocolate, Hello Kitty cake, Hello Kitty...

Until this weekend…

She has been complaining of her leg hurting lately. 

This is no surprise.  I remember having bad leg cramps as a little kid.

I still have them on occasion.  Gillian gets them often.

I was messaging & stretching her leg that was giving her trouble.

I told her that her body was stretching out & growing up, since she was turning three soon.

I said that she was getting growing cramps.

She started crying a bit. 

That night she cried when I tucked her in & said she didn’t want to be 3.

I asked why not.  She said she didn’t want the cramps to be owie.

I prayed for her, that her legs would feel better soon. 

She added, “and don’t let the cramps bite me.”

Thinking about that as I left her room, I realized what she thought was happening.

The next day she was still very sad about her birthday coming so soon. 

She was not looking forward to it.

So, I told her that cramps are when her muscles are worn out.

She did not have crabs in her leg. 

A smile broke out across her face & she started laughing.

Now she is ready to turn three tomorrow.

The end of the year interview is complete.

I am not sure about some of her answers.

She rarely finishes her pizza. 

She would eat 2 eggs, three times a day, if meal planning was up to her.

What is your very favorite food?  Pizza
What game do you like playing the most?  Super Avengers Team

(this game is made up by the kids with the help of Dad.  

Various super heros & avengers & such fight against the evil forces.  

Moira usually has the skills to power up others.  

She holds out her hands & sends bolts of strength through her fingers, to her team mates.) What is the best t.v. show to watch?  Cailou
Who is the coolest person you know?  Grandma & Lizzy
What is the neatest thing you have learned in school?  About birds, like B.B.

(b.b. is our neighbor’s cockatiel – full name – Bird Brain.)
What is something you are super good at?  Playing toys
If you could take a trip anywhere in the whole world, where would you go?  
to feed the ducks
Where is your favorite place to go?  Out to pizza 

(I don't know if we have ever gone to a pizza parlor with Moira...) What is your favorite animal?  Flamingos
What is your favorite color?  Purple & Pink
What would you like to be when you grow up?  Drive Tractors
What is your favorite song right now?  “I love Mommy & Daddy…” 

(singing a song made up at that moment.)
What is the best book you have read lately?  Jesus book
What is your favorite snack food?  Cereal
What food is the yuckiest to you?  Sandwiches  (??)
If you could have one wish, what would it be?  
That I would have a heart to go to dragon land.

(uh.  Dragontales… okay)

What is your favorite memory?  Seeing the Flamingos
(this was with Papa Bill & Auntie Kim at the Escondido wild animal park)

More Than Enough

Easter breakfast involved sweets.  

The kids had been awaiting the Easter morning table with much anticipation, 

for the last 40 days.

Oh, the beautiful food!

Cinnamon Bread, lemonade, strawberries & whipping cream...  

plus a few goodies in an easter basket.

Dressed & out the door for church by 8.  

Daddy had already left at 7am.

Quick photo, in case I didn't remember the rest of the day.

I didn't realize Peyton was sans socks.  

Oh well!

Back from church, where the children had more sweets.  

They are still surviving, but are very ready for naps.

I wish for a nap while I make the Earl Grey Lavender Frosting.  Remember this cake?

It really worked for Easter dessert.  

Anyway, right after nap, we headed to Grandma & Grandpa's for more sugar & lovelies.

After the egg hunt, the kids stick the tail on the bunny.

Isn't my sister Lizzy a great artist?  Check out Peter Rabbit!!

The fun & sugar level was high!

Upon arriving home Sunday night, all candy went into the common bowl of candy.

One piece after dinner time, if you eat it, is the candy rule.

We had more than enough sugar that day.

(But the lovely food was beyond sugar, ham, smoked chicken, sweet potato gratin...)

Here it is Thursday & I don't think we have quite recovered.  

The tears & drama & crazy level has been rather high.

Monday morning, Moira burst into violent tears because 

daddy had left his work hat at home.

That is an example of the sorts of things that inspire drama here.

The next day, we were talking about how there was going to be no more sugar for the day,

 because it didn't make us feel good to eat that much, etc.

Gillian's admonishment to us was, "When you have too much sugar, 

your tummy feels really bad & your body gets really mad at you for doing that, 

so you need to not eat anymore."

Okay Dr. Gillian.