My New Hobby

I've always enjoyed following the market. But, I never really understood it. I got this book and finally can listen to a report and understand it.

I'm in love!!! I can't stop reading financial news articles and when I'm in the car I listen to CNBC and Bloomberg radio like it's the latest gossip! I told David that I wanna wear a rob and slippers all day and trade online. He requested that I at least get dressed. I think I'm ready to start trading. Now all I need is some money to invest. Hummm, this darn economy. I'll settle for trading with fake money. I'll let you know when I make my first million.

Weekend

This weekend we:

Put a fence around the garden


Took our bird Kate outside

Baked Potatos with Vegetarian Chile & Vegan Tacos

Ate lots of yummy homemade food

Hung out in the backyard, swimming in the spa and admiring the blooms

We were left with a really messy kitchen on Sunday night. Thanks to David for cleaning it up.

Date Night

I love Friday night! We get a babysitter from 5-10 and the night is ours. We never really know what to do. We always end up at the Olive Garden then to a movie and we top the night off with yogurt at Spoon Me. Last night, instead of a movie, David and I walked around downtown. We walked around the library to see if the trees were budding. Then we snuck in to the performance at the Tabernacle. There was a group of women who were 60+ performing their favorite songs in their best dresses. We sat in the back row. I relished in their charm and the smell of the old building. Then we went to Spoon Me. Every week the young girls at the counter compliment me on something I'm wearing. David is positive that they have been instructed to compliment everyone. But I didn't believe him. Until last night, when one gal complimented the ugly shirt I was wearing. I was quite disappointed. But we had a great night together. When we got home the kids were cleaning up their art projects. Dinner had been made and cleaned up and everyone was bathed and ready for bed. Cheers to another great Friday Date Night.

Chewy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

We've been making these little devils for a few years now. They're Vegan and super easy and fun to make. I threw in some oatmeal today and with the help of Emma June, whipped 'em up in a jiffy.

Here's the recipe.

The Post Punk Kitchen has

THE BEST vegan recipes.

We ordered our spring chickens this weekend from here

We ordered 25 day-old chicks and plan to keep four or five in our backyard and sell/give away the rest. Yes, we live in a normal house in a subdivision, but just think about all of the fresh eggs! We should get them on April 5th.

Thursday

I've never had a baby like Rachel. She makes messes and destroys things all day long. Yesterday, her "adventures" included:

picking all the periwinkles in the backyard

mutilating my chapstick with a toothbrush

pouring cereal on the floor in the pantry

dumping out my bath salts in the bath

running off while at the park

taking off out the front door and running down the street

beating up Sophia

picking the leaves off my rose bushes

and getting in the shower with buddy

When she gets "corrected" she doesn't cry. Instead, she offers a kiss.

Sophia played wilderness by getting all of her pets together.

2 turtles, a fire belly toad and a snail were all cruising around my living room.

Oh, in my effort to eliminate the grocery store I made my own cheese crackers. They didn't turn out like I hoped. I'll have to try again.

Welcome Spring

We planted our garden yesterday! Nothing fancy here. I'm excited to eat from my yard. Earlier this week the bell peppers I cooked with came all the way from Juarez, Mexico (that's just wrong).

This is our first attempt at a vegetable garden. Here's what we planted:

watermelon, peas, carrots, corn, tomatos, salad greens (I hope to get a crop of lettuce before it's too warm), bell peppers, string beans, cucumbers, zucchini and onion.

Good Bye Gracie

6 years ago our family adopted a German Shepherd from the GSD Rescue in Burbank. We named her Gracie. Sophia was 2 years old. Gracie was a piece of work. She had a mind of her own and did only what she wanted to do. Her saving grace was that she adored Sophia. Sophia was Gracie's master and Gracie was Sophia's best friend. Sophia took wonderful care of Gracie. Sophia fed her and played with her everyday for years. They dressed up in costumes together and played all sorts of games. We had birthday parties for Gracie every year. On March 7th, while we were away from home in California, we got the call from the neighbor who was caring for her, that Sophia's best friend had passed away. Gracie was very old. She went to sleep and didn't wake up. It has been very difficult to see the pain our sweet Sophia is enduring. She wakes up in the middle of the night filled with tears and sorrow. But Sophia is strong and has a wonderful perspective on our time here on earth. She understands that Gracie lived a full life and that Heavenly Father has called her home.

Oma's 80th Birthday

My Oma is a German spitfire! She and my grandpa (Poppy) met during WWII in Germany. They were both just teenagers. My Poppy was an Army Soldier overseas in Germany and she was a farm girl who had just fled Czechoslovakia, with her family, to escape the Russians. The two met at a dance club and fell in love. The two made for an interesting couple, my Poppy was a quiet young Mexican fellow from Pomona and my Oma, Paula, a feisty German/Czech gal who didn't speak any English. The two got married on a snowy day in Germany and moved to Claremont, CA soon after. In 1949 my mom was born. Oma taught herself english quickly by taking classes at the community college and by watching soap operas. Later, she became a teacher at the community preschool where she worked for over 25 years.
My Oma is sharp and knows what she wants and will let you know if she isn't happy. I grew up swimming in her backyard where she manicured her beautiful flower gardens and fed me way too much. She always made us a birthday cake and knit blankets for me and my babies.
My Poppy passed away suddenly about 5 years ago after over 50 years of marriage. Since then, Oma has moved out of her home, where they lived for over 50 years, and into an apartment. She goes to Curves everyday and has lunch with her German girlfriends often. At 80 years old she is strong.
Happy Birthday Oma!

Terminal Island

After we recovered (and laughed a lot) from our diarreah ordeal we got back in the car and headed over to Terminal Island in San Pedro.

Proud Mama

We made a special trip out to California for my Oma's 80th birthday. We stayed in Newport Beach. To start our Saturday off we went to breakfast at the Rubys on the Huntington Pier.
It was pouring outside and the six of us crammed into a booth. Across from us was a couple with one baby. I, pridefully, said to David, "look how much stuff they have for just one kid." The couple had 2 large bags filled with stuff for the baby. I thought I was so cool because I figured I was a master mama and didn't need "stuff". Little did I know, hell was about to break loose!
We ordered all the kids their own kids meal and no one was eating. Emma June refused to eat because she had to poop (and won't let it out), Nathan kept getting up to walk around, Rachel was throwing everything on the ground and Sophia created a scene because she too had to go poop but, very publicly, refused to use the bathroom. She kept insisting that we go back to the hotel for her. David then looked at me and said something like, "sometimes parenting sucks."
So I got up and went to the bathroom with Sophia. While I was in the bathroom David pounded on the the door telling me "Rachel pooped everywhere!" Sure enough, she exploded! Diarrhea EVERYWHERE. It was all over her clothes, seeping through the high chair and puddling on the floor. All while people were trying to eat. This 'master mama' didn't have anything to clean up with. I didn't have wipes, diapers, or clean clothes with me. I had to wipe everything up with napkins, and tell the waitress that her high chair was out of commission. I threw Rachel over my shoulder and we carried our poopy baby down the pier in the pouring rain as the strong winds lifted my dress over my head.
Note to self, "Pride comes before the fall"

Oma's Quilt

Oma turns 80 this weekend. To celebrate, I made her a quilt. I love giving quilts for gifts. A lot of love and time goes into a quilt and I love the idea of giving someone something to cuddle.

My Oma knitted a blanket for all of my babies (I still have the blankets she knitted for me when I was a baby).

Rag quilts are fun and easy.

Here is a great tutorial.