Whew! What a weekend! We lucked out with the weather- Saturday was a little drizzly and dreary, but by Sunday it was all clear, blue skies and breezy temperatures. The kids and I were loving it!
Saturday morning we were up and packing the car for a trip into New York. Jack was so excited to see Eli, it’s all he talked about. We met Patty first and got breakfast at one of our favorite spots- the Peacefood Cafe.
Jack was so thrilled to see his Tia 🙂
It was wet and overcast outside, so there was plenty of tea and hot soup in order-
Kale and lentil soup
Veggie tamale with roasted diced tomatoes on top.
Roasted kabocha squash and broccoli.
The kids amazed me by being exceptionally well-behaved. It’s getting harder and harder to bring them out to eat, just because they’re both at a point where they want to make a lot of noise and explore EVERYTHING, so I was surprised when they were content to sit and snack on our croutons.
Carolyn got up periodically to stand at the window, and Jack took a walk over to the dessert case, but other than that it was smooth sailing!
Patty snagged two chocolate covered macaroons for us to share on the way out. Genius woman.
We followed breakfast with some playground time in the hope that J & C would burn off some steam. The one on 96th and Fifth next to the Reservoir is huge and has a variety of activities, so it seemed like a reasonable option.
Giant sandbox!!! Aaahhhhhhh!!!!!
Jack was loving this little balance beam/bridge situation, and insisted we try it ourselves. How could we say no? ;D
I think we’ll leave the balancing acts to Jack 😉
We had some time to spare, so we walked down to the Guggenheim, but the line was outrageous. We ended up just walking down Fifth, enjoying the scenery and our time together.
At one point it started to rain, and I ran back for the car while Patty and Luis waited under cover with the kids. We dropped them all off uptown, and Patty and I went back downtown to relax and chat over warm mugs of tea and cookie sandwiches.
Also, juice.
Each time I see Patty, I feel more and more grateful to have met her. She is such a bright light in my life, I don’t know how I’d get along without her 🙂
I got home just in time to get the kids washed and in to bed, and jet back out to meet some friends at Isaac’s for a few beers before bed.
Sunday (yesterday) was more low-key, with the kids playing in the yard and lots of sandbox time. There was also an attempt to fly a kite, but it seems like we need a bit more open space.
Our neighbor threw a block party in the afternoon, so around 3 we all got dressed up and walked a few houses down. The kids looked so sweet!
There was a big game of frisbee spanning three yards. Jack got right in the middle and just ran around waving his arms and trying to catch it. Amazing.
I ended up going for a run later that night, even though my stomach was full of food. So bad- I didn’t cramp up, and I actually felt good in my lungs and my legs, but I could also feel the weight of the food slowing me down, and for some reason my throat was burning. I made it quick, but I still got out there and did it, which is what really matters to me.
Ally’s Mum texted me a few days ago to let me know there would be a parade in Yardley this morning, so we met her, Ally, and Laszlo at her house earlier today and walked down to Main Street. There were tons of people, motorcycles, dancers, firemen, old cars, and FIRETRUCKS!
It was really special to be around so many men and women in different services. We are fortunate to have so many men and women who are willing to stand in the front lines to defend our country, and it felt good to stand and remember them today.
It was wonderful, but these two were totally wiped by the time it was over. Jack crashed a few minutes after we got home.
I did a bit of garden maintenance while they slept. My tea roses are doing so beautifully in the front planter 🙂 Every time I pass them I think of Chris, and the Spring Workshop, and what an amazing semester I had with all of them.
The chocolate mint is also thriving!
So maybe my black thumb is getting a bit of green on it? Who knows- the tomatoes, eggplant, okra, cabbage, and spearmint are all doing well in the backyard. Fingers crossed that we’ll have a nice supply of tomatoes this year!
While the kids and I spent the day doing chores and watching the parade, James and Emily spent the day building cornhole platforms! Seriously- they built these! So neat. Tomorrow we’re painting them! Hoping we’ll get some use out of them on Jack’s birthday, too.
We ended our Memorial Day with a family barbecue 🙂 I thought about going out and seeing some friends, but it seemed right to stay home and spend some time together as a family. We grilled bean burgers (LOADED with fresh herbs from the CSA- sage, thyme, and oregano), topped them with sauteed onions, roasted up some asparagus, and tossed together a romaine and frisee salad. Last night James and Emily made a homemade Jack Daniel’s sauce, which tastes just like the Friday’s sauce. We smothered our food in it, and it was outrageous.
It was great to sit around together eating delicious homemade food and talking and laughing. The kids were wild for the burgers and avocado, and of course Jack shoveled down asparagus as quickly as he could.
Tomorrow we’re helping James and Emily paint, as well as making a desperately-needed trip over to Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. We are in dire need of some pantry staples. Also,, I am out of chocolate. Never good.
On Saturday Luis presented me with an iPad, so I’ve been spending a good amount of time playing with it and researching the best apps for toddlers. I’m loving the Eric Carle app, and also Goodnight Star. So cute! Not to mention Vine, Facetime, and the simple convenience of a tablet. I am obsessed, and seriously considering bringing it to Los Angeles with me (as an alternative to the computer). I’m tempted to leave it, because I think it could be a big help to Luis in terms of keeping the kids occupied when he needs his hands free, but on the other hand, it would be a pain (literally) to haul my computer across the country, to two different cities, on a total of four flights. Big debate.
In all, this was one of the simplest and best weekends in my memory. I feel really good about being able to call my family mine. We’re a little offbeat and hugely unconventional, but you don’t need convention to love and respect one another and enjoy your time together- we are proof of that.
I hope everyone’s weekend was as charming and fun-filled as ours 🙂
Being Elizabeth 