Colman Aubrey Adeline Penelope

The Jumper

2012-01-21T20:27:00.000-07:00

Crayons

2011-11-30T18:53:00.002-07:00

Adeline's friend Penelope came over today for a playdate and after coloring for a few minutes with short, broken crayons, they decided to melt them down and make crayon circles. (I may have planted the idea.)
The girls unwrapped all the crayons and put them in mini muffin tins. I tried to get them to keep colors together, but they informed me they're not into conventional repurposed crayons so I let them arrange them however they wanted.

I got the idea awhile ago from a Holidash video my friend Kendra made. (My favorite part is when the pan scoots over to the crayons.)

Ode to Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T13:38:00.002-07:00

Little Red and Grandma

2011-10-30T17:28:00.003-07:00

While getting ready for a Trunk or Treat party yesterday, I realized we only had one trick or treat bucket. I sacrificed one of Adeline's Halloween shirts to make her a bag. I think this one was a hand-me-down from one of her cousins. We need to find out who, since Adeline owes her a 10% cut of her candy take.

Adeline dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood and Penelope was her grandma. We wanted to dress her up as the wolf dressed as grandma, but she is strongly opposed to both face paint and masks. Amazingly, she kept the glasses and bonnet on all night.

That is one cranky grandma.

Monster Trucks

2011-10-22T14:40:00.004-07:00

This morning we were at Lowe's finding some new plants for our front yard when we stumbled upon a kid's craft they were doing. They gave Adeline and Penelope kits with wood, nails and stickers to make a monster truck. It was the first time either of them had wielded a hammer, but surprisingly no fingers were injured.

They finished putting together their toys in record time, which was good because several people were hovering, waiting to pounce on our table as soon as we left.

Brussels

2011-10-07T13:47:00.005-07:00

When I was 3 or 4 years old, my mom worked at Pepperidge Farm. Sometimes she'd bring home bags of broken cookies, so my addiction to Pepperidge Farm cookies started when I was quite young. I used to stop by on my way through Utah to stock up. Since we live a bit too far away now, and there aren't nearly enough cookies in one little bag, I'm taking matters into my own hands. Today I made Brussels cookies, which are one of my many favorites.

They're delicious! And much easier than I expected. Double win.

Ingredients

3/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

8 T. unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 egg whites

1/2 cup almonds, pecans or walnuts

1/4 cup quick oats

Chocolate Filling:

5 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking sheet.

Mix flour, baking soda and cream of tartar and set aside. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla about 2 minutes until it's light and fluffy. Add egg whites and beat 1 minute until well blended. Add dry ingredients and hand mix. Chop nuts and oatmeal in a food processor and then stir them into the dough.

Place small circles of dough on the cookie sheet, no more than 3/4 inch. Leave 3 inches of space between each cookie. Bake about 12 minutes, or until cookies are golden with brown edges. Immediately transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Once cooled, melt chocolate. Spread a thin layer of chocolate on the bottom of a cookie and place another cookie on top. Press gently. Refrigerate 1 hour to set. Makes about 24 cookies.

Recipe adapted from this link.

Proof that we have a tree. And grass.

2011-10-05T15:32:00.002-07:00

Kind of depressing.

2011-10-05T08:02:00.002-07:00

Honey Bear's BBQ Baked Beans

2011-10-01T10:19:00.010-07:00

Col and I are addicted to baked beans from Honey Bear's BBQ. They're spicy and delicious and not like any other baked beans I've ever had. I picked some up the other day planning to pick up the largest take-out size they had. Turns out they sell them by the gallon. I settled for a quart and when I got home Col said, "You should've bought a gallon." This is when I realized I needed to figure out how to make them. I couldn't find a copy cat recipe anywhere online so I set out to make one up. I came pretty close and thought I'd share.

I discovered a secret ingredient for making these at home: Bush's Texas Ranchero Grillin' Beans which are simmered in jalapenos and chile sauce.

Ingredients

1 lb. spicy sausage

1 onion

3 21 oz. cans Bush's Texas Ranchero Grillin' Beans

1 can black beans, drained

1 can kidney beans, drained

2 cups Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 T. yellow mustard

1 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (more if you want it really spicy)

Slice sausage links, sauté and drain. Chop onion and sauté. Place the sausage and onion in an oven-safe pot along with the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve hot.

They're even better the next day.

Making Do

2011-09-28T18:37:00.004-07:00

When I was in college, I worked at Cafe Rio. Every shift I'd eat a meal before starting work. You would think that after eating it nearly every day for over a year I'd be tired of it. Not so.

Now that there is no Cafe Rio close to us, I've had to improvise. There are plenty of copy cat recipes and they come close enough to satisfy my cravings. We've made Cafe Rio pork several times for tacos and salads but I'd never made a burrito. The recipes I'd found for their mild enchilada sauce (my favorite) sounded too labor intensive.

Then last night Col suggested using Herdez green salsa.

He's eaten this verde salsa with tortilla chips for years but I've always preferred their red salsa. I used it as the sauce for my burritos and, miraculously, it tastes exactly like Cafe Rio's mild enchilada sauce. Oh happy day.

No Cafe Rio meal would be complete without tres leches, so I busted that out as well. So scrumptious.

Saturdays

2011-09-17T14:17:00.006-07:00

Every Saturday morning Col and I work in the yard - weeding and mowing the lawn. Then we jump in the pool because it's way too hot to be doing yard work.

Today was a much bigger job.

Palm trees before.

Palm trees after.

Just not right.

2011-08-25T09:07:00.003-07:00

Shouldn't it cool off a little if it's raining?

And yes, I haven't posted in months and all I have to comment on is the weather. I blame Instagram.

Magazine? Check. Goggles? Check.

2011-07-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

AZ vs. ID

2011-06-12T18:20:00.010-07:00

The girls and I have been in Idaho since mid-April for a class I'm taking to finish my college teaching certification. I decided to fly down to Arizona for my birthday weekend to finally see our new house (and to see Col). It has felt like a tropical vacation after the cold, rainy spring we've had up in Idaho. You may think I'm exaggerating with the tropical vacation bit, but seriously. This is my house:

It would be really depressing to go back to the cold, rainy dreariness that has been this year's spring in Idaho. Thankfully, there's an app for that.

No more soda.

2011-05-20T11:34:00.003-07:00

Ever since Adeline learned about the food pyramid in preschool, she's always commenting on what I am eating. She'll tell me something is good for me, or that it's at the top of the food pyramid and I shouldn't be eating it. She became especially adamant about soda, which it seemed her teacher had emphasized as being especially bad. Now, whenever I drink a soda she yells, "Mom! No soda! It will make you pubby!"

Evidently she realized that her pleas were not working and she needed to try a new approach. Today when I went to drink a Coke she said, "Remember, mommy. Jesus said no more soda."

A Mother's Day present

2011-05-08T13:02:00.003-07:00

This morning dark and early, Adeline ran into my room yelling, "Happy Mother's Day!" She told me her present to me was that she would be really good all day and do everything I asked her. (This is what I had asked for yesterday).

About 10 minutes later she was watching a movie on my phone while I was trying to fall back to sleep and she hadn't plugged in her headphones. I asked her to use the headphones and she said no so I asked, "What about your Mother's Day present to do what I ask all day?" She paused a minute and then said, "I only meant at church."

City Girls

2011-05-02T08:52:00.000-07:00

Adeline and Penelope yell, "Cow!" every time we pass one and "Fire!"
whenever they see someone burning their ditches, and Addie just
pointed at this tractor and said, "What's that kind of working thing
called?"

Idaho Five-0

2011-04-30T22:15:00.009-07:00

Adeline turned five today. We partied all day, beginning at Yellowstone Bear World. We drove through and saw all the buffalo, bears (so many bears!), deer, petted the baby bear cubs, and rode all the rides.

Then the girls chased all the animals around the petting zoo. At one point Penelope held some food in front of a deer's nose and yelled, "Eat it! Eat it!"

We then had a little birthday party with cupcakes. Ever since I made a caterpillar cake for Penelope, Adeline has wanted one. Done and done.

The video below must be shared, though it certainly wasn't the highlight of the day for Adeline. When I asked her if she'd like to go back, she said "Only if you promise never to roll down the window again."

I'm pretty sure she said "He could've got an arm."

Snow Day

2011-04-29T09:32:00.004-07:00

The girls and I have been in Idaho for the past week, and it's snowed twice. Last night it snowed enough for us to make a snowman.

As you can see, Penelope is not thrilled with the cold weather.

2011-04-12T21:42:00.003-07:00

Sun Prints

2011-04-11T16:23:00.002-07:00

Adeline got a Sun Printing kit for Christmas and we found it today while ~~moving piles of paper around~~ organizing. She did the whole process herself, first wandering around outside to find the perfect plants for her designs.

She then kept a close eye on it while it sat in the sun.

And finally, she soaked it and dried it off. Then she repeated the entire process. She could've done it all day.

Her finished project is proudly displayed on our new fridge.

Historically Hardcore

2011-03-24T16:50:00.002-07:00

I've been inspired by this. Here's what I made...

2011-03-16T18:35:00.004-07:00

Dear Adeline,

Sorry about the dirty stingray water in your eyes, but you probably should've seen it coming. That Penelope girl is a sneak.

Spring Break Candids

2011-03-16T18:24:00.006-07:00

A bright, sunshiny day.

2011-03-02T22:40:00.002-07:00

This morning I picked Penelope up from school for the first time. It's a joy school some of my friends organized and I'm really excited about it. Picking her up and taking home the classwork she'd done was one of the first times I've really been smacked upside the head with the reality that she's not a baby anymore. (So I guess I should stop carrying her around and maybe potty train her? *deep sigh*).

We then went to the railroad park with her cousins. She really didn't want to walk (because she knows I'll carry her) but as soon as I suggested she hold Olivia's hand, she lunged out of my arms.

My favorite moment of the day was when we said "here comes the tunnel, get ready to put your arms up!" and all of them immediately put up their arms, even though the tunnel was not really that close yet.

Actually, that moment is in 2nd place to Courtney adding ham & cheese to a PBJ sandwich and then putting the milk in the cupboard with the glasses. That girl needs more sleep.

Time Out

2011-02-27T14:52:00.004-07:00

Penelope hates to sit in time out. She'll wander around the room, she'll stand next to the chair, but she won't sit in time out. She does a little better if we stay in the room with her. If we're holding a video camera of any kind though, she sees it as a weakness.

Killer Bunny

2011-02-20T13:47:00.012-07:00

My sister-in-law Robyn threw a Chinese New Year party last night, complete with delicious food and a good game of both Chubby Bunny and Killer Bunnies. I made homemade dumplings for the occasion that made our place smell like Vanessa's Dumpling House, which was wonderful. I don't know that I'll make them again since they were so much work, but it was nice to know it's possible if ever we're craving them. I haven't found any in Phoenix that compare (and unfortunately it's no longer just a quick trip to Grand St.)

As it is the year of the rabbit, we made a giant white rabbit to attend the party. We used chicken wire to mold the rabbit shape around a box. Simple enough.

We got a lot of good ideas from this tutorial, including using flour and water for the paper mache. (It's been awhile since I made anything with paper mache.)

We then painted it white.
We had planned on keeping it outside, but since it was raining he was able to come in for the party.

Warm enough to swim

2011-02-15T13:54:00.000-07:00

Tough to beat an Arizona sunset

2011-02-15T07:15:00.001-07:00

If you pull her by the neck, she'll bite you.

2011-02-01T21:25:00.004-07:00

Tonight I was telling Col about a play date Penelope and I went to this morning. Adeline was listening and started asking all these questions like "When was this?" and "Who was there - tell me ALL their names and what they looked like" and "Who made the delicious scones?" Finally she said, "Are you sure?" and I realized she thought I was making it all up. She was having a hard time grasping the fact that life goes on while she's at preschool. Or maybe she just couldn't believe Penelope and I would do anything fun without her while she's in school (which is usually pretty accurate since that's my time to ~~watch the Price is Right~~ clean the house.)

Most days we save all the fun stuff for after I pick Addie up. Today we went to the Children's Museum with one of her friends from school.

Lately the girls have been playing "kitty cat" which consists of Adeline leading Penelope around on a leash of some kind, while they're both wearing princess dresses of course (or in this case, Hello Kitty play clothes that Addie won't admit she's grown out of.) Don't worry, concerned parents, we had a talk with them about not tying anything around each others' necks.

How Not to Come up with Book Ideas

2011-01-17T13:22:00.003-07:00

I want to write a book, but I'm having a hard time coming up with a good idea. I find myself getting bored with any idea before I've worked up the characters and a good story line. Several times I've woken up in the middle of the night with the details of a dream vivid in my mind and thought, "That dream would make a great book. I should write it down." Then I'm lazy and fall back to sleep without writing anything, and in the morning I can't remember a thing.

So last night, in the middle of the night, I finally took a few notes about a dream I had just had. I typed them into my phone and was barely lucid, since I hardly remember doing it. This is what I wrote:

Candyland game - with all humans first, world changes take refuge in a house things keep changing straw breaks off front porch goes into tree which expands something else flies into it and it grows until crushes house. Those who survive come out back wearing fancy costumes. Can see Candyland beyond house. There are now ppl attacking. Dark weird shaped heads with small circle in front. Round metal things on ground can be used to hurt them. Need to get to Candyland to ask for everything to be back to normal.

Wow. Anyone want to give me a cash advance to write this one?

Play dough

2010-12-17T16:21:00.007-07:00

Adeline has been wanting to make homemade playdough for some time, but we haven't because I never remember to get food coloring when we're at the store. This afternoon while Penelope was napping, Adeline and I decided to make playdough, regardless of not having any coloring. She was just going to play with the white, uncolored dough, but then I thought I'd experiment with spices and things in our fridge to see what colors we could come up with.

Turmeric

Paprika

Balsamic Vinegar

Children's Tylenol

Sriracha

Huckleberry Syrup

They all smell awful.

As I was posting these pictures, Addie brought me something she'd made and I asked her "Is that a hotdog?" She said "No, it's baby Jesus."

On Neil Diamond

2010-11-27T14:26:00.001-07:00

"Forever in blue jeans isn't good, because it's not safe to just wear jeans and not wear a shirt."

-Adeline, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T15:02:00.001-07:00

2010-11-19T18:37:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I've taken a stab at the blog world. Hello again! Tonight I'd like to share an experience that I had while teaching one of my classes today.

I've got the greatest teaching job ever. I teach world history to sophomore students Monday through Thursday. On Fridays I teach applied communication to freshmen. I've basically turned it into a public speaking class to work on speaking and presentation skills. The class usually ends up being a lot of fun with interactive activities and games.

Today the students groaned when I announced that our assignment was to write and recite a poem in front of the rest of the class. A few of them even proclaimed "I'm not good at poetry!" I told the students to write down five reasons or excuses why they couldn't write a poem. After giving them the five excuses I came up with I quickly added a few words and turned it into:

I can't write a poem
My vocabulary is weak.
I find it hard to express myself
My outlook on life is bleak.
Thinking of words makes my head hurt
I don't know what to say.
I can't write a poem
But I'll try it anyway.

The next activity made me miss New York. I asked the students to describe what they see outside a favorite window then create a poem. Here's what I came up with.

Outside my window

I wake to sound of garbage trucks
so early in the day,
Followed by the taxi cabs
waiting for their pay.
Next, the children off to school
so eager and so young,
And the widows with the creaky carts
to get the shopping done.

I look to the river
and watch the moving boats,
I could gaze at them for hours
to see how far they float.
And in the afternoon
the wind gently tosses the trees,
I admire this amazing view
that most will never see.

At night are all the cars
waiting just to park,
Now people in and out of bars
trying to make their mark.
To the south the giant bridge
towering and full of light,
And in come the lights and sounds
that keep me up at night.

*thanks for reading as I embrace my inner 6th grade self.

At a stoplight.

2010-11-18T15:01:00.000-07:00

Duck, duck, chicken.

2010-11-10T15:50:00.005-07:00

One of my favorite apps at present is called We Doodle - it's basically Pictionary, only instead of a pencil and paper, you draw with your finger on a screen, which is exactly as hard as it sounds. In the Play With Friends option, you draw three pictures and then the other person guesses when they open the app. Col has the advantage of drawing on an iPad screen, whereas the iPhone screen I use makes it a lot more challenging. Often, it is completely impossible to decipher what I've drawn. Sometimes, though, Col will claim a drawing is poor when it's actually quite impressive, if I do say so myself. An example is shown below. As you can see, Col did not think much of my duck (even though, you'll notice, it was his first guess).

Here is where you come in, internet friends. Settle the dispute for us. Sure, it's not perfect, but does it look like a duck?

A second dispute, while we're at it. When Adeline was about Penelope's age, she had these little chickens that Col thought were ducks. If you can't see them well in the picture they looked like this and this. What do you think? Chicken or duck?

Four days of Halloween.

2010-10-31T10:06:00.008-07:00

Halloween started Thursday night with a party at the Scottsdale city library. We met some of the girls' counsins there for trick or treating and scary story telling.

As you can see, a large portion of the night consisted of me chasing the girls around the library.
The cousins all looked great in their costumes. You can never see all the fabulous details in the pictures, like Cora's tiny witch hat headband, and the fact that Sherlock Holmes wasn't wearing any pants. Hopefully Robyn wasn't too upset when I rescued candy one of her kids had dropped and absent-mindedly gave it back to him instead of throwing it away. After living in NYC, every surface here just seems so clean.

Friday we went to a party thrown by our friend Katie Rojas. Adeline was thrilled to have her face painted and I was thrilled to not have to stand in line for it, which is usually the case. The kids decorated haunted houses with Halloween colored frosting, candy and rubber swamp rats. The girls had a great time and kept trying to hide when I told them it was time to leave.

Friday night was our ward trunk or treat. Col and I dressed as Fred & Wilma and decorated Carl & Brooke's surrey as the Flintstones mobile.

Both Col and Penelope removed their costumes pretty quickly since it was so hot out. It was the exact opposite of my childhood Halloweens in Idaho where I used to have to wear a heavy coat under my princess dress.

Speaking of princesses, Adeline only had to say "What I really want to dress up as is a princess" 650 times before her wish was granted. Saturday she dressed up as Sleeping Beauty for Col's parents' trunk or treat.

Col also dressed up Saturday night - he and his dad went as bikers on their mopeds. The golden skull attached to the front of his bike was a nice touch.

Balloons and scrabble.

2010-10-20T20:16:00.004-07:00

Lately, Penelope wants to roam free and go wherever she pleases no matter where we are. This can be problematic, especially since she loves to hide in the middle of clothing racks and I end up bending down and looking for her legs in order to find her. Tonight, I found a solution.

In other news, these are arguably the worst scrabble letters ever.

Rocky Mountain High...

2010-10-15T12:27:00.010-07:00

This morning I was just finishing cleaning the bathrooms when Adeline walked in and said "Mmmm, it smells like Colorado in here." She didn't say Colorado like I say Colorado. She said "Colorahdo" so evidently someone who also says "Colorahdo" told her that it smells like bleach there.

Here are some pictures of what Adeline's been up to besides preschool.

Riding Grandma & Grandpa Carter's surrey.

Playing at the Carter cabin in Payson.

Hanging out in a police cruiser.

Pondering life at the Chinese Cultural Center.

Playing at the Railroad Park with Audrey.

Watching the ducks.

Grocery shopping.

Panicking in the rain.

Reading books with Grandma Sievers.

What almost killed me on the way to the bathroom this morning...

2010-10-01T16:29:00.001-07:00

I've never liked that Rainbow Bright.

One of the many people in NYC that we miss.

2010-09-27T12:42:00.007-07:00

My friend Leslie can take credit for us moving to New York. We were staying with her on a visit to the city and told her we'd always wanted to live out east. She told us about the Teaching Fellows program and that's how it all started. She's also the reason we ended up living where we did. We had appointments to see several apartments closer to Harlem, but we fell in love with the area near her house and decided to find a place in Hudson Heights.

Leslie and I used to be rock climbing partners when she lived in Arizona. We have a lot in common, actually. We even come from the same small town in Idaho, though her family moved away before high school. One thing we don't share is a love of running. She loves running. I hate it. I wish I loved running, but I find it absolutely miserable. I've tried to get into it, but I've never made it past that wall where my body is screaming and I can't breathe and I give up on it. Maybe someday.

Anyway, back to Leslie. She's wanted to run the NYC marathon for years but it's extremely difficult to get in. After not being drawn for the lottery again this year, she is running for a charity in order to run. She is about halfway to the amount she needs to raise and needs your help! You can find her blog as well as her donation page here, and she's even giving a handmade winter hat to everyone who donates before October 11.

This is Leslie on the left with her sister Tera. I'm just glad they do it so I don't have to.

Future hair stylist.

2010-09-22T07:03:00.006-07:00

We keep the scissors on top of the fridge with the pens, since neither of our girls can be trusted with either. Col's hair cutting scissors, however, are in our bathroom drawer. Adeline found them yesterday and removed the following from her head. You can also see a little hair there she snipped from her Rainbow Bright doll's head.
We didn't find the hair until we went to bed, and hadn't noticed her hair had been cut so we woke her up to see the damage. I didn't know what to expect, but I knew it couldn't be too bad since I hadn't noticed at bedtime. I did not, however, expect the perfect layers she had cut. Well, maybe not perfect - I'm not the best judge of that - but not too shabby, either. Sure beats a bald spot or bangs cut to the scalp.

Look at that smug little smirk. That's the look of "No punishment you can give me will make me regret what I did."

This little piggy.

2010-09-19T11:12:00.005-07:00

Adeline and Penelope both love playing This Little Piggy. As soon as the last piggy gets all the way home, they stick their feet back in my face and say "Again!"

The other day, Adeline grabbed my toe and said:

This little piggy went to market
This little piggy stayed home.
This little piggy had gross feet.
This little piggy had none.

Here's a picture of her playing dress-up at Grandma Carter's, where she managed to pull off the princess bride fairy combination.

Lose it!

2010-09-10T11:44:00.006-07:00

I've been filling out my Lose it! app the last few days and Adeline asked me about it so I told her why I'm filling it out. Today she said, "Can you fill that out for me too and write down everything I eat?" When I asked her why she said, "So I can stop getting so fat and short and smooth."

Penelope escapes.

2010-09-06T20:15:00.003-07:00

Every day Penelope and I drop Adeline off at preschool at 8:45. Penelope then, without fail, takes off running all over the school, tripping people, running in and out of classrooms and making as much noise as possible. I tried to capture her flight the other day with my phone. It was not an easy task since it's impossible to predict which way she's going to run at any given moment.

Some stuff I wrote.

2010-08-31T09:12:00.002-07:00

I found out about the Twilight series right after the third book, Eclipse, was published. I read the first three quickly, not particularly impressed by the writing style, but very much absorbed by the plot and characters. Not wanting to wait the full year before the fourth and final book, Breaking Dawn, was scheduled to be published, I decided to write it. I wanted to know how it ended. My version was pretty short. No filler, no reminders of who is who. But I really liked it. It was how I wanted the story to end.

Then the fourth book came out. Some of you may have loved it. I didn't. Maybe I was ruined because I'd already read the ending I wanted - the one I wrote. Or maybe I was creeped out by vampire babies with weird names. Or both. Either way, when I saw the film Eclipse last month, I left bummed that the next film won't be my ending.

It's been over three years since I wrote it, but I've only shared it with a few friends. I decided to go ahead and post it here.

As an added bonus, if anyone wants to read a short story I recently won first prize for (a major prize! a major prize! I won, I won, I won!) you can read it here or here.

Multipurpose

2010-08-30T21:12:00.000-07:00

On Turning 30

2010-08-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

It's just past seven o'clock in the morning on Sunday August 15, 2010. As I sit in the hammock on our back patio and enjoy the peaceful morning, the faint sounds of the swimming pool across the street are periodically interrupted by the sound of Penelope screaming at Adeline inside our home.

As I lay in the hammock, slowly swaying side to side, I can't help but reflect on what today is: my 30th birthday. This last week was the first week of school in our district. As I introduced myself to the students it seems that one them always asks how old I am. So we play a little guessing game. The class usually guesses around 26. When I told them my real age, I began to realize that I wouldn't be 29 for much longer. I realized that soon I would be 30. The last time I felt this much anxiety about a birthday was when I was turning 16 and preparing to take my driver's test. Wow, was that really fourteen years ago? Where has all this time gone?

For the last few months my body has felt...old. Toward the end of May I hurt my ankle pretty badly playing volleyball in New York. Since then, I've been hobbling around, unable to effectively run or jump. After going to a little physical therapy, it still feels off and hurts most of the day. I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow and I may insist on having an MRI. I'm sick of this ankle slowing me down for the past three months and I want it to be fixed.

Mentally I don't feel 30. I think that may be where the anxiety of this age comes from. I just don't feel like I should be this old. I'm still the one playing pranks on the other teachers at school, dressing up in goofy costumes for the students and listening to the new and "hip" music. At what point do I become the weird guy for doing these things? Is there some sort of user's manual or idiot's guide to being 30 that I don't know about?

I'm 30. And I'm too old to feel this young.

Preschool

2010-08-12T14:18:00.003-07:00

Adeline started preschool Monday and she absolutely loves it. She's so excited to go every day and after Penelope and I pick her up she sings us all the songs she learned and recites the names of the kids in her class.

Penelope is fully aware of what she's missing out on. She never wants to leave and tries to break back in through the gates. She is one jealous little monkey.

Riot Zone

2010-07-27T11:00:00.006-07:00

We went with my family to an amusement park near our home yesterday. It was a great time. Addie drove the Kiddie Karts and the paddle boats all by herself. Well, maybe she needed a little help driving the go kart.

Grandpa took her on the bumper boats and helped her ride the water slide.

She controlled the rocket ship ride, pulling the lever to take us up to the very top.

We spent most of the day riding the Go Karts. Addie couldn't get enough of it. Every time we finished a course, she'd yell "Again! In a different car!"

Addie fell asleep the second she got into her car seat. Her cousin Kael didn't even wait that long - he fell asleep during the last Go Kart ride.

Bear Lake

2010-07-26T17:38:00.003-07:00

Adeline's portfolio cont.

2010-07-21T12:20:00.007-07:00

The last fifty pictures on my phone were taken by Addie when she had it yesterday in the car. This has happened before. We now have a theme, since all the photos were taken from her carseat.

Good Times in Rexburg

2010-07-20T13:49:00.008-07:00

Addie had a pretty fun day today. Penelope is sick, unfortunately, so she missed out on the good times. First, Adeline made chocolate chip cookies with her Grandma this morning.

We took a bunch of cookies with us and met up with cousins at Fat Cats to play on the bouncy toys. It was a blast until my brother landed on my back. I either cracked a rib or tore a muscle. Either way, it hurts. Addie had a great time in spite of my pain so it was still a win.

We then went to a new water playground for kids at Porter Park. When I was a kid, there was a pool with a water slide there that's now been torn down. It's definitely an improvement - Adeline and her cousins had a blast.

Kelly Canyon Campout

2010-07-18T13:51:00.006-07:00

The girls and I went camping with my family this weekend at Kelly Canyon. It was great weather with warm days and cold nights and mornings, perfect for sitting around the campfire and drinking hot cocoa.

Penelope helped Grandpa and Grandma Sievers make breakfast. The food was amazing the entire weekend, since my parents are dutch oven masters.

The girls' favorite activity, hands down, was riding the 4-wheelers. Penelope would sit in front of me with one hand on the gas cap and the other on the stick shift. As soon as the ride was over, she'd stand and reach up to the 4-wheeler saying "Peas? Peas?"

Penelope's second favorite activity was taking over Grandpa's recliner. She mastered making it sit forward and lean back and would do it over and over.

Third favorite activity: feeding grandpa Cheetos.

It was pretty warm during the day, but luckily we were camped right by the south fork of the Snake River. The kids loved playing in the creek, tossing rocks and capturing water skippers.

It was a really fun camping trip. With their nice new camper, mosquito foggers, and fancy camping chairs, it was luxurious compared to trips when we were kids. Next weekend, Bear Lake!

Day Seven Hundred and Thirty

2010-07-15T09:06:00.005-07:00

Penelope turned 2 on July 11 and we threw her a butterfly birthday party.

She had a great time playing with cousins and opening all the fun presents everyone gave her. Happy birthday, Baby Maebe!

A little more water, please?

2010-07-09T07:17:00.003-07:00

When I was little, I played with this kitchen all the time. Once, when I cut off a sizable chunk of my hair, I hid it in one of the cupboards.

The girls have been having a great time making mud pies and playing restaurant. No matter what I order, she dishes up a big plate of mud, sometimes with a pine cone on the side. Mostly she just fills cups with water.

I miss...

2010-07-06T22:40:00.001-07:00

This one...

... And this one...

... And this one.

Party in Menan, Idaho

2010-07-05T16:52:00.005-07:00

Today was the 4th of July parade and carnival in Menan, a little town near my parents' house in Idaho. Adeline went early with Grandma and Grandpa Sievers to play all the games, and we met up with them after Penelope's nap. The girls first rode the train, which as you can see was pulled by a 4-wheeler. Classic.

This is Adeline's whine face. She was upset she had been parted with her bag of goodies. Life is so tough sometimes.

Penelope's cousin lent her his hat and then she didn't want to give it back. This was one of her many poses in it.

I was shocked at how cheap all the food was. I took this picture, first because I was amazed that a drink was only 75 cents, and second, because I forgot that soda is called pop here. And a quarter for a slice of watermelon! Unheard of.

We took advantage and got everything we saw. Penelope's favorite was the sno cone, preferably without the hassle of using the straw.

The parade was the best. The first thing that came through was the Cream o' Weber truck handing out cartons of chocolate milk. Only in Idaho.

Adeline didn't get the memo her cousins sent out to wear red. Luckily the pink shirt she was wearing was pretty close.

Adeline was uncontrollably excited that everyone in the parade was throwing candy. She yelled for joy every time she snagged a piece and yelled "It's like Halloween!"

Some people put syrup on cornbread.

2010-07-04T09:29:00.005-07:00

Adeline: What's for breakfast?

Me: Grandma made cornbread.

Adeline: Ew, yuck!

Me: We'll put butter and syrup on it, it'll be delicious.

Adeline: What?

Me: We'll put butter and syrup on it, it'll be delicious.

Adeline: I said "What?" because I was so shocked, not because I didn't hear you.

Trampoline Time

2010-07-03T10:09:00.002-07:00

We made it to Idaho yesterday and the girls have been having a blast playing with their cousins and following the sheep around. Their favorite is definitely jumping on the trampoline. And, yes, that is an outhouse and an old well in the background.

I've already played Annie-I-Over, backyard volleyball (the kind that would drive Col crazy) and Pinochle, so I have no complaints.

This Morning's Conversation with Adeline...

2010-07-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

Col: Adeline, you are such a big girl. I'm gonna miss you so much when you go to Idaho.

Addie: Guess what.

Col: What?

Addie: When I grow up, I'm going to be just like you!

Col: Really?

Addie: Yes, and I'm going to make food for Mommy and Penelope. And when Penelope grows up she's going to make food for Mommy and you!

Aubrey: Are you going to change our diapers too?

Addie: Ha ha ha ha, no!

Looks like that job will be left for Penelope.

Things that feel foreign

2010-06-30T07:57:00.002-07:00

Driving 3 blocks to the grocery store rather than walking.

Not worrying about finding a parking spot.

Buying cereal for $1.50. Remember this?

Having a dishwasher.

Being able to do laundry inside my house, and leaving when it's not finished.

Letting the girls run around without worrying about the downstairs neighbors.

Not hearing drumming and/or loud music coming from our ceiling.

Paying $10 to see a 3-D movie.

Not being called "Mami".

Not having to check the forecast every day to see if it's going to rain.

Swimming whenever I feel like it!

Craving dumplings/doughnut plant/Dominican food and not being able to do anything about it.

Dry heat.

Green grass outside my front door.

Not hearing pigeons when I wake up.

Not smelling urine in elevators.

Sleeping in.

I will miss this town.

2010-06-24T17:13:00.011-07:00

You are maybe expecting this post to be a long gushy one about all the things I love about NY. I could do that, and it would be long. That's not what this post is about though. This post is about grand finales.

Let me start by telling you that I've been a little jealous of this experience of Col's for awhile now. It was the most up close and personal celebrity sighting we had while living in NYC.

And now here I am, sitting in JFK airport waiting for my flight to Phoenix - a flight that will take me away from NYC, where I never had my chance to get up close and personal with a celebrity. Unless, of course, you count that one time when Frances McDormand was standing behind me on line at Shake Shack. Or the time I chatted with Jason Sudeikis about the tea he was drinking before the show at the SNL studio. But then today, my last day in NY, William Fichtner just happens to be on my flight home. You can call him Bill.

I resisted the very powerful urge I had to say to him, "I'm so glad you trusted Harry to hit his mark instead of detonating that nuclear bomb on the asteroid. We would all be dead if you hadn't. I owe you my life."

Bill, if you're reading this, I'm sorry if you are annoyed I asked to take a picture with you. I just couldn't resist, it being my last day in New York and all.

Happy Father's Day to ME!

2010-06-20T09:06:00.003-07:00

Life is grand when you have happy kids!
If only I could get them to smile for pictures.

* Pay no attention to the bed head... we just woke up.

Last Saturday in NYC

2010-06-20T07:34:00.005-07:00

Yesterday was the most fun. We walked in The Mermaid Parade at Coney Island after a week of making costumes and sugar cookies.

I posed with this cookie in about 462 pictures. He and I were pretty tight by the end of the parade. And then I ate him.
Unfortunately, we didn't make enough cookies to give to the thousands of people that were there. This guy is the only one who swiped one without asking. I love the outrage captured on our faces. Look at that cute little octopus he nabbed.

Click here to read Reagan's much more extensive post and see more pics. She is a far superior blogger, among other things. I'm sorry about the glitter in your rug, Reagan. And on your roof. And on your stairs. And in your bathroom sink.

A few of us then went to the beach and added roughly 2 lb. of glitter to the glass shards in the sand. We couldn't pass up the NY Aquarium where I again tried to scrub off glitter in the bathroom, to no avail. (Children, never use spray adhesive on your skin.)

We topped off the night with dinner at Vanessa's Dumpling House which is probably #1 on the Restaurants I'm Going to Experience Severe Withdrawals When I Can No Longer Patronize Them list.

I went back to Reagan's to pick up my things and feel awkward about the mess we left for her to clean up. I then ran into three of my students in Washington Heights. I was still in my mermaid costume, mind you. The looks of admiration I got at Coney Island were a far cry from the looks of confusion and horror my students gave me. Now I know how mermaids feel the rest of the year.

On Craigslist

2010-06-16T11:14:00.003-07:00

I've always liked craigslist. I've usually had pretty good luck with both the buying and the selling random stuff using it. If you'll recall with me, my Volvo 240 wagon was purchased on craigslist, as was my Vespa moped. On our drive back from New York we had a little extra room in the U-haul so I decided to check the major craigslist cities on the way to Arizona. We found a pretty sweet little Foxy moped (pictures coming soon) for my dad (Happy Father's Day).

I'm extremely excited about my most recent finds. The first is a mid century bedroom set for us (special thanks to Courtney for finding it). It matches the furniture we already have quite well... and we love it. I love it anyway. Aubrey has not actually seen any of it (the reason for this post). The chest of drawers below is one of the 6 pieces that came with the set.

After snagging that deal, I have been searching pretty diligently for a dresser for the girls room. I wanted to find something similar to the set we found for ourselves, but maybe in not such great condition. Yesterday I found it, a 3 piece mid century bedroom set. Perfect for the girls room. The dresser below also came with a chest of drawers and a night stand.

So... I love craigslist. Now if it could just help me find the exact car I'm looking for...

Aubrey's Island

2010-06-13T20:48:00.005-07:00

FIGMENT went all out today and seriously threw me the most amazing birthday party ever. Whatever I wanted, they made it happen. Leslie and I took the ferry to Governor's Island (which just for today they renamed Aubrey's Island because I said so) and the first thing we did was go kayaking. There are no photos of that event because there's nothing fun about a wet iPhone. We then wandered all over the island, playing in glitter sandboxes and making demands. Some of them are pictured below, along with my birthday requests.

#1 - Can I make a picket fence maze?

#2 - Can I play in a drum circle?

#3 - Can I watch aerobics performed in conjunction with sermons from megaphones about how unhealthy bagels are?

#4 - Can I play mini golf?

#5 - Can I have a picture taken with The Chicken Man?

#6 - Can I watch a parade where girls wearing all white play the violin while walking on stilts?

Thank you FIGMENT for making all my birthday wishes come true. Whoever you are.

Happy Birthday Cake!

2010-06-13T20:09:00.009-07:00

Reagan threw a birthday party for me tonight and made an amazingly beautiful and delicious cheesecake. It was all kinds of fun.

A big thank you to Piper for letting us use her birthday hats.

Here

2010-06-03T14:30:00.001-07:00

We made it!

I hope I'll never have to make that drive in a u-haul again. We lost our voices after the first day. I think it was due to a combination of the yodeling as well as the hours of laughing at ourselves yodeling.

We stopped in St. Louis to have lunch with Margaret. She is my dad's much younger sister and has always felt more like a cousin... You're reading this right Margaret? It's always fun to catch up with her.

Shortly after our lunch we noticed the inside tread of the truck tires were completely worn. We called U-haul and they sent Billy-Bob out to change the tires. It set us back a few hours, but ended up being perfect timing for the Craigslist find in Oklahoma City (I'll leave that for another post).

The remainder of the drive consisted of more yodeling, impersonating the guy who changed the tires, watching David Hasselhoff videos on YouTube and lots of laughing.

Thanks to my Dad for helping me make the drive unforgettable.

Making Ready

2010-05-23T14:11:00.002-07:00

We've been packing up our apartment the last few days and getting ready for the move to Arizona. The girls fly with their Grandma Brooke on Tuesday and my dad and I will commence the cross-country trip with the U-Haul on Wednesday.

People have been asking me what we're going to do to pass the time while driving. My answer?

Practice

Penelope Talks...

2010-05-10T14:25:00.002-07:00

... we just don't know what she's saying.

Nothing says "Happy Mother's Day"...

2010-05-09T05:47:00.009-07:00

... like Oreos for breakfast.

This morning Adeline crawled into bed with me and we had the following conversation:

Me: What's dad doing?
A: He's making Oreo pancakes. Like on my birthday!
Me: Ooh... for me?
A: No, for me. You can have one if you want though.
Me: Ah. Can you see if he's making hot cocoa?
A: Sure, but if he's not you're going to have to be OK with water.

Living on the edge.

2010-05-08T15:58:00.000-07:00

Lancaster, PA

2010-05-03T16:35:00.002-07:00

Trendy girl.

2010-05-02T07:30:00.001-07:00

Col: Addie, why did you write all over your arms?

Addie: Penelope.

Col: Penelope can't reach you from her carseat. Why did you do it?

Addie: I thought it would be cool.

Four

2010-04-30T12:33:00.007-07:00

(day 1462)

Oreo pancakes,
cake and ice cream,
presents
and nail painting with friends.

Cherry Blossom Festival (Branch Brook Park, NJ)

2010-04-20T20:15:00.006-07:00

Aquarium at Coney Island

2010-04-06T20:23:00.000-07:00

Coney

2010-04-05T17:22:00.004-07:00

Aubrey had no reason to fear the Cyclone. Okay, maybe she had one reason.

Easter Sunday

2010-04-04T13:14:00.001-07:00

Central Park Zoo

2010-04-02T13:38:00.000-07:00

The Goat Whisperer

2010-04-02T12:43:00.002-07:00

Swimming and Dancing

2010-03-31T06:27:00.007-07:00

These first two videos are at the pool at our hotel in Montreal. A section of the pool floor was glass so you could see people wandering around in the lobby below. As you can see, in the first video Adeline hadn't learned the value of the "No Running" rule.

This last one is of the dance party at the Sugar Shack, featuring Adeline's "Dance Tantrum".

Favorites.

2010-03-30T06:13:00.011-07:00

Yesterday morning we woke up to a steady drizzle that continued all day. We vetoed the hike to the Persian breakfast place we wanted to try and opted for croissants and muffins at a little cafe near the Laurier metro. Col taught Adeline how to play checkers, and she may have beat him if Penelope had not picked up the board and dumped everything off.

We avoided the rain by heading to Montreal's underground city, which is basically miles of stores linked by tunnels under the downtown area. We then went to the Lebanese/Greek area of town for lunch and stopped by a supermarket.

These are two of my favorite Canadian foods - I have no idea why both aren't carried in the U.S. because they're amazing. If anyone sees either Corn Bran or maple cookies anywhere in NYC, let me know.

These next pictures show my favorite things about Montreal's subway. First, the Tri-Bar Pole. Even if there is a big sweaty guy leaning against one side, you can still hold the bar without being slimed. Not possible in New York.

Second, not only are there a multitude of garbage cans on the subway platform, there are recycling bins. You can't find either very easily in the NYC subway. The metro is so clean here, partially because of the multitude of receptacles, and also possibly because the people aren't such litterbugs.

Je me souviens.

2010-03-28T18:57:00.016-07:00

We've been in Quebec the past few days and it's been encroyable, as they say here in French Town. We drove up Friday night so the girls would sleep, and both of us were shocked at how quickly the drive went. Especially me since I slept for a large portion of it. Sorry, Col. We went up with our friend Sarah and stayed at her family's home in Broussard, just across the river from Montreal. We immediately felt at home, they were so kind and hospitable. I think it was a bit of a culture shock for Col that everything is in French and everyone speaks French as soon as you cross the border. We really don't live that far from here so it is surprising that it's so different. Kilometers, what? $1.08 for a liter of gas? Milk in a bag?

We actually got a pretty thorough questioning at the border. Probably because when they asked "Where are you going?" Col said "Canada" and when they said "Do you have a reservation?" Col said "Yes, I have several reservations about visiting Canada."

First thing Saturday morning (after we were spoiled with a delicious breakfast) we headed to an érablière, otherwise known as a cabane à sucre, or Sugar Shack. Adeline kept calling it the Shake Shack, and rightly so since the scrumptiousness as well as calorie content of the two is comparable. There are hundreds of them in Quebec - working maple farms with giant maple & pork buffet restaurants.

We first did the "tire sur la neige" or "taffy on snow" where maple taffy is poured on packed snow and everyone fights for the candy with popsicle sticks. Within seconds, Penelope was covered in sticky from head to toe.

Next up was the dance floor which I was unable to experience when I visited a Sugar Shack as a missionary. There was a bounce house for kids 2 and up. Here you can see Penelope, quite depressed at being excluded.

Then we pigged out. Literally. They basically make everything that can be made out of pork and maple syrup and feed you several courses of it. We were in hog heaven. I promise that's my last lame pun about the pork.

Afterward, we went outside to check out the farm. There were all kinds of animals for Adeline to feed, and she made friends with this cute little Quebecoise girl, even though they couldn't understand each other at all.

We wandered through the maple trees and took a guided tour traincar ride, but we couldn't understand the guide since he had the heaviest Quebecois accent ever, plus he slurred his speech. It's a deadly combination.

We also made friends with some locals and a little girl named Anuk who introduced herself by taking off her hat and saying "Je n'ai pas beaucoup de cheveux." (I don't have a lot of hair.) She was four and was the cutest thing ever. She said all the colors in French and then English and inspired me to start teaching Adeline and Penelope French.

Later that day, we met up with Sarah's family for an incredibly impressive, classically French 7 course meal. I've never eaten so much amazing food in my life, nor have I ever been so stuffed. Not even on my mission when I had to eat Thanksgiving dinner three times in one day.

Chubby Bunny

2010-03-25T17:31:00.002-07:00

Tonight after I'd eaten two handfuls of Easter candy:

Addie: Can I pinch your tummy?

Me: No way!

Addie: (pinches it anyway)

Me: That makes me feel fat!

Addie: I like you to be fat.

Girly Girl (part II)

2010-03-15T06:02:00.005-07:00

While getting the girls dressed this morning...

Me: Adeline, it's time to put your pants on.

Adeline: But Daddy, I wanted to be beautiful today. Those pants aren't beautiful, they're just blue!

Girly Girl

2010-03-07T16:02:00.003-07:00

Me: Should we read a book?

Adeline: Hmmm... nah.

Me: Should we play a game?

Adeline: I just want to play with fingernail polish every night and day.

Singing all the day...

2010-02-26T15:20:00.010-07:00

*I'm adding this video I shot today to Col's pictures. Sorry it's not very steady - as you can tell from her cameos, Penelope wanted to eat the camera.
-Aubrey

Rough Day

2010-02-23T13:00:00.003-07:00

Big Air 2010

2010-02-11T17:05:00.011-07:00

Contestant No. 1: Col

Contestant No. 2: Aubrey

Contestant No. 3: Seth

Snow Day

2010-02-10T09:00:00.007-07:00

Yesterday afternoon it was announced that today would be an official snow day here in NYC, with all public schools cancelled. It was a first for me to be informed the day before that school was cancelled the next day. MUCH better than last year when I didn't find out about school being closed until I'd already arrived at work. My grad school class tonight was cancelled as well. It just doesn't get better than this.

Col took advantage of the morning off by meeting up with some friends to play volleyball. I took advantage of my day off by hanging out with my girls and watching the snow fall. Here's a few little tidbits from this morning's conversations:

Adeline: Mother, I love you through and through. (This is inspired by one of her books.)

Me: I love YOU through and through.

Adeline: I love you through and through and through and through and through and through and through and through and through and through.

Me: Wow!

Adeline: That's a lot of throughing, huh?

Adeline: Want to play a game?

Me: Sure. What game should we play?

Adeline: How about the one called "Eat candy and play with toys?"

The girls watching the snow fall.

The view out our living room window.

Snow Bunny

2010-02-06T06:19:00.005-07:00

The other day Col got Adeline's old snowsuit out of the closet. It's 6-12 months, so Penelope's already outgrown it. Nevertheless, Addie insisted it would still fit and tried it on.

Back in the 90's I definitely saw some older ladies at Snowbird rockin' this look.

Toothpaste and Lotion

2010-02-04T17:10:00.009-07:00

Today a guy with 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens came to do a team building day with my students. The last activity involved toothpaste, as you can see.

It reminded me of a few days ago when Penelope was able to reach a bottle of lotion on our dresser from her crib, as well as a jar of hair ties and barrettes. In both cases, it was quite a mess.

Tempête de Neige

2010-01-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

deux filles dans un wagon et un père qui a froid

une mère qui a un matin de congé pour être avec sa famille

une fille dans une lutte boule de neige avec elle-même

la petite moufle perdue

2010-01-13T15:15:00.004-07:00

Every morning after Adeline wakes up, she strips down out of her jammies, puts on a dress, a flower in her hair and colors at the table while I make her breakfast. We then chat for a few minutes while Penelope is still sleeping. Here is an excerpt from this morning's conversation.

Me: Hey Addie!

Adeline: What?

Me: I love you.

Addie: Hey Daddy!

Me: What?

Addie: I miss my Grandma.

The best Christmas gift ever...

2010-01-08T09:09:00.005-07:00

...besides the leopard print Snuggie.

Jammies

2010-01-05T18:53:00.001-07:00

This is what Adeline insisted on wearing to bed tonight. I think those
may be Grandma's Christmas socks.

Missing Arizona

2010-01-03T13:11:00.002-07:00

We are in a cab on the way home from the airport. Someone tell the Super to turn up the heat!