garden starts

E and I got the first set of peas planted as well as some leek starts.

I've never tried growing leeks before but had the most delicious

braised leeks this winter so now I am a major fan.

san diego

We just returned from a great trip to San Diego for spring break. We hit it all - Legoland, Wild Animal Park, San Diego Zoo, La Jolla, Birch Aquarium and lots of beach time. It was wonderful to spend a week with just the four of us. We had lots of time to hang out, talk, read books, sleep and play. The place we stayed was amazing - Crystal Pier Cottages in Pacific Beach. I loved sleeping over the ocean - the pier would rock every so often and we had a private deck with lots of room for eating our meals outside. We spent lots of time peering down through the floorboards to watch the ocean below us. The weather was a lovely 68-70 every day. sigh. I miss it already.
I did manage to catch strep throat during the trip. I have never had it before and thought it was a bad head cold - but I guess once you experience this, you remember for the next time. I am happily on antibiotics and painkillers today an in recovery.

for the dish lovers out there

I brought out my spring dishes to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. I love love love the day three times a year when I rearrange my dishes and other pretties in the living room and dining room. Fall brings out the Peach Luster dishes from the 40's, the holidays and winter feature my green pottery from Portugal and the spring collection features Majolica and Jadeite - all pretty colors of green and blue. Skip these pictures if dish porn isn't your thing.

happy St. Patrick's Day

We celebrated early with a family party on Sunday night. We had our Irish fortunes told by a curling shamrock, old-fashioned boiled dinner, and crazy, sweaty boys playing and screaming on every floor of the house. We all got our Irish on for a night.

first spring afternoon

We have spring fever and lucked out with our first after-school and after-work weeknight with some outside play time. We broke into the playhouse (and found out the underside of the chalkboard didn't appreciate being left in a semi-wet former garden shed and developed some mold). Balls were thrown, golf club hockey was played and crocus were stamped on.

jumping girl

Em is crazy about her jumper. Aunt Peggy requested a video of her in action. This is for you Auntie!

granny square scarf

Here is a closer view of the successful granny square scarf that I just finished for Nana. I am already hot on the next one and am in love with how it turned out. The top picture is the scarf artfully draped around the neck and the bottom picture features it tied. There is definitely a front and back side to the scarf so I prefer it draped.
Enjoy Nana!

week with Nana and Jonesie

Jonesie and Nana headed back home to Wisconsin yesterday. E woke up sad and would have stayed that way all day but a lucky call came from one of his good friends to spend the afternoon at a pizza place - so there was happiness, by distraction. Even Em was out of sorts after walking up from her nap. I'm up early this morning and am missing sharing coffee with my dad. So we are all feeling the funk of a quieter house.

Special guest star

Jonesie was the special guest star in E's class this week. He talked about growing up on a farm and about all of the animals that live out in the country at their place now. The kids were most interested in the owls that they are currently studying and liked the bear stories. E was very proud to get to introduce everyone to his Jonesie but while making the introduction to the class he told them, "This is my Jonesie but you should call him Bob."

beach trip

My camera seems to be permanently ill so I haven't been blogging much this month. I borrowed Jonesie's and took some pictures of our family beach trip.
We rented a house at Cape Kiwanda and had a weekend of relaxing, reading, and sleeping. We had some beach time but the rain kept us on the move - not a lot of sand playtime.