March Madness!

This weekend is the Final Four playoff games in the NCAA basketball tournament, (Are you impressed, Eric?), which we are all pretty excited about. Eric for the games and me for the end of the games! It's not that I haven't enjoyed them, because there have been quite a few which have been great, but it's the number of games which is overwhelming. I am also a second half kind of fan. I don't really care what happens in the first half, just those last few minutes, then I'm into it. In honor of the games, I present to you Chloe going to bed tonight. (Eric got her dressed!) Although, the games are on CBS, this is just a reflection of the need we have for another boy in our family. This was Eric's first gift to ME once we found out I was pregnant with Ella. Every time they have worn it, he gets this great smile on his face. Below is NFL playoffs at our house in January! Can't wait until the NBA playoffs get going!!

Tour de Neighborhood

Ella received this bike from the Schmidt Family last fall and was just figuring it out when the weather turned cold and we had to put it away. When we got it back out a week or two ago, she had forgotten how to ride. (I thought that was something you never forget how to do?) Over these past few weeks she has gotten better and better and today we rode all the way to the park and around the neighborhood. She has even learned how to brake while going down hill and pedal harder going up! Great job Ella!

Ella had to have a purple helmet to go with her purple bike. It took me a long time to find one in her size, but we finally found this pink and purple one which was even better!

Chloe has also grown lots over the winter too. In the Fall, she was being pushed in her bike and had a seat belt! ( I know, I'm a little over cautious!) Now she gets in and out and pushes herself around the driveway trying to keep up with her big sis.

"Excuse me boys!"

Those were the words I heard Ella yelling out our window to our next door neighbor's house, where two eight year old boys were playing. She and Chloe stood at the window for quite a while watching them play and trying to talk to them. She showed them her necklace, brought out toys from her room to show them, and finally got her chair and set it up so she could sit and visit! They were nice to her and I made sure nothing was being said that shouldn't be. For the most part, they kept playing and only said a few things back, like "Yes, that's a nice necklace." I just kept thinking this is just the beginning of boys in our life. Eric is holding on to the hope that they won't marry until well into their 30s and might even just want to live with Dad forever! This picture is for poor Eric who doesn't have a chance!

Spring is here!

The girls after church on Sunday, finally able to wear short sleeves! Notice Chloe's hot red shoes, she LOVES them and carries them around the house.
Ella Bella looking so sweet!
And then there's Chloe! Here is Chloe in action. If you ask her what a monkey does, she starts to sway back and forth with her arms up, while saying, "Ooo. Ooo. Ooo." It is so funny!

Unprepared Mom

Living in New York is different than the West Coast in many ways, the one I dealt with today was kindergarten cut off is on Dec 31st, making Ella old enough to start in September. Yikes! I'm not old enough to have a kindergartner...oh, wait... yeah I am!! At first I was totally against it, but then learned that the morning session goes from 8:30am -11:15am . Just like a preschool would be, right? Here you have to register in March and that's what I did, just in case I decided to put her in. It was so weird to enter this school with huge kids running around, hallways with artwork, large double doors...I wasn't ready for this! They spent a little one on one time with Ella to see her abilities and she a great time. We have decided if we put her in this September we would have her do it again the following year once we move. She will be 5 1/2 then and be the same age as the rest of the kindergartners. I'm looking into a few preschools (kind of spendy here) and will be taking a school tour soon. I just don't know what to do! Any advice for this unprepared mom?

Where's Ella?

Yesterday Ella was having a moment, (to say the least!) and needed some time in her room. Chloe sat outside her door almost the entire time, peeking under the door. She then started to put her fingers under and so did Ella. It looked like Chloe was visiting a captured prisoner! It did get Ella back in a better mood and she was soon released!

So Good!!

This morning I tried a new recipe from the Barefoot Contessa at Home book. It's called Sunday Morning Oatmeal and it is so good! It calls for whole milk, but I used 1% and a little whole (Thanks to Chloe!). I also didn't have dried cherries so I used Craisins instead. I like oatmeal once in a while, but I could eat this everyday. I never thought of bananas in my oatmeal before, but with the heat they almost melt! Yum!!

Sunday Morning Oatmeal

1 1/2 cups whole milk, plus extra for serving
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 banana, sliced-wait until oatmeal is done so it doesn't brown
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup golden raisins
pure maple syrup or brown sugar, for serving

Heat the milk and water in a medium saucepan until it starts to simmer. Add the oatmeal and salt, bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Off the heat, stir in the bananas, cherries, and raisins. Place the lid on the pot and allow to sit for 2 minutes. Serve hot with maple syrup or brown sugar and extra milk.

A menu

Last night for dinner I was making broccoli, which Ella truly has disliked always. I was also making carrots for backup. Ella said, "Mom, I don't want broccoli or carrots." I said, "When you cook dinner, you can choose your menu." She said, "Can I see your menu?" Now taking reservations at Chrissy's Kitchen!

PS A friend at church told me a new way to cook broccoli, which I'm happy to report Ella and Chloe loved! Toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, and put in the oven for 15 minutes. Works great with any vegetable and so easy!

Title

As a stay at home mom not a day goes by without the talk of a peanut butter and jelly circle. Thanks to a Pampered Chef party a while back, she can’t have a sandwich unless it is in a circle. She was never a big sandwich eater before, but now she eats the entire thing. We have found some variety during holidays and will have peanut butter and jelly hearts, stars, stockings, Christmas trees, you name it! She has realized she has to eat something else for lunch so she created a schedule of sandwich, something else, sandwich, something else…She picks lunch, I pick dinner.

Here It Is!

Ok, I've finally sat down to start my own. I have loved reading others and at times thought I'd better not start fear of obsessing about what to say and how to make it cute!