Ever since our CRM conference this past summer, Jesse has fondly remembered two 5 year-old twin girls, Lexi and Bella. ( I think they barely even played with Jesse and were having a hard time remembering Jesse, even though they had made a strong impression.)
But this week-end they came to visit San Francisco with their parents and older sister Karis. What a blast! They stayed upstairs from us so we had meal after meal with each other and the kids ran up and down the hallways. We parents got to chat between interuptions too which was great since we seem to have a lot in common. They work with CRM and are planning to relocate overseas in the near future too. Peanut also benefited from our visitors--extra ball throwing and attention even when she was growly at them in the house. The girls were so cool and not the least intimidated by an anxious Peanut.
Jesse was almost in tears as he watched his friends drive away this evening back down to SoCal.
Darren and I were exhausted and hurriedly got the kids in bed for some relaxation time.
As I tucked J in, he said to me, "Why are you not growing anymore?" I said "Because I'm old." And Jesse said, "When you get old you die, but that's funny, you're not dead."
Monday, February 19, 2007
Monday, February 12, 2007
A Parade of Friends
Yesterday turned out to be a fabulous day for us (pam and the 2 kids) to connect with so many friends--to our surprise. I assumed it would be a relative downer of a day since Jesse was feverish and, consequently, very sorrowful to not be able to see his friends at church. (Darren and Luci made it to church.)
BUT Jesse relaxed and watched TV, then napped, all while I sat on the front steps or laid on my bed reading Cesar's Way, a great book on how a dog thinks.
After Luci was returned to me quickly by Darren who was off to a church meeting, Scott stopped by. It was nice to visit with him while J elicited sympathy from him and Luci flirted with him by ramming her baby stroller into his leg. He promised me a loaf of bread since he was taking our car to go shopping.
We ushered Scott out and Luci into a nap. Then J and I had some time together. He wanted to ride his bike and do side-walk chalk. So we headed outside with the bike, helmet, chalk, and dog book. The picture of dogs on the front cover made Jesse reflect on the death of our dog friend George. who was an old basset hound, by euthanasia. While Jesse was repeatedly acting out being the recipient of a shot whose body was going limp, the Lockies, George's family, came down the sidewalk. It became an impromptu playdate with their kids!
Then Natasha, Scott's housemate passed by and we said hello.
Soon Luci woke up and the 3 of us plus Pea walked the Lockies back to their house for their church service at 4:30. On our way we ran into some Sojourner's church women going to the service and so they migrated with us. Retracing our steps back to our house, we ran into another family we know and then the Outer Circle team going to church.
We found Darren at home and the evening progressed as it normally would--you know, dinner, baths, bedtime for the kids. I met up with Annalies at 7 and we walked to get ice cream with Peanut. Scott also made a brief appearance at our house with my loaf of bread.
Let me just say that these (people) and the neighborliness of the Mission are a few of my favorite things. Thinking of leaving it all behind and moving to London seems very hard. But it was a great day.
BUT Jesse relaxed and watched TV, then napped, all while I sat on the front steps or laid on my bed reading Cesar's Way, a great book on how a dog thinks.
After Luci was returned to me quickly by Darren who was off to a church meeting, Scott stopped by. It was nice to visit with him while J elicited sympathy from him and Luci flirted with him by ramming her baby stroller into his leg. He promised me a loaf of bread since he was taking our car to go shopping.
We ushered Scott out and Luci into a nap. Then J and I had some time together. He wanted to ride his bike and do side-walk chalk. So we headed outside with the bike, helmet, chalk, and dog book. The picture of dogs on the front cover made Jesse reflect on the death of our dog friend George. who was an old basset hound, by euthanasia. While Jesse was repeatedly acting out being the recipient of a shot whose body was going limp, the Lockies, George's family, came down the sidewalk. It became an impromptu playdate with their kids!
Then Natasha, Scott's housemate passed by and we said hello.
Soon Luci woke up and the 3 of us plus Pea walked the Lockies back to their house for their church service at 4:30. On our way we ran into some Sojourner's church women going to the service and so they migrated with us. Retracing our steps back to our house, we ran into another family we know and then the Outer Circle team going to church.
We found Darren at home and the evening progressed as it normally would--you know, dinner, baths, bedtime for the kids. I met up with Annalies at 7 and we walked to get ice cream with Peanut. Scott also made a brief appearance at our house with my loaf of bread.
Let me just say that these (people) and the neighborliness of the Mission are a few of my favorite things. Thinking of leaving it all behind and moving to London seems very hard. But it was a great day.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Little Boys
For so long we have wished for more boys for Jesse to play with. But it just hasn't worked out so well.
Thank God there is Brent next door. He is an almost 5 year old who comes home from preschool at 3 p.m., a time that is newly open to Jesse as he doesn't nap anymore. In months past, the boys have exchanged toys and Halloween costumes and we mothers have been chatting a little bit, but it seems that the boy to boy relationship is just getting the chance to blossom.
In the last couple of weeks, jesse has been over to play and Brent has come over to our house. One day Jesse was lamenting the fact that he wasn't going to be able to see Papa Dan's train for a long time. But when we went over to Brent's, there was a small train very much like Papa Dan's!
Today, after Jesse hung out at Brent's, Jesse, Brent, and Marvin (a 7 year-old friend of Brent's) came over to our house. (Pea didn't know what to make of it so she had to be put out back.) The boys indulged Luci (it seems they always do) and let her be a monster that would "Roar!" at them and chase them down the hallway into Jesse's tent. When they would scream and cower in the tent, she would say, "No, I'm nice monster."
Marvin heard J say he got something at church, and Marvin asked if Jesse went to bible school. I said "No, he goes to church and he did go to Vacation Bible School once." So Marvin said, "I want to go to bible school sometime and have that teacher because I have a book at home about the Great Teacher." I said "Do you mean Jesus?" He said "Yeah."
Thank God there is Brent next door. He is an almost 5 year old who comes home from preschool at 3 p.m., a time that is newly open to Jesse as he doesn't nap anymore. In months past, the boys have exchanged toys and Halloween costumes and we mothers have been chatting a little bit, but it seems that the boy to boy relationship is just getting the chance to blossom.
In the last couple of weeks, jesse has been over to play and Brent has come over to our house. One day Jesse was lamenting the fact that he wasn't going to be able to see Papa Dan's train for a long time. But when we went over to Brent's, there was a small train very much like Papa Dan's!
Today, after Jesse hung out at Brent's, Jesse, Brent, and Marvin (a 7 year-old friend of Brent's) came over to our house. (Pea didn't know what to make of it so she had to be put out back.) The boys indulged Luci (it seems they always do) and let her be a monster that would "Roar!" at them and chase them down the hallway into Jesse's tent. When they would scream and cower in the tent, she would say, "No, I'm nice monster."
Marvin heard J say he got something at church, and Marvin asked if Jesse went to bible school. I said "No, he goes to church and he did go to Vacation Bible School once." So Marvin said, "I want to go to bible school sometime and have that teacher because I have a book at home about the Great Teacher." I said "Do you mean Jesus?" He said "Yeah."
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
The kiddos
In lieu of some pictures, because I never seem to have battery power on my camera when I want it, here's some recent snapshots.....
Today, Luci reminded us to turn her "mookis" on during her nap. She's always one step ahead of us telling us what is coming next. Her word for music always sounds like mucus to us.
She also enjoyed taking her black baby for a walk in the stroller to Casa Guadalupe (our market at 22nd and Folsom) and greeting everybody walking by.
Yesterday, Jesse recounted his dream to us, this one is a recurring one.....Jesse's walking along a beach and Santa is walking towards him when Santa grabs Jesse and stuffs Jesse's face in his beard. Jesse's not scared by this, he thinks it's funny just as we do.
The other day as Darren and Jesse were in the car returning a friend to his apartment, Jesse looked out his open window and said to the man on the street "I just have my measuring tape in my golden cape." J has taken to my "Do-It-Herself" measuring tape. It is the ultimate toy--we have been measured from all angles.
Today, Luci reminded us to turn her "mookis" on during her nap. She's always one step ahead of us telling us what is coming next. Her word for music always sounds like mucus to us.
She also enjoyed taking her black baby for a walk in the stroller to Casa Guadalupe (our market at 22nd and Folsom) and greeting everybody walking by.
Yesterday, Jesse recounted his dream to us, this one is a recurring one.....Jesse's walking along a beach and Santa is walking towards him when Santa grabs Jesse and stuffs Jesse's face in his beard. Jesse's not scared by this, he thinks it's funny just as we do.
The other day as Darren and Jesse were in the car returning a friend to his apartment, Jesse looked out his open window and said to the man on the street "I just have my measuring tape in my golden cape." J has taken to my "Do-It-Herself" measuring tape. It is the ultimate toy--we have been measured from all angles.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Family Day!
It was great Saturday--freshly milled whole-wheat pancakes at the Scandrettes, hang-out time at Precita Park, drop-in visits by Fish and Joe, and then a date with Darren commencing at 5:30. And now I'm blogging. Truly today was a success.
Today, Luci colored over a bed in her Barney coloring book and said "I colored a nap".
At 5:15pm, Jesse and I went for a run around the block with Pea. Jesse sported his golden cape, stopped me repeatedly and then said, "on your market, get set, GO!
Today, Luci colored over a bed in her Barney coloring book and said "I colored a nap".
At 5:15pm, Jesse and I went for a run around the block with Pea. Jesse sported his golden cape, stopped me repeatedly and then said, "on your market, get set, GO!
Easy Chocolate Cake!
Jesse and I made some SIMPLE chocolate cake yesterday after he sucessfully took about an hour of quiet time in his room. The hour of course consisted of me having to set up his train tracks with him in his room and contained a visit to the bathroom but went pretty smoothly.
Then I tried this recipe which I highly recommend for the vegan, lazy, tired, or moms who need a simple recipe to do with their children. It takes one dish folks, the very dish you bake it in!
Here it is, fresh from the a cook-book I found on the sidewalk. Guess it WAS worth toting home!
Crazy Cocoa Cake
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flourn (I use whole wheat)
1 c. granulated sugar (why not brown?)
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
5 Tbsp. salad oil
1 TBSP vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. cold water
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a 9-inch square pan. make 3 depressions in flour mixture and evenly distribute oil, vinegar, and vanilla among them. Pour cold water over all.
With a rubber spatula, combine ingredients, scraping sides and bottom of pan to mix thoroughly (a few lumps may remain in batter.)
Bake in a 350 degree oven until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean (about 30 minutes). Let cool in pan on rack Sift powdered sugar over cake before serving. Makes 8 servings.
I like to added about 3/4 c. chocolate chips to make the chocolate a littel more intense. Darren said, "this is actually kinda good." A fairly high compliment from a man who doesn't like cake.
Then I tried this recipe which I highly recommend for the vegan, lazy, tired, or moms who need a simple recipe to do with their children. It takes one dish folks, the very dish you bake it in!
Here it is, fresh from the a cook-book I found on the sidewalk. Guess it WAS worth toting home!
Crazy Cocoa Cake
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flourn (I use whole wheat)
1 c. granulated sugar (why not brown?)
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
5 Tbsp. salad oil
1 TBSP vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. cold water
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a 9-inch square pan. make 3 depressions in flour mixture and evenly distribute oil, vinegar, and vanilla among them. Pour cold water over all.
With a rubber spatula, combine ingredients, scraping sides and bottom of pan to mix thoroughly (a few lumps may remain in batter.)
Bake in a 350 degree oven until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean (about 30 minutes). Let cool in pan on rack Sift powdered sugar over cake before serving. Makes 8 servings.
I like to added about 3/4 c. chocolate chips to make the chocolate a littel more intense. Darren said, "this is actually kinda good." A fairly high compliment from a man who doesn't like cake.