places everybody...

quiet on the set... and action!

the girls' sprouts are on their way up and getting ready to head outside.  the bulbs in the ground (it's a long story that amanda will have to fill you in on) are actually up and starting to show great color.

Here's a bunch of photos in no particular order:

And moving outside for a bit of location work.

Don't let 'em fool ya, their not as shy as all that.

Back inside for some more work on the rehearsal stage...

Back outside for a couple more looks at the beautiful early color.


Have a nice week.

Here's a link:

http://www.foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com/

all about the knead

The girls spent some time making bread today.  Yummmmm yum!!! Amanda got the recipe from a baker named Peter Reinhardt (see link below for great discussion of his philosophy of bread).  Zoe is in the zone (as you can see) watching the bread re-awaken.

She could barely keep her hands out of the dough.

She couldn't get enough of the whole process.

Kneading the dough for her pizza... Pizza night tonight.

...and butter and jam on freshly baked bread for dessert.

Here's that link for the great talk:

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/peter_reinhart_on_bread.html

After the drought

 A pensive moment just before (or after) checking on the progress of our little baby seeds (see below).  We have many many seeds on their way up.  Can't wait to do the transition outside and start growing everything.
Got to borrow a camera from a friend from work and dang it takes some really good pictures.
A Zoe's eye view of some of our bulbish growth.

The girls have had a blast this late winter/early spring getting the front yard ready for the transition from lawn to garden.  We recent read a book called 'Food not Lawns' and have been moved to create a victory garden this year... Our phenomenal success with the tomatoes last year may be making us too cocky, but we are optimists at heart.
Have a wonderful week, we'll try to get back with you a bit sooner this time.

a spontaneous visit to whidbey island

Zoe and daddy had a busy time at the beach.
The ferry trip over is always a favorite part.
a second before she asked what the birds were doing while they were tracking the boat.
Their hair matches!
She placed the last one on top.  Dad is just too short.

Our Gigi...

This week Zoe's Gigi (Great-Grandma) died. 

We are having a celebration of her life at her home

22902 58th Ave W. Mountlake Terrace 

Sunday, October 12th from 12:30 -4:30pm

How to talk about death with a nearly 3 year old?  I found myself not sleeping over this question. We ended up finding a couple books, including a book called I miss you (a first book of death).   Zoe found the books before I was ready to read them without crying, but I pulled myself together and was able to read them to her.  She had several questions, and related the picture of the elderly woman to Gigi.  Then I told her that her Gigi died.  That was the end of talking about death and she was off playing with something else.  

I wasn't even sure if she got it,  but did tell Daddy that that Gigi died.

We have much work to do today, so I need to sign off for now.

Love to all, 

Amanda

Just a Quick Link that Made Me Sit Still

http://paperforest.blogspot.com/2008/08/singing-papers.html

enjoy

Mommy's Mondays: Forest Park, Now and Then...

Here we are, Renee and I at Forest Park, August, 1988.  

Yes, 20 years ago.  

Working for the State has been just about one of the best decisions I have ever made.  One of the many reasons is that I am now on a 4 10 schedule and have every Monday off with Zoe.  

We have had some great Mom and Me time together so far, and wanted to share with you last Monday's adventure with our friends Renee and Connor.  

We decided to head over to Forest Park right here in Everett which is a 100 acre wooded park with a great playground, water park, petting Zoo among many other activities.  We had a great picnic and play time.  Needless to say, we were very late on our nap time!  

 Zoe loved feeding the horse the grass that he was reaching for.  I am not sure that it is actually allowed, but we sure had a great time, and the horse seemed to love hanging out with everyone at the fence.

Here are Connor and Zoe trying to get as wet and cold as possible!

  Zoe loved how soft the calves were.  

Connor and Zoe playing in the train.

 Renee had a great idea for using business cards as train tickets to get on the train.  All the kids loved that!