Finally ...

I've been trying to figure out why I have been avoiding this blog like the plague!  And I think (after weeks of serious contemplation!) that I was dreading it because it has been so long since I've written anything.  It felt like I would have to go back to where I left off and update everyone on exactly what we've been doing for 3 1/2 months!  And that was a project that I just couldn't manage the thought of.  So instead, I will just pick up from today and pretend like I never missed a beat.  And that way I will start writing again, and it won't seem so daunting, and you can stop hassling me to write something (you know who you are!!).

I did want to tell you about one big milestone that we hit in the last few months.  My son turned one.  We had a lovely lego party with some friends in town to celebrate his big day.

I have a lot of fun coming up with birthday party themes and ideas.  Kara's birthday party is tomorrow and she has chosen to have a purple party.  At first I thought that would be a dud, but it's actually great and there are tons of things we are going to do with the purple theme.  I promise, pictures of that party to follow (probably tomorrow) and not in 3 months :)

Jonas on the move ... sort of

Jonas will be 10 months old at the end of June but he is still not crawling.  You've got to feel a bit sorry from him because he's had absolutely no help from us.  I remember when Kara was starting to move around, I would get on the floor with her and help her arms and legs to move the right way and I would crawl for her to show her how it was done.

Kara in June 2009

But Jonas gets none of that.  When I see him starting to rock on his hands and knees I think "oh no, he's almost crawling!"  And that means a whole lot more work for me!!
But even though he's not officially crawling, he is moving around.  He has figured out how to push himself around on his tummy on the slide-y hardwood floors.  He pushes himself backwards and then finds himself stuck under furniture because he couldn't see where he was going.

If we could get him to go forwards instead, he would mop up his drool puddles as he goes, but because he goes backwards, there is a lovely little slug trail to show us where he has gone!

And finally, he has been doing lots of acrobats in his crib lately too because we've been finding him in all sorts of strange positions when we go to get him.  After his morning nap today, this is how I found him.  I was wondering why he was fussing so much in there!

Jonas sitting facing the corner of his crib, one arm out of his sleepsack, hunched over his stuffed bear, sound asleep.

Cookies please

So I've tried my absolute hardest to prevent Kara from having the same sweet tooth that Curtis has ... but I think I need to suck in my pride and admit defeat ... even if not gracefully.

Today Kara woke up from her nap and asked for a cookie for her snack.  I told her that she could have some watermelon first and that if she was still hungry, she could have a cookie.  Well, she wolfed the watermelon down and then said she was ready for her cookie.  I reminded her she could only have one.  And then the conversation went like this:

Kara:  I think I should have two puz I'm two Mom.

Me:  No Kara, only one.

Kara:  Dad, my friend, could I have two cookies please?!

I'm absolutely sure that if I had not been home, she could probably have had as many cookies as she wanted because she knows how to work her dad.  But thankfully, I was here.  

And as my heart nearly burst with the joy and laughter of her lovely two-ness, I handed her 1 1/2 cookies :)

Black Bean Couscous Salad

The first time I made this recipe, it was on the occasion of having my first vegetarian friend over for a girls lunch.  I was nervous and didn't have any experience cooking vegetarian meals (which sounds so silly now, but I really was worked up about it!)  This salad fit the bill because it was really easy and didn't have any weird ingredients in it.  Needless to say, I loved it and have made it regularly since then.  It works great for a potluck salad because it makes tons.  And it was my gateway meal into the realm of vegetarian cuisine which has opened up a whole new world to us. 

Hope you like it :)

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked couscous
• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 8 green onions, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring chicken broth to a boil in a 2 quart or larger sauce pan and stir in the couscous. Cover the pot and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin. Add green onions, red pepper, cilantro, corn and beans and toss to coat.
3. Fluff the couscous well, breaking up any chunks. Add to the bowl with the vegetables and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fork & Spoon

Tonight we were all sitting around the table and all of a sudden Kara starts singing a made-up song (this in itself is not abnormal!) and the words went like this:

Jesus died on a fork and spoon, Jesus died on the cross
Jesus died on a fork and spoon, Jesus died on the cross.

What??  Then we looked at her plate and she had made her fork and spoon into a cross.

Amazing.

However, after this little ditty went on for 10+ minutes, we were getting tired of hearing the story and asked her to please be quiet and finish her supper.  So the song ended like this:

Jesus died on a fork and spoon
And that's the end of my sermon.

Needless to say, we were all in tears ... laughing tears, amazed tears and also Good Friday grief tears from the story told by a two year old.

My loves ...

I can't help it ... I'm in love :)

Easter ponderings around our home

With Easter quickly approaching, we've been talking to Kara more about why we celebrate Easter and that Jesus died but now He's alive again.  We've been going to the lenten services at church too, and even though Kara is quite squirmy and you would think that she's not taking anything in, she hears EVERYTHING that is said.  Last week, the Scripture reading was about Jesus being beaten before being crucified.  Kara was on my lap and all of a sudden she looks at me and says "they spit on Jesus?"  So I whispered in her ear that Jesus was very good and nice but that some people didn't like him and they hit him and spit on him.  She looked very confused, but then said "tell it to me again", so I told her again.  She sat and took it in for awhile, and then suddenly she turns to me, puts her hand on my forehead and says "I bless you in God and I spit on you, Amen".  It was the sweetest blessing I've ever heard :)

We've also been listening to some of our Easter music.  Kara's most favourite song (well, for this week anyways) is called Sunday by Tree63.  You can listen to it here.  She runs around inside and outside singing "Sunday ... Hallelujah ... it's not far away".  She's also making up her own Easter songs that go something like "I forgive you, Jesus died, He's alive again, Life is a Highway".  They are a sweet, sweet song to Jesus I am sure.

I have been blessed by the song Sunday lately, not just thinking about Good Friday and Easter Sunday, but basically all of my days.  Feeling like some days are just Friday days for me, but the hope that fills me knowing that Sunday is coming (maybe a new day, maybe spring, maybe Easter, maybe heaven ... different things to me on different days) brings an energy to my step when I need it and a smile to my otherwise scowly face.

And what is Jonas doing while Kara is talking?  Lots of sleeping through the nights (Hallelujah!) and eating everything we put in front of him.  His only talking so far is "ba ba ba" and it might be the only thing he has a chance to get in with his sister anyways!  We've been enjoying the spring-like weather and have pulled out the bike trailer and both kids love it.  So looking like lots of stroller rides and bike rides this year - all good exercise for parents that have gotten a little bit round over the winter!

And a couple more pictures ...

New summer hats - getting ready for our beach holiday in August

Baking helpers for Banana Oatmeal Craisin cookies