The Rest of Us

As for the rest of the family, we are fine. I am on week four of a nine-week running program called "Couch to 5K", meaning that it takes a couch potato and teaches her to run 5K. It's very well planned with intervals of running and walking and there is a podcast it all timed out to good music. Right now I can run 5 minutes straight, which is a lot longer than I could before! When the ballet studio gets going again in July I will start Zumba too - mostly as a reward for slogging through the running. For those of you who haven't heard of it, Zumba is a latin dance exercise class. Really works the core muscles and legs and the music gets someone like me going! Exercising 3 times a week has been good for my mental well-being, too. We've been pretty cooped up and going for a walk with the kids in a stroller is not the same thing as getting my heart-rate up for 30 minutes. Plus, I can think - or not think and just look at the scenery.

Father's Day is next week on Sunday the 20th and Les will turn 70 on July 24th. That's a big one! I'll host a little brunch over here on Sunday for the dads. I'm planning smoked salmon, bagels and lox, quiche, spinach salad. I have been craving smoked salmon ever since the brunch after Erin's wedding. Doris has booked the Tanque Verde Guest Ranch for 14 people the following Sunday for Les's birthday party. It's a fun, kinda campy atmosphere. Emma will enjoy seeing the horses. Chris and Mel and Taylor are still in Canada so it won't be quite so festive for Les (or so awkward for the rest of us).

Speaking of Erin's wedding, they should be back from the honeymoon (Caribbean cruise - O, happy cliche!) It was a really special ceremony, focusing on how geekiness will keep them together. ;) Erin and AJ did a great job planning the whole weekend, and we loved every bit.

This week we'll paint (and by we, I mean someone paid by the company) the curvy wall in our backyard and the wall by the gate a striking accent color called Yam. Nick picked it out is all I can say, but I am very excited about it. I don't think I have the guts to go that bold. If it's bad, hey, it's only paint. If it's good, it will be Nick's first decorating decision as a homeowner! We cleaned out the area that had been full of junk and cut down the bottlebrush (it wasn't doing great and we love to rip out plants!) Nick has decided (give him an inch...) that we should put a sandbox back there for Emma and Jack. I see monkey bars in the future and a hideout. So, it'll be a play area. As if the rest of the yard isn't?! Now, I'm all for fun, but sand is a nuisance. It's going to get really gross quick with the melted popsicles, etc. And it'll be all over her and in her clothes, and therefore all over the house. And she'll just want to transport it via bucket and shovel to the grass or pool or table. I know my kid, and a sandbox is a bad idea. But that's all I'll say on the matter!

On the subject of the yard, I'm really proud of my Tasha Tudor -style front yard. The perrenials are all filled in and beautiful and I just planted angelonias, zinnias, pentas and hollyhock. It looks like somewhere else and I can see it from my kitchen window all cheerful out there! New favorite for low water color is gomphrena. Look it up! In the backyard, the grass has mostly recovered and we are getting awesome zucchini, tomatoes, peppers and green beans. It's a feast every night, and soon the butternut squash will be ready too! Our fruit trees are in their second year and the apricots were wonderful, although not nearly enough of them. Looks like the plums will be next. And the ground cover back there is finally coming in, teucrium and veronica, and something I can't remember. Nick just likes to experiment with stuff so he can see how it grows.

What all is Emma doing? She is swinging on the trapeze bar like a little monkey. Saying really cute things like, "Caillou now pease?" She can go up and down the stairs without assistance (though we don't trust her to do it alone yet). She likes to vroom her little hot wheels around and carries a naked plastic baby everywhere. That's gender-balanced, don't you think? Her favorite book is "Green Eggs and Ham" and she can practically recite "I Like Me", a simple book about a pig (and pig's healthy self-esteem). Oh yeah! I almost forgot! She is potty-trained when she is awake! Still doing pull-ups at night and naps, but it is wonderful to be able to trust that she'll go on her own. Hasn't had an accident in weeks! What else? If she wants you to go away, she diplomatically and cheerfully says, "Bye! See ya later!" She kisses on Jack and calls him silly and replaces his paci if she thinks he needs it. Yesterday, she got her own snack out of the cupboard and put it in a ziploc baggie. Pretty grown up I think!

Now it is time to make a little lunch. So I hope this gets you all caught up. I'll try to write after Jack's Dr visit tomorrow.
Much much love to you,
Katie