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Exhibit A: Henry's old bedding that Kate now uses. I just picked up that pink bird crib sheet last week, so we pulled the old one up (which looked just like the bumper/blanket) and changed it out and now this is what she's sleeping on. I think it works. There was no way I was buying a whole new crib get-up and honestly was not bent on 'girl-ifying' (I think I just made that up) it, I just happened to spot that bird crib sheet and it followed me out of the store.
Exhibit B: Fabric that I picked up on my birthday downtown. I made it into a Summer dress for Kate over the weekend. Isn't that funny? It's like the exact same color scheme and design (sort-of). Random area's of contrasting color. Is your head exploding? Mine is. Does that mean it was all meant to be? The planets aligning or something like that. The fabric aligning…cosmo's? What am i saying? I'm really liking this pattern. It's the same pattern I used for Kate's Easter dress.  The entire thing makes up in about an hour, give or take. It's nice because there are no zippers or buttons or elastic. Just these ties that remind me of big, floppy bunny ears. Plus, it can grow with her. The ties can be tied higher, etc.,. And when she gets too tall, she can wear some pants underneath (confession: I love dresses paired with pants). I'm pretty much hoping this dress will see her through her college years.

A bit late posting, but Miss Kate turned a whopping 11 months on the 14th of April. She's a little sass-master this one. She can out-eat her brother and has finally moved beyond the army crawl to actually crawling. She can sign "all done","more", "eat", "milk", "drink". Last week we caught her 'raising the roof'. She has started 'screeching' which has left me partially deaf in my right ear. We think she knows Chinese. Those two middle fingers are still her best friend. She likes to suck on them while rubbing/pinching your neck (ouch). She is learning to rub/pinch her own neck which is even better. She has officially out-grown her co-sleeper and we have set up Henry's crib in our room. I was noticing that Henry's crib sheet/set is very similar to a dress I made for Kate this past weekend (will share more on that tomorrow.) She is becoming so fun and can't believe she will be turning the big "1" in a few weeks!

Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies that is. I haven't made these in ages and forgot how good they are. Here's the recipe so you can make them, too!

Add the first 4 ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, and boil for 1 minute. Stir in the next 3 ingredients and drop onto wax/foil paper. Let cool until set.

We took a Sunday drive (a habit, it would seem as of late) to the Angeles National Forest and needed a quick treat  and these were perfect. Except it did make me a little woosey (ALOT woosey). All those switchbacks, the sugar, the headache, the children…oy. I can barely talk about it, let alone type it. Cookie disclaimer: Avoid operating heavy machinery, high altitudes and swimming when consuming.

We took the children down to Carlsbad this afternoon for the annual "Flower Fields" festival where they have over 50 acres of Tecolote Giant Ranunculus. Sigh. It was amazing. It looked like a giant quilt of never-ending flowers. You can see an aerial shot here.
We took a tractor ride around the 50 acres which left everyone feeling like this: It was perfect. I love, love, love ranunculus.  They are so gorgeous. I wish these pictures did them justice. They harvest 200,000 bulbs per acre (or 6-8 million bulbs) every year. I wish you could have all come along to see it. You would have loved it, I promise. There was kettle corn:and corn cut-outs (a.k.a. children of the corn):And two very happy children in the flower fields. I think the red/orange/pink ones were my favorite combination. Did you know they only sell 1-2% of these?We can't wait to go again next year!

Love, love, love.

Happy weekend!

xo

I pooled my birthday money together and splurged. I have been wanting this diaper bag for the last 18 months. My other diaper bag was hammered (and yes, that's me babbling along about how badly I wanted this very bag.) 4 years of spilled drinks, crushed up crackers, cheerios and stinky diapers. Gross. The thing was literally falling apart at the seams. And now, there is such joy. Plus, it matches the blog. I had no other choice.

Today was hot. We had a last minute trip to the beach this afternoon.  So last minute, that there were no towels, swim trunks, umbrellas or change of clothes. Zip, zilch, zero. So we skipped rocks and played in the sand. Today was the day that this little boy decided he was no longer afraid of the water. He wanted in. It started out slowly. Toes first. And then he wanted bare legs. I couldn't get him out. He wants to go back tomorrow.
There was exploring, eating of sandy rocks and sagging, sandy undies (as it should be). There were naps in the stroller, quiet time, pants being dried by the warm sun and hours of basking in the warmth of it all.
It was a very sandy ride home but I think we absolutely must go back tomorrow.

I've just returned home from a funeral for one of my childhood friends. I think I was about 11 or 12 when we first met. She lived one street over from me and we were in the same ward. I can't seem to get her big, infectious smile out of my mind or her beautiful red hair. She had one of those wonderfully spunky personalities that most redheads are lucky enough to possess. I am so sorry and sad about her loss. There are so many unanswered questions and what if's…you'll make yourself crazy thinking about all the whys. But she was truely wonderful and loved and will be missed by so very many.

Hope you had a wonderful day! Ours started bright and early (a little too bright and early if you know what I mean) and all Easter baskets were found and loved. Henry would like the Easter bunny to know that he does NOT like jelly beans and why did you put them in Kate's basket? She's too little to eat jelly beans. Sheesh.
Bunny ears from Grandma were passed to and fro: And the Mama & baby chicks were embroidered on Kate's dress just in the nick of time: Although Henry decided to forgo any and all embroidery on his Easter pants, he was pleased as punch to be matchy matchy with Kate. All in all, we give this Easter two thumbs up. Hope you had a wonderful day, too!

Happy Easter!