Mr. Sticky

Another fun outing to see the Giants. This one was with ladies from my Mothers Together small group and their kids. We got a little ambitious on this one, thinking we could take multiple kids to AT&T park for a Monday afternoon game without the husbands. It was a raining June day and I was very fortunate to have asked my parents to meet us and help out. Otherwise we would have been doomed trying to get into and out of the stadium without a stroller and get the kids to sit through the game. We didn't see too much of the game, but the Giants pounded on the Cubbies pretty hard and Jack chanted "Go Giants!" throughout.

Bouncing Cosette in the Ergo forever trying to get her to sleep. We were in the second to top row in the whole stadium, which worked out nicely so I could stand and rock her.

 Jack and Papa sharing a cherro. Papa kept calling him Mr. Sticky from the sugary hands and he cracked up again and again.

 My parents watching the game with Claire, one of Jack's friends

Teaching Baby

Jack is teaching baby to use the exer-saucer.

2-Year-Olds Can Bake

We wanted to make something special for Papa since we didn't get to see him on Father's Day and we are visiting his house this weekend. Jackson has been really interested in watching anything I do in the kitchen, pushing the stool over and saying "I watch" for anything from making smoothies to toast, he must watch. He's actually pretty good about not touching or grabbing, especially if things are hot. So, being inspired by the toddler friendly French recipe below in my latest read (Bring Up Bebe, which is excellent, by the way) we made Papa a yogurt cake, and yes, Jackson did do much of it by himself. The key is that you use the yogurt container to scoop and dump the other ingredients, so the kids can do a lot of it themselves, with a huge mess of course. Jackson was pretty into this activity!

Dumping in yogurt containers of flour.

A little stir with the big spoon. Stirring was the most challenging part since the batter was thick. I admit to helping with this step a bit.

  Very carefully adding the chocolate chips. He wanted to do this one by one, which took a while.

 He did not try to eat the chocolate and thanks to his personal hygiene preferences he doesn't like his hands dirty so he didn't stick his hands in the bowl. Cosette did try to get her hands and leg in and succeeded. He's very serious about his work. I couldn't get him to look up, smile, or take the "bink" out.

 Cosette kept herself busy by munching on the side of the Bumbo.

 

 The last of the ingredients added

 

 with enthusiasm.

 Spooning it into the loaf pan. The batter was yummy, though I'm the only one who tasted it. Also a shot of the aftermath. Coco is a little stunned.

 "I love you Papa." Cake ready to deliver tomorrow.

 

 A little forlorn that we can't see Papa immediately. He spent the rest of the evening nervously asking to see Papa now. I guess we can't mention "Papa's House" a day in advance without upsetting the little guy.

Recipe: Yogurt Cake (gâteau au yaourt)

Summary: adapted from Bringing Up Bébé

Ingredients

• 2 (6oz) containers of plain yogurt (keep containers for measuring the other ingredients)
• 2 eggs
• 2 containers sugar (my son’s scoops were about 3/4 full)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• just under 1 container of vegetable oil (my son filled his)
• 4 containers flour (my sons were all different)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 container mini chocolate chips or 2 containers of frozen berries (optional)
• Crème fraîche (optional)
• powdered sugar (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F
2. Coat a loaf pan or 9″ round cake pan with cooking spray or oil.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and oil.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.
5. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stir until just combined. You can now add the chocolate chips or berries if using them.
6. Scopp it all into your baking pan, bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden and the cake springs up when touched (or when a toothpick inserted is pulled out clean). Let it cool on a rack.
7. Dust with powdered sugar (optional) and serve with the Crème fraîche (optional).

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)
Cooking time: 40 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 8

Thumb Sucker!

She's found her thumb and she loves it!

 

 Going for the apples

Dan's Photo Editing

Dan has typically taken very little interest in managing and editing our photos, but he has a new phone app and now he's hooked on taking and doctoring up photos. Fun for me after years of being the only one interested in this pursuit. Here are some of our creations.

Mothers Together Spring Brunch

2 years ago I joined an amazing ministry for moms called Mothers Together. I have made so many friends, especially in the last year, and I'm so thankful to have somewhere to go and meet with moms where we can hear from God and get to know each other. There is great child care for Jackson and Cosette can start in the fall as well (gotta get that girl eating from a bottle!) so that I can have uninterrupted adult time. Needless to say I look forward to Tuesday mornings every week. We just had our spring brunch to celebrate the year as the group breaks until the fall.

Me with friend Jey

 Waiting for the program to start with Melody and Jey. As you can see, many new baby #2's coming along this summer for my friends

 With Steph. Her boy Peter is a week younger than Cosette

 Enjoying treats and music

 Cosette and her friend Adelie checking each other out.

 Cosette and Adelie playing already

The theme was a French brunch. This is as close as Cosy and I have gotten to the Eiffle Tower...so far. That will have to change someday.