First Days of Summer

The first weekend of summer brought a sweltering heat...106...
104...eh, no problem. We still went to the California Living Museum and familiarized ourselves with all the animals indigenous to our area that you must stay away from: bears, bobcats, eagles, rattlesnakes...

Then we hurried back to buy a grill and make dinner for Ah Katie and Robert who were stopping in for a visit on their way home to San Clemente. Ah Katie looks so fantastic, healthy and beautiful, and Zoe immediately clung to Robert as if no time at all had passed.

Robert has TWO girlfriends.

The Return of Unca Stu

Unca Stu swang by for a quick visit to reclaim the hearts of his two favorite nieces. There's been lots of squeals and giggles since he walked through our door this morning. Even though Stu was coming off a four day business trip in Vegas, baby, Vegas and not much sleep, the mean sister that I am, I planned a trip to a local farm to pick some fruits and vegetables. In no time, Stu was covered in girls in the blazing heat, pulling a wagon and searching for berries.

Gathering berries, although seemingly an idyllic pastime, was not that easy. The blueberry bushes were really picked over and the ones we did manage to find were quickly eaten by the little one in the wagon. She fed a couple to me and I realized she was on to something - fresh blueberries warmed by the sun are quite tasty.
It was pretty hot and getting hotter. We couldn't find the strawberries, the peaches weren't quite ripe and although the blackberries were ripe, who eats blackberries?
As everyone was beginning to get pink, flushed and dehydrated, we made a break for it and ran back to the main store to purchase some fruits and veggies so we wouldn't go home empty handed. We bought delicious cherries, heirloom tomatoes, yummy nectarines, strawberries, zucchini, avocados, and lots and lots of blueberries. Plus a peach pie. Hmm, maybe we were shopping hungry? So, we went to get something to eat. Unca Stu even makes restaurants fun and is just plain awesome to have around.

Pizza Night

Zoe cooked dinner tonight. No, really, she really did.

It was suppose to be a fun project for all three of us, but Athena quickly tired of taking one bite of each pepperoni and placing it on the pizza and soon returned to her 1,086th viewing of Peter Pan.

In the end Zoe was covered in pizza sauce, there was cheese all over the floor, but she was so proud of herself (as you can see from her "cheesy" grin). And, you know what, aside from the half eated pepperonis and uneven distribution of cheese and toppings, it was darn good!

100 Degrees!

It's suppose to reach a high of 100 degrees today. Forcast for tomorrow is 101 and 102 on Wednesday. Pfft. No problem! We've got spray toys in our parks, a freezer full of popsicles and swimming pools. I say, bring on the heat!

My Daddy is Great

My Daddy is great because...

he loves me and he is so big

he makes animals talk

he loves to play games with me

he loves to read stories to me

he loves to play and dance

because he loves...I can't 'member!

By Athena Michelle Marie L. (Father's Day 2008)

photo also by Athena

Happy Father's Day!

House Hunting

We went house hunting today and looked at a new home community a short distance from our current apartment. The new community has playgrounds, parks, a swimming pool and landscaped front lawns that are cared for by the HOA. They are about halfway built with a new block that should be completed at the end of August. The model we fell in love with is just out of our price range. But, maybe, by the time they complete the next house grouping, the market will be so bad that they may be desperate enough to cut us a huge deal. It would be wonderful to live in new home!

Athena loved walking around the model homes with their fake food and well decorated rooms.

But she especially loved the doorless electric car that the real estate agent whisked us around in showing the available properties and manicured neighborhood. It was just under 100 degrees today, whew. We not ready to buy yet (gotta sell our house in NY first), but we can dream can't we?

Best Shot

I know YiaYia is jonesing for some pictures of her girls. This is my favorite shot of the ones I took today. I think it captures their unique personalities. It's so hard to get them to look at the camera at the same time, let alone stop moving for two seconds.

Most photos turn out like this...

California Girls

Athena got her first library card today.

It has her name on it.

She checked out five books and three DVDs.

After that we went to the gym and got smoothies.

We spent the afternoon swimming.

Zoe likes to soak up the sun.

( Chris thinks this is an awful picture of his princess...I think it's funny! )

Wash Day

This is what happens when Zoe's blanket goes into the wash...

...and, yes, our washing machine and dryer are outside (in a closet off the patio) which means it never gets cold enough that you can't do your laundry outside!

New School

Both Athena and Zoe started new schools today. Athena will be attending three full days per week and Zoe three mornings on the same days, but at different schools. Zoe cried bitterly when we dropped Athena off at her new school. She wanted to stay, but she is still too little for preschool.

They say Zoe did well at her daycare center although she was crying when I picked her up ("Mommy, hold me, hold me, hold me!"). I quickly got her home, wrapped her in her favorite blanket and snuggled with her until she got sleepy, which wasn't long considering she was exhausted from the events of her busy morning.

This new routine will allow me 18 childless hours a week to focus on work! Plus, there is room for lots of Zoe snuggle time sans big sister. For now I think it will work really well, but the trouble with schedules and children is that they are in a constant state of flux.

Here's Athena all dressed up for her first day at her new school:

The girls checked out what will be Athena's new classroom, while I signed papers.
Zoe jumped right in when we got her to her new "school",

and had a good time, although I'm sure she would have rather spent her morning getting messy in Yiayia's backyard (like she did two weeks ago)...