Making Cookies with Grandma

About a month ago when the ladies from Michigan were here, Grandma decided to make cookies with Ella for the very first time. Aunt Debbie (the crazy camera grandma) took pictures of the entire process, and it has taken me a month to sort through the hundreds of photos in order to bring you this blog :)

Ella looks optimistic here in the beginning with her bowl of wet ingredients.

Ella is handy with the measuring spoon . . .

And Grace is too! (Did anyone wash that spoon before it was used for the cookies??)

Her first beater experience . . . I think she wanted Grandma to let go :)

Now the dry ingredients . . .

And more beater!!

The best part!

Ella enjoyed cutting out the shapes, especially the snowman.

Grace's famous crinkled nose look . . . I think she disapproved of Ella's cookie cutting technique.

The rolling pin was tricky because the dough kept sticking.

Mommy gives Ella a high five for her efforts :)

This is what Ella does now when you tell her to say "cheese!"

Do watched cookies cook?

Ella rode her tricycle around the kitchen to pass the time.

Grace waits patiently.

Ella took the frosting process very seriously.

Until she realized she could eat it!

Now for the sprinkles . . .

And here they are . . . not perfect looking, but certainly delicious anyway!

Now the little baker gets to taste the fruit of her labors . . .

and wash it down with milk!

Poor Grace can only chew on her arm :(

A kiss from Mommy for a job well done . . . Mommy is a sucker for sugar cookies!

A Visit With Stacy and Hearst Castle

Last week we went to visit Mommy's friend Stacy in the San Luis Obispo area. We had to drive Hwy. 101 because a section of Hwy. 1 north of Big Sur is closed due to the highway collapsing into the ocean . . . glad we weren't taking our scenic drive on that day! We began our stay with a casual lunch on Pismo Beach. Sitting outside was a great idea until the clouds went away and the sun began beating down on us . . . one "gentleman" joked he would sell us his table umbrella for $5. We survived with the one we had and had a lovely lunch.

Stacy and the girls . . .

Ella gives some "tough love" to her sister . . .

After lunch we went down to walk on Pismo Beach . . . the sun was hot but the breeze felt good.

Ella got sandy and wet, so Nonna helped to wash out her pants. Ella loved this outdoor shower that she could control.

The next day we went to Hearst Castle. Here's the group (minus Aunt Debbie, the crazy camera grandma, and Aunt Sandra) sitting waiting for the bus to take us up the hill to the castle.

A view as we traveled up the hill . . .

On the bus . . .

Our first stop on the grounds . . . Nonna toted Grace around while Mommy had Ella on her back.

Aunt Sandra and Aunt Debbie went on an "accessible tour" with no steps to climb, so they ended up with a private tour!!

This is the pack I borrowed from the park rangers . . . the Ergo is much more comfortable. I might have been wearing this one wrong or maybe it's not make for a 30 pound child, but it really hurt my shoulders after a while. But we look cute!!

One of the few places you are allowed to sit . . .

The not-so-secret door . . .

The indoor pool . . . my favorite!

The bus ride back down the hill . . . the girls were really good--not much fussing. There were a few points in the tour when I had Ella on my back as I held Grace because she was crying for me--yes, that would be 50 pounds total :)

Just north of Hearst, we found a seal beach . . . those are not all rocks!

The beautiful sunset as we drove home . . .

We're Baaaaaack . . .

I know I have lost all of my loyal followers (all four of you) except for, of course, Grandma, but hopefully you will randomly check back one day and see that we're back!

Part of my long absence has to do with being a mother of two (here's where I milk the sympathy from everyone who has two or less children), but really it has to do with that overwhelming feeling you get when you get behind on a project. I was feeling like I had to catch up on a couple months worth of pictures, so I just kept putting it off longer. My solution . . . just post for today and don't worry about catching up.

So here is tonight at dinner . . .

Grace tried mac and cheese for the first time and got a little carried away . . .

Nonna put Ella's tutu on Grace for a cute picture, but Grace just wanted to eat the tulle.

Grace is actually walking now . . . taking 5-10 steps at a time and then dropping. Here she is on her little car. She has yet to figure out how to move on it, but she likes to just sit and work the shifter.

Ella was indignant about something here . . . maybe her choice in footwear.

We went to the beach at Asilomar on Sunday because it was the first day in what felt like two weeks that we had some sun and warmth.

Ella and Nonna tide pooling . . .

Ella likes to make "sand angels" . . . I think she's practicing for when we go back to Michigan in the winter.