Monthly Archive

I’ve been singing this song by the Puppini Sisters ever since I first heard it on Wednesday. I love those tight harmonies!

Last Friday, we hiked the Little Canyon Loop in Chino Hills State Park. The trail head is only 20 minutes from home.

All the plants are in full bloom, and California spring weather means just the right amount of sun and breeze.

Thanks for the Toren-pack, Earles!

Toren and I went again this morning. Five minutes in, we saw a snake:

We caught our shadows on the way back to the car.

Toren’s sitting up all by himself now!

This is especially helpful now that some friends have given him his own kitchen. He cooks us dinner most every night!

Sweet. I just found out about a collaboration between two of our favorite musicians. Can you guess which one is Greg’s favorite and which one is mine? How clever that they’re performing together!

Now we just need an excuse to go see them in concert.

On Saturday, we took Toren to the park across the street to watch a giant Easter egg hunt sponsored by the Fullerton Rotary (I took pictures last year, too). There were reportedly 7,000 eggs in the grass…

…and they were all picked up by the kids in less than 30 seconds.

Toren got an egg.

After Easter church services, we headed to my parents’ place. At lunch, Toren decided to style his own hair:

We spent some time with Gran and Pop and Uncle Jeff.

Hope you all had a nice Easter!

When we built our book nook, we actually purchased two tall skinny shelf units to go on either side of the larger unit. But once we brought them home and set it all up, we discovered that, while it all fit along our wall, it was just too much shelving for a small space. So we pared down the book nook and turned the extra shelf unit on its side to serve as a little cubby system and bench seat in Toren’s room:

It fits nicely along the wall and provides some extra storage. The baskets are from Target. At first, I was trying to run all over (remember, Mandi?) to find four aqua-colored baskets; but in the end, I just got two in aqua green and two in the darker, bluer shade, which I think looks fine. (There’s a fourth basket behind the chair that you can’t see in this photo.)

I figure these are at just the right height for Toren to be able to learn to pick up and put his toys away in the future. Maybe I should temper my expectations!

Toren would like to present…himself. He is six (and a half) months old.

Mommy’s homemade sign tastes yummy.

Do you have enough yet?

Seriously, Mom!

On Saturday, we went to the Fullerton Arboretum’s Monster Tomato Sale and picked up some plants. I got a couple beefsteak vines along with a yellow currant and some peppers.

Here are a few shots of spring blooms (the second shot is of some weeds, I know, but I thought it looked quaint with the curving path, etc.).

Yesterday we went with some friends to the Santa Ana Zoo!

Here we all are, lined up in our strollers at the capybara exhibit (world’s largest rodent!). Mr. T brought his Pooh book as a handy field guide.

There were turtles, birds, monkeys, lemurs, tamarins, llamas, sloths, gibbons, and several scarlet ibises. Plus, some cuties!

An amazing display of cuties in their natural habitat!

Here’s a feathered resident who was twice the size of half our children.

Mr. Dwarf Goat is reporting for duty.

Toren was most enthralled with watching all the kids. I think he’s in love.

They let us take the cuties home with us!

I’ve been meaning to mention a few GREAT books I’ve recently consumed. (Only my current pageturner has had the privilege of joining me in the book nook, since the nook itself is so new.)

Currently, I’m reading The Nine, by Jeffrey Toobin. Greg got it for me for Christmas, and I just started it last week. It’s very interesting. I have a feeling I’ll be ordering a bobble head of my favorite justice after I finish it.

I just recently finished The Mitfords: Letters Between Sisters. It was an incredible read. I felt lonely for the book after I finished it. (I always feel a little lost when I finish a long book, almost as if a friend has moved away or something.) At over 800 pages, I was surprised at how fast I got through it. All was wondair, to use a Mitford term. I nearly started incorporating some of their phrases into my e-mails (”darling,” “love from Kristen” etc.) Now, I can’t wait for my mom to read it so that we can DISCUSS it. The Mitfords are a very interesting family, and the letters were a great way to get to know the sisters. I want to read some of Nancy’s and Jessica’s works.

I also read “The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency,” which my mother-in-law brought with her from Seattle for the plane ride down, and then gave to me once she finished it. At first I blew off reading it because it looked like it wasn’t worth my time. But I got hooked, and it was a quick and light-hearted read from there. In all honesty, it served as my bubble bath book. Its chapters are very short and include just the right amount of intrigue and humor to keep you reading. There’s several more books in the series; I’ll probably get a few at the library.

NEXT on my reading list is another book I got for Christmas: A Year Without “Made in China.” I cannot wait to read this one.

So since I’ve actually provided a thoughtful, informative post, I can hit you with another video, right? In keeping with sounding all cultured and stuff, here is “Bach and a Biscuit,” starring my son:

Okay, okay, here’s the very uncultured director’s cut version, with a little surprise midway through:

I caught these little Toren expressions the other day. We had been out for a ride in the stroller.

And here he is finding a playmate in the mirror. “Hey, there’s another me!”

His little booster chair is a lifesaver for keeping him occupied, even when it’s not mealtime. Thanks Rebekah!

I’ve always wanted a “nook” in my home: a breakfast nook, or maybe a sewing nook (make that a sewing barn!). As a bookish person, I’ve often thought a book nook would be the ultimate nook (like this one!), but in our cozy place, it didn’t seem possible.

But my dream finally came true! We created a little “book nook” in our study area just off our master bedroom, in the corner opposite the desk Greg built last year.

Isn’t it just calling you to settle in for a read?

The shelves are from IKEA. We left the bottom two shelves off the wider unit to make room for the seat, which is our ottoman from the living room that is now serving a better purpose here. I added the battery-operated puck lights. What HAD been in this space (I didn’t get a “before” photo) was just terribly inefficient (think old TV stand on casters), and we only had the one desk chair. There wasn’t a space for the other person to sit.

As funny as it may seem, Greg and I spend a good deal of time hanging out together in our little study area, because when he’s home and on the Mac, I usually have a project or book going nearby, and vice versa. We just enjoy quiet company together. Obviously, our little nook isn’t for marathon reading sessions (do those exist anymore?), but it’s perfect for taking in a chapter or two while Toren’s napping, journaling in the morning, or whatever. Plus, the extra storage really helps.

Mr. Man has his own sea-worthy flotation device. “Bathtime rocks!”

Don’t you think everyone should have their own inflatable ducky bath tub?

On Saturday, we went with our friends Jim and Jackson to the Dana Point Festival of Whales parade. It was so fun!

There were whale balloons, whale hats and whale t-shirts. There was no whale barbecue, though.

Somehow, a squid showed up.

These guys were all unicyclists. Amazing.

“Not bad for my first parade!”

And afterwards, there was corn dog sharing.