4/13/09 Busy Visit

Been a while since I've blogged! We've been a little busy, and I've been too tired to upload photos. Or write, but really, who cares about the writing? I know you're all in it for the pictures.

On Saturday, Bonne Maman and Papa Paul arrived! I dropped our little bunch off at Tonya's, picked up grandparents at the airport, dropped grandparents off at home, then retrieved said bunch and took Julian straight to a birthday party. We'd had to turn down so many birthday parties; this one we could (barely) fit in, and he really wanted to do this one at Young Chef's Academy. A great idea for a birthday party!


First order of business next morning: something between a recital and a jam session. Bonne Maman noted Gabriel is very interested in classical music. (She also did Ken-Ken puzzles with him later, and said he really liked it.)


It's Easter! A day for a pretty dress...


...and an Easter egg hunt at a friend's house.


Races are always called for.


(Unfortunately some bad behavior at the friend's house, some bad behavior last week at school, some violent behavior toward his brother, and some shockingly rude behavior in the car on the way home added up to a 3-hour timeout for Mr. Firstborn that Easter afternoon. And he wasn't done yet -- a reprimand from me yielded a venomous, direct "Stupid Mom" from him...now really, if that doesn't deserve a smack, I don't know what does.)

All forgiven in the morning, and today, a short hike. A 1-miler up to what I think is the best view in the Bay Area.


A refresher in poison oak spotting.


Some hill-running....


...and, of course, a photo-op.


Me and Mom. We tried to get the next generation of "me and mom" in the photo too, but Next Generation had other ideas. (Then when she's a teenager she'll complain about the generation gap.)


In the afternoon, after a ruined nap (Julian opened Katrina's door and let her out, arrgh), a little football.


And admiring a beautiful gift of a painting.


No nap meant some rare cuddling -- and look, how handy! A warm loving grandmother is on the job!


We're having a great time cooking and and testing out my new kitchen. It wasn't specifically designed for more than one cook, but it easily accommodates two cooks and a random assortment of hangers-on.

Julian thinks it's fun to have two moms and two dads now.

4/13/09