Cooking Camp Day Three

Last day(sniff sniff) of cooking camp for Queenie and Kate. In keeping with the "fishy/ocean theme", they made shrimp skewers, chocolate dipped goldfish and purple smoothies. Thanks again to Queenie for taking her(and all the pictures!!)

Blending the smoothies(not a drop remained of Kate's)

The shrimp...not good, and not eaten


Kate's Favorite-the chocolate covered goldfish(all eaten before the chocolate had time to dry!)

Cooking Camp Day 2

Today they made puff pastry with tuna pasta salad. Kate LOVED eating the puff pastry...when it was still dough. Here are pics:

Waiting in Queenie's car for camp to start...

Rolling out the pastry dough

Cutting the tomatoes(such a great knife handler!)

Mix mix mix the pasta salad

Yum! Time to eat!

Cooking Camp

Kate + Queenie + cooking camp = BLISS for both of them...some pics from today(camp runs for three days). The menu for today varied from blue pudding to peanut butter pitas...the menu probably wasn't really what drew these two though...

Ready for duty!

Snotty girls

Mix mix mix

Used her knife like a pro!

Tasting the blue pudding...yum!

Time to clean up! See you tomorrow....

The Zoo on Memorial Day

After naps, the rain finally stopped so we headed to the Austin Zoo. I forgot my camera but Dan was able to snap a few pics with his phone.

Mom and Lauren looking at the tigers

Kate trying to join the lion in his cage...

Kate feeds the goats(her favorite thing next to the train at the zoo)

Lauren is not so anxious to get near the animals...

Pic from Dallas

We forgot to send the camera up to Dallas with Kate and Dan. Here is one picture Dan took with his phone of a girl making salad.

May 28 2007

Happy Birthday Dad!!

Mixing Mixing

Kate is the known cook and Lauren is the known taster. This morning I had to cook without my sous chef but Lauren still got to taste. We made a treat for Dan's birthday(which is Monday). He and Kate are headed home today from Dallas where Kate got to visit with her grandparents and cousin Ryan.

Here is my taster in action:

First licks...

When you ask Lauren to smile, this is how she responds...(not sure why she tilts her head up??)

She gives our treat a thumbs up!

Ice Cream Cone

Dan took Kate to Dallas so Lauren and I had the house to ourselves. We spent Saturday with Queenie and Grandad. Started at the Farmer's Market, made a quick trip to Dripping Springs, and then to Vivo for a fabulous lunch.

Lauren had less than normal nap so we had the whole afternoon to play. Snack time was best...

First Cone

LOVES IT!

Want some??

Austin Zoo

Kate's school ended last Wed...we are trying to fill the upcoming weeks(until her month long camp begins) with activities. Today we headed for the zoo.

Minutes after we arrive, Lauren falls and gets her first shiner(no tears except from me...)

Reese and Lauren take a break from the action

Kids thought the tree was more fun than any old animal...

Kate and Trey play ring around the rosey(again and again and again)

Showing no fear-Kate talks to the goats...

Trip to San Antonio

Friday we took off to San Antonio for a three day "vacation" with most of our playgroup. We started out early and hit the Children's Museum first. The girls never stayed in the same place for long so it was nice having Dan there to chase one while I got the other.
There she goes...


A moment together

Next it was lunch at the Rainforest Cafe. Both girls LOVED the gorillas who moved and beat their chests every so often. The food was pretty terrible but the atmosphere kept our hungry group in check.
Meeting Cha-Cha(at the Rainforest Cafe)

We spent the afternoon/evening at the pool. The hotel turned out to be perfect for our size group. There was a wading pool where Kate and Brayden became fish and hardly ever left(and because it was so shallow we did not worry about them).

Swimming in the pool...(soon both dad's realized they could "supervise" with beer in hand).

Lauren wanted nothing to do with the cold water so she stayed in everyone's laps and explored all she could on land. At night they have big fire pits for smores (for us, the long day without naps meant we were ready for bed before the pits were even lit...).

Saturday was Sea World.
Pre-Sea World Breakfast(with McDonald's to follow-Kate and Lauren's first visit to Mickey D's-such deprived children)


The gang

We got there early and loved the cool weather and the lack of crowds. It stayed mostly cloudy for the entire day and the kids were great. Lauren was probably the best(although I am a little biased...). I wish I had taken the video camera because her face during the sea lion and Shamu shows was priceless. Her eyes lit up with every trick and she kept saying "wow""wow" and clapping. I don't think anyone enjoyed the shows more...We may have a marine biologist in the family yet(wasn't Aunt Funny set on that after our countless trips to Sea World?? Maybe it is a second child thing...).
My Sea World Buddy(I will take her anytime!)

Kate's LOVED feeding the Lorikeets(and truth be known, mom loved it too)

Back to the hotel that afternoon for more pool, Rudy's BBQ, and smores(we made it this time).Post Swim Re-fuel

Sunday we tried to hit the SA Zoo but rain got in the way. Next year we will likely skip the museum and hit the animals instead.

Overall a great time was had by all...and Kate has a new toy, named Shamu, that she can't sleep without(this is number 12 if you are counting-her bed is getting pretty crowded)

Here is some pics from the trip: click the box for a link-I would suggest then looking at them via the slideshow):

San Antonio 2007

Sisters and Friends

Kate and Lauren are becoming really good friends. Here a just a few pics of them playing(dressed alike for the day...like most days while I can do it...):

Solving the world's problems...

Lauren goes in for the kill

So silly

Me too!


Both girls begged to put their WalkAmerica shirts on(Kate refused to take hers off all day(despite the heat of the day)...it was a battle she had already won long ago in my mind..)

Like Mother, like daughter

Sunday morning I got a special treat-reading the newspaper all the way through without interruption. Someone else got the same treatment...

Mother's Day Weekend

Mother's Day started early for us. On Thursday we drove to Houston to see Granny and wish her a happy Mother's Day. We had lunch at Los Cucos and Lauren LOVED the green salsa.

dip, dip

yum!

Friday Aunt Funny came to town. We spent most of the weekend with her, Queenie and Grandad...Loved being able to go outside(it was cool enough that we could) and look at the boats on the Lake.

Went from toddling to running within days....

Time to feed dogs?

We have no idea what Aunt Funny was doing but Kate laughed the whole time

The singing frogs heard Aunt Funny was here and decided to make a guest appearance.

"I like to move it move it" he says to the princess and the pea

Over three nights, there was a bunch of Kate's special salad.

Lauren stayed very laid back about it all...

Both girls LOVED having their Aunt Funny nearby....

Happy Mother(and Grandmother's) Day to all!