tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44628436347925227612024-02-07T05:32:53.038-07:00a perfect piece of timeEmilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-77188262871151510382011-03-12T21:53:00.001-07:002011-03-12T21:56:07.885-07:00Goodbye Blogspot!We've moved! Our new blog is at <a href="http://www.aperfectpieceoftime.com/">www.aperfectpieceoftime.com</a>. Hope to see you there! :DEmilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-54478087755344261502011-03-09T12:09:00.002-07:002011-03-09T12:37:49.190-07:00Wednesday Morning Baking<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5511826621/" title="Making Goldfish Crackers by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5253/5511826621_c369cfef07.jpg" alt="Making Goldfish Crackers" height="494" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5512764994/" title="Bowl of Goldfish by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5012/5512764994_c3aa5e78bc.jpg" alt="Bowl of Goldfish" height="493" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Made these adorable goldfish crackers from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/03/whole-wheat-goldfish-crackers/">Smitten Kitchen</a> this morning. They were easy and fun, as well as delicious. The only change I made to the recipe was white whole wheat flour instead of regular whole wheat. Mine do seem a bit puffier than the crackers in the SK photos. I'm wondering if this is due to our high altitude. Yeast breads rise crazy fast here and bake fast too. But I don't think there was anything in the crackers to make them rise. Hmmm...a little culinary mystery. At any rate, they were a hit with everyone. Next time I definitely need to make a double batch! <br /></div></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-49107986289571388742011-03-01T05:38:00.007-07:002011-03-01T06:07:33.382-07:00Niamh's Imagination<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5485770170/" title="Niamh Coatless in the Snow by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5093/5485770170_16632eb0c7.jpg" alt="Niamh Coatless in the Snow" height="500" width="371" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Yesterday Niamh was playing by the bookshelf with <a href="http://zachaboard.blogspot.com/2011/02/melting-rainbows.html">heart shaped crayons</a> and a Hello Kitty face made of <a href="http://www.eksuccessbrands.com/perlerbeads/">Perler Beads</a>, and narrating a story between the two, when Rowan said "Mama, I sure like Neevie's imagination."<br /><br />Niamh is a storyteller. Besides telling stories with her toys (or non-toys, as the case may be), she is also the one who will pick up a book and tell a story as she flips through the pages. Sometimes related to the actual story, sometimes not. I especially love it when she narrates her life in real time. Like the other morning when I asked her to go upstairs to get dressed. She cheerfully replied "Okay, Mama!" while walking up the stairs. And then in a slightly quieter voice "She said as she dashed away."<br /></div></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-81655687814304483262011-02-28T11:21:00.002-07:002011-02-28T12:57:49.351-07:00Through The Back Gate<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5486211948/" title="Through the Door-honey by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5093/5486211948_903b1898aa.jpg" alt="Through the Door-honey" height="500" width="364" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5485172907/" title="Trucks in the Snow by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5091/5485172907_7da44c0ae1.jpg" alt="Trucks in the Snow" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5485171971/" title="Niamh Down the Hill by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5139/5485171971_2036fc8815.jpg" alt="Niamh Down the Hill" height="500" width="332" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5485767588/" title="Sledding + Flare by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5053/5485767588_5444ed0137.jpg" alt="Sledding + Flare" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Rowan wanted to drive his truck on the path behind the house, which led to the idea of trying our sled on the small slope between the path and the field. We bought this sled years ago in Switzerland and had sadly never used it until now. Turns out it is great fun! One of the many things we meant to get to during our time in Morges, but never did. Kicking ourselves now, as I knew we would, for not using our time there more wisely.<br /><br />If you are wondering where was on Muriel this particular morning--she was inside with Daddy. When she sees Ro and Niamh excitedly getting ready to go outside on snowy days she thinks she wants to go too, but has always had enough of it after about ten minutes. Oh, yeah. <span style="font-style: italic;">That's</span> why we never did much with the snow when we lived in Switzerland.<br /></div></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-10384901701203034892011-02-28T05:48:00.002-07:002011-02-28T05:52:31.717-07:00Staples RJ Ranch<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5477509143/" title="Staples RJ Ranch by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5171/5477509143_a5c9778a30.jpg" alt="Staples RJ Ranch" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Came across this really cool old ranch building near the bike path. If there hadn't been a stream separating me from it, I would have been tempted to do some trespassing for more photographs. <br /></div></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-35890806099425857362011-02-27T06:26:00.009-07:002011-02-27T06:49:39.302-07:002.25.11<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5481507617/" title="Snow On the Lawn Chairs by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5300/5481507617_ece90b52ca.jpg" alt="Snow On the Lawn Chairs" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5480400087/" title="Shoveling Snow by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5053/5480400087_1b83fcef40.jpg" alt="Shoveling Snow" height="500" width="306" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5480999948/" title="Hit By Snow by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5054/5480999948_2a4ea788ec.jpg" alt="Hit By Snow" height="500" width="332" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">stay out of the way when daddy is shoveling the sidewalks</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5481002044/" title="Muriel Laughing Snow by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5171/5481002044_ac49baf993.jpg" alt="Muriel Laughing Snow" height="500" width="332" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">don't worry, she thought it was funny</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5480402757/" title="Blowing Snow by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5058/5480402757_4a602f1619.jpg" alt="Blowing Snow" height="500" width="332" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5481004750/" title="Niamh + Yellow Truck by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5178/5481004750_9a77e25a65.jpg" alt="Niamh + Yellow Truck" height="335" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5480399395/" title="Shovel by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5018/5480399395_aedf350e2f.jpg" alt="Shovel" height="500" width="318" /></a></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-31799773450491457362011-02-26T15:03:00.008-07:002011-02-26T15:34:36.224-07:00Wintery Math<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5479832080/" title="fence + snow haze by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5217/5479832080_00a8fedc33.jpg" alt="fence + snow haze" height="338" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /> +<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5480178520/" title="Cream by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5178/5480178520_aec68d6b5e.jpg" alt="Cream" height="500" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /> =<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5478105134/" title="(square) snow ice cream by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5252/5478105134_a00de9b689.jpg" alt="(square) snow ice cream" height="500" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">snow ice cream!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">It snowed Thursday night and almost all day on Friday, giving us the opportunity to make snow ice cream. There are a gazillion recipes out there on the internet, and they are all basically the same. I used two different methods, one with <a href="http://almostunschoolers.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-and-improved-snow-ice-cream.html">cream</a> (minus the vanilla pudding mix) and one with chilled <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/snowicecream">sweetened condensed milk</a>. I thought the ice cream with the condensed milk would be better, but neither the kids or I could taste a difference. Maybe a side by side test is in order for the next time it snows. One thing I found helpful, which neither website mentions, is to make sure the individual bowls for the ice cream have been chilled for a bit in the freezer before serving. This ice cream melts fast and the chilled bowls help slow it down a bit.<br /><br />One of my clearest memories of the Thanksgivings spent at my Great-Grandmother's house in Eastern Washington as a child is making snow ice cream with my sisters and cousins. It was fun to do again!<br /></div></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-11456035528935741962011-02-18T05:20:00.004-07:002011-02-18T05:29:39.278-07:00Muriel + Owl Hat<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5455985438/" title="Muriel + Owl Hat by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5292/5455985438_e4151d2bfe.jpg" alt="Muriel + Owl Hat" height="500" width="332" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Just got this hat in the mail yesterday, made by the very talented Kat, found <a href="http://www.slugsontherefrigerator.com/">here</a>. If she hadn't closed her Etsy shop because her third baby is due in a few weeks I'm pretty sure I'd be ordering at least ten more of The Cutest Hat Ever. <br /></div></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-31343434784134525042011-02-17T06:23:00.008-07:002011-02-17T07:48:06.815-07:00Hammond's Candy Factory & Dinosaur Ridge<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5452893987/" title="Hammond's Candy Factory by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5212/5452893987_321cd577cf.jpg" alt="Hammond's Candy Factory" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br />On Saturday we spent the day in Denver at the <a href="http://www.hammondscandies.com/">Hammond's Candy Factory</a>, and then at <a href="http://www.dinoridge.org/">Dinosaur Ridge</a>. Both were kind of a bust. We didn't see much candy making at Hammond's because apparently on a Saturday in the middle of winter they don't have a lot of workers. The tour guide told us we should come back either on a weekday or in the summer. <br /><br />And Dinosaur Ridge? <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5453507882/" title="Dinosaur Ridge by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5213/5453507882_f1bd012b5e.jpg" alt="Dinosaur Ridge" height="332" width="500" /></a></div><br />Well, the dino footprints were all covered in snow. But we were the only people at the visitor's center, and the guide that was manning it was really nice and interactive with the kids. At any rate, it was nice to get out of the house for a bit. <br /><br />Below are a few pics I took at Hammond's.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5453507248/" title="three kids in hats by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5099/5453507248_313d6b0d33.jpg" alt="three kids in hats" height="333" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5452920531/" title="Untitled by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5013/5452920531_4d6f75f36f.jpg" alt="" height="493" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5453531920/" title="Untitled by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5092/5453531920_44aa01d792.jpg" alt="" height="493" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5452894727/" title="red and white candy canes by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5131/5452894727_2c20cd76e6.jpg" alt="red and white candy canes" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5452893731/" title="Cocoa Stirrers by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5014/5452893731_c887f8ce81.jpg" alt="Cocoa Stirrers" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5453507882/" title="Dinosaur Ridge by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><br /></a></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-28923823084954735172011-02-15T06:11:00.008-07:002011-02-15T06:41:33.281-07:00Finishing Her Lunch at Snack Time is Tough<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5448084642/" title="Muriel + Sandwich by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/5448084642_52ef4d73fa.jpg" alt="Muriel + Sandwich" height="500" width="332" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5448085804/" title="Muriel + Sandwich III by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5180/5448085804_e74b19d8dc.jpg" alt="Muriel + Sandwich III" height="500" width="332" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5447480435/" title="Murile + Sandwich II by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5135/5447480435_9d8f933bb8.jpg" alt="Murile + Sandwich II" height="500" width="332" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">These are the looks Muriel gives me when she doesn't eat her entire meal at lunch and I make her finish it in the afternoon before she can have the super <del>gross</del> special snack Rowan somehow talked me into buying at the supermarket.<br /><br />On a different note, in these pictures Muriel is sporting her very favorite "moon" shirt. When she started asking for her moon shirt every day a month or so ago, I told her over and over that she didn't have a moon shirt. It took me quite a while to figure out what she was talking about.<br /></div></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-91057069815977671002011-02-14T12:00:00.003-07:002011-02-14T15:19:05.340-07:00Happy Valentine's Day!<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5445065337/" title="Hold Hands Firmly, Hearts Gently. by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4150/5445065337_8c423675dd.jpg" alt="Hold Hands Firmly, Hearts Gently." height="493" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">One thing I love about being back in the states is all the holiday candy. On the other hand, I do miss a lot of the holiday treats we had in Switzerland. Such a dilemma!<br /></div></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-38577890824591024792011-02-04T20:35:00.001-07:002011-02-04T20:36:31.326-07:00iPhoneography at FuoriBorgoThe lovely Francesca over at one of my favorite blogs, <a href="http://www.fuoriborgo.com/fuoriborgo/">FuoriBorgo</a>, asked me to do a guest post for her on iPhoneography way back in December. Being the terrible procrastinator that I am, I've <a href="http://www.fuoriborgo.com/fuoriborgo/2011/02/iphoneography-with-emily-mccann.html">finally gotten it done for her</a>, nearly two months later. Thanks for being so patient, Francesca!!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5400437289/" title="Plastic Bins Make a Great Bed by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5059/5400437289_dc7f377de1.jpg" alt="Plastic Bins Make a Great Bed" height="500" width="500" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Niamh during quiet time a few weeks ago. Comfy!</span><br /><br /></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-14938272121965182022011-01-29T06:11:00.003-07:002011-01-29T06:15:30.024-07:00It's Hard To Take Pictures of Toothless Dinosaurs<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5392063820/" title="Dino Claws! by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5053/5392063820_9b06391f26.jpg" alt="Dino Claws!" height="500" width="332" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5391462725/" title="Here He Comes! by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5219/5391462725_78b7e38318.jpg" alt="Here He Comes!" height="500" width="332" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5391461167/" title="Ro's Gap Toothed Smile by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5020/5391461167_66e8ab662d.jpg" alt="Ro's Gap Toothed Smile" height="500" width="332" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">But I did eventually manage to get that toothless smile on camera. The tooth fairy is becoming very familiar with our house!<br /></div></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-87712566433618647372011-01-27T16:19:00.004-07:002011-01-27T16:32:10.304-07:00Eruption!For Christmas Rowan received a volcano kit from Grammie Krista and Papa Gary. We just got around to making it last weekend, and it was of course a huge hit!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5392376729/" title="Painting the Volcano by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5180/5392376729_e63d5f61aa.jpg" alt="Painting the Volcano" height="500" width="332" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5392973816/" title="Painting the Volcano II by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5178/5392973816_156cd22fbd.jpg" alt="Painting the Volcano II" height="500" width="332" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5392062508/" title="January 20111 by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5015/5392062508_f09bb44f48.jpg" alt="January 20111" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5391465249/" title="Volcano Eruption V by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5014/5391465249_1ebb7a1a87.jpg" alt="Volcano Eruption V" height="500" width="333" /></a><br /></div><br />It was not quite the fiery explosion I was expecting from the picture on the front of the box. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5391466207/" title="DSC_0154 by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5294/5391466207_1139dbd81e.jpg" alt="DSC_0154" height="500" width="332" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">In Rowan's mind however, it is perfect. Especially nice is that with just baking soda and vinegar for the lava, he can make his volcano erupt over and over again. Thanks so much, Grammie and Papa!!<br /></div></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-25493386363233962622011-01-24T06:00:00.002-07:002011-01-24T06:00:11.838-07:00Green Beans and Lettuce<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5383166136/" title="January 2011 by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5167/5383166136_049392b1be.jpg" alt="January 2011" height="313" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5383167402/" title="Muriel Serious by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5043/5383167402_eff7017610.jpg" alt="Muriel Serious" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I'm pretty sure she's the sweetest two year old around--chapped lips, chapped cheeks, crusty nose, attitude, and all. Her language has really taken off the past couple months. I hear a lot of "What that for, Mama?" and "Why, Mama?" I really need to try and get her little voice recorded. Sometimes I wonder if she's really related to Rowan and Niamh. On Saturday the only thing she ate for dinner was green beans and pile after pile of plain shredded lettuce. Yum.<br /></div></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-74597195399433904462011-01-23T20:00:00.002-07:002011-01-23T20:03:41.101-07:00Chocolate Pie For All<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5381268458/" title="Chocolate Pie by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5085/5381268458_031758d279.jpg" alt="Chocolate Pie" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Happy <a href="http://www.piecouncil.org/Events/NationalPieDay/">National Pie Day</a>! Okay, I'm not really that on top of things. Nor do I really care that much that it's National Pie Day, as much as I love pie. But I happened to see it mentioned on Facebook as I was preparing to write this post, and thought it was a mildy interesting coincidence.<br /><br />Anyway, In summer of 2001 Pat and I discovered one of our favorite desserts in the May/June issue of <a href="http://www.cooksillustrated.com/">Cook's Illustrated</a>. Their chocolate cream pie became something we made for many, many special and not-so-special occasions. After Niamh was old enough to care if she was eating the same dessert as us or not we stopped making it very often because of the eggs. But then (!!!!) a week or so ago I saw a <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/01/vanilla-bean-pudding/">vanilla pudding</a> post on Smitten Kitchen which led me over to her <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/02/best-chocolate-pudding/">chocolate pudding</a> and <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/09/chocolate-pudding-pie/">chocolate pudding pie</a> recipes. Both eggless! I don't know why it never occurred to me that puddings can be made without eggs.<br /><br />I made the pudding straight away, but waited until Pat returned from his latest business trip before making the pie. I ended up using the crust recipe from CI (slightly adapted), and the pudding from SK. The pie turned out really great, but Pat and I both agreed that it didn't seem quite as chocolate-y as the CI custard/pudding recipe. I think next time I'll add the chocolate according the the CI recipe.<br /><br />All in all, thumbs up. It was the perfect addition to movie night on Friday. And we're thrilled to be able to make our favorite (one of, that is) dessert again!<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5382648561/" title="Movie Night Pile Up by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5203/5382648561_dd4192ccc5.jpg" alt="Movie Night Pile Up" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">clearly, not everyone was riveted by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astro_Boy">Astro Boy</a></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-29798439028808319492011-01-22T09:41:00.002-07:002011-01-22T11:07:56.389-07:00Instagram Experimentation<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5370688177/" title="little tiger by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5249/5370688177_f0d4f57f08.jpg" alt="little tiger" height="500" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I've been playing around this past week with a new photo app called <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/instagram/id389801252?mt=8">Instagram</a>. I love the filters, but I'm not sure about many other aspects of it. It does not save photos at full resolution, which is a huge downside since I like to print out iPhone photos. The photos do look great on the screen though, so I'll print one or two out just to see how less than full resolution photos look. It's supposed to be a great way to share pictures easily and interact with other photographers by posting your photo simultaneously to many different places besides Instagram. It was fine for Flickr. But when the thumbnail posted to your Facebook wall is clicked on you are rerouted to an Instagram site, instead of the photograph simply being enlarged. And between Flickr, Facebook, and this blog do I really need another place to keep up with?<br /><br />In looking at other people's photos I notice that there are indeed <a href="http://www.iphoneography.com/journal/2010/11/29/warning-instagrams-proprietary-rights-to-your-content.html">a bizarre number of cat shots</a>. Also quite a few photos that I'm skeptical were taken with an iPhone. Such as fairly close and detailed moon shots, as well as pictures with a lot of bokeh. Of course there's no iPhone-only rule, but in a photo app like that one kind of expects to be looking only at iPhone photography.<br /><br />In spite of all that I'm going to give it another couple of weeks. I'm @emilyfrances for anyone who wants to experiment with me.<br /></div></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-530449453872107562011-01-21T17:25:00.005-07:002011-01-21T17:36:40.313-07:00Eagles In Socks<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5376163225/" title="Three Eagles in Socks BW by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5247/5376163225_226af5d549.jpg" alt="Three Eagles in Socks BW" height="333" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The kids went outside to play this morning and when I looked out the kitchen window a bit later I noticed that nobody had their shoes on anymore. Yes, it is mid-January. Yes, there is still some snow on the ground (can you see it by the fence?). No, it was not above fifty degrees. My first instinct was to open the door and order them to get their shoes on immediately. But they they were running back and forth so joyously I instead opened the door to take a picture. When they saw me they said "Look Mama, we're eagles!" <br /><br />A little bit later they tried to convince me that it was perfect weather for getting in their swimsuits and running through the sprinkler. "We want to be fresh and cool!" "It would be like a bath outside!" There were some very sad faces when they realized no amount of reasoning was going to convince me say yes. <br /></div></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-38705757220096982552011-01-19T13:04:00.000-07:002011-01-19T13:05:15.903-07:00"Mama Braiding My Hair With One Arm"<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5370940536/" title="Niamh & Her Artwork by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5084/5370940536_8656370d96.jpg" alt="Niamh & Her Artwork" height="500" width="332" /></a></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-15522691004936943382011-01-18T10:31:00.003-07:002011-01-18T10:43:07.960-07:00Mean Old Bear<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/4905190209/" title="Summer Sunrise in Colorado by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4905190209_b5e985c591.jpg" alt="Summer Sunrise in Colorado" height="376" width="500" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">summer sunrise in Colorado</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Rowan (screaming at me):<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"You are mean, mean, MEAN, like a mean old bear!"</span><br /><br />Hmmm...maybe old photos from the summer where everything <span style="font-style: italic;">looks</span> peaceful with help give me some zen today. I hope the worst thing he ever calls me is a mean old bear. No? Well, as long as I'm looking at summer sunrises, I might as well indulge other wishful thoughts. <br /></div><br /></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-55202793735850195162011-01-14T06:39:00.005-07:002011-01-14T11:29:56.438-07:00Neevie-roo's Turn<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5352693445/" title="Sweet Neevie-roo by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5122/5352693445_e240811307.jpg" alt="Sweet Neevie-roo" height="500" width="332" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Niamh, a few months back, said a few things which I wrote down in order to not forget:<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />"I wish the moon would fly down to us in the car so I could hold him."</span><br /><br />And when I asked her to please stop growing:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"If I stay four years old I will never get to have a birthday and everyone else will die and then there will be nobody to cook me dinner." </span><br /><br /></div></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-25308618613676317662011-01-12T09:19:00.005-07:002011-01-12T09:31:21.948-07:00Dinner Questions<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5348739917/" title="Untitled by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5001/5348739917_f75af675b4.jpg" alt="" height="500" width="382" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Rowan, last night at dinner:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Do they speak English in Hawaii?" </span><br /><br />I had barely finished answering this question, when it was followed by:<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"How does the Easter Bunny move...or walk?"</span><br /><br />Then, a little later (after worrying a bit, for the one thousandth time, if the Easter Bunny comes to the United States):<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Do bats hibernate or do they come out every night?"</span><br /><br />And:<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Where is heaven?"</span><br />When I said that nobody knows he said<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Maybe the computer can tell us where heaven is."</span><br /><br /><br /></div></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-75176222606499309902011-01-10T06:07:00.006-07:002011-01-10T07:23:03.116-07:00Even Suburbia Is Pretty When It Snows<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5342912016/" title="Berry & Popcorn Garland by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5006/5342912016_3a6ea457eb.jpg" alt="Berry & Popcorn Garland" height="332" width="500" /></a></div><br /><br />The kids and I made this garland for the birds and squirrels mid-December, and I was totally disgusted to come back from our trip to see that not one berry or kernel of popcorn had been touched. Anyway, it snowed quite a bit yesterday which was fun for the children, but has me worried about driving the next couple of days.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5342912316/" title="Rowan in the Snow by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5250/5342912316_b49953b49a.jpg" alt="Rowan in the Snow" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5342302059/" title="Niamh in the Snow by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5286/5342302059_cbb2892e0d.jpg" alt="Niamh in the Snow" height="332" width="500" /></a></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-5409175468566683092011-01-09T05:47:00.022-07:002011-01-11T09:58:39.647-07:00Breaking His Mama's Heart<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5342260797/" title="Rowan's Family by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5003/5342260797_7dcd866e85.jpg" alt="Rowan's Family" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Rowan adores the desk that is under the new loft bed we got for him when we moved back to the States. It's almost always very messy, strewn with things like pencils, markers, coloring books, stickers, prizes from school, tooth fairy dust in a baggie, and lots and lots of airplane and train tickets that he's collected from various travelers. Every time I try and talk him into tossing a few of the tickets he protests so strongly that I can't help but relent and let him keep them.<br /><br />The newest addition to his desk is the family photo we sent with him on his first day of kindergarten. It came back home this week in his Friday folder, and when he saw it he immediately wanted to put it up in his room. But he said that it made him sad to look at it because he never wants to leave us. He's been talking about going away to college off and on this past week. I'm not sure what has prompted it. Maybe Toy Story 3, which the kids got for Christmas. Maybe saying goodbye to our families after the holidays were over. Maybe something else entirely. At any rate, it's been on his mind. Yesterday morning he came quietly downstairs with his <a href="http://ourswissadventure.famillemccann.net/2008/06/buns-last-photo.html">alleegah</a> in his hand and told me again that looking at the family picture makes him so sad because he loves me so much and never wants to leave. As he leaned into my shoulder his eyes filled with tears and I'm pretty sure my heart broke. <br /></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4462843634792522761.post-18820420219613965972011-01-08T13:35:00.003-07:002011-01-08T13:49:22.427-07:00Winter Morning at Lake Loveland<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5336371367/" title="Niamh Throwing Dirt by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5085/5336371367_54695bf06e.jpg" alt="Niamh Throwing Dirt" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /></div>Tomorrow it's supposed to get pretty cold for a few days, so I figured today would be a good day to get the kids out of the house for a bit. The lake is pretty well frozen over, and there were even people out in the middle of it, but I was too nervous to let the kids go out much further than Niamh is in the above photo. It's been warmish the past couple days and I couldn't stop thinking about books I'd read as a child where someone would go through the ice on a frozen lake/pond.<br /><br />There was a lot of this: <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5336368195/" title="Muriel Jumping on the Lake by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5244/5336368195_064165a13e.jpg" alt="Muriel Jumping on the Lake" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br />Which of course led to some of this:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5336367751/" title="Slippery Ice by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5004/5336367751_b86ce4fe29.jpg" alt="Slippery Ice" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br />But I don't think it bothered them much. <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5336981526/" title="rowan in the middle of loveland lake by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5045/5336981526_41cb23d351.jpg" alt="rowan in the middle of loveland lake" height="332" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br />We even spotted some wildlife on the other side of the street. As we were watching the big flock of geese/ducks/birds a man came up to me and excitedly showed me the wood duck he spotted which he hadn't seen in <span style="font-style: italic;">years</span>. I'm afraid it was lost on me, but I figured I had better take a picture for Bumpa. <br /> <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5336985106/" title="Wood Duck by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5207/5336985106_2cd42e0aa8.jpg" alt="Wood Duck" height="333" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br />The kids were much more excited about the fat, round squirrel who was scampering through the snow and up the trees. We saw ducks and geese all the time at the lake in Morges, but I don't think we ever once saw a squirrel, which still seems strange to me. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilyfrances5/5336984312/" title="A Squirrel! by emilyfrances5, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5290/5336984312_7e7a6cdbc0.jpg" alt="A Squirrel!" height="500" width="332" /></a><br /><br /></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00317854460541934424noreply@blogger.com1