Back Home

We're back home in Bloomington, although it would be hard to find us among the piles of dirty laundry and furniture crates and all of the toys that the kids have rediscovered since we got here. We were all happy to sleep in our own bed last night, but I am definately missing the sushi and chocolates that Nathan brought me on a near-daily basis from the Whole Foods around the corner from our apartment in Baltimore. A trip in late February was great for heading off the winter blahs, and now it seems like Spring is on it's way, if not because of the weather outside, because this weekend it's MARCH! It won't be long before we can put the peas in, right?

From Baltimore

We have been in Baltimore for three days and will be here for three more. Once we all recovered from a first choppy, short night's sleep, we settled into our routine. We are staying in a high-rise apartment downtown. Nathan found that we could stay in what is called a "corporate apartment" for less than or the same cost as a hotel. What a treat! This place is beautiful, overlooks the bay, and even has a fitness center that I can use (wow-time alone!) for a half an hour in the a.m. before Nathan goes to the show at the convention center. Here' s a link to the show's website: http://www.craftcouncil.org/ And here's a link to the place where we're staying: http://www.chasestreetproperties.com/spinnakerbay.htm

Morph Dots on Planet Rinsadou

Dinos, pink tissue paper, craft puff balls...the makings for this morning's play. The dinos have found themselves transported to the planet Rinsadou where they must forage for morph dots to survive. The ones who have survived so far are Mr. Clubtail, Yellowblack, Frank, and a baby girl named Ed. As you can see, we are finding lots to do and having fun here in Rinsadou.

I mean Philly.

On The Road

The suitcases are unpacked. Both kids are asleep, Alex hugging her stuffed cow that we got her for Valentine's Day, and Eli after a bedtime snack, another bedtime snack ("Mom, if I don't eat again, I'll starve!"), and a "really, really wierd" story. Tonight we are in Glenside, Pennsylvania after a two day stint on the road travelling to this location for a furniture show. Poor Papa is working right now and will be into the night I am afraid, setting up a year's worth of beautiful work. The show starts tomorrow morning and the weather prohibited us from getting here any earlier. We are staying on Arcadia University's campus. A very nice woman who called herself Grandma Dot set us up with a two-bedroom apartment complete with a washer and dryer, equipped kitchen, and best of all a touch-sensitive lamp! You see, our boy has a penchant for gadgets, and this little touch-lamp in his bedroom really won him over.

Arcadia University has an academic building that looks like a castle, and we amused ourselves on the last leg of the trip here by imagining that we were staying in it, what it would be like to baby-proof such a place for little sister. So as Grandma Dot was taking us to our new digs, Elijah was barraging her with questions: "Are you taking us to a dungeon? Are you the only one with the key? Is there a moat here? How about a fire-breathing dragon?" Ah, Grandma Dot...

So, except for the exhausted and overworked artist, we are all tucked snuggly into this little home away from home sans dungeon or fire-breathing dragon. Where it lacks in medieval intrigue, it compensates with chintzy, 80's-style lighting.

Dinosaur and Budding Artist

I am allowed to take my oldest's picture IF he can roar like a T. Rex while I am photographing him. Dinosaurs have been a passion for awhile, especially the most vicious ones. We spend many conversations trying to decide who is most fierce-- T. Rex or Allosaurus.
Baby girl is pictured here bathing our kitchen and herself in pink marker. Who are we to deny her full creative license?

Sweetie

Thanks, Mom!

My mom understands both my cookbook obsession and a girl's need for a treat in the mail every now and then. For those of you who are interested in vegan cooking, go buy this! It's awesome.

A Solution for Everything

This weekend gave us a short but much-needed break from the freezing weather. So the kids
put on their rubber boots and went puddle jumping. This basket of rocks was very thoughtfully collected, brought
inside, washed, and used for lots of craft projects.

Yum

The toddler phase allows for lots of great pictures. She's fascinted with seeing "baby" on the camera. Boy child, on the other hand, is not a fan. He said to me the other day, "You will always have me. Why do you need my picture?" I have lots of pictures of blonde blurs running away from the camera. But I will do it! I will beg. I will bargain. I will get some good pictures of him and post them for faraway family and friends. It may take some chocolate bribes, though.