What do these things have in common?

3840
3838
0083
PG8E
D4150861
one big white flower
lots of rocks
a yellow bus
2363

sibling rivalry?

Happy to share the toy.


Miranda makes move for the toy.


Elizabeth parries to get toy back.


Elizabeth gets the toy, but sacrificies position.


Miranda makes last ditch effort to get the toy back.

Trying out a new view

Shirred eggs

I've been a poached egg man pretty much all of my life. I like them served on toast, just like mom used to make for me. I enjoy a good scramble, and the occasional omelette, but the majority of the breakfast eggs I eat are poached.

I have a very nice poacher, but I generally poach my eggs at home by simply cracking the eggs into a pan of boiling water. Many people are surprised that this is an effective method, that the eggs don't simple dilute into the water (some of it does), but I think this makes the best poached egg. Let them roll around in there for a few minutes and then fish them out with a slotted spoon. Timed right, the result is a perfectly solid - but tender - egg white wrapped around a perfectly liquid yolk.

Anyway, during a recent visit from Judy and Tony, they introduced me to a new way to cook eggs, which they thought would be appealing to a poached egg fan. And they were right. They're called shirred eggs, and you basically bake them in a small dish, well buttered, at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Here's the result of my first attempt:



These eggs were very good, I have to say, and much closer in texture and tenderness to poached eggs than fried eggs. But I think they'll be even better when I try some of the variations suggested by our cookbook, such as sprinkling the pan with spinach and sprinkling the eggs with parmesian cheese. Or lining the pan with ham or breadcrumbs. Or dousing the whole thing in heavy cream.

Of course, what recipe isn't improved by a good dousing of heavy cream?

This Week

This week, we did some biscuit eating...





Some swinging...




And some siting...

How to have a tantrum

First, wake up grumpy.



Then whine about your cereal.



Then whine for a different kind of cereal.



Mix up your whining with a scream or two.



Squeeze out some actual tears if you can manage it.



Then try your cereal and forget the whole thing.

Biscuits

Happy Easter

The easter bunny left Parker a little basket today, by way of our delightful next door neighbors Ed & George.



Mommy ate the chocolate bunny, but Parker was very happy to eat the oranges.

Horsing around

Too god damn cute!

Park Outing

Yes, I took all three kids to the park today. It was actually quite nice. Everyone behaved very well....including me.

Breakfast

Parker is all better today, but his day care is closed. So the four of us enjoyed some breakfast this morning after daddy went to work. Let's hope the day is better than yesterday.

And no...the girls didn't eat any cheerios. :)

Days like these...

Recently, my dad told me that if I wanted anyone to believe having twins was hard, I should post some pictures of crying babies, or screaming toddlers, or exhausted parents. Problem is...you never think to grab the camera when you've got crying babies, screaming toddlers or exhausted parents. Today, I had all three and not once did I reach for the camera.

Parker has been sick since Saturday. He had a pretty high fever for a couple days. He was totally hot and then shivering. It was quite sad. We kept him home from daycare again today even though he had no fever, because he wasn't quite 'normal' yet and had a fever yesterday. When dad left for work this morning, Parker was screaming bloody murder about something and the gals were needing to be changed and fed. The beginning of a great day.

Parker kept that up for a good long while and when I could finally put the gals down for a nap, Parker and I sat together on the couch for a while. All was well until his nap, when he woke up prematurely and started screaming for mommy. Mommy, you see, was, again, feeding the babies. (Miranda is using a big girl seat that she can't be left alone in.) So he screamed and screamed and when I did finally go in, he just kept repeating "want mommy, want mommy'. I told him I was right here, but he either didn't hear me or didn't care. Finally, he fell asleep and I went back to the living room. I laid down on the couch for a total of 20 minutes when Miranda and Elizabeth woke up for their 30 minute nap. Damn it! So I fed them, nursed them, played with them, and then tried a nap again. It took!

So when Michael came home early at 4:30 to help out, I felt like a liar because all three kids were asleep and the house was quiet. Ahhh, if the day had only been like that.

So, no, I didn't get any pictures of any of that. But I did get these pictures. (Courtesy of a professional photographer courtesy of the grandparents.) Which remind me that life is good and crying babies and screaming toddlers aren't the worst thing in the world.

Eli

A bad influence.

Last week, I visited LA. Saw the sister. Brother in law. Nephews. Grandmothers. Grandfather. And sweet Julia.

Or is she?

It seems she has rubbed off on Elizabeth and Miranda is two specific, and not so endearing, ways...

1.) They both seem to need to be carried more now. Putting them down in one colorful and loud aparatus isn't working as well as it used to. I keep thinking they are hungry or tired or pooped up, but no. They just want to be held. Which is all fine and good (holding babies, I mean) but it is pretty hard to do that with two at once. And they seem to be double teaming me.

2.) Almost the entire time I was in LA, cousin Julia did not go #2. My gals poop several times a day. Or they did. Miranda is done plugged up. Can't poop at all. And boy does she try. So sad. Both for how she feels and for the fact that she had to eat prunes for the last two days.

On a positive note...Amy's baking rubbed off a bit on me and I made a pie yesterday (see blog post below) and some banana bread today. Sure I screwed up the meringue, twice, but they both tasted yummmy! I haven't done the homemade granola bars yet, but there is still time.

Chocolate Babies?

Or just prunes? You be the judge.

His mudder was a mudder.

Sometime in the last week, Parker learned how to say Mother. Except he doesn't really say it right. He says Mudder. Tonight he said, Night Night to Mudder as he went into his room with dad.

It cracks me up every time.

The Good Life

Nothing like coming home to a freshly baked lemon meringue pie made with lemons from the front yard.

Last One for Michael

Daddy's Glasses