Ballard Locks

I managed to get the kids fed and dressed, a lunch packed, and the stroller in the car by 9am today...I think that might be a record for me! We headed over to the Ballard locks to see the boats and to see if there were any salmon in the fish ladder. No luck with the fish...we will need to go back in the middle of summer, but we did see quite a few boats coming in from the Puget sound, including a fire rescue boat.

Captured on the iphone

I have been meaning to research the best place online to get your instagram photos printed because it would be a shame to not have hard copies of moments caught on my phone. Here are a few as of lately that I can't wait to get printed. Oh, and a video of a splashing session going on in the bathtub! Gosh I sure do love those kids!

Weekend away

I think this past weekend was one of the best times we've had together as a family since we've been back in Seattle. We went north to Lake Padden, near Bellingham to meet up with my mom, step dad and sister. It had everything there, a playground, off-leash dog park, a lake (obviously!) and multiple trails going around the lake. We got there a bit late in the day due to traffic, but still managed to catch the sun while it was still out. Shepherd went on a swing for the first time, and Ruby was gathering rocks for her favorite activity...throwing rocks in the water. The dogs had a blast too, getting all their energy out from playing fetch in the lake. Or maybe I should say just Wyatt got his energy out. I don't think it is possible for Belle, (my sisters German shepherd), to be tired!
          After the delicious barbecued hot dogs and giant cupcakes my step dad just had to buy, we packed up and headed to the pier in Fairhaven, just outside of Bellingham. My step dad told Ruby that we would get to see seals in the water there, and sure enough one popped its head out of the water and followed us down the pier. Ruby's eyes lit up when she saw it! I love moments like that where we as parents get to see our children experience something for the first time.
          Once the sun went down, we headed back to my moms and stayed the night. Luckily we got more beautiful weather the next day and enjoyed relaxing with family. Our morning consisted of a delicious breakfast, jumping through the sprinkler, and like every family out there, target practice in the front yard with a bow and arrow. Yes, my husband, whom I love dearly, wants to be like Katniss, from the book The Hunger Games. We were using my sisters re curve bow and Jeremy also tried my moms compound. Both my mom and husband were able to shoot an apple with an arrow! All I have to say is, watch out Katniss.

sweet dreams

Time flies too quickly around here. Shepherd is already scooting his little body all over the house and getting into EVERYTHING! He has mastered the army crawl and is a newly independent little man, or so he likes to thinks. I also have been helping Ruby learn how to ride her trike, but she is easily distracted by things around her..."oooh look mom, a flower!" (she says as she pedals into a bush). I will admit that is something that she takes after me...hence why my mom was a bit worried when I got my drivers license :)
          I will leave you with one of my favorite things to look at, a sleeping baby.

A very productive beginning

The sun has started to make its appearance here in Seattle and our family has been taking full advantage of it because we know rain could come at any time! On Sunday we walked around old Ballard and went to my favorite fabric store, The Quilting Loft. I have been wanting to start sewing again and thought I'd start with making things for the kids room. I picked up some heather Ross fabric and also a pack of fat quarters. The line is called Reunion by Sweetwater for moda fabrics. I decided to make a mini quilt out of the fat quarters, and have almost finished it. I just need to go buy some fabric for the border!

My husband has also got the creative bug that has crept into our week. He has this week off so he decided to spend some time in the wood shop making some furniture for our house. In just two days he built a credenza and a wood mount made from black walnut for some of our deer antlers. The mount also has a butterfly joint that he put in to prevent the wood from splitting completely. The credenza was made out of scraps of white oak. I was so excited to see what he had come up with and I completely fell in love with them both! I felt like it was my birthday, even though they weren't actually gifts to me specifically :) Can't wait to see what he comes up with next!

cookie time

Ever since I can remember, baking has been something that either puts me in a great mood, or I bake because I am in a great mood. Today it was the latter. While Ruby was watching her morning cartoon, Max and Ruby, I got all of the ingredients ready for us to make buttery jam cookies. The recipe is from the book Baking: from my home to yours by: Dorie Greenspan. You might also know her from her book Baking with Julia. This was the first time I made these cookies, and they are delicious. She recommends eating these with a hot cup of tea, and I fully agree. They are petite little cookies, which are perfect for a small afternoon treat. (Recipe found at the end of the post)

Buttery Jam Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

1 large egg

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup apricot jam (or your flavor of choice)...we used raspberry jam

Getting ready:

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

      Whisk together the flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt.

       Working with a standing mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Add the sugar and beat for a minute. Add the egg and beat for 2 minutes more.The mixture will be satiny. Add the milk and vanilla and beat just to combine. Don't be concerned if the mixture looks curdled, it will even out shortly. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the jam and beat for 1 minute more. With the mixer still on low, add the dry ingredients and mix only until they are incorporated. You'll have a very thick dough.

Spoon the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about an inch between mounds.

        Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cookies will be only just firm, fairly pale and browned around the edges. Pull the sheets from the oven and allow the cookies to rest 1 minute, then carefully transfer them to racks to cool to room temperature.

       Repeat with the remainder of the dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

Makes about 45 cookies

our weekend

Since living in our new place I have fallen in love with walking to the library. It honestly is my new favorite place to go by myself or with the kids. This past weekend Jeremy and Ruby left to go hang out at the wood shop, so Shepherd and I took a nice long walk around the neighborhood. We found a pretty cool little spot that has a great view of the SoDo district. Then we headed to the library. I found a few movies, a book on preserving food and also a book on no-knead bread (can't wait to try out some of the recipes!). One of the videos I got was baby ballet for Ruby. Today I surprised her with it and we got her dressing the part in no time. She dug out her old bathing suit in place of a leotard and she paired it with her red tutu. I was pretty impressed with how attentive she was to the teacher. I started ballet when I was about three. My mom put me into dance because I was a very energetic child who needed an outlet. I stuck with dance for about 7 years and I have recital videos for each performance. I think that would be something Ruby would love to see. I am very excited and eager to see what Ruby will gravitate towards as she gets older.