Highs & Lows

We went to Pacifica to experience the rainbows:


There was a rainbow in the sky, but a storm in my heart. Our Eurovan now has a new family. They are Westfalia lovers so I know she will be in good hands. I miss that van terribly. Andrew is so relieved, but I am finding myself longing for all that VW vans represent (minus the dependent relationship one has with his mechanic):


The new owner flew to SF and then drove the Eurovan up to Seattle, Washington. I love how the van fits in so nicely. You can almost hear them talking to each other. I love how the new owner mentioned his mechanic like he is part of their family. Such a VW thing:


I am still mourning so posting a picture of our replacement (a minivan) might take a while.

Here

Waiting eagerly for our friends to arrive:


Only good friends trudge through snowstorms to get to California. The poor travelers boarded their plane and sat on the tarmac for three hours before starting their six hour flight. The children did great and Carolyn now holds the title for "Best Mom Traveler." I promised her I would make it up to her with 70 degree weather. Now it is in the high 50's with a chance of rain. Please sunshine, don't let me down. It is so fun to see our baby boys do their similar baby boy things right next to each other. Scrumptious.

Blake is having a lot of fun with Elaine June. Today, they were pirates. Tomorrow, surfers (again, please sunshine, don't let me down):


This is what Carolyn and James looked like after I subjected them to an episode of Modern Family, Cougar Town, and then 1/3 of the Bachelor. I guess a good friend shouldn't make the mom of the year watch things like that, but hey, we needed a mini break from wrangling all those children.

Tuckered mom and baby:


It may be mayhem at times, but the energy of two, new families makes my heart glow.

Boardwalking

Here is Round 2 from the Boardwalk. I love those photo booths and we haven't done one since Reade has been born. It is getting kind of squishy in those booths with four people now.

The four of us displaying our manners:


I was so excited family came so I could ride on a roller coaster. Andrew and I made a mini date of it and tested it out. What a cheap thrill. We grabbed David and Jessica because once wasn't enough.

I'm a screamer:


David and Andrew always keep calm:


Carolyn from NY is flying out to California to spend a couple of days with us. I CAN'T WAIT. It is always so much fun to see old friends and new babies.

Weekly Greens

A fellow PAMP'er (my mom's group) sent me the link to a great meal planning website called Weeklygreens.com. I hope to jump on that bandwagon.

Choco-Yum

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk hosted the fourth annual Chocolate Festival this last Saturday. I met up with my friend Skyla and her friend Sara to indulge in some chocolate tasting. There were 29 vendors handing out samples ranging from pieces of chocolate bars to chocolate pork buns (think soy sauce and chocolate, not the best combo out there). There were tons of people so we spent most of our time squishing through crowds or waiting in line. Still worth it.

Waiting in line for a sample from The Buttery:


Nothing like hanging out with banana slugs:


Skyla had attended the festival before so she suggested bringing tupperware to hold all of our loot. I was worried about not having any chocolate to share with my family (who nicely took my kids to the beach while I was at the festival) because I kept eating the chocolate samples. By the twelfth sample, I hit a chocolate wall and could taste no further. So here are the goodies I couldn't stomach:


What a fun time. I hope they find a better way to accommodate the crowds and realize that soy sauce and lavender are not the best things to mix into chocolate.

Groupon

Who loves Groupon? I do! I saw the Rennie Harris Puremovement deal on my Groupon list and couldn't resist getting $30 tickets for $15. I saw and Alvin Ailey performance when I lived in NY so I was interested in this type of dance. Rennie Harris' style is a combination of: hip hop, funk, african dance, jazz, and break dance. Although the style was a bit sharp for me, the show was executed well. Definitely worth the $15 tickets and ambiance of a Stanford theater.

Puremovement:


Intermission:


Not so flattering picture, but we both had rhythm in our souls at that moment:


The Cheesecake Factory Red Velvet Cheesecake dessert finished off a great date night (only 630 calories!). Don't worry, I didn't finish it all and I didn't take home the rest:

Nutrition

Thank you Sandra Mora for letting me borrow your photo.

I went to a Registered Dietitian the other day in hopes of finding someone who will both police my sugar cravings, as well as hold me accountable for what I feed myself and my dependents. The only dietitian I could find specializes in diabetes management. That was fine with me because cutting sugar is a goal of mine. Here are the three nuggets of information I gained from the appointment:

1. Preeclampsia is not linked to diet (so far there is no good evidence).

2. It is okay to have a sweet tooth. Just don't eat the sweet stuff instead of a meal. That is my problem. I tend to stand at the pantry, deem lunch too much effort, and stick my hand into a bag of spice drops and call it lunch. Not good.

3. Meal planning is the way to go. I have resisted meal planning for unknown reasons. I have no idea why I dislike the idea of being tied to certain meals throughout the week. A mother in my mom's group suggested a website where they provide you with the grocery list and then the recipes. I will share that once she sends me the link.

I don't feel like a changed person, but it is nice to get rid of some of the pressure I was saddling myself with. I can't believe I am falling into that stereotype of busy mom who doesn't have time for good meals. People might suggest time management websites, but until there is a column for "kids screaming/resisting/barfing on themselves at my feet while I am trying to get out the door" then I don't even want to bother.