What I love about Easter.

The less obvious list.

• No morning after let-down. Christmas and Independence Day (usually my favorites – I’m so predictable) have a way of souring the next day. Unless you can go sledding (in the first case), or boating (in the latter). Easter just kind of fades into a much-needed weather change here in San Diego. We’ve had 90 degree days this week. And sunburns.
• The decorations. I’m keeping out all my vintage paper eggs for the entire season. Great if you like birds and eggs and bunnies. And who doesn’t. Well, maybe not the bunnies if you’re a guy. Sorry sweetie!
• Egg salad for lunch – easy peasy. Made with my mom, in my own kitchen, for the first time. It’s awesome having my mom around. The Food for Life bread I just found at the store is pretty awesome too. But not as awesome as my mom. Who managed to potty train Lauren with a dolly and get Matt to read aloud all in one day. We’re still working on the potty training, but the train is definitely on the track! And for all those non-moms out there who think I’m crazy to blog about bread… I have no defense. You should have heard my mom and I discussing our three different mayo-replacement choices!
• The Easter Story read by Poppa and the little ones old enough to listen to all 20 minutes of it. It helps when your grandpa is a professional story-teller of sorts, I guess.
• Basketball games. We are on the verge of canceling TV completely… and the boys lucked out last weekend since I’ve been procrastinating. (I’m not so anti-TV as I am anti-advertising. But that’s a whole different post.)
• Cottage cheese pancakes and mangoes for breakfast.
• No Easter baskets. Less running after super-hyper kids and way more relaxing. And bubble blowing. And sewing. Well, honestly, I kind of forgot about the Easter baskets, so it’s not as if I planned the holiday to be this super no-sugar holiday. But it all worked out perfectly. See below…

Flamenco Twirly Skirt, Draft 1:

A spur of the moment combination bubble/twirly skirt with all my favorite springy fabrics. I didn’t use a pattern for this, since I seem to have pattern ADD, and lose interest before I finish reading through the pattern instructions. (That said, I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of these new adorable patterns from Oliver and S.)

The longest tier was more than 18 feet long (likely not a surprise to you veteran sewers out there). Hanging there on the pegs the skirt looks a little funny (apart from the crazy threads), but on Lalu it’s just the sassiest little skirt ever and I love it. The only thing I really want to change is to thicken up the waistband a bit. Oh, and wash out the orange juice stains. And then bribe her to stand still.  For a picture.  Before the grass stains.  And after the threads are snipped.

I hope you had fun last weekend too!

The Birthday

Lalu is two. We celebrated quietly, but messily with the chocolate cherry chunk cake from this book, Kitchen Playdates. I substituted dried cranberries, and would recommend nixing the fruit altogether if you have a picky eater in your family. You may end up with spit up drools of chocolate cake all over your carpet otherwise as they exclaim: “oooo, yuckeee, a raisin!.”

Okay. So this is a picture of something any mannerly mother would not permit at her table. A very. loud. burp. It was perfect comedic timing too. I can blame this on my sweetie. Who picked up the camera all on his own and took a bunch of pictures of the party so our kids would know I actually was present during these activities – so I can’t actually be mad at him for anything right now. (Those of you without town-close grandparents will understand this.)

The pictures taking was just one in a long line of things he has done for me in the past 2 weeks. I am a very lucky girl. The GB Packers are on a roll. Maybe that explains it?

Banana chocolate chip cake with a minty garnish

banana chocolate chip cake with a minty garnish

Originally uploaded by laluandmatt

The highlight of our summer evening… too bad we already ate half of it!

I was inspired to try baking again after my last *clumsy mama* attempt at the Blueberry Banana cake last month. (Julie’s Strawberry Pie was a cold – oven less – pie and there was nothing I could do to mess it up thank goodness )

I’ve seen a few banana cakes around the blogging world lately – (please let me know in the comments where I might have seen these so I can give them credit. I can’t for the life of me seem to track down the one I’m thinking of) but the chocolate chip addition was entirely my own idea (Like nobody has ever combined banana and chocolate before, huh) and I think it absolutely makes the cake! Matt wants this for his birthday next year, he says.

1 cup butter
2 eggs (beaten)
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
a couple of more than ripe bananas – I used 2, but I think more would be even better)
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1/2 package of milk chocolate chips

mix together all wet ingredients in your mixer, adding eggs last. sift dry ingredients and add with bananas and sour cream. Set mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips at the end before pouring into your buttered and floured baking pans. About 25-30 minutes (until light golden brown). Frost however you like. I used store bought sour cream frosting. Garnish with mint from your own garden, if possible (seeing as this is the only plant that is thriving back there at the moment!).

Of course the kids will say, *what is that green weed doing on the cake, mama?*

Strawberry Fields

janesstrawberrypie

Originally uploaded by laluandmatt

I am not a pie lover. Nor is my husband. But this pie is amazing. You’ll have to go to Jane’s Apron to get the recipe! It’s my new seduction pie. Not that any seduction was happening after 3 pieces of pie though…

Blueberries for Sal…

But not for me

.

Lest there be any confusion: I am not, apparently, a soule mama. My blueberry banana cake simply did not taste quite as good as it sounds. In my defense, I do think living in Portland, Maine and having access to sublime fresh blueberries pretty much all the time (or so I imagine would be the case in my daydreams of Maine living) would make a huge difference. Frozen blueberries are no substitute. The *blueberry juice in the martha stewart frosting recipe* was a grand idea though!  OH… and I am still trying to get used to this *using maple syrup as a sugar substitute* kind of cooking.  Much healthier, I’m sure.  But still.

You think with my prodigious spice collection (see below), I would be a better cook.

Alas, my husband is still waiting for improvement.  Very sweetly, patiently, waiting.  In the meantime, we BBQ alot.

Antique knitting kit

While searching for a good deal on a *new* needle set, I happened upon this adorable set from the fifties (ebay, of course). The fabric is this wonderful sparkly tweedy aqua… so many pieces and I’m not even sure what they all do! All for about the price of 6 new needles.

The ebay seller sent me this cute little wooden needle case as a bonus.

Yes, I need a manicure.

Note the crochet hooks on the left. Hmmm.

Monday will be library day, and crochet books are on my list. (To be transported every so stylishly in my favorite new tote bag from superbuzzy) Also anything related to sharks. My 3 (almost 4!) year old’s current favorite thing. I’m drawing a blank on birthday party ideas right now, but one thing is certain: I’m making this fudgy souffle cake. Yum me. On second thought, maybe I’ll just make it tonight. Happy Easter everyone!

Fantastically short list of recent domestic activity

First purse completed and delivered (Amy Butler’s madison pattern in the Freshcut fabrics), check.

Headband (from a Heather Bailey (free!) pattern , check

Bean & Pasta Soup (with cilantro, of course), check

Curtains for the family room (at least the fabric is picked out).

L.P.s quilt top all put together nicely, check (used my seam ripper extensively here)

Strawberries & basil planted with love & watered (enthusiastically) by a 3 year old.  Check check.

Pictures to follow.  I just love lists.  They make me feel like I’ve actually accomplished something when all we really did today is go on a preschool playdate and order pizza for dinner.  A very satisfying day.

Crazy for Lentils

I’m constantly amazed by what I find posted on all the wonderful crafty mommy blogs. The soup recipes below are delicious! You’ve got to check out mommymoshpit.blogspot.com for the Lentil recipe… and there is a a wonderful Potato leek recipe out there but I forget the site & will have to post it later… I’m such a lazy blogger.

My darling sister-in-law Julie (of Green Lake, Wisconsin… our favorite spot in the world) promises me this is fantastic with italian sausage.

I never thought about homemade soup before I had babies. Such a wonderful cozy thing, and I never experienced it until after college , law school, and 3 years of marriage! Now it’s near the top of my favorite things list.

Anyway, enough about me and soup: you’ve got to try this. My little ones had it for lunch today & LOVED it. California rain and a bowl of lentil soup… happy happy, joy joy.