Photo Round-Up

I'll caption the photos when I get to a computer. We've had a fun few weeks.

Afternoon Walk

Gorgeous afternoon earlier this week. It took a little over an hour to get to Smart and Final and home. It would have taken longer, but we bought ice cream.

Our Backyard

Violet is sick today, so to give Daphne some outside time on the summer solstice, I made a makeshift water table on our makeshift backyard. She approved.

Happy 34th Birthday, Erik!

This Face!

Can you tell how happy she was to be in the stroller at Knott's?

Happy 85th Birthday Omi

Girls' Trip to Pittsburg

I braved the I-5 by myself with two little girls in two little carseats to visit my mom and Larry for the week! We missed Daddy (I'm sure it was the longest I've ever been away from Erik since we've been married) but had a lot of fun. It was a nice break for everyone.  

Violet and Mommy relaxing in the swing in the backyard:

Violet playing a Toy Story video game with Papa:

Daphne relaxes in the pool:

Upon arrival (Violet stayed awake for the whole trip, from 4:15am. Daphne stayed awake until 6:30 then took a little nap):

Violet blowing bubbles, poolside:

Mimi and Papa with Violet and Daphne at dinner:

With Papa's car at the car show in downtown Pittburg:

A little too much love at breakfast on the way home:

Transit of Venus

June 5, 2012: Another fun celestial event! I just couldn't believe our luck in witnessing this transit. I finally, after MUCH calling around, procured #14 welder's glass from a place downtown so we'd be able to watch the transit. When I asked the man on the phone to hold some glass for me as I'd be driving out from Santa Monica, he offered to meet me after work because he lives in Venice! So we met Wayne, at liquor store in Venice, with cash to buy four pieces of welder's glass (one for Antonio's birthday gift). We met some friends at Erik's work to see the event, and to our surprise we found an elaborate setup at the rooftop gardens! An attorney at another firm in the building was on the roof with a telescope, binoculars, and eclipse viewing glasses, and greeted us as if he'd been expecting us. It was fun to look through his high-tech devices and see the little spot that was Venus moving across the sun. He, on the other hand, was really excited to look through our welder's glass as he'd never seen it before, and declared it clearer than the eclipse viewers. Cool! When we got home in the evening, we learned that one of our neighbors is an astronomer at UCLA. She had an awesome telescope set up in the alley, so we went downstairs to "view" a little more. What a super day. I hope Violet has a memory of it. If not, these pictures will have to suffice:

Violet, viewing through the welder's glass. She was SO excited to carry the little pieces of glass around:

Daphne babysitting the babies who came to view with us:

Venus, transit!

Transit of Venus cupcakes I made for Tone. See Venus transiting? Across the sun cupcakes??

Proper Oral Hygiene

Look at this little pigtailed girl brushing her teeth. I can hardly stand it she's so grown up!

Violet posed with Daddy in the morning for a picture to take to school to make a father's day gift:

Afternoon Snack

I've been freezing spoons into little kid cups of yogurt for afternoon snacks for the girls. I learned my lesson about using cheap spoons, though, when Daphne chewed up and swallowed a decent part of the spoon in hers, imagining it was a crunchy center, I guess. Thanks Aunt Dr. Katie for the reassurance that she'd likely live. Next time I'll use wooden spoons.

Violet's Preschool Awards Ceremony

Sweet Violet finished her first year of Preschool. She received the "Most Helpful" award in her class, for always being so attentive to her classmates. Which may be a euphemism for being nosey. She comes by it honestly.

Her award:

The class cutting the graduation cake for the "grads" (see Daphne trying to get in on that cake action?):

Violet with her first teachers, Erica Moran (Teacher Erica) and Samantha Twitchell (Ms. Bubbles):

End of the year cards Violet gave to her classmates. Very, very last minute, so she didn't get to write her own name. Thank you for making me feel like I NEEDED to make these, Pinterest.