The Bunny Hop

Grandma Loeb tucked this little singing thumper into Lucy's Easter basket. A month later, it's still a hit around here. (If that's still true in another month, this little bunny just may "run out of batteries!" because I am hearing this song in my sleep these days.) In the meantime, check out our little Lucy's moves!

Three up on two

With every milestone she encounters, Lucy goes for broke. When she was done with diapers, she let us know by grabbing a pair of big sister's undies and putting them on. When she was finished with the crib, she literally leapt out (and broke an arm in the process, but that's secondary).

And so we approach Lucy's next big milestone. About three months ago, she started asking me to take the training wheels off of her bike. I had nightmares of little Lu racing down streets at breakneck speed, without any concern for her personal safety, and so I refused her requests time and time again, telling her we could try when she turns four. But last week, I finally gave in and agreed, with great skepticism. We spent a few minutes with her tearing up and down the sidewalk with moderate success, significant wobbling, and at the predicted breakneck speed. But Lucy would not be deterred. This Thursday, she asked if she could ride her bike to school. I agreed and was certain I would be her balance the entire way. However, I was shocked when she rode the half-mile journey without my steady arm to support her. The entire trip, she was giddy with enthusiasm, proclaiming in between giggles to all within earshot, "Look at me! I'm with no training wheels! I'm DOING IT!"

Yes, she has holes in the toes of her shoes because she hasn't quite mastered the foot brake/stopping sequence yet. But she also wears a giant grin from her sense of accomplishment. And rightfully so.

We had to celebrate with treats from the ice cream truck when it rolled down our street this afternoon. It was, after all, a scorching 68 degrees in Portland today. Greta did the ordering.

Mother... Earth

Lucy snoozing on a ride home from the market. Who knew groceries made great pillows?

Since moving to Portland, I am striving to become more eco-conscious. From choosing natural cleaning supplies to growing our own greens, I am working hard to leave a smaller footprint. After years of long Bay Area commutes which burned more fossil fuels than I'd like to imagine, it's finally possible for me to rely on a car less often. If I can safely hop on my bike or walk to my destination rather than get in the car, I do it. It's so enjoyable to me to be in the fresh air with the girls; it's an instant mood lifter. And, when I read things like this article, I want to cry. And then, of course, do everything I can to help our poor planet.

So I was surprised when my pal Heather told me recently that when she was recounting our new Portland lifestyle to my former book club, only one person in the group actually thought it sounded like fun to spend more time walking and biking than driving. She said the general consensus was that people really liked the convenience of their cars. I was shocked, and perhaps also a bit (okay, more likely a lot) judgmental of this perspective. I mean, honestly, how many people actually like sitting in traffic when they could be pedaling or walking and admiring beautiful flowers along the way? Not to mention, helping the environment and getting some exercise to boot!

Then, one day last week, I decided to take the girls in the Burley trailer to Mary's t-ball practice. Wallet, check. Helmets, check. Sunglasses, check. Low air in the rear tire, check. So I had to take a few minutes to pump up the tire. Then I realized I had to find the keys to our bike lock. Back into the house to search for the keys. And finally, we were ready to go. It was a 10-minute process versus the one minute it might take to pile into the car and strap into car seats. And I will admit, as I was trying to pump up the tire in frustration, I was thinking, "This is such a hassle! No wonder people prefer to drive." However, as soon as I started pedaling, the frustration melted away. The girls shouted hello to neighbors we passed and then cheered me up the little hill I had to climb, and I knew that small delay was well worth it for the payoff.

I admit, there are plenty of days when drizzle or laziness overcome me and I cave to the gasoline gods. Or when a car is necessary for distance or safety. But, we often go days at a stretch without using our car. And, with great respect to my former book club girls who I love and miss, I have to stand by that fact proudly. I've become that hippie chick with the right pant leg rolled up to avoid the chain ring. And I'm liking it. Gasp.

The Coop...or is it the Coup (coup d'état)?

Lesson learned. When we attend a charity auction, I cannot leave the room during the live auction unless I take our bidding paddle with me.

I made this mistake Saturday at our local school auction, and returned to the room to discover Curtis was the high bidder (I would say winner, but that's not quite the right sentiment) for a lovely chicken coop. Which I believe is more accurately going to be called, The Chicken Coup d'état, given the circumstances.

Oh yes, we may just be the next poster children for City Chickens.

Crunch Time

You know that nice little consulting gig I refer to from time to time, as though it's some pale, unobstrusive backdrop to our real life world? The one that typically takes 5-10 hours a week of my time, making it incredibly flexible? Well, lately, it's a bit insane. How insane? I billed 34 hours in the first week of April. Yes, that's officially chops-busting, late-night-bloodshot eyeballs exhausting, morning-double-caffeinated busy.

So, imagine my surprise today to receive this spectacular care package from my client. Tucked in are energy shots, chocolate bars, a "closed" sign, mitts to "catch everything coming at us," a do-not-disturb sleep mask, aspirin, and various other sundries. Once again, despite my desperate desire for more balance and less late nights, I have to laugh and realize I am so incredibly lucky to work for such a great group. And that this rush of work is just temporary.

Okay, back to work now. But maybe a few nibbles of chocolate first...

Party Perfection

If the White House needs a party coordinator, we have just the woman. Aunt Joan is truly the hostess with the mostest! Not a detail was absent from her amazing Easter/April Birthday bash yesterday, complete with a surprise visit from the Easter bunny and sparkly Easter eggs for the children, a mountain of toys for the canines, and of course delicious concoctions for the grown-ups.

Here are a few snapshots of the incredible bash.

All of the April(ish) birthdays in the family. (April minus-7th and April 34th count, too!)

(Oh, and by the way, before any crazy rumors get started, Cora and Tom aren't holding hands. Just a strange camera illusion.)

A surprise visit from the Easter Bunny!

("That wasn't the REAL Easter bunny because I saw he had on gloves, Mom. It was just somebody in a costume, " our ever-practical Mary confided later.)

The girls delighted in hunting for special Easter baskets at 6-dark-o'clock!

Our Easter bunny was pretty sneaky at that egg-hiding business.

Batter up!

Today was Mary's first t-ball practice, and (gasp!) this kid might actually have some hand-eye coordination! Coming from a family without any of those skills (sorry, Mom aka "tossed salad," it's true), this is a very exciting realization. Guess it pays to marry into athletic genes.

Oh, and by the way, how adorable is my little shortstop in her baseball pants and cleats?