Day 83

I made Sophia a tea party breakfast, with blackberries, cheerios and -- most importantly -- bite size rice crispie treats. We had milk and juice also.

I just love to see how Sophia's artwork changes as she gets older. Here she has drawn a chalk picture of Ariel, complete with head, eyes, smile...and a long beautiful tail.

I thought Robeez were supposed to stay on feet? :) Maya prefers to eat hers.

My sister and I (well, mostly my sister) planted new plants all around our backyard. I'm putting these photos in my blog, mostly so I can look back and see how they grow over the summer. Unfortunately, I did not take a before photo, so I can't show the comparison of how truely hideous the plants were before. :(

Day 82

My sister and I finished up the flowerbeds in the backyard. While watering, we displaced a bunch of ants, who grabbed their eggs and ran. You may need to click to enlarge the photo, but you can see the ant growing inside the egg in the top right.


We trimmed a bunch of the overhang from the neighbor's yard that was putting too much shade over our lemon tree. They have a gigantic bird of paradise and the leaves were as tall as me. I propped them against our big hedge to make a fort for Sophia and Maya.

Day 81

Grandma had Maya playing in the tub for a really long time. She had little prune feet. :)

Grandma and Sophia had a girls afternoon out at the mall. Grandma bought her some bright red nail polish. Sophia gave herself a pedicure. :)

Day 80

All the new flower beds in my yard are almost finished.



This is the photo cycle almost every time I try to take Sophia's picture. :)

Maya had so much fun playing with her blocks today.

Day 79

My sister, Stephanie, and I dug up all of the UGLY plants and almost dead rose bushes in my backyard today and planted a bunch of new flowers and plants. One of the pots had the most gigantic rolly-polly I've ever seen. Sophia loved it. Here she is holding it.


Early this morning, Sophia and I planted our new veggie garden. A friend of mine is letting me borrow a book called Lasagna Gardening. It's about creating a layered foundation for your garden. Her garden has been thriving, so we are giving it a try. We started small, with some lettuce, parsley, oregano, basil, radishes & chives.

Maya went down the slide for the first time. Even with Alberto holding her the entire way (and going slow) she really didn't know what to think of the experience.

On the other hand, Sophia has been playing on her slide and swing set nonstop for the last few days.

Day 78

Our photo challenge this week is "Spring has Sprung!"


Pop-Pop Popo and Sophia planted some flowers in the front yard.

Maya decorated herself with food again. ;)

Day 77

We had two sets of neighbors over for a BBQ yesterday. It was FREEZING (for So Cal), but the kids played in the pool anyway. They ran around for 6 straight hours! We are so lucky where we live...all within 4 hours of each other are 2 other families with kids our age. Sophia's one friend is 2 days younger and the other is 4 months older.

Maya has a little buddy living across the street too.