The Terrorist and the Foodies are Home

"I want stay EVER!" shouted Andi as she barricaded her body across my parents door. 

It was time for us to drive back to MN and say good-bye to gramma.  We spent two days helping mom celebrate her birthday.

Homemade Carrot Cake courtesy of Aunt H!  

Our family is a bunch of foodies, I believe, and for mom's birthday, we got her a bunch of exotic or indulgent high-quality foods to cook with.  My grampa was a chef who owned a (successful) restaurant for many years and while he may be gone, his legacy of good,  home-cooked mid-western fare is alive and well. 

Last week, after realizing that the girls turn their noses up at food like Kraft mac and cheese and the frozen bagel bites and chicken nuggets, I speculated to Dave that perhaps the girls are turning into foodies.  He agreed immediately stating that Sophia had scolded him that morning when he made her toast.

Dave proceeded to the fridge and took out a stick of margarine and Sophia told him, "Dad! That's margarine! Not butter!"

Later that day, Sophia tattled on him, "Daddy put margarine on my toast."  And then she rolled her eyes. 

While in Ames, besides the required trip to the chocolate store and bakery, the girls spent time swimming and further honing their swimming skills.  My goal is not to have children who can make the swim team, but children who are drown-proof.  So far, Foss swim school is FINALLY the place helping the girls achieve that goal.

"The Shark" (aka Uncle P) dives in to come eat squealing little girls. Yikes!

Sophia has a BIG JUMP!

Ok, so Andi was a bit tired and not too into the whole swimming thing...

Ella experimented with jumping styles and utilitzed: cannon ball, splits, twirling, and the run-and-jump

Ella is about to launch...

After swimming, Patrick and I combined ingredients and foods and made mom her birthday dinner.  Andi has become especially fond of Aunt H after Aunt H's visit to our home last week.  I wish we could bring Aunt H home and keep her forever.

Andi, waiting for cake, with her tub of candy from Grampa,  and her Aunt H.  It doesn't get better than that.

By 2:30, with a cup of coffee in hand from the nearest coffee store, we hit the highway back to MN. Once home, I quickly unpacked, started laundary, then bid Dave farewell and good luck with the cranky children and set off to Zumba in search of the latest gyrating stripper-style moves and my sanity. While I was away, though, the cats did play...with make-up...

By 9 PM they were all showered and put to bed to dream about their next adventure with family...