Father's Day at Fisherman's Wharf

This morning we woke up earlier than everyone else (ah, the joys of being the only ones on the vacation with children...), so we headed out to Starbucks to have some Father's Day coffee and scones. After that, we headed to breakfast with the rest of the Barsotti family at the diner in our hotel.

Some of us decided to head down the curvy part of Lombard Street and down to Fisherman's Wharf, so we hopped into the van and headed out. Ava thought going down Lombard was "just like a roller coaster." Then we went to the Wharf, which is pretty touristy, but is fun to poke around. We went to Ghiradelli Square and found a cute little peanut and tree nut free cupcake shop, where we bought Ava a cupcake and some milk. Unfortunately, Ghiradelli products are on the long list of no-nos for Ava due to her allergies, but she didn't even know what she was missing, thanks to the cupcakes.

We attempted to take a cable car ride, but the prices went up to $10 roundtrip per person, and $40 for 40 minutes of fun didn't seem worth it to us. Still, we got a couple of great shots by the bay:

The view from the bottom of Lombard:

Alcatraz Island:

Father's Day on the wharf:

Ava wearing her chocolate cupcake:

If you're going to San Francisco...

Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair...


Coming "home" makes me a wee bit nostalgic. OK, a lot nostalgic. Joel and I haven't been back to the Bay Area since I was pregnant with Ava, and the trips were short and really not too fun.


We survived our car ride down (actually, it went WAY better than we expected...thank the gods for DVD players and Pirate Booty!!), stayed in a rather questionable hotel room last night, and this morning got up bright and early to drive the last 45 minutes into the city. The fog was dense, and the toll to cross the Bay Bridge is now $4!


We made a beeline to Golden Gate Park, and to one of my favorite places ever, the Japanese Tea Garden. We walked around the garden for about an hour and had a "tea party" in the tea house. Ava thought the garden was very interesting, and was amazingly well behaved (no running, jumping, trying to dive into the ponds...). Emily rode in the Ergo on Joel's back and was happy as a clam.

This bronze Buddha statue was cast in 1790 and weighs over 9000 pounds...wow!

Since the California Academy of Sciences is still closed for rennovations and the De Young is a little bit over Ava's head, we decided to head over to the Exploratorium. The Exploratorium is a hands on science museum, and Ava and Joel had a great time with all of the exhibits. Emily and I hung out in the baby area for most of our time there, where she got to practice herearly walking skills by pushing around the small play tables. The best part about going to the Exploratorium? It was FREE because it's part of the same network of museums as OMSI is, where we are already members.

After our fun filled day, we headed to our hotel on Lombard Street to take naps (although Joel and I watched a donwload of the season finale of Battlestar Galactica). After that we headed to dinner with Joel's family to celebrate his youngest sister's graduation from dental school. Whew! What a day!

Happy trails to you...

Well, it's either that song or Movin' Right Along from the Muppet Movie.

As I get together the last of the ginormous pile of stuff that a family of four needs to take on a 9 day road trip, I'm struck with several thoughts:

1) Bringing most of our own food means that there will be little time for me to live the dream of sampling the finest DDDs (that's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives) on the 5. How does the child of a chef even think such thoughts? No idea, but I'll have a LOT of time to contemplate over the next few days...At least we'll have lots of In N Outs!

2) Kids need a LOT of stuff. Seriously, the girls have a suitcase and a duffle. Not to mention the strollers, booster seats, food, cups, toys, books, blah blah blah...The minivan is looking pretty mini right about now.

3) Wouldn't you know that right as we are about to leave the fair state of Oregon, the sun starts shining? It better still be here when we get back!

4) I'm embarassed to admit how excited I am about the prospect of buying REAL Sudafed and also jumbo bottles of booze at Costco. When a stroll down the aisles of the Liquor Barn in Redding gets you excited, perhaps it's time to reflect...

Here's a look at what I've got packed so far (notice, no pack & play, strollers, high chairs, cooler, etc):

The last night of our trip will be spend at a brand new hotel in Anderson, Ca. The hotel is billing itself as an eco-friendly spa retreat at the foot of the mountains. Even for a weekend stay, a room there was less than a room at a typical roadside motel, so I decided to take the chance. They offer a fly-fishing package, so if we like it, I might need to book myself a much needed mommy getaway for some fishing and R&R. Any hotel that offers free yoga sounds like the type of place I'd like to spend time. A little zen also sounds like the perfect way to end our trek through California.

Hopefully I'll be updating while away, but if not, I assure you that I will have a monster entry when I return and get through Mt Washmore.

And on a completely unrelated topic, congratulations to Nick and Sarah Barsotti - looks like it's a boy!

A brief bit of sun...

We had a little bit of sun this weekend, so we decided to head to Oaks Park, which is a small amusement park in southeast Portland. Ava and I went every week last summer, and she has been asking to go back quite a bit. This weekend they had their 103rd anniversary and a local TV station sponsored $0.32 ride tickets. We bought $6 worth and had a great time! Emily enjoyed the carousel and the Lewis and Clark ride...her little eyes were wide open the whole time. Ava is a bit less of a daredevil than she was a year ago...she only wanted to ride the kiddie roller coaster once and held onto Daddy's for dear life on the tumbling tug boat.

She loved the carousel and the motorcycles though, and of course enjoyed the pink cotton candy that we brought home as a post dinner treat.

Joel and Ava preparing to go down the big slide:

At the bottom:

Emily and I on the carousel:

Ava riding on the carousel:

Ava on the motorcycle ride:

Emily being cute:

Ava riding the rocket ships:

BPA Free Bottles and Babies R Us

A girlfriend who lives in another state told me that she recently heard on her local news that Babies R Us is accepting returns of bottles containing BPA - no matter if they are used or still in the packaging. I thought that this was too good to be true, so I called my local BRU store and low and behold - they will accept my 3 year old Avent bottles!

The store manager let me know that if the bottles are new and in the packaging (without receipt) a store credit will be issued. If anyone is interested in returning used bottles, you will receive a credit for the value of the bottles that can only be applied towards BPA-free bottles. I want to applaud Babies R Us for this - obviously, the manufacturer should be the one taking the bottles back, and BRU is making it ten times easier for the consumer.

I went online and looked at some bottles that I might try out: These Adiri bottles looked pretty cool. Definitely more money per bottle than the Avents, but to me, worth it.

I hope that if you have a bottle feeding baby, or will be bottle feeding, that you educate yourself about the harmful side effects of BPA and look for BPA free bottles.

***stepping off soapbox***

Rest and preparation

Apologies for the lack of posts this week...I've caught some sort of cold (which I am prone to when the weather can't decide between rainy and sunny) and for some reason, it's really knocked me out!

Ava had her ballet recital on Monday, and I need to get the video transferred over so I can post it here. It was by far the cutest thing I have ever seen. Ava had so much fun and was so sad to have her class end for the summer. Luckily, her teacher let us know that she'll be teaching again in the fall, so we'll just have the summer off.

We also got Ava's paperwork sent out for preschool. I can't believe she's going to be starting school so soon! I'll miss her two mornings a week, but hopefully it will give me a chance to have some one on one time with Emily. I'm looking forward to getting her into the messy art classes and baby gym classes that Ava loved so much at that age.

We've spent the rest of the week playing with friends that we hadn't seen in a while, hosting a drop off for our babysitting co-op (a group of moms who exchange babysitting needs with each other), and going to our weekly Gymboree class.

I've also been planning for our upcoming road trip to California - first a stop in San Francisco to play tourist and to watch Joel's youngest sister graduate from dental school, and then down to Disneyland for a few days at the Happiest Place on Earth! I can't tell you how excited I am to take Ava to Disney...my earliest memory is waiting in line to ride Space Mountain with my mom, and although she is too small to ride it this time around, I am sure that she will LOVE all of the Fantasyland rides, and of course, seeing the Princesses. We've booked a Character Breakfast our first morning there and a Disney Princess Lunch on our second day. She doesn't know about either, so I think she'll love the surprise. I am most excited to take her on the Dumbo ride...to me that's a big right of passage for a preschooler! On the way home, are stopping in Monterey and Carmel to visit the beautiful scenery and the awesome aquarium.

I've been searching around for some ideas on how to keep the kiddos occupied on the long drives and came onto this cute idea...I might need to make a trip to the craft store later today!

Emily is ready for her nap, which means it's time for me to play a few rounds of Candyland and Hi Ho Cherry Oh! with my favorite 3 year old.

My little baker

For the past 8 or 9 months, if you ask Ava what she wants to do when she grows up, she says "I want to make cakes for brides." OK, so it comes out more like "I wan make caykes for da bryeeds," but I digress. We have no idea where she came up with this since she hasn't been to too many weddings, and also hasn't had any wedding cake due to her allergies. I really think that part of it is genetic as I come from a long line of amazing cooks. My mother and great grandmother are/were serious threats in the kitchen, and my mom had me helping her in the kitchen as soon as I could hold onto a spoon. I've done the same with Ava, and not a day goes by where she doesn't ask me to help bake or cook dinner.


Obviously, she loves taste testing best, but she also loves to help add ingredients, stir, knead dough, and lately, watch the yeast bloom when we make bread (seriously, who would have thought that something so slow would keep my kid standing still for 10 straight minutes?!?!).


In the past few days, she spent some time at Nana's house where she helped decorate a wedding cake, and she helped us make a chocolate cake for us to snack on, brownies for a get together, 2 loaves of bread, pizza, and oatmeal. I have no doubt that when it comes time to fix dinner this afternoon, she's going to want to help me mix up the following to serve with our sausages and blueberry compote:


Custard Filled Cornbread
Recipe By : Marion Cunningham


Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
3 tablespoons butter -- melted
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 cup heavy cream



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.


Butter an 8-inch square baking dish, and place it in the hot oven while you prepare the batter.Sift or stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and baking soda. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and the melted butter until well-blended. Add the sugar, salt, milkand vinegar and beat well. Stir the dry ingredients into the egg mixture just until the batter is smooth.Pour the batter into the heated dish. Pour the heavy cream into the center of the batter. Do not stir.Check the cornbread after 45 minutes. It is done when the top becomes lightly browned.



I also have to post the recipe for the chocolate cake that she helped me make over the weekend because it's insanely good:

Easy Chocolate Cake
From Off the Shelf by Donna Hay



Ingredients:
8 oz butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
2 cups AP flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
8 oz dark chocolate, melted



Glaze:
5 oz dark chocolate
1/3 cup heavy cream



Heat oven to 325. Grease 9 inch round cake pan.
Cream butter and sugar together in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Sift together flour, baking powder, and cocoa and add to the butter mixture. Add sour cream and chocolate and mix until just combined. Pour into cake pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes and then turn out onto a cooling rack.



When cake is cool, heat cream over a double boiler until warm. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate. When mixture is smooth, allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes, then pour over the top of the cake.

Ava's favorite part of making cakes:

Oh drat! There's batter on my fingers!

Where'd it go?!

The "bride's cake " she made with Nana: