Tomato Sauce, Blocks, and Forts

Today's lesson on food production: Tomato Sauce.

Steps:
1) Laura and I go out to the garden and pick a bag full of tomatoes.
2) Wash 'em and slice 'em.
3) Use the squisher to push them into the grinder.
4) Turn the grinder
5) Out comes tomato sauce.
6) Cook it up!

Here's a sink full of Burpee (tm) Big Mama tomatoes.


He's the "Crusher" as Laura like to call it.


Laura even turned the grinder wheel a couple of times for me.


Still grinding.


Out comes tomato sauce. This is where Laura got really interested.


The finished product, after a couple hours of cooking down.


Laura and Anna need plenty of distractions while daddy goes for 20 mile runs. First they went to the bakery, then they played with blocks and forts.

Anna loves the blocks.


A girl after my own heart.


Never to be outdone, Laura made a fort.


"This is Laura's area!"

Sisters

Not that there's any doubt, but they certainly are sisters.

Laura likes green eggs... but no ham?

Well, Laura does like ham, we just didn't have any in the house. Emily thought green eggs would be a special treat for Laura, and she really liked them. She asked for them this morning again, but mean old daddy only made cereal. Boring.

Watch this Sam I am.


I would like them in a bus! I like them without fuss!


The kids have been getting plenty of use our of the pools the past couple of weeks.

Laura was even well behaved since she knew she didn't want to miss out on pool time.


They even got the princess sprinkler out.


Laura and her cousin Sophia.


The Gillespie girls. I don't know about you, but I think they look like sisters.


Anna playing with a bottle. Very silly Anna.


Laura pretty much owns the nearby park. She can navigate just about everything except the monkey bars. She always asks me if she's old enough for the monkey bars, but I don't think she has the upper body strength quite yet.


Weee, down the slide we go.


Anna, not to be outdone, loves the swing.

Tri it, you'll like it.

Congrats to Emily - She participated and completed her first triathlon! She made it a goal and a priority and completed it in style. (If a 2 1/2 year old and a 9 month old escort isn't style, I don't know what is.)

This was the 2009 Minneapolis YWCA sponsored triathlon, a 500 yard swim, 15 mile bike, and a 3.1 mile run.

Race Results

A [modified] quote I think is appropriate: "Accomplishment goes to those who tri."

Coming down the home stretch...


The li'l Gillespies escorting mom across the line.


Go mommy, go!


She's done!


I did it!

Picnics and Adventures

This past weekend, Laura suggested we have a picnic in the backyard, Emily and I thought it was a great idea, so the whole family had lunch in the backyard.


Daddy & his li'l ladies.


Anna loves being outside and Anna loves eating - who knew she'd love eating outside.


Of course, Laura was in heaven playing outside AND having lunch.


After she ate, Laura burned off some steam running. She's getting very fast.


She's even had good running form!


Anna is getting much more interactive with her play. She loves her little people house and many other toys. Now that she's playing with some of Laura's toys, we're sensing some sibling rivalry.


Anna loves her little people. They must taste great!


Last week the kids went to the children's museum in St. Paul. They had a blast. Anna loved playing in the toddler room.


Hmmm, that looks like a smirk. I wonder what she is up to?


Laura's driving the bus!


Laura's highlight was seeing Clifford, the big red dog. She walked right up and have him a big Laura hug.


Laura showing off her cooking skills.


Laura painted her own face, that was a big hit.


There aren't many places you are encourages to mess around with water, better make the most of it.


She even met a new friend in the parking lot! I wonder if his name is Compass, like George's friend pigeon.