Trader Joe's

One of the many aspects I love about living here in California is how kind, friendly, and easy-going the people are.  Complete strangers will strike up conversations with me at the parks, people in the store will make a fuss over my girls, drivers will wait patiently behind a car stalled at a green light.  It's basically the complete opposite of our experience in DC (sorry my easterner friends).

Nowhere do I feel this positive vibe more than at Trader Joe's.  This is the first time I've shopped at TJ's, and while I usually can't stand grocery shopping, I can't get enough of TJ's.  Everything is so easy to find, reasonably priced, and the people who work there (albeit somewhat hippyish) are so dang helpful.  Every time I turn around there is someone in front of me asking if they can help me find something, and I usually take them up on their offer.  Last time I was there an employee helped me look all over the store for my lost keys last seen in Caroline's hands.  He eventually found them out on the sidewalk.


And every time I go through the check-out the cashier finds some way to compliment me or make me feel better.  Today it was, "Your total is $52.65.  Well done!"  Like I just achieved something monumental.  He engaged me in conversation as he scanned my items.  "Are you a vegetarian?"  "No." I replied. But for some reason I felt flattered he would think that.  As he scanned my asparagus he told me about how just last night he made the most delicious asparagus and then proceeded to give me step-by-step instructions.  "First you cut the asparagus in one inch pieces.  Then you saute them in olive oil and garlic.  Next you steam them in chicken broth, but not for long because there is nothing worse than over-cooked asparagus."   He then saw that I was buying a tarte d'Alsace, a kind of flatbread pizza.  He asked, "Have you had these before?"  "Yes."  He was silent for a minute but I guess he couldn't resist the urge to offer his own two cents, "Can I just tell you?  Try baking it directly on the oven rack, and put a cookie sheet on the rack beneath it to catch the drippings.  The entire crust will turn out crispy.  The tarte needs to be properly ventilated and if it's baked on a cookie sheet, it will be brown on the edges, but soggy in the center.  And there's nothing worse than soggy pizza."  (Except  for over-cooked asparagus I suppose.)  He wasn't being weird, I swear, he was just being helpful.   


I am already mourning the day we will have to move from here, and leaving TJ's behind, or rather the people who work at TJ's behind, has something to do with that.  There is something to be said for those "dang hippies" after all.

I'm Threeeeee!!

So, C's not really three.  It's just what she exclaims when people ask her how old she is.  Her second birthday was on Friday.  And no one has been anticipating this day with more excitement than her older sister Emily.  It's been quite exasperating to answer her questions all day every day about Caroline's birthday and her birthday (April 29).  I'll say, "Emily, your birthday is not for another six weeks!"  And she'll respond, "Noooo.  It's in four days because I'm going to turn four.  And Caroline's birthday is in two days because she's going to turn two."  I finally had to pull out the calendar and show her that her b-day was in 47 days.  She walked away with a deflated look on her face. Poor thing. 

Anyway, while at the grocery store with the girls earlier this week I found these birthday cake candles and they have latched onto them like they are the best things since their beloved blankies.  They both insist on taking them in the car, sleeping with them, etc. Who would have figured?  My friend said I should just wrap them up and call it good for their b-day gifts.

Em sleeping with her b-day candle

Her candle has earned the same status as Elmo.  And that's saying something!

So the rest of these pictures are actually taken on C's b-day.  We went to Target to do a little last minute shopping.  I know I've given my mom a hard time about making me go out in public with curlers, and here I am doing the same thing.  But then again, C's not in the first grade.  She got a lot of adoring comments from complete strangers.  It was fun.




We decorated cupcakes at home



C mostly just ate the m&ms




This is the finished product... a representation of our family.  I made the first one, it's supposed to be me (at Em's request) and Em made the rest... Ben, herself, and Caroline.  Pretty awesome.



I made Ben participate and he created these ones of his daughters.  Sorry, I'm lame and can't figure out how to rotate it.




Our awesome neighbors came over to help celebrate and wish C a happy b-day




Her new ride



We went outside for about five minutes in the nasty wind and rain.  Poor C will probably always have nasty weather for her b-days.


Caroline is such a blessing in our lives.  The size of her physical body vs. the size of her energy and zest for life are completely disproportional.  It's funny to watch this little peanut move 100 miles an hour.  She is loaded with personality, is cheerful and happy (except when she first wakes up... definitely not a morning person)  and a little daredevil who loves to climb, jump off the couch, ottoman, her dad, etc.  She talks a ton, but is often incomprehensible... kind of reminds me of Donald Duck sometimes.  Em serves as her faithful interpreter.  They have such a sweet little relationship (when Em is not swiping toys from her).  C wants to make Em happy and is quick to share with her.  They love to chase each other.  When Em is sad or crying C shows concern and empathy.  And the very best thing about sweet Caroline is that she is a total mama's girl!  She prefers me to ANYONE else in the world and is very affectionate with me... snuggling and cuddling to her heart's content.  I love it!

Happy Birthday, Caroline! You rock.

First Trip to the Dentist

Today I took the girls to their first visit to the dentist.  

I was relieved to find out that their teeth are in pristine condition (unlike their mother's).

Check out Em in the chair.  He had her wear sunglasses because of the overhead light.  

Em was pretty brave and took everything in stride as he was poking around in her mouth.  Whenever she's in an uncomfortable situation and she's trying her best not to cry she just turns into a mute with a deadpan expression.   She goes to her alternate world of letters and Super Why, ice cream and strawberries.  Today was no different.  

Em in her alternate world

C on the other hand, was very aware of her surroundings and screamed bloody murder.  I didn't get a shot of her in the chair since she was laying in my lap.  The doc gave me a list of should and should nots when it comes to eating.  He said they should not snack on things like goldfish, graham crackers, pretzels, and sugary drinks, which pretty much sums up Caroline's daily regiment.  He said stick to cheese, fresh fruits, meats, and nuts.  Which, happily, more or less sums up Em's daily regiment.  At least I'm 1-2.
The dentist was super friendly and good with the kids... I could tell (as you can from this pic) that he really enjoyed his job.

The girls after their examinations.  They're still a little bit shell shocked

The List

 
   

Paris

   

           

Berlin

London

   Podgorica

 

Athens

  

    Washington DC                  

Where would you choose to live the next three years?  

I've been hesitant to blog about this, but I'm going to go ahead with it anyway.

So, we've been happy as can be the past few months living in Monterey, and we've basically slipped into complete complacency forgetting that we ever have to leave this paradise.  Well, that complacency was jolted a few weeks ago when "the list" came out.  "The list" is, you guessed it, a list of all the job openings that are available next winter that Ben is eligible for.  As we looked over it we were overwhelmed (in a good way) by the possibilities... Paris, Berlin, London, Podgorica (in Montenegro, the former Yugoslavia), and Athens all made the list.  Then there are a handful of jobs available in D.C.  

So, we don't get to exactly choose our next assignment, but we do get to submit a preference list where we rank our top five places we'd like to go, and the higher-ups supposedly take this into consideration when making their placements. Talk about exciting and overwhelming.  How the heck do you choose?  I would LOVE to go to any of these places (except for D.C.)  A couple things you have to consider:  language (I hated not knowing Polish when we lived there), job description, quality of health care and schooling, and remembering that VISITING somewhere and LIVING somewhere can be two completely different experiences. 

So after a lot of contemplation and prayer we made our list accordingly:

#1 Paris

#2 Berlin

#3 London

#4 Podgorica

#5 Athens

This list may be completely different from what you would choose... I'm curious to know what your rankings would be.  Please share! 

I was pretty pumped about us getting one of these places, until one night Ben was telling me about all the other guys who are competing for the same jobs, "Yeah, there's a couple French speakers, a couple German speakers, one of the guys is from Greece, and one guy speaks Serbian (the language of Podgorica).  Um, yeah.  My hopes were pretty much dashed.  Ben's Polish and Spanish skills can't help him land any of these jobs.  So, it's kind of a long shot... we may very easily end up in DC, but there's a chance we could get London, right?  We will find out mid-April and in the meantime the waiting game has been grueling.  I've been trying to keep my mind off of it... but sometimes I just can't help going there.  How awesome would it be to resurrect my French?  I've been having recurring dreams of strolling down the beautiful avenues in Paris, but I know it's just wishful dreaming.   

So, I will let you know when the results come in. It probably won't be very exciting, things never turn out the way you think they will, so I'm bracing myself for disappointment... but in the meantime I can always daydream, right?.     

First Day of Preschool (again)

Too cool for school

Yesterday was Em's first day of preschool, again.  She went to a different one for about a month last fall, but it didn't really jive with our schedule so I had her drop out.  We finally found one that works well for us, and so I snapped this shot just minutes before she went in.

Yeah, she's sure to make a lot of friends with those glasses.  I watched her on the playground for a little bit before leaving.  There was another 4 year old girl leaning against a piece of playground equipment sporting a pair of sunglasses like she was the coolest thing on earth.  Em approached her all excitedly, "I have sunglasses too!"  She took them off and held them up to the girl's face so she was sure to see them.  "See?!  I have glasses too!  You have glasses.  I have glasses."  Yeah, great icebreaker.  When I came to pick her up at the end of the day she was still wearing them.  Awesome.  Thanks Gramma and Grampa for making your granddaughter so hip!

Gramma and Grampa come to visit

We had the pleasure of having Pat and Nancy come visit us over President's Day weekend.  It's always fun to have them because they are so helpful, just go with the flow, are happy no matter how bad the cooking turns out, and are awesome with the girls.

This was an especially meaningful trip for them because Pat was once a student at NPS where Ben is now attending.  So he and Nancy have very fond memories of this place (Ben spent the 2nd and 3rd grade here). And Pat's DAD was a language student here when Pat was a boy.  Pretty cool.

Here are a few highlights

Dennis the Menace Park

Em wore these glasses basically the whole weekend.  It's funny because she sports them in public but with the most serious demeanor, like it's totally normal.

Story time.  I think Gramma is a bit more into it than Caroline.

And the glasses reemerge 

Psychedelic 

Point Lobos, one of our favorite spots

Kind of grainy on account of Ben's camera phone, but I love this pic

Sweet wave

Pat in front of his childhood home (for a couple of years anyway).

And for the life of me I can't get this photo situated right, but we had a fun time visiting the tide pools that Pat frequented as a boy.  He showed us the little hermit crabs.  Em was a little leery but impressed nonetheless.

And Pat enjoyed an episode of Super Why with the girls

We also had a b-day party for Nancy, visited the Natural History Museum, took strolls around the neighborhood, and visited the My Museum.