Author: becandkyle

Phase II of the Great Wall started this week. First twelve bamboo trees arrived.

Along with fancy shnancy bamboo containment planters.

The trees were 8 ft + but they shipped them wrapped in ‘hearts’

It was in the 50s and rainy on Saturday. Perfect for planting – bamboo and little boys.

56 bags of potting soil and two sore Bigs later.

Neighbors? What neighbors?

It wasn’t all work and no play. We still had time for breakfast coffee on the porch. The Bigs are sure I do espresso shots when they aren’t looking.

I also had swim lessons and a very chilly mountain bike class.

This week The Bigs made Israeli couscous with pistachios and apricots with roasted cauliflower with mint and toast almonds.

We also had Hummingbird cake. Mom saw a recipe in the New York Times (theirs was more attractive – two layers and covered in edible flowers). She thought if she made it the hummies should start visiting our feeder – plus who doesn’t want a cake full of bananas, pineapple, and pecans!

Mom did not take many pictures this week. I mean, we went skiing, and she didn’t take a SINGLE picture on a beautiful 60 degree day of spring skiing. At some point she felt guilty and took a photo of us eating lunch, but come on. Maybe she’s sick or lazy, but be warned, this week’s post is going to be lame.

I had my second day of mountain bike class. I’m learning some cool stuff.

I did some extra swim work with Dad on Friday morning to make sure I was not slowing down the other kids in my swim lesson.

I also rode ELV with Issac.

And prepared to fight aliens on Mars.

The more observant of you will notice the neighbors’ house behind me in the stick fighting pic. Now look.

Dad built a decorative screen to give us a little privacy.

We only made one new recipe this week. Cold udon bibimbap

See, I told you. Lame.

May the Fourth be with you.

Yes, we made yoda out of an apple. Why not? And, yes, I ate him. The Bigs are still waiting for displays of yoda-like wisdom as a result. Long wait you have, Bigs.

I’m not sure what a check is or why it has to be signed, but Nan and Pop said sign this and use it to take Mom out for lunch, so I’ll do it. Mom is being difficult and demanding to go to a food truck when it is sunny, so we have not gone yet.

First day of spring mountain bike class.

I didn’t really want to go because they were going to make me ride ‘the skinny (thin log you ride along)’, but I did end up riding it and it was fun.

On Saturday morning I decided to try and find some of the neighborhood deer. I tripped over an uneven sidewalk and fell flat on my face.

There was really no time to nurse my wounds, as I had to plant tomatoes:

and meet Issac for a ride.

One day of mountain biking class and I’m riding skinnies and rocks.

Sunday we went for a ride and run. I rode my bike, dad ran, and mom brought up the rear, running slooooowly. Because it was Mother’s Day we’d circle back to make sure she was OK. That’s the kind of guys we are.

I had a gift card from Grandma Marie that I had been saving for something special. Here it is. A fancy new sport coat. I wanted to look presidential. Thank you, Grandma Marie!

Ice cream sundae week this week. I made a strange mixture of macerated cherries and whipped cream:

I put it on some strawberry ice cream with some more whipped cream and topped it with a cherry:

I’m getting ready for swim lessons to start in a couple of weeks. Thanks, Nana, for the new trunks.

I rode my bike a lot this weekend. On Saturday, I met up with Isaac from school at Phil’s. We rode to the Flaming Chicken, then hit the pump track:

And played with some sticks:

Muscles:

Stir-fried tofu and cauliflower curry:

What am I up to? Making some ‘dirt’ out of old cookies,

and planting some ‘seedlings’

to make Earth Day cupcakes.

Dirt is yummy!

The other day I asked The Bigs to go for a walk after dinner and then I made them run ladders. On Saturday I biked 7 miles while they tried to keep up

and then I practiced swimming.

On Sunday, when The Bigs were supposed to be convalescing after their second vaccine shot, I had Hadley over in the morning and Issac and Lex in the afternoon. I NEVER get tired. The Bigs, they do, and today, they were really tired.

We did eat stuff besides cupcakes. Spinach linguine with basil-cilantro pesto and artichokes:

almond cookies,

tamarind lentils,

spinach linguine with white wine sauce,

and a little creation of mine – toasted bagel with peanut butter and dried apples.

Only you can guess what I saved up my allowance for this time.

We didn’t have school on Friday, so we skied in the morning and biked in the afternoon.

A few more double sessions like I did this Friday and Saturday should definitely make my muscles bigger…

so I balance things out with a little yoga. My crow pose is getting good. Mom was not able to capture it in its full glory but it’s Richard Hittleman good.

It was 60 degrees at the mountain. Spring skiing. Doesn’t get much better than this!

What a view. Man, am I one lucky dude to live here.

Um. Someone left plastic eggs on the side of the cross country trails.

It was Mom. She left a trail of snacks. I think she thought it would be fun. I thought it was lame, but I didn’t complain about the jelly beans.

Yes, we eat most of our meals tailgate style.

The gutters aren’t going to clean themselves.

Lazy bigs. The only meal they made worth taking a picture of was of this Tofu Florentine served over diner home fries.

When I grow up, I think I’ll be a NASA construction worker.

Stripy pasta:

A little electrical engineering fun (thank you, Papa and Yaya!):

Winter returned to the mountain for a day on Saturday. The cross-country skiing was great.

When we got home, it was warm and sunny enough for some gardening and some ramp riding:

The sun returned to the mountain on Sunday:

Food. Chana masala:

Quinoa salad with black beans and mango:

Samosa stuffed baked potatoes topped with mango chutney and with sautéed spinach and tomatoes on the side:

This month in the Blossom room, we are learning about buildings. Here is a picture of our house. Check out my cursive and my (misplaced) apostrophe:

I have also been drawing some more notable structures, such as the Taj Mahal:

I did a Taj Mahal drawing for our neighbors Becky and Kirk (Stock, BS and KS). That’s their cat, Dazzler, in the corner:

The world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, in Dubai:

This is an architectural creation of my own:

It’s spring skiing time:

Enough with the pictures already, Mom!

Lunch in the sun after skiing:

The Easter Bunny visited me this weekend:

Tulips!

Eggs!

Some of the eggs had money in them!

After egg hunting, it was time to ski:

Working on my tuck:

Taking a break at the chair:

Skiing did not tire me out, so I went for a bike ride when we got home:

Get a load of this ridiculous get-up:

Some of the food we ate this week. Korean barbecue tempeh wraps and grilled asparagus with mustard caper sauce:

Curried udon noodle stir-fry:

Pumpkin crumb cake with pecan streusel:

Pasta primavera:

Deep chocolate bundt cake:

Can I fly? I have wings.

Looks like that’s a no on the flying.

Maybe I can build a boat. Three corks, a landscaping flag, and a drill. It floats. Nice.

I can wear a costume without trying. Check out this combo. Shorts, long socks, and a donut hole. Doesn’t get better than that. Or does it?

Hmmm. Oh, yes. It does get better and it comes in the form of a pork and beans hat.

It was spring break this past week. I’m not sure what that means besides The Bigs went skiing on a powder day without me. The views were pretty good.

But not as good as the ones that I saw from THE VERY TOP of Mt. Bachelor when I rode Summit Lift this weekend.

It’s like skiing from the top of the world.

Relax, grandmas. It was no problem.

Riley went away for spring break. Guess she missed me…

Food we ate this week.

Spagehtti squash mexicana with tropical avocado salsa,

chocolate-chocolate chip-walnut cookies,

and GG Marie cake. She’s never had it, but we know that Great Grandma Marie would LOVE this coconut-lemon bundt cake.

Michael O’Shaugnessy visited on Wednesday. He left chocolate gold coins, gummy frogs,

and walked through my breakfast oats.

Ready for April showers.

I am still really enjoying making my disgusting concoctions.

Mom tried to trick me into making a concoction that was actually edible. She thought that melting marshmallows and butter and mixing in rice krispies would be strange enough to appeal to me. I humored her.

I absolutely loved the end result, but I still prefer my recipes.

I’ve been asking The Bigs to ride the Skyliner lift. They mumbled things like no beginner terrain, maybe on a nice day, blah blah blah. Well, I did it. This weekend. And it was meant to be. There was a gnome watching over us (just left of the sign).

As for that intermediate terrain. NO PROBLEM. Here I am getting ready to blow down DSQ.

I was cold at breakfast. Nothing a hat and a blanket help together with a binder clip couldn’t fix.

Nan sent me $5 to share. So buying The Bigs gelato and getting myself one too is sharing, right?

I had lemon and boysenberry sorbetto. YUMMY.

Other things we ate this week (The Bigs are working their way through another cookbook):

Cacio e pepe pasta:

braised seitan with brussels, kale, and sun-dried tomatoes and broccoli polenta:

portabello mushroom burgers with carmelized onions and wilted spinach and baby bok choy with crispy shallots and sesame seeds,

banana nut waffles,

and pumpkin cranberry scones.