Birthday Wonderfulness

Matt and the kids put on a fantastic birthday celebration for me. I started my day with 5 a.m. snuggles from all of the kids, followed by Matt's announcement that he planned to stay home for the day to play and prepare a six-course dinner! Can't beat that! We ate salad, chilled crab and avocado, lemon basil sorbet, steak florentine with roasted asparagus, more sorbet, and homemade chocolate mousse cake. Divine! Thanks for all of the birthday calls and well wishes. I felt truly loved!

O-H-I-O

We had a blast in Canfield with Grandma and Grandpa Kneen. We spent the week eating ice cream every day (sometimes twice!), splashing in the little pool and swimming in the big one, building sand castles out back, tearing across the front yard in borrowed wheels, and terrorizing poor Charlie and Gracie! I was delighted to get out shopping with Mom, while the girls were browsing books with Papa at the library, and the trip to White House was a highlight. Good times, good family. Thanks for a great visit!

Going to See G.G.

The kids and I took a trip to Ohio this week to see Grandma and Papa Kneen, and this Tuesday, we went to have lunch with G. G. Kneen. We had a great time playing with all of her toys, reading stories together, . . . and trying desperately to get a decent picture of the three kids together! Thank you, Grandma, for a wonderful visit!

Happy Birthday, Matt!

The five of us celebrated Matt's birthday with dinner at a local brewpub, rhubarb pie (my best yet...with a dab of bacon fat in the crust!), and a 100-pound box of books. He is now the proud owner of Modern Cuisine, a five-book set on science, cooking, and everything in between. He also received some original poster paint masterpieces from his daughters: romping bunnies from Kaitlyn and a ferocious "dinosaur rex" from Claire. A happy birthday, indeed.

Must Be Summer!

A nearly naked baby playing in the grass is a sure sign of summer...as is the 92-degree temperature that necessitated the outfit!