Family Fun

We took a trip to Jersey this past weekend to pick up hugs and kisses from Geo's side of our terrific family. We returned home with full bellies and cheeks full of lip marks!


Pop turns 85 next week so we baked Happy Cake! and took it with us. Soph was VERRRRY excited to see this creation and more than happy to consume her share.



Here is Maddie wearing Pop's New Jersey Meritorious Service Medal that he was awarded on 19 May 2009 for his service during World War II.

How You Know Your Husband Loves You: 5

He listens.

I mean....he REEEAAALLLLYYYY listens.

Listens to everything.
Even the insane talk about how you saw the infomercial for the Jack LaLanne Juicer and you reeeeeaaaalllllyyyy want a juicer now.

And for Mother's Day you get a Breville Juice Fountain Elite.

The Birthday Extravaganza

It took some serious encouragement from Dadder in order to keep the felt b-day crown on long enough for me to get a picture.


Sophia was sooo excited to cut the birthday cake for everyone. A new Schwartz birthday tradition. She enjoyed her piece and some of the Dadder's icing....and has asked for cake 2000 time a day every since her first bite.

Terrific Two

See secret messages here..

Oh Happy Day!

George has been in Germany for the last three weeks. He hasn't had much free time but I'm assured that what little he had was spent pining away for his girls.

Today we get to dress up and pick The Dadder up!
In preparation for his return, Sophia has been practicing her Hide and Seek skills. She recently hid from me for about 15 minutes in the baking cabinet. I honestly had NO clue where she was....or that I was playing Hide and Seek!
Ms. Madeline, on the other hand, has started cooing and smiling so she could wooooo her Dadder upon return. How sweet. I wish I had an extra set of hands, or a clone, so I could shoot as many pictures of this cutie as I did of her big sister. It just so happens that the moment I put her down and grab the camera I turn around and have to rush to her side exclaiming... "No Soph, we can't put our fingers ____INSERT ORFICE___(up the baby's nose, in her eyes, or in her ears), sweetie."

On a happier note, my sister was visiting this week. We took turns entertaining the kiddos and putting the house back together. I guess things will never be as organized and clean as they were pre-kids. This is something that I'm working hard to come to terms with. Her presence was calming and I feel so grateful for her vacation time. (During her visit she discovered the robin's nest in the first picture. She and Soph were going out on the back porch to feed the birds some left over bread and Amy nearly had her nose pierced by the Mama Bird.)

1-2-3-4:00 is the big hour!
Woooaaahhh..Counting to four...

And These Little Piggies Went To The Market!

We took our very first trip to the Farmer's Market this morning. Our bounty was beautiful! Spring has definitely sprung.

We scooped up a huge basket of apples for sauce, local spinach, free-range eggs, raw milk....and then we turned to corner to see a stand filled with strawberries and rhubarb!

Oh. the. possibilities. My mind started racing. Jelly, conserve, crisp, pie....oh. my.

We loaded our bag with about 3 lbs of rhubarb and the two quarts of the most delicious looking strawberries I've seen this year.

While the girls were napping (yes, at the same time!) I made my first creation.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

1 c. sugar
1/3 cup flour
4 c. rhubarb
4 c. strawberries
3 c. oatmeal
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. melted butter

In large bowl combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugar and flour. Transfer to greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Combine other ingredients and sprinkle over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

E-A-T your first serving while it is still steaming. I like mine with kefir!

Now, a good mama would have timed it perfectly so that the crisp was coming out of the oven just as her girls were waking up. We'd sit down at the table and let it dance on our tongues together. I, on the other hand, made it, baked it and dug in while enjoying every second of the quite adult time.

Bad Mama. Bad Mama.
Oh it was gooooood!