2 posts tagged “grilling”

Yeah, I know, it's Wednesday and I'm just now getting around to writing about the weekend. I've been busy. In fact, I really don't have time to write much right now, so this'll just be a quick recap of the highlights.

Saturday is swim lesson day. While we were there, we ran into some acquaintances from swim and t-ball last spring, and got to chatting with them about the kids (their girl is a year older than M, and they have a 10 year old boy). Come to find out that R is in kindergarten at the same school M will go to in the fall. She'll have a buddy at her new school! We're all very excited by this, as hopefully it'll make the transition easier. We'll see.

Saturday also brought a renewed interest in her Big Girl Bike. Yes, the bike we bought for her birthday last year, and which she's ridden a total of .. once. Well, Saturday Rae was able to convince M to give the bike a try this spring, since she's grown so much in a year. She did, and the two spent an hour (or more?) ridding around the neighborhood, back and forth. She loved it, and it's all she's wanted to do since.

Saturday was also the first grill of the season, and I grilled a serloin while Pop sauteed some huge sea scallops and asparagus. Top it off with some olive oil and rosemarry bread and a great red wine, and it was a lovely dinner. Great way to start grill season.

Sunday, after lunch, we took M to Grant's Trail so she could continue to ride her bike and we could have some more interesting scenery than just walking back and forth in the neighborhood. We walked while M rode, and we covered 2.5 miles in about 90 minutes. It was a lot of fun, she learned the rules of the trail, stayed in her lane, moved over when it got crowded and pedaled the entire 2.5 miles. We stopped to look at the Clydesdales at Grant's Farm Stables, and even took a pitstop to hunt for four-leaf-clovers. We had one minor mishap as she was watching some birds instead of where she was going, and went off the trail and down in the culvert, which Rae stopped her from falling, but got her ankle banged up in the process. Rae's ok, just bruised, and M learned the lesson that when you're riding your bike, you can't be doing other things.

Monday was more bike riding in the neighborhood while I grilled porkchops and Rae made asparagus and a rice dish. After dinner there was more playing in the neighborhood and we got to visit with a younger couple that have a 2 year old who live just two houses down. It was a great visit, and M even gave the little girl her tricycle (because she's all about the Big Girl Bike now, y'know). Yesterday was playing with the older neighborhood girls while I grilled burgers and sweet potato fries, with fresh salad and excellent rootbeer (a new one we'd never had before - very spicey and rooty!). Can you tell we've been waiting for the weather to get nice again!?

Went to Chicago for a quick trip to visit some WE-folk.  It was tons of fun.  Great to see the Alabamians who flew up and the Chicagoans, and to meet the ever ellusive Mr. Gurgle.  Had a fabulous time just hanging out and eating and drinking and chatting about all things entertaining, geeky, and intellectual.  Just as with the mini-meat in Ohio, it was so relaxing and laid back, like one more weekend among many hanging out with friends you see all the time.  Despite the drive up and back (which was really quite nice and easy), it's amazing how relaxing and rejuvinating it was.  I'm surprised I'm as recovered as I am this Monday morning at work (so far), considering how late I stayed up and how little sleep I got all weekend long.  But it was for a good cause *grin*. 

Rae and M had a great time without me, and M seems to have emerged (for now) from her crabby phase.  Partly due to us taking a slightly different approach to a few things, and mostly due to her figuring things out.  Anyhoo, they had a nice time, but I was missed and My Girls were quite clingy yesterday *smile*  I got in during nap time, so got some much needed shut-eye.  When we woke up M wanted to go to a park, so off we went.  It was nice and warm and mostly sunny, and the park was packed.  Fortunately there was a swing open and M was able to monopolize it for the entire hour we were there.  Last year she was all about climbing the slide and going down by herself.  She took one trip down the slide then made a b-line for the swings.  We'd heard from her teachers that that's all she wants to do on the playground is swing, and she sure showed it yesterday.  My arm was actually getting tired by the end of the hour of pushing!

After the park we hit the grocery and picked up girl scout cookies from Emily, then home so I could grill.  Yep!  First grill of the season, and it was goooooooood!  Grilled our typical first grill of the season fare of hamburgers, brats and hotdogs, had chips and dip, rootbeer, grapes and applesauce.  Damn, everything was sooo yummy.  M thanked be a few times during dinner for her hotdog and chips *smile* 

So that was the weekend.  Wonderful time, but too short as always.