Sharing Babies

I was looking through old photos of

Shanna because it's her birthday. 

I came across this one:

 And this one:

Those would be birthdays one and two.

I had the first baby in the family.

That would be my sister holding Shanna

in each photo.

And then it occurred to me,

I had the first grandbaby.

 This is what we do.

We share babies. 

It's My First Baby's Birthday

Look at those babies!

I was barely 21, not quite

16 and pregnant, 

but by today's standards pretty young.

I look at Shanna's little face,

and remember that she was just as 

brand new and dependent on me

as all the babies my young friends are

birthing these days.

There are so many questions.

Am I doing "it" right?

Looks like she survived me.

and in the process she 

grew me up too.

Whipped Cream

So, this wasn't on our bucket list

but the kid thought this:

 was "real" whipped cream

with this:

as a close second.

I had to school her. 

 Done

and done.

The Mural

Progress report.

Meme and Maddie

 Big loves to hold Maddie.

 Each visit she asks someone to put Maddie on her lap.

 And we oblige.

 It will be sweet the first time Maddie climbs 

up there on her own.

But till then 

this is pretty sweet too.

 See my mom back there?

I don't pop Maddie in her lap because she can grab

her anytime she wants.

But she looks pretty happy just watching the joy

that is Maddie.

Ava's Summer Bucket List

It's long.

I created it.

I think that was a smart move on my part. 

It's full of 

Merry Approved

activities.

(read; stuff I'm willing to do)

On the list is a garage mural.

We started it yesterday.

Here's day 2:

 I thought she could work on it all summer.

At this rate, maybe a week?

Curry Chicken Pasta Salad

I had this way cool pasta

and needed something to do with it.

I also had some cooked chicken breasts and time.
So scouring the internet I devised
this little concoction:

Most curry dishes have you add chutney or raisins
or some other sweet component,
I didn't have either but I had some apricot preserves.

I also didn't have any curry powder
but was pretty certain Indra had told me years ago
that curry powder was a misnomer,
there is no ONE curry powder.
Every cook has his or her own blend.

To the internet!

And here you have my creation!

The salad is made up of:
slivered almonds
diced celery
peas
pasta
diced chicken.

The dressing is:
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour  cream
1/4 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

The curry powder:
1 tablespoon turmeric
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons coriander
1 tablespoon cumin seed
2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 whole clove.

You toss this all in a dry skillet
over medium heat and
toast them for 5-10 minutes and then grind it all.

The most surprising part isn't that this turned out great.
The most surprising part is that I
didn't have curry powder
yet had that preceding list of spices!