sea monsters and candy hot air balloons.

A few weeks ago we took a mini family vacation to Monterey. One of the memorable experiences was Alec and Dane screaming in their pack 'n plays for about 2 hours both nights. It was excruciating. At home we pretty much plop them into their beds and say sayanora until 5:45 when the wake up. Not so much in a hotel in Monterey, apparently.

But another memorable experience, in a good way, was visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It was fantastic, and while Reid didn't seem to be taking much in at the time, he's still talking about it. Like 4 weeks later.

One of my favorite parts was the Kelp Forest. It was really hypnotic to watch all this kelp float and sway while weird sea creatures swam around.

But my very favorite part, was the exhibit "Secret Lives of Seahorses." Seahorses are pretty cool little guys, and they had baby ones that were seriously the size of a parentheses.

But then, there was this cah-RAZY thing called a Leafy Sea Dragon, and it is the wackiest thing that I've ever seen in my entire life. I still can't believe that this is real. Sometimes nature is just too weird to be made up, you know? I don't even think Jim Henson could have dreamt up something this weird.

Reid enjoyed all the sea animals so much that when I started talking to him about plans for a birthday party, he informed me that he wants a shark party.

I'm like, "a shark party?"

I asked Erik what we could do for a shark party, and he suggested that we print out pictures of sharks and put them around on the walls. First of all, that's exactly the kind of "decorations" that a dude would suggest. Second of all, uh...nice. I don't think that's quite the mood I want to set for my three year old's birthday party. Sharks.

I'm trying to gently steer him towards a balloon theme. Pretty much just lots and lots and lots of balloons. All kinds of balloons.

Mostly because I want to make these from Bakerella. Come on, people! They're made to look like a huge bunch of balloons like on UP!
And for invitations I could use the Stampin Up! stamp set with the little candy cups to make something cute like this.

And if Erik really wants to, I'll let him print out pictures of balloons and tape them up on the walls.

one more time for emphasis.

Okay, so Reid and I (and the babies wanted some too, of course) shared the cookie before, but now they are all down for naps and I enjoyed one all on my own.

(what a rare pleasure...no little birds squawking at my knees for pieces of my food)

I think I need to express my undying love for this new cookie recipe, in case the last post wasn't convincing enough. It probably wasn't, because I had only experienced a quarter of a cookie's worth. But now, I am an expert, and I can say after 1.25 cookies that these are the BEST chocolate chip cookies. Ever.

A hint of butterscotchiness, chewy and barely gooey throughout, and completely satisfying.

Worth your time, people.

good to the last bite.

The other day I saw this on one of my all-time favorite blogs. We're fans of chocolate chip cookies around here, but I almost always make the good ol' standard Toll House Recipe. I was interested in how America's Test Kitchen would improve what seems to be a pretty tried and true recipe.

Boy Howdy, did they improve it!

It really is a superior, chewier, fuller-flavored cookie. It's also more work. Natch. But very worth it, I say.

Reid says so, too.

Here he is enjoying his last bite while we play outside.

go here for the recipe:
America's Test Kitchen