Home Shopping with Toddlers

In the past six weeks, we've taken our kids to some 40 open houses. And as far as I know, they haven't broken anything! They've picked a couple lemons without authorization (#socallife) and might have trampled a few flowers underfoot. They've tripped over too many uneven floors/unexpected steps to count. They are doorbell-ringing experts. And, they've learned to be on the lookout for cookies or other goodies up for grabs. 

In fact, they've been house hunting for so long they've even started playing "open house" at home. Really! They set up boxes on the floor, then one kid said, "ding dong, you have sign? Me come see you house?" The other one said, "no, too dirty, me vacuum first." LOL

Real estate in the Los Angeles area is expensive. Exorbitant. Some might even say unreasonable. And yet, we've decided to throw our hats into the ring and purchase here as well. 

Why, you might ask? I'll tell you. 

The rent is too damn high.

For realz, people! We decided that we might as well make a mortgage payment for as much as we're spending on rent. The other option would be to move from our (expensive) apartment to a slightly less expensive rental, but we still want to buy eventually and moving with two little people is no joke. (We just did it last year, you know!) So, we sold the condo we owned in Seattle and now we're ready to buy here. We're hoping that the market doesn't totally tank right after we make a purchase, but one never knows.

It is hard to believe how quickly properties get snatched up and how much they wind up selling for. We are finally ready to put in our first offer on a house in the next couple of days. I am not overly optimistic about our chances of winning the bidding war. It seems like everyone I ask around here put offers on 5-10 properties before they finally got one. Maybe this will just be our warm up offer. The house is pretty cool, though, so I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Things I've learned about real estate in California (perhaps in general):

• Be super skeptical of homes without many photos online
• "California basement" is a polite term for "den of spiders and rodents"
• You could hire 21 different types of professionals to inspect your property, if you so desired
• Always pan up on Google Street View to check for giant power lines overhead
• It's hard to thoroughly inspect a property during an open house when your children are running amok
• There are way too many factors to consider in the home buying process. It is overwhelming!
• People who write home descriptions like the words/phrases "exclusive," "rare," "in-demand," and "don't miss out"
• There is no point in describing your listing in the Glendale/Pasadena area as "close to shops, restaurants, and schools" because that literally describes every home around here, as long as by "close" you mean "within a couple miles"

Hopefully before too long, we'll have a new nest to feather. Until then, we'll keep perching here in our cozy apartment. (Actually, not cozy. That's a code word for tiny. I should describe this apartment as spacious and well-appointed, in the highly-sought-after city of Pasadena!) 

Coconut Milk Tres Leches Recipe (dairy free)

I've been eating 100% dairy free for six months now. I decided to experiment with a dessert to take to dinner at our friends' last night. It was a success! Here's my recipe, based on one from the Pioneer Woman. Note that while she rated the degree of difficulty as "easy," I'd say it's more like "medium." I mean you have to separate eggs...that takes skill!

INGREDIENTS

Cake

• 1 cup flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 5 eggs, divided 
• 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 
• 1 can coconut milk  
• 1 can sweetened condensed coconut milk

Topping

• 1 container Cocowhip, thawed
• 1/2 cup toasted shredded coconut
• zest of 1-3 limes, depending on how limey you like things

INSTRUCTIONS 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan liberally until coated. (Use a dairy-free cooking spray)

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.

Separate eggs.

Beat egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. (Use the paddle attachment for Kitchen Aid). Add in almond milk and vanilla. Mix until combined.

Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir very gently until combined.

Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. (Use the whisk attachment for Kitchen Aid.) With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry.

Fold egg white mixture into the batter very gently until just combined.

Pour into prepared pan and spread to smooth out the surface.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Note: If you need to toast some shredded coconut for the topping, now is a great time to do it. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle coconut in a thin layer. Toast for 5-6 minutes, stirring once. Watch it closely so it doesn't burn!

Allow cake to cool completely. When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork or toothpick all over. You're making small holes for the delicious filling to ooze into :)

Whisk together coconut milk and sweetened condensed coconut milk in a small pitcher, or a bowl with a pour spout. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture all over the cake, and don't forget the edges. Mine started "ponding" when I had about 1/2 cup of liquid left, so I stopped. Your results may vary.

Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for at least 1 hour, and preferably overnight. (Store in the refrigerator).

Just before serving, spread Cocowhip over the surface of the cake. Mix the toasted coconut and lime zest together in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the cake.

Cut into squares and enjoy! Best when served cold.

Putting Kids to Bed: Crossfit Edition

Are you into working out? Have I got a routine for you! It's called Crossfit: Bedtime x2 (no copyright infringement intended)

Material required:

• A room with a door that can close
• 1 nightlight
• 2 raised platforms, 12" high
• 2 medicine balls, 27 lbs each (or heavier for added challenge)
• Plywood for inclined planes
• Optional: toys and books

Set up:

• Position the two platforms against opposite walls, approximately 5-6 feet apart. Make sure they are stable.
• Build ramps rolling off each platform with a holding space at the top for a medicine ball. Ball should be able to easily roll down the ramp; it should not remain on the platform for more than a few seconds.
• For extra difficulty, rig up a pulley system to open and close the door and allow balls to escape into the hallway
• Scatter toys/books around the room
• Plug in nightlight
• Turn off overhead light
• Close door

Workout method:

• Grab one medicine ball. Place it on the top of a ramp. Be sure to squat and use your leg muscles.
• With your core engaged, turn to the other platform and place the second ball atop its ramp.
• Lunge back to platform #1, scoop up the ball from the floor, and replace it.
• Hop over toys so you don't stub your toe
• Get distracted by hopping and allow ball #2 to escape out the door. Retrieve ball #2 and place on platform.

Reps: 

• at least 100

Cool down:

• Ask your workout partner to come in and sit by one platform to hold the ball in place while you do the same for platform #2. 
• Take deep cleansing breaths. 
• Remain seated until the balls are no longer wiggling and are nearly asleep. 
• Tiptoe out of the room. 
• Pour yourself a glass of wine.

2.75 years

My babies are not babies anymore! Soon, they'll be turning three. I'll try to savor these last few months of year two while they last :)

Language
The highlight lately, for sure. They are always cracking me up with the funny things they say! Here's how they say things, creatively.

Counting: 1, 3, 2, 5, 2, 3
Any letters or numbers: Hey, ABCs!
Sideways: sidewards
Slippery: slippy
Peanut butter: pea burr
Milk: nilk
Smash: mash ("cars no mash me" they say in the parking garage)
Motorcycle: sa-sy-oh (I think? I never have any idea what they are saying for like the first 3 attempts, so then I guess "motorcycle?" and I'm sometimes right)

Some of their favorite expressions include "more" or "too." Example, "more pillows!" says Gibson, every time he's building a fort. They object to things by using too + adjective. Gus didn't want to try gyoza because "too slimy." They can't get on an elevator because "too much people." I have to get the fruit snack off their finger after they squished it up because "toooooo sticky!"

They've figured out the pronouns "you" and "me." Their current favorite fight in the back seat of the van is to mock the person in the sun by saying, "You sunny side! Me shady side!"

Understanding the World
They are convinced that animals pee out of their tails, so they think tails are really funny. I've tried explaining animal anatomy to them, but they don't believe me. However, I'm wary of proving my point by Googling "anatomically correct pictures of animals"...

They remember stuff that surprises me. We had a doctor's appointment, and a week later they remembered the doctor's name, which I'd maybe said twice. Whoa!

They love to laugh! Yesterday, we were watching a show with a couch that sprouted propellers and starting flying around, and they were literally falling over laughing about that. I didn't get why it was so hilarious, but I enjoyed listening to them giggle :)

They understand when I am not happy. But, sort of annoyingly, they ask me about it by saying, "Mommy happy mommy?" This most often happens when I'm scowling about the food they just dumped on the floor or similar events. I've tried responding along the lines of, "No, I'm not happy right now. You are not responsible for my emotions. I'm feeling frustrated about this mess." We recently made a calm-down corner with soothing toys, so sometimes I take a break there to calm down. Meanwhile, the boys just want to fight over the sensory items I got, so yeah, work in progress still...

We tried to convert their cribs into toddler beds a couple weeks ago. It was a disaster. The four crib walls are solidly back in place. Sometimes they ask for "no crib" now but I tell them we're going to wait till they're a little older to try again. They just could not stay in bed - the two of them egg each other on to increasing levels of chaos. And I don't like them frolicking around their bedroom in the dark for all the reasons you can imagine, plus some you can't. For example, we have a rocking chair that spins. One kid climbs into the chair while brother runs in a circle to spin him around, until the runner trips over a toy, or crashes into the wall, or the passenger decides he'd like to exit the ride without alerting the operator first...

Physical Milestones
Gus is solidly jumping now. It's kind of a gallop/jump, where his feet lift off the ground 1-2 instead of simultaneous, but I think it counts.

We went to a St. Patrick's Day festival on Saturday where they tried Irish dancing and managed to lift up and kick one leg without falling over. Then they started freestyling with spins and such :)

I recently took them to a park with a tall boulder climb. It was maybe 8 feet at the top. They both scurried right up the rocks, but only Gus was able to scoot back down; I had to rescue Gibson. I'm taking this as a good sign that he's starting to understand the effects of gravity.

They can go up and down stairs without holding the hand rail, albeit precariously. I wish they would hold the rail, especially in our apartment stairwell that we sometimes use as a short cut, but that rail has been deemed "too dirty, Mommy".

It's been a good few months here in Salmonista land. Having twin babies is insanity, but twin toddlers are pretty fun!

Not the Same, but Similar

Awhile back, I had the realization that my life completely changed when I had kids. (Yes, I know it seems obvious!) But when I wrote that previous post, the boys were one year old. They were walking, though still wobbly on their feet. They stuck EVERYTHING in their mouths. When I said that my life would "never be the same," I was envisioning a future where I hovered behind two small people forever, trying to catch them before they toppled over and bonked their heads while simultaneously removing all choking hazards from their line of sight.

Now that the kids are rapidly approaching their preschool years, well, life is changing again. I'm seeing some glimmers of hope for the future in which I am not always a human helicopter!

On Friday, we participated in the local festivities known as Art Night Pasadena. It was, briefly, not a disaster and even sort of enjoyable! We walked to a local restaurant for dinner. Then, we watched a dance performance at Lineage where the boys managed not to create a scene, even though they were super excited about all the different colors of lights shining in the studio. From there, we caught a shuttle bus over to Kidspace. The museum was really packed, but the boys did not totally freak out. When it was time to go, we wound up having to wait like 20 minutes for a shuttle back to our neck of the woods, but again the boys managed to keep it together. They loved riding the bus, too!

Ok, now that I've written it all out, it doesn't sound that exciting. Let me elaborate - at dinner, DF and I were actually able to eat our meals, and the boys also ate food (we didn't have to resort to the emergency peanut butter crackers in the diaper bag). At the dance studio, we all watched the dancers together - the boys sat in chairs, rather than running amok/climbing furniture. Now, pre-kids I wouldn't have chosen to go to a children's museum so that part of the night was different. But dinner and local entertainment? That's totally something DF and I would have done before our little guys came along!

So yes, my life is different now, but that doesn't mean it has to be COMPLETELY UNRECOGNIZABLE from my previous life. If I liked doing things before kids, chances are, I'll be able to find ways to incorporate them into our new reality as a family of four.

Hooray for things being different...and the same!

Six Months in SoCal

We arrived here in California just over six months ago. I thought I'd take the occasion to reflect on life here in my new state.

I loved it when we got here, and half a year later, I still love it! Perhaps I'm still in the "honeymoon" phase? We'll have to check back later to see how I'm feeling. What do I like about California? Glad you asked!

The Weather/Climate
I hate to be so cliché, but it's just lovely here. It's almost always sunny with a gentle breeze. We're currently going through a cold snap where it's been dipping down into the 30s at night and only hitting 60 for a high temperature, but I don't even mind because I know it'll be scorching hot in a few months. When it does get hot, it's not humid, so you can still, you know, breathe outside. There are hardly any mosquitoes either, and it cools down in the evenings so you can open your windows without inviting an insect invasion.

This is my first time living in an area that's so sunny. It is awesome! I really don't know how all the Californians who have moved to the PNW survive in the gray winters. Maybe they still have friends/family down here and escape to soak up some Vitamin D on the weekends.

Geography
Living in a region with mountains makes me smile. Sure, some days it's too smoggy to see them, but lately the full San Gabriel Range has been on display. And then there's the other foothills and such that I don't know the names of yet, but they are also scenic. Nearby us there is a place called the Arroyo, which as far as I can tell means a dry canyon. It's rugged and rocky and makes you feel like you've escaped the city when you go there.

And then, don't forget the beach! Depending on traffic, it's about 45-60 minutes for us to get to a beach. By LA standards, that's far away but by Memphis standards, it's awesome :)

I know people also talk about skiing/mountain activities here. We haven't ventured North/East yet, but when we do, I'll be sure to blog about it.

Activities
This part's a bit overwhelming, actually. In Memphis it was kind of straightforward. If you have little kids, you want a membership to the zoo, children's museum, and/or botanic garden. Around here, sheesh! There are about 1,000 options, it seems like! I mean, there are the classic big theme parks, like Disneyland, Universal Studios, and Knotts Berry Farm. You've got too many museums to count, zoos, aquariums, gardens, science centers, theaters, and I don't even know how many other choices of things to do. Plus since the weather is almost always nice, you can explore all the various parks and outdoor spaces. If you ever hear me saying I'm bored, that's just crazy talk. I could live here for the rest of my life and still not do everything.

Food/Dietary Options
Since arriving in CA, I've decided to go dairy-free. Although I didn't test as allergic to milk, I just feel so much better without dairy. It's been a pretty easy transition thanks to all of the vegan options around here, both in grocery stores and at restaurants. And if you ask the waitstaff, "Does that have dairy?" you don't get a strange look or anything. Meanwhile, in Memphis, I once got a total eye roll for ordering enchiladas with no cheese at a Mexican restaurant.

Speaking of Mexican food, taco trucks here are legit and delicious. There are so many different types of food available here that it's impossible to list them all. Ever had Indonesian bone broth? There's a place just a couple blocks away from us with a simmering vat full! I want to go out to eat all the time. But my children aren't very adventurous eaters, so sometimes we opt for take-out for the grownups and chicken nuggets for the kids...

Closer to Relatives
My parents and siblings all live in Oregon. It's really nice to be close to them - just a quick 2 hour flight, instead of a whole-day travel ordeal, and you don't have to change time zones!

Public Services
I'm just starting to learn about this topic, but I guess all those personal income tax funds we're paying to the state are getting used for stuff! I've been attending a free weekly parent education class offered at a local community college. They have 10 or 15 different classes going every week, all free! It's my understanding that a combo of state funding and private fundraising covers the cost. The class is like a preschool where parents and children are there together. So cool!

And now, for the things that have been harder to cope with...

Huge Metropolis
I can't really explain to you how gigantic the Los Angeles metro area is. Apparently it's the second-largest metro area in the country. There are like 60 cities in the region, depending on how you define "city." I'm always having to check Google Maps to see where places are, because I'll read a blog or something about a fun weekend activity only to find out it's down in Orange County (an hour+ away). Short of hanging a giant regional map on the wall and studying it daily, I don't know how I'll ever wrap my head around the megalopolis that is Los Angeles.

Tons of People
Remember all those things I listed above that I like about SoCal? Yeah, a bunch of other people also like those things, so they all want to live here, too. Traffic is intense. You really do have to plan your trips around traffic if you don't want to spend your whole life sitting on a freeway. And then when you go places and do things, a bunch of other people are also there at the same places wanting to do the same things. We went to the zoo on President's Day and it was packed to the gills! I have never been to a zoo that was so busy before. I suppose it being a school holiday, parents were looking for a way to entertain their kids, but still, we had to wait in the members line for like 10-15 minutes just to get through the front gate!

Cost of Living
Really, this one hasn't bothered me too much because I knew what we were getting into, but I feel compelled to mention it. It is certainly more expensive to live here than Memphis. It seems more expensive than Seattle, too, though we left that city nearly 5 years ago so my mental price list is probably outdated. The cost of housing around LA is shockingly high. We keep debating if we should buy a place here. Then we look at the prices and say, "it's got to be a bubble, right? It'll pop soon." But the prices just keep on rising...!

Mommy Water Mommy

My kids have started bookending things they say with "Mommy _____ Mommy!" If they want a cookie, it's "Mommy cookie Mommy." I don't even know how to punctuate it - should there be commas? "Mommy, fruit snacks, Mommy." And don't worry, Daddy isn't left out of the mix. "Daddy, train, Daddy!" 

On the one hand, it kind of drives me crazy. Who else would they be asking for water, or a cookie, or fruit snacks when I'm the only grown up home? And why must they say Mommy twice? I heard them the first time!

But on the other hand, how precious is it that I have two little people who rely on me to meet their needs that they keep asking me, by name, to fulfill their requests? And even when I say, "No, we aren't having cookies right now," they don't give up :)

Everyone says these days with little ones don't last forever, and I know it's true. Life is short - too short, we are reminded in times of tragedy. I'm reminded of these song lyrics from Psalm 62. 

Though life is but a fleeting breath,

A sigh too brief to measure,

My King has crushed the curse of death

And I am His forever  

Today, I pray "God, peace, God." "God, love, God." "God, help, God!" Thanks for the reminder, kids. May we raise you to shine your lights into the darkness.