Katie Greets You

Soulmate got a fancy MacBook for her birthday, and Katie doesn't know it has a built-in camera. The paparazzi triumph over the diva again!

Katie Up Nort'

Half the family went to the BWCA yesterday for 5 days of canoeing and portaging, but the smart half stayed at the lake: Grandma, Katie, Soulmate, and yours truly. I finally got out on the MTB today to start the payback on a lot of good eating. We do not starve here--it's one of the most important camp rules at the cabin. In fact, it's the only rule, and the corollary is written on a sign on Grandma's kitchen: "Free Food: Fix it Yourself".

Which directive I take seriously. While waiting for the girls who were shopping at the Jenny Shop in the metrop (Grand Rapids), I scored a copy of "A Man, A Can, and A Grill", the sequel to the scintillating "A Man, A Can, and a Plan". These are serious reads for serious (male) foodies, written by Mens' Health mag. "MCP" was a best seller for good reason: lots of pix, simple and simply delicious recipes, and no putzy purees, hollandaise, bernaise, or any other -aise (except mayonaise, of course).

"MCG" is at least as good, and since it's summer, even more apropos, since no self-respecting Y chromosome wants to spend a minute more indoors than necessary, and a grill hearkens back to the days of men with spears taking down the mastodon and banging rocks together to start the bonfire.

Last night I grilled up some pollo mole, which was delicious in spite of my substituting chocolate chips for cocoa powder, which my nephew had used up making a yummy cooked pudding (male cooking seems to run in the family). Maybe it was delicious BECAUSE I had to use the choco chips...

Tonight I grilled up pretty much the best burgers I've ever had, using my Mom's sloppy joe sauce, tabasco, green chilis, diced cooked tomatoes, an egg, and 1 lb of ground beef. Patted 'em up into 5 burgers, grilled 'em to medium, toasted the buns, and slathered more manly sauce onto the steaming patties, and got all hotted up inside. Mmmmmm.

Tomorrow, who knows? But it'll be grilled. Maybe "Poultry with Polenta Pucks". Good thing the 4 wheelers have been busy around here--I've got a lot of MTB payback to go.

Speaking of 4 wheelers, here's Katie at the end of her first ride. It was pretty tame, so I skipped the whole helmet thing. Can't recommend it, never miss it on the bike, but there it is--caught on tape. Kids: do as I say, not as I do.

Soulmate has a Birthday

I won't tell you which one, since they're all just anniversaries of her 29th birthday anyway. Katie and I took her to the megamall last Sunday, and while the two of us (me & Katie) whooped it up on the Nickelodeon rides, SM hit the Apple store to pick out her sparkly new MacBookPro. Good thing she teaches the MC kids at our church, since they threw me a bone and gave her the educator's discount (and a free iTouch for Katie and I to boot!). She loves her first ever Mac (she's a graphic designer and has lusted after a Mac for years, but has always had to put up with my castoff office PCs).

Katie is Two

Katie had a big party at Riverside Park with her playgroup friends this morning, then Grandpa, Grandma, Aunt Sue, Uncle Jeff, Cousins Jenny and Josh, and friends and neighbors descended upon us for cake and ice cream this evening.

Katie got lots of stuff, but liked Daddy's present best: a combined water and sand box for the deck, which of course I had to stay up late into the night assembling last night. The video shows that it was certainly worth the effort.

All in all, it was a wonderful day. The whole birthday concept is just beginning to dawn on Katie, so I'm sure next year will be a whole different experience. For now, the innocent and ignorant approach is just fine.