So I had Thursday off too, so I spent part of the day cleaning, playing computer games, napping...it was nice. Thursday night we were supposed to stock up on groceries, but apprently forgot. Friday, I had off too, and I finished cleaning, mowed the lawn, took my car into Jordan, did the grocery shopping, and when Shannon got home, we went down to subway and got dinner. Shortly after we finished, we greeted Nathan and Jenny and Taylor and Cali.

So they got here, settled in and put Taylor to bed and we stayed up for a bit and chatted. And then we all headed to bed.

Saturday, I was woken up by Shannon complaining about my mask, and a little bit later, by noises of Taylor waking up in the morning. So I took a shower and headed down stairs to watch a bit of Dora the Explorer (sooooo....repetitive (which is good for kids, I guess)) while I waited for the 7:AM to roll around so I could head down to La Mie to pick up some challah from La Mie to make some French Toast.

So at around that time, I headed down, picked up two loaves and a couple of the roasted red pepper and cheese danishes.

Then I made breakfast. vanilla cinnamon French toast, bacon, sausage (both patties and link), which went over pretty well.

After breakfast was cleaned up and preperations were made, we headed out into the brisk morning down to the Des Moines Farmer's Market. This was all of our first time there. It was a lot bigger then I thought it would be. We searched a little while and then ended up parking in a lot (for pay) near the court house and headed over. Lots of fresh flowers, fruit, vegatables, cheses, meats, crafts, wines (with samples), some odder processed foods (soy nuts?), and booths selling shirts, food booths and etc. Nathan and Jenny picked up a couple of packages of soy nuts (jalapeno and Cheddar, lightly salted) and we got a small little package of Blue Cheese. Next week I have plans to pick up some buffalo, some white cheddar (from Maytag Dairy Farms) and maybe some baby swiss (depending on what they have). I'm also gonna pick up some Elk (low in fat (not as low as buffalo)), and maybe some hormone/drug free cattle. I'll be headed down there early (when it opens) so that I can make sure I get what I want.

We headed over to Heartland Homebrew Supply. Nathan got quite a few things that he needed to make some home brewed beer. While we were there, Cali sort of exploded and messed herself and her clothes as babies can do. So instead of continuing our journey, we made a trip back to my house, to clean up and have some lunch. Grilled Cheese! I made a stack of sandwiches and Nathan, acting as my sou chef, made the rest of them while we chatted (played a little with Taylor too).

After lunch was had, naps were taken, and then we headed out again.

Our first stop was Penzey's Spices, which Jenny wanted to go to, but has also been recomenned by Jerry & Renee and Neal (from work), it was my first trip there. I had an idea of what I wanted, but couldn't remember. I know that I liked this spice that my older sister Emily had brought back from Hungray, but I couldn't remember what it was. So I called my Mom and got the information from her. I even asked if she wanted some (since it's been a while since Emily has been to Hungray. So we ended up getting two kinds of paprika, both of which aren't what we get here normally and some peppercorns. The Matta's got some peppercorns too...they may have gotten some other stuff, but I'm not sure what.

Then we were off to CostCo. Shannon and I picked up a few things, but mostly we were there to pick up some of the Kirkland's Best baby wipes, that they seem to love so much. And then it was back home again.

After a bit, Nathan and I headed out to pick up stuff for dinner. We stopped first at Dahl's to pick up a few things for dinner and dessert. I picked up some meat for meat loaf (beef, veal and pork) and some fresh spices and potatoes and some bacon. Nathan picked up a few things (that I didn't already have in stock at my house) to make molten cakes.

We then headed to Ingersoll Wine and Spirits. It was nice to go to a liqour store, with someone that appreciates the whole spectrum of booze like I do. We looked at scotches, whiskeys, sampled some wines and bought one of them. I ended up a bottle of Seven Deadly Zins and Nathan bought a bottle of Bogle Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel (2004) and a bottle of P. J. Valckenberg Modonna Eiswein. Eiswein is a very interesting way to make wine.

Afterwards, we made our last stop at Stam for some chocolate for the cakes (and a little help for the Mother's day present for Jenny from Taylor and Cali). And I did something that I thought wasn't possible, I went in, and didn't actually buy anything there....

We came home and I started making dinner. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes with chives, and some warmed up Challah. While doing that Nathan and Jenny switched of in making the molten cakes (depending on who was needed to care for the kids). I feel crowded in the kitchen, just when I'm in there, with two, it's a bit more. But it worked out. The Meatloaf, like always, took longer then I expected, and the potatoes shorter. I added a bit to much milk to the potatoes and boiled them a bit to long, so they came out to be a bit more creamy then they should've, but the the meatloaf turned out really well. It got good reviews all around.

Taylor got put to bed (stories and etc abounding) and while that was happening I held and danced with Cali while Jenny and Shannon ate their dessert (it's not to often a Mom get's a break from the kids to enjoy chocolate :). A bit later I got my dessert and then later then that, Nathan got his. Afterwards, we opened up the Eiswein and drank that as an after dinner dessert. We originally split it up into three glasses, at my suggestion, but when Shannon sampled it, we had to open it split it up into four glasses...

We then sat down and watched Super Troupers (since Jenny and Nathan hadn't seen it before). And then went to bed.

Sunday morning, Nathan made breakfast (Scrambled eggs and bacon and Challah Toast), and then we headed to Blank Park Zoo. First trips all around (yes I've lived in Des Moines for 4 years without ever going to the zoo). It was fun, it was about exactly the right attention span for Taylor. Cali slept or was awake peacefully in her stroller for pretty much the entire time. The zoo was short, but it felt very close, so you did get close to most of the animals there. Afterwards we went for lunch, but I was totally blanking and couldn't come up with anything (or the things I came up with where closed Sundays), and Cali was and Taylor were hungry, so we ended up at Baker's Square.

Lunch was ok, but Cali got fed and Taylor was full (and about to nap) so we came back home and packed them up and sent 'em home.

A few highlights. Taylor and Cali are beautiful little girls, although Taylor is quite a rambunxious (though nothing touching the spirit of Spencer and Dallin). Nathan and Jenny have asked us to be the secondary guardians of the girls if the worst should happen (So we would be their guardians if for some reason Nathan's older sister couldn't take them). We are thinking on the matter.

I'm looking forward to seeing them again next weekend, and they did make a good point, we are either in feast or famine (New years and Christmas and then nothing until now). And we will rectify that in the future.