Happy Fathers' Day!

Dear Dada,

Mommy said today is a special day to celebrate daddies. I love that you are my daddy. Here are just a few of the things that I love to do with you:

• bounce on the bed
• watch baseball and hockey
• play baseball
• use tools
• run, run outside
• play trains
• hug
• do high-fives
• do "stamp of approvals"
  
• listen/dance to music
• play (okay..spray you) with the hose
• do pull-ups
• count out loud
• look for dogs
• take walks
• go to the playground
• wear your hats
  

When we were making your card tonight, Mommy said she is really glad that you are my daddy because you work so hard to take care of me and you are always trying to do what's best for me--what more could we ask for?

Happy Fathers' Day, Dada!

Love you!
Ella

So that's what a "buckle" is!

Okay, so curiosity (or the teacher in me) got the better of me and I just had to know what a "buckle" was when it came to making that delicious dessert called blueberry buckle (P.S. Ask Ella to say "blueberry buckle"---it's so funny).

After a quick Google search, I found out that a buckle is a dessert that combines fresh, seasonal fruit, a rich cake batter, and a streusel topping, which results in a dessert like a coffee cake. The origins of a 'buckle' probably date back to the colonists. Here's more information about it on this site.

Blueberry Buckle

Today I went to a Giant Foods' nutrition class on glycemic index. The Giant in Willow Grove (and Camp Hill) offer nutrition and cooking classes and I've been to a lot of good ones. One of the recipes that was featured was blueberry buckle. I am not sure how it got its name...it seems like a blueberry coffee cake to me, but it was really tasty, nonetheless. I had some blueberries at home that needed to be used soon, so Ella and I tried out the recipe after her nap. We substituted Smart Balance for the shortening and half frozen blueberries for all fresh. Ella enjoyed mixing the flour, sugar, and cinnamon for the crumbly top, and, most of all, putting the blueberries on top of the batter--she said, "Wow" when we poured them all on, and then proceeded to push the blueberries down into the batter with her fingers to "get them in."

Blueberry Buckle

(serves 9)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup sugar (in class we used Splenda--but I didn't have enough of that)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Crumble Topping:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter
  

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, powder, salt in a bowl--set aside. In another bowl beat shortening, then add in sugar and egg--beat. Alternate between adding in milk and flour mixture and beat until smooth.
2. Spoon batter into greased pan and sprinkle with blueberries. In another bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon. Then cut in butter until it resembles coarse crumbs--sprinkle over blueberries.
3. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly and serve warm.

Ella adding the baking powder into the flour


pushing the blueberries into the batter

just out of the oven


ready to taste!

The house smelled so yummy and warm while the "buckle" was baking, especially great for the damp, rainy day we're having (where is the June weather). Ella told me, "Oops--we make big mess! Momma clean it up paper towels?" Yes, we made a floury mess, but had fun. I ended up sending the finished product in with Rob for him to share with his co-workers, so we'll get the taste test results later from a group of hungry engineers!

Scavenger Hunt at Pennypack Park

This morning we went with members of our MOMS Club for a scavenger hunt in part of Pennypack Park (near Fox Chase Farm). We brought Ella's bucket and had a list of items (like flowers, rocks, sticks) to find and collect. We hiked in the woods along the creek, rested at a small waterfall, and then hiked back for lunch. The weather was perfect and Ella had a blast collecting items for her bucket--her favorite thing to find was sticks. She also enjoyed running along the paved path and watching the creek flow by along the fence. It was a great area to take Ella and it seems like a good spot for us to go as a family.

Ella wearing new Zoe (Sesame Street) t-shirt and reversable hat
(last year she refused hats---this summer, she puts them on herself)


getting ready to fill her bucket with goodies


taking time to check out the creek view from the bridge
(or planning how to climb over the top!)


watching the ducks float by


love this serious look


posing for the camera--today she said,
"Momma, take Ella's picture, please?"


took her hat off to see the waterfalls better


resting on a bench


karate move?


loves to climb up and sit on little ledges (any kind)


view of the walking path (so remote looking, yet so close to our house)


some kind of spring house in the background


last look

Bath Time

I love Ella's bath time pictures because she is almost always laughing in the tub and has her cool slicked back hairdo! Here are some similar shots from before, but these were taken this Sunday night when Baba was putting bubbles on her face and making Ella laugh. She was laughing so hard that she started squealing!

Visit with Zach and Lindsay

Yesterday, Ella and I visited with my co-worker and friend, Jen. We got to play with her two kids, Zach and Lindsay. Ella enjoyed playing with all of Zach's "boy toys," like the golf set and trains, as well as the water table. It was nice to catch up with Jen, and hopefully she'll get to come down to our house to make up for her hosting twice in a row already.

How adorable is baby Lindsay in her jumperoo?!


look at those 2 new teeth


Ella and Zach playing in the water table

Ella's stare-down look


"Hey, don't take that--it's mine!" (the toddler-side of Ella)


riding the cool fish rocker

Weekend Update

This weekend, Ella stayed with Pappy and Baba while Rob and I had some time for ourselves. Ella went to the playground, played in the pool, went to church and Panera, and had a visit from Gram and Mary (and much more, I'm sure)!

blurry, but cute smile...she was riding her car backwards and pushing off

Ella giving Baba a bubble nose and beard--she thought this was hilarious!


Gram crisscrossed Ella's straps in the front, instead of back, and when Ella pulled her top down to cover her belly, she ended up with the sumo wrestler look!


Ella loves to play with the neighbors' dog, Gabby. Ella was pointing to show her something important.


"Follow me, Gabby!"

Ella loves playing in water


looking cute in the pool

On Saturday, Rob and I checked out a huge neighborhood yard sale (where, unfortunately, someone hit Rob's car), got strawberries and garlic at the Glenside Farmers' Market, cut the lawn, and then spent the evening with our friends, Allison and Lou. We went to a new restaurant, Na Brasa, a Brazilian steakhouse in Horsham, and then came back and used our "new" wicker furniture (thanks to our neighbors who are moving) and enjoyed the fire pit.

clothes and Elmo camera (and 2 jackets below) from the yard sale
We spent only spent $14!


two almost brand new coats
(the one on the left is a 3-in-1 spring, fleece, and winter hooded coats)

new wicker set for front porch
(has reversible cushions)

They are really comfy--great for reading, relaxing, or watching the birds.

Sunday, we went to Sorella Rose for an all-you-can-eat bruch, which was so delicious. We sat on their porch to eat and then read the paper after we were done--very relaxing.