Welcome to Miami

Well we made it to Miami, 6 hours and 5 minutes travel time, one bebe kicking me in the stomach from outside, one from the inside..... Travel with a toddler - no big deal??? Whatever! Needless to say we were thriller to arrive in one piece! And the view was BEAUTIFUL!!!

My favorite part of going to Miami is that there is very little to do there, other than sit on the beach. So that is exactly what we did!

This was the first time Elizabeth saw/touched the ocean...

Sandcastle building with Daddy!

Dinner at the Cheesecake Factory!

and more fun to come...

Pregnant People Need Exercise Too....

especially in the great outdoors! Paul and I took Libby to hike Dog Lake and it felt WONDERFUL!! You know how I hate to toot my own horn (harhar); but it was actually fun and pretty easy. I got a bit winded the last quarter mile, but other than that I felt great!!

I want to do this one again, but drop down into the Big Cottonwood side.... when all the leaves have changed color (augh).... we'll see. I may be TOO preggers by then.

Elizabeth was so cute in the backpack, but poor Paul. I think she did more of a number on his back than BEBE #2 did on mine! She sure has fun though. My favorite part was when she stood on the edge of the lake clapping for the doggies that were swimming in the water. She made a fabulous cheerleader!

Mate Dinner??

In the spirit of the chilly weather, and nothing to do on a "holiday", Paul and I decided to stay home this afternoon and indulge ourselves in mate dinner.

For many of you who do not know what exactly that is; it's a meal that centers around drinking YERBA MATE. This is a traditional Uruguayan tea that you drink by brewing the leaves in a gourd, adding water from a thermos, sipping through a metal straw....adding a lot of sugar (optional ). This MUST be done sitting around a table with family and friends, engrossed in friendly conversation (usually more than one going on at a time), and eating: funky cheese, green olives, salami, pepperoni, bread and crackers! I think that it's the equivalent of English tea time; done daily but occasionally substituted as a meal.
It's really nice and relaxing and one of my favorite things to do with Paul's family... has been since we started dating. It has been my experience that Americans don't spend enough time talking to each other. We have no strong traditions that center on conversation, beside our cell phones.
It's been a wonderful way to get to know people. The experience is actually addicting.

Well, today was the first time little Miss Elizabeth joined us for a mate meal and WOW!!! This girl is a Norat in so many ways. My darling picky eater ate: Gouda, Dill Havarti, and Vintage Aged Cheddar Cheese!! She dipped bread and crackers in Roasted Pine Nut Hummus!!! And even nibbled on salami and green olives!!!
Was I missing something when trying to feed her PB &J?!?! Applesauce?!?!

(See the animal cookies in this picture? She wouldn't touch them!)