Happy birthday, USA!

we spent July 4th weekend in Cadillac, yayy! we had lots of fun with family of the human, canine and feline kind.

* first dip in the lake
even though we live a block from the lake, we never really go swimming in it - because it's just too damn cold! (the lake patrol is a subject of another rant). so what a better place to do that than downtown Cadillac?
armed with a brand new swimsuit (the surfer look), and knowing that it will take some screaming at first, i got in the water with her. it took Ella a good 10-15 minutes to get used to the idea and the water and to understand that i'm not going to drown her. she whimpered at first and just looked all nervous. the waves scared her too. but after those 10-15 minutes she actually relaxed and had fun! after a little while she let go of her death grip on me and splashed water all over us. fun! i hope there's more swimming in our future.


(it doesn't look like it, but i'm actually sitting in the water which is not more than a knee deep).


* New words:
"A ball", kick (as in kick the ball), ti (for cat. we're not sure if it's short for kitty, or chatuli or what. both Roy and Phoebe were "ti"), עץ (=etz, =tree. applies to trees, bushes and other plants). bibi (for baby. other babies or pictures of her as a baby). hoo hoo hoo (for dog)(but also when asked what does a cat say). teeth.


* my baby can read!
Ella "reads" the first two pages of her Piggy and Elephant book:

La la la -- A ball!


* margarita recipe (from Chris):
3 parts 100% agave tequila
2 parts Gran Torres (or Cointreau or Triple Sec)
2 parts lime juice
2 parts lemonade
squirt of agave nectar to taste (available at Whole Foods, makes the marg ultra-smooth)
Pour over ice, shake and serve