Dear Pork Chop

Thank you for making my Monday. Thank you for being beyond delicious with just olive oil, salt, and pepper. Thank you for simmering away so I can color with my kids. Thank you for not screaming for me or pointing at my boobs and whining while you simmer away. Thank you for being perfect with the leftover mashed potatoes.

I love you, now more than ever,

Nicole

perla perla

So I started my company, Perla Chocolates! I'm working on getting everything up-and-running, but I gave lots of chocolate bars away over Christmas and Valentine's Day, and I've gotten lots of wonderful response! I'm super excited and can't wait to get my tasty treats into stores. Lots more about this later!

you gonna eat that?

On Sunday we went to 888 for some delicious Vietnamese cuisine. Upon walking in, Tex said "I don't want to eat here." Could he tell? Could he smell? How did he know this place didn't serve hamburgers? I actually think it may have been the fish tank. I think his mind works something like this:

fish tank=asian=exotic=no friggin' way.

Anyway, we ordered our dishes and dove in, Cecilia enjoying some of my vermicelli bowl with Montreal-sauced grilled chicken. Tex felt left out, I suppose, so he asked for "noodles". We got him some plain vermicelli and he ate a little of it. I can't believe how picky the boy can sometimes be! The check arrived, along with it four cellophane wrapped fortune cookies. One for each, right? Cecilia, Tex and I cracked our open and gobbled them up. None of our fortunes were memorable really. Mine was something about silence being everything.

Tex began eyeing the last fortune cookie. What came from his mouth next was one of his cutest big boy moments.
He said under his breath to Daddy, "Are you gonna eat that?"
Nooooo.
"Well who could eat that?" pretending like he was just curious.
I don't know...
Tex offered, "I could eat it." like "I could take it off your hands."

I helped him open it and read his fortune.

If you're still hungry, eat more fortune cookies.

Normally I'd have rolled my eyes at that one, but it was just perfect.

Tex is in Houston at the Zoo with Grandma and Grandpa. I dropped him off yesterday around 3 and won't see him again until Saturday noonish. I am missing him so much. I thought as he got older, it would be easier to be away from him. And it is in a sense; that he can voice his needs sets me at ease. But I was surprised to find myself feeling like something was missing. More than that, I felt a little pain in my heart, and still feel it today. He's my firstborn. My boy. My love. I can't wait to hear his sweet voice again.

I spent the afternoon with Nadia and that helped to keep my mind off missing Tex. We did a little naughtya shopping :) and played with Cecilia.

I love love love Nadia. I am so proud of her. I am so happy in her company. I wish I could give her anything she ever wanted. I wish I could take her on a vacation. I wish I could take her on a shopping spree! I wish I could take her to fancy restaurants and eat good food. I wish I could give her everything, because, like it is with my kids, seeing her happy makes my heart swell!

Cecilia is sleeping and the house is quiet. I should try to catch a nap too. That is a funny phrase. Like fishing. Catch a fish. Catch a nap. But for me, it is like that, because it may or may not happen. Everything has to be just right. Shut up and sleep.

I have recently become obsessed with chocolate bunnies! I want to learn how to make them. Tex and I bought one that was hollow and ate it up right away. Tex thought it was so fun to bite an ear off!!! I have decided that celebrating Easter as just a coming of spring and life and not in a religious way is ok. So, chocolate bunnies!!! My new favorite. Actually, any image of a rabbit or hare, especially a running one, like this:

So pretty!!

Daddy's girl

Look at that adorable tounge!!!

Proud papa!

Daddy and Cecilia at Christmas.

A picture test

Nadia and Texie at Christmas...Two of my absolute favorite people!