Dad and Barry Visit

A week and a half ago my Dad and Barry arrived for their first visit to the UK and to meet Ellen for the first time.Unfortunately, though, the weather was cold and rainy every day of their stay.

On the day after they arrived (Friday) we drove up to Chester, a town founded by the Romans in 70AD and whose four main roads from the center cross were also laid out at this time.  What's unique about Chester are the "Chester Rows" - double covered walkways around the buildings leading to shops and entrances to buildings. In addition Chester is one of the best preserved wall cities in England with most of the wall still surrounding the town.

 Eastgate

 Behind the Cathedral

 View of the front of the Cathedral

 A building at the Cross as part of the Chester Rows

 One for Mom and Norm - we realize it doesn't say "Baby Oaknuts", but we thought of you anyway.

On Saturday the sky cleared up in the morning, so we went to local Attingham Park for a walk through the walled gardens and a tour of the mansion.

 In the walled gardens

Dad and Barry left Sunday for a few days in London and returned on Thursday.  Thursday was Jeff and my 4-year anniversary and Tuesday had been Barry's birthday, so we celebrated by having dinner at our favorite restaurant, The Mitton and Mermaid.  We drove down to the town of Ludlow on Friday, but I guess due to the rain, we didn't manage to take any pictures... gee, rain truly puts a damper on things!  Dad and Barry flew out on Saturday morning. I'm just so glad my dad got to meet his granddaughter while she is still so young.

 Grandpa and Ellen time

 

 

 Dad and Barry about to enjoy the lemon layer cake I baked

 My dad ordered and brought over the quilt I wanted so badly for Ellen, as well as the matching fitted sheet that I didn't think would fit... but it does! These match the bumper that my mom brought over in February. There are owls and birds all over it. I plan to hang the quilt over the cotbed (crib).  Ellen's room is finally coming together!  Now, if only we could get her to sleep in her crib... (we've just started working on that!)

 

Lemon Layer Cake

It has been raining every day, practically all day for the past week and there's no let up in sight.  What better way to brighten up cold and cloudy days but with something lemon... how about a lemon cake?  This cake is low-fat, yet dense and moist.  My dad, who was visiting this week, absolutely loved it and even asked for the recipe.  Just one note: the original recipe is for Lemonade Layer Cake, which uses lemonade concentrate, something we can't get in the UK, so I simply used fresh lemon juice in place of the concentrate.

Lemon Layer Cake
Source: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/lemonade-layer-cake-10000000249959/

Ingredients

Cake:
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups fat-free buttermilk (I used regular buttermilk)
Cooking spray

Frosting:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare cake, place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; stir well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat well after each addition.
3. Pour batter into 2 (9-inch) round cake pans coated with cooking spray; sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

Easter Weekend

On Easter weekend, Jeff's brother, Gordon, flew down from Edinburgh for a couple days, Ellen went to church for the first time, and Jeff's sister, Sharon, took a train from London to see her niece for the first time.

April 7th - 10 days old: Uncle Gordon holds his niece for the first time

 

April 8th - 11 days old: Ellen's first Easter.  The bunny is from Grandma and the denim dress is from Granny.  It'll be at least another year until Ellen enjoys her mommy's favorite chocolate - Lindt.

April 9th - 12 days old: Aunt Sharon with her niece

Cuddles with Daddy are the best

 The Bolton family

 April 10th - 13 days old: Morning lie in with Daddy

 April 11th - 14 days old: Ellen enjoying her bouncer from her great grandma

Ellen's 2nd Week

Ellen's second week was filled with lots of visitors. She loved all of the attention.

April 5th - 8 days old: Tanja and Matt Van Matre came to visit for a few hours

  

April 6th - 9 days old: Beth and Matt Lush, friends from church

 Adriana Marshall with her daughter Giovanna

 

Mommy's little girl

 Sweetie Pie

 A smile

 Kissy

 

 April 7th - 10 days old - Ellen's favorite sleeping position

iPhone Pics

I know it's a bit random, but I thought it would be worth uploading a few pictures I've taken on my iPhone.

March 14th - Jeff and I had dinner at our favorite restaurant, The Mitton and Mermaid, for what we thought would be the last time before Ellen was born.

 

 

 

 

 

March 25th -  Back to The Mitton and Mermaid for lunch on a beautiful, warm, sunny day with my mom... now 9 days overdue.

 

March 27th: Induction Day - my view of my baby bump taken at the hospital.

 April 1st - 4 days old

 April 6th - 9 days old

April 11th - 17 days old - Ellen loves to fall asleep after her early morning feed (sometime around 5:00am) in between Mommy and Daddy.  Unfortunately she won't settle in the cot beside our bed, so after the 4th or 5th attempt to get her to sleep I have to resort to putting her between us so we can get a couple more hours of sleep. I have to admit, I love to cuddle with her when she's in bed with us.

Gee, Ellen...whose nose do you have?!

April 22nd - 25 days old

 

Hey! She's actually awake! Won't be for long, though.

Week 3

There hasn't been too much going on in the Bolton household since Robert and Beverly left last Tuesday... oh, except for adjusting to life with a newborn without the help of grandparents.

16 days old

Ellen in her car seat

 Watching telly with Mommy

18 days old

 

 I couldn't decide which of these pictures I like most, so I posted all of them.

Ellen's "squidgy" face

 19 days old - after her bath