Busy week....

which is why I haven't been writing lately. Sorry about that.

Anyway....I had a catering gig last night (Saturday), so I spent most of the day preparing while Drew took Rachel to swim lessons, ballet and a playdate with her friend Lila. Drew said they were incredibly cute together, sitting at their own little table and chatting away, so that he could easily see them when they're 16, going to Grand Central Baking (a Portland institution, where they were yesterday) and just hanging out together.

When I got back from the catering gig (dinner for 8 at a gorgeous house in the West Hills: I smoked a brisket and made rosemary roasted potatoes, a salad and a chocolate flourless ganache torte), Rachel and Drew were just finishing up family movie night: "Barbie and the Prince and the Pauper," and they showed off some of Rachel's latest dance moves -- she and Drew look great together, especially when he lifts her up and into the air; she pivots her legs and feet around him in a way that makes me think she should really be paired with a 12-year-old boy who's just learning to lift ballerinas. Maybe someday.

Now we are about to head to our friend Sarah's for dinner; her son Noah is a year older than Rachel. More to come later tonight.

***

"And Mommy?" Rachel said yesterday, just as I was starting the prep for the catering gig. "Don't think people won't like your food. You should enter a baking contest. For chocolate chip cakes. You make the BEST chocolate chip cakes!"

***

Rachel said this while we were coloring yesterday morning:

"Mommy, it's not a race of coloring, and don't ever think my coloring is better."

Um, ok sweetie. I'll work on that.