Being Productive

Looking at my day today, I was feeling a bit down that I hadn't gotten more accomplished. I managed one small work meeting and an errand to the bank. OK, I also battened down the hatches at the dock as the lake began to flood- this time, *before* the boats floated away. ;) . . . but that's pretty much it. I didn't even make the kids do all their chores. My miles-long to-do list looks pretty much untouched since yesterday.

But wait, I realized: today was extremely productive on the homeschooling/kids front. I started my day with an extended wrestling/tickling/cuddling match with my oldest, who seldom wants to do that anymore. Then he asked to make us waffles from scratch for breakfast, and I said "yes". I walked him through the recipe. . . which meant a lot of concentrated instruction on fractions. (I even used the math manipulatives!) Julian worked on an alphabet puzzle and asked me to help him with flash cards, which we used to work on number recognition, counting and beginning phonics. This video (shared by a friend) then led to a discussion about genealogy:

(I wonder if she's right?!?)

Both boys had some outside time to run in the rain and gawk at the flooding.

While we were out running errands (including a stop at the post office so Simon could mail his first letter to his new pen pal in Japan) I stopped at the bookstore, where they browsed. Simon chatted with the saleslady, she helped him find what he was looking for, and he made his own purchase. On the way home, I spotted something interesting and turned around to check it out- it turned out to be a whole parking lot full of restored antique working steam engines! Apparently there is an annual 4th of July steam engine parade here. Who knew? We walked around and looked at them all, and smelled the wood fires burning, and listened to the (VERY LOUD) train whistles blow.

(photo credit Nicole Gustin)

Back at home, Simon volunteered to make dinner (frozen pizza and fresh fruit), and spent some time reading his book. Then we had an impromptu detailed exploration (sparked by a small query) of astronomy topics, in which I answered questions, explained, and we looked up answers together on the internet. Some topics covered include:
- What is a light year?
- How do you say 6,000,000,000,000?
- What does the sun sound like? (This was the golden question of the night, which led us to this very cool 10-minute documentary about a project to sonify solar data, which sparked many more interesting questions)
- What is a sunspot?
- Can solar flares and coronal mass ejections harm the Earth?


- What is Earth's "magnetic field", and why does it protect us from solar wind?
(Did you know other planets don't have a magnetic field? I feel like I should have known that, but I don't think I did.)


- If we could be right next to the sun without burning up, what would the sun *really* sound like?
(The answer, of course, is that we wouldn't hear a single thing. Which of course leads to the question,
- "Why?" Which leads to a discussion of sound waves and how they are transmitted.)
We both loved all these explorations and questions, and dug into our ice cream tonight feeling energized and inspired by our learning.

I read Jules his new Scooby Doo book for a bedtime story, and after tucking the boys in I thought about my day and what got done. I've realized I feel pretty darn good about it, actually. :)

Chicken with Sundried Tomato (for Camping!)

I tried a new dinner on our last campout, and it was a delicious success! I got the idea from my brother. So here it is, ready for your next car camping adventure. Unfortunately I have no measurements for you, because I just eyeballed everything and I've only made it once. Start with just enough chicken for your family, and measure out the other ingredients accordingly. Don't let the long explanation scare you- it's super easy!

Chicken with Sun-dried Tomato and Cous Cous

- frozen boneless skinless chicken, partially thawed
- olive oil
- sun-dried tomatoes
- fresh herbs (I had thyme, but rosemary would also be great, or another fresh herb)
- fresh garlic
- salt and pepper
- a box of ready-to-prepare flavored cous cous (I used parmesagn flavor)
- a small (about 1 cup?) container with a tightly-fitting lid
- a large zip-lock bag

Prep at home the night before you leave:
-Snip the sun-dried tomatoes into 1/4 or 1/2 inch pieces, and soak in very hot water for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the garlic cloves very thinly, and snip herbs.
-Drain tomatoes. Put tomatoes, garlic and fresh herbs into the small container. Fill container with olive oil, and close tightly. Pack with camping supplies.
-Cut chicken into bite-size pieces, and dump into zip-lock bag. Make sure it's closed very securely, and put it in the cooler on ice.

At camp:
(You will need a camp stove, a good skillet, a saucepan with a lid, a measuring cup and spoon, and a heat-resistant utensil like a large spoon.)

-Follow instructions on the box to prepare the cous cous, using a Tablespoon (or whatever is called for) of the olive oil from your container instead of butter. Meanwhile, heat the skillet.
-Drizzle some olive oil in the skillet, and dump the chicken in. Then dump the tomatoes, herbs and garlic (and the remaining olive oil, if it's not too much) on top of the chicken. Salt and pepper to taste, but remember the cous cous is already seasoned so don't go overboard.
-Cook, stirring, until chicken is done. Dump the chicken into the saucepan with the finished cous cous and mix well. Voila!

You can serve with a veggie, if you wish. Raw veggies for munching are simple, like baby carrots or sliced bell peppers. I had some kale that needed to be eaten, so I sauteed it lightly after cooking the chicken. It was an easy, healthy, delicious camp meal.

Superfast Dinner Solutions

Busy, busy lately- which is why I am offering today a handful of super fast, super easy dinner ideas. These aren't recipes, and I offer no guarantees as far as nutrition goes. They are simply meals that I turn to when I have no time or few ingredients, and three hungry boys. They are kid-approved, at least in this house. What quick meal solutions do you regularly turn to in your kitchen?

"Noodles with Green Sauce"
(at least, that's what the kids call it)

Boil some of whatever pasta you have on hand. Meanwhile, follow the instructions to microwave a package of frozen creamed spinach. Drain pasta, and toss thoroughly with hot creamed spinach. Serve alone, or with whatever protein you can whip up quick. My kids prefer (cringe) bacon. But I prefer boneless skinless chicken, baked up quick, diced and tossed in with the noodles.


Crackers, Cheese and a Chat

We love this one. Grab a cutting board, a block of cheese, a box of crackers, an apple or two and any number of other delights: grapes or other fruit, sausage, baby carrots, a boiled egg, french bread and olive oil for dipping, hummus. . . you get the idea. (Don't forget a glass of wine for Mommy!) Slice, share, much and have a nice relaxed conversational meal.


Smoothies and Popcorn

Sorry. It's a treat, OK? Throw some popcorn in the microwave or popper. Meanwhile, blend up bananas, pineapple, fresh spinach, and frozen fruit such as strawberries or peaches, with vanilla yogurt, juice and a little protein powder. Taste often and adjust ingredients until you have something yummy. This "meal" goes very well with a movie.


Black Beans and Rice

This is the "I'm in a hurry" version. Dump some rice in the cooker or pot, and get it started. Meanwhile warm up a can of Goya brand black bean soup. Combine, mix thoroughly, and serve hot. Yumm. I like to serve with salad, steamed broccoli or asparagus, but that's just me trying to get the green veggies in. :)


Mac & Cheese & Peas

Nothing new here! Follow cooking instructions for whatever brand of boxed macaroni & cheese your kids favor. I prefer the organic stuff. Meanwhile, follow instructions to microwave some frozen green peas. Drain peas, and toss with finished macaroni and cheese. Serve. For protein, I either bake some boneless skinless chicken, or brown some ground beef or bison and toss it in. But I'm not averse to serving this one as is. Babyman tears it up.


Creamy Garlic Baked Chicken

This takes a little longer if you're using the frozen chicken, but needs no prep and just a couple ingredients. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Place frozen boneless skinless chicken in a single layer in the baking dish. Spread one undiluted can of cream of chicken soup over the chicken. Sprinkle on a little fresh ground black pepper, if desired. Peel a few garlic cloves, halve or quarter them, and distribute over top of chicken. Bake until done, but not dry- I usually bake for 40 to 45 minutes from frozen. Serve hot with rice or noodles and a veggie or two. Easy peasy.

Hope these help! Enjoy!

the things they say. . .

Saturday, March 08, 2008

the things they say. . .
Current mood: distractable

"Do NOT climb up your wardrobe, Littleman. You don't need anything on the top shelf."
“But I wanna wear my pool pants!”
“Pool pants? You mean your swimsuit?”
“Yeah!”
“No you can’t wear your swimsuit today. Please pick out some pants.”
(whining) “But whyyyy?”
“Because it’s 30 degrees outside! It’s too cold for a swimsuit.”
(Getting upset) “Why?”
(Firmly) "Because you’d freeze your tushes off, silly! Now find something appropriate to wear, or I’ll make the pizza without you."
(Collapses on the floor in frustration, and mumbles something)
"What?"
(still mumbling, but audible this time) "But I wanna go to the pool today."

I just shook my head and went off to do something more productive. In hindsight, I suppose I could have let him wear his swimsuit. We weren't going anywhere (especially not to the pool, LOL!) In hindsight, the creative, cool, fun mommy thing to do would have been to let him wear his swimsuit, and then pretend we were going to the pool. The couch could have been the pool. We could have pretended to swim, and bounced a balloon back and forth for a beach ball. We could have pretended to splash each other. But none of this occurred to me at the time- I was caught up in making sure we had time to finish preparing and eating lunch before nap time rolled around.

At least the pizza activity was good! Littleman cut up mushrooms, tomatoes, green bell peppers and broccoli. I used a pizza crustmix , pizza sauce from a jar and plenty of shredded mozzarella. These convenient ingredients make "home made" pizza so quick and easy. :) This will probably be one of the first things Littleman learns to cook himself. We put it all together and it was baked in 10 minutes. YUM!

* * *

Littleman cracks me up with his growing sense of humor. Sometimes I get it, sometimes not so much. . . but it thrills me to hear him playing with language to make little jokes. For instance, one day he informed me that "Cliff could fall off of his name!". Tonight, he was in the bath singing "We all live in a leaky submarine. . ." as he sank his sub. Those are just the two that pop into my mind now. As for some of the mysteries, well there was his signature way of saying good bye on the phone- after saying goodbye (usually when he had called Billy to say goodnight before bed) he would add, "We're going to a playground!" After a pause (in which he's grinning like a madman) he'd finish "NO we're not!!! Hahahahahahahaha!" and then hand me the phone. He kept that one up so long that by the time he finally quit doing it, it had eventually become the obligatory way to end a phone call, mindlessly repeated without the previous humor. Which made it even funnier to me, somehow!

Sweetcheeks likes to pick up on Littleman's jokes and repeat them. Sometimes he pops out his own little gems, though. More often I am amused by his simple observations and interactions with the rest of us. A couple days ago I was talking to Babyman. Sweetcheeks was watching me with an expression of incredulous pity. "Mommy" he says with careful emphasis, "Babyman. Doesn't. Talk."
LOL!

* * *

Tonight's thumbs-up goes to this National Geographic tutorial on forces of nature: hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and volcanoes. REALLY interesting, and fun to navigate. Enjoy!

Here comes the rain. . .

Thursday, January 31, 2008


Here comes the rain. . .
Current mood: peaceful

Just a moment ago, the rain really started coming down. I just love that sound, especially if the rest of the house is quiet. (Hell, I just like the sound of the rest of the house being quiet, as long as it doesn't mean the kids are up to something disastrous somewhere out of my sight- but adding in the rain sound is especially lovely). My ears had barely registered the subtle hiss and drip-drop of a quiet, gentle rain outside. Then all of a sudden, the sound builds and builds to a beautiful heavy roar that beats down on the roof and rushes through the gutters. There's a whole little symphony of plops, drips, shushing and gurgling out there, if I stop typing to focus in and listen.

Oooh, and there's the train, sounding it's horn off in the distance. All the way from old town, that magical sound comes drifting through the watery night. What is it about the sound of a train that catches our attention, bringing to mind half-acknowledged glimpses of life's possibilities? That feeling that, even in this chaotic, messy life you are living right now- this Groundhog Day of runny noses, dirty laundry, running late and sibling rivalry- that even here there is magic and adventure just outside your door. I don't know why, but just hearing that sound makes me feel better, and seems (in a small way) to put my struggles in perspective. Life is good, remember?

And it's raining. :)

* * *

Sweetcheeks is doing really well with peeing in the potty. On the poop front, well, we're still working on that. He pooped in his underwear twice yesterday, but he voluntarily went and pooped in the potty again today. (One step forward, two steps back?) I hope he catches on sooner rather than later, because I have to say I am getting VERY tired of cleaning up poopy accidents. VERY tired. But over all, I'd say things are still going well with the Sweetcheeks potty saga.

And Babyman actually seemed to like his little massage after his bath tonight. Which is nice, because when I actually have the time to do it, I love giving my babies a massage. I ought to try teaching his older brothers how to give me one- at least on my neck and shoulders! (They did occasionally rub my feet for me when I was pregnant!)

Oh, and speaking of teaching them to be helpful, the other night Littleman requested chicken soup for dinner. He'd prefer soup in a can, but I didn't have any that he wanted. I did have some chicken broth in the fridge though, so I told him I'd make some soup for him. He grudgingly agreed. While the broth heated I pulled out some carrots, celery, garlic and noodles. I started to cut up the carrots before thinking, "DUH!" as I realized Littleman could participate. He has this little wood-handled vegetable chopper, which he had not had the opportunity to use yet. I set him up at the kitchen table with the carrots and celery, and showed him what to do. He did a great job cutting up the veggies for me, and even Sweetcheeks was able to cut a few carrot pieces, too! They were very excited about the whole thing, and gobbled the soup down when it was done. Littleman made sure to tell Daddy about the soup "he" had made!

* * *

I guess we could say that today's thumbs-up is for that little vegetable chopper. Or for rain (we need it so!). Or for that distant train. Or for this Mom's version of the the William Tell Overture on youtube. But I think right now, my winner will be fresh, clean sheets and my nice warm blanket. Ohhhh, YEAH.

'Night!

Cookies! And a link for knitters.

Thursday, December 20, 2007


Cookies! And a link for knitters.
Current mood: sleepy

Cookie Success!
Sweetcheeks' Montessori class has a holiday party and cookie swap on Friday. I'd hate to send store-bought cookies, and I also wanted Littleman to have the opportunity to help bake- but I knew trying to handle all three boys singlehandedly while simultaneously baking and monitoring Littlemanm would be cookie chaos. SO, I arranged for Auntie G and my Mom to come help. It was great! Between cleaning, laundry and caring for Babyman, unfortunately I didn't actually do much cookie preparation. But Mom and Auntie G had that covered, and both Littleman and Sweetcheeks had a blast helping! They made my Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal cookies for the swap, Sugar Cookies to roll, cut and decorate, and regular chocolate chip cookies because Auntie G requested them. :)

The Cranberry White Chocolate cookies are my own invention, created by modifying existing recipes. They are my favorite of today's baked goods:

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cup uncooked quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
just a drop of almond extract
3/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries
3/4 cup white chocolate chips

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Sift flour with baking powder and salt.
- Stir butter and sugar together until just blended. Mix in flour, oatmeal, eggs, vanilla and almond extract.
- Stir in cranberries and white chocolate.
- Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls two inches apart on a greased baking sheet.
- Bake 15 - 18 minutes or until lightly browned, and tops spring back when touched. Transfer at once to wire racks to cool.
Makes approximately 3 dozen.


Oh and incidentally, this morning was really chaotic: poor Billy accidentally broke a plate, which cut his hand so badly that he had to get stitches! Good grief, the excitement never stops around here. ;) So between that, cleaning and cookies, we've had an exciting day.

* * *

Today's thumbs-up is for a blog that I just found today (thanks, stumbleupon!) but I already love:
Yarn Ball Boogie

It's for knitters, and I think it's quite cool. :)

Also, I wanted to expand a bit on the last "thumbs-up"- the hotslings. I have a hotsling pouch, and it is so awesome! I am using it a lot with Babyman, and he loves it.

I am falling asleep at the keyboard.

Squash recipe

Monday, December 17, 2007


Squash recipe
Current mood: frustrated

The other day, I was so proud of myself: I actually managed to cook something from scratch to feed the boys! It was a quick thrown-together idea (I had no time) that worked. Unfortunately, it did not meet the approval of my preschool taste-testers, but I think it's yummy. (Of COURSE they wouldn't eat something I'd gone to so much trouble to make for them! Sheesh).

Winter Squash with Sausage and Cranberries

1 winter squash (I don't know what kind I used- it was similar to butternut squash)
1 small summer sausage
1/2 - 3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup applesauce (I didn't have any, so I used a baby food jar of pureed pears instead)
1 Tbs butter

- Cut squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out seeds. Place halves in a glass baking dish, peel side down. Put a bit of water in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Peel summer sausage and cut into small pieces.
- Mix sausage pieces, cranberries and applesauce in a bowl. Spoon mixture into the cavities of the squash halves. Dot with little bits of butter.
- Cover baking dish and microwave on high for 10 - 15 minutes, or until squash is tender. (Cooking time will vary depending on how thick the squash is).
- I like to scoop the cooked squash out of the peel and mix it all up with the filling before serving, but you could also just serve a piece of the squash to each person with the filling in the cavity- it looks rather nice that way.

* * *

Hmm. I wonder if Babyman will let me put him down so I can go eat some right now.

Incidentally I need to go grocery shopping. It's an intimidating prospect. Just getting out to do anything requires major effort, and the thought of then schlepping all 3 boys through the grocery store somehow, while keeping them under control, getting done before Babyman gets fussy, holding onto my sanity (not good for me to lose it and have my head start spinning around Poltergeist style right in the middle of the cereal aisle at the grocery store), and ACTUALLY get all my shopping done. . . well, I can tell you that thus far, I've not managed to even try. We might make it after the boys have a nap. Or we might not. It depends on their behavior, (I'll have to have some sort of cooperation) and babyman's needs. And dinner.

Yeah, I'll cross that bridge when I get there. I need to fuel myself. (I am in awe of Moms with larger broods: how do they DO it?? I guess they have an older child who can help. . . is that the key? I don't know).

Pregnancy update and Pumpkin Bread!

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Pregnancy update and Pumpkin Bread! Current mood: uncomfortable Things keep looking brighter for little babyman! I had a prenatal appointment today, and everything is looking great. Though I am still encouraged to "take it easy" and stay hydrated, I am now past all likelihood of being put on bedrest. Hooray! Should I go into labor, it's pretty unlikely that they would try to stop it. Now, babyman probably still has some development he needs to complete before making his appearance- lung maturity and a good breastfeeding reflex being the main things I think- but every day brings us closer to a safe, uncomplicated delivery of a mature, healthy baby. (Knock on wood, of course!) As I've mentioned before, I am quite ready to NOT be pregnant anymore. However, whether we are actually ready for babyman to come home is really another story! LOL. I still have quite a few things to do, but I'm working my way through them slowly. And besides, we'll make do whenever he is ready to arrive- we've done it before! :) Checked the kids' consignment store today, and scored (amongst other things) a great coat and a pair of shoes for Littleman! Perfect- I'm so happy to find them used (in fantastic shape) rather than paying full price for them new. (And higher-ticket items like coats and shoes can be hard to find in the right size on consignment!) I forgot to mention that we went to the Montessori school's Fall Festival last weekend. The weather was beautiful, and the boys had fun. We contributed pumpkin bread for their bake sale- Littleman helped me make it. It's my Gramy's recipe, and it turned out delicious! I thought I'd share it here (with a couple modifications I made): Gramy's Pumpkin Bread - 2 c sugar - 1 c brown sugar - 4 eggs, beaten - 1 c oil (I used safflower) - 1 1/2 tsp salt - 1 tsp cinnamon - 1 tsp nutmeg - 2/3 c water - 1/4 c cream or plain yogurt (optional) - 2 c canned pumpkin (note that 2c is slightly more than 1 can- I opened 2 cans, used just a bit of the second can and saved the rest of the pumpkin for pancakes one morning) - 3 1/2 c flour - 2 tsp soda Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 loaf pans well, and lightly dust with flour. Set aside. Mix the sugars, eggs, oil, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, water and cream or yogurt in a bowl. Add the pumpkin and mix well. Stir in the flour and soda. Pour batter into the 2 loaf pans, and bake for 1 hour. Easy! Mmmm.

Puppets! . . . a nice day

Friday, October 19, 2007

Puppets! . . . a nice day Current mood: cheerful (Yup, still pregnant! Woo hoo!) Well, we had a nice day today. We got up early(ish) and drove to my Mom's intown. (Had breakfast on the way). Picked her up, and hurried to the Center for Puppetry Arts to see a production of Winnie the Pooh. I figured the boys would like it OK, but was pleasantly surprised to find they LOVED it! They were enthralled, payed close attention and giggled at the funny parts. Sweetcheeks was slightly restless, but only because he wanted to "Go up dere?"- he wanted to climb up on stage with the puppets! Both boys really enjoyed the show. (Littleman asked me in wonder, "How do they DO that??") Afterwards, we admired the exhibits of the cat from Sabrina the Teenage Witch and several original muppets of Jim Henson's. Both boys got a puppet kit to take home. Afterwards, we lunched at my Mom's, played Rivers, Roads and Rails with Aaron and watched Happy Feet (Mr. Sweetcheeks' favorite movie!). Sweetcheeks is staying the night, so just Littleman and I wandered home, stopping for a couple small errands on the way. I realized that I still haven't baked anything for the Montessori school's bake sale tomorrow, so Littleman and I had a companionable evening baking pumpkin bread together. The house smells lovely! We had dinner and a special treat of ice cream. Plus, Daddy surprised us by coming home early! So it's been a great day. Just for fun, I made a baby name poll on a baby name website. Make your vote heard! (Though we'll probably ignore you, LOL!) :) Time to tidy the kitchen and get ready for bed.

Quick Casserole

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Quick Casserole Current mood: full Tonight I needed to use up some meat and vegetables in the fridge, and I need things that are quick and pretty easy. (I picked two very simple recipes, but even so by the time I could sit down my feet were KILLING me). I ended up with a squash casserole (a standard of mine- my grandmother's recipe) and a 50s-era ground beef casserole, which I spruced up a little. We haven't tasted the squash casserole yet, but the ground beef casserole was a big hit! Littleman kept whining that he didn't waaant casserole. . . but when he tasted it, he happily ate the whole bowl. (Sweetcheeks, of course, just gobbled it right up and had seconds. . . geez, that kid can eat!) Littleman told me that it was "kind of like chicken pot pie" - which, I can tell you, is high praise indeed! LOL. Ground Beef Casserole (including my changes) 1/2 lb. ground beef (I used chuck) 1/2 lb. ground bison 1 small onion, chopped fine 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tsp. olive oil 2 cans cream of chicken soup (did I mention I found this recipe in an old church fundraiser cookbook?) 1/2 can kernel corn, with liquid 1/2 can green beans, with liquid (the recipe simply called for one can mixed veggies, but I didn't have one) approx. 1/2 cup chopped fresh celery approx. 1 cup fresh sweet bell peppers (I used red and green) chopped fine 1 pkg. beef or chicken flavored Ramen noodles (I used beef) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. - Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic, saute until softened. - Add ground meat. Just brown the meat- it's not necessary to cook it through. - Meanwhile, break apart dry Ramen noodles into a casserole dish. Lightly sprinkle in just a touch of the seasoning packet, and discard the rest. - Add the cream of chicken soup and the rest of the vegetables to the Ramen noodles. - Dump the meat, onion and garlic mixture into the casserole dish with the noodles and veggies and mix all ingredients well. - Bake in the 350 degree oven for one hour. Enjoy!

Help and family, a wondrous bakery, ambient music and impatience

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Help and family, a wondrous bakery, ambient music and impatience Current mood: calm My sis came over yesterday to help me out, and hang out for my Dad's birthday dinner last night. Whew, what a relief! It was great- nice to be with her, and nice to get so much done around the house: she tackled dishes, tidying and vacuuming, while I worked on laundry, tidying and dusting. We both helped the kiddos and she sat in the car with the sleeping boys while I was able to grocery shop alone. Of course, we only scratched the surface of what needs doing here, but it was a very necessary and visible surface. :) Thanks again, G! The birthday dinner was fun- I like hanging out with my Dad and stepmom. Littleman was very excited to have everyone over! We grilled out, and the weather was gorgeous. Steaks, chicken, fresh asparagus (yum!) and skewers with shrimp, mushrooms, onions and bell peppers. Billy even made it home early to join us! The cake was particularly yummy I thought- I've never bought a cake at Whole Foods before, and though it was a bit pricey it was sooooo good. It was a "cookies and cream" cake, which was perfect for my Dad. The icing was just right- not too sweet at all. I always avoid the bakery area when I'm at Whole Foods (the Duluth store on State Bridge), because I have the boys with me. So when I wandered over there yesterday to get the cake, I was amazed to see not only the gorgeous selection of baked goods and other desserts, but a chocolate counter with truffles, and a gelato counter!! Oh, mmmmmm. . . I barely managed to get my pregnant self out of there in time. ;) (Though G and I did enjoy our little fruit tartlets and some fresh-squeezed tangerine juice). I am listening to the public radio show "Hearts of Space", which in Atlanta airs late Sunday nights. I like this show, and find it's a really nice way to end the weekend (or begin the new Monday, depending on how you look at it). Tonight is the 800th show! I had no idea it had been on the air that long. It's an hour or so of ambient music, and each show has a general theme. Tune in some week if you're interested. I've heard everything from spacy electronica, to Tibetan folk music, to ambient soundtracks, to (tonight) ambient rock tracks. Interesting and often nicely meditative. I'm already itching to know whether it's a boy or a girl I am carrying. I feel like it's a girl, but it's very possible that my own desire for a girl is clouding my intuition. I'll have to wait until sometime the first week of July before I'll get to find out! I think I need to check on the laundry again, and go to bed. I'm finding myself sitting here, just staring into space. Man, am I ever tired. . .

egg salad, speechless and the things they say

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

egg salad, speechless and the things they say Current mood: drained I made some excellent egg salad tonight. It all started when I accidentally put honey mustard in rather than dijon. I just went with it, and based my seasonings on what I had going. Turned out quite delicious! Here's what I used, in order of most to least: - hard boiled eggs, mashed up - mayo - honey mustard - grated carrot - sweet relish - minced garlic - lemon pepper - dill - coriander and cumin - sea salt If I'd had it, I might have added minced fresh celery or minced sweet onion. I almost hesitate to mention this, but it still has me speechless. Yesterday morning this was said to me: "I just don't understand what you could possibly be doing all day." (This comment in relation to all the assorted housework chores that don't get done from day to day). Um, EXCUSE ME?? Really, I just don't know what else to say. In their defense, the party in question has been helping out more the last couple days. But it's still awfully depressing. Sigh. However much time they take, the boys do offer little rewards to keep me going. The things they say and do. . . for instance, Driving along, we pass a motel. Littleman exclaims, "A hotel!!" "Yes, that was a hotel." I agree. He informs me, "A hotel is where you sleep if you're not camping." LOL! He'd better be cute, when his favorite phrase right now (I think it even surpasses "Why" at this point) is "I don't want to". Repeat ad infinitum. AAAAARRRGGH!! I just remembered that tomorrow morning is trash/recycling pick up, and I CANNOT forget to put it out tonight. So I'm going to do that right now. Let me know if you try the egg salad!

dinner tonight, and coping

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

dinner tonight, and coping Current mood: accomplished Mmmm. I cooked some roast lamb tonight, with sweet potatoes, carrots and peas. Delicious! I admit however, that I cheated- the lamb was pre-seasoned and ready to go, courtesy of Trader Joe's. Trader Joe's is like a much smaller, more selective and somewhat cheaper Whole Foods. They are new to the Atlanta area, and I went for the first time yesterday. I'll definitely go back, though only for select things- most of my shopping list will still have to be found at Publix or Kroger. Anyhow tonight I have enjoyed a lovely meal and the boys at least ate a few bites. (They've been picky lately). Now I am peacefully typing, sipping an Old Rasputin stout and nibbling Drunken Goat cheese. (delicacies left from holiday entertaining). YUM! The boys are watching Shrek. Poor Mr Sweetcheeks has some sort of virus, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that the rest of us don't get it. In the meantime he is cranky and feverish, poor kiddo. Still, it's quiet and I am relishing what peace I can find. I need it, after yesterday and last (sleepless) night with Sweetcheeks. You know, I have really had to relearn my stress-reducing coping mechanisms lately. I remember when I was younger and dealing with children, I was always so patient- I even admired their boundless energy, enthusiasm, experimentation and endless inquiry. It was fun! My childrearing philosophy requires adults to be patient with these tendencies in children, and even to encourage them. (within reason). This is how children figure out the world, how they build brain cells and learn how to interact with other people. It is how they build themselves into well rounded, functioning human beings. However. The reality has often been that my stretched, frazzled nerves simply can't take one more mess, one more question, one more demand. They are only being children- reasonably good children at that- but sometimes, it's all I can do not to scream. I have had to conciously remind myself to tune them out for a few seconds, close my eyes and breathe deep. I have to feel my connection with the Earth, remove myself from the immediate situation and conciously relax my face, neck and shoulders. I have to visualize my miniscule spot in the universe (there is a bumper sticker I bring to mind at these moments, that pictures the whole galaxy with a tiny arrow pointing to one itty bitty spot- it says, "You are here"). I may be the center of my own universe, but in the greater scheme of things my daily struggles will ultimately mean little. I can accomplish more by remaining peaceful than I can in getting stressed out. It just takes specific, careful effort to enact that belief in my daily life. I have sometimes been accused of being cold, uncaring and unconcerned with key things in life. I do not worry about things I cannot change, therefore sometimes it seems I am far too laissez-faire about important matters. There may be truth to this, for sure. (It's not always clear what we have power to change, and what we don't). However. I find that when I try to take things more seriously, I get so scattered and stressed out that I have difficulty functioning. I try to strike the balance so that I remain calm and flexible, while still taking control of what I can and being proactive for positive change. It's not always clear how best to do that, but I do what I can.

On TV, happiness, good health and gratitude

On TV, happiness, good health and gratitude

Current mood: cheerful

Wow, so I was stuck at the studio for awhile last night (my car is in the shop for routine stuff) and to kill time I was watching TV. I don't ever watch TV (we do not get any channels at all at the house) and I am pretty amazed. What an incredible, colossal waste of time! It was mildly interesting at times, but that wasn't enough to make up for the bland worthlessness, the blatant manipulation and absolute banality of the programming. It was almost like I could feel my brain cells begin to liquefy. I swear I do not remember TV being this bad- either it is worse than it was when I was in high school, or else my absence from the medium has given me an objectivity that I lacked before. I seem to remember the "educational" channels having some good stuff to show. . . but anything that caught my fancy last night turned out to be stretched, edited and beaten into submission so much that it lost what value it's premise held. Man, do they ever know how to beat a dead horse. My resolve to never get TV here at the house has been reenergized.


OK- that said, I did actually come away with a couple thoughts and ideas to ponder. Mostly they are recipe ideas from the food network (mmm, a pinot noir reduction as a glaze for turkey. . .), but there was also one program that discussed "Happiness and Your Health". (The long program could have been condensed into 5 minutes and still easily made it's point, but I digress). It talked about various studies that show that laughing a lot, being upbeat and happy, loving people and having gratitude will all improve your health in concrete ways. Furthermore, if you do not naturally feel happy, you can fake it and still reap many of the health rewards.

There are clubs around the world called "laughter clubs", whose members aim to laugh every day, for many minutes a day. (I remember someone saying 30 minutes a day is a good goal). If they don't feel like laughing, they fake it and laugh anyway- and lo and behold, their mood improves. Over time laughter can improve your mood, lower blood pressure, reduce stress and impart an overall feeling of well-being. (So can meditation, even for beginners).

Caring deeply for others improves your health. Positive people enjoy better health than negative people do. An ability to communicate well with others leads to a better sense of well-being and a more positive outlook. And cultivating a sense of gratitude for the good things in your life can actually have many concrete health benefits.

Which brings us to Thanksgiving: silly perhaps to have a holiday to remind us to be grateful for our blessings, but it doesn't hurt to be reminded of something we need to be doing every day. I love Thanksgiving, not least because I enjoy the food preparation, traditions and the shared meal. But it is also a holiday that is not so commercialized; a holiday whose original meaning is not obfuscated by layers and layers of ancilliary trappings. (Which might only be because it is such a young holiday, but the why of this point isn't really my concern here). It is a great opportunity to practice concious gratitude, and hopefully it can be a jumping-off place for us to remember to practice gratitude on a daily basis.

Be thankful- it's good for you!

Spiced Pound Cake

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Spiced Pound Cake Current mood: satisfied Been busy busy busy (so what else is new?) I love October- I like the color, the cool weather and that crystal clear quality in the light. Plus of course, it is Littleman's birthday month and Halloween! But it is a busy month for me. Wow, I'm rather distracted by H. Johnson's show on public radio- he's playing something by Rufus Harley. (guessing on spelling). A jazz bagpiper. Ain't never heard nothin' like that before. Anyhow. . . I haven't updated frequently, not only because I've been busy but because I haven't been "called" to do so. I'm interested to note that despite the lack of fresh posts, my blog still has several hits over this past week. Thank you all for continuing to read- it keeps me writing even when I might otherwise slack off until I quit entirely. I feel like I should keep a supply of fresh posts for my loyal readers, LOL! But therein lies the beauty of a blog- the interactive format, however abstract, is an automatic incentive to keep it going. I tried a new pound cake recipe yesterday (for a bake sale held at Littleman's school) and it's quite yummy- here it is, in honor of Autumn: Spiced Pound Cake: 1/2 lb (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter 2 c cake flour (or all-purpose) 1 tsp baking powder pinch of salt 1/2 tsp nutmeg (fresh grated, if you have it) 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/4 tsp allspice 1/8 tsp ground cloves 1 c sugar 5 eggs 1 Tbs bourbon (or 2 tsp vanilla extract) - Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9x5" loaf pan, coat lightly with flour and set aside. - Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and spices in a bowl and set aside. - Use an electric mixer to cream the butter until it is very smooth. Add about half the sugar, mix well and then add remaining sugar. Beat until the mixture is fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Separate the eggs and beat the yolks into the mixture one at a time. (Reserve egg whites). - Using a spoon blend the dry ingredients into the butter-sugar mixture just until smooth; do not overmix and do not beat. Add the bourbon and stir until blended. - Beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Fold them into the cake batter gently but thoroughly. - Turn batter into the loaf pan and bake for about 1 1/4 hours, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake rest in the pan about 5 minutes before inverting it onto a rack. Turn cake right side up and allow to cool before slicing. I got this recipe from How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. A great cookbook! If you make it, I'd love to know how it turned out for you. It sold well at the bake sale. :)