Last night, after weeks on the "on hold" list, I got my hands on the movie "Away We Go", which stars John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph. I didn't know much about it, with the exception that they travel and she's pregnant. And, essentially, that is the entire plot line. They find themselves needing to figure out a place where they will feel at home, so they journey across North America in search of the perfect spot. My overall take on the movie is that the "f-word" was used without reason, and detracted from the sweet and endearing moments that dot the story's landscape. There were details about some of the characters that seemed utterly unhelpful, and there were actions that other characters took which didn't seem to be at all in line with what the story had said in introducing them. Even still, the idea of the story was a good one, and it was interesting to hear the varied takes that the couples with whom the two leads (Krasinski as "Burt" and Rudolph as "Verona") had on marriage, children, and the importance of family. The most hilarious moment came when Burt and Verona were confronted by people who had decided, among other things, that strollers were horrible things that were forced upon children. In response to this (and, having been sufficiently instigated in several other ways), Burt asked the couple's child (who was probably around 3 or 4) if he would like to get into the stroller that they had brought as a gift, but that had been rejected by the child's parents. The parents pleaded with the child, but he proceeded to jump into the stroller, and Burt pushed him, at full speed, throughout the house. Maybe you just have to watch the movie to understand why, but I laughed out loud during this sequence. It caused me to recall the barrage of (mostly unsolicited) parenting advice that I received while pregnant, and to smile about the chaos of it all.
In the end, though, the movie did spark conversation between Joe and me. Would we ever want to travel all over the country in search of a place that, for us, was the ideal location? Yes, I said, I would. Joe, being more practically minded, felt the need to hammer down details, but generally agreed that it would be an interesting venture. Then, we began to discuss where we would start. I started by saying, "Well, you know, I wouldn't mind living in..." and proceeded to list about 30 states. I think there's a lot to the idea that a house can be anywhere, but a home is what you make it. But, I think that there are ideals, too, and the chance at renting an RV or hopping a train or a plane to figure out what our ideals are sounds absolutely delightful.
5
1. Having enough light bulbs to change out the old ones with the new
2. Doing more than you think you are capable of doing
3. Being content
4. Being a dreamer
5. Exploring new ideas and new places
1.29.2010
1.28.2010
On Cuteness...
Things my boy has been doing lately that are awesome and cute:
1. The excitement level that he has when I say "bath" is unparalleled. He runs directly to the bathroom, while shouting "baff" over and over again. And, if, while he's splashing around, I convert the running water to come from the shower head instead of the spigot, he's all the more thrilled. He just sits in the middle of the spray and lets it cover him.
2. We have been trying to teach Andy to pray before meals, and we always pray before bed. He has done very well with this and, lately, when he wants to go to sleep, he walks to his bedroom door and waits with his hands folded in prayer position. Often, he'll just look at me expectantly, and will not stop until we say a prayer. And, of course, he has perfected his "amen."
3. For Christmas, Andy got a just-his-size chair, and he has lately taken to grabbing a book (or 4) and taking them over to his chair, where he will sit contentedly for several minutes, reading to himself. It's glorious.
4. When Andy hugs you, he pats your back, too. When he kisses (even though he hasn't completely gotten the idea that his mouth doesn't have to be wide open), he does so with gusto. He's a very affectionate little chap. He will regularly also say "awww" while he's hugging one of his toys, as if to say, "I know that what I'm doing is totally adorable, so I'm going to join in the fawning."
5. Tickling his belly always elicits the best giggles. But, playing "where's Andy" is a close second. We have a baker's rack in our dining room, and there's a space between it and the wall that is perfectly Andy-sized. We call it his "nook." He will oftentimes run back to his nook and wait until we ask the big question: Wheeeeeeere's Andy? He will then run out, giant toothy grin plastered to his face, and will yell "HELLLLOOO."
6. His dancing is fantastic. And, he is especially excited to dance to the tracks on the Wii Fit Plus. We store the balance board under our t.v. stand, and he will frequently try to reach it and pull it out. I finally got our scale out of the bathroom so that he could play along with me. Also, he waves at every single Mii that crosses the screen.
7. If you should cross our path when we're out and about, I guarantee you that my son will wave to you and say hi. And you will smile. And your day will be a little bit brighter, as some of the cuteness will have rubbed off in that exchange.
I could go on but, in short, I have an awesome kid, and sometimes, I just want to share that.
5:
1. This crazy week is half finished! Only a few more days before I get to meet my baby nephew!
2. Hummus with toasted pitas. YUM.
3. Jessica Tandy in "Fried Green Tomatoes." She's so cute.
4. Having (almost) all of our books organized and on shelves. Now on to the REST of the projects in the basement.
5. New recipes that turn into family favorites.
1. The excitement level that he has when I say "bath" is unparalleled. He runs directly to the bathroom, while shouting "baff" over and over again. And, if, while he's splashing around, I convert the running water to come from the shower head instead of the spigot, he's all the more thrilled. He just sits in the middle of the spray and lets it cover him.
2. We have been trying to teach Andy to pray before meals, and we always pray before bed. He has done very well with this and, lately, when he wants to go to sleep, he walks to his bedroom door and waits with his hands folded in prayer position. Often, he'll just look at me expectantly, and will not stop until we say a prayer. And, of course, he has perfected his "amen."
3. For Christmas, Andy got a just-his-size chair, and he has lately taken to grabbing a book (or 4) and taking them over to his chair, where he will sit contentedly for several minutes, reading to himself. It's glorious.
4. When Andy hugs you, he pats your back, too. When he kisses (even though he hasn't completely gotten the idea that his mouth doesn't have to be wide open), he does so with gusto. He's a very affectionate little chap. He will regularly also say "awww" while he's hugging one of his toys, as if to say, "I know that what I'm doing is totally adorable, so I'm going to join in the fawning."
5. Tickling his belly always elicits the best giggles. But, playing "where's Andy" is a close second. We have a baker's rack in our dining room, and there's a space between it and the wall that is perfectly Andy-sized. We call it his "nook." He will oftentimes run back to his nook and wait until we ask the big question: Wheeeeeeere's Andy? He will then run out, giant toothy grin plastered to his face, and will yell "HELLLLOOO."
6. His dancing is fantastic. And, he is especially excited to dance to the tracks on the Wii Fit Plus. We store the balance board under our t.v. stand, and he will frequently try to reach it and pull it out. I finally got our scale out of the bathroom so that he could play along with me. Also, he waves at every single Mii that crosses the screen.
7. If you should cross our path when we're out and about, I guarantee you that my son will wave to you and say hi. And you will smile. And your day will be a little bit brighter, as some of the cuteness will have rubbed off in that exchange.
I could go on but, in short, I have an awesome kid, and sometimes, I just want to share that.
5:
1. This crazy week is half finished! Only a few more days before I get to meet my baby nephew!
2. Hummus with toasted pitas. YUM.
3. Jessica Tandy in "Fried Green Tomatoes." She's so cute.
4. Having (almost) all of our books organized and on shelves. Now on to the REST of the projects in the basement.
5. New recipes that turn into family favorites.
1.26.2010
We Are The World
Ok, so, there is a plan in the works to remake a beloved song of mine. And, it's not just any song. It's "We Are The World." You can read more about the plan here. Now, I'm all for supporting Haiti, and I'm all for celebrities getting on board with good causes.
But, COME ON...you can't touch that original recording with a fifty foot pole. Write a new song.
And, for those of you who appreciate the 1985 rendition, in all its splendor, watch this. And if you're just dying to know who's a part of that recording (Kenny Rogers has his original face, so if you'd only seen him at some point in the past three years or so, you wouldn't recognize him, for example), or if you hope to learn exactly why Dan Akroyd, both a Canadian and an actor NOT a singer, is a part of this vocal campaign known as USA For Africa, then you should start with this article.
It's nearly impossible to follow up an entry about "We Are The World" with anything else of value, and so, I'll just leave it at that.
Five:
1. Seriously, it's such a great video and song.
2. Lionel Richie's thumbs up about 2/3 of the way through.
3. The Stevie Wonder/Bruce Springsteen collaboration (and, consequently, the tiny crush I have on The Boss due to this recording).
4. The fact that Bob Dylan's solo is relatively limited (he strikes me as less of a singer than Dan Akroyd, by the way).
5. The millions of memories that I associate with this song, mostly from senior year of college and my capstone group.
But, COME ON...you can't touch that original recording with a fifty foot pole. Write a new song.
And, for those of you who appreciate the 1985 rendition, in all its splendor, watch this. And if you're just dying to know who's a part of that recording (Kenny Rogers has his original face, so if you'd only seen him at some point in the past three years or so, you wouldn't recognize him, for example), or if you hope to learn exactly why Dan Akroyd, both a Canadian and an actor NOT a singer, is a part of this vocal campaign known as USA For Africa, then you should start with this article.
It's nearly impossible to follow up an entry about "We Are The World" with anything else of value, and so, I'll just leave it at that.
Five:
1. Seriously, it's such a great video and song.
2. Lionel Richie's thumbs up about 2/3 of the way through.
3. The Stevie Wonder/Bruce Springsteen collaboration (and, consequently, the tiny crush I have on The Boss due to this recording).
4. The fact that Bob Dylan's solo is relatively limited (he strikes me as less of a singer than Dan Akroyd, by the way).
5. The millions of memories that I associate with this song, mostly from senior year of college and my capstone group.
1.25.2010
Renew.
I just found myself needing to renew a few books from the library, as they are due soon and I haven't even started them. But, on the bright side (if that's the dark side, I guess, which it really isn't), I finished one book on Saturday, and will finish another tonight. I guess this actually makes me ahead of the game, considering that my goal had been to finish a book every 2 weeks, and I will finish at least 4 in January (and, really, that number is likely to be 5, since I still have another week to go!) Last night, Joe and I talked a little bit about the things that we read, and about whether or not we make diverse reading choices. In the end, we both do, but how we define "diverse" is a little bit different. Essentially, his "diverse" is all non-fiction, and tends to have something to do with the government, either in its modern form, or historically OR to do with business models and practices. Mine includes everything from young adult fiction to poetry to cookbooks to biographies to classics. Regardless, I love SO much that we both love to read. I really hope to instill that value into my son, too, because I think it is a wonderful thing. And, while it's true that reading can help one to be more educated, it's also true that reading can be an amazing adventure. A well-written book become so absorbing that we feel as if we're a part of it all. I think that's sort of the point of all art--to be absorbing. I think that it is pretty incredible how artists of all types can take the mundane and make in extraordinary. I think that is what creativity is: making the most trivial of things seem to be important, making the most quotidian things seem to be unique. I love that. And, when we choose to see the world that way, it makes everything much more exciting.
In other news, I have been pushing to look for downgraded cable packages, as I feel pretty strongly that the t.v. contributes much less to our lives than many other things that could fill both the time and space that it takes. We may never be fully rid of the Big Black Box (which ours literally is...it's a beastly thing), but if we can consciously decrease the amount of time that it's on, I would be thrilled. I think that it would be an interesting research project (and good support for my claims) if I were to just track for two weeks how many hours the t.v. is on and, also, what we watch. I think we would be surprised. Similarly, I think we'd be surprised at how much we could accomplish with our newly-discovered time if it was on even just half as much.
And, finally, it's tax season. For the past two years, we have gone to someone (to whom Joe had gone for years prior), mostly because my W-2 situation was crazy. One year, because I had two jobs while in grad school and two different jobs after I graduated, I came in with a stack of 4 W-2s PLUS an extra one, because The Coffee Company For Which I Worked sent two sets. But, now that I get to stay at home every day, sorting through all of our filing stuff will be much easier. Therefore, as a means to save significant money, we are hoping to file our own taxes this year. Do you, my faithful readers, have any experience with the on-line tax forms that are available? Is there one that you would (or would NOT) recommend? Was the whole experience fairly manageable? We are on the hunt.
1. Sleeping in for 15 extra minutes and not having it even remotely mess with the rest of my day's schedule.
2. The sound of steady rain.
3. Crossing everything off of my to-do list.
4. Out-of-the-blue compliments.
5. Freshly-baked brownies IN (yes, in, not just with) a mug of milk. My college roommate, Rachel, taught me this little trick (it's a trick because you also get to enjoy chocolate milk at the end), and I am hooked.
In other news, I have been pushing to look for downgraded cable packages, as I feel pretty strongly that the t.v. contributes much less to our lives than many other things that could fill both the time and space that it takes. We may never be fully rid of the Big Black Box (which ours literally is...it's a beastly thing), but if we can consciously decrease the amount of time that it's on, I would be thrilled. I think that it would be an interesting research project (and good support for my claims) if I were to just track for two weeks how many hours the t.v. is on and, also, what we watch. I think we would be surprised. Similarly, I think we'd be surprised at how much we could accomplish with our newly-discovered time if it was on even just half as much.
And, finally, it's tax season. For the past two years, we have gone to someone (to whom Joe had gone for years prior), mostly because my W-2 situation was crazy. One year, because I had two jobs while in grad school and two different jobs after I graduated, I came in with a stack of 4 W-2s PLUS an extra one, because The Coffee Company For Which I Worked sent two sets. But, now that I get to stay at home every day, sorting through all of our filing stuff will be much easier. Therefore, as a means to save significant money, we are hoping to file our own taxes this year. Do you, my faithful readers, have any experience with the on-line tax forms that are available? Is there one that you would (or would NOT) recommend? Was the whole experience fairly manageable? We are on the hunt.
1. Sleeping in for 15 extra minutes and not having it even remotely mess with the rest of my day's schedule.
2. The sound of steady rain.
3. Crossing everything off of my to-do list.
4. Out-of-the-blue compliments.
5. Freshly-baked brownies IN (yes, in, not just with) a mug of milk. My college roommate, Rachel, taught me this little trick (it's a trick because you also get to enjoy chocolate milk at the end), and I am hooked.
1.22.2010
More Artsy, Less Fartsy
My son was walking around tooting all afternoon. We'll just leave it at that.
I have all of these creative ideas, as I mentioned in the previous post. But, now, I'm feeling silly because I have discovered all of these blogs in recent days that are maintained by mothers of one or two or three or more kids, and THEY manage to find (make) the time to be crafty and organized, or to cook beautiful tables of food, or all of the above. Maybe organization is the gift of many of them, but I have a hard time believing that that is true for all of them. I am thinking that, for a birthday idea (okay, my birthday isn't for awhile, and I've already added a few other things to my birthday list), I might ask for certain items to put at a little craft station for myself. And, now I'm laughing, thinking of Paris Gellar in Gilmore Girls, who might be called a "Type A+" because she is so high strung. Her personal assistant recommends that she have a craft area which, ultimately, overtakes most of her Yale dorm room, to the dismay of her three roommates. I don't really want to be that person, but I would like a little nook, perhaps.
I do want there to be some practicality to the crafts. If I knit something, I want to be able to wear it (or to give it away to someone else so that they can wear it). If I paint something, then I want to be able to use it as a plant marker, or as a decoration for the living room, or as storage in the basement. If I take up photography, I want to do more than just capture images. In other words, I take the idea of these hobbies very seriously, especially the part where cost and time have to be factored in. This is all well and good, except that I don't have my house the way that I want it to be, so I can't make anything to match the decor until I have settled on the decor that I would like my homemade creations to match. It's always something, I guess. Also, I'll have to add "really nice camera" to my birthday list. I have expensive interests.
Happy because...
1. Joe is home!
2. I had a great workout which, though resulting in me not being able to lift my arms, always makes me feel good. I'm always amazed at how much more I can do than I believe.
3. It's in the mid-40s here today. I like a good crisp, but not too crisp, day.
4. I'm starting to tame the wild beast that is Library Book Reservations.
5. Reading blogs that were originally written in a foreign language in their poorly translated form (due to Google Translation and others not being perfect). For a wonderful example of this, go here.
I have all of these creative ideas, as I mentioned in the previous post. But, now, I'm feeling silly because I have discovered all of these blogs in recent days that are maintained by mothers of one or two or three or more kids, and THEY manage to find (make) the time to be crafty and organized, or to cook beautiful tables of food, or all of the above. Maybe organization is the gift of many of them, but I have a hard time believing that that is true for all of them. I am thinking that, for a birthday idea (okay, my birthday isn't for awhile, and I've already added a few other things to my birthday list), I might ask for certain items to put at a little craft station for myself. And, now I'm laughing, thinking of Paris Gellar in Gilmore Girls, who might be called a "Type A+" because she is so high strung. Her personal assistant recommends that she have a craft area which, ultimately, overtakes most of her Yale dorm room, to the dismay of her three roommates. I don't really want to be that person, but I would like a little nook, perhaps.
I do want there to be some practicality to the crafts. If I knit something, I want to be able to wear it (or to give it away to someone else so that they can wear it). If I paint something, then I want to be able to use it as a plant marker, or as a decoration for the living room, or as storage in the basement. If I take up photography, I want to do more than just capture images. In other words, I take the idea of these hobbies very seriously, especially the part where cost and time have to be factored in. This is all well and good, except that I don't have my house the way that I want it to be, so I can't make anything to match the decor until I have settled on the decor that I would like my homemade creations to match. It's always something, I guess. Also, I'll have to add "really nice camera" to my birthday list. I have expensive interests.
Happy because...
1. Joe is home!
2. I had a great workout which, though resulting in me not being able to lift my arms, always makes me feel good. I'm always amazed at how much more I can do than I believe.
3. It's in the mid-40s here today. I like a good crisp, but not too crisp, day.
4. I'm starting to tame the wild beast that is Library Book Reservations.
5. Reading blogs that were originally written in a foreign language in their poorly translated form (due to Google Translation and others not being perfect). For a wonderful example of this, go here.
1.21.2010
Bullseye.
Ok, I'll admit it: I really really enjoy outings to Target. There's just something about their mass-produced self-branded stuff that I LOVE. I enjoy their dish towels, their bathroom accessories, their soaps, their vitamins, their housing decor, and even their granola bars (and my kid is a big fan of their puffed wheats). You get the idea.
I strolled through the aisles today, bound and determined to stick to The List (I did quite well, too, though I did buy a sweater for Andy for next season...but it was on clearance for $3.74, so I felt like that was an allowable bonus). But, I have to say, I was drawn in, as usual. And this time, it was the decor that really did it for me. There were prints that I loved, there were wonderful glass apothecary-like jars that I could envision in my kitchen (not my current kitchen, mind you, but in my dream kitchen). And, there were wonderful hurricanes AND boxes of various fruits with which to decorate. I have wanted to have a spot in my kitchen/dining room for awhile where it make sense to have whole lemons in a vase. I don't know why, but I do. Apparently, Target agrees with me that this is pleasant.
I am in the process of thinking about how much money we can, and want to, spend on fixing up our house this year. There are things I want to do in every single room, but it's nowhere near realistic to think that we have the time or the resources available to hit all of them right now. Of course, we also have no intention of moving in the near future, so what we don't do this year can go into the 2011 budget. I wish that I didn't feel so limited in terms of skill set AND because I can't really paint or do a lot of other fixing-up activites while caring for the kiddo all day. But, hey, if any of you is incredibly well-connected to fixer-upper types who are excited about working on a home, the owners of whom are on a limited budget, then send 'em on over. Also, I need a few artistic friends to help me make some stuff. I want our house to be our home. I want our art to not just reflect who we are, but to be an investment of our time and gifts. I really love things that are personal and homemade (when they're done well, or, down the road, when they're done by my son). Functionality is important, but so is personality. Part of my problem is with focus. I have so many big ideas, but I can't ever just focus on one room or one idea at a time, so I end up overwhelming myself with possibilities, and then not having much to show for any of them.
Anyway, that's where I am now. Conjuring up images of my ideal home, thinking of the fun it will be to look for more paint samples (I LOVE looking at paint samples), and dreaming of Target aisles with fake lemons and real style.
Reasons to be happy:
1. Hubbers returns home tomorrow after a few days away!
2. My new bamboo desk organizer
3. Putting boxes full of things out to donate, and feeling deeply gratified, both by the knowledge that someone else is benefiting from our cast-offs, and by the knowledge that we have less clutter with which to deal in our own home.
4. The t.v. show "Community." It's just hilarious. Seriously.
5. The knowledge that, though TWO lightbulbs have gone out on one chandelier over the course of this week, I have replacement bulbs on hand, so soon, the light will be restored.
I strolled through the aisles today, bound and determined to stick to The List (I did quite well, too, though I did buy a sweater for Andy for next season...but it was on clearance for $3.74, so I felt like that was an allowable bonus). But, I have to say, I was drawn in, as usual. And this time, it was the decor that really did it for me. There were prints that I loved, there were wonderful glass apothecary-like jars that I could envision in my kitchen (not my current kitchen, mind you, but in my dream kitchen). And, there were wonderful hurricanes AND boxes of various fruits with which to decorate. I have wanted to have a spot in my kitchen/dining room for awhile where it make sense to have whole lemons in a vase. I don't know why, but I do. Apparently, Target agrees with me that this is pleasant.
I am in the process of thinking about how much money we can, and want to, spend on fixing up our house this year. There are things I want to do in every single room, but it's nowhere near realistic to think that we have the time or the resources available to hit all of them right now. Of course, we also have no intention of moving in the near future, so what we don't do this year can go into the 2011 budget. I wish that I didn't feel so limited in terms of skill set AND because I can't really paint or do a lot of other fixing-up activites while caring for the kiddo all day. But, hey, if any of you is incredibly well-connected to fixer-upper types who are excited about working on a home, the owners of whom are on a limited budget, then send 'em on over. Also, I need a few artistic friends to help me make some stuff. I want our house to be our home. I want our art to not just reflect who we are, but to be an investment of our time and gifts. I really love things that are personal and homemade (when they're done well, or, down the road, when they're done by my son). Functionality is important, but so is personality. Part of my problem is with focus. I have so many big ideas, but I can't ever just focus on one room or one idea at a time, so I end up overwhelming myself with possibilities, and then not having much to show for any of them.
Anyway, that's where I am now. Conjuring up images of my ideal home, thinking of the fun it will be to look for more paint samples (I LOVE looking at paint samples), and dreaming of Target aisles with fake lemons and real style.
Reasons to be happy:
1. Hubbers returns home tomorrow after a few days away!
2. My new bamboo desk organizer
3. Putting boxes full of things out to donate, and feeling deeply gratified, both by the knowledge that someone else is benefiting from our cast-offs, and by the knowledge that we have less clutter with which to deal in our own home.
4. The t.v. show "Community." It's just hilarious. Seriously.
5. The knowledge that, though TWO lightbulbs have gone out on one chandelier over the course of this week, I have replacement bulbs on hand, so soon, the light will be restored.
1.18.2010
Shiny Happy People
When I gave birth, I knew that I wanted to remember as many details about those first few months as was possible. 15 months later, it's interesting to consider which things "stuck". For example, Joe and I spent the first couple of weeks sleeping in the living room next to Andy in his pack n play bassinet. One of us slept on the couch (usually Joe), one of us slept on the air mattress (usually me). And, at one point, we discovered that Andy fell asleep while listening to the classical music channel on our t.v. and, thus, all three of us began to fall asleep to it. And, Joe and I would both wake, alarmed, because there were bright flashes in our face as the images on the screen changed.
Looking back, I have absolutely no idea why we thought we needed to sleep in the living room. When we moved Andy into the bedroom, he slept there, too. And he required no classical music.
Another thing that I recall was when Andy and I made the drive to visit my Grandma. We got there with no trouble, and had a wonderful evening. On the return trip, however, things weren't so fantastic. What should've been an hour and a half turned into more than three and a half hours, most of which involved me sitting in stopped traffic on a highway, staring at a sign that indicated that I only needed to move 1/2 a mile to get to an exit that, while still being a detour, would get me home with my 5 week old child. Needless to say, Joe, sitting at home and staring outside at the aftermath of rip-roaring windgusts and heavy rain storms, was not thrilled about the circumstances. Neither was I. While we sat in the stopped traffic, I found myself dealing with the need to feed my hungry son, which meant I needed to reach my arm back and stick a bottle of breastmilk in his mouth, and hold it there. (Granted, my situation would've seemed even more dire if, in fact, I'd been able to breast feed). Once I finally made it to The Exit, I discovered that my gas tank was hovering dangerously close to "E", and, by the time I finished getting gas, I had a crying son again (and no more bottles). I quickly learned how to use the hand pump, and pulled off into the parking lot of a local realtor's office. Finally, 2 hours later than we should've, we were safely at home, and Joe's heart rate could return to normal.
And, of course, there's the wonderful job of associative memory. I cannot, and hopefully never will be able to, listen to "Shiny Happy People" by R.E.M. without thinking of my son's birth. We heard that song over and over again in those first few weeks, and, now, it does its part to remind us those first few moments of joy with our son. It's a true gift.
I am particularly nostalgic about my son's birth right now, both because I heard that song very recently and, moreso, because my family is celebrating the birth of my nephew, Elijah. I've only seen pictures, but he's a beauty and a joy and a blessing in the life of his family. I get to meet him in a couple of weeks and I can't wait!
When I look at Andy, or pictures of Elijah, or at the faces of the kids who are stranded in Haiti, I always find myself wondering what they will do in their lives. It's amazing to think about all of the possibilities and, in the case of the Haiti orphans, it is nauseating to think about how many won't get to realize their dreams. Joe and I watched part of a news package last night that was filmed at one of the destroyed orphanages in Port-Au-Prince, and we had to turn it off because it was too hard to watch. And, yet, there are people who still refuse to do a thing, even if they have the means to. That, my friends, is the most depressing part of all.
Anyway, though that is a very sad note, I still need to end on a happy one:
1. The safe arrival of sweet baby Elijah.
2. A chance to spend today with my husband (since he has the holiday off).
3. Indian food. Yum.
4. Thermal-knit shirts.
5. Fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies and milk. Again, yum.
Looking back, I have absolutely no idea why we thought we needed to sleep in the living room. When we moved Andy into the bedroom, he slept there, too. And he required no classical music.
Another thing that I recall was when Andy and I made the drive to visit my Grandma. We got there with no trouble, and had a wonderful evening. On the return trip, however, things weren't so fantastic. What should've been an hour and a half turned into more than three and a half hours, most of which involved me sitting in stopped traffic on a highway, staring at a sign that indicated that I only needed to move 1/2 a mile to get to an exit that, while still being a detour, would get me home with my 5 week old child. Needless to say, Joe, sitting at home and staring outside at the aftermath of rip-roaring windgusts and heavy rain storms, was not thrilled about the circumstances. Neither was I. While we sat in the stopped traffic, I found myself dealing with the need to feed my hungry son, which meant I needed to reach my arm back and stick a bottle of breastmilk in his mouth, and hold it there. (Granted, my situation would've seemed even more dire if, in fact, I'd been able to breast feed). Once I finally made it to The Exit, I discovered that my gas tank was hovering dangerously close to "E", and, by the time I finished getting gas, I had a crying son again (and no more bottles). I quickly learned how to use the hand pump, and pulled off into the parking lot of a local realtor's office. Finally, 2 hours later than we should've, we were safely at home, and Joe's heart rate could return to normal.
And, of course, there's the wonderful job of associative memory. I cannot, and hopefully never will be able to, listen to "Shiny Happy People" by R.E.M. without thinking of my son's birth. We heard that song over and over again in those first few weeks, and, now, it does its part to remind us those first few moments of joy with our son. It's a true gift.
I am particularly nostalgic about my son's birth right now, both because I heard that song very recently and, moreso, because my family is celebrating the birth of my nephew, Elijah. I've only seen pictures, but he's a beauty and a joy and a blessing in the life of his family. I get to meet him in a couple of weeks and I can't wait!
When I look at Andy, or pictures of Elijah, or at the faces of the kids who are stranded in Haiti, I always find myself wondering what they will do in their lives. It's amazing to think about all of the possibilities and, in the case of the Haiti orphans, it is nauseating to think about how many won't get to realize their dreams. Joe and I watched part of a news package last night that was filmed at one of the destroyed orphanages in Port-Au-Prince, and we had to turn it off because it was too hard to watch. And, yet, there are people who still refuse to do a thing, even if they have the means to. That, my friends, is the most depressing part of all.
Anyway, though that is a very sad note, I still need to end on a happy one:
1. The safe arrival of sweet baby Elijah.
2. A chance to spend today with my husband (since he has the holiday off).
3. Indian food. Yum.
4. Thermal-knit shirts.
5. Fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies and milk. Again, yum.
1.14.2010
Haiti.
I just couldn't handle the thought of continuing to write about things like trips to the library and choosing restaurants and planting gardens without taking a few steps back to talk about what has happened in Haiti and, frankly, what happens all over the world, all of the time.
I could remain blissfully unaware of things and, sadly, I know that there are countless tragedies about which I know nothing. That is the nature of living in a place like this and never having had to go without. But, it is hard to avoid thinking about Haiti right now, and I think that it's a good thing that it's hard to avoid. They need all the prayers they can get. And supplies. And medical care. And money. And homes. And answers to their questions: "Why did God do this?" "What now?" "Where is my family?" I can't imagine having to carry those burdens with me.
I think about the world's problems in grand scale, and find that I am overwhelmed. I always want to do something, but I often feel very small and incapable of helping. I can send money--I can always send money--but I don't think that money is the only answer, by a long shot. I want to be there, I want to help make a difference in some way. Even though I have no medical training, I believe that I can help to restore the health of people who ail just by caring--bringing joy to lives that are faced with so much tragedy that they're almost immune to it...bringing hope to the lives of people for whom it is just a passing dream.
Agreeing to some measure of service, whether for someone in your backyard, or for someone across an ocean or two, is life-changing. It has to be. It offers the benefit of learning to appreciate what you have, rather than constantly searching for more. It is said so much that it's verging on being a cliche, but it's so true that you learn more from the people that you hope to help than they could ever learn from you.
Haiti is in the midst of a major crisis on a good day. They are the poorest country in the western hemisphere, and now even greater tragedy has struck. What can we, the people who have laptops on which to blog, who have homes in which to live, who have clothes to wear, who have our families in tact--what can we do to alleviate some of the pain? We can obviously pray. We can encourage others to do the same. And, here are some links to websites that are doing what they can to help (in Haiti, and all around the world). I'd encourage you to take a look:
Samaritan's Purse
Operation Blessing
World Vision
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
In closing, my five reasons to be happy:
1. Hope
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Love
5. Faith
I could remain blissfully unaware of things and, sadly, I know that there are countless tragedies about which I know nothing. That is the nature of living in a place like this and never having had to go without. But, it is hard to avoid thinking about Haiti right now, and I think that it's a good thing that it's hard to avoid. They need all the prayers they can get. And supplies. And medical care. And money. And homes. And answers to their questions: "Why did God do this?" "What now?" "Where is my family?" I can't imagine having to carry those burdens with me.
I think about the world's problems in grand scale, and find that I am overwhelmed. I always want to do something, but I often feel very small and incapable of helping. I can send money--I can always send money--but I don't think that money is the only answer, by a long shot. I want to be there, I want to help make a difference in some way. Even though I have no medical training, I believe that I can help to restore the health of people who ail just by caring--bringing joy to lives that are faced with so much tragedy that they're almost immune to it...bringing hope to the lives of people for whom it is just a passing dream.
Agreeing to some measure of service, whether for someone in your backyard, or for someone across an ocean or two, is life-changing. It has to be. It offers the benefit of learning to appreciate what you have, rather than constantly searching for more. It is said so much that it's verging on being a cliche, but it's so true that you learn more from the people that you hope to help than they could ever learn from you.
Haiti is in the midst of a major crisis on a good day. They are the poorest country in the western hemisphere, and now even greater tragedy has struck. What can we, the people who have laptops on which to blog, who have homes in which to live, who have clothes to wear, who have our families in tact--what can we do to alleviate some of the pain? We can obviously pray. We can encourage others to do the same. And, here are some links to websites that are doing what they can to help (in Haiti, and all around the world). I'd encourage you to take a look:
Samaritan's Purse
Operation Blessing
World Vision
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
In closing, my five reasons to be happy:
1. Hope
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Love
5. Faith
1.13.2010
Fanning the Flames.
Some numbers for you.
1. Number of books currently checked out from the library: 6
2. Number of books/DVDs available for pickup from the library: 8 (6 books, 2 DVDs)
3. Number of books/DVDs in transit, and likely available for pickup today or tomorrow: 8 (3 books, 5 DVDs)
4. Number of books/DVDs that are on hold and will not likely be available for at least a week: 6 (3 books, 3 DVDs)
5. Number of books that I had to add to my wishlist because I finally realized that my list of requests was getting out of hand: 12
I think I might have a problem.
But, on the bright side, I am nearly finished with my second book of the year, and have a good start into books 3 and 4. I have decided (not surprisingly) to keep a list of all of the (new-to-me) books that I read this year, and another list of all of the (new-to-me) movies that I see. Since Joe and I rarely get out to the movies these days, I can pretty much get anything that came out in late 2008 or in 2009 and it will count in the new-to-me category.
Speaking of movies, have you heard of the movie "Paper Heart"? Joe thought it was dumb, but I thought it was very sweet. It's a mockumentary about a girl who doesn't know how to truly love, and she travels around, interviewing people of all sorts to find out about their perspectives on love, all while her own relationship story unfolds. The interviews that she conducts are true, and sort of channel the interviews on an old favorite of mine, "When Harry Met Sally". I recommend it.
Also, Joe and I rented "Up" and, please, let me just warn you now: if you're anything like me (or my sister, or most of the other people that I know who have already seen the movie), you will cry within the first five minutes of the movie. And, then, you will cry again about an hour later. I was actually sobbing uncontrollably when the movie first started, and had to work very hard to remind myself that I was watching a cartoon. But, it's a truly heartstring-tugging event. And, it's well worth watching more than once.
Five Things:
1. Reusable grocery bags. There are some great prints available, which, of course, totally makes me want more. (Plus, those long straps make it much easier to carry into the house while simultaneously lugging in a 24.5 pound little boy).
2. The distinct smell of each season.
3. Farmer's Markets.
4. Books of quotations. I love a good quote.
5. Ultra fine point pens. They're the best in pennery. Yes, pennery.
1. Number of books currently checked out from the library: 6
2. Number of books/DVDs available for pickup from the library: 8 (6 books, 2 DVDs)
3. Number of books/DVDs in transit, and likely available for pickup today or tomorrow: 8 (3 books, 5 DVDs)
4. Number of books/DVDs that are on hold and will not likely be available for at least a week: 6 (3 books, 3 DVDs)
5. Number of books that I had to add to my wishlist because I finally realized that my list of requests was getting out of hand: 12
I think I might have a problem.
But, on the bright side, I am nearly finished with my second book of the year, and have a good start into books 3 and 4. I have decided (not surprisingly) to keep a list of all of the (new-to-me) books that I read this year, and another list of all of the (new-to-me) movies that I see. Since Joe and I rarely get out to the movies these days, I can pretty much get anything that came out in late 2008 or in 2009 and it will count in the new-to-me category.
Speaking of movies, have you heard of the movie "Paper Heart"? Joe thought it was dumb, but I thought it was very sweet. It's a mockumentary about a girl who doesn't know how to truly love, and she travels around, interviewing people of all sorts to find out about their perspectives on love, all while her own relationship story unfolds. The interviews that she conducts are true, and sort of channel the interviews on an old favorite of mine, "When Harry Met Sally". I recommend it.
Also, Joe and I rented "Up" and, please, let me just warn you now: if you're anything like me (or my sister, or most of the other people that I know who have already seen the movie), you will cry within the first five minutes of the movie. And, then, you will cry again about an hour later. I was actually sobbing uncontrollably when the movie first started, and had to work very hard to remind myself that I was watching a cartoon. But, it's a truly heartstring-tugging event. And, it's well worth watching more than once.
Five Things:
1. Reusable grocery bags. There are some great prints available, which, of course, totally makes me want more. (Plus, those long straps make it much easier to carry into the house while simultaneously lugging in a 24.5 pound little boy).
2. The distinct smell of each season.
3. Farmer's Markets.
4. Books of quotations. I love a good quote.
5. Ultra fine point pens. They're the best in pennery. Yes, pennery.
1.11.2010
A Blessing and a Curse.
It happened. I didn't mean to do it, but I just couldn't resist. And I only thought I'd do it once, just to try it out. But then, the very next day, it happened again.
I reserved books from the library. (Dum dum duuuummmmm.)
I have had a library card for my local library for a couple of years now, and have taken advantage of it rather modestly. I've definitely gone through phases. Until now. I hadn't previously realized that I could request books to be sent from a hundred other places to my preferred location from the comfort of my own home until this weekend. And not just books. DVDs, too. (And maybe even microfiche??) So there I was, on a blustery Friday evening, thankful for two things: leftovers and blankets. And, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but entire collections of books that were eager to be plucked from shelves all across the county and sent my way. And so, on Friday evening, I requested 8 books and 1 DVD from the library. On Saturday, I requested 6 more books...AND I got to go pick up the first book that had arrived from Friday's order.
So, I have 13 more books (and the 1 DVD, but I was about the bajillionth person to request it, so I'll be waiting for awhile for that one) to retrieve from the library, and they are all likely to arrive there sometime this week.
This is all well and good, except that, at last count, I had more than FORTY books here at home who were waiting to be opened and read by Yours Truly. If you read my first entry on this blog, then you know that my goal is to read at least one book every two weeks. However, between the fourteen books I've requested from the library and the forty books I have on hand, I will need to read more than a book per week to finish them all by the end of the year, and I'm already behind. In fairness, though, a couple of the books from the library were things from which I want to extract some decorating ideas, etc., so they're not really "Sit-down-and-read" types of books, but really count more as reference materials. So, they don't count at all in my tally of books. Even still, that leaves me needing to complete approximately 53 books this year if I want to get to them all. And, by the way, the first one that I picked up from the library? Columbine by David Cullen. I requested it because it was on Publisher's Weekly Best Books of 2009 list. In fact, that's why I requested a number of the books that I did. But still, could I have had an any more depressing start? (Plus, I was right in the middle of reading about turkey mating in the other books, and about Noah in the Bible, so the juxtapositions have been weird, to say the least).
Here are some of the other books on my "must-read" list for 2010:
White Oleander: A Novel by Janet Fitch (loved the movie, must read the book)
Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story by Chuck Klosterman
Tinkers by Paul Harding
Chronic by D.A. Powell (a book of his modern poetry, which is a bit of a branch-out for me)
Land of the Lost Souls by Cadillac Man
Await Your Reply: A Novel by Dan Chaon
The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer (a book about a Malawian boy who changed the entire course of his family's life...and, since I've been to Malawi, I expect that this will touch my heart in a special way).
The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder
Simple Prosperity: Finding Real Wealth in a Sustainable Lifestyle by David Wann
Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp
Unchristian by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons
Food, Inc. Ed. by Karl Weber
And now, for the most exciting reads of them all (I'm certain):
Effective Church Finances and Giving and Stewardship in an Effective Church, both by Kennon L. Callahan
Phew...I have a lot of reading to do.
And now, to close, 5 reasons to be happy:
1. Chuck . (Season 3 has begun!)
2. I'm going to have a new baby nephew soon!!
3. Being caught up on laundry.
4. Getting back into touch with long-lost friends. (Say what you will, Facebook has done this in a way that no other outlet has thus far).
5. Scented candles. I especially love the Leaves candle from Bath and Bodyworks. Yum.
I reserved books from the library. (Dum dum duuuummmmm.)
I have had a library card for my local library for a couple of years now, and have taken advantage of it rather modestly. I've definitely gone through phases. Until now. I hadn't previously realized that I could request books to be sent from a hundred other places to my preferred location from the comfort of my own home until this weekend. And not just books. DVDs, too. (And maybe even microfiche??) So there I was, on a blustery Friday evening, thankful for two things: leftovers and blankets. And, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but entire collections of books that were eager to be plucked from shelves all across the county and sent my way. And so, on Friday evening, I requested 8 books and 1 DVD from the library. On Saturday, I requested 6 more books...AND I got to go pick up the first book that had arrived from Friday's order.
So, I have 13 more books (and the 1 DVD, but I was about the bajillionth person to request it, so I'll be waiting for awhile for that one) to retrieve from the library, and they are all likely to arrive there sometime this week.
This is all well and good, except that, at last count, I had more than FORTY books here at home who were waiting to be opened and read by Yours Truly. If you read my first entry on this blog, then you know that my goal is to read at least one book every two weeks. However, between the fourteen books I've requested from the library and the forty books I have on hand, I will need to read more than a book per week to finish them all by the end of the year, and I'm already behind. In fairness, though, a couple of the books from the library were things from which I want to extract some decorating ideas, etc., so they're not really "Sit-down-and-read" types of books, but really count more as reference materials. So, they don't count at all in my tally of books. Even still, that leaves me needing to complete approximately 53 books this year if I want to get to them all. And, by the way, the first one that I picked up from the library? Columbine by David Cullen. I requested it because it was on Publisher's Weekly Best Books of 2009 list. In fact, that's why I requested a number of the books that I did. But still, could I have had an any more depressing start? (Plus, I was right in the middle of reading about turkey mating in the other books, and about Noah in the Bible, so the juxtapositions have been weird, to say the least).
Here are some of the other books on my "must-read" list for 2010:
White Oleander: A Novel by Janet Fitch (loved the movie, must read the book)
Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story by Chuck Klosterman
Tinkers by Paul Harding
Chronic by D.A. Powell (a book of his modern poetry, which is a bit of a branch-out for me)
Land of the Lost Souls by Cadillac Man
Await Your Reply: A Novel by Dan Chaon
The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer (a book about a Malawian boy who changed the entire course of his family's life...and, since I've been to Malawi, I expect that this will touch my heart in a special way).
The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder
Simple Prosperity: Finding Real Wealth in a Sustainable Lifestyle by David Wann
Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp
Unchristian by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons
Food, Inc. Ed. by Karl Weber
And now, for the most exciting reads of them all (I'm certain):
Effective Church Finances and Giving and Stewardship in an Effective Church, both by Kennon L. Callahan
Phew...I have a lot of reading to do.
And now, to close, 5 reasons to be happy:
1. Chuck . (Season 3 has begun!)
2. I'm going to have a new baby nephew soon!!
3. Being caught up on laundry.
4. Getting back into touch with long-lost friends. (Say what you will, Facebook has done this in a way that no other outlet has thus far).
5. Scented candles. I especially love the Leaves candle from Bath and Bodyworks. Yum.
1.08.2010
Book It.
Do you remember Book It? When I was in elementary school, kids were motivated to read by the promise of pizza. You were given an official Book It pin and told that, upon completion of every book that you read, you would receive a star to affix to your pin. When you filled the pin (I think there were six total star-spots per pin), you could redeem a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut. And, when I redeemed my Book It pin, it also just so happened to be the time when the were giving out free puppets of characters from "The Land Before Time" (which I've still never actually seen, by the way). So, I got to go home with a full Book It pin (which I proudly wore on my sweat suit, because I was...cool?), a satisfied tummy and an official Littlefoot puppet (which, incidentally, was made from some sort of awful vinyl that caused my hand to sweat profusely).
These days, I sort of have to laugh at the fact that it only took six books to earn a pizza. (It also makes me a little bit sad that some people didn't get a free pizza because they hated reading so much that they didn't bother to work for their stars). If I could get free pizza every time I completed six books, I would be able to do so every 5 or 6 weeks, at least. And my books today are (generally speaking) much longer than they were circa 1988.
The fact that I love to read so much is helpful, as, at last count, I had more than 40 books in my house (not all in one place, of course) that I have purchased with every intention of reading. I really would love it if I could finish all of them this year. The fact that, just last night, I reserved NINE MORE BOOKS to be delivered to my library does not help. But, several of those books are ones that I'd like to read but am not positive I want to own.
I had the joyous occasion of getting to eat lunch and read at Panera today for about an hour or so. It was great. First of all, they had their black bean soup (which, as I mentioned in a previous entry, I LOVE), so I knew that it would be a successful trip. Then, they didn't mess up my salad (which, for whatever reason, is not usually the case), so I was all the more excited. And, finally, I got to read a good thirty pages of one of my books (and no, I didn't read while I was eating). My son was with a babysitter, whose services I'm trying to take advantage of while she's home from college (but she leaves next week...sigh). Also, this was after a grueling workout at the gym, so I was feeling even better. I found my mind wandering a bit, though, as I started to think about how my reading tastes have changed. Last night, I was on Amazon sorting through autobiographies, books about ethics, cookbooks, photography books and a whole host of other non-fiction delights. I would not have touched those with a ten foot pole a few years ago. Conversely, I found myself struggling a little bit to come up with modern fiction writers with whom I am acquainted. I have a few medical books that fascinate me, while I tried reading Nicholas Sparks novels, and found that they came up short (which, I know, some people will consider to verge on heresy). But, if you ever catch me reading Civil War books, then you will know that the tides have really turned, as I am as unexcited about Civil War-related stuff as anyone can be. Joe, on the other hand, will read that (and all sorts of political stuff) for hours on end. Opposites attract, I suppose.
Anyway, having been inspired, among other things, by the book that I am just finishing up, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, I began to author my first book today (which, as you may recall, is one of my goals for this year). I have only written 850 words or so, thus far, but that all happened in under fifteen minutes, so I imagine that the next 55,000 or so will come more quickly than I might have expected, too. (Ask me how I feel about this when I encounter writer's block at word 6,000 or so). I will say nothing more on this book, though, as I want to keep its story a secret until I make much more progress. Neener neener neener (or, nanny nanny boo boo, depending on your local dialect).
And, finally, in keeping with my decision to write down the things that make me happy with each entry, I will end here with today's list:
1. Mr. Sketch markers.
2. The words "conglomeration", "promulgate", and "posit". (Don't ask me why, I just love those words).
3. My developing application of stick-to-it-iveness.
4. St. John, U.S.V.I.
5. Kraft Mac N Cheese (It may be the most processed food in the universe, but it is also one of the greatest comfort "foods" in the universe).
These days, I sort of have to laugh at the fact that it only took six books to earn a pizza. (It also makes me a little bit sad that some people didn't get a free pizza because they hated reading so much that they didn't bother to work for their stars). If I could get free pizza every time I completed six books, I would be able to do so every 5 or 6 weeks, at least. And my books today are (generally speaking) much longer than they were circa 1988.
The fact that I love to read so much is helpful, as, at last count, I had more than 40 books in my house (not all in one place, of course) that I have purchased with every intention of reading. I really would love it if I could finish all of them this year. The fact that, just last night, I reserved NINE MORE BOOKS to be delivered to my library does not help. But, several of those books are ones that I'd like to read but am not positive I want to own.
I had the joyous occasion of getting to eat lunch and read at Panera today for about an hour or so. It was great. First of all, they had their black bean soup (which, as I mentioned in a previous entry, I LOVE), so I knew that it would be a successful trip. Then, they didn't mess up my salad (which, for whatever reason, is not usually the case), so I was all the more excited. And, finally, I got to read a good thirty pages of one of my books (and no, I didn't read while I was eating). My son was with a babysitter, whose services I'm trying to take advantage of while she's home from college (but she leaves next week...sigh). Also, this was after a grueling workout at the gym, so I was feeling even better. I found my mind wandering a bit, though, as I started to think about how my reading tastes have changed. Last night, I was on Amazon sorting through autobiographies, books about ethics, cookbooks, photography books and a whole host of other non-fiction delights. I would not have touched those with a ten foot pole a few years ago. Conversely, I found myself struggling a little bit to come up with modern fiction writers with whom I am acquainted. I have a few medical books that fascinate me, while I tried reading Nicholas Sparks novels, and found that they came up short (which, I know, some people will consider to verge on heresy). But, if you ever catch me reading Civil War books, then you will know that the tides have really turned, as I am as unexcited about Civil War-related stuff as anyone can be. Joe, on the other hand, will read that (and all sorts of political stuff) for hours on end. Opposites attract, I suppose.
Anyway, having been inspired, among other things, by the book that I am just finishing up, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, I began to author my first book today (which, as you may recall, is one of my goals for this year). I have only written 850 words or so, thus far, but that all happened in under fifteen minutes, so I imagine that the next 55,000 or so will come more quickly than I might have expected, too. (Ask me how I feel about this when I encounter writer's block at word 6,000 or so). I will say nothing more on this book, though, as I want to keep its story a secret until I make much more progress. Neener neener neener (or, nanny nanny boo boo, depending on your local dialect).
And, finally, in keeping with my decision to write down the things that make me happy with each entry, I will end here with today's list:
1. Mr. Sketch markers.
2. The words "conglomeration", "promulgate", and "posit". (Don't ask me why, I just love those words).
3. My developing application of stick-to-it-iveness.
4. St. John, U.S.V.I.
5. Kraft Mac N Cheese (It may be the most processed food in the universe, but it is also one of the greatest comfort "foods" in the universe).
1.07.2010
Raindrops on Roses...
So, because I'm such a fan of lists, I generally take it upon myself every year to start a list of reasons to be happy. They can be anything, from the big to the small, the silliest to the most serious. If something brings me joy, it can be on the list. I usually try to write at least 5 things per day, on average. This is a practice that is especially helpful on really bad days when it's harder to find things about which to smile (sometimes, it's a real stretch on such days). At any rate, I can always go back and read the things that have made me smile over the course of a year (or more!), and that, in and of itself, is satisfying. So, I think that, now that I'm all "into blogging", I will include a few of my reasons to be happy with each entry. I'd encourage you to think about your own reasons...and maybe even start your own list!
So, without further ado, my first 2010 list of Reasons To Be Happy:
1. The smell of baking brownies.
2. Watching the snow fall while tucked beneath the best blanket(s) in the house.
3. Waking up a few hours before the kiddo does each morning and getting SO MUCH done!
4. Really great books.
5. Fleece.
6. Getting my hair cut.
7. Andy's laugh (which, by the way, is more infectious than H1N1...and I know...I've had that, too!)
8. Spending "date night" at a bookstore with Joe, reading and drinking coffee.
9. Planning extravagant vacations.
10. Seeing "What They Wore" articles after big awards shows (especially the Oscars and Golden Globes).
So, without further ado, my first 2010 list of Reasons To Be Happy:
1. The smell of baking brownies.
2. Watching the snow fall while tucked beneath the best blanket(s) in the house.
3. Waking up a few hours before the kiddo does each morning and getting SO MUCH done!
4. Really great books.
5. Fleece.
6. Getting my hair cut.
7. Andy's laugh (which, by the way, is more infectious than H1N1...and I know...I've had that, too!)
8. Spending "date night" at a bookstore with Joe, reading and drinking coffee.
9. Planning extravagant vacations.
10. Seeing "What They Wore" articles after big awards shows (especially the Oscars and Golden Globes).
1.06.2010
Bock Bars.
My son is, undoubtedly, the funniest person in the world. Ever. And I even saw Jim Gaffigan live this past September. (For the record, people say that I look like I should be related to him, and it's not at all a stretch to say that my dad, circa 1987, could have passed quite easily for a member of the Gaffigan clan).
Anyway, mon fils loves to eat. He's just really good at it. Sometimes, I actually worry that he's not getting enough to eat because his travels into the kitchen, pointing at whatever food items he can spot, are many. At any rate, a couple of months ago, he was introduced to waffles and l-o-v-e-d loved them. But, because we're not big waffle eaters around here, his next Adventure in Waffle-ry would have to wait until this week. Developmentally, the greatest change in my boy since his last meeting with this edible graph paper is his ability to use words. He has learned several words, and even demonstrates an understanding of their meaning. And, when words escape him, he has learned, certainly, to use sounds to convey a message. In this case, he has taken to referring to his beloved waffles as "bock bars." He walks around babbling almost incessently about the too-sweet-for-breakfast-but-we-somehow-justify-it-anyway delight. Except, of course, when he engages in his daily ritual of pointing at me, saying "Mama", and then pointing at everything else in the area and saying, "No Mama."
Joe and I have had plenty of discussions regarding how we want to handle various disciplinary situations with our boy, and have concluded one thing: we will have to be very careful to refrain from laughter {while Mr. A. is in earshot) when our sweet and innocent child first utters a swear word without knowing it. I am positive that there will be plenty of other circumstances that will require us to adopt a similar level of stoicism.
Take this example of my parents needing to exercise restraint:
When my sister and I were kids, we were very angry with our mom and dad. Who even knows why. At any rate, it was of utmost importance that we convey to them the extent of our outrage. And so, we did what any reasonable kids would do--we picketed. We literally got out a couple of yardsticks, to which we attached papers that said something along the lines of "Unfair Parents" and "We Hate Our Parents", and we proceeded to march around our house. Laugh if you want, this was an incredibly serious affair. It was everything my parents could do to contain themselves.
Anyway, mon fils loves to eat. He's just really good at it. Sometimes, I actually worry that he's not getting enough to eat because his travels into the kitchen, pointing at whatever food items he can spot, are many. At any rate, a couple of months ago, he was introduced to waffles and l-o-v-e-d loved them. But, because we're not big waffle eaters around here, his next Adventure in Waffle-ry would have to wait until this week. Developmentally, the greatest change in my boy since his last meeting with this edible graph paper is his ability to use words. He has learned several words, and even demonstrates an understanding of their meaning. And, when words escape him, he has learned, certainly, to use sounds to convey a message. In this case, he has taken to referring to his beloved waffles as "bock bars." He walks around babbling almost incessently about the too-sweet-for-breakfast-but-we-somehow-justify-it-anyway delight. Except, of course, when he engages in his daily ritual of pointing at me, saying "Mama", and then pointing at everything else in the area and saying, "No Mama."
Joe and I have had plenty of discussions regarding how we want to handle various disciplinary situations with our boy, and have concluded one thing: we will have to be very careful to refrain from laughter {while Mr. A. is in earshot) when our sweet and innocent child first utters a swear word without knowing it. I am positive that there will be plenty of other circumstances that will require us to adopt a similar level of stoicism.
Take this example of my parents needing to exercise restraint:
When my sister and I were kids, we were very angry with our mom and dad. Who even knows why. At any rate, it was of utmost importance that we convey to them the extent of our outrage. And so, we did what any reasonable kids would do--we picketed. We literally got out a couple of yardsticks, to which we attached papers that said something along the lines of "Unfair Parents" and "We Hate Our Parents", and we proceeded to march around our house. Laugh if you want, this was an incredibly serious affair. It was everything my parents could do to contain themselves.
1.05.2010
Hidden Treasures...
In my town, I have discovered there to be a very distinct line. In the East End, there are numerous local dining and shopping establishments (I'm all about supporting the little guy) that can be defined, among other things, as "cute and quaint." In the West End, generally speaking, there are very few things that fit into this category. There are definitely some (and, to be fair, there are plenty of things in the South Hills that I haven't yet visited), but it seems that there are so many more on the other side of town. Maybe it's just that they're condensed into a small area.
Nevertheless, today I happened upon a fun new place that fits the bill: Zoe's Herbs and Teas, right smack dab in the West End Circle. I walked in to find lots of locally-made pottery, homemade biscotti in both sweet and savory varieties, and a number of other treats for all the senses. Then, I went to the back of the store to choose a tea--it is available as an immediate beverage or just in loose tea form--and was overwhelmed by my choices. Then, when I asked about one, I was excited to be presented with the tea, allowed the opportunity to sniff the loose "stuff", and given a full rundown. Also, I drank some--delightful. It was called Firefly Chai, and it is most distinctly different from other chai teas because it is made with red tea, rather than black. It was yummy. Add to that a slice of freshly-baked from scratch blueberry bread with a few walnuts and pumpkin seeds thrown in for an added bonus, and I was sold. Plus, it was only $2.50 for the whole kit (and kaboodle!) Additionally, it's directly across the street from one branch of the Carnegie library system, which means that I can totally justify going there after a morning of book-reading with El Kiddo. Three cheers for efficiency!
Speaking of hidden treasures and things in this quaint city that are exciting, here's an (abridged) list of places that I would like to try (or, try again, in a few cases):
Abay
Casbah
Harris Grill
New Chop Sticks
Palomino
The Carlton
Capital Grille
Mallorca
Le Pommier
Azteca
Cuzamil
Grand Concourse
The Elbow Room
Spice Island Tea House
India Garden
Walnut Grill
Le Mont
Monterey Bay Fish Grotto
The Tin Angel
Um, I am going to need a lot of people to volunteer to take me out to dinner if I'm ever going to get to some of these places. They don't all exactly fall under either the "inexpensive" or "family friendly" categories. And, there are about 20 more that I know of, but can't remember their names (like the creperie in Shadyside. I must get back there. And soon.)
I'm still not a fan of the athletics in this town, but I can get on board with pretty much everything else.
Nevertheless, today I happened upon a fun new place that fits the bill: Zoe's Herbs and Teas, right smack dab in the West End Circle. I walked in to find lots of locally-made pottery, homemade biscotti in both sweet and savory varieties, and a number of other treats for all the senses. Then, I went to the back of the store to choose a tea--it is available as an immediate beverage or just in loose tea form--and was overwhelmed by my choices. Then, when I asked about one, I was excited to be presented with the tea, allowed the opportunity to sniff the loose "stuff", and given a full rundown. Also, I drank some--delightful. It was called Firefly Chai, and it is most distinctly different from other chai teas because it is made with red tea, rather than black. It was yummy. Add to that a slice of freshly-baked from scratch blueberry bread with a few walnuts and pumpkin seeds thrown in for an added bonus, and I was sold. Plus, it was only $2.50 for the whole kit (and kaboodle!) Additionally, it's directly across the street from one branch of the Carnegie library system, which means that I can totally justify going there after a morning of book-reading with El Kiddo. Three cheers for efficiency!
Speaking of hidden treasures and things in this quaint city that are exciting, here's an (abridged) list of places that I would like to try (or, try again, in a few cases):
Abay
Casbah
Harris Grill
New Chop Sticks
Palomino
The Carlton
Capital Grille
Mallorca
Le Pommier
Azteca
Cuzamil
Grand Concourse
The Elbow Room
Spice Island Tea House
India Garden
Walnut Grill
Le Mont
Monterey Bay Fish Grotto
The Tin Angel
Um, I am going to need a lot of people to volunteer to take me out to dinner if I'm ever going to get to some of these places. They don't all exactly fall under either the "inexpensive" or "family friendly" categories. And, there are about 20 more that I know of, but can't remember their names (like the creperie in Shadyside. I must get back there. And soon.)
I'm still not a fan of the athletics in this town, but I can get on board with pretty much everything else.
1.03.2010
On Being Seedy...
I am reading through parts of this right now to help me figure out what I will plant in my wee garden this year. I am pleased with the fact that this book is incredibly comprehensive and takes into account the greenhorns of green-thumbery. Here are the conclusions I have drawn thus far:
1. I need raised beds, and should perhaps consider either a small plot (approximately 3' x 6') plus two planters (for basil, cilantro and sage) or two very small plots (3' x 3' each) that will give me a tad more access to everything and will allow me to position things more directly in accordance with the sun vs. shade requirements for each plant.
2. I am, at the moment, considering planting the following: the herbs listed above, carrots, broccoli, bush beans (some sort of green beans are the most likely candidate), melons and sweet potatoes. I don't think I'm ready for the trellising that tomatoes require, and I know full well that they, along with the full complement of greens, will be available at any farmer's market, and will surely be a part of my CSA bundles at some point in the season.
3. It's really fascinating to learn about the many things that must be considered when planning a garden. It's also a little bit of a (healthy) reality check for me to begin to tally the costs of this endeavor. On the bright side, many things I invest in this year, I'll be able to reuse next year AND I imagine it will all end up being a more affordable solution than store-bought stuff when all is said and done AND it will automatically provide me an answer to a portion of the landscaping issues that plague my house in its current state. Plus, it seems like it will be fun, and I am really excited about the prospect of eating my own food AND of taking Andy (and any potential future tots) outside to teach them about all of this stuff in a few years!
Does anyone know the last freeze date in this area of the country? Has anyone ever built supports for raised garden beds before? Which varieties of carrots are most tolerant to harsh conditions? So many questions. I guess it's a good thing I'm beginning this quest in January.
1. I need raised beds, and should perhaps consider either a small plot (approximately 3' x 6') plus two planters (for basil, cilantro and sage) or two very small plots (3' x 3' each) that will give me a tad more access to everything and will allow me to position things more directly in accordance with the sun vs. shade requirements for each plant.
2. I am, at the moment, considering planting the following: the herbs listed above, carrots, broccoli, bush beans (some sort of green beans are the most likely candidate), melons and sweet potatoes. I don't think I'm ready for the trellising that tomatoes require, and I know full well that they, along with the full complement of greens, will be available at any farmer's market, and will surely be a part of my CSA bundles at some point in the season.
3. It's really fascinating to learn about the many things that must be considered when planning a garden. It's also a little bit of a (healthy) reality check for me to begin to tally the costs of this endeavor. On the bright side, many things I invest in this year, I'll be able to reuse next year AND I imagine it will all end up being a more affordable solution than store-bought stuff when all is said and done AND it will automatically provide me an answer to a portion of the landscaping issues that plague my house in its current state. Plus, it seems like it will be fun, and I am really excited about the prospect of eating my own food AND of taking Andy (and any potential future tots) outside to teach them about all of this stuff in a few years!
Does anyone know the last freeze date in this area of the country? Has anyone ever built supports for raised garden beds before? Which varieties of carrots are most tolerant to harsh conditions? So many questions. I guess it's a good thing I'm beginning this quest in January.
Soup's On
My Dad was never the chief cook in my household as a young child. That is, of course, until he found his niche . He is a soup and stew man. He makes all sorts of soups and stews and, if you're Rachael Ray, you'll even appreciate that he makes the occasional "stoup." He is best known among family and friends for his chicken noodle, vegetable and chili varieties. However, I have loved his potato, corn, celery and others, too.
Upon the discovery that Dad not only was good at making soups, but also that he actually enjoyed doing so, Mom was only too happy to hand over the reins for Chief Chef from approximately October-February. (Not that Mom doesn't also do her share of cooking during those months, but it's just too much of a convenience to have soup made for the week to spend so much extra time in the kitchen). I should add, too, that Dad and I share a love for being able to prepare foods that taste good without having to be exceptionally pretty. We find great joy and freedom in being able to just cut up some stuff and dump it into a big pot. And so, it should come as no real surprise that I, too, have taken quite a liking to making soups. So much so, in fact, that I have already made three or four new soup recipes this season, and have three more on the menu for the coming week alone! Joe and I have had a few soups that we have really enjoyed (our lentil soup, for example) and have tried a few that require some tweaking (the cheese had some melting issues in the broccolli soup), but have great potential. In my 2.5+ years of marriage, I've made very few dinners that were undeniably in the "bust" category, but the most recent example was the black bean soup I made, using a recipe I found on the internet. I thought that the recipe had enough credentials in that comment after comment seemed to indicate that this was The Best Soup Ever. I am here to promise you that that was not the case. And it wasn't my fault--there was nothing that I could have done differently to turn this soup from Dud to Stud. It was far too liquidy (even though I pureed some of the beans to thicken it); it had a ratio of about 7 billion onions to every 1 bean, and it was just awful. I love Panera's black bean soup, but it certainly isn't very cost effective to just buy that in gallons--so, with that in mind, who has a recipe they can give to me?
In other news, my quest to read the entire Bible in a year is off to a good start, as is my goal to complete six knitting projects--my first one is entirely done, with the exception of binding it off (which is how it is truly finished and safe from unraveling). I have given more thought to the specifics of the home repair work that I want to do, and have concluded that I both want and need to come up with a list of very detailed work that I would like to complete over the course of the year, assign a time frame to each item on the list, and then email it (or post it here!) for all to peruse; hopefully, from there, a few generous souls will decide that they really would rather not take an afternoon nap, opting, instead to install a new light fixture where none currently exists in the master bedroom...
Upon the discovery that Dad not only was good at making soups, but also that he actually enjoyed doing so, Mom was only too happy to hand over the reins for Chief Chef from approximately October-February. (Not that Mom doesn't also do her share of cooking during those months, but it's just too much of a convenience to have soup made for the week to spend so much extra time in the kitchen). I should add, too, that Dad and I share a love for being able to prepare foods that taste good without having to be exceptionally pretty. We find great joy and freedom in being able to just cut up some stuff and dump it into a big pot. And so, it should come as no real surprise that I, too, have taken quite a liking to making soups. So much so, in fact, that I have already made three or four new soup recipes this season, and have three more on the menu for the coming week alone! Joe and I have had a few soups that we have really enjoyed (our lentil soup, for example) and have tried a few that require some tweaking (the cheese had some melting issues in the broccolli soup), but have great potential. In my 2.5+ years of marriage, I've made very few dinners that were undeniably in the "bust" category, but the most recent example was the black bean soup I made, using a recipe I found on the internet. I thought that the recipe had enough credentials in that comment after comment seemed to indicate that this was The Best Soup Ever. I am here to promise you that that was not the case. And it wasn't my fault--there was nothing that I could have done differently to turn this soup from Dud to Stud. It was far too liquidy (even though I pureed some of the beans to thicken it); it had a ratio of about 7 billion onions to every 1 bean, and it was just awful. I love Panera's black bean soup, but it certainly isn't very cost effective to just buy that in gallons--so, with that in mind, who has a recipe they can give to me?
In other news, my quest to read the entire Bible in a year is off to a good start, as is my goal to complete six knitting projects--my first one is entirely done, with the exception of binding it off (which is how it is truly finished and safe from unraveling). I have given more thought to the specifics of the home repair work that I want to do, and have concluded that I both want and need to come up with a list of very detailed work that I would like to complete over the course of the year, assign a time frame to each item on the list, and then email it (or post it here!) for all to peruse; hopefully, from there, a few generous souls will decide that they really would rather not take an afternoon nap, opting, instead to install a new light fixture where none currently exists in the master bedroom...
1.02.2010
We Are Family
I'm reading (finally) Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver right now, and I have to say that I would really enjoy being a part of Barbara's family for a little while. Or, more specifically, I currently am in the stage where I can only admire (and covet) the greenness of the Kingsolver Clans' thumbs. The premise of the book is that the family of four spends a year buying only local food (with one exception per person. Barbara's husband smartly opted for coffee). It is amazing to read their tales of growth--both literally and figuratively--and, at the same time, I feel totally overwhelmed by the conviction to participate in this revived movement to purchase locally AND to start my own garden.
In other news, my family chose to brave the mayhem that is the mall and strip mall haven about 10 minutes from our home. It has nearly every shopping and eating venue that someone could want, and certainly more than anyone needs. The traffic was ridiculous. The lines were frustrating. And, in general, I found myself feeling, most of all, sad that we are a people who thinks that we can only thrive when we live in excess. And, I fear that today's "excess" will become tomorrow's "just enough." Joe and I are not in any sort of financial trouble, but we are also trying to become as informed as possible about all-things-money now, while we are young, so that we don't regret making poor choices later. So, we bought a book about saving/spending/investing/etc. It seems like it will be a helpful aid as we think about retirement, college, and so many other things that seem to be way off in the distant future but that truly require attention today. However, it should not take a book for anyone to realize that debt--especially debt that comes out of selfishness--does not help the economy in any way, shape, or form. In the end, Joe, Andy and I opted to skip out on most of our errands for the evening, in favor of our comfy couch and our books. We're much happier for it.
In other news, my family chose to brave the mayhem that is the mall and strip mall haven about 10 minutes from our home. It has nearly every shopping and eating venue that someone could want, and certainly more than anyone needs. The traffic was ridiculous. The lines were frustrating. And, in general, I found myself feeling, most of all, sad that we are a people who thinks that we can only thrive when we live in excess. And, I fear that today's "excess" will become tomorrow's "just enough." Joe and I are not in any sort of financial trouble, but we are also trying to become as informed as possible about all-things-money now, while we are young, so that we don't regret making poor choices later. So, we bought a book about saving/spending/investing/etc. It seems like it will be a helpful aid as we think about retirement, college, and so many other things that seem to be way off in the distant future but that truly require attention today. However, it should not take a book for anyone to realize that debt--especially debt that comes out of selfishness--does not help the economy in any way, shape, or form. In the end, Joe, Andy and I opted to skip out on most of our errands for the evening, in favor of our comfy couch and our books. We're much happier for it.
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