Huddart Park

Banana slug:

A Little Behind

I got behind, so I took lots today to make up for it. Boring subject, but I did the best I could...

Grass

So, I've decided that I'm going to officially post color and non-color (not always exactly B&W) for every picture, just for curiousity's sake. Oh yeah, and also, it's not likely that this will last for long because I'm already going crazy every day trying to find a picture and one of these days (maybe tomorrow even) I'm just going to come up dry. But I'll keep trying. I at least want to take the camera outside every day. As a bonus, I'm getting lots more pictures of the kids, too.

Anyway, here is today's picture, color and black and white:

Everything Looks Fancier Without Color

Which do you prefer?

My New Goal

I have a new goal to work on my hobby of photography and photo editing by taking one picture a day that I'll add to my "portfolio". I don't have a portfolio right now, but this will be a fun and good way to improve and use my mind and enrich my life, so I think it'll be fun! Part of this goal is the fun of looking at ordinary things around me and creating a beautiful image from where you wouldn't normally expect to find one. The picture above is the first, taken yesterday on a new tree that was planted right outside our house.

First Thanksgiving (w/o family)

We celebrated our first Thanksgiving without extended family this year, and it was really nice. We actually ate after the kids were in bed and celebrated with our friends, who were also home without family this year. We all made a few things which combined made an excellent traditional meal. Here are pictures of our centerpiece, which we made from plants we collected with the kids before bed, and the table, set before eating. I guess we were too into the food to remember to get a picture with loaded plates...

QUEEN for a Day

My birthday was last week, and Peter really played his part well! I woke up to the smell of yummy breakfast which was delivered to my bed a little while after he delivered a tray with reading material and a note ordering me not to get out of bed. He had also written on a piece of paper explaining to me that for my birthday, I was QUEEN for the entire day, and he was my slave. He cooked, cleaned, and watched the kids while I got to do whatever I wanted AND order him around. He even brought the phone cradle up to our bed so I could page him with the paging button whenever I needed something. So, for my birthday, I:

*took a relaxing bath
*got a haircut
*went shopping with a friend
*read
*took 2 short naps
*played the piano
*got bored and ordered my slave to let us all be normal until we put the kids to bed (I missed them!)
*went to dinner at a really yummy restaurant that was more expensive than anywhere we've ever been, and was totally worth it (just this once... what does that phrase mean anyway?? It sounds so weird.)
*went to the movies and then left because our movie was sold out

I guess we'll try to go to a movie some other time. We haven't been to a movie in the theater for about 2 1/2 years. We came home from that movie and watched a Netflix movie, but I fell asleep during that, and the wonderful day was over. Lucky for me, my birthday celebrations carried over to the next day, and I got to go shopping with friends the next morning, and then we had cake later that night. So much fun!

I was actually feeling really guilty for leaving that next morning because Peter had worked so hard the day before, but it turned out that even though Little had gone to bed at 6:30pm on my birthday, she didn't wake up until past noon the next day, AFTER I came home. AND, Littler played by herself for an hour while Daddy slept on the couch, and then took a nap so he slept even more, and it was pretty much entirely a non-issue.

THANKS to my wonderful husband for the A++++++++++ birthday!

FOOD

Over the last couple of years, we've been changing the food our family eats and buys, by tending more toward the naturally occurring and organic foods. I really don't think we're too extreme about it, but we definitely try to have as few ingredients as possible in our food. For example, it's been several months since we've purchased bread or tortillas (aside from loaves of "artisan" breads for fun to eat with cheese--and often we'll make that kind of bread, too--it's just fun to buy it pre-made, so it's like our family's version of eating out). We prefer to make our bread because it's cheaper and yummier and healthier, too. We make our own salad dressing with various vinegars and oils, we pressure cook our own beans, and we've even dabbled in cheese a little bit (and plan to really broaden our cheese knowledge soon).

This article really stresses to me PART of WHY we decided to do this in the first place. Health, safety, money, taste are probably most of the reasons.

Someday, we'd really like to be eating all of our food from the most basic ingredients. The cool thing, you don't have to sacrifice taste! It's great! In fact, when you've been eating more natural foods, a lot of the other foods that are artificially flavored and synthesized really end up tasting pretty gross. (Not all, unfortunately for all of us...)

For Me, To Remember

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/us/politics/05campaign.html?scp=5&sq="november%204"&st=cse

http://warner.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/title/?em

High Fructose Corn Syrup = Bad For You!!

While thumbing through my new FamilyFun magazine today, I was appalled to come across this ad. Basically, the Corn Refiner's Association has decided that they aren't making enough money now that many people are aware of the health risks and detriments of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and has decided to go on an 18 month long ad campaign letting the American public know the "facts" about HFCS. They say that HFCS is "nutritionally the same as table sugar and honey" and spout off a bunch of other mistruths on their website, conveniently leaving out a lot of important information (such as the fact that fructose [like high fructose corn syrup] is converted into fat after reaching the liver instead of being broken down before like glucose [table sugar is half glucose and half fructose]).

So, sure, I eat HFCS sometimes, like most people, although it's not a regular part of our diet. But I definitely DON'T fall for the idea that HFCS is "natural" as the Corn Refiner's Association asserts in their commercials. That's just a bunch of bull honkey.

Handy Dandy Tax Graphs

[from mandamommy and trogonpete]

Here is a fantastic unbiased [facts are unbiased], nonpartisan evaluation of Obama's and McCain's income tax policies [we won't get into child tax credits and other stuff].

We've noticed that there are a lot of people who don't know that there is complete objective, verifiable information about the two major candidate's tax policies online [and other policies as well]. The figures shown on the link display this information in instructive ways. Here's what we took from it:

[The current tax code is already progressive [the bottom bracket pays ~10% and the top bracket pays ~35%]. What is displayed in the linked page is the change in the amount of income after taxes if the candidate's plan replaced the current code.]

1. From the first graph there's a big philosophical distinction between the two plans. McCain is for cutting taxes; more so if you're rich. Obama's for cutting taxes especially if you're poor, except if you're rich, in which case your taxes will rise [above $600,000 post-tax salary]. If you think the economic stimulation provided by a wealthier upper class is more important than society's obligation to assist the poor, then McCain's plan is the plan for you. You might be tempted to make further generalizations about income redistribution and other issues but the other figures crush a lot of the old cliches.

2. The second graph shows the total number of people [represented by the height of each bar] getting each tax change. McCain's plan gives a tax break of 1% or higher to 39% of the population, and Obama's gives 1% or higher to 90% of the population. Additionally, the area of each box represents the product of the number of people in that bracket times the tax change for that bracket. So a bigger box on the negative side of the scale means more people are getting more money. Since Obama's total area is significantly more "negative" than McCain's, the conclusion would be that Obama's plan provides a greater overall tax relief to the whole population than McCain's.

3. The third graph shows the total amount of money generated for the government for each tax bracket. This time the area of the box shows the total change in revenue for each bracket, positive or negative. So a bigger box on the positive side means the government gets more money. McCain's plan--since it calls for no tax increases--results in a net loss for the government compared to the current tax code. Obama's plan will generate a large amount of extra revenue. The amount of money given back to the poorest brackets in Obama's plan is miniscule compared to the extra revenue generated by taxing the very wealthy [compare the size of the boxes on the positive side to the boxes on the negative side]. So Obama's plan is not income redistribution; it is revenue generation.

In short, Obama's income tax plan calls for very little income redistribution and a large revenue increase by selectively taxing the wealthiest 1% of Americans--people who make significantly more than half a million dollars a year after tax. Obama's plan also calls for significant tax relief for the poorest Americans. McCain calls for reducing taxes for everybody, but especially for the wealthy. We believe that the cumulative benefit to the 99% of Americans who will see no change or an increase in tax relief from Obama's plan outweighs the extra "burden" on the wealthy. Furthermore, McCain's tax plan reduces government revenue which will increase the national debt--a debt our children will bear through higher taxes and decreased government expenditure on programs such as social security and education.

From one of McCain's many ads:

Obama will "raise taxes on the middle class... I'm John McCain and I approve this message."

Many people are believing this, but it's just plain not true.

We haven't been able to find an Obama fib about McCain's tax plan, but if any of you can find one, by all means share it.

Uh-Oh

Remember this game? And this one? I've kind of lost my touch, but it's still in there somewhere, I can feel it!

WARNING: Don't read until after Thanksgiving!

I'm reeeeeally picky about women's voices, and I'm even pickier about what versions of O Holy Night I enjoy listening to because to me it's a song that should be sung with light pure voices and is often sung operatically instead (blecccchhhhhhh!), with heavy vibrato. So, I'm always on the lookout for good versions of the song, and while I was browsing through Christmas music on youtube and Amazon today (I know, I know...), I came across this:

Celtic Woman/Chloe Agnew - O Holy Night

Oh my goodness! I LOVE it! These voices are exactly the kind I love! They sing so beautifully!

This one is for Eloise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKrx-4Awe70&feature=related
(Look into Celtic Woman in general... Warning: The video looks a little cheesy sometimes.)

Here are a few other great Christmas songs I came across today, to give you a little head start for the upcoming holiday season:

Michael Buble - The Christmas Song Who am I kidding? Anything Michael Buble! (White Christmas, I'll Be Home for Christmas, Let it Snow...)

The Carpenters - There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays Okay, anything Carpenters too.

Harry Connick Jr. - Christmas Waltz (no recording--can anyone find one?)

And of course, all the classics by Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, etc.

Coventry Carol

Josh Groban - What Child is This?

Are you sick of this yet?

You probably think I'm lame for always posting these, but I don't listen to the radio so it's amazing I ever find them at all...

Here's another song I'm loving right now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nTSU-mFWGs

Actually, I'm liking the singer in general.

What He Said

TrueWilderness.blogspot.com

Palo Alto Moonlight Run

Well, I did it! I ran a 5k race without walking! It was very tiring, but I think it was worse than it normally would have been since it was night time. That's just not nearly as nice a time to run as the morning!

Anyway, I convinced Peter to come with me and he was going to take a picture of me at the finish line but somehow he didn't see me and I didn't see him, so all we got was a couple of post race pictures.

The course was almost entirely flat, but it was dark, aside from the nearly full moon, so lots of people had headlamps and flashlights (I brought a little flashlight). It was also veeeeeeeeery crowded. The 5k run alone had 840 people in it, and since I was pretty slow, I started off pretty close to the back, which means that my time really would have been a few minutes better because it took a really long time to be able to start running, with so many people starting a race at the same time.

In case you have a morbid curiosity of just how slow I really am, I ran it in 33:43 and my mile pace was an average of 10:51, coming in 535 place overall and 46th for my division (out of 83). So, basically, I'm just a normal average slow person--I beat my first goal, but wasn't thinking about the numbers of people slowing me down when I made the goal, and I feel pretty confident that I would have been at about a 10 minute mile pace if it hadn't been so crowded. I feel like once I was running, I was going faster than my normal slow pace. (To further embarrass myself, I'll mention that I paced myself on two different sets of elementary aged girls running with their parents. I managed to pass them both with 1 mile to go when they stopped for water and I never saw them again, but I also started slowing down once I didn't have such good pacers anymore.)

Anyway, I'm definitely no runner, but I'm still proud that I ran a 5K! Maybe someday I'll be able to do a 10K (though if I do, I better run habitually first).

Some of my current song faves

It's all about the dancing baby! What have I been doing all my life? I could have been DANCING!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3xx72NGrUc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PNSg2NTRNc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sei-eEjy4g (Don't listen to this one if you're sensitive to drug and gun references...)

Running

A few weeks ago, I signed up for a 5K race that happens to be this Friday night, despite the fact that I never run and even when I do, I'm really slow. So, once the week of the race rolled around Monday morning, I decided I better figure out if I'm gonna cut it and I went for a run with Littler after dropping Little off at her first day of co-op preschool. It was a hilly run and I ran 2.65 miles without walking any of it! The best part was that it felt GOOD! From the first moment I started running it felt good, and that has NEVER happened to me before! I was really stoked, so the next morning I went to the gym with a friend and ran 5K on the treadmill. Wow! That felt good too, but it also gave me huge blisters on my feet and made my muscles reeeeeeally sore (they're much better today, although not fully recovered), so I decided that I'll take it easy until the race. The race is a moonlight run, so it will be dark aside from the light of the moon, meaning it will be at the end of the day, after dinner, etc. On the treadmill I ran it in about 33:30 (slow, I know...) and my ultimate hope is to finish under 30 minutes, but my first goal is to beat 35 minutes. We'll see how that works out, but wish me luck and hope that running will feel as good Friday night as it did Monday and Tuesday!

They Call This News?

Look at this (really, you need to):

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=591496

I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

Who Am I Anyway?

Every time I read posts I've written from a while back, I don't even recognize myself! Who was that lady writing things about my life (quite precisely, as my memory would tell you). It's so odd...

But, I just had a lot of fun reading posts from when Littler was born and right before and looking at pictures of when she was a baby (because I couldn't remember how long she was when she was born, or even *gasp* what she looked like back then!). This is why we need to get our video camera fixed so we can watch the video of the birth...

Can You Hear the Wolf's Cry?

One night last summer when we were in Alaska, we were lying in bed asleep or falling asleep (depending on who we're talking about) and we heard some wolves howling some completely indeterminate (by me) distance away. As we were lying there, both Peter and I were entranced by the sound of it--it was such a poignant, deep, enthralling feeling to lie in bed and listen to a sound we'd never heard before and may never hear again, knowing that such a magnificent animal was close enough for us to hear but not see. To this day, when I think back on those moments, my heart still quickens and I still feel tingles in my body at the memory of it. It even brings tears to my eyes. I don't know why it has this effect. All I know is that now I yearn to hear it again. Something tells me that if I ever do, I will only be disappointed because the magic of that experience is not likely to be duplicated. This is a poem I wrote a few days ago after talking to Peter about this experience again. (I am not a poet by any stretch of the imagination, but this poem just kind of jumped into my head and I feel like it captures the way I feel about that night, so I thought I'd better put it in "my jernul". It's actually really embarrassing to me to have this here, but I'm putting it here anyway because this is where it belongs.) Here it is:

Can you hear the wolf’s cry?
Stretch. Turn. Listen.
There!
Do you hear it?
Feel the chilling music in your bones.
Let it take you back.
A time you don’t remember.
But somehow it’s familiar.
Feel the music of the pack.
In your chest. In your arms. In your fingertips.
Can you hear the wolf’s cry?

Taking the Plunge

Well, after living in our apartment for two years now with no washer and dryer, not to mention the year and half before that in our apartment in Tucson with no washer and dryer, we have decided to get a washer and dryer. The funny thing is that the main reason is not for the convenience of washing my clothes at home instead of carting 4 or 5 very heavy laundry bags to another building every 10 days or so in our bike trailer/stroller (although I have to admit that not having to do this does excite me possibly more than you can imagine). What got me started in this direction was thinking about the ways we save money (next post, possibly tonight). I realized that there was one major area in our lives where we have not only chosen the more expensive route, but also the less environmentally friendly route as well: disposable diapers! Now, if you believe the diaper companies' spin doctors [read: Proctor & Gamble], then you probably think that disposable vs. cloth diapers is an equally balanced bad for the environment situation. Not so! I think this page puts it pretty well: Diaper Dilemma (Part 2): The Environment

But, as I was saying, it was the cost of disposable diapers that got me on this track. I realized in one grand epiphany that we have already spent more money on diapers for our two kids than it would cost us to buy a washer and dryer and use cloth diapers. Mentioning this to Peter, along with the fact that this trend would continue without buying those things, was all I needed to have the go ahead on his part to spring for the duo. We, of course, looked at Craigslist first and managed to find a cheap Energy Star (required by Stanford Housing) washer and a normal dryer right here in our very own neighborhood! So, I bought them, just now. Being the nice person that I am, I'm letting her keep it until they move, so we'll pick it up when we get back from our trip to Utah (which we leave for in a little over a week, so, no skin off my back...).

The washer and dryer aren't so much what the plunge is all about though. It's the switch to cloth diapers. When I first came up with the idea this morning, I was a little intimidated. But with a little memory and internet searching, I found that there are really some easy, no hassle, non finger staining ways to do the whole cloth diaper thing, and now I'm actually pretty excited about it! Cloth diapers are so much cuter, for one thing! I mean, who wouldn't think this is cuter? It's probably not the one we'll be doing, but doesn't it look nice and easy?

And really, I am SUPER excited about having a washer and dryer in our apartment! Really really. Really.

Yep, that's me

You Are Snow White!

Pure and trusting. You are a gentle soul who can get along with just about anyone. Everyone you meet instantly falls in love with you. How can they resist? You have a pure, lovable nature that's irresistable. Just don't trust everyone who comes across your path.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

MEME

Okay, I know you're just dying to know all of this info. (It beats coming back to the same post over and over right?)

45 Things About Me

Do you like blue cheese? Eh...kinda. Not by itself.

Do you own a gun? I'll let you find out when you try to break into my house...

What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic? Don't go to Sonic. We rarely eat out and it's not on the top of my list of places to visit when there are so many great ethnic and other non-chain places to visit!

Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Yes.

What do you think of hot dogs? I tried no to like them. It didn't work. I like them despite myself (but only heated and in a warm bun with onions and mustard)

Favorite Christmas movie? It’s a Wonderful Life

What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Juice. I can't drink water in the morning unless I've exercised.

Can you do push ups? Not the "real" kind. I've always had poor upper body strength.

What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? my engagement ring

Favorite hobby? reading, sewing, music playing, dancing and wishing I were a dancer

Do you have A.D.D.? nope

What’s one trait you hate about yourself? too critical

Middle name? Kaye

Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment: I have a headache, I want to dance, Wow Peter sure likes the mandolin I got him for Father's Day!

Name 3 things you bought yesterday? Nothing. We only ride our bikes to the store, so I shop much less frequently now.

Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Water, apple juice, grape juice

Current worry? That this headache is really a migraine creeping up on me.

Current hate right now? Um...don't have one? Nothing comes to mind...

Favorite place to be? anywhere where my favorite friends and family are

How did you bring in the New Year? Fondue with parents-in-law, and YUMMY apple cider (the real thing!)

Where would you like to go? Europe

Do you own slippers? Yes, but it's hard to walk up and down stairs in them so I don't wear them very often--only if I'm reeeeeeally chilled.

What song makes you happy? Michael Buble Feeling Good

What year would you go back in time to? I have no desire to go back in time. That's too freaky.

Can you whistle? Yes.

Favorite color? straight green (I recently realized this to be true)

Would you be a pirate? No. That's too edgy for me.

What songs do you sing in the shower? Whatever is in my head, IF I'm in the right mood (the kind where I also want to dance)

Favorite girl’s name. Elise

Favorite boy’s name? Elias

What’s in your pocket right now? A piece of paper

Last thing that made you laugh? The enrichment play/musical I went to tonight. Good stuff.

Last thing that made you cry? I don't know. I don't cry very often these days. My life is too blissful.

Worst injury you’ve ever had? Getting hit in the head with a soccer ball during a game and getting stitches (right by my eye) I know, that's not even very bad.

Do you love where you live? YES! It's the best! Everyone should move here!

How many TVs do you have in your house? One.

How many dogs do you have? None.

What is your favorite book(s)? It depends on my mood. Passage; Animal, Vegetable Miracle; To Kill a Mockingbird; lots of others

What is your favorite candy? Um... Snickers?

Favorite Sports Team(s)? You know, I recently discovered that I don't really care for watching sports anymore. I'd much rather PLAY them.

Your favorite meal? Pizza (sad but true), or, a really yummy carne asada burrito, or a chicken shawerma wrap

What were you doing 12 AM last night? Sleeping for the last few minutes before having to wake up and feed the baby

What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? I wonder how long I can keep sleeping before I reeeeally need to get out of bed?

Do you have any odd habits? Sure. Every once in a while I snort like a pig.

How many siblings do you have? 276...er...um... 13 I think

THE END

Another Good Song

Okay, I discovered another great song that I love, despite myself.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bd2B6SjMh_w

What do you think? (honestly--even if you hate it) This song came out in 2006. That surprised me.

A Day of Celebration!

Today is a big day for me! Today is the day...drumroll please............. I have officially met/gone lower than Peter's weight! Woohoo!! That was goal number two (which incidentally, only happens to be three pounds lower than goal number 1). Goal number three is about 5 pounds away. This is a slow process for me (though steady, thank goodness), so it will probably be a few months, but, that goal was my original bottom goal. I've now changed my official goal to ten pounds below that, but regardless, I'm pretty happy with the way things are right now! I'm within the healthy weight for my height, and I haven't been there since I was 19 or so. Yippee!! What should I get to celebrate? I was originally going to get some pants, but I'm thinking a dress might be best... (I'm thinking going out to eat might not be the most fitting celebration...)

A Few More Great Dinners!

Monday night:

Rotini pasta with chopped agretti, cilantro, olive oil, spices and some cheddar cheese grated on top, with a side of spigariello lightly sauteed in olive oil. Mmmmmmm...

Tuesday night:

Frittata with turnip greens, cilantro, and cheddar, eaten with homemade 1/2 whole wheat biscuits.

Wednesday night:

Soup! Chicken breast boiled in water and shredded, about 1/2 cup rice, 1/2 a purple cabbage, 3 baby turnips, 5 baby carrots (real ones, not the little shaved things from the store), 2 leeks, all chopped and simmered with the water and chicken after the chicken was cooked and the rice was mostly cooked. Can't forget the spices! Salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic. Topped off with about 12 ounces of 2% evaporated milk. Most of the veggies became creamy, with just a few soft chunks to accompany the shredded chicken. This was really yummy! And to accompany the soup, we had some homemade 1/2 whole wheat apple strudel muffins. Yum yum!

I think we're starting to get better at knowing how to use our veggies...

A Must Read

If you are a regular reader of my blog, PLEASE read this article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/magazine/20wwln-lede-t.html?pagewanted=1

Please read the whole thing!

I challenge everyone who reads this to act on it. And let me know how it's going!

Michael Buble

Just in case any of you have not yet discovered Michael Buble and will appreciate knowing about him (although I always seem to be the last person to know about things...), here is yet another song that I LOVE, and want to dance to like crazy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PDXjJQfTsU

Isn't his voice just awesome??

Barbara Kingsolver = My Heroine

Okay, so, per my post below, I'm writing a post about 'how Barbara Kingsolver is my new heroine', and I'm combining it with 'our new wine crate garden'. The previous post about our dinner can be read as on offshoot of this post as well.

Have you read the book Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver? If you haven't, you should. That book has literally inspired me to change the way I live my life in regards to food and food making and food buying habits. She has the perfect blend of wry humor and wit and intelligence and plain old FACTS, and vignettes of different facets of her experiment for her family of four to eat only local food for an entire year. While reading that book, I wanted to dig my fingers into the soil and plant and harvest things, and I wanted to cook and eat and can lots of fruits and vegetables, and I wanted to own chickens, and make cheese, and stop eating animals that not only spent their lives crammed together, but who also had lower levels of important vitamins and other nutrients, and whose eggs had higher levels of the bad kind of cholesterol than their pasture fed cage free counterparts. (Make no mistake, I have no intention of ever becoming vegetarian voluntarily.)

Long before I was finished reading the book, Peter and I had decided it would be extraordinarily clever of us to find some wooden wine crates for free from a wine or liquor store to use as square foot gardening boxes. So we did. And you know what? It really was extraordinarily clever of us! It's working like a charm! We have no dirt of our own, and no sunlight in our back patio, pretty much ever, so, on our front porch we currently have 7 wooden wine crates filled with little growing plants, with plans to find 5 or 6 more. In these boxes, we have squash, peas, spinach, lima beans, and lettuce, accompanied by a couple of potted strawberry plants.

A little over a week ago, we were notified that a garden plot was waiting for us that we had been on a waiting list for. So for the last week we've been going over to our garden weeding, turning the soil, transplanting the thinned out plants from our wine crates (it's worth a try, right?) and some other plants, and finally, today, planting new seeds! We transplanted a potted tomato plant and strawberry plant, and several squash plants. And today we planted: green onions, yellow onions, serrano peppers, jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, corn, zucchini, cantaloupe, honeydew and one other kind of melon, spinach, and basil!

I have to tell you, the satisfaction I feel from seeing little plants poke out of the ground from tiny seeds we planted and watered is pretty profound. I am profoundly satisfied with my gardens! And hopefully, if we have thumbs anywhere near the color green, we'll be eating our own organically homegrown vegetables in our meals, right around the time our Two Small Farms first 9 week period is over.

Now we can sit back and wait for the fruits of our labor, and while we're waiting, we'll munch on a little bit of that homemade cheese.

Ahhhhhh.

Our Dinner Tonight

So, recently we signed up for a CSA called Two Small Farms, which delivers fresh veggies to a pickup site nearby (closer than our easy walking distance library). It is a big box of veggies. So big, that in order not to waste any (and to benefit the budget), we are splitting the box with some friends of ours. We've had a fun time incorporating vegetables (some that we've never even heard of before) into our meals in semi-creative ways. Some of the things we've had since we got our first box a week and a half ago are:

*(Potato) & cardoon gratin
*(Potato), carrot, parsnip soup
*Spinach/(tomato) pizza
*Arugula/(tomato) pizza
*Mushroom/radish green/Wensleydale cheese omelette

and the one that takes the cake so far is tonight's dinner:

*salad greens (none of it was lettuce...) with grated radish, grated carrot, boiled eggs, sliced lunchmeats, Wensleydale cheese, (tomato), (black beans), and HOMEMADE mozzarella cheese. Yum! This was served with a side of applesauce.

The fruits/veggies/veggie-like things in parentheses did not come from Two Small Farms.

There were other things we got that were incorporated in smaller ways, like celery for ants on a log, etc.

Using all the vegetables is a challenge and is definitely changing the way we eat for the better. For one thing, it's hard to see yourself spending money on something that goes to waste, so we feel like we HAVE to use it all. We already wasted some mustard greens that we didn't know how to use (because they are spicy and bitter and needed more thought beforehand), but we aim to do a better job in the future. Now we need to find a way to use our agretti and our fennel, preferably before Friday, when we get the next box!

Being a Mom

Being a mom is really really REEEAAAALLY hard work. Being a mom is how you really learn what unconditional love is--especially being a mom of a two year old (I don't know how I'm going to survive the teen years...). Being a mom is working full time and being underappreciated, yet somehow continuing on hour after hour after hour, day after day after day. Being a mom is stopping writing a blog so you can bring up Monk-e-mail on the computer for your two year old.

Love this song!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYBLjEaDFDE

Worst Blogger on the Web?

I realize that I am probably one of the most inconsistent bloggers on the web, but if you check my blog, please don't stop! I actually like having the four or five people who visit me somewhat regularly. And, after my most recent blog drought, I think I'm going to try to post at least once a week...

I made a pillowcase dress for Little a few weeks ago, and I even took really cute pictures of it. The the pictures got loaded onto the laptop, and since then I've been too lazy to go and retrieve them, which is why you haven't seen it yet.

And, really, I have lots of things I should be blogging about, such as:

*my adventures in no recipe baking
*my adventures in weight loss
*DANCING!
*bike riding
*how Barbara Kingsolver is my new heroine
*why I want everyone to recycle
*our new wine crate garden

Aren't those topics just tantalizing?

Check this out!

My Etsy shop, Frills and Frolic!

I also want to make some bags/purses, and maybe some little girl dresses, and some headbands to list there. Maybe one of each of those, at first, to see if anyone wants to buy them. But, it's so fun to be crafty!

Couples Meme

Couples

How long have you been together? Married: 3 years, Dating & Married: 8 1/2 years, Friends: 11 years

How long did you date? 5 years (or 3 if you take out the mission years)

How old is he? 1.25 years younger than me.

Who eats more? It depends on the meal, the food, the day, and who has eaten more recently.

Who said "I love you" first? He did.

Who is taller? He is, by an inch or so.

Who is smarter? Neither of us is humble enough to admit that the other might be smarter, but he knows much more trivia (more facts)...

Who does the laundry? Both, usually together.

Who does the dishes? I do about 75-90% of them.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Currently, him.

Who pays the bills? Me, all the way. He has no idea how much money we have.

Who mows the lawn? I'm not sure we'll ever have a lawn. We're not really lawn people. But if we had one, it would be him.

Who cooks dinner? We both do. If he gets home past 5 or so, then I do it by myself, otherwise we share the responsibility. I'm sure that will change after grad school...

Who is more stubborn? Me, all the way. No contest.

Who kissed who first? Both. It was a total failure.

Who asked who out? Neither, it just kinda happened.

Who proposed? Neither--the conversation in which we decided to date determined that we would also marry. Not really the usual way to go about things, and I don't recommend it, but it ended up working out for us.

Who is more sensitive? Outwardly, he is, because I come from an emotionally retarded family (sorry family, if you read this, but I know you agree...)

Who has more friends? He does, because of all those mission companions

Who has more siblings? Me! I have 13 (6 adopted)! He has a piddly 5.

A Meme

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Not that I know of...
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? I don't remember...probably from a movie, since I'm lame like that, but I always try to hide it...
3.DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Some versions of it, sometimes. My most commonly used one is pretty messy, since I'm always hurrying as I write
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? turkey breast or roast beef
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? yep, two little girls
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? If I were ever able to get myself to open up and talk, I think I would be
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? I used to A LOT, but I'm not sure if I still do. I'll have to ask someone.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yep
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Depends on the circumstances. It feels risky, so, maybe not.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Um...I like lots of them, depending on my mood and the day. Life, Cheerios, Rice Crispies, granola, Chex, etc etc
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Yes. I'm not sure how I measure up now, because I used to be a lot stronger. I'm actually pretty prideful about it.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? vanilla or fudge marble
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? their teeth
15. RED OR PINK? pink (pale)
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? my emotional retardation
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? all of my family--my sisters and sisters-in-law in particular
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? sure, if anyone actually reads it
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? no shoes, light brownish tan fine corduroy pants
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Cheesecake (Yum!)
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The only sounds I hear are all related to the computer
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? probably some pale color, like a pale pink or a pale yellow
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Peter with Uno (Shaklee) deodorant, riparian habitat (cottonwoods lining a stream), gasoline, tennis balls, new shoes, rubber cement, GOOD food
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My friend Brittney
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? It wasn't technically sent to me... but I like the person whose blog it was on who asked me to do it :o)
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? basketball, swimming, gymnastics, ice skating
27. HAIR COLOR? brown
28. EYE COLOR? hazelly bluish gray
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? sometimes, esp. when I go swimming (so, not much recently)
30. FAVORITE FOOD? too many to write them down. It depends on my mood.
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? I LOVE happy endings and I HATE scary movies!
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Munich (with our Clearplay)
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? green
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Spring.
35. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs.
36. FAVORITE DESSERT? ice cream or something citrus-y, or both, like lime sherbet
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? probably nobody
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Katie (no internet right now)
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? The Bread Baker's Apprentice, Sauces, Collapse, Howard's End, Parenting With Love and Logic, Freakonomics, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and Glimpses into the Life and Heart of Marjorie Pay Hinckley--I kid you not. Soon to start Dandelion Wine.
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? no mousepad
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? Did not watch TV
42. FAVORITE SOUND? My kids laughing, a creek nearby, birds chirping, THUNDER and rain
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Either the southern tip of Florida, or Prudhoe Bay, AK (I'm pretty sure Prudhoe Bay, Alaska)
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Not really.
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Greenville, TX
47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? friends, family
48. WHAT TIME IS IT NOW? 8:49pm

Martie's 30 Day Challenge, Feb 1

To see what I'm talking about, read this.

My points for yesterday are pretty abysmal. They will be even worse today though...

personal challenge number: 20
rooms completed: 2 of 6
today's extra focus goal accomplished? yes. Way more items than 40! (I counted 1 point for every fork and spoon...)
focus area for tomorrow: none--it's Peter's birthday and I'm taking the day off

I intend to really get rolling starting on Monday.

Awesome Fabric Project #2

Here are some pics of my latest project with the awesome fabric pieces I picked up for free. (Plus some bias tape, which I had never used before. That stuff is awesome! Who knew! I'm never going back...)

The Dress

The Dress in use

Awesome Fabric Project #1

Here's my first completed project with some of a large amount of awesome designer fabrics I picked up, thanks to the heads up from someone in my ward. I've reeeeeaally been wanting a cool bag, and this fabric was begging for me to make it into one, so, here it is!

Epiphany!

I just realized that light blue jeans are not really in style anymore. Why did it take me so long to realize this?