random rabble

2011-10-14T23:50:00.000-07:00

Trevor decided today that he will be forming a "secret club". Here are the details he shared with me:

The club will consist of eight people; Hailey, Anna, Kozette, Kellan, Will, Thomas, George and Tessa.

The club will meet downstairs, where they will have a sleepover in his closet, except the kids who are small enough to fit under the bed.

They will eat juicy foods, but not crumbly ones (except chips.) Juicy foods are constituted mostly of fruit, and an example of a crumbly food is sandwiches.

I'm not sure why it's secret.

Cute stuff

2011-08-24T01:13:00.000-07:00

Noel's pronunciation of bathroom: bat-yume.

When talking about an event that occurred at any time in the past, she used to say "yesterday." Now she says "tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow."

We went to Goodwill and she held up a plastic piece o' junk and asked "is this half off?"

Trevor has informed me that he wants a stepbrother. He also wants Todd and I to divorce and remarry so he can have two moms and two dads.

I have to tell you something...

2011-06-08T17:22:00.000-07:00

These kids will do anything to drag out bedtime. A drink of water, cover my head, where's special bear? Noel learned from Trevor to say "I have to tell you something." But when you say "what is it?" she says, hmmm. hmmm.

The next day she says, "Trevor, I have to tell you something."

Trevor says, "what?"

She responds "Trevor, I have to tell you something."

Trevor says "You can tell me anything, Noel."

Can I stop relaxing now?

2011-04-29T20:32:00.000-07:00

While Todd is putting the kids to bed (a lengthy process in our house), I have been washing the dishes, picking up toys and books, wiping off tables, folding laundry, etc., and wondering when to stop. The floor still needs sweeped, there's a pot soaking in the sink and some plastic bags to be washed, and once those chores are done, a string of many more awaits.

Reminded me of a funny story so I decided to stop, sit down, and blog.

Last fall, Todd went out of town for a week and a girlfriend of mine came to visit. I thought it would be helpful to have an extra set of hands. It didn't turn out exactly as I expected, as my friend is childless, single, and lives in a hotel where people cook her meals and clean her room. She was far from helpful in the everyday functioning of the home, but I enjoyed the visit and having the company and felt not the least resentful.

Most evenings, after I finally got the kids to bed, I proceeded to do the usual stuff that would normally have been done by the lucky parent that got out of bedtime duty that night. (Just the basics so that 7 am wouldn't roll around with me tripping over toys to get to the coffee, only to find a sinkful of dirty dishes and two kids ready to make another mess. Nothing fancy like cleaning the floor or scrubbing the tub, just enough to keep my sanity.) As I loaded the dishwasher, cleared the tables, and swept up the crumbs, my friend would relax on the couch with a magazine and a glass of wine.

The day came for my friend to go home, and while driving her to the airport, we had the following conversation:

Her (a massage therapist): My friend S_ has messed up priorities. She would rather spend her money on coloring her hair than getting a massage.

Me: Well, I would rather pay someone to clean my house than get a massage. That would be more relaxing for me.

Her: But, Juliette, you clean to relax!

Me: Go f*** yourself.

I didn't really say that. I just laughed. When my very energetic sister came to visit after that, all she did was relax for hours every day. Our house was so clean! But I did have to complain to my mom that all she was doing was relaxing.

My favorite store

2011-04-10T15:39:00.000-07:00

I love Bi-mart. Where else can you buy oil and and oil filter, Yes to Carrots shampoo, organic cotton sheets and ammo for your 22* all at the same store?

*You're right, I don't have a 22, but I'm hoping you get the point. My actual purchase yesterday was as follows: oil, filter, shampoo, conditioner, 22-oz microbrews, peeps, pez dispensers, colloidal oatmeal bath, and honey sticks.

2011-04-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

I've been eating Sunbow Farm's kale every week this spring. The best thing happened yesterday when I made this massaged kale salad with a bunch of the white kale. It has apples, avocadoes, sunflower seeds, and radishes in a lovely lemon-ginger-honey dressing. You must make it!

Blah, blah, blah

2011-04-05T17:17:00.000-07:00

My head is spinning. I tried to start a knitting project no fewer than four times today. Unsuccessful. A dragon would be as big as a giant if they were alive. This parrot is very nice because it's a giant's bird and giants are not nice to dragons. Mom. I think this is a boy parrot. Mom. Do you think this is a boy parrot? Mom! The dragons live in a giant fire pit. They love fiery places. They love fiery places. Mom they love fiery places. Mom I have to tell you something more. They do not like cold and the next reason is they do not like storms. They like fiery places. Mom, remember that time we were at the indoor park and I played ball for a long long time? Mom. The dragons are hopping into their cave. They're eating parrot for dinner.

This is my nonstop talking almost 5-year old. He is still talking. He has been talking since 8 a.m. with a brief break when his friends came to play (thank God for Thomas and Tessa!) and a Berenstain's Bear DVD. He is cheerful but driving me batty. I think next I will try some headphones.

The Best Vegetarian Chili in the Whole Wide World

2011-03-24T19:59:00.000-07:00

Okay, maybe not, but...
From The Bean Bible by Aliza Green

Never actually made this to the exact ingredient, but the hominy (which I've only used canned) seems to be key. As for rutabagas and celery root, hmmm.

This is a huge batch.

1 # dried hominy

1 1/2 cups dry black turtle beans, cooked and drained, or 4 cups canned

1 1/2 cups dry red kidney beans, cooked and drained, or 4 cups canned

8 cups water

4 bay leaves

1/2 cup olive oil

1 # onions, chopped

1 # carrots, diced

1/4 cup chopped garlic

2 28-oz cans chopped tomatoes

1 celery root, diced

1 rutabaga, diced

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

salt & pepper

1/4 cup chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (including sauce)

2 tsp. ground allspice

2 T. dried oregano

2 T. ground toasted cumin

cilantro for garnish

1. In a large bowl soak hominy in water to cover 12 hours

2. Drain, rinse, add to pot with 8 cups water and bay leaves, bring to boil, cover and simmer about 2 hours until firm but cooked through. Or you could just buy canned and skip these steps.

3. Heat olive oil. Add onions and carrots, cook a bit, add garlic, cook a bit, add tomatoes, celery root, rutabaga, simmer about 15 minutes, add squash, simmer 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Add chipotle, allspice, oregano, cumin, beans and hominy. Reduce heat and cook for 2o minutes or until chili is well thickened. Garnish with cilantro.

The author recommends serving this in cooked acorn squash halves, a cute idea that I have never tried. Also, plan on freezing at least half as it is a big batch. Like any chili recipe, this tasted best cooked the day before and reheated.

I hope I don't get sued for copyright infringement. I have no idea what the rules are concerning this but seeing as only two people read this blog, if I get in trouble, I think I can figure out who ratted me out.

By the way, some shredded cheddar or jack cheese and a huge dollop of sour cream wouldn't hurt.

Today's recipes

2011-03-18T17:22:00.000-07:00

I made three recipes today, two from Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book and this Vegetarian Chili from 101 Cookbooks. The bread items are a simple cornbread which is still baking (verdict not out) and "Sea Biscuits" which I would rather call "ship's biscuits". These seemed exciting to me, a kind of cracker made from sprouted wheat berries and rye flour, salt, baking soda, and oil. I also thought my little pirate might enjoy them...they did not go over so great, but I sure had a lot of fun sprouting the wheat!
But I am singing praises for the "chili", to which I had to, had to add celery, which I wouldn't call chili but a hippie stew in mass quantity. Just the thing to bring back last summer (fall, actually, but the sun was shining) and an amazing farm tour I went on, which concluded with live music and a feast of local food and drink. The star of the feast for me was a stew much like the one on my stove, thick with pulses and beans and grains. Anything to remember that, yes, summer DOES exist.
Try it, it's hearty!

Hmmm.

2010-08-14T18:45:00.000-07:00

As our family photos scrolled past on the computer, Trevor spotted this one from Noel's baptism and asked "Is that God?"

Potty capers

2010-07-14T20:35:00.000-07:00

Not that anyone's doing anything serious with it, but I got a potty seat off Craigslist and Noel sits on it sometimes. Yesterday, Trevor was going "#2" on the big toilet and Noel ran into the bathroom, excited to sit on her potty, too. I said to Trevor (from the safe distance of the living room), "teach your little sister how to use the potty." The next comment I heard was Trevor saying "Okay, Noel...SQUEEEEZE!"

Noel's 20 month word list

2010-07-13T20:35:00.000-07:00

mama, dada, madada, done, please (peez), more, eat, butter, cheese, apple, berry (sounds like bey-ee), baby, baba (sheep), boa, no, yeh, uh oh, anna, annie, bubble, pool, bee (means ant), hat, doo-doo (means shoe), poopoo, peepee, night night, hi, bye, star, moon, choo-choo (sounds like too-too), up, high (for swinging), ball, balloon, woof (means dog), bear, egg, nanny (candy) nana (banana), help, MINE!, drive (sounds like dive), bike, aguagua (water), out.

I'm back

2010-06-18T21:22:00.000-07:00

In case anyone is checking my blog every day (for funny stories, new pics of the kids, and product giveaways), here are some funny stories, new and not-so-new pictures, and, sorry, no product giveaways yet.
Nana, you will appreciate this one. Especially since you're probably the only person reading it! We sometimes sing the kids a lullaby that Todd remembers from his infancy, the one about Blanket Bay. Oh, I don't really know all the lyrics, but it begins with being wrapped in a cozy blanket and ends with sailing away to Blanket Bay. One night last week, Trevor and Noel were wired and taking forever to get to sleep (they're sharing a room now so they can really get each other going). One or another of us would have to keep going in and saying go to sleep, time for bed, close your eyes, etc. It was one of those nights when a third parent would've come in handy. I said "get in your boats, it's time to sail to Blanket Bay." Trevor decided it would be a race, and of course his was a speedboat. Fifteen minutes later, Noel was still yelling "mama, mama" so I went in to tuck her back in one last time. Trevor was sleepy but still awake, and as I left the room, he said "I still have not yet found Blanket Bay."
A few pictures from Trevor's birthday. He did a 1/4 mile run in the morning, and celebrated in the afternoon with a few friends. Todd painted the beautiful dragon. For his birthday dinner, he chose "beans, rice and cheese."

I don't know if this is as funny as it is disgusting.

2010-02-05T14:35:00.000-08:00

We have had lots of runny noses around here lately and I said to Noel "go get a tissue." Well, she went straight to the bathroom waste basket, opened the lid, pulled out a soggy wad of used tissue and very proudly wiped her face with it. YUCK.

Birthday Week

2009-11-12T10:58:00.000-08:00

Help! I'm addicted to Ebay!

2009-10-30T21:39:00.000-07:00

...So I've officially added it to "my favorites," my eyes are fogging over from staring at the screen for hours, and although I've only bid on and purchased one item (so far), I'm starting to abbreviate everything (EUC, NIP...) and use words like "webinar" in everyday conversation. I admit it was craigslist for awhile, but it was a kind of drudgery, like an alcoholic compelled to drink two six-packs of Busch every day. Nothing good ever came of it. I haven't even looked at craigslist since this afternoon!
Gotta run, an auction is ending.

Trevor the politician...or maybe used car salesman

2009-10-18T22:12:00.000-07:00

Todd's department at work celebrated its 100th birthday last week and we took the family to a dinner event. The kids behaved very well for the most part. Trevor sat through dinner without too much fidgeting, then it was time for the speeches. The department head (ask Todd for an impersonation of her husky voice if you want a laugh) began the lengthy introductions. Here's how it went: she delivered her punchline, hahaha polite laughter...two beats...Trevor's fake and hearty chuckle (loud) followed by sincere cracking up. And so it went for several minutes. I am just about to fall off my chair thinking about it now.
We did not stay for the speakers.

Date Night

2009-09-24T21:31:00.000-07:00

My apologies for no new pictures; the children are adorable and sweet, but somehow we cannot locate the charger for our camera battery. You'll have to trust me that they're cute. Trevor's latest hobby is making great piles of stuff--toys, books, clothing, framed pictures, pillows--piling it all up and calling it something, like a barricade or something, I'm usually too annoyed by then to care much about the creative process. Although I admit I had to laugh today when he took a painting I recently purchased at a used art sale and stacked it on the piled-up couch and called it the gummer. Noel's favorite activities now involve crawling quickly toward the stairs, chewing on electrical cords, putting shoes in her mouth (she also likes the little white thing from the bottom of the toilet), wrapping my purse strap or any other ribbonlike object around her neck. She wouldn't last twenty minutes on her own. She also loves the baby swing (whew, she's restrained) and makes a happy noise when I ask if she wants to swing. She points at airplanes in the sky and waves at everyone. What a cutie pie.
Last week was our anniversary and we celebrated the beginning of our sixth year together by going out on a date. It works like this: You hire a sitter and leave your children at home while you go do stuff you wouldn't normally do with children. We went out to dinner* and then it was a toss-up between going to home depot to look at flooring samples and taking in a movie. We went with the movie. A movie theater is a series of large rooms filled with soft chairs, and in each room there is a different movie which is projected onto a large screen. Sometimes people eat popcorn and drink pop. I might do it again; it's cheaper than a new floor.
*Dinner out is something you can do with children, but it's usually about getting to the end of the meal so you can leave before your 3 year old asks you to take him to the bathroom for the fourth time. I guess Block 15 does have pretty nice bathrooms. Plus minors aren't allowed in the bar area of Aqua, where you can get a fabulous meal off the happy hour menu, plus two beers for Todd and a weird rooibos-infused cocktail for me (not recommended) for under $30.

Not-so-green Confession

2009-08-21T21:59:00.001-07:00

I love bleach. Yeah, that's right. Good Ole sodium hypochlorite. I don't use it often because I must have heard somewhere that it's not good for kids (or adults) to breathe or ingest it. But now and again my towels get stinky and I can't think of anything else to do but break out the strong stuff. Also, around about January when everyone's got the stomach bug, I get paranoid and go around and bleach all the door handles and such...as if one day of compulsive cleaning will protect us from months of domestic neglect. But still, my kitchen towels have a nice clean bleachy smell right now and none of us barfed in January.
Don't tell me about the eco friendly alternative that works for you...because I have tea tree oil and I have oxiclean (like them both) but sometimes the only thing to do is pull out the big guns.

I can't even catch up now.

2009-08-13T22:12:00.000-07:00

So I'll just summarize and skip ahead. My sister Donna and niece Elizabeth visited for three weeks and helped us move. If anyone needs help moving, I recommend having Donna help you. She also watched the kids a bunch and fed Trevor gelato every day and Noel cheerios. It seems like we did a lot of stuff while they were here, but the time flew by.
Noel has been crawling everywhere and pulling up on stuff and eating lots of food even without any teeth. I'm pretty sure that it's all that sitting and standing that is disrupting her (and my) sleep. Trevor has been saying the funniest things, as usual. The other day as we were walking by our neighborhood cemetery, Todd said "that's where the dead people live." On the way back by, we saw a woman jogging through, and Trevor asked "Is she dead?" The day before that, a baby squirrel fell out of a tree in front of our house. He was really worried about it and fussing over it and then he said "can we have it for dinner?" In case PETA is scanning this blog, I'll have you know we brought the baby to the wildlife rescue center and he's doing well.

The Joys of Camping

2009-07-26T22:25:00.000-07:00

I am shivering beneath a urine-soaked sleeping bag on a poorly inflated air mattress; my toe, which I recently broke by kicking Trevor too hard, is throbbing and my lower back is aching from the rigors of lifting Noel in and out of the pack n play. I'm lying there listening to some yahoos (it sounds like they're about six inches from my head) going on about f-ing this, f-ing that, as they have been going on all night. I went up to Moonshine with my friend Betsy, my two kids, and her three, leaving the men to follow the next day. It took us three hours to just get out of town; what with all the items necessary to stave off children's whining or certain death, we couldn't have squeezed a bottle of valium in her minivan. (Tsk, tsk.) Then we had to set up our tents (at least she had a clue, I could barely comprehend that the blue pole goes in the blue slot, the green one in the green slot), feed kids, put them to bed. So finally, I have no idea what time it was, I'm lying in the tent, hoping baby Noel won't wake up for the nineteenth time (I don't think she's a fan of camping; either that or her ears were freezing off). I am planning my elaborate, early escape from the trip, and willing morning to come so the nightmare will end. I could've kept smiling, even with the loud rednecks and infants, the aches and discomforts and aromas, but for one thing that pushed me right over the edge: the tent was positioned in such a way that the restroom light on a motion sensor shone directly in my eye.
Moonshine, never again.

Sharing a room...

2009-07-07T20:29:00.000-07:00

We had planned on the kids eventually sharing a bedroom, which seems like a good idea for many reasons. I've heard they sleep better together (not as lonely) and it is nice to free up another room for guests or as a playroom or office. But it so happens we are doing it a lot sooner than is ideal. Here's a brief recap:
Night One: Went very well, once both babies were asleep. Getting them asleep was rough.
Night Two: Both were up way too late, one wouldn't let the other settle in. Noel slept fitfully, waking up several times, crying for a length of time, insisting on being carried around and nursed like a newborn, but this did not rouse Trevor at all. I don't understand how he could sleep through the racket, but sleep he did. I don't think she was having trouble because it's a new room (same crib, etc.); I suspect teeth coming in or some other irritation. That was a terrible night's sleep for all of us except Trevor.
Night Three (tonight): It is 8:30 and all's quiet. There was a small fuss when Trevor noisily crashed in. Having had no nap, he was not as rowdy as usual.

Major Update

2009-07-04T20:49:00.000-07:00

Oops! I have been neglecting my loyal (although silent) readers. We have been busy enjoying summer, kicking off with Trevor's third birthday, which we celebrated at Avery park with a pirate party. Next I guess it was Father's day, and a few hot days of summer which I did not take pictures of. Mixed up in the middle of all this is buying & selling houses which so far has involved reams of paperwork arriving daily, most of which is for some reason in a foreign language. The gist of the ones I managed to decipher is mostly to obtain a signature acknowledging the receipt of some or another legal document. We will probably need a few extra boxes to move all the papers to the new house. Finally, today is the Fourth of July and once again I didn't take any pictures, but I assure you the kids were all decked out in red white and blue.

2009-05-24T21:27:00.000-07:00

We're kicking around selling our house and buying a new one and it is stressing me out. My mind is coming up with really weird stuff, like I just closed my eyes for a moment and saw our and our friends' places as they would fall on a monopoly board, where we are the light blue property, one set of friend are red, another set is green (the rich friends, because we don't socialize with anyone on boardwalk or park place.) It's a creepy and weird sort of comparison, one that is not discussed or considered, but what can I say? It just popped into my head.

Hobbies

2009-05-17T21:40:00.000-07:00

Trevor's latest greatest hobby is throwing objects, usually at people. Seeing as I'm the "people" he's around most, I'm usually the target. Today it was a softball (not so soft! No warning!). Yesterday as I sat on the lawn with Noel, he threw a small radio flyer wagon at us. Luckily his aim was off.
Noel, on the other hand, has the sweet new hobby of sitting. Yeah, that's it, just sitting there and watching various objects whiz by, and occasionally falling gracefully forward onto her face. She's all arms and legs now: When I pick her up from her crib after a long sleep, it's like a giant beetle with four waving kicking rowing legs.
Amazingly, Noel has not been hit by any of Trevor's wild throws. If she did, I can imagine just what he'd say: "What happened to she?"

That's My Man!

2009-05-15T20:32:00.000-07:00

This morning, shortly after Todd left for work, Trevor said "I want to bike to work like Daddy." Need I say more?

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2009-05-09T21:37:00.000-07:00

When I grow up and blog for a living-you know, ads and that-maybe I'll have a garden blog. I need an idea for a catchy name, though, something with roots or green or sprout in the title.
My first entry will be about garden themes. Not color schemes like purple and yellow, or hot or cool; not dull themes like butterfly garden, white garden (der, that's a color) night, cottage, native, drought tolerant, shade garden. No, it will be about themes that evoke the specific feeling of the garden or the intent of the designer. For example, the present theme of our front yard border is "Romp Freely." (How's that for a blog name, eh?). After ripping out a succession of beautiful, ill-mannered plants--yarrow, snowberry, fennel to name just a few still crashing the party--I unsuccessfully amended the theme: Romp Freely, with Restraint. I guess that doesn't work. Today, as I almost broke my shovel excavating a gorgeous Cape Fuchsia (phygelius for you fellow latin snobs), I came up with another one: Casual Restraint. I'm still working on exactly what that means, but I'm pretty sure it should be pronounced through clenched teeth.
Here are some other ideas to start the list, which I ask you, my faithful readers, to complete: Unbridled Optimism, Zonal Denial, Perpetual Motion, Too Much Festuca (insert other words, Too Much Centranthus, Too Many Irises, etc.), Lazy Hippies, Perfect Symmetry, Cottage Kitsch, benign neglect. What is YOUR garden theme now, and what will it be tomorrow?

Updates on the kids

2009-04-18T21:41:00.000-07:00

One of the books we checked out of the library on our latest visit is about Pirate Pete. Trevor loves it and we've read it at least ten times in the past two days. Pete and his parrot are following the sound of thunder to find the magical Seafairy Sapphire...the thunder booms again, and Pete picks up his pace. At this point in the story, Trevor asks me, "where's his pace?"
I was corrected this week on my pronunciation. Trevor's friend Anna cannot pronounce s-blends, so they come out as a p. He picked up a toy at her house and asked, what's this? Anna replied, it's a pider. I repeated, oh, it's a spider. And Trevor said, no, it's a pider!
It is amazing the things he repeats. His language is growing more and more descriptive and he loves to get in conversations with strangers anywhere we go. Today we went to the earth day procession of the species parade and saw lots of cool costumes of mythical and real creatures. I think he loved the seahorse most because he just learned about them in Pirate Pete and it was a big, beautiful creation. We stopped at the coop on the way home and he was talking about it with someone in line, who said it was big, and he corrected them, and said it was GIANT.
Noel is growing by leaps and bounds, but it is much less obvious. She is really starting to recognize her family. When she wakes up in the morning, she coos and talks in her crib until I go pick her up (unless I wait too long, then she yells), and she always has a big smile when she sees me. She's making a lot more varied sounds, like squeals and screeches, and is very ticklish with the silliest little laugh. She can roll from her back to tummy, but only to the left and when she's feeling very motivated. She grabs everything now and passes stuff back and forth and puts it in her mouth and is totally bored with all the dumb baby toys we have.

Yummers. Cookies!

2009-04-09T14:10:00.000-07:00

The only thing I've eaten today is about a dozen of these yummy cookies I whipped up using a recipe from one of my favorite food blogs, http://tiny-morsels.blogspot.com/. (Note: there are probably thousands of way better food blogs out there, but I have no idea how to find them.) I changed the recipe slightly based on ingredients on hand (I don't stock rice flour and I didn't feel like grinding up any oats), but I have to say that this recipe is a godsend for vegans who are missing their tollhouse chocolate chip cookies...yummy and buttery but without the butter. Trevor liked them, too.

1 cup (256 g) tahini

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (120 ml) pure maple syrup or (168 g) agave nectar

1/4 cup (48 g) raw sugar

Zest of a big (organic, preferably) orange, about 2 heaping teaspoons, or same amount of lemon zest

1/2 cup (40 g) ground oats (I used hazelnut meal)

1/2 cup (80 g) brown rice flour(I used whole wheat)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 cup (88 g) nondairy semisweet chocolate chips (I used minis and I don't think they were nondairy.)

2009-02-23T14:02:00.000-08:00

I will eventually post more pictures!

Carseat Woes

2009-02-18T15:02:00.000-08:00

Anytime she's in the carseat, Noel is either crying or sleeping. Trevor says "I don't like that noise." Today he wanted me to "calm her off." I don't think it's legal to do that while driving.

The Economic Conditions

2009-02-07T20:59:00.000-08:00

The front door of a business establishment I recently visited displayed a handwritten sign that announced that they would be open only Thursday through Sunday due to these economic times. I don't know the technical word for this (any logicians out there, help me out!), but I sense that it involves some sort of fallacy. I have been noticing this a lot, what with these economic times and all; assigning blame to a general condition where direct causality can't really be established. True, some small part of the "economic times" may have adversely affected their business, but, really, is it the whole thing? It's kind of like blaming "the weather" when a tornado rips the roof off your house.

"You can't have too many."

2009-02-05T20:05:00.000-08:00

So says this woman who now has 18 kids and is ready to keep going. All I'm saying is, men named Jim Bob probably should at least keep it in the single digits.
Don't get me started on these octuplets and the nutty doctor who ivf'd a woman who already had six kids. Six seems like plenty for a single mom living with her parents. Isn't Ethics 101 a required class in medical school? The whole thing is just too nutty. If they have a reality tv show, I cannot in good conscience watch it--my intense fascination notwithstanding.

Junk food is mercury-laden!

2009-01-29T16:29:00.000-08:00

I saw an ad in Martha Stewart Living Magazine attempting to dispel the "myth" that high fructose corn syrup makes you fat. Well, I don't know about that, I'm sure it makes you just as fat as sugar, and now it seems that almost half of hfcs-containing processed foods contain levels of mercury above the "safe" threshold. http://fanaticcook.blogspot.com/2009/01/theres-mercury-in-high-fructose-corn.html

2009-01-25T18:39:00.001-08:00

I like this blog: http://tiny-morsels.blogspot.com/
Some good kid-friendly recipes. I made the golden coconut rice (with slight alterations) and it was a hit. I might try out the morning glory muffins, too, if I ever get the ingredients together.

Kids do say funny things!

2009-01-21T20:03:00.000-08:00

I just realized that some pretty entertaining words and sayings come out of Trevor's mouth, and I'm not writing them down so I keep forgetting them. Maybe someday I'll start writing them on actual paper, but until then, I'm putting ones I can remember in here.
One day he warned a young friend, as he was pretending to build a fire with some random objects in the living room, to "get away from the hotness."
He's actually perfected the pronunciation of crocodile now, but he used to say "croco-idle."
More later, whenever I think of them! Share yours here.

Good Baby

2008-12-11T13:40:00.000-08:00

Can you tell these babies apart?

I have been such a lame blogger lately, and my following has probably dropped off. Of course I'm using the newborn as my excuse...for everything! However, I must say she is a good baby.

Certain people like to ask if your baby is a good one. Is it a trick question? I don't know. I guess it's kind of like "how are you?", a sort of pleasantry to which you are expected to answer with one of a few stock phrases. Well, yes, she is a good baby...she sleeps, she wakes up, she poops and pees, and sometimes she eats.

Now for the Results...

2008-11-11T11:09:00.001-08:00

Check out day one at

http://picasaweb.google.com/tntpics1/Noel#

Live! Labor Update! Adult Material!

2008-11-09T02:21:00.000-08:00

Shoot! I forgot all that breathing stuff which never really worked the last time anyway...excuse me for a minute...okay...oh and I should qualify the post title with "maybe." Except that I've been having perfectly spaced contractions for the past three hours...perfectly spaced meaning when lying in bed and trying to sleep, just as I almost drift off, along comes another. Just as I convince myself they'll stop and restart at a more convenient hour, along comes another. So I've given up on sleep for now.
What I wanted to take up with you is this natural chilbirth thing. uhhhhhhh. Cleansing breath. What in the heck? How can I get an IV drip of Stadol at my house? I don't particularly want to go to the hospital at 2:30 a.m. only to get monitored and prodded and such, but I sure could use the drugs, and maybe I could hit the tub too. Actually I would feel kind of silly going in with contractions 6 minutes apart. But what are you natural people thinking? How did you do it? I am not cut out for this kind of.......................................................................................................................................discomfort, even though I now must brag that my midwife used the word beautiful to describe my pelvis. Maybe she even said perfect. C'mon, how many of you ladies have a PERFECT pelvis?

Random update

2008-11-03T19:30:00.000-08:00

I like to have yogurt in the house so Trevor can eat it...mostly so he can ask for it since I love the way he says it, almost like someone's name: "Yo-Gret."
Pillows are the best toys for two year-olds.
Our baby still hasn't come out, although last night it seemed like he/she wanted to.
Halloween was super fun...we trick or treated just a little in the neighborhood, and it was plenty, then had some snacks over at the Dasenkos'...it was nice to not drive anywhere, and the best thing was that Trevor forgot about all the loot he collected by the next morning, so Todd and I kept sneaking it all day. Here's the pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/tntpics1/HorrorWeen#

Lots of Pictures

2008-10-17T22:23:00.000-07:00

Click here for lots of photos I'm too lazy to add to this blog.
http://picasaweb.google.com/tntpics1/SpringToFall02#5257997202415824034

Various post ideas...

2008-10-07T22:06:00.000-07:00

I keep thinking of really hot topics, then by the time I sit down with the computer, forget what they are. My brain isn't functioning and I pretty much just knit and watch The Office on Netflix whenever I get to sit down. I can't read above the level of Sunset magazine. The hormones must be making me stupid, because I haven't been drinking beer or stealing percosets.
The weird side-effect of crazy third trimester hormones (or whatever is making me feel weird side-effects and write sentences like this one) is a sense of humor gone off-color and surprisingly morbid. Things that normally would not merit a chuckle are suddenly hilarious.
On a random note and because I want to be sure to overuse the word "random," I truly realized the error of my ways today when Trevor said, as we walked down Monroe past the bus depot, "What's that fat worker guy doing?" I guess I should've chosen a gentler word to describe my current condition.

I lost the list

2008-09-24T22:02:00.000-07:00

I decided to get organized and keep my house tidy, so I made a list of weekly chores (clean bathroom, clean kitchen, wash sheets, wash floors, etc.) and assigned each a day of the week...sort of a flylady-inspired act. Well it was all going just great until I lost the list. I don't want to do the wrong chore on the wrong day! I'm going back to my original premise, that if your house is TOO clean, you probably aren't having enough fun.

First Day of Preschool

2008-09-13T21:32:00.000-07:00

I am excited about having two mornings a week toddler-free, and Trevor is thrilled so far with Sandcastle preschool and his teachers. He is in a class with six other boys and no girls! Here are a few shots I got of Trevor, Oliver and George on their first day. You'd think I would have been all choked up, but really I was fine. I have to admit, however, that I did miss the entertainment he provides.

Third Annual Coast Camping Trip.

2008-09-13T21:17:00.000-07:00

I am just now getting around to posting a few pictures from our camping trip at South Beach last month. Enjoy the pics, I don't have much to say about it except it was a good time. Trevor's finally big enough to run with the pack.

Encounters with nice people

2008-09-07T22:19:00.000-07:00

Now comes the squishy feel-good part of my blog...it doesn't happen very often, so enjoy it while you can (or skip this one and wait for the return of the usual sarcasm.)
Trevor and I were out at Radke's, our favorite local blueberry picking spot, and were just leaving when an older gentleman smiled very kindly upon the sight of my protruding belly. "When are you due?", he asked, to which I replied November. "Well you look beautiful. We had a lot of kids and I always thought my wife looked beautiful when she was pregnant." He said this in such a nice grandfatherly way, not pervy or anything.
"Oh, how many kids do you have?" I had to ask.
"Eleven living," he replied. I told him I was one of eight, so I couldn't imagine having an only child. Then he said something startling. "My wife was one of forty-seven."
Well, that sort of shut down the conversation for me, not out of disgust or judgement or anything, I think I just had to let that figure register without delving anymore into the hows and whys of it. Although thinking on it, I'm sure there were multiple wives (oh my, I sure hope so!)
Getting back to my point, though...I'm getting to the complainy stage of this pregnancy (I feel like a sausage, I've got enough extra rolls to feed a family of eleven, my glute hurts, I burp eighty times a day, none of my bras fit, etc, etc.) and I've been a real grumbler even though heavier times are yet to come, with two more months to grow and grouch. I always admire women who can pull it off, manage to make pregnancy look like a fashion statement, but I tend to dwell too much on the negatives when it's actually kind of cool to have a little creature hitching a ride everywhere. So I have decided not to complain to anyone except my ob/midwives and maybe occasionally the husband since he had a little to do with my current condition, and if people want to remark upon my beautiful glow, I will embrace the compliments. So, go ahead, bring on the praise. (Pictures of my gorgeous belly later on this blog, ha ha, not really.)

Trevor's New Faves

2008-09-02T21:28:00.000-07:00

1. The usual toddler stuff: doing everything himself, from start to finish...which isn't usually a problem, but sometimes (often) I need to get to the toilet FAST and he's still insisting on unbuckling himself, opening the car door himself, climbing out of the car, walking towards the house, etc., etc., which makes me question the wisdom of not having a porto-potty in the driveway. NO, but a with a slightly more sophisticated delivery now...I say we're going to the post office, he says "I want to NOT go to the post office." He was very anxious on a recent trip when I said we were going to go through a tunnel: "I want to NOT go through a tunnel," he kept repeating, until finally we drove through the tunnel and he was relieved "It's not dark in there!"
2. Singing songs and reciting nursery rhymes...he even has a chant that I'm pretty sure he invented; it goes something like "sobber nobber tops!" I am not allowed to recite it; maybe I'm not saying it right? Does anyone know that one? He loves "bah bah black sheep..." and will recite it from start to finish, and today I had to repeat the old woman living in the shoe about 12 times.
3. Asking me a million questions about people we see walking down the street. What's that guy doing? Where him going? Where him live? Where him hat? Him worker guy?

Where's Waldo 100k Aid Station Report

2008-08-19T21:33:00.000-07:00

We helped Todd's running bud Scott man the aid station at Charlton Lake for this year's Waldo run, which took place Saturday. Well, I should say that Todd helped by filling runners' water bottles, Trevor helped by spritzing runners and ringing a metal bell with the Sunsweet logo on it (which he clocked himself upside the head with at one overzealous moment, leaving a black bruise), and I helped by sitting in a camping chair and occasionally pretending to keep Trevor from becoming yet another trip hazard for the beleaguered runners. We also organized the signage, which hinted as to the theme of the aid station (wow, I never knew aid stations had themes! I thought the theme was get some water and maybe some m&m's or an IV here), which was "California Surfin'." Note that I say "organize," since it will be clear from the varying creative styles that it was a collaborative effort. The aid station actually did offer cold beer, but it seemed like most people kept their clothes on.

All in all, it was a fun weekend, despite the mosquitoes and those pesky runners who insisted on disrupting our peaceful lakeside retreat with their demands for gu2o (whatever that is) and ibuprofen and stuff. My favorite part of the whole trip actually occurred the evening before the run when a thruhiker on the PCT by the name of Dogwood sat and chatted with us for an hour or two, ate a piece of the blueberry-blackberry pie we brought (now that's an appreciative audience for fresh homemade food!), and asked if the ultrarunners were part of some kind of jogging club! HA! That strikes my funnybone. From now on, when people ask about my hubby's hobby, I'm calling it jogging.

Dinosaurs

2008-08-17T17:37:00.000-07:00

Long before he was ready to play with them, I bought Trevor a really cool set of dinosaurs from the Cat's Meow thrift store. Probably one of the best $10 purchases I've ever made...he now loves playing with them just about every day. They are scale models with the name and size stamped on the belly, from the British museum of natural history. He is always asking us their names, and unless it's brontosaurus I invariably have to flip them over and read the name...and now, he knows names of dinosaurs that I've never even heard of (like mamenchisaurus, pictured above, and iguonodon.) Valuable information for a two-year old, I'm sure.

My lovely birth experience, with few details included

2008-08-13T23:03:00.000-07:00

I have an admission to make. I recently realized that before I gave birth to Trevor, I had an idealized and very unrealistic image of labor. I was disappointed when we got to the hospital, rushed to labor & delivery, and the nurse checked me and said I could start pushing (which I actually had already started doing, in the elevator with my entirely cool and collected husband and the orderly who was frantically and repeatedly punching the 4th floor button.) Oh, yes, I was relieved of course that the end was near, but I was disappointed that there would be no time for the whirlpool bath. My idea (although it has taken me two years to admit it to myself) was that I would be relaxing in the tub, lounging in the jets, with the occasional interruption in the form of a mild contraction which I would gently breathe through with a look of focused determination on my unwrinkled brow, only to immediately melt back into a sea of dreamlike serenity. Hmmm, it wasn't exactly like that, but I'm sure that's only because I didn't get in the whirlpool bath soon enough.

United Airlines can kiss my patookiss*.

2008-08-04T21:53:00.000-07:00

It's getting really expensive to fly anywhere. You have to pay to check your bags, and to drink water or eat pretzels; it'll cost you to watch the movie or listen to music, too. This is not a joke: you now have to rent the pillows and blankets (I had always considered those a nuisance; I didn't realize people actually use them!)
A friend of mine who works for a major airline (no names will be mentioned) filled me in on a recent upper management meeting in which budget recovery strategies were discussed. (S)he assures me that on the very next flight any of us board, several new fees will be in place. They are, as I'm writing this, installing coin-operated locks on the bathroom doors. (Don't buy the water! There's laxatives in it!) First class customers, of course, will be given tokens upon boarding.
Go ahead and lower that tray table, but keep in mind, it's going to cost you $3. Recline your seat? Sure, but bring lots of quarters to feed the recliner regulator. Need air or want to turn the reading light on? More quarters!
As they've already gotten away with so much, the airline has decided to stop worrying about offending people and weigh suspiciously large people, charging them an additional $10 per pound over a certain weight.
The in-flight magazine and Skymall will still be free for your perusal, but if you do any of the puzzles, there will be a charge, and as for Skymall, a minimum purchase will be required--read the fine print on your e-ticket!

*Spellcheck, anyone?

The Nesting...

2008-07-29T22:20:00.000-07:00

Is starting early this time around. I have been spending too much time reading the "extreme minimalism" posts of my current favorite blog, http://unclutterer.com/ , and just a little time digging through closets and making piles of stuff to take to the thrift store (or at least to the garage.) But I do feel these spurts and they could add up if we have a few more cloudyish days like today.
For example, among my small decluttering projects of the day...pulling all the towels out of our linen cabinet (it does not qualify as a closet) and asking the question...how many towels does a house need? I guess if you're Martha Stewart you need a roomfull for your fifty close friends who show up for an impromptu pool party. But I'll be the first to admit that I don't even know fifty people, and I don't have a pool. I actually hit the web to seek out the answer to this question. Unfortunately, I couldn't find Martha's answer; but I did find one site that claims you need a minimum of two bath towels, two washcloths, two guest towels, and two fingertip towels per person, plus an extra set per bathroom or something like that. They also had important information about monogramming.
I finally decided the proper number of towels is the number that fills two shelves in the closet and piled the rest in the garage, to either pass along or save to wipe up spills. Then the question arose...how many of these such "dog towels" does a garage need? I have not researched that yet.
Just so you know, our linen cabinet now holds nine bath towels, two beach towels, five washcloths (does not include baby washcloths), and three hand towels, none of them properly monogrammed. What the heck is a guest towel or a fingertip towel, anyway? Who cares?

2008-07-22T22:20:00.000-07:00

I just spent the week with some kooky people. They seem normal enough, they look like regular joes (most of them anyway), and you wouldn't guess it from looking at them, but these folks have a very strange habit of running one hundred miles. In a row, like in one day...actually, a day and a night.
Sometimes, when I have to be at work for more than six hours, I have this weird feeling...I'm still here. Life goes on, and I'm still doing this thing that I've been doing for hours. I love sleeping for stretches of ten or more hours, but that's the only thing I want to do for such a long period.
What blows my mind is...I'm sitting here on the couch counting the minutes until bedtime while my hubby, who ran 100 miles with a 15,000' elevation gain over the weekend, is fiddling around in the kitchen, making homemade ravioli! What blows my mind is...he's walking around like a normal person, he isn't limping or moaning or complaining. His biggest complaint (well, besides the unmentionable chafing that one is likely to experience) is that his lips are chapped.
Here are some pictures for you to look at from our trip to Tahoe...more on that later, if I get the chance...
http://picasaweb.google.com/tntpics1/2008_0721Tahoe

New obsessions

2008-07-10T15:52:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed that overweight people are always drinking Diet Coke or not eating any carbs between binges? In the same manner, I am always dropping loads of junk off at the thrift store only to fill the empty space with more junk from another thrift store, always trying to reduce the clutter, but somehow attracting more clutter. Why is it that when you see a house with the American flag hanging in the window as a curtain, there is always a pile of old tables, empty pots and plastic toys on the front stoop? Am I junky? Should I go ahead and hang that flag, or should I clean off the porch? Why do I have a vintage red phone--yes, a rotary phone--whose ringer doesn't work? Why am I so attached to certain kitchen utensils (gadgets) that I use once a year? These questions led me to add this new link to my favorites: http://unclutterer.com/
That's one obsession. Another one I have already mentioned: that is my clothesline. I can't do anything this afternoon until I go to Bimart and get MORE clothesline and MORE clothespins!

Early July Update

2008-07-08T22:18:00.000-07:00

We had a fun 4th. First, we spent the morning pruning, shovelling, weeding and filling our yard debris bin. Then our friend Sara came over and made us a delicious salad for lunch. Later, we headed to Betsy & Mark's house for a barbecue. Trevor lived the dream, swimming naked in the (kiddie) pool with four scantily clad ladies. Two hours after Trevor's official bedtime, we went and watched the fireworks from the OSU botany farm. They lasted all of 10 minutes. Trevor enjoyed the first few that the kids were setting off before the official show started, but he would not budge from my lap and after the first shrieking loud one, he announced "I all done." He also said "I want to sit in the car," but I pretty much ignored his discomfort and forced him to stay. He didn't seem too traumatized. I don't know what people mean by overtired, because if you just push it three hours past bedtime, it does the trick. It took him about 3 seconds to go to sleep...maybe I'll start keeping him up til 11 every night!
Just in time for the summer heat, I finally got our clothesline hung up in the backyard, and I love it! I love hanging the clothes out, I love that I'm not running the dryer, I love the stiff feeling they get, and the fresh outdoor smell.
Our yard and our house are being overtaken by box elder beatles. I heard that the only solution is to move.

Garden Dreams

2008-07-03T21:14:00.000-07:00

I am so thankful for the garden on days like this:
We have just returned home from an eight day trip. There is nothing in the fridge but a dubious jar of tomato sauce and a whole bunch of condiments. The cupboard is bare save for a some dried grains and flour. The last thing I want to do is go to a grocery store. So I pull up a couple carrots, harvest some sugar snap peas, and send Trevor outside to snack on raspberries, strawberries and blueberries while I cook up the goods in a pot of quinoa. Only Todd can reach the precious cherries that have ripened in our absence.
Mind you, our garden is far from extravagant. My vision in spring is immense. We have Japanese eggplant, four kinds of basil, rows and rows of carrots, onions, leeks, seven different kinds of greens, not to mention lettuces, a succession of broccoli, squashes, cucumbers, yard long beans, pole beans, fat heirloom tomatoes, tomatillos, cilantro, sweet and hot peppers, potatoes, you name it...I have long pored over the seed catalogs picking just the varieties we need. Hmmm, something seems to happen when it comes time to plant. Seed packets are forgotten under piles of bills. Babies require nursing. Vegetable starts wither in their pots. Weeds choke the garlic and the leeks are forgotten.
Still, we manage to plant a few things (always tomatoes, and spinach that bolts before I can summon a taste for it.) The peas topple over the inadequate structure we've cobbled together, smothering the carrots and lettuces. The raspberries invade the beds and I don't have the heart (or can't find the gloves) to rip them out. I never stake the tomatoes and they lay rotting on the ground. We leave town. It's not hot enough, it's too hot, it's raining, it's not raining. Trevor pulls up rows of onions and eats all the green blueberries.
But, still, with a maximum of dreaming and a bare minimum of effort (why didn't I plant cucumbers, dang it?), somehow there is a harvest of something. And this undeserved bounty starts the cycle over again...if I try just a wee bit harder next year, the garden of my dreams will bloom exponentially.

2008-07-01T22:05:00.000-07:00

We had a fun and sun-filled trip to Jackson Hole, stopping along the way to visit friends Scott, Emily and the one-year old Miles in Logan, Utah. We did some camping, some swimming, a little bit of sightseeing, a lot of driving, and almost killed Trevor in the Wallowas by cooking in triple digits. Driving through Idaho on 84, we hit a huge dust storm with sustained winds of 25 mph and 65 mph gusts. A tailwind like that really helps the gas mileage.

Our first stop was to visit the Holtmillers in Logan in their beautiful house. I have never seen such an agreeable, mellow baby. I can't figure out where those traits came from, because neither parent exhibits them to any degree (tee-hee!) Logan is very nice but you can't buy beer on Sunday. They happen to have the best, hugest aquatic center I've ever seen (okay, so I've only seen three) with an amazing panoramic view of the Wasatch mountains (I think.) On the way northeast to Jax, we stopped at the northernmost tip of Bear Lake and played on the beach for hours. The picture to the left is not Bear Lake, but a scene from much later in the trip, and I can't remember the name of that particular reservoir right now, but it was very pleasant as well.
Jackson, while Todd was cooped up in meetings (when he wasn't running up Snowking mountain), Trevor and I strolled around taking in the touristy sights. Trevor especially enjoyed the bison ("Him have wheels. Him big.") and the various bear sculptures about town. We also caught part of a rodeo. Our other fun pastime was swimming in the motel pool.
As for the long drive back, I have to say "thank you Elmo."

It's summer, sort of.

2008-06-19T22:17:00.000-07:00

We have had a busy week with Uncle Raymond visiting. Monday he went with Todd and some of his buds to climb Mt. Hood...pictures of that to come when I'm not as pressed for time. And of our beautiful new front door, installed by the mountaineers Raymond and Todd. We went to a Corvallis Knights baseball game tonight and Trevor only just went to bed, after 10. It was a fun time, inexpensive family entertainment, and there's even beer. Trevor was obsessed with the mascot, Mac the Knight, pretty freaked out at first but once he realized "him happy" warmed up a little to him. Still, he wanted to know exactly where he was at all times. I'm not sure if he even realized there was actually a ball game going on.
Tomorrow we head off on a big adventure first to briefly visit Scott, Emily and Miles in Logan, Utah, then on to Jackson, Wy., where Todd will be presenting a talk at a plant pathology meeting and Trevor and I will be enjoying the beautiful scenery and wandering around the town. I have not packed a thing, but I think I'll just wait until the last minute and throw some stuff in the car and start driving down the road.

2008-06-07T15:14:00.000-07:00

I came across this in the news today:

Watermelon auctioned for $6,100 in Japan
Record-breaking sale comes after a pair of cantaloupes sold for $23,500

TOKYO - A black jumbo watermelon auctioned in northern Japan fetched a record $6,100 Friday, making it the most expensive watermelon ever sold in the country — and possibly the world.

Check out the whole article:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24997464/?GT1=43001

Wow! There are many things about Japanese culture that I have trouble understanding, but this I can admire. Now I don't feel so bad about having consumed about $30 worth of organic grapes in the past week. I don't suppose anyone's looking for some really fancy rhubarb?

The Next Blog

2008-06-05T19:07:00.000-07:00

My sister really wants me to be a food writer and sell articles to magazines. I'm all for that! I thought a good start would be to set up a foodie blog (like a million other foodie blogs) to at least get some practice, then I could started raking in some coins. Well, maybe I'll just put the food stuff on this one for now since I'm too lazy to start a new one.
Trevor is walking around on the ceiling and walls and spinning around in circles, some of his favorite postprandial activities. I don't mind as long as I'm out of the puke zone. He's so dizzy he's falling down but he's demanding more. His favorite word today is NO.
So back to the food thing. For a while I was not much enjoying cooking, eating or thinking about food, and most especially not enjoying the smell of food, but I am relieved to report that I've moved past that and into the Weight Gain phase. I was talking food last night with the girls at ladies' night out, and someone mentioned rhubarb crisp. So tonight I made a rhubarb crisp and gobbled it up with ice cream. I've never grown rhubarb before, but some friends of ours dug a plant up for us last fall. We left it out in the cold in a plastic Safeway bag all winter, then found the dried up root ball a couple months ago and, miraculously, it was not dead. We planted it and it's just as happy as can be now. Such indifference to neglect! I admire this plant and yet I am...suspicious. While I do not have an overabundance, I'm beginning to divine the reason that people with blogs always ask their readers, zucchini-esquely, what to do all that rhubarb. I am not asking that, because as far as I'm concerned, nothing can top a simple rhubarb crisp made with fresh ginger, topped with vanilla ice cream. Unless your idea is AMAZING.
Incidentally, I saw some organically grown rhubarb (why would you ever need chemicals, except maybe to get rid of it?) at the coop for like 2.99 a pound or something. Maybe I should become a rhubarb farmer, now that's a lazy person's crop.

What will I complain about now?

2008-06-04T19:02:00.000-07:00

Hi. Thanks for the comments, Lacey and Anonymous Aunt. (I wonder who you are.) Whoo hoo! I have readers! I guess I'll have to find something else to complain about. Any ideas?

Happy Second Birthday, Trevor.

2008-06-03T15:28:00.000-07:00

We invited a few of Trevor's buddies over for pizza and cupcakes to celebrate his 2nd birthday. We wanted to keep it as simple as possible so we decided to make pizza instead of ordering it. No, actually, I just could not think of a good place to order pizza from! By the way, the cupcakes are definitely from a box.

Yesterday, a giant box arrived filled with toys from Grandma. Trevor is playing with his little people barn and fire engine (I think the barn is on fire!), and he keeps saying "Save my Huckle!," a line out of What Do People Do All Day. I hid away two of the toys for a rainy day, and am hoping he doesn't take to this really cool orange, yellow and black plush snake so I can keep it for myself.

Hot Chocolate or Iced Tea?

2008-06-03T15:26:00.000-07:00

It is one of those days where I can't figure out if I should drink something cold, or something hot. Should I make soup for dinner, or break out the barbecue? Sunny one moment, cloudy and windy the next.

The Sleep Struggle

2008-05-29T14:07:00.000-07:00

I was never able to put Trevor down as a baby and let him cry himself to sleep. It just seemed too sad! This is not a judgement of those who successfully stayed that course; On the contrary, you brave and strong people have accomplished something quite impressive! And I'm betting that your two-year-olds can put themselves to sleep. Mine sometimes falls asleep almost instantly, with mommy or daddy sitting next to his bed, and sometimes he goofs off and plays games with us for an hour. Maybe he's not tired?

I am writing about this at 2:15 p.m., after finally having left him in his room still awake and goofing off. He protested mildly, but so far I haven't heard another peep. Is he asleep? I don't know, but it would be a miracle.

He's asleep! It is a miracle!

New blogging leaf

2008-05-26T22:35:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's right, I am turning over a new leaf (for now) and trying to keep up with this blog thing. So make sure you scroll down and look at the new photos I added.
I'm torturing myself by staying up late, but I'm hoping it will pay off at 3 a.m. The scenario has been this: Trevor coughs (his room is very close to ours) then goes right back to sleep, I get up to pee (about half an ounce) then can't go back to sleep for over an hour. The best solution would be to get up and knit but I'm at a stubborn standstill with my project right now, a dumb mistake that I don't feel like fixing; I must avoid the knitting basket at all costs. Does anyone have a copy of Remembrance of Things Past? That could help.
Oh, hey, I realized too how liberating it is to finally realize that like three people this thing. So I don't have to worry about blathering on and on. I can live the philosophy major's dream! Not that I ever was a student of philosophy, but I think I could be good at it. I remember a friend of mind (no names mentioned, just in case my readership suddenly explodes) who studied philosophy in college, and conversations with him were a hoot! Or I guess the word monologue would be more accurate. He would (and I am not exaggerating!) go into a sentence saying one thing, then talk and talk and finally come out the other end of the (extremely long and poorly structured) sentence on the complete opposite end his original statement! It was pretty amazing. He had a tendency to drive some people insane, but I found him entertaining, so I can hope for that here too. Most of you will stop reading, but some of you will be sucked into the intricate maze of my sleep-deprived brain.
Now I can talk about something else. Entirely unrelated! You don't have to comment!!!
I am enjoying one particular aspect of Trevor's development right now, with the full realization that it can't last. It is that I can give him two choices, both of which work for me, and he will happily choose one. Oh I feel so clever! For example, if I'm trying to get him to go from point A to point B in a timely manner (like into my house when I'm about to wet my pants in the driveway) I ask "do you want me to carry me, or do you want to walk?" His answer is "I walk." And he does it! He is not yet aware of the third option ("neither.")
Does anyone with toddlers sometimes just laugh at them when you know you shouldn't? I feel bad about it, and I try so hard to at least hide my face, but sometimes he gets so upset about something really silly, then he cries and I, mean mommy, try so hard not to laugh. I try to remind myself in these situations that it's really a big deal for him, but I just can't help it. Then there's the laughing at behavior you know you shouldn't encourage, but that doesn't seem as scarring.

Some random pictures...not necessarily in any order

2008-05-23T18:41:00.000-07:00

Trevor sporting his new shirt from Aunt Nikah.

Wow, check this stunt out!
Three dirty kids covered with ice cream. Next stop, bathtub.
Oops.

Moonshine Camping

2008-05-21T21:38:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, we met our friends Adrienne, Nathan, Thomas and Tessa over by the coast for a quick camping trip at a beautiful-yet-trashed-by-the-locals campground on the Siletz river. You really must watch this video!

Bad Weather

2008-04-23T20:28:00.000-07:00

I am just going to say that this weather has gotten me down. If this were February, I could deal. March, even, with a little good-natured complaining. But April 23rd and still wearing a long sleeve shirt, a sweater and wool socks? Not cool. Hail and snow instead of light ocean-kissed breezes? Depressing. I don't think I can maintain this slippery hold on sanity for more than another day of this dreariness.
Yesterday was Earth Day and we braved the elements (a downpour and even a peal of thunder and lightning at one time!) to go to the OSU organic growers' club hooha, as they call it. I have never been to an official hooha before, and I have to say (and maybe it was my addle-brained cabin-fevered rain-drenched state) that it was righteous. I never did see the promised petting zoo, but there was a guy blowing the hugest bubbles, some draft horses plowing the muddy clay, live folk music, and the nicest spread of hippie food (rice and veggies, lentils and tofu and such, hunks of sourdough bread, pickles, and dairy-free ice cream with marionberry sauce) to be scarfed down elbow-to-elbow under sodden tents. But the timing was good; when we got there (after nap, of course), the sun was almost visible and the rain a mere drizzle. The sun even appeared in a moment of glory! Then, just as the food line moved under the tent, the downpour started, and by the time we had warm food in our bellies, it had slowed down to a tolerable drizzle. I think Trevor, little icicle that he was, would have gladly stayed for hours; he doesn't mind the rain or the cold just as long as there's a party and some mud.
I am now sipping a cup of lemon balm tea, wildcrafted from our front border (I did not, would not plant lemon balm!), and it is a freakish plant with leaves the size of my hand. I think the word got out that our border theme is "romp freely," and even though uninvited, how could lemon balm, such a free romper, not crash the party? I just hope l.b. doesn't invite its rowdy friends.

Really Good Movie, Pretty Bad Movie, and the jury's still out on this one.

2008-04-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

I have been lucky/ambitious enough to watch 2 3/4 movies this week! Have you seen Into the Wild? I love that movie. It is long but so good. I also watched Good Luck Chuck, which is pretty ridiculous and almost pornographic, with a few almost redeeming funny moments. I am in the middle of the drawn-out process getting through the Darjeeling Limited, a Wes Anderson film, which is interesting if you like this kind of thing. Definitely a slow-mover, which I can appreciate, but have to break it up into chunks, like reading Proust. So I have been watching it in short installments. I think (I hope) I am developing a new movie-watching habit, so give me your suggestions, and I will add them to my list!

2008-03-25T15:54:00.000-07:00

We have had a very busy end of March with Todd's brother Scott and his wife Sally visiting; travelling to Portland & Seattle to visit friends, sightseeing at the coast, and whooping it up for Todd's birthday. That is my excuse for taking so long to post anything new; I will now attempt to add as many pictures as possible before I get sick of staring at the computer screen.

Don't Bring a Box of Toys!

2008-03-15T19:51:00.000-07:00

There has been much discussion lately about how toys and even playing itself have changed. Toys are for very specific uses, with characters on them, and unstructured play has fallen by the wayside. Check out the story at:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19212514

I am not claiming to be supermom, but when I read this article, it seemed, well, obvious. I have intuitively avoided having a million toys for a few reasons, not the least of which being that it gives me greater pleasure to see my son playing imaginitively with a stick or an empty yogurt container than acting out some script from a cartoon movie with a cartoon toy. As for unstructured play, I much prefer it since it takes less energy on my part than organizing activities. If anything, we lack structured activities, unless going for a walk or a bike ride to the park or meeting friends at La Roca for lunch can be considered structured.

On to the important part of this post: You don't have to drag a bunch of toys with you everywhere, and maybe if you do, your kids are going to expect it and not know how to improvise. Here's my story: Last night we went to Todd's boss's house for an intimate sushi party. We brought nothing in the way of entertainment for Trevor, but he had a great time figuring out how to open and close Ken's windows, climbing up and down the furniture (couches, swivel barstools and a kid-sized metal chair), feeding Cassie the dog treats, and grabbing little somethings only he could see off a metal floor lamp and throwing them at the floor and furniture, then putting them back, all while singing karaoke and dancing. Why bring toys?

"Just farts, dad."

2008-03-14T14:53:00.000-07:00

The other night, Todd was putting Trevor to bed and he had some noxious gas (Trevor, that is.) Todd asked, did you poop? NO. It happened a few times, with Todd turning on the light and taking a peek several times, until finally Trevor said "Just farts, dad."

Dreams

2008-03-09T21:37:00.000-07:00

Almost every morning, I ask Trevor what he dreamed about. The answer is always "Sun" and "Horses."

22 month update

2008-03-04T15:36:00.000-08:00

The distance readers of this blog may wonder what our little hero is up to these days. Well, a lot of the obvious stuff that can be expected from an almost-two-year-old. He loves to run and jump and climb, he is learning to share and take turns, and he is starting to string together three words. I have to watch what I say around him, for sure. Case in point: Our usual postal carrier is a woman, but today we watched as a scruff-bearded long-hair drove up instead. I commented that a hippie was delivering the mail today. He repeated "hippie." Later in the evening, we were reading our Richard Scarry book and came to the part about a letter being sent, and Trevor pointed to the mailman (who is actually a raccoon) and called him a hippie!
Trevor is also becoming quite bossy, in sort of a friendly way. He sometimes reminds me of the popular kid at school who is super nice to you as long as you play by his rules. His friend George was over last week, and the boys were playing in the backyard, digging in the garden beds. George decided to move on to something else. Trevor, pointing his trowel at George, demanded "More!" I asked (as I often must), "More what?" His response was "digging."
Parents are not exempt from bossing. Trevor had a fever last night, and I was babying him when he woke up in the middle of the night. He had two binkies, but he asked for more. I think he wanted a certain one, which I had left in my coat pocket in the car. I told him it was in the car, and he said (I'm not sure, because it sounded like some entirely different words, but the inflection was right) "Get it!"
Of course, my response was, I'll get it in the morning, I'm not wearing any shoes right now, etc., you already have two others. Then I thought it would be cool to record some of these conversations between parents and toddlers, where the parents are wildly guessing what the kids are saying. I say "I have no idea what you're talking about" or just "Oh, really" (which means "I have no idea what you're talking about") sometimes, but it seems discouraging to say it too often.
The End.

Economic Stimulus & Three Old Saws

2008-02-29T21:40:00.001-08:00

I obviously don't understand macroeconomics (only nanoeconomics) because I'm confused about how borrowing 500 billion dollars from China can be a good thing for our country. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to say, Oh, it's from China, never mind, I don't want it. I don't think people who refuse to buy something because it's made in China will turn the money down, either. Still, it's a little creepy. I know there's an expression, don't look a gift horse in the mouth--but be ready for that horse to turn around and kick you (April 2009). What about the one concerning the free lunch, as in there is no such thing? I'm just saying that my instinct tells me that the feds are gonna get it back. After all, only two things are certain...

2008-02-28T21:27:00.000-08:00

Finally, I am posting some new pictures, and maybe not the best ones, but staring at the little thumbnails gives me a headache. So this is what you get.
I am so excited for summer! Even though yes it is a long way off, really. But today was perfect, even almost a little on the hot side. We were outside for hours! Trevor was just about begging for a nap after playing out in the backyard for over two hours. His buddy Thomas came over and helped him unload most of the soil from the meticulously-prepared-and-awaiting-their-spring-sowings garden beds. Then, after a solid two-hour nap, off for a stroll around the neighborhood, a visit with Leroy, and then more backyard time. I can't wait for summer!

A Poorly Timed Meal

2008-02-16T19:59:00.000-08:00

Oops. We decided to move the compost pile today and discovered a stinking slimy mess of maggots, or at least some kind of grubs. Unfortunately, I decided to make pasta for dinner and all we had in the cabinet were gnocchetti. It really was quite unappetizing.

Some Stuff

2008-02-15T20:27:00.000-08:00

You know there's a toddler (or at least a messy eater) in the house when...
Last night, hubby and I were cozying up when I felt a small, soft, plump object between us. Sure enough, our intimate moment somehow included...a raisin!

Todd is now watching "House." I have seen a few episodes of the show, and it is entertaining, but really, isn't it the same plot every time? I refuse to waste time watching it, for the same reason I don't generally like watching the same movie twice. Unless it is Napoleon Dynamite, which I could watch every week for a year, or that one movie with Bruce Willis where he's actually dead, and there are a bunch of clues, but I didn't get until just about the very last scene. So I had to watch that over right away just to figure out...where did I go wrong? I'm curious, when did you all (uh, I mean you three) catch on?

The Miracle of the Cleanup Song

2008-02-04T22:09:00.000-08:00

We sing in our baby class the "cleanup song." It goes kind of like: "Cleanup, cleanup." I adore the cleanup song. One day last week, Trevor had scattered some magazines from the basket where they pile up. Several hours later they were still littering the living room floor when suddenly Trevor started singing the cleanup song and actually picked up and put away every single magazine! I love the cleanup song.

"Survival Guide for Busy Moms: 50 ways to do everything faster and better."

2008-02-01T22:16:00.000-08:00

WARNING: This post is extremely wordy and mostly useless. I just wrote it for my own entertainment. But it probably won't entertain you. So stop reading now, Busy Moms.

That is what one of the hooks on the MSN homepage read today. Because we're definitely not doing things fast enough or well enough, ladies.
I admit that I only skimmed the first twenty-five hints (If only I was getting things done faster, I would have had time to peruse all fifty.) It's not too important what they were; in fact, they were so predictable I figured I could actually make up twenty or thirty more: stuff like having apple slices and carrot sticks ready in the fridge so your kids can grab them, or put away clothes as complete outfits so you don't have to search through drawers, set the table for breakfast the night before, etc. What I'm getting at here is not the content of the ideas, but the underlying premise that we should get everything done faster AND better. If we could just get things done faster, we could do more things!
I apologize for the horrible sentence structure in the previous paragraph: I simply don't have time to go through and fix it, because I'm doing things so poorly and slowly.
Okay, I know I'm being a little extreme, I know the authors of this article are trying to be helpful, but something about the headline struck a nerve when I read it right after I waded through the living room to sit on the couch when I should have been doing things faster and better. So now that I've been so crotchety and mean, I'll move on to the NICE part of this post...which is, REAL tips I have learned from mom friends lately.
From Betsy, I've learned that you shouldn't let your toddler run around in restaurants; but purely by example, not by anything she said or any feeling of being judged. (Duh, I guess that's obvious to most of you, but we're not big on rules or structure or any of that stuff.)
From Adrienne, I just learned how to make the best post-nap-crankies-squelching snack ever, which is popcorn with nutritional yeast flakes with some apple slices thrown in, and she also adds cheese sticks, but I haven't tried that yet so I can't vouch for it.
From Marianne I have learned that the weight of two toddlers in a bike trailer pulled with a single speed bike through rain wind and hail is about that of a large horse (and by the way, Marianne, I haven't withdrawn your nomination for mother-of-the-year.) Also, I'm really out of shape!
If your name did not appear, it's not that I haven't learned from you, it's just that I'm out of time now because I've been doing things poorly and slowly all day.

"Help, Please"

2008-01-30T20:17:00.000-08:00

"Help please," all day long. Meaning, help me get this toxic cleaning product off the top shelf, help me pull the spice rack off the wall and dump all the spices out, help me open this book to a page that doesn't exist (you know, between the cover and page 1.) In case you think I'm complaining too much, I must add that I'm thankful that he at least says please.
I have had this great plan for a couple weeks now to go feed the ducks at Starker Arts park, even saved some old scones I made, but finally threw them out in the front yard, hoping to attract birds we could then watch through the window (none came yet.) Yes, the ducks I have abandoned to the rain and snow and wind and ice. Yesterday we had so much weather! It did all of those things, plus slushed and sleeted and spitted. Today was much better but I had vowed to stay home all day lounging around. I stayed home, but the only lounging was accomplished by the feline element. I did laundry and some other menial domestic tasks, but most of all, I picked stuff up off the floor. You know what? There's stuff all over the floor! And the cats are still lounging. They are unwaveringly unhelpful.

Help!

2008-01-25T09:25:00.000-08:00

Just to simplify my life a bit, I've decided to make pizza for dinner every Friday. Last week, it was topped with caramelized onions, cherry tomatoes, pine nuts and capers. What are your favorite combos? Help me simplify even further with a list of ideas to try. Anything goes! Prizes for the best pies!

2008-01-24T14:24:00.000-08:00

Wow! It worked! I could never figure out how all you pro-bloggers put the image anywhere but the right side of the page, then Heather told me how to do it in about 15 seconds. Duh. I never even noticed the toolbar. Thanks, Heather, no promises, but maybe my blog will get just a little more exciting (is it possible?) now.

Caramel Corn Recipe

2008-01-20T22:01:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 Tablespoon kosher salt (I just use sea salt)
3 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter

Spray 2 large heatproof spatulas and a very large metal bowl with your Misto, or lightly wipe with veg. oil. Pop the corn in the 3 tablespoons veg. oil and put it in the large bowl. Filter out the old maids (is that un-p.c.?).
Now make the caramel. Measure out the soda into a small bowl so it's ready to go. In a 4 quart or larger saucepan, combine the sugar, salt, butter, and 1 cup of water. Gently stir with a wooden spoon just enough to immerse the sugar. Brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water. Cook the mixture over high heat without stirring until it melts and bubbles and turns a very light golden caramel color on top (about 10 to 20 minutes.) If you take it off a minute too soon, it will taste horrible. If you leave the kitchen, it will burn and your house will fill with smoke. Do not leave the kitchen.
Take the caramel off the heat and whisk in the baking soda. It will bubble up and aerate the caramel. Immediately pour the bubbling caramel over the popcorn (don't scrape the sides of the pot, just use what pours out easily.) Toss it with your previously greased spatulas, then spread on a couple of parchment-lined cookie sheets into a flat layer. As soon as it's cool enough to touch, break it into smaller clusters (using your hands.) Let cool completely, then proceed to eat. Store any you don't eat in airtight containers.
Variations: Spicy. Stir 3/4 or so teaspoon cayenne into the baking soda. Nutty: Toss 2 cups lightly salted peanuts with the popcorn before pouring on the caramel. Hazelnutty: Same as nutty, but better.
This recipe is from Fine Cooking, Winter 2005.

Blog Warning

2008-01-06T22:05:00.000-08:00

I changed the template on this thing, and it scrambled all the pictures, so they're in no order. Trevor figured out how to climb up on the toilet to reach the sink (the side with the hot water faucet) and is very proud of this ability. He gets his hand wet and then comes and shows us. He also can climb in and out of his highchair. I spotted him once or twice, but now he's on his own. Tonight he was dragging Boa around saying "heavy" (sounds more like "hebby"). For some reason we were talking about my backpack and he went to get it and carried it through the house saying "heavy." One of his hobbies is pulling everything out of drawers and cabinets and not putting it away. He also likes to cook in his kitchen.

Happy 2008

2008-01-01T20:36:00.000-08:00

Yikes, in almost exactly one year from today, my tv won't work anymore. Who knew about all this digital stuff? You know this means they (THEY) can now brainwash us with hidden digital messages...oh wait, never mind, they're already brainwashing.
We celebrated the new year with root beer floats! Yum, I haven't had one of those in years.
Next week we fly off to Florida to visit family and bask in the sun. I'm feeling trepidatious about the long flights there and back. Now go ahead and give me some amazing ideas, advice I haven't heard (maybe along the lines of horse tranquilizers) to survive the trip. Don't even bring up any of the following: plenty of books, activities, snacks, stickers, masking tape, long layovers (ain't happenin'), dvds, puppets, new toys, crayons, modeling clay, making friends with the flight attendant and people sitting across from you. I mean, I need the ultimate ace up my sleeve. Also, what is your favorite root beer float combination? I remember my little brother swore by stirring a little ice cream in the bottom of the mug with a little root beer before making it. I realize you probably all have new year's resolutions that forbid the consumption of all that sugar, but blogging about it can't make you fat!

Advice from an Expert.

2007-12-28T14:44:00.000-08:00

Most people who know me realize I am an unsung, yet strongly opinionated, expert in many unexpected topics. Well, add another hash mark to the tally; I am now an expert in stinky things that befoul your fridge. Here is my main piece of advice: If something is stinking up my fridge, it is leftover beans and rice in a Nancy-ware container shoved to the back row. It could also be refried beans (use up the whole can when you open it, or your fridge will stink in 3 weeks.) I'm not sure if the bane of your refrigerator's freshness is beans, but I would wager that it is usually the same substance over and over again.

Another obvious piece of advice: Purge your fridge of its offensive lingerers the day of, or the day before, garbage pickup. If you have any questions concerning kitchen odors, or anything related at all, take advantage of your acquaintance with an Expert in such matters any time, absolutely free of charge.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T16:03:00.000-08:00

I swear, we heard a thump! I thought it was Boa, since she's always jumping up and knocking stuff over, but turns out she was in the bathroom with Todd when the thump occurred. Trevor was nestled all snug in his bed, but he doesn't know what a sugarplum is (come to think of it, neither do I, really.) Could've been a big limb crushing our roof; then again, maybe it was a slightly overweight man in a red suit landing on the roof. I blamed Boa on the missing cookies, but maybe I was wrong about that too.

Oh boy, I'm going to milk the Santa thing (shameless, ludicrous lie) as long as possible.

Oh Christmas Tree

2007-12-09T22:39:00.000-08:00

We went to find a tree yesterday. Trevor and I went on a hayride while Todd walked around looking for the One. It was cold! We had so much fun on the hayride, because there was a family of six kids with us just whooping and cheering about how much fun it was. Goes to show, attitude really is everything. It would have been just a tractor pulling a wagon without those kids talking it up.
See, that's the problem with our tree right now. We have lights (maybe not quite enough) and ornaments, but no skirt and no sparkle. We need garland, by golly, and tinsel!
Trevor has his own ideas about the uses of a Christmas tree. Today he was throwing a hacky sack at it. I had to retrieve it from the inner branches when it got stuck, and I didn't have quite the energy level (before morning coffee) to teach him that we don't throw things at the tree. I finally threatened to put the tree outside...hey, it's not an empty threat, I will put it on the porch if I have to say ridiculous things like "we look with our eyes" all day. Try saying that in a normal voice, it's impossible
Both sets of grandparents sent Trevor an advent calendar (thank you!) and it is a fun activity every morning. He is very excited about the one with chocolate in it. Trevor's usual manner of eating is to stuff as much food in his mouth as possible, and then ask for more with his mouth full; He savors the chocolate, cradling it carefully in his hand almost to the point of melting and taking tiny bites.
I've been torturing myself by listening to the radio station that plays the same twelve holiday favorites over and over. I could listen to Jingle Bell rock about eighty more times, but if I have to hear the Little Drummer Boy again, I might say something rude.

More!

2007-12-05T21:27:00.000-08:00

This little boy cannot get enough of many things in life. Dried apples, raisins, being chased around the house, Christmas lights, trains, trucks, the car in front of kmart that goes up and down, Jingle Bell Rock. Sparkling apple cider, playing in water, stomping in puddles in his frog boots. His sign for "more" (which loosely resembles the official baby sign for more), now accompanied by the word delivered as a command, is so frequently used that his young friend Anna now uses it as a sign to mean Trevor!

Rainy Day Blogging

2007-12-03T14:40:00.000-08:00

Ahhh, I love naptime. I really should be cleaning the floor or at least working on some knitting, but I'm going to do this first. It is a very rainy day, the kind when I don't even want to go outside. I'm soliciting you readers (c'mon, even if you're anonymous readers who don't ever comment) for toddler-friendly activity ideas for rainy days BESIDES shopping and spending money. Todd cleaned out the garage (or at least shoved everything to one side) and we now call it our private indoor play park. That's the latest fun activity. There's also the bathroom sink, at which Trevor will stand on a chair and play for an hour, getting himself and everything else soaking wet. What else, guys? We've got a few more months of days like these.
Well, I'm off to my cleaning/knitting. I'm waiting for your ideas and if you don't post them, I'll keep harassing you.

Thanksgiving, etc.

2007-11-26T22:01:00.000-08:00

I realized that Thanksgiving day came and went without commentary on my part. Did you all have a good one? I for one have been eating apple pie with ice cream every day and my clothes feel tight. Oh well, we're out of pie.
We had a huge feast of deep-fried turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, white rolls, green beans, squash, beets au gratin, salad, cranberry relish, apple pie, chocolate torte and some yummy wine and jubelale. Warren, Carolyn, Carson, Maria and Tom were our guests, and we also had a short postprandial visit with some friends who moved away. Later on, we played Apples to Apples, a fun board game, and then Todd went to sleep while putting Trevor to bed, and could not be easily roused.
The next day, yes I know it's supposed to be buy-nothing day, but Maria and I have a tradition of finding really cool stuff at thrift stores, and so we did in the Cat's Meow and OSU folk club. And that is all you need to know, right?

Heroes

2007-11-24T21:00:00.000-08:00

Todd loves this show "Heroes" that is on Monday nights. When I get home from work, it's on so it must be around 9 that it starts. I guess it's a pretty popular show, but for whatever reason, I've never watched more than two minutes of it. But the idea of it, cool! These people have special powers and they have to save the world or something. If you had a superpower, what would it be? And remember, you don't choose the ability, it chooses you.
I discovered the other night that Todd's power would be to always wake up right BEFORE the cat starts puking, just in time to toss her outside. Because he actually did this once! It was amazing.
Trevor's special power would be the ability to effortlessly pick up heavy objects, because he is always a little confused when he can't lift the 60 pound pumpkin on our front stoop.
I'm still thinking about mine. What's your power?

Welcome Baby Carson!

2007-11-17T20:40:00.001-08:00

What an exciting week it has been! Warolyn's little creature decided to finally come out into the world Friday morning around 3:30 a.m. He is a cute little pink guy, very sturdy. He'll be running around with Trevor and his little pack of friends in no time, but right now he's snuggly and sweet. I love the name (what's the middle name, guys?). Todd was very excited to get to be the first person besides the parents (and about twelve nurses and other medical types) to hold Carson.

I'm thankful, too

2007-11-12T14:07:00.000-08:00

I am stealing Kara's idea and coming up with some things to be thankful for (which you're supposed to think about in the morning before getting up, I hear, so I'll have no shortage since I've been unable to sleep between 4 and 5 a.m. this week.) Oh well, it doesn't hurt to be grateful for an hour.
I am thankful for the fun of watching a person grow, and in particular, the development of language, one of my favorite areas (although you probably wouldn't guess it from reading this, the world's worst sentence.) Yesterday, Trevor was playing with a xylophone and I said to him, "Where's your stick? Go find that stick that you hit this with." Very determined, he ran into the other room, and came back out, started hitting the xylophone with a sticker!
I am eternally and overwhelmingly thankful for naptime. I know it's been said, but maybe if I say it again, it will continue for at least two more years.
And last but not least for today, I am thankful for a roof, because it is really dirty weather out there right now.

Minor Home Makeover

2007-11-10T04:07:00.000-08:00

Now that I have pegged the mom thing, I am taking the tv world by storm with a new reality show called Minor Makeover. Each episode starts out with the host(s) knocking on someone's door or maybe even we'll do the megaphone thing if it's not too much of a ripoff. Next everybody (the lucky recipients of our miracle, the host(s), and anyone else who shows up) sits around drinking beer and wine, drawing up plans, and making grand sweeping gestures in the house and yard. There will be some variations, of course, like the episode where we show up at 11 in the a.m. wearing bathrobes and bearing coffee, cigarettes and gramma damma's donuts, make grand sweeping gestures until about 3, and then start with beer and wine. Of course there will be no hard liquor because this is a good clean family show. After the commercial break, we will come to agreement by consensus (this part of the show will be condensed from about twelve days to twelve seconds) and begin the home makeover. Next we realize we don't have the right tool to knock out a wall, or that nobody knows how to replumb the toilet we just ripped out, or dancing with the stars comes on and we stop for a break; we meet the challenge by ordering out for chinese food. "Okay, let's move the couch," our inspired host(s) suggest(s), then we paint some stencils on the pillows and buy a plastic rabbit for the front yard.

October/November Update

2007-11-05T21:37:00.000-08:00

Raymond came out for the Beavers homecoming game (yay, they won) and to finish the gazebo he designed and built last spring. He also had a chance to do some hiking, with Todd one day, then Todd and Trevor, then with all three of us. We went to the coast where it was very cold and windy and Trevor kind of fell apart, but was fine once we got him out of his wet clothes and the wicked wind. Then we had lunch at Local Ocean, this seafood place I've been hearing so much about. It was not bad.
Sometime in there, we threw our third annual pumpkin carving party. Good times, although I'm not sure why I don't have pictures. There were nine kids under the age of six! Trevor dressed up as a frog for halloween, a great costume because it is one piece, easy to put on, and cozy. This little person does not as a rule enjoy getting dressed lately. It's a rough time for toddlers; yesterday he ran out of the kitchen, turned the corner, and ran smack into the side of a large piece of furniture, landing flat on his back. I think I'd be a bit cranky if I did stuff like that every day.

Baby's First Haircut

2007-10-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

Guess what! Trevor needs a hair cut! (Yes, I meant to spell it that way.) He has one hair that is about four inches long. I would save the lock in his baby book, but it's microscopically fine. Oh, yeah, where is that baby book?
I know I haven't been posting lately, and my excuse is that there are no new pictures yet. Soon, soon, I promise.

I've lowered my standards

2007-10-02T21:19:00.000-07:00

Is it just me, or does having a kid cause people to lower their standards for certain things?
Example: I overheard a conversation today about the new breakfast joint downtown, where I have been hesitant to eat based on some less than favorable reviews. These experiences, too, sounded disappointing, with stories ranging from a plate of home-fried potatoes still clumped together after being pulled out of the freezer, to "no substitutions," (a Corvallis phenomenon?), and stale orange juice. Well, the reason these people ended up going there was that they have some kind of play area for the kids. Got me to thinking, yes, I'd rather have mediocre food and service if I can have a moment's peace to drink my coffee. It's a sad state of affairs.
Corvallis is considered kid-friendly, a good place to raise a family. Have you noticed, the public spaces as a whole are not designed with families in mind? When I'm at central park and I all of a sudden want a foofy caffeinated beverage, where is the kiosk?
Are you with me on this? Or am I just complaining? Because I can keep going.

Word and Picture Update

2007-09-24T21:24:00.000-07:00

Pretty soon Trevor will just be saying everything, so many words I won't be able to list them all, but for now it is limited enough to brag. He says ball, blanket, banana, Una and Boa (the cats' names), mama and dada of course, dadee, and his favorite, NO!
I don't have any new pictures to add, since the camera seems to be on the fritz.