Good Samaritans?

And the dialogue goes a little something like this:

Rex: Mommy, can we go around the neighborhood and do work for people?

Valerie: Yeah. We'll only go to people we know.

Mom: Are you doing this for money or for free to help people?

Rex: Oh, we're doing it for free to help people.

Mom: Okay. Have fun.

Rex: Come on Valerie and Amira. Help me tip this wagon up so we can put the tools in it.

Amira: IS THAT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO PUT ALL THE MONEY?!$

Valerie: No. We're doing it for free.

Amira: Oh.

Check out these mits!

Hey, I finally did it. I completed a project! Of course that was at the expense of so many others. Not only did I knit these fantastic hand warmers, (looking totally homespun in that one is slightly larger than the other) but I also knitted a pair of slippers for Valerie (not shown here) in the same fashion. That is to say that one slipper is slightly larger than the other!

But now I'm on to my next project. I'm pouring over my websites and books from the library about gardening, permaculture, companion planting, etc. I can look forward to other incomplete or not quite "as pictured" projects. Last year I had visions of the most insanely lush garden only to have my dreams repeatedly thwarted by a gopher. This year we're putting up gopher wire and traps. I will go totally medieval on any one of those varmints that dares to eat our produce this year.


Anyhow, while on the subject of gardening, I found a great idea that I absolutely love. A sunflower house! That's right, take and 8 x 8' square plot and sow seeds around the perimeter (leaving a spot open for a door) with giant sunflower seeds and morning glories. As the sun flowers grow, the morning glories will climb the stocks. When they reach their peak, draw twine across the tops so that the morning glories will trail across the twine creating a roof. How cool would this be for the kids? I looked around the internet for some images to show you. I found this one (sans the morning glories but you get the idea). There are many different designs for this. All I need to do is find the space and protect the space from the chickens and rabbit.

Speaking of chickens, the kids let them in the house again this morning! Doh!!! I spent a while cleaning up muddy chicken prints from the hardwood floor in the living room. Could I get more white trash if I tried?

Fantastically Delish Thai Inspired Salad

Okay, a food photographer I'm not. Well, let's face it, I'm not any sort of photographer. In fact, I have to work on my "plating" skills too if I'm going to be sharing recipes with you. But in spite of all that, this salad was fantastic. I made it up for lunch today because I just needed some veggies. I also needed to satisfy my craving for sweet/salt/spice.

I'll share with you:


Salad:

cilantro (chopped)

basil (chopped)

mint (chopped)

green onion (sliced)

romaine or mixed greens

carrot (matchstick slices)

rutabegah (matchsticked)

red bell pepper (thinly sliced)


Dressing:

1/4 cup tamari soy sauce

juice from 1/2 lemon

2 Tbsp cider vinegar

1 Tbsp agave nectar

1" piece of fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic

2 1/2 Tbsp curry powder

1/4 cup raw cashews



Combine all dressing ingredients in blender until creamy. Pour over salad, toss and enjoy!

Tragic accident meets Barbie in hallway!

Barbie met with a tragic accident recently in the hallway. As she lay unconscious and unable to move, a giant rabbit apparently mauled her legs. The suspect is pictured here.


She was rushed to the trauma unit in Rex's E.R. where they quickly applied bandages to the wounds and ordered this custom made Lego wheelchair. Sadly, the scarring will be permanent. Fortunately Migraine Mindy, Ken and other members of her family remain to provide a support system ... and push her wheelchair.

What's for dinner?

Weeks like this don't happen often, thank goodness. But when there is an unexpected event (someone has surgery, an appliance breaks, the universe conspires to see us squirm) the first thing that flies out the window for me is meal planning. I immediate reach for chocolate, caffeine, cheese, salty popcorn or something to fill the knots in my stomach. Of course when life sails along in a somewhat controlled way, I find myself planning meals out a week in advance and having the fridge stocked with fresh fruits, veggies, dinners, snacks, etc.

Well, this week I fell off the organized wagon into a pit of chocolate, coffee and popcorn (so much for my super healthy "raw by day" with a sensible dinner at night plan!) I just didn't have the extra time to play in the kitchen. I love to play in the kitchen.

I often scan the web for sites for recipes or meal planning or ideas to make my life easier. And I swing like a pendulum. I have recipes without meat, without wheat, without dairy, without fat, etc. It's just too much to think.

Now that Michael can start eating with a clean slate again, I began re-thinking how nice it would be to have a "month at a glance" menu. I just didn't have the imagination or brainpower to think it up today. Then I stumbled on this site. I couldn't be more excited! There are templates for creating seasonal monthly menus. There are shopping lists to print out. There are "dinner games" for the family to play. (What kind of a sick mind gets excited about organizational templates you ask? That's right... ME!)

I thought I'd share the site in case any of you are in need of such inspiration. If I ever get together a month at a glance menu that I'd actually cook, I'll be sure to post it. Tonight we're having spanikopita (Greek spinach pie). I like the veggies and the kids dig the filo dough. What's not to love.

I don't know what's for dinner tomorrow. I'd better jump on that template!

Hey kids! Surgery can be fun!

Who says surgery can't be fun? Look at Michael here just moments ... well, hours, it turned out, before getting his gallbladder removed! We and our nurse were officially "shushed" by other hospital personnel. No laughing allowed in surgery prep area!

The good news is that Michael can actually eat the fruit now and is on the mend. Well, he can't actually eat the fruit pictured here. I took it out in the hall soon after this photo and snarfed it down. Just because Michael wasn't supposed to have food or liquids since midnight the night before didn't mean I had to follow suit.
He's officially on the mend and out walking the block as I write this. Hooray!

Rex is Boy in Blue

We have an amazing fine arts teacher at Neal Dow Elementary. Our kids adore her. I adore her. She can always get the kids to produce such magnificent works. She incorporates music, history, culture and storytelling with her art lessons. I wish I could take such amazing lessons. Anyhow Neal Dow is the featured school at the administration building this month. She tipped me off that she blew up a picture of Rex modeling as the Boy in Blue. So, here you see Rex posing next to his own version of the famous works. (His drawing is to the right of his photo in a blue and gold frame). What a proud, gloating mother I am.

Sew Not Crafty

Always slightly envious of my super crafty friends, I find myself oogling sites on how to make that fantastic vintage dress, knit the best ever slippers or mittens, cook that gourmet meal. I used to knit. I was passable. By no means crafty. And sewing ... well, I'm frankly better at shopping. I started a skirt a couple of years ago from a pattern that claimed to be so easy that a two year old could do it. When I got to the part where I had to put the zipper in, I went running to the fabric store for assistance. The woman held the skirt up to me and said, "Um, did you actually measure yourself before starting this pattern?" Needless to say, the zipperless fabric is still folded in a box under the bed.

Recently my mittens got packed away with the snowboarding gear. I was too lazy to pack up the gear myself so I let Michael do it. (Thanks, honey!) But he did such a good job of putting it all away ... and well, I'm too lazy to go dig it out. I figured this was a good opportunity to get back into knitting. (Because with all the pets and kids and job, you know I've got loads of free time on my hands). I trolled the internet for free patterns and found this little number on the free knitting patterns link (on my side bar if you must know). Well, sadly, I just don't have the skills for this "advanced" project. And my hands are freezing. I can barely type this. (That's right, feel sorry for me!)

I think it might be time for a trip to Heartstrings to sign up for a class in my spare time. What's one more night out? Book club, PTA and now knitting! Well, we'll see how it really goes. But I must get out and support that local business to do my part to save the economy, right? And to be super-sustainable woman, I should probably make use of all those left over skeins of yarn lurking in my knitting bag.

Okay, I've talked myself into it. I'll let you know how they turn it out next year when I finish the project.

Michael and the kids at the public beach 12/30/08

We took a little vacation around the New Year and dragged the family up to the cabin for some fun in the snow. And there was plenty of snow! Here you can see Rex and Valerie scaling the side of the A frame cabin next door. That made a killer sled run. (No, the people were not home ... but the kids left plenty of evidence!) I'm hoping that we get enough snow this winter to deal with the drought situation and turn this mountain into a molehill.

In addition to snow play in the yard, we took them sledding, ice skating, skiing/snowboarding and to visit old friends that we'd left behind on our journey to become suburban flatlanders. I think they really enjoyed the skiing and snowboarding. Everyone got on lifts and there were no major injuries. Valerie was even able to ride up the "big quad" with Daddy. And what vacation is complete without a snippet of backseat conversation overheard by the parents?


Rex: Amira! Stop picking your nose. You'll get sick.
Amira: No, Rex, it's healthy. See, it's green. That means it's healthy.
Rex: No! It's like candy and that's not healthy!

I thought I'd share that sweet conversation with you. One kid thinks they have nose vegetables. The other thinks of it as candy. Niiiiice. Aren't you glad I don't have pictures to illustrate that aspect of the vacation?

Tell us how you really feel, Amira!

Rex attempted some big air on the sled. I'm sure it will be even bigger next time.

If you are going to photograph the sled hill, watch where you stand!

First Post

OMG. I might actually blog'09! It is my hope to spill my guts here on a regular basis. I will share recipes, books, events, etc. over the year. But right now I have to run and make dinner.