1) I got a job! I am working 2 days a week at my alma mater, advising some of the honors students. Yes, anyone who knew me in college is aware of the rich, deep well of irony here. It's a temporary (I mean, interim) position, but that's just right for us for right now. Sadly, and also ironically, it means that our older son won't go to any of the preschools I've been fretting about all summer, but an in-home day care with his brother 2-3 days a week instead. I am regretful about this (though not the care situation, which is great), as I adored the new school option, and I fear the director will be too angry to let in the younger one when the time comes, and I won't really blame her. But I needed to go back to work for my own sanity. And so far it's working. When my email and voicemail get up and running this week, though, I might be singing a different tune on the "sanity" front. I have a LOT to learn.
2) Son 1 appears to be just about potty trained. He even has just about mastered "away games" (ie, potties outside the house, especially public ones). And, might I add, whoever invented those chairs that strap eager toddlers to the wall of the bathroom--Genius. Totally deserving of a MacArthur award, or some thing from Grateful Parents Everywhere that is an equivalent. They will share it with the person who creates the GPS map of every bathroom that has them so I can go patronize their stores and allow my kids to tinkle without fear.
3) The Phillies just swept the Mets AGAIN! Thank goodness, for between Notre Dame's calamitous (if unsurprising) loss and the Quaker Heartbreaker (who loses a football game 8-7 with just seconds to go??? How is that even mathematically possible?) it would have been a grim sports weekend here indeed without that. Watch this space for more haiku soon, with special guest poet hubby and friends, written before the ND-Michigan game. Oh, and mine too, on simplicity. But theirs are infinitely better and way, way, way funnier.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
In Memory
One of the links on my site is to the Wilhoite Prayer Blog, also known as Living with Leukemia. Amy Wilhoite, a 25 year old mom of a less than 2 year old boy, was diagnosed with leukemia last year. She kept in touch with friends and family through her blog, and made new friends and family along the way. A devout Christian, she provided a window in to another way of spirituality and life for me.
On Monday, she lost the battle, one month after this beautiful picture was posted.
I'll be joining her family in prayer if not in person this weekend, remembering a life that touched so many others, including dozens that she never met in person. And I'll be hugging my boys a little tighter and saying yes to a few more things, in gratitude that I can.
On Monday, she lost the battle, one month after this beautiful picture was posted.
I'll be joining her family in prayer if not in person this weekend, remembering a life that touched so many others, including dozens that she never met in person. And I'll be hugging my boys a little tighter and saying yes to a few more things, in gratitude that I can.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
WFMW--80s Flashback
This seems so obvious I almost hate to list it. But like many "obvious" things, I never once thought of it until a friend suggested it.
Two of my son's friends from nursery school are fraternal twins. Their mother is very careful to only rarely put them in totally matching outfits, but when we go on playdates and it's not just the twins but the little one too, she is sure to put all of them in the same color shirt. This makes it easier to find them on the playground; once she remembers the "color of the day," it's easier to scan for that color and then the face rather than the other way around.
So why is this the '80s flashback? I was fortunate enough to be the recipient of almost an entire boys' wardrobe, from infant to size 5, when Son 1 was born. (Alas, when the donor cousin started wearing size 6, much to many peoples' surprise, a brother came along and the hand-me-overs stopped cold. Bummer, but understandable.) Not only was I lucky that the clothes arrived to begin with, but the cousins who provided them have excellent taste (by which I mean, our taste in clothes for the most part overlaps). Of course, their son apparently would wear overalls, which mine will not, but otherwise, it has been an amazing gift to us.
However, whoever bought these clothes was clearly very happy in the '80s (as was I). A shocking number of the pants (for a boys' wardrobe) are bright yellow (think construction hats) or fluorescent orange. I wouldn't usually pick these. But, when we are going somewhere crowded, they are my first choice. It makes them easy to find, and (G-d forbid) easy to describe if one gets away from me. It has saved me time and time again from needless worry, and has me putting the boys in different clothes than I or they might normally pick, allowing the wardrobe to expand a bit.
That's what works for me! For more (and probably more original!) ideas, go see Shannon's blog at Rocks in my Dryer.
Two of my son's friends from nursery school are fraternal twins. Their mother is very careful to only rarely put them in totally matching outfits, but when we go on playdates and it's not just the twins but the little one too, she is sure to put all of them in the same color shirt. This makes it easier to find them on the playground; once she remembers the "color of the day," it's easier to scan for that color and then the face rather than the other way around.
So why is this the '80s flashback? I was fortunate enough to be the recipient of almost an entire boys' wardrobe, from infant to size 5, when Son 1 was born. (Alas, when the donor cousin started wearing size 6, much to many peoples' surprise, a brother came along and the hand-me-overs stopped cold. Bummer, but understandable.) Not only was I lucky that the clothes arrived to begin with, but the cousins who provided them have excellent taste (by which I mean, our taste in clothes for the most part overlaps). Of course, their son apparently would wear overalls, which mine will not, but otherwise, it has been an amazing gift to us.
However, whoever bought these clothes was clearly very happy in the '80s (as was I). A shocking number of the pants (for a boys' wardrobe) are bright yellow (think construction hats) or fluorescent orange. I wouldn't usually pick these. But, when we are going somewhere crowded, they are my first choice. It makes them easy to find, and (G-d forbid) easy to describe if one gets away from me. It has saved me time and time again from needless worry, and has me putting the boys in different clothes than I or they might normally pick, allowing the wardrobe to expand a bit.
That's what works for me! For more (and probably more original!) ideas, go see Shannon's blog at Rocks in my Dryer.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Two (Not Entirely) Unrelated Items
Menu Planning Monday
Here we are at Monday again!
Monday: (leftover) grilled filets (on sale at Colonial Village), broccoli, radish salad, corn on the cob
Tuesday: slow cooker pork roast, roasted carrots, skillet potatoes (new recipe; I'll post if I like it)
Wednesday: pulled pork sandwiches (from the remains of the roast), quinoa pilaf, baked tomatoes or tomato/mozzarella salad
Thursday: spaghetti
Friday: freezer meal (either something from Dream Dinners, or Trader Joe's or Outback breaded chicken cutlets, whatever veggies came in the box, leftovers in general)
And, for those of you keeping track at home, this completes Son 1's first full week in underpants. Praise the Lord. Still having some, um, #2 issues (that would be potty #2, not son #2) but the transition is just about complete. Now let's see if going back to work completely backtracks him or not. Ugh. My timing is lousy.
Here we are at Monday again!
Monday: (leftover) grilled filets (on sale at Colonial Village), broccoli, radish salad, corn on the cob
Tuesday: slow cooker pork roast, roasted carrots, skillet potatoes (new recipe; I'll post if I like it)
Wednesday: pulled pork sandwiches (from the remains of the roast), quinoa pilaf, baked tomatoes or tomato/mozzarella salad
Thursday: spaghetti
Friday: freezer meal (either something from Dream Dinners, or Trader Joe's or Outback breaded chicken cutlets, whatever veggies came in the box, leftovers in general)
And, for those of you keeping track at home, this completes Son 1's first full week in underpants. Praise the Lord. Still having some, um, #2 issues (that would be potty #2, not son #2) but the transition is just about complete. Now let's see if going back to work completely backtracks him or not. Ugh. My timing is lousy.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
WFMW--Brand Loyal Edition
Shannon has a themed "Works for Me Wednesday" this week: brand loyalty. What do I drive out of my way for?
Scott single ply toilet paper. Because if we use anything else, our sewer line clogs and we have to get it dug out at a cost of $225. Charmin's darling but forget it.
Method Go Naked hand soap. No smell, no colors that leave stains on my sinktops when I'm too lazy to wipe them down right away.
Staying in the bathroom, Clinique facial soap and clarifying lotion. My father was allergic to perfume (among many, many other things) and so my mother and I had to search for unscented products in the stone ages of that genre. Now my nose is sensitive to scents on my face too, but except for a brief fling with Noxema, this is the only face soap I've ever truly loved.
Oh, and Biore nose strips. My mother used them...yeah, that's it...and they worked so well for her I thought I'd give 'em a try. Not that I get anything out with them, of course.
Pampers for my older son. The shape of his tushie blew out every other diaper we tried. Happily, my second son has no such issue and we buy what's on sale that we have coupons for. But the older one? Pampers or nothing. Ugh.
Balmex. The others don't come off my fingers or smell too strong.
From there to the laundry room...
Zout. Gets out stuff the other ones don't. Am phasing out everything else.
Dreft. Just smells like a baby to me.
And on to dinner...
Creamettes elbow noodles. Hands down the best noodles for anything--mac'n'cheese, macaroni salad, you name it.
Alessi White Balsamic Vinegar. Vinegar and oil is my salad dressing of choice. My mother, grandmother, and aunts all made their own vinegar--just a huge jug with a mother and whatever wine was leftover, they'd dump it in. I have had no success whatsoever with this technique and have had to shop around. This is my favorite so far. Sweeter, lighter, and added bonus of not staining nearly as much as regular balsamic vinegar.
Fit vegetable wash. Since we started with our CSA, cleaning veggies has been very important. This stuff works great. Peaches are a revelation after this. Couldn't believe how much dust got stuck in that fuzz until I started using this.
Cracker Barrel extra-sharp white cheese. I won't pretend we don't buy anything else but this is a perpetual winner.
Oscar Meyer Bacon. I just plain don't like any others. The lower-sodium is ok too, though calling it "low sodium" is frankly laughable.
And can you be loyal to a store brand? Acme's ice cream sandwiches are our family's absolute favorites. Nothing fancy or different, just right for a summer treat. And Whole Foods' 365 brand truffles are magnificent. I stock up when they come out.
It was so fun to see everyone else's favorite brands; look for them here at Rocks in my Dryer!
Scott single ply toilet paper. Because if we use anything else, our sewer line clogs and we have to get it dug out at a cost of $225. Charmin's darling but forget it.
Method Go Naked hand soap. No smell, no colors that leave stains on my sinktops when I'm too lazy to wipe them down right away.
Staying in the bathroom, Clinique facial soap and clarifying lotion. My father was allergic to perfume (among many, many other things) and so my mother and I had to search for unscented products in the stone ages of that genre. Now my nose is sensitive to scents on my face too, but except for a brief fling with Noxema, this is the only face soap I've ever truly loved.
Oh, and Biore nose strips. My mother used them...yeah, that's it...and they worked so well for her I thought I'd give 'em a try. Not that I get anything out with them, of course.
Pampers for my older son. The shape of his tushie blew out every other diaper we tried. Happily, my second son has no such issue and we buy what's on sale that we have coupons for. But the older one? Pampers or nothing. Ugh.
Balmex. The others don't come off my fingers or smell too strong.
From there to the laundry room...
Zout. Gets out stuff the other ones don't. Am phasing out everything else.
Dreft. Just smells like a baby to me.
And on to dinner...
Creamettes elbow noodles. Hands down the best noodles for anything--mac'n'cheese, macaroni salad, you name it.
Alessi White Balsamic Vinegar. Vinegar and oil is my salad dressing of choice. My mother, grandmother, and aunts all made their own vinegar--just a huge jug with a mother and whatever wine was leftover, they'd dump it in. I have had no success whatsoever with this technique and have had to shop around. This is my favorite so far. Sweeter, lighter, and added bonus of not staining nearly as much as regular balsamic vinegar.
Fit vegetable wash. Since we started with our CSA, cleaning veggies has been very important. This stuff works great. Peaches are a revelation after this. Couldn't believe how much dust got stuck in that fuzz until I started using this.
Cracker Barrel extra-sharp white cheese. I won't pretend we don't buy anything else but this is a perpetual winner.
Oscar Meyer Bacon. I just plain don't like any others. The lower-sodium is ok too, though calling it "low sodium" is frankly laughable.
And can you be loyal to a store brand? Acme's ice cream sandwiches are our family's absolute favorites. Nothing fancy or different, just right for a summer treat. And Whole Foods' 365 brand truffles are magnificent. I stock up when they come out.
It was so fun to see everyone else's favorite brands; look for them here at Rocks in my Dryer!
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Something new
My friend over at But Wait, There's More! (the first blog I ever saw, by the way; mad props to S for being a way cool early adopter and mentor well past the time we worked together) allows her blog to serve as a source of creative writing as well, so I'm borrowing from her and starting with a haiku Tuesday, thanks to the women at One Deep Breath. This week's inspiration: Grandparents.
look, Grandfather, look!
I just found a pretzel jar!
can you open them?
look, Grandfather, look!
I just found a pretzel jar!
can you open them?
Monday, September 3, 2007
Menu Planning Monday
Happy Labor Day!
Monday: hot dogs and sausages on the grill, radish and feta salad, potato salad
Tuesday: crock pot pork roast, broccoli, rice
Wednesday: steak on the grill (whatever cut is on sale at my butcher today), corn on the cob, tomato & mozzarella salad
Thursday: leftovers &/or spaghetti
Friday: Football game, baby! Go Panthers! (We'll get dinner there.)
best part of this: I have everything I need for the week except the meats (pork & steak), hot dog rolls and some lemons for dressings. Woo-hoo!
Radish & Feta Salad
Slice radishes thin. Add feta cheese, black olives (I use pitted kalamatas), and either mint or scallions. Toss in a lemony vinaigrette (I use the one from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything) at least a half hour before serving.
Monday: hot dogs and sausages on the grill, radish and feta salad, potato salad
Tuesday: crock pot pork roast, broccoli, rice
Wednesday: steak on the grill (whatever cut is on sale at my butcher today), corn on the cob, tomato & mozzarella salad
Thursday: leftovers &/or spaghetti
Friday: Football game, baby! Go Panthers! (We'll get dinner there.)
best part of this: I have everything I need for the week except the meats (pork & steak), hot dog rolls and some lemons for dressings. Woo-hoo!
Radish & Feta Salad
Slice radishes thin. Add feta cheese, black olives (I use pitted kalamatas), and either mint or scallions. Toss in a lemony vinaigrette (I use the one from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything) at least a half hour before serving.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
