Tuesday, August 21, 2007
peeps.
Oooohh... I just ordered my chicks today! They are due to arrive next week Wednesday thru Saturday. Can you believe they actually arrive by the United Postal Service? That is crazy. I am a farmer now via the internet. I ordered a brown egg variety pack. Just like KFC. They ensure a varying brood of at least five types. The company also throws in a free 'rare breed' chick if you are so inclined. I am thankyouverymuch. I've never raised chickens before, so this should be an interesting Fall. Especially because they have to live in a tub within the house for a couple of weeks and then in a pen in the garage for about five more. In about 20 weeks though I am going to feast on an omelet to be envious of.
gluten sucks.
Over the Fourth of July holiday of 2005, I read a book that changed my life forever. After the first chapter of Gluten Free Bible, I knew without a doubt that I had Celiac Disease and that my body was fighting itself (with dire consequences) because of wheat. I was devastated and yet a little trickle of excitement crept in from behind also because maybe, just possibly some of the problems I had been enduring were not normal...
Looking back now, I cannot believe I put up with all of the 'symptoms' that eventually lead me to conclude that I have a gluten allergy. I had a horrible case of insomnia and was barely sleeping at all, depression, I was losing hair, there were bumps all over my legs, I would bruise so badly that I was questioned about the relationship between Troy and I and of course the discomfort and embarrassment of bowel issues that almost all Celiacs experience. When bunched together, I am ashamed that I never sought a doctor's opinion to find out what the hell was wrong with me. As a teen I was diagnosed with a lactose intolerance which in turn I blamed for all of my bowel discomforts. I never thought to question it. The insomnia, bruising, hair loss and skin problems - my Mom had them also, so it was just assumed to be a hereditary problem (which of course it was - she has Celiac's disease also). This disease can be so hard to diagnose because the symptoms are not the same in every person every time. Many of the problems associated with this disease are also indicators of many other diseases and health issues. Gluten allergies are often misdiagnosed for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Lactose allergies, Crohn's Disease and more. It was not until my Mom's stomach issues became so severe that cancer was feared and Celiac Disease was finally diagnosed.
I am in no way, intended or implied, an expert on Celiac Disease or gluten allergies. I simply am a girl who's body cannot handle wheat and I think it sucks. For those of you who do not have a problem with wheat, sit back and think about what items you eat that contain the ingredient... Of course there are the biggies such as bread and everything made with flour (pancakes, pastries,pasta, pretzels, etc.) but it is far more reaching than that. Flour is used to thicken so many foods that many dietary staples become untouchable - soups, gravies and sauces are almost all off limit. Wheat is a common ingredient in almost every convenience food and you can kiss all fast food goodbye.
The first few months with the disease were hard. Many people in my family, Troy included, were very doubtful of the disease. I was probably overreacting or misinformed... Celiac Disease was basically unknown. Who the hell is allergic to wheat? It was especially difficult for Troy to wrap his head around because he is a fantastic cook and would spend many hours a week cooking amazing Cajun and Creole dishes for his family to eat. Dishes his family could no longer eat because every single one of them contained this ingredient that we know had to consider poison. We had a pity party.
Eventually however, you begin to accept the new terms of your life. Health problems that you had been experiencing disappear as if by magic in the absence of wheat. When you do not discard this way of eating as you maybe would a fad diet, people around you begin to seek out information on their own and slowly choose to believe you or at the very least accept that you believe you. You begin to adjust your thinking and come to accept that eating salads for every meal is your new way of life.
But that sucks. Veggies are great, but I just cannot eat them for every meal, every day. Troy, no matter how hard he tried, could not stay away from the kitchen. The experimenting began. Over these couple of years, Troy and I have invented many dishes and tweaked many recipes so that meals could be eaten by me. A lot of the earlier tries were really disgusting. We have gotten better and now, we can make the most amazing meals and I would bet our goats that no one would ever guess that wheat was taboo in our home.
Our lives are now almost completely back to pre Celiac normalcy. I still obviously cannot order whatever I want in a restaurant or dive into Thanksgiving Dinner at my Aunt Jean's, however here in my home, we live normally. We have delicious pizza every Friday night during our Family Fun night. I bake cookies with my daughter and celebrate birthday's with yummy cake. I am lucky. I wish that for all people who suffer from this awful allergy. I hope that we can help.
Looking back now, I cannot believe I put up with all of the 'symptoms' that eventually lead me to conclude that I have a gluten allergy. I had a horrible case of insomnia and was barely sleeping at all, depression, I was losing hair, there were bumps all over my legs, I would bruise so badly that I was questioned about the relationship between Troy and I and of course the discomfort and embarrassment of bowel issues that almost all Celiacs experience. When bunched together, I am ashamed that I never sought a doctor's opinion to find out what the hell was wrong with me. As a teen I was diagnosed with a lactose intolerance which in turn I blamed for all of my bowel discomforts. I never thought to question it. The insomnia, bruising, hair loss and skin problems - my Mom had them also, so it was just assumed to be a hereditary problem (which of course it was - she has Celiac's disease also). This disease can be so hard to diagnose because the symptoms are not the same in every person every time. Many of the problems associated with this disease are also indicators of many other diseases and health issues. Gluten allergies are often misdiagnosed for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Lactose allergies, Crohn's Disease and more. It was not until my Mom's stomach issues became so severe that cancer was feared and Celiac Disease was finally diagnosed.
I am in no way, intended or implied, an expert on Celiac Disease or gluten allergies. I simply am a girl who's body cannot handle wheat and I think it sucks. For those of you who do not have a problem with wheat, sit back and think about what items you eat that contain the ingredient... Of course there are the biggies such as bread and everything made with flour (pancakes, pastries,pasta, pretzels, etc.) but it is far more reaching than that. Flour is used to thicken so many foods that many dietary staples become untouchable - soups, gravies and sauces are almost all off limit. Wheat is a common ingredient in almost every convenience food and you can kiss all fast food goodbye.
The first few months with the disease were hard. Many people in my family, Troy included, were very doubtful of the disease. I was probably overreacting or misinformed... Celiac Disease was basically unknown. Who the hell is allergic to wheat? It was especially difficult for Troy to wrap his head around because he is a fantastic cook and would spend many hours a week cooking amazing Cajun and Creole dishes for his family to eat. Dishes his family could no longer eat because every single one of them contained this ingredient that we know had to consider poison. We had a pity party.
Eventually however, you begin to accept the new terms of your life. Health problems that you had been experiencing disappear as if by magic in the absence of wheat. When you do not discard this way of eating as you maybe would a fad diet, people around you begin to seek out information on their own and slowly choose to believe you or at the very least accept that you believe you. You begin to adjust your thinking and come to accept that eating salads for every meal is your new way of life.
But that sucks. Veggies are great, but I just cannot eat them for every meal, every day. Troy, no matter how hard he tried, could not stay away from the kitchen. The experimenting began. Over these couple of years, Troy and I have invented many dishes and tweaked many recipes so that meals could be eaten by me. A lot of the earlier tries were really disgusting. We have gotten better and now, we can make the most amazing meals and I would bet our goats that no one would ever guess that wheat was taboo in our home.
Our lives are now almost completely back to pre Celiac normalcy. I still obviously cannot order whatever I want in a restaurant or dive into Thanksgiving Dinner at my Aunt Jean's, however here in my home, we live normally. We have delicious pizza every Friday night during our Family Fun night. I bake cookies with my daughter and celebrate birthday's with yummy cake. I am lucky. I wish that for all people who suffer from this awful allergy. I hope that we can help.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
little bit of veg.
Today I was able to make my first meal using many ingredients from the garden. I know it is pretty late in the season, but my garden is not near what I hoped it to be. We were way too ambitious this year. I think our ambition however is quite understandable given the small plot-o-land we have had to work with in previous years. So small... When our eyes gazed upon the acre after acre of green goodness that we now call our yard, we were instantly hit with grandiose ideas of living off our land. Sense never hit us as we loaded a couple hundred dollars worth of plants and seeds into our car. Neither did it hit us as we planted said seeds into the massive rectangle of earth that we had taken us weeks to dig up. It finally occurred to us that possibly we may have taken on too much when the seedlings began to grow... and so did the weeds. I am a strong believer of growing organically. Unfortunately for me and my beliefs, I have no real knowledge of botany. I cannot tell what is an eggplant seedling and what is a pesky weed. Not wanting to pull up my precious plants, we let them all grow. My garden looks like crap frankly. I have tried to pull up weeds since, but they have taken over. I give up this year. Next year I will try again, but my mantra will be mulch, mulch, mulch.
Anyhoo, I finally was able to find a few veggies that have grown in my little weed jungle and made a very nice and very gluten free dinner. I am now waiting for Troy to come home and be impressed. We are having:
- Glumpkies rolled in purple cabbage (old family recipe and oh so delicious)
- Creamy garlic cauliflower mash
- Chunky coleslaw
- Sweet vinegar cucumbers
- New potato, green beans, and caper salad
It always tastes so much better when the goods come from your own backyard.
Anyhoo, I finally was able to find a few veggies that have grown in my little weed jungle and made a very nice and very gluten free dinner. I am now waiting for Troy to come home and be impressed. We are having:
- Glumpkies rolled in purple cabbage (old family recipe and oh so delicious)
- Creamy garlic cauliflower mash
- Chunky coleslaw
- Sweet vinegar cucumbers
- New potato, green beans, and caper salad
It always tastes so much better when the goods come from your own backyard.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
life.
Time slips by lately. Scarily. One minute I am working diligently on preparation for a children's birthday party and the next two months has passed and I have yet to leave a post on all that has happened.
These few weeks will be the last I will have with both of my babies at home with me every moment of every day. I have put this thought at bay for the past year, not wanting to think about it too much due to it's soul crushing effects. Marnie will only be entering school for two days a week and only half days at that. I know that does not seem like such a big deal, but I have become so accustomed to being with her constantly and I cannot wrap my head around it being otherwise. I am sure the bigger issue here is of course her gradual move towards independence and the eventual demise of her now all encompassing need for me... but I am not ready to take that on. I prefer to take a baby step and focus now on how much I am going to miss her. I am going to miss her seven hours a week. Pathetic? Probably, but I don't care.
I am excited about the opportunity to spend more one on one time with Ethan. Ethan, although much more challenging on the health front, is extremely laid back and not nearly as demanding on my attention. While this can be a Godsend, it often means that he takes back-seat to his big sister. Marnie is big personality and Ethan chooses not to compete yet. Luckily however, Marnie also adores Ethan and gives him more attention than he could ever need and probably doesn't even desire. I am really looking forward to working on developing the relationship with Ethan that came so easy with Marnie and I when it was just the two of us. Ethan and I have never been just the two of us, so this situation I am sure will be positive for him and I.
On a completely dissimilar topic, I have been taken over by thoughts of Halloween lately. Odd. Last year, I had the desire to sew costumes for the kids, but I think perhaps I became lazy. I actually cannot recall what happened and why I didn't make them. All I know is that Ethan, being only 4 months old, did not have a costume at all and Marnie ended up with the only costume left in shop a week prior to the big night - a bumble bee. She was a cute bumble bee though. This year though, I am determined to produce amazing costumes on my own for both kids. I am no seamstress mind you, so I am going to start now. I have the feeling that this project might be a bit too much for my limited skills. We shall see. I ordered the patterns this morning and hopefully they will be here by next week. I have chosen to take on patterns by Tom Arma. For those who aren't familiar, Tom Arma designs the most amazing costumes for children. To buy one retail, you can expect to spend upwards of $80, which is ridiculous. Luckily for me and many others who could not possibly justify spending that crazy amount of cash on a costume that is only going to become ruined by pixie sticks, he also has designed a few select patterns for McCall's. So, there you go... I'll be updating I am sure.
These few weeks will be the last I will have with both of my babies at home with me every moment of every day. I have put this thought at bay for the past year, not wanting to think about it too much due to it's soul crushing effects. Marnie will only be entering school for two days a week and only half days at that. I know that does not seem like such a big deal, but I have become so accustomed to being with her constantly and I cannot wrap my head around it being otherwise. I am sure the bigger issue here is of course her gradual move towards independence and the eventual demise of her now all encompassing need for me... but I am not ready to take that on. I prefer to take a baby step and focus now on how much I am going to miss her. I am going to miss her seven hours a week. Pathetic? Probably, but I don't care.
I am excited about the opportunity to spend more one on one time with Ethan. Ethan, although much more challenging on the health front, is extremely laid back and not nearly as demanding on my attention. While this can be a Godsend, it often means that he takes back-seat to his big sister. Marnie is big personality and Ethan chooses not to compete yet. Luckily however, Marnie also adores Ethan and gives him more attention than he could ever need and probably doesn't even desire. I am really looking forward to working on developing the relationship with Ethan that came so easy with Marnie and I when it was just the two of us. Ethan and I have never been just the two of us, so this situation I am sure will be positive for him and I.
On a completely dissimilar topic, I have been taken over by thoughts of Halloween lately. Odd. Last year, I had the desire to sew costumes for the kids, but I think perhaps I became lazy. I actually cannot recall what happened and why I didn't make them. All I know is that Ethan, being only 4 months old, did not have a costume at all and Marnie ended up with the only costume left in shop a week prior to the big night - a bumble bee. She was a cute bumble bee though. This year though, I am determined to produce amazing costumes on my own for both kids. I am no seamstress mind you, so I am going to start now. I have the feeling that this project might be a bit too much for my limited skills. We shall see. I ordered the patterns this morning and hopefully they will be here by next week. I have chosen to take on patterns by Tom Arma. For those who aren't familiar, Tom Arma designs the most amazing costumes for children. To buy one retail, you can expect to spend upwards of $80, which is ridiculous. Luckily for me and many others who could not possibly justify spending that crazy amount of cash on a costume that is only going to become ruined by pixie sticks, he also has designed a few select patterns for McCall's. So, there you go... I'll be updating I am sure.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
whata pinata.
I love pinatas. I have such fond memories of being little and going to birthday parties with candy filled donkeys hanging from strings. I never had one of my own - I have only had one birthday party and nada pinata. But I love them. I had decided that I would get one , but I had to change my mind once I began to dream of all the little 3 year olds trying to bash it open and then becoming increasingly frustrated when nothing happens, because you know, they're only 3. Hmmm, so I decided that I would make one and make it not so hard to break open. I could only find instructions to make them in the shape of a balloon. boring. Eventually I decided to make mini individual pinatas for each child to destroy. I have got the first few layers done and as soon as they are fully dry, I will be able to fill them up with goodies. Hopefully they are not too fragile to hold all the loot I have to go inside. I will be so mad. These bad boys have taken up a lot of my time. 
I need to figure out a creative way to display them at the party. They are so colorful and will make nice decorations. I had thought that I would hang them from a tree or something, but they ended up being much bigger than I had planned. Any ideas?
Troy made some Miso soup with prawns for lunch and it was so pretty I just had to take a picture. Delish!
I need to figure out a creative way to display them at the party. They are so colorful and will make nice decorations. I had thought that I would hang them from a tree or something, but they ended up being much bigger than I had planned. Any ideas?Troy made some Miso soup with prawns for lunch and it was so pretty I just had to take a picture. Delish!
in true fashion.
Things I hate: Cartoon characters on clothing, tots dressed as if about to go man hunting in some sleazy dive bar, paying $45 for a dress for a toddler that will outgrow it within six months. I am not doing it anymore. I want to live simply and I want my children to do so also. Part of this, I believe, is to actually be a kid. You know, run, skip, play, be merry. I don't think kids get to do that too often anymore. Have you walked down a toy isle recently? The outfits on some of the dolls are outrageous! Once I dreamed of being glamorous like Barbie in all of her ball gowns and princess like outfits. Do girls still dream of being like her - only now wearing barely there outfits? I cannot even look at some of the other brands without blushing...
Anyway, I am not talking about this to merely complain. I have decided that I am not giving in and I am not going to allow my kids to be part of this hootchie kid culture. I will continue to make changes in our lifestyle to simplify and allow Marnie and Ethan to remain innocent for as long as possible.
I love the clothing styles for children from the 50's, 60's & 70's. Not all of them of course, but many. Over the past month or so (as Marnie is now outgrowing many of her outfits) I have been collecting vintage patterns in hopes of sewing most of Marnie's clothing from now on. I finally sat down to the machine to attempt my first, and I think it turned out pretty swell. I am not the greatest behind a sewing machine, but I did my best. I am sure I will improve as my clothing quest continues.
It is kind of hard to see in this picture. It is a jumpsuit from the seventies. She loves it. There is elastic at the waist and also at the top to hold it up. This was the first time I have ever done anything with elastic. The waist part did not turn out so picture perfect, so I decided to make a matching sash to tie around. It suited the jumper perfectly. I attached it on one side and then tied it on the other. It helps the garment stay up too. For my first project, I am pretty happy with it. I am going to attempt a dress from the 50's next. It seems a bit more difficult, so we will see... I also will need to learn to make button holes with my sewing machine. I wish I had been taught all of this when I was a girl. Why didn't I take home economics like my brother?
Our gardens are coming along so nicely. The plants are sprouting up all over. We are having some problems with rabbits already, but so far it is minimal. There is a huge rhubarb plant in one of the gardens that is so large and so beautiful that it was almost a shame to harvest it. But alas, it is one of my favorites, so chop, chop.
I made the most delicious Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake Cobbler. It turned out so well that I feel I need to post the recipe and spread the gluten free love.
Serves eight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2 2/3 cup of Bob's Redmill Gluten Free all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled
1 1/3 cup heavy cream
1 pint strawberries, hulled and cut in halves
1 pound rhubarb, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter melted
1/2 cup water
In a small sauce pan, combine rhubarb, 1/2 cup sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and allow mixture to reduce. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and salt. Add chilled butter and cut into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter until crumbles. Add the cream and stir until all ingredients are combined.
Arrange strawberries in baking dish. Pour rhubarb mixture over strawberries. With a spoon, drop large globs of dough throughout the baking dish. Brush exposed dough with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake for 35 minutes or until dough is golden brown.
Serve with whipped cream. yummy.
I'm pretty sure it tastes better since the rhubarb is home grown... doesn't everything though?
I am thinking that I might attempt a no sugar added version for the party next Saturday. My mother-in-law is diabetic and I like to have a special something for her during events where there are many temptations. She gets in tomorrow, so we'll see if she even likes rhubarb.
Look at all of these geese. I kind of hate geese for all the poopin' and such, but how can you hang on to the hate when they stroll through your yard with a couple dozen goslings?
This picture is not very good. There were tons of them though and they were all cute. Damn geese.
Anyway, I am not talking about this to merely complain. I have decided that I am not giving in and I am not going to allow my kids to be part of this hootchie kid culture. I will continue to make changes in our lifestyle to simplify and allow Marnie and Ethan to remain innocent for as long as possible.
I love the clothing styles for children from the 50's, 60's & 70's. Not all of them of course, but many. Over the past month or so (as Marnie is now outgrowing many of her outfits) I have been collecting vintage patterns in hopes of sewing most of Marnie's clothing from now on. I finally sat down to the machine to attempt my first, and I think it turned out pretty swell. I am not the greatest behind a sewing machine, but I did my best. I am sure I will improve as my clothing quest continues.
It is kind of hard to see in this picture. It is a jumpsuit from the seventies. She loves it. There is elastic at the waist and also at the top to hold it up. This was the first time I have ever done anything with elastic. The waist part did not turn out so picture perfect, so I decided to make a matching sash to tie around. It suited the jumper perfectly. I attached it on one side and then tied it on the other. It helps the garment stay up too. For my first project, I am pretty happy with it. I am going to attempt a dress from the 50's next. It seems a bit more difficult, so we will see... I also will need to learn to make button holes with my sewing machine. I wish I had been taught all of this when I was a girl. Why didn't I take home economics like my brother?
Our gardens are coming along so nicely. The plants are sprouting up all over. We are having some problems with rabbits already, but so far it is minimal. There is a huge rhubarb plant in one of the gardens that is so large and so beautiful that it was almost a shame to harvest it. But alas, it is one of my favorites, so chop, chop.
I made the most delicious Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake Cobbler. It turned out so well that I feel I need to post the recipe and spread the gluten free love.Serves eight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2 2/3 cup of Bob's Redmill Gluten Free all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled
1 1/3 cup heavy cream
1 pint strawberries, hulled and cut in halves
1 pound rhubarb, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter melted
1/2 cup water
In a small sauce pan, combine rhubarb, 1/2 cup sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and allow mixture to reduce. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and salt. Add chilled butter and cut into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter until crumbles. Add the cream and stir until all ingredients are combined.
Arrange strawberries in baking dish. Pour rhubarb mixture over strawberries. With a spoon, drop large globs of dough throughout the baking dish. Brush exposed dough with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake for 35 minutes or until dough is golden brown.
Serve with whipped cream. yummy.
I'm pretty sure it tastes better since the rhubarb is home grown... doesn't everything though?
I am thinking that I might attempt a no sugar added version for the party next Saturday. My mother-in-law is diabetic and I like to have a special something for her during events where there are many temptations. She gets in tomorrow, so we'll see if she even likes rhubarb.
Look at all of these geese. I kind of hate geese for all the poopin' and such, but how can you hang on to the hate when they stroll through your yard with a couple dozen goslings?
This picture is not very good. There were tons of them though and they were all cute. Damn geese.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
paperbacks
Have you ever heard of paperback swap? How did I not know of this site before now? Screw ebay! Now I can read to my little heart's desire for mere postage. Amazing. First on my list - another David Sedaris book, "Naked". I am on a kick that will not end until I have read them all I believe. I enjoyed the last one so much I was giddy while reading. That's a feat, turning the reader into a fit of giggles mid sentence. How can I resist? Thus far, since joining a mere 24 hours ago, I have already sent out five of my books and have three others due to go tomorrow. Hmmm, I must have good taste in books to be so popular, no?
much to do about much.
Thursday evening, my Mom drove in from the city to pick up the kids. Troy and I enjoyed the evening together and had a movie marathon. It was fun, but we had planned on really celebrating our anniversary on Friday. I wish I had remembered to take a picture of the amazing breakfast that Troy cooked in celebration of us... He made the most beautiful gluten-free crepes stuffed with fresh strawberries and topped with whipped cream. yum. We then took off to look for goodies.
Every year, Troy and I buy an antique for our anniversary. We LOVE antiques, but even more than possessing them, we love to shop for them. Since moving here, we had not yet checked out any of the local shops, so we hit them all up on Friday. We don't usually have anything in mind. At least not collectively. I had thought a picnic suitcase with all the bits would be lovely. I'm not sure if Troy had any ideas beforehand - he definitely was not in sync with mine. Usually as we browse, we will stumble upon some item that is obviously for us. That day was no exception. We found this gorgeous chick hatchery from 1910. Awesome. The condition is amazing and it stands on legs, so it can be used as a table. We just fell for it as soon as we set eyes on it. Unfortunately for us, it was priced a bit out of range of the budget we had set, but we have decided to continue to set some cash aside each week until we can call it ours. You know, in the name of us. Uh, love it. I wish I had taken a photo to pine over.
After much shopping and a little buying, we came home and Troy once again returned to the kitchen. What a dinner.
Steamed lobster claws, bacon wrapped Cajun sea scallops, grilled king crab in tarragon butter, and gluten-free fried oysters. Freaking delicious. He continues to boggle the mind.
Saturday was Marnie's big 3. I missed my babies so much. It is so silly how much your heart can ache after kiddos when they have only been gone a couple of days. It was a lovely reunion though and Marnie was pretty excited about the many packages we brought with us. Per usual, her fave by far was the birthday ball. The main theme was a barbie pretend makeup set - in the middle hid a (sort of) working hair dryer.
Since we are throwing the kids a giant party, I went the route of an individual cake for the actual day. I had wanted to get her a heavily frosted cupcake, but when the only bakery in town is inside a Walmart, you have to lower your expectations. I found a little cake and then added an immense amount of pink frosting and sugar stars. She dug.
The kids and I headed to Kalamazoo on Sunday for a cousin's graduation party/pig roast. Yup. It was fine and all. People went a bit crazy with the hooch, but at least it was entertaining. Yesterday morning though, Ethan awoke with a 104 temp. He was difficult to rouse and simply not himself. We got him home quickly and made many efforts to bring down his temp. We were in constant contact with his doctor and were ready to head out to the hospital in a second if the situation became worse. It was so scary to see him that way. Finally his fever broke in late afternoon and he returned to his crazy self by evening time. Ethan is such a sweet thang. He managed to smile through most of the day... even as he sat in a bath with ice.
Yesterday, in addition to a sick kid, we also had a trapped bird in our fireplace. Troy had sworn he had been hearing a ghost in the house for a couple of days. Well, no. It was just a bird. What gave it away? Maybe it was the BIRD knocking his beak against the glass of the fireplace. I swear I don't know what he would do if he lived alone. Anyway, Troy was able to get at it after a few hours of trying. It was fine. *
And then in another lovely dinner from the boy. My favorite in fact. I think the rice needs some tweaking and I could do without the k.r.a.b., but overall it was good and so nice of him to try.
He said that this was for me, but it was really for him... Gluten-free chocolate cake. I'll admit it was pretty good.
Today we are back to normal. No more birthdays or holidays. Well, that is until Ethan turns one next week. And did I mention that the mother-in-law is arriving in a few days? Yup. We have a christening party to attend in a couple of days also and I have yet to make a gift or even search for ideas. Oh, and the ladies' wedding in which the gift is far from complete. And those birthday banners that need to be made before the party... I'm screwed.
* Don't mind the crying man in the photo - for he is not actually crying, merely deathly allergic to grass spores. Spring is trying to off him.
Every year, Troy and I buy an antique for our anniversary. We LOVE antiques, but even more than possessing them, we love to shop for them. Since moving here, we had not yet checked out any of the local shops, so we hit them all up on Friday. We don't usually have anything in mind. At least not collectively. I had thought a picnic suitcase with all the bits would be lovely. I'm not sure if Troy had any ideas beforehand - he definitely was not in sync with mine. Usually as we browse, we will stumble upon some item that is obviously for us. That day was no exception. We found this gorgeous chick hatchery from 1910. Awesome. The condition is amazing and it stands on legs, so it can be used as a table. We just fell for it as soon as we set eyes on it. Unfortunately for us, it was priced a bit out of range of the budget we had set, but we have decided to continue to set some cash aside each week until we can call it ours. You know, in the name of us. Uh, love it. I wish I had taken a photo to pine over.
After much shopping and a little buying, we came home and Troy once again returned to the kitchen. What a dinner.
Steamed lobster claws, bacon wrapped Cajun sea scallops, grilled king crab in tarragon butter, and gluten-free fried oysters. Freaking delicious. He continues to boggle the mind.
Saturday was Marnie's big 3. I missed my babies so much. It is so silly how much your heart can ache after kiddos when they have only been gone a couple of days. It was a lovely reunion though and Marnie was pretty excited about the many packages we brought with us. Per usual, her fave by far was the birthday ball. The main theme was a barbie pretend makeup set - in the middle hid a (sort of) working hair dryer.
Since we are throwing the kids a giant party, I went the route of an individual cake for the actual day. I had wanted to get her a heavily frosted cupcake, but when the only bakery in town is inside a Walmart, you have to lower your expectations. I found a little cake and then added an immense amount of pink frosting and sugar stars. She dug.
The kids and I headed to Kalamazoo on Sunday for a cousin's graduation party/pig roast. Yup. It was fine and all. People went a bit crazy with the hooch, but at least it was entertaining. Yesterday morning though, Ethan awoke with a 104 temp. He was difficult to rouse and simply not himself. We got him home quickly and made many efforts to bring down his temp. We were in constant contact with his doctor and were ready to head out to the hospital in a second if the situation became worse. It was so scary to see him that way. Finally his fever broke in late afternoon and he returned to his crazy self by evening time. Ethan is such a sweet thang. He managed to smile through most of the day... even as he sat in a bath with ice.
Yesterday, in addition to a sick kid, we also had a trapped bird in our fireplace. Troy had sworn he had been hearing a ghost in the house for a couple of days. Well, no. It was just a bird. What gave it away? Maybe it was the BIRD knocking his beak against the glass of the fireplace. I swear I don't know what he would do if he lived alone. Anyway, Troy was able to get at it after a few hours of trying. It was fine. *
And then in another lovely dinner from the boy. My favorite in fact. I think the rice needs some tweaking and I could do without the k.r.a.b., but overall it was good and so nice of him to try.
He said that this was for me, but it was really for him... Gluten-free chocolate cake. I'll admit it was pretty good.
Today we are back to normal. No more birthdays or holidays. Well, that is until Ethan turns one next week. And did I mention that the mother-in-law is arriving in a few days? Yup. We have a christening party to attend in a couple of days also and I have yet to make a gift or even search for ideas. Oh, and the ladies' wedding in which the gift is far from complete. And those birthday banners that need to be made before the party... I'm screwed.
* Don't mind the crying man in the photo - for he is not actually crying, merely deathly allergic to grass spores. Spring is trying to off him.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
craziness
These past couple of weeks have been insane. Actually, this time of year is always insane in our family. Four years ago today, my handsome husband and I were married (Happy Anniversary honey!!!) and then three months later we were pregnant. Purposely pregnant, but maybe not planned so perfectly. Marnie was due to be born the day after our one year anniversary - she was instead born 2 days later on the 26th. Once Marnie turned a year old, Troy and I decided we were ready to have another baby. We wanted our kids to be very close to two years apart plus a couple of months so that their birthdays would be a bit apart. We were spot on this time and Ethan was due to arrive July 9th. We would have a couple of weeks between Marnie's day and Father's Day and then yet another couple of weeks until the Fourth of July and E's day. He had other plans though and make it into this world six weeks ahead of schedule. So, now all five events are scrunched in together. We do the best we can. Usually this time of year goes something like we forgo Mother's Day activities and Troy and I are lucky if we are able to go to dinner on our anniversary...we try to make the birthdays special but simple... and then somehow Troy ends up with some crazy kind of expensive Father's Day gift. I'm not sure how this happened. Last year: Mother's Day = nada. Father's Day = a great big gas grill. Hmpf.
This year however, it is going down a bit differently. Sort of. We are once again not really 'doing' too much for our anniversary. We are shipping the kids off to Chicago this afternoon and spending a whole day and a half by ourselves. Did you catch that? a.l.o.n.e. I am so freaking excited to sleep in tomorrow that I cannot even put it into actual words. It just keeps coming out ploopengotten smattenhoop. Nope, this year we have chosen to forsake our selfish Mom and Pop holidays for a huge kiddie bash. We are doing it up toddler style. In a mere two weeks, our house will be filled with loved ones celebrating our children's lives. I am pretty stoked about this event. Right now however, I am selling off all my worldly possessions on ebay in order to pay for it. Okay, so not all of them. Maybe in fact it is just a bunch of crap. Crap for sale.
Updates on all things Marnie & Ethan Birthday 2007 to come...
This year however, it is going down a bit differently. Sort of. We are once again not really 'doing' too much for our anniversary. We are shipping the kids off to Chicago this afternoon and spending a whole day and a half by ourselves. Did you catch that? a.l.o.n.e. I am so freaking excited to sleep in tomorrow that I cannot even put it into actual words. It just keeps coming out ploopengotten smattenhoop. Nope, this year we have chosen to forsake our selfish Mom and Pop holidays for a huge kiddie bash. We are doing it up toddler style. In a mere two weeks, our house will be filled with loved ones celebrating our children's lives. I am pretty stoked about this event. Right now however, I am selling off all my worldly possessions on ebay in order to pay for it. Okay, so not all of them. Maybe in fact it is just a bunch of crap. Crap for sale.
Updates on all things Marnie & Ethan Birthday 2007 to come...
Sunday, May 13, 2007
happiness
Oh Mother's Day loveliness! Today I got to sleep in until almost 9:30... and I was given these beautiful stakes for my garden. I'm pretty sure that this is the first time anyone has ever made something for me. I love it. I hope all my future gifts from the kids are made by their little hands. I felt very special.
The rest of the day was spent roaming around the gardens and splashing a bit in the lake. Lovely. The weather was perfect and at every turn there were new buds and stems that were not there yesterday. I love this time of year. I cannot wait for more blooms though.
I am working on so many projects right now that I am kind of freaking out. Many have deadlines and I am fearful of not getting them done in time. Troy's aunt and her partner are getting married next month and I decided to take a stab at quilting. Hand quilting. For the first time ever. hmmmm. Maybe a bit ambitious, but it seems like a good idea in theory. These two ladies mean the world to me and I want to do something really nice. I have never embroidered before, but I got a book! I took a stab at a couple of stitches and then did a flower. Pretty elementary, I know, but eh. It turned out okay.
I have some wee stichettes headed my way, so I'll get some practice. yum.
The rest of the day was spent roaming around the gardens and splashing a bit in the lake. Lovely. The weather was perfect and at every turn there were new buds and stems that were not there yesterday. I love this time of year. I cannot wait for more blooms though.
I am working on so many projects right now that I am kind of freaking out. Many have deadlines and I am fearful of not getting them done in time. Troy's aunt and her partner are getting married next month and I decided to take a stab at quilting. Hand quilting. For the first time ever. hmmmm. Maybe a bit ambitious, but it seems like a good idea in theory. These two ladies mean the world to me and I want to do something really nice. I have never embroidered before, but I got a book! I took a stab at a couple of stitches and then did a flower. Pretty elementary, I know, but eh. It turned out okay.
I have some wee stichettes headed my way, so I'll get some practice. yum.
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