Hey Grampa Books!

Dad, did you teach Eddie to say "Fee, Fi, Foe, Fummin', I smell the blood of an EnglishWOMAN!" 

... because it's hilarious!

In which I atone for my absence

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

Wow, it's been so long since I wrote -- three weeks!! -- that "blogger.com" doesn't even pop up in my navigation bar when I start typing. That, my friends, is what you call "sloth."

Except I haven't been slothing! I swear! I got sick right before Ed's birthday and I feel like it's been an uphill battle since then. Add in Joel going on two separate trips, plus 2 more b-day parties for Eddie, plus 2 wedding showers for Julie, and I feel like I've been running on fumes for all of March. Which is a shame, because it's been a particularly lovely March, weather-wise: sometimes chilly but often quite fantastic. I've been able to snuggle Eddie into several wonderful afternoon naps, even though he hasn't napped regularly for at least 6 months. And I've been remarkably un-busy in the dance-teaching department. This was by choice, for Lucy's first year in school. It's been a successful experiment on some level -- there have been Zero afternoons of flying around like crazy chickens, trying to arrange childcare and choreography at the last moment -- but we have been missing the money, and I'm also missing the work. I'm looking forward to diving back in ... maybe in a couple years. I would love to be able to honor Ed's first year in school (this fall! Already!) in the same way, but 1. I don't see myself sitting idle every afternoon, and 2. I'm just getting a little... itchy. A few stay-home moms I know are taking a "Year Of Mom" for their youngest child's first year in full day Kindergarten (which is all that's offered here in St. Paul, and which would be the 2011-12 school year for me). Basically, trying not to overcommit during that first year when I'd have an Entire 7-Hour Stretch All To Myself Every Weekday. I kind of can't even imagine the freedom.

I've been meeting with a Life Coach lately -- she's a doll and is supposed to help me figure out what I really want to be when I grow up. So far we've figured out that I love change/variety, deadline/project-oriented work, and teaching/service/helping others. Fortunately, that lines up well with itinerant dance-teaching. Another thing that popped up is becoming a doula -- an assistant to an expectant mother during labor. I'm doing some research, and I'm blessed with some wonderful doula friends who are happy to share their knowledge and experiences. Joel and I rented "Up in the Air" last night -- loved it!! The movie makes the point, along its way, that life is too short not to do what you love. I've heard the phrase "Do what you love, and the money will follow" -- it kinda sounds way too good to be true, but part of the faith journey I've been going on in my Bible study this year has also led me to the same conclusion. What if the reason a super-steady, stable, boring office job feels so wrong to me is that it's not what I'm meant to be doing? What if there really is a bigger plan -- some work I'm meant to do that can make a difference? Well I dunno. I'm working on it.

Kids have been SUPER cute lately. I drove Eddie into the Subway parking lot to check out prices on their loooong party subs (astronomical, btw), and Ed took one look at the storefront and said, "Mama, is this Five Dollar Foot Longs?" and then when I got back in the car he muttered "Subway. Eat fresh!" Take heed, marketing people -- whoever's doing Subway's ads is a GENIUS.

Lucy asked me the other day if she could make something "All by myself, with no recipe." Here's what I do know was in it: cheddar cheese, mustard, mayo, fennel, cinnamon (lots of cinnamon), salt, chicken bouillon, green food coloring, and an egg. She did microwave it long enough to cook the egg, but HOLY HECK was it uneatable. She tasted some, offered me some (I did try it), and then insisted we save the rest so Daddy could join in the feast when he got home.

Last night we convinced Ed and Lucy to TRY ONE BITE of the spinach/walnut/craisin/bleu cheese salad I made. We told them it was just like in Ratatouille, when the rat eats a bite of cheese along with a strawberry, and the flavors mix together and make something wonderful. They both ate more than one bite (wahoo!!) and Eddie said "I think I'm getting a flavor.... Hmmm. It makes my shoulders go up, and I shiver." Score one for bleu cheese.

And: you know your kid is reading too many books about sea animals when you're eating shrimp for supper and your son asks you to "Pass the krill." Also the other day Ed hugged me and said "Think big, Mama, and you can do great things!" And also, Lucy has been using "whom" correctly. As I said in my Facebook post documenting some of these, I'm pretty sure God has given me exactly the right kids.


And, sorry, one more random reflection: I know I've said this before, but as I suck down the final dregs of a Cherry Coke (and oh, how delicious it was!), I'm reminded how healthy eating begets healthy eating, and unhealthy-vice-versa. I had a couple handfuls of Cheez-its this afternoon and I immediately craved a Coke. How terrible is that!? If I could've left the Cheez-its alone, I would have been soooo happy with water and some avocado slices... but noooo, I had to go and Cheez it up. Grrrr! Anyway, if anybody's having trouble making healthy food choices this early spring (with Easter candy rearing its ugly head, and farm-fresh produce still a few months out), Take Heart! Be Strong! You aren't alone. 


And, OK, listen, I'm really sorry, but here are some Facebook statuses I've been posting which I now would like to document in some format I am hoping I'll actually be able to print out someday. You know, for posterity. Anyway: 

1. My dance teacher told me I have "great feet for yoga." By which I'm pretty sure she means "chimpanzee feet."

Yeah, see, some of these things are better with the comments that get added. For example, my friend Sherry (a yoga teacher) explained that "your toes have some separation, and they support your feet on 'all four corners,' as we yogis say." 

2. Things I'd Never Imagine Would Come Out of My Mouth #416: "Lucy doesn't mean "a boyfriend," she means "a boy toy."

OK, now this one, people laughed but nobody asked for an explanation! And so I give it here, where you are captive. So, you know how little kids anthropomorphize their toys and call them their "friends"? I assure you, they do. Lucy was talking about how Eddie has boy "friends," while she prefers girl "friends." Lucy then added "Someday, when I have a boy friend..." and Joel shot her A LOOK from across the room, and I jumped in, trying to clarify, by saying "She doesn't mean 'a boy friend,' she means 'a boy toy.'" Which, as you can see, actually sounds much worse.


All right, I'm outta here.

 

Happy 4th birthday Eddo!

Something about the late-afternoon sunshine streaming into my kitchen window brings on waves of introspection and nostalgia for me. And if that late-afternoon sunshine is accompanied by any sort of public radio programming -- Prairie Home Companion, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me... even All Things Considered (the theme music for which is inextricably linked (within my brain) with the sound and smell of Italian sausage cooking) -- my wiping and bustling and swishing and chopping can be brought to a complete standstill. And sometimes I even cry.

I have a long and varied relationship with late-afternoon sunshine. As a pre-teen I recall the first of many migraines exacerbated by the unremitting bore of late-afternoon sunshine. I have other memories of watching dust float through the sunbeams in one living room or another... of pre-dinner TV shows like I Dream of Jeannie or The Andy Griffith Show (if the Cubs game had ended but Mom hadn't yet come in to switch off the tube).

When I stop to think about it (as I now have), that kind of sun, that specific angle, happens at very different times throughout the year. Now, March 7 in the Twin Cities, 4:30 PM is exactly the right time. But around Christmastime, it's pitch-black at 4:30. And this kind of sunlight comes looong after dinnertime, maybe even 7:30 or 8 PM, at the height of summer. It's one of the wonderful, interesting, and ever-changing things I love about Minnesota weather.

I feel like I'm still shaking off the cobwebs in my brain and body after the last three days. On Wednesday, Joel went to Jamaica for his soon-to-be-brother-in-law Jeff's bachelor party, and my dad came in for a visit... and I promptly came down with the most debilitating fever-thing I have EVER had. Honestly, I could not prepare myself a Neti Pot on Thursday without having to sit and rest for several minutes in between steps. It was brutal. I missed dance class, a funeral, Bible study (including a fellowship session I was FINALLY going to get to attend since my dad was in to babysit), morning workout, volleyball, lunch with a friend-from-out-of-town... and my poor 68-year-old dad took the brunt of the childcare responsibilities for nearly three days. AND I was pretty much a zombie when my mom came in and we took Jean shopping for wedding stuff (she bought a dress!! eeeeeek!) and for Julie's bachelorette party. UGH. And I have been up coughing the last 2 nights, after being up the previous 2 nights with dreadful body aches. I am a sad, sad panda -- who also happens to be extremely grateful for my wonderful support network, especially my super-dad.

And today... TOOO-DAAAAY... Eddie turned 4! My little baby. He's as tall as Lucy was at 4.5 -- and Lucy herself has grown, I swear, even since we measured her on her half-birthday 5 days ago. Ed asked for Bakugans and "fighting guys" for his birthday and got both (among assorted other treasures), much to his adorable little-boy delight. He's been playing by himself and with Lucy nonstop, narrating little dramas and negotiating conflicts like the mostly-sweet soul he is. Jean's fiance Cameron also made Ed his requested "brown -- I mean chocolate -- Nemo cake." And it was adorable and delicious, which is why Cameron's so right for this family.

I have to go prepare a meal, solo -- first time in several days. The freedom is bewildering.

Parents make the difference... again

Went to a really cool presentation last night given by a local organization called Doing Good Together, through ECFE. It was called Raising Compassionate Children and talked about the why, how, and obstacles of raising children who have empathy and who care for other people.

One statistic she quoted was that volunteering is just as good for your overall well-being as quitting smoking. That was amazing to me... and THEN she added that volunteering is actually BETTER for you, physically and mentally, than exercising 4 times per week. That really blew me away.

Just somethin' to think about. Happy Wednesday!

Thank the Lord for the WiFi

... to paraphrase Neil Diamond.

I'm totally obsessed with the Olympics -- I get SO EXCITED every 2 years, and last night during Apolo Ohno's silver-medal win Joel thought I was being attacked by bears or something -- evidently I was making very strange, urgent-sounding noises. Anyway, except I have a hard time focusing because I've got sisters getting married (wheeee!) and trips to the Dells and Amsterdam (WHEEEE!!) on the horizon. All of which involve silly amounts of time on the computer. Also Joel and I keep on trying to squeeze in viewings of Flight of the Conchords Season 2 and The Tudors Season 2 from Netflix. Basically we all stay up very late and my computer is about to catch on fire.

Had a really lovely Valentine's Day weekend -- I just have to say, having kids makes holidays WAY SO MUCH FUN. The kids and I toured Lucy's school on Friday (mostly because Ed is going there next year too, and PreK and K share a classroom, so we have to make a decision on whether the kids will be in the same class, only I hadn't met the other PreK/K teacher yet, nor seen her in action, so I kinda wanted to kill all those birds, plus I hadn't spent too much time getting to know the principal, so I got to do that, too) and the Entire Student Body was crazy-keyed-up for the V-Day celebrations. Every teacher apologized for the wildness of the students, but it was very cute. The other tidbit I got out of the visit is that 6th-graders are GINORMOUS.

Oh, so Valentine's Day! Right, so Lucy was BEYOND excited to give and get Valentines at school. Plus she had 2.5 playdates with friends on Friday, and Eddie got pizza and playdates too... plus the Dalys came over for dinner, and Jean too... and the Olympics started... it's a wonder we didn't all start crying. Oh, wait, we did -- that Morgan Freeman Visa commercial about the Moms would have been the last straw, if it hadn't already been for that video of the luger who was killed. I'm glad NBC isn't showing the video anymore, and yet I am glad I got to see it. Don't get me wrong, it was totally horrible -- but in some respect I feel like I understand more about how quick and terrible it actually was, because I saw it. I don't want to be a gawker -- I can't stand the braking and rubbernecking when there's an accident on the highway, for example -- but seeing the video made me understand the weight of it, more. It made me FEEL more. Well anyway, I think feeling things is good for me.

OK so Valentine's Day. On Saturday Joel took the kids to Menards and then sledding, so I could have some non-child-time. Also good for me. I seriously just need to recharge my batteries -- unglue the kids from my legs, demagnetize their hands from my arms -- by the time the weekend comes around. I got to do that Saturday -- got caught up on BSF, got to go grocery shopping, got to make dinner and an AMAZING blackberry/lime cheesecake (if I do say so, myself). Sunday I was treated to breakfast in bed by my darling husband and sweet, adorable children (who took turns sneaking upstairs to see whether I was awake yet, then padding back down declaring "She's stirring!" -- So. Cute.). We had french toast, nummy coffee, the newspaper, and a grand opening of Valentine cards and gifts from the Bookses. It was glorious. We actually went to church (at St. Pascal's up the street), then hit the mall where I got my makeup done (by MAC -- then I spent an icky amount of money on cosmetics, I think much of it's going back, though I did look good. *shrug* Kids and I rode the Maplewood Mall carousel, then the four of us got linner (late lunch/counts as dinner) at Red Lobster. It was quite affordable; we had a coupon -- and the kids got their crab-leg fix (Lucy has been asking for crab legs every three days since her birthday IN SEPTEMBER). We were able to give our extra coupon to an adorable, ancient couple at the next table, who then complimented us on how well our kids were behaved during the meal. Yessss!! The firstborn in me CRAVES pleasing the elderly.

Joel bought me a generic-brand snuggie as a gift, which I always thought was stupid until I got one and realized how terribly cozy it is. The kids and I like to all cuddle up under it and read books. I'm not completely ready to believe it's anything more than a larger, less-flattering robe, but I sure do like it. He also had the kids buy me some Peeps. I always feel guilty because I'm not so good at buying gifts. I wrote Lucy, Ed and Joel each a lovely long love note, and I told Joel to get another month's membership at the Y... and there was the cheesecake... but I still feel a little like I didn't quite do my part.

I'm pretty sure it's almost midnight, and I've got an early playdate in the AM. Plus it's going to take me a week to wash off all this eye makeup. Good night... go USA!

Violating copyrights for fun and... well, just for fun I guess.

I just joined the FB group "Growing up in Rolling Meadows" and found this awesome ad for homes. I'm SURE "the Whites" was an actual name of an actual family... I sure hope.
Click to enlarge (again... I hope)

I gotta get video of Lucy singing "Don't Stop Believin'"

Convos with the kids:

SCENE 1

Joel (after dinner): "Eddie, wow, you must be full! Your belly is so big!"

Eddie: "DON'T CRITICIZE ME!!"

Also, along with the rest of the free world, we went to a Superbowl Party on Sunday. We actually had Lucy convinced it was a "Soup or Bowl" party, to which she replied, "Well then I'll take the bowl." Smart girl.

SCENE 2

Joel (to the kids, on the way home from the party): "Wasn't that fun? Lots of kids, good food, and Eddie got to hold the baby!"

Lucy (and I wish I could fully convey her sincerity in delivering these lines): "WWAAAAAAA!  Sad -- SO SAD!  IT AIN'T FAIR!!"

And just this morning, over breakfast:

SCENE 3

Lucy: Mommy I want an egg in a hole.

Me (in a quite relaxed and casual way): Hon, I just made you the smoothie you asked for, and you haven't even started eating it yet. If you're still hungry when it's gone, then I will make you an egg.

Lucy: Mommy CALM DOWN.

Perfect gift

It's funny, because I often disparage the time I spent working in a cubicle -- I say how it sucked the life out of me... I say how wrong I was for that kind of life.

But sometimes magic comes from there.

When I was last full-time-employed, I worked with a gal named Renie Howard. She died last month of cancer. She was a proofreader in our office... but her title really ought to have been Beautiful Soul; Gentle Presence. Renie was what Joel would affectionately refer to as "fruity" -- linen-wearin', peace-talkin', natural eatin', makeup-eschewin'. My friend (and former coworker) Michelle sent me this poem Renie wrote, and I share it with you, because it is magic.

Perfect Gift

Go naked
before God.
Stop looking in the mirror
and messing with your hair.
Don't worry
what everyone else
is wearing
or whether you look fat.

Go naked
to the Beloved
in full daylight.
Make a love-offering
of your
entire
roly-poly
self.
It's the only thing you have
to give
so give it joyfully.

Hold nothing back.
Place the whole absurd
and precious package
in the palm of the
Divine
where Love will receive it
with infinite
tenderness
and delight.
Sweetheart
don't you know?

You are the perfect gift.
 -Renie Rae Howard

BNL and TTT

Anybody know the Barenaked Ladies' song "Grade 9"? There's a chunk of it that goes:

They called me fatso, they called me chicken-legs

They called me 4-eyes, they called me Buckwheat

They called me Eddie.

And it sounds just like The Ting Tings' song "That's Not My Name." Did one of these come from the other -- or just a coinkidink? Help me out; it's really bugging me.

Just trying to kill some time before my dryer buzzes -- it's 11:12pm (wait you can tell that from the time stamp) and I'm still a little wired after dance class (we're dancing to Dianne Reeves' "Endangered Species" and it's SWEET!). I have to get up eaaaarrrrlllyy (5:45, I know, it's criminal!) to go work out and then bust into my busy Thursday (Bible study - Lucy to school - entertain Ed - make dinner - volleyball - drinks - rehearse with Jean). Hmmm, it doesn't really sound that busy when I write it all down. Making dinner -- it's making dinner that's the killer. I've gotten so unbelievably lazy, I know, but for some reason I always wind up with gobs of leftovers and, well, they DO need to be eaten... it just means I haven't cooked much at all in the last couple weeks. This cold weather really slows me down and kills my motivation. Example: I was supposed to make white chicken chili today, and instead it was ham/bean leftover soup from the freezer. It's REALLY GOOD but everybody hates it except me. How did I wind up in a family of soup-haters?!

I feel like my metabolism is sllloowwwing down too. As I am sitting here I gaze down at what could easily pass for a four-months-pregnant belly. It's just super-hard to lay off the white-chocolate/macadamia cookies... and the Cheez-Its... and the chocolate-chip/orange cake.

BUZZZZ! OK gots to run.

Do I drive you CRAAAAAA-ZY!?

I know, I know, I'm like eight years behind the times -- I realize that was a hit song, oh, four years ago. Please remember I have been raising babies for the last 5.5 years and my brain is absolute mush. Delicious, white-chocolate/macadamia mush. Next thing I know you'll be telling me I can purchase music online. Horrors!

So I was talking to my mom today and I realized I've seen an obscene number of movies lately, and so I review them for you.

Avatar
Revolutionary Road
4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days
Inglorious Basterds
Gone Baby Gone
District 9
Le Danse
Duplicity

Wait, I just remembered that the only ones who read this are my parents, and I just reviewed all these for my mom on the phone. OK, so I can still review 'em for you, but let me know which one you want to hear about, OK?

Also I am excited to tell you about this life coach I've been working with. She's a friend-of-a-friend and she's in training, so she is Free To Me which (and this should come as no surprise to you) is the only way I could afford such a luxury. And I assure you that having someone, a completely objective, out-of-the-loop someone, come over once a week and chat for 45 minutes about ME and MY DREAMS and MY IDEAS is a fabulous luxury. Anyway she's a doll and she's helping me figure out what I want to be when I grow up, oh wait I'm 33. I do know that once the kids are both in school, I really want to continue teaching dance/choreographing. I'd also eventually like to be paid to write something. I'm exploring, I guess. I'm the kinda gal who sort of just likes to be told what to do -- I'm the first-born, the people-pleaser -- so having to start up something on my own is extremely daunting.

Lucy decided today that she wants to make a movie, so she and I developed a script (I use "we" loosely -- she talked and I wrote it down) and now we just need to organize ourselves (meaning I need to charge the video camera) and we can start shooting. I think it might be a cult classic; just wait 'til you hear her rousing rendition of "kleenex on the ground." She has several scenes where we "all go together" someplace (like, to the swimming pool in the living room, or driving to Monticello in the love seat) and she's really concerned about who's going to press Record if we ALL need to be in the scene. I'm going to bust out my tripod and blow her mind.

Lucy is also very distressed about Eddie's upcoming birthday: "Why can't MY birthday be in March!?? What if our birthdays were BOTH in March?!? What if Eddie doesn't want to invite ANYBODY?!?!" She's also starting the guest list for her own birthday, which -- need I remind you? --  is still 8 months away. She wants to invite One Boy. From Her Class. I'm hoping none of you know who it is: Nolan. Except she says it "NOHHH-lan." I wanna know the deal; guess I'd better volunteer in class more.

Ed's a riot too -- last night Joel and I were at his Annual Work Party and Jean was babysitting and she says Ed sprinted into the kitchen hollering: "I'M GOING TO HOLLYWOOD!!!!" Stinker.

Some pictures for you... and sneaking in some verses, MUAhahaha...

Lucy in my wedding veil and high school show choir dress.

  

Never, ever does Lucy look more like Joel's sister Julie than when they're crying!

(Here, Lucy is doing so because her "tiger face" was getting washed off before school. Her choice to wash it off -- but she REALLY wanted Daddy to see it.)

He's three!

Ed loves himself some Dollar Store.

 Just a regular ol' Daly day.

 

Working on my Bible study today, I came across Mark 8:38 ("If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes"), which emboldened me and prompted me to share this other verse that really struck me:

John 12:36
"Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light."
Today reading this, it reminds me of the ups and downs of believing in Jesus. We all have good days and bad days -- good and bad hours and minutes, even! Today, to me, this verse means: Trust and believe when you are moved to do so, during the good, happy times. Go with it, embrace the love of God, and live in that moment. Then some other time, when you are feeling dark and despairing, remember (and lean upon!) that faith you had in that happy moment. It'll buoy you even when your faith is shaken, or when you're not feeling the love you should.

OK and because I'm on a roll:

Galatians 2:21 "If righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
Such a relief, isn't it? Takes off all that blasted pressure to be a good person.

Call yo'self a cool cat?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nsv2LrdXf1Y

You just gotta watch. Oh, you already saw it? Watch it again, it'll make your day. AGAIN.

Ham Ring!

My mom's been making this recipe since I was a kid. It's yummy and super-easy, and sorta fancy-looking.

Broccoli-Swiss Ham Ring

A pile of cooked ham, cubed (maybe 1/2 or 3/4 lb?)
A pile shredded Swiss cheese (about 4 oz?)
A pile of diced broccoli (about the same size pile as the other two)
About 1/4 cup mayonnaise
A squirtle (maybe 1 Tb? 2?) yellow mustard
1 package refrigerated crescent rolls (I recently successfully subbed a pre-made pie crust; I bet you could also use pizza dough).

Mix the first 5 ingredients (everything except the crescent rolls) in a mixing bowl. Make sure everything's well-distributed; set aside.
Unroll the crescent rolls and separate so you have 8 odd-shaped triangles. Arrange the crescent triangles, overlapping, in a ring-shape on a cookie sheet (I use nonstick -- you might want to use parchment or cooking spray). The triangle bases will overlap in the center, and the points to the outside. (This is the tricky part -- I can't exactly describe how to do it. I muck it up every time but it CAN be done beautifully with a bit of patience.) There should be about a 3-inch diameter circle in center. Spoon the ham-broccoli-cheese mixture evenly over the crescent rolls (so the filling will also be in the shape of a ring). NOW, gather up the points of the triangles over the filling and tuck under base at center. The filling will not be completely covered.
Bake according to the directions on the package of crescent rolls, or until nice and golden brown.



Now here's what I've noticed with this recipe -- it would be a LOT easier to assemble the sucker if you use 2 packages of crescent rolls. However, I find that the buttery-goodness of the crescent rolls is really overwhelming -- as it is, I usually want less crescent-roll and more filling. But do what you wish!

You're not lost!

I tried changing my blog skin, but I completely stink at it. Anyway, you're not in the wrong place.
-Me

Joy, gratitude, hope and energy for every day of this new year!

Happy New Year, gang! I know 2009 was a rough year for lots of people. I can't personally concur with that -- Joel, so far, remains employed; I have managed to keep the children alive for another year; and we have received many, many blessings. But I hope for better things in 2010. Back in September or October I was moved to write down these 4 words as a reminder to myself: "Be a safe haven." And I hope to continue that in this new year. I want to be a better mother, wife, friend, daughter, sister, citizen. I want to be a "happy place" whenever I can; I want to be a comfort, a balm, a joyful presence. In 2010 I pray for my words and actions to heal, not hurt. I won't succeed; I'm human, after all, and what a flawed, imperfect, fallible thing to be. But I can try.

We spent New Year's Eve at Aaron & Kary's new house in Minneapolis, near Tricia's old neighborhood, with much of our coed softball team. It was great to catch up with everyone, though I'm really aging out of late-late parties. Highlights for me were chatting with a first-time-pregnant teammate, hanging with Julie Gronau's German friends, Chelsie's Buffalo Wing dip and passing Chelsie's extremely rigorous are-you-sober-enough-to-drive-home test.

Friday night Stu and Julie (with Wini, Dash, and Rufus the Good Dog Who Makes Poor Choices in tow) swung by on their way home from Monticello, and we had a lovely visit with them on Saturday. Stu helped me back up the photo and music files I had stored on my computer, and we solved most of the world's problems while subsisting on coffee, leftovers, and Christmas cookies. We miss them.

Last night Joel and the kids and I were invited to my friend-from-ECFE Priya's apartment for an Indian Programme. One of the moms is a classically-trained Indian dancer and she's been working with a group of seven young girls on an Indian dance. The girls all wore traditional dresses and jewelry and they did a fantastic job! A couple older kids played the piano, and one of the dads played some traditional Indian songs on the violin. Then we all had Indian potluck and chatted (and Joel and I scored an open-door invitation to stay with Priya's parents the next time we're in southern India -- Priya said it was because her dad thinks I'm pretty), and the kids ran around like recently-uncaged animals. It was a really wonderful and unique experience for a crazy-cold evening.

Each year Joel's mom gifts me a "Daily Guideposts" book with a short inspirational essay to read to start each day. (I typically peter out in March, pick it back up around my birthday in June, then skip to the holidays when I sporadically pick it back up again. *shrug*) I really liked the January 1 message, which included a quote from Dr. Lew Smedes:

"...Be blessed with
Joys deeper than any sadness,
Gratitude happier than any regrets,
Hopes brighter than the shadows of any discouragement,
and the vitality to make of every day what God on Christmas Day made
for all days."

Warm wishes for this chilly start of 2010!

Oh Christmas cookies Oh Christmas cookies, how yummy in my tummy

Quick note while my Yogi Bedtime tea is brewing. This tea, btw, is THE MOST AWESOME TEA EVER. Aunt Jan used to have it and the flavor really is something fabulous. I am going to take my tea and some Christmas Chex Mix up to bed and I am going to read a bit of the last Twilight book before retiring for the evening. And because I REALLY want to drink my tea in bed, I am bringing up with me my floss, toothbrush, toothpaste, cup, pitcher of water (would that be a "ewer"? I really want it to be), and something to spit in. I have grown tired of having no running water on the level where I sleep, so how does that saying go -- if the mountain won't come to Mohammed then Mohammed must go to the mountain? I'm not sure whether I'm the mountain or Mohammed in that analogy; all I know is, tonight I'm eating bedtime snack IN BED. And then NOT GETTING OUT OF IT.

Cute Eddie story I already Facebooked but still must share:

I'm standing, looking at a random piece of paper that mentions "Beauty and the Beast" -- no pictures, just the typed words. Ed can't even SEE it from his angle. Then out of nowhere Eddie sings: "Beauty and the beast..." Me: Why did you sing that? Ed: "I heard it in my heart."

So weird.

Both kids are crazy-excited about Christmas. Lucy has, since the start of school, learned this school-age-kid THING where she hears something she likes and starts jumping up and down and screaming. This is SO something she has learned from other kids -- I can totally picture groups of little kids doing it. She does it any time we talk about Christmas coming soon.

Ed is quick to remind us that "It's not Christmas YET!" which is so Roman Catholic of him -- I totally remember singing "O Come O Come Emmanuel" right up into Christmas Eve and then only getting to sing "Silent Night," "Angels We Have Heard On High," etc AFTER the birth. Mom always got really annoyed by that, for one because "O Come Emmanuel" is little more than a dirge, and B. it's a total waste of all the gorgeous Christmas songs out there. I completely agree with her.

My cards are written, stuffed, and addressed (just awaiting stamps, which are awaiting purchase following Friday's payday). No letter this year -- I might write a little ditty on here closer to Christmas. Most of my presents are bought (though I totally dropped the ball on ECFE and dance-teacher gifts, and I only have a couple more days to work on Lucy's teacher-gift. I'm new at this!!). Lucy's class is making faux-gingerbread houses on Friday, with which I'm excited to help. Joel and I are taking the kids to a Santa breakfast up at the rec center on Saturday, and Joel's family is doing a pre-Christmas Christmas party on Sunday... and then Christmas break is underway! Lucy actually has school Mon and Tues next week, but all other activities are on hold until the new year. It will be nice... but what the heck are we going to DO for 2 weeks!?!?

OK my tea is ready. Good night!

Radio love

Joel just spent about an hour installing our (my) new under-cabinet radio. (Our old one has been slowly giving up the ghost for the past year or so... the volume would cut in and out... then it wouldn't play CDs... it started roaring during All Things Considered... next, the clock broke... it forgot its preset stations... then the static became unbearable. It was a very long and painful death.)

The new one plays no CDs which is OK since I am mostly switched to iPod. On that note, anybody know the best way to back up iTunes? A couple of my favorite RMHS alumni have recently lost all their iTunes and I'd like to avoid that.

So Joel drilled and twisted and knocked and screwed and now I have a functioning soundmaker to cook and blog to. And believe me, I NEED noise to cook to -- I recently wrote a love letter to NPR extolling how I do not care to cook unless NPR is on in the background. Since Joel and the kids care very much to eat, a radio was required.

Anyway, when I plugged in the iPod, the very first song it played was the song Joel and I used for our first dance at our wedding, Lyle Lovett's "She's No Lady." All together now: awwwwww!!!

I think I need to get on Twitter.

1. What is it about a dumped cup of milk that makes little kids just sit and stare at it, making no noise or movement that would indicate they cared whatsoever that their laps, the table, the chair and floor are FULL OF MILK???

2. I'm trying to upload pics to Shutterfly -- I think I always used Snapfish in the past but I'm switching -- does it really take 2 hours to upload 200 pics?

3. Here's Eddie's lunch order, every day, for the last three months: "Cinnamon on bread wiff no crust and no top and peanut butter on the side and honey on the peanut butter."

Translation: Cut the crust off a piece of toast, sprinkle it with cinnamon, put a glob of PB on the plate and squirt a bit of honey on the PB. ("No top" simply means "open-faced") Eddie says his phrase superfast, with a nice dramatic, sing-songy ritard for the last 4 words. It's adorable.

Advent wreath

I'd decided I wanted to do some more spiritually-based Christmas traditions this year with the kiddos, so I went out looking for Advent wreaths and calendars to try to get a start.

Well, it turns out an Advent wreath can take many forms besides the three-purple-candles-and-a-pink-one I'd remembered from St. Colette. I was going to try to make one out of pine cones but couldn't locate the spool of florist-wire we used to make the bouquets for our wedding (imagine that: I couldn't find something I hadn't used in 9.5 years!)

Anyway, short story long, I didn't want to spend hours of assembly time, but I still liked the idea and decided to make it as simple as possible. And I found this website which not only explains the purpose of the tradition (mainly, just to visually count down the weeks until Christmas) but also gave a really neat way to celebrate it around our dinner table. It also incorporates readings from Isaiah, which I'd wanted to include but didn't think the kids would maintain interest in it through all 66 chapters (plus, have you READ Isaiah? The first half is exceptionally and graphically depressing). In my typical cheapskate way, I dug out one of our Christmas plates and the candles we'd used in the jack o'lanterns.

Anyway here goes: it's meant to be a jumping-off point for families/groups to "make it their own" but this is pretty much exactly what we're doing:

On the first Sunday in Advent

• Light one purple candle (ours will be red and white, that's what we have)
  
• Read Isaiah 60:2-3
• Pray something like this:

  Lord God, we light this candle to thank you for your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world. We who have sat in darkness have seen a great light, the light of Jesus Christ, our salvation. We give you thanks and praise in Jesus' name, because he lives and reigns with you in your glory, and in the unity of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

On the second Sunday in Advent

• Light two candles
• Read Mark 1:4
• Pray something like this:

  Lord God, we light this candle to thank you for your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who is the way. We who like sheep have gone astray have found the way to you through Jesus Christ. We give you thanks and praise in Jesus' name, because he lives and reigns with you in your glory, and in the unity of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

On the third Sunday in Advent

• Light three candles
• Read Isaiah 35:10
• Pray something like this:

  Lord God, we light this candle to thank you for your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who brings us great joy. We who have walked in the shadow of the valley of death have found life in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We give you thanks and praise in Jesus' name, because he lives and reigns with you in your glory, and in the unity of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

On the fourth Sunday in Advent

• Light 4 candles
• Read Isaiah 9:6-7
• Pray something like this:

  Lord God, we light this candle to thank you for your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who is the Prince of Peace. We who live in discord and strife have found peace in the promise of eternal life, through Jesus Christ. We give you thanks and praise in Jesus' name, because he lives and reigns with you in your glory, and in the unity of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

On Christmas Eve after sundown or on Christmas Day
(if you have a fifth white candle in the center)

• Light all the purple candles and the white candle
• Read Luke 1:68-79 and Luke 2:1-20
• Pray something like this:

  We praise you, Lord God, because on this day, your Word became flesh in our Savior Jesus Christ, was born of a woman, and walked among us as a man. Help us to imitate your incarnation, by manifesting our faith in our conduct as well as in our speech. To you, O Lord, we give our honor, praise, worship, and love, in the most holy and precious name of the One who is born today; because He lives and reigns with you in your glory, and in the unity of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Killing the earth through dishes

Hey, who was with me on my earlier dishwashing-detergent discussion?
I've only owned a dishwasher for 23 months but I started using Electrasol (AKA "Finish") and then started trying the more earth-friendly brands. Unfortunately the earth-friendly detergents are LOUSY.

I had a couple people recommend Seventh Generation and I'm dreadfully sorry but it is no better than the rest. I've heard Method is great but I cannot justify the cost -- it's like six times as much! Two days back on the Finish train and I'm happy as a clam, with the cleanest dishes in town.