That rascal Puff

So I'm reading some inane parenting article and the mom writing it quotes one single blasted line from "Puff, the Magic Dragon" and I can't stop the tears.

A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys...

Argh! Gets me every dang time. *SOB!*

I should have it tattooed on my wrist, though, for the dual purpose of 1. making me remember to cling tightly to every day with my kids, and 2. maybe desensitizing that song for me so I don't burst into tears at a mere nine-word string.

*wiping eyes*

Blasted Peter Yarrow.

I sorta aftergott to mention that Ed went in for his 2-year checkup today. He weighs exactly 30 # (75th %) but is, like, 37" tall (which the doc said is "just off the charts"). The doc I'm sure is a very nice lady, but she is a dreadful pediatrician. I feel really terrible for her. She is really, really bad with children. Shockingly so. Easygoing Ed's screams and writhings, which persisted through the entire (blessedly brief) could have been totally avoided with a teensy bit of meet-n-greet and gentle explanation from the doctor.

I made Extra Treaty Parfaits for snack today: plain yogurt (because I read the label of the Yoplait cups I'd been feeding my children and was appalled at the amount of sugar in a 6-oz. cup. Seriously. I think we as moms (and just as people! Who eat!) need to pay WAY more attention to added sweetener in foods. I'm sure my mom is rolling her eyes because she's known this for 30 years, but honestly it is really terrible. I almost couldn't find but one or two kinds of cereal that don't have sugar as the first or second ingredient. And anything that qualifies as "snack food" -- like those NutriGrain bars with the jelly in the middle, that you think might be healthy because they're "made with real fruit" and because they say "Nutri" and, for petey's sakes, "GRAIN" in the title? -- gobs and gobs of sugar. And now back to my parfaits...), cut-up strawberries, and vanilla-almond granola.

Lucy was giving me that look that said "this is the BEST FOOD EVER; why have you withheld it for so long?!" and Ed ate the whole thing in his peculiar, pincer-graspy, can't-decide-whichhanded-I-am kinda way.

For lunch I made quesadillas with whole-wheat tortillas, full-fat cheddar, 1/2 cup pureed sweet potato (it's REALLY delicious with the cheese), 1/2 can diced chilis, about 1/8 c. leftover taco-meat-and-beans, some chopped onions, and some spinach. Surprise surprise, I was the only one who ate it.

Here's what I made for dinner tonight. Warnings/Disclaimers: 1. It's not for the faint of kitchen (labor-intensive and an interesting ingredient mix). 2. I think it's healthy? -ish? 3. The cooking time can vary wildly.

Chicken Saltimboofer

Pound boneless chicken breasts or thighs until pretty darn thin, like, 1/4"? I think mine were more like 1/2". I was lazy. The thinner, the better. Lay in rows, like juicy little bald babies in a nursery.

Cook a small/med diced onion in a pan with some olive oil, about 8 minutes. Add about 10-16 oz. fresh spinach leaves to the pan. Turn heat to low. Toss just until spinach is wilted all the way through.

In a small bowl, beat 2 eggs. Add 1/2 c. Parmesan. Add 1/4 - 1/2 c. EACH of flaxseed meal and wheat germ. (Or sub the granolaey stuff with bread crumbs, but then add some extra shredded mozzarella, provolone, or swiss or something.)

Take some turkey bacon out of the package and lay one piece (cut for length) atop each chicken piece.

Lay some of the spinach mixture atop the bacon.

Spoon some of the egg/bread/cheese mixture atop the spinach.

Roll up each little baby, starting with the pointy end. Secure with toothpicks.

Lay the babies in a greased casserole dish or other oven-safe pan -- try to keep the bulk of the chicken facing up. Salt, pepper, and bake at 350 for (now here's where I went wrong) 25-45 minutes. If you're a tightroller they will take longer. You could also microwave 'em to cook 'em up.

I served these with rice, and oranges on the side. And Joel and I had some vanilla pudding with mini chocolate chips for dessert. And I also stole a Peep.

Take my dance class... please!

Hello my darlings!

I had an article published in the Dayton's Bluff District Forum newspaper! Here is a link to the online version. It's probably not the best thing I've ever written. I mean, I hope it's not. But it's the first thing I've had "published" -- unless you count various email newsletters from Consumers Digest, or the other marketing pieces I've written. Which I don't.

I have some Actual Video I would like to put here for you to watch. But I can't figure out how to get it off the tape in the camera, and into my computer. So you will have to wait while I order a new camcorder manual from Sony.

Monday night I made superboring chicken breasts marinated in some weird soy sauce/olive oil/honey/garlic/black pepper mixture and I George Foremaned them and served it with steamed peas and halved acorn squashies with brown sugar, butter, and walnuts inside. I was the only one who ate the squash -- my mom used to make it that way when I was a kid and it brought back delicious memories, but I didn't expect anyone else to enjoy it at all.

Italian Rice Stir-Fry

(This has been a long time coming; sorry. This is an old Leslie Ryan family staple.)

1 lb. Italian sausage: cook and drain/blot grease.

Add to pan and cook until tender (about 8-10 minutes):

1 chopped green pepper

1 chopped large onion

1 minced garlic clove

Remove to a bowl on the side.

Add to pan:

1 Tb. butter

1 c. uncooked rice

Cook about 4 minutes, until rice is golden.

Drain into glass bowl (reserving juice):

1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes

Add water to the juice in the bowl to make 2.5 cups liquid. Pour that liquid into the pan with the rice and butter. Add:

1 Tb. red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp. oregano

Heat to boil; low to simmer. Cover and simmer 20 minutes (40 for brown rice). Mix side bowl (meat, veggies) into pan. Re-cover and heat on low, about 5 minutes. Garnish with parmesan cheese.

Also! I am teaching a DANCE CLASS. This is going to be super-fun and if you are at all intrigued by the thought of learning some jazzy dance moves, breaking a sweat, and trying something new, you should come!

WHO: Anybody age 14 and up; taught by me! (And sometimes Rob Sutherland!)

WHAT: "Broadway Jazz" dance class

WHEN: Every Sunday, 7-8:30 PM

WHERE: In the theatre at the Maplewood Community Center, 2100 White Bear Ave N.

WHY: Because I've had heaps of requests from the kids I've been working with (as well as their parents!) for some extra dance classes. For fun!

HOW: Show up at the MCC (free parking!). Class is $10 each week (checks payable to me). Just drop in -- no registration!

You'll get out of the class what you put into it -- and I'll tailor the class to the skill level of whomever shows up that week. Beginning dancers are just as welcome as those with more experience. I'll use dance terms, but the class will not be too terribly technical. We'll start with an aerobic stretching warmup (which will be very similar week-to-week), then do some across-the-floor work, then learn a short dance combination (which will probably be new every week). You should come!

The wait is OVER!

IT'S BASEBALL SEASON!!!

I am SO EXCITED. I know it snowed, like, 8 inches today. But BASEBALL IS BACK. It was a long, cold, difficult offseason and we're going to be terrible, but as of this moment Carlos Gomez is on pace to steal 326 bases, Joe Nathan (who still looks like Count Chocula) is going to save 163 games, and the announcers are going to keep confusing Morneau and Mauer.

It was exhilarating, watching the Joe Nathan/Torii Hunter matchup in the 9th. And yes, center field is going to be a big, frightening cavern for several months at best. But that new Harris guy sure looks dashing in a batting helmet. And life is good.

We had a great trip to Chicago this weekend -- We drove down with Cara and Alley Joel, and it was our first trip down with the kids' DVD player. Which, hello, is a total miracle -- but so much so that I really don't feel right using it the Whole Trip. I think we'll TRY to save it for the last couple hours on future trips. It just doesn't feel right tucking the kids into the wayway back and ignoring them for six hours. Plus the stimulation keeps them from dropping off into naps like they normally do.

We hung out with Stulie for a few hours on Friday -- it's always wonderful to catch up with those two... I mean four! Their twins are gorgeous and they seem like a very happy quartet. Even despite Stu's Captain Kangaroo haircut.

On Saturday we drove down to Palos ("PAY-los," not "PAH-los") Heights to watch Ellen play some volleyball. I ran into Lori Cozzens, a gal I played vball with in high school. There was a Big Ten vball tourney going on at the same time and believe you me those girls are MASSIVE. The Northern Iowa team, I swear, didn't have a single girl under six feet. Their crotches were at my armpits. I have no clue where they buy pants.

It was super fun to see Ellen play. They only had six players so she wasn't Labarroing (I have no idea how to spell that) but that meant we got to see her hit and set a little.

At the wedding, we got a chance to catch up with MANY of the old Winona gang, which was especially timely  since WSU won the D2 national men's bball tourney on Saturday afternoon. The wedding itself was held at Holy Family Church just outside the Loop. My dad's father's parents were married there, probably close to 100 years ago, and the church was celebrating its 150th anniversary (coincidentally, Winona State is also celebrating its 150th this year). The reception was in a fabulous space right next door to the Sears Tower. AND... they had Irish dancers! I really feel VERY STRONGLY about Irish dancers, especially after about 4 Absolut-Mandarin-and-cranberry-juices. I nearly wept.

Ellen and Eric crashed the reception a little later, and we danced like dang fools before sprinting back to the hotel with the Christophersons. In the morning we got up, found coffee and donuts, and watched part of the Shamrock Shuffle. I did NOT see my relatives (sorry guys!) and we shortly realized that the Shuffle was running AROUND our hotel and there was no way we were going to get out of the Loop for a while. Eventually we found our way up to Lincoln Park and met El and Eric at our favorite crepe place, before trucking back to RM and then all the way back up north.

We were all pretty tired this morning AND it's Monday which never bodes well for my sanity (for some reason the transitions to and from Lucy's dance class, with 3 kids, is tantamount to dragging three starving, angry, reluctant 30-lb squirrels to and from dance class. Plus Ed had a 9:30 appointment at the U for a Child Development study, plus it was legitimately blizzarding this morning, plus Baby Will has a nasty cold, so Joel took the morning off to give me a hand. So, bonus points to him!

At Ed's study, the researchers played with him for a while and then took him to a room where they showed him objects and then had him pick them up and drop them down a chute. He loved it and enthusiastically dropped everything down the chute. The point of it was to see what happened when the researcher gave something an incorrect name (like, they gave him a frog and called it a pig). I'm not really sure what they could get from Ed -- I noticed him correcting them ("No pig! Frog!") but that was about it.

The whole way driving to the U, Ed sat in his car seat singing "How does she KNOOOOOOW you WUUUUV her?" over and over and over. So adorable. Remind me to try to catch it on video.

Lucy had her first swim class tonight, at the MCC, along with the Watsonboys. She and the boys were delighted and we had to drag all three of them out of the pool when it was time to go home.

Oh, also, I signed up for a 10k run at the end of April. Ugh, I must be losing my mind.

That's how you know

... he's your loooooove!

So I'm totally enraptured by the 2 main songs from Enchanted: "That's How You Know" and "Happy Little Working Song." They delight me to no end.

Anyway! I guess that's about it. I made tuna salad for lunch yesterday, and the kids loathed it with surprising ferocity, but I thought it was delicious.

Tuna Salad

Mix all together:

 -  2 small cans chunk light tuna (drained)

 -  2 carrots, peeled and shredded

 -  1/4 of a large onion, finely chopped

 -  1/2 - 3/4 c. light mayonnaise

 -  a big squirt of mustard (I used "Mustard Girl'''s "Stoneground Deli" mustard, which is absolutely fabulous mustard and could be eaten with a spoon; it's that good.

 -  scant 1/4 c. diced mild jalapeno peppers or pepperoncini (optional, but they give it a very small, very nice kick). Or finely diced green pepper, or pickle relish.

I served it on toast with spinach lining. Yum!

Lucy is obsessed with this "Jesus is Risen" DVD she got for Easter. I cannot explain it; I've watched it with her twice and she's on her second viewing today. It's not musical. There are no dancing princesses. *shrug* Hallelujah!

Clean-Plate Club

So Joel and I were at Easter dinner at the Petersons' home, which was lovely, and I glanced to my left as dinner was wrapping up.
I saw Jeff's uncle Don, and my eyes caught a glint of light off his plate.

Which was clean.

Not just food-all-finished-with-the-expected-remaining-crumbs-of-breading-and-bits-of-meat-gristle-and-blobs-of-Jell-o-that-you-just-can't-pick-up-with-your-fork clean. CLEAN-clean. Licked-clean clean. Bizarrely clean.

I looked at his wife's plate. Same thing.

I looked at my own plate; at the Jell-o clumps and the fatty part of the ham that I refuse to eat because A. I can quite easily cut it off with my fork and knife, and because B. IT'S FAT and therefore GROSS and NOT FOOD. I looked at the smear of sweet potato that I didn't finish because I got kinda full and because I'd already nibbled off all the coconutty-marshmallowy part and I really wasn't interested in the rest of it.

I tried REALLY hard to get the rest of the Jell-o off my plate, but there wasn't much I could do about it. Embarrassed, I sorta stared at my plate, feeling them all JUDGING me for my not-clean plate.

So I brought it up to Joel later, because it was REALLY BUGGING me. How did their plates get so ridiculously CLEAN??!? I asked. It's not NORMAL!! I said to Joel. Short of LICKING the plate, there is no way they used the provided utensils to squeegee their plates. HOW DID THEY DO IT I MUST KNOW!!

Well Joel was quick to point out that rolls had been passed and perhaps they used part of a roll to sop up EVERYTHING on their plates?

To which I said, ohhhh, of course that's what they did, I'm an idiot. I'm sure they're real proud of their ability to consume every molecule of food product that they helped themselves to.

Eeeeeek, though, it's so WRONG and goes against every fiber of my being. I mean, A) Jell-o is not good on bread. B) Neither are sweet potatoes. C) NEITHER IS HAM-GRISTLE. I just can't fathom eating ham-gristle.


Dinner tonight was Joelly-style, Meggo-inspired scrambled eggs with spinach and diced ham, wrapped in whole-wheat tortillas with cheddar. Mmmmm, they were soooo good, and not just because I didn't have to cook them myself. Well, maybe a lot because of that.


My sister Ellen asked for the White Bean Chicken Chili recipe from last week, so here it is:

White Bean Chicken Chili

Cook in a large pot, then remove:
4-5 slices thick bacon (I used turkey bacon this time; not
as good)

Add to pot of grease (siphon off some of the grease if you wish) and
cook about 10 minutes:
4 cloves minced garlic
2 med. onions, chopped
1-2 green peppers, chopped

Meantime, poach 5-6 chicken breasts in 6-8 cups
chicken stock (I always just use boullion) until breasts are cooked
through. Remove (reserving broth) and shred chicken.

Drain and rinse (I usually never actually rinse), then add to cooked
veggies:
4 cans Great Northern beans (I used half white kidney
beans this time).

Add:
1 can diced green chilies
2 tsp. cumin
reserved stock

Add:
reserved cooked chicken
2 c. Monterey Jack cheese
reserved crumbled bacon

It didn't turn out that great this time. I feel like in the past it's been heaven -- I don't know what I did wrong, besides not really cook the veggies long enough. The turkey bacon didn't help, either -- although often I completely omit the bacon, so maybe that's what I ought to have done.

Tomorrow night we're ordering pizza. Sorry, gang.

This song has been rattling around in my brain for, I'd say, at least the last 25 years...

Oh it's been a hard day
But it's gonna be a good night
The Champale's sparklin'
And the music's just right
It's gonna be a good night...

Judging from my internet searches, I'm the only person on this planet who remembers this jingle. I just had to get it out.

Rats, Amanda Overmyer! I'm going to miss you.

Especially since that total stinko Cook girl had to stay. Ugh!

Tuesday night, after a Watson playdate that morning, Lucy was in the bathroom when Joel had to tinkle. Joel, I think, asked for some privacy, and Lucy answered "I like penises!"

Ohhh boy.

Today during dinner, I was trying to get Lucy to taste her pork (recipe to follow) even though she was happily digging into her peas and leftover mac n cheese.

"Mommy," she starts, in her exasperated tone, "I like peas and macaroni and cheese and peadabutter and jellies and grapes and I fink that's enough foods."

Pork Helmets (Mom, is this the recipe called Nipples?)

Heat in a 12" skillet over medium heat:
1 Tb. dark sesame oil

Add to pan:
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 clove minced garlic

Saute 30 seconds, until garlic is fragrant.

Add:
1 lb. thinly sliced pork tenderloin (if yours is thicker, you'll just have
to cook it a couple minutes longer per side)

Cook 4-5 minutes per side, until just cooked through. Avoid the temptation
to overcook! It's really easy to see when the pork is done; take a kitchen
shears and slice into the thickest part to check, if you're unsure. Remember
that the white-meat pieces will cook (and hence dry out) faster than the darker
stuff.

(Sorry, I know this is Cooking 101 for many of you; I'm writing to the
lowest common Jeanometer.)

Anyway! Take the cooked pork out of the pan and keep it warm.

Add to the pan:
3 Tb. water
3 Tb. dry sherry
3 Tb. hoisin sauce (it's like Asian barbecue sauce; it's yummy!)
1.5 Tb. dried cilantro (I think dried cilantro is pretty worthless; I
omitted it this time and subbed about 4 chopped green onions. Some fresh
cilantro might be nice! Or parsley, if you like parsley?)

Cook the sauce over medium heat until slightly thickened, stirring constantly.
Spoon the sauce over the meat -- as Eddie would say, "Ummmm! Meat! A-ricious!"

Fine, upstanding, patriotic, healthy, normal American boy

Lucy's watching some totally bizarre 1999 remake of Bye Bye Birdie with Vanessa Williams as Rosie and Jason Alexander as Albert. My friend Trish is cleaning out her massive VHS collection and we are reaping the benefits, being in receipt of never-watched copies of Annie Get Your Gun, Burn the Floor, The Fantasticks, On The Town, and a couple others. It's like Christmas for me! I love stealing choreography from these old shows.

The thermometer on my gazebo says 54. Fifty-four! We might have to eat dinner outside tonight.

I pulled a muscle in my neck/back while shampooing this morning and I am really suffering. Advil didn't even make a dent in the pain. Thanks Mom for my new Dr. Beans neck-roll! I have been reheating it all morning and it's making my life bearable.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! to Alison and Dan on the birth of their new baby girl, Penelope! I had phoned Alison (and I NEVER phone Alison) after ECFE today to see how she was doing now that she's past her due date (and also to ask for her midwife's info for a friend of a friend), and lo and behold her husband answered and he sounded a little harried and assumed I'd somehow cosmically heard that they'd had a baby! I didn't ask for any details but it sounded like everyone was doing well. They had planned a homebirth VBAC and it sure sounded like that's what had occurred -- I'm sure they'll post as soon as they're able.

Jane (and Nicole) Watson's Pot Roast recipe
A couple modifications I made: I used a whole package of the onion soup mix (actually, the equivalent thereof -- I homemake onion soup mix in bulk), and I also added maybe 3/4 tsp ground black pepper to the mix.

Jessica Seinfeld's Mac and Cheese 1 recipe
(from Deceptively Delicious)

(I doubled it)

1.5 cups uncooked elbow macaroni -- cook to make about 3 cups.

Cooking spray
1 Tb olive oil
1 Tb flour
1/2 c. skim milk
1/2 c. butternut squash or cauliflower puree
1.5 c. shredded cheddar cheese (It calls for low-fat cheese but I am morally opposed to low-fat cheese)
4 oz. reduced-fat or nonfat cream cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. paprika (I used cayenne pepper instead)
1/8 tsp. pepper

Coat a large saucepan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the oil, then the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture resembles a thick paste but has not browned (1-2 minutes).

Add the milk and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to thicken, 3-4 minutes. Add the vegetable puree, cheddar, cream cheese, and seasonings, and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the macaroni and serve warm.

I have tried SEVERAL mac and cheese recipes and I'm telling you, making the roux at the beginning is the secret to success. The Barefoot Contessa recipe I have (and adore) does the same thing (except with butter, which is why Ina Garten is a goddess).

Out of my way, sports posse!

Here's the haircut.

So for dinner tonight I made Nicole Watson's Pot Roast and Jessica Seinfeld's Mac & Cheese. Both were phenomenally tasty and as soon as I get permission from the former I will post both recipes! (Jessica Seinfeld never returns my calls anymore.) :) :) :)

I forgot to mention earlier that the other morning Joel was leaving for work and just as he walked out the door, Ed shouted: "A careful! A ice!"

Lucy has become obsessively protective about her toys. We had some firemen in the house this evening (our CO2 detector was beeping during dinner, and it says to call 911 so I did! For the first time ever! I was super nervous! And they sent a GIANT fire truck with four completely unattractive fire fighters! And the kids got to sit up in the truck for about half an hour and it was the coolest thing ever! And Ed keeps saying "A fire truck! A fire ENgine!") and the fireman spent the better part of 30 minutes waving his little hand-held CO2 detector around the various levels of our house. When he left, Lucy saw his little detector in his hand and the instant he was out the door, she cried "HE STOLE MY TOY! HE TOOK OUR TOY!!!" And Joel and I quickly calmed her down, reassuring her that it was the fireman's own toy, but she remained suspicious because, as a rule, grownups do not carry small toys around in their hands, Eddie-style, except for cell phones and keys and wallets and iPods and tape measures and really, I can't figure out why she was so confused.

I'm feeling like I'm going to be crashing hard from creative-outlet withdrawal, now that my show's essentially over. I was reading Shauna Niequist's book Cold Tangerines last night -- a really lovely book; I highly recommend it -- and I came across a passage that I swear I have written (not word-for-word or anything, but the concept was identical) in this very blog. It was about how when you work for a living, people occasionally give you compliments and pats on the back, but how when you stay home with the kids, they don't ever thank you for wiping their butts. WAIT! I didn't write it here -- I wrote it as a comment on Michelle's blog. I can't believe I remembered that. Anyway, reading a published author with my same thoughts made me feel very impotent and pathetic because I CRAVE to be an Actual Writer but to do that I would actually have to Write something (or at least, that's what I'm told) and, like, I can't even barely put together a decent household to-do list.

And with nothing to choreograph on the horizon... no dance classes to take, no show to be in... well I guess I'm desperately hoping that two hours of softball a week will fill the void. Maybe.

They were scones!

This morning I made cranberry scones for the parents with whom I sit and wait during Lucy's dance class. I made them mostly because I had such a horrible time getting my three charges out of the building last week that I'd required backup from at least two of them, plus one of their own kids. Yeesh.

The scones were great, and they are soooo easy to make. Not healthy, mind you.

SCONES

Mix in a bowl:
2 c. flour
1/3 c. sugar

1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Now take one stick of frozen butter. Grate it, using the large holes of a grater, into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix (lightly; toss, don't mash) this all up with your hands until it looks like very coarse cornmeal.

Stir in 1/2 c. raisins or craisins.

In a small, bowl, whisk together:
1/2 c. sour cream (I use light; it seems to make no difference)
1 large egg
And dump that into the bigger bowl. With a fork, stir everything together until large clumps form. Press the mixture against the sides of the bowl until it's kind of one large ball. Place the ball on a lightly-floured surface and pat into an 8" disc. Sprinkle 1 tsp. sugar on top. Cut the disc into eight triangles. Arrange the triangles about 1" apart on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 13-15 minutes, until the edges are barely goldenish.

They were a hit, but I might mention that we did NOT have an easier time getting to the car today. I have no idea what I did wrong. Jean was there to witness; I gave them warnings, I gave Lucy choices, I didn't scream or hit them. It was terrible and embarrassing. *sigh*

I think I aftergott to post Ed's first complete sentence. I asked him what a seal says, and he thought for a second, and said, very slowly:

"A seal says... oooourp oooourp oooourp."

He's not Shakespeare, but he's mine!

Oh, speaking of Ed, he was under the kitchen table this afternoon while Will was eating lunch, and all of a sudden Will started screaming. I couldn't figure out why until I looked down and saw a nice neat row of tooth marks on Will's bare left foot. And Ed, with a big "I'm-a-stinker" smile on his face. Ed had taken a giant bite of Will's foot. My stars and garters! What on EARTH made Ed think that was a good idea!?!

Spaghetti night

Save one "brush-up" rehearsal on Wednesday the 26th, High School Musical is over for me! There are still 3 more shows left, but we'll be in Chicago for Tom Hawbecker's wedding so I will miss them. It makes me really kind of sad -- this was the first whole show I'd choreographed, and what a wonderfully talented and fascinating group of kids! I'm so proud of them and of what we accomplished.

I hope I'll be able to audition for a show sometime before I get too ancient to dance anymore. So much about musical theatre just makes my heart sing. But softball season starts soon, plus I'm going to be nursing butt-bone-bruises from biking next to Jean as she trains for Grandma's on June 21.

We had spaghetti (well, technically rotini -- the kids have an easier time picking rotini up and eating it) for dinner tonight. But here's what I did:

Cooked up 1 lb. italian sausage, along with about a cup of chopped onions and some chopped green pepper.

Drained the meat on paper towels.

Put the meat back in the pot, along with a jar of ready-to-go pasta sauce (I always pick a kind without sugar), a can of diced tomatoes, and a few gobs of dried basil, oregano, bay leaf, garlic, and I even used some rosemary this time.

See, adding in the extra tomatoes makes a bigger batch so I can freeze some of the sauce for later. And it makes it extra vegetably and it feels less processed. I think my mom always makes sauce from scratch and I even think it's really easy, but I tend to have to fret over it more if I go all the way to scratch. When I do it with the jarred sauce, I feel like I'm less likely to goof it up somehow.

I should have had a salad on the side or some garlic bread, but we just chanked on some leftover cut-up fruit, mostly because I forgot to buy lettuce. I really hate lettuce, even though the kids kind of dig on it. We're still trying to eat our way out of the ginormous bags of carrots-celery-broccoli-cauliflower from Ed's birthday last weeked, so that's going to have to step in for salad this week. Joel and I did each get a skimpy glass of Three-Buck Shiraz, so that made it a perfect meal.

Joel's watching August Rush and I decided I couldn't stomach Robin Williams on a Sunday night. Actually, this coming week ought to be cake for me -- it's spring break for Mahtomedi schools so I have no afterschool theatre class and no show choir. What on earth will I do with my time?

I did get a new hair cut last week, but I can't get a photo of myself to save my life. It's real short.

I guess I'm going to bed now. Happy Holy Week!

Never not the best!

Happy Saturday! I wanted to share my recipe for "Yellow Goodness." I found this recipe in an issue of Cooking Light magazine and it seemed like a boring and weird combination but I modified it a little and every single time I make it, I say to myself: BLAZES this is good! Why don't I make this more often?

And Jean says to herself (or to me, if I'm around): This is never not the best food ever.

And Joel, Lucy and Ed don't say anything because they are too busy gorging themselves.

It's so easy. And surprisingly tasty. Try it for yourself and see!

YUMMY YELLOW GOODNESS

- Take 1 cup uncooked rice (I use brown, but any rice will be lovely) and cook it however you would normally cook rice, omitting all salt and fat but adding 1/4 tsp turmeric. It is worth it to buy turmeric just for this recipe; I do.

While the rice is cooking:

Brown 1 lb. italian sausage (you could use turkey sausage); remove from pan and dump on top of a couple paper towels, to absorb excess fat.

Add 4 cups frozen corn and 2 cloves minced garlic to the pan (which should still be "dirty" from cooking the sausage) -- cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in:
cooked rice
cooked sausage
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
a couple dashes of salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I have used "fresh grated" as well as the canned stuff and honestly, it's amazing either way)

Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, another minute or two until thoroughly heated. Garnish with minced fresh cilantro if desired (I almost always skip that).

And here's my menu for the coming week:

- Ham roast (I'm not sure what, exactly, this is -- Joel's sister Julie gave us a "fresh ham roast" wrapped in butcher paper and I'm just going to cook it and eat it with some mac & cheese and jubbs on the side.)

- Italian Rice Stir Fry (another Jean-proof recipe that's usually a hit with the whole fam)

- Nicole Watson's Pot Roast (I haven't ever made this yet but I have heard great things!)

- White Bean & Chicken Chili (because winter ain't over yet!)

Ed's birthday in pictures

I saw another blogger do this and it looked like fun.
So now, I give you: Friday, March 7, 2008 -- a photojourney.

My recently-abandoned breakfast table. Joel made pancakes for the kids so I could sleep in a bit -- I was at the show last night until 1:30 AM.

Joel leaves for work and it's playtime!

Goofing around in the kids' room.

Birthday boy!

Birthdays make everyone angry!

Getting out the door.

Driving the four blocks to the Daly's. Will is screaming.

Lunchtime!

Yup, I'm looking a little rough.

Lucy holding court from her throne.

Back at our house -- Grampa and Grandma are coming!

And HERE THEY ARE!!!

The drama of making dinner

Cocktail hour on the couch

Auntie Jean goofing with the birthday boy

Never did muster the motivation to clean the house.

Backstage at High School Musical! That's the costumer talking with the director (cheerleader in foreground)

Music Director Extraordinaire, Annie Bossard!

The opening number, taken from the catwalk. Gooooo Wildcats!

Happy Birthday Pie oh My!

Eddie is 2 years old today!

I have grand plans to post a tearjerker of a note to him, but that probably won't happen, so in the meantime, hop on over to the archives and click on "2006" and then "March" and reminisce a bit.

"I two!"

LOL, today's special

Har-dee-har-har. That sound you hear is me chuckling half-heartedly at the bogus dinner I have planned for my family tonight.

- Leftover pork (it's like a week old. Grody.)
- Leftover chili (also ancient).
- Leftover bbq chicken (not old!)
- Leftover homemade pizza (from this afternoon only! It was lunch! The catch being, there's like, one slice left.)

There are about three different kinds of soups in the freezer too -- I suppose JG could reheat one of 'em. Ugh, what a sorry state of affairs.

The things they ate

Hey there! I've been hearing buzz that some people I know and care about are looking for meal ideas, so I think I might share what we're eating around here on a semi-regular basis.

Also because it might be a source of some comedy. We'll see.

A little pre-PS: I thought I had posted this and then I went and read the Madwoman's blog and thought, Oh good -- other people are jumping on the bandwagon! And then I went and found that I hadn't actually posted THIS yet, so... it turns out that I'm the bandwagon-jumper.

Last night I knew I was going to be gone from 3-10 PM, so I threw the following into my crockpot at about 10:00 AM:

- 1 sliced onion

- 3ish chicken "leg parts" (bought because they were on some crazy, 49-cents-per-pound deal -- I had to pull the skin off myself, but I like legs for their dark meat, and the bones give them extra flavor. The "leg parts" were drumsticks-attached-to-thighs, or what I would normally call "two pieces of chicken" apiece)

- 1 package onion soup mix (I cheated and had homemade some of this previously, for use in a meatball recipe. I blogged about it.)

- The leftover remains of all the barbecuey-flavored sauce that was taking up space in my fridge: it equaled about 1/2 bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's; about 1/2 cup of Famous Dave's Apricot Glaze; and a few tablespoons of Hoisin sauce.

I turned the crockpot on Low and let it sit about eight hours. I haven't actually eaten it yet, but Joel said it was decent.

On the side, Joel cut up some potatoes, mixed them with Parmesan, butter, and salt, and baked them in the oven. He also steamed up some frozen corn.

Sooo... the meal was a little starch-heavy but what are you going to do.

Tonight... more starches! Drat! We're doing breakfast-for-dinner as sort of a Hump Day treat. Also I can't really afford more groceries until a week from Friday and oops, I'm supposed to be throwing Ed a birthday party on Saturday.

"I don't wanna be up in the sky with diamonds."

A couple other Lucyisms for your enjoyment:

This morning:

Lu: "Momma, I'm going to be Eddie's mommy."

Me: "Hey wait! *I'm* Eddie's mommy!"

Lu: "No, I'm going to be his mommy when you die."

*pause*

Lu: "Who's going to be MY mommy when you die? Who's going to take care of me!?!?"

I don't think my response is necessarily worth noting, but just in case you were curious: I told Lucy that most likely I wouldn't die for a long, long time. But in case I did, Daddy could still take care of her and I would still *be* her momma even if I died. YIKES!!!

And yesterday, Lucy was running around, naked, at the Watson's house. Nicole and I had kinda thought about it and realized there was no reason the kids couldn't run around naked together, since they REALLY wanted to, and hers were already half-stripped.

Lu and one of the boys (sorry Nicole -- which was it?) disappeared around the corner and we overhead:

Watson Boy: Lucy, where's your peenie?

Lu: No, I don't have a peenie, I'm a girl.

Watson Boy: Ohhh. You have a China?

I know, I know, it can still get worse

Last night at rehearsal, the costumer (who is a truly lovely lady and fabulous at what she does) accidentally backed into my parked Corolla and ripped the back bumper about 75% off.

I mean, really?

Glimpse into my day

Actual conversation with Lucy, as I am trying to wash my hands after changing poopy diaper #4 on the day:

Lucy: Momma, I have to tell you something. MOMMA!

(I finally turn from my handwashing to look at her.)

Lu: He is BOTHERING me.

Me: Who?

Lu: HE! (She holds up a carrot)

Me: That carrot is bothering you?

Lu: No! That carrot is bothering HER!

Me: Who?

Lu: HER!! (She holds up a different carrot)

Me: That carrot is bothering that other carrot?

Most conversations in our house (that don't involve Lucy, but also some that do) these days are held in Eddie-speak. Example:

Me: A daddy! A home!

(Look, kids, Daddy is home)

Joel: A daddy! A home!

(Hey everybody, I'm Daddy and I'm home)

Me: A daddy -- a dinner? A eat?

(Are you hungry for dinner now, Joel?)

Joel: A no, no eat!

(No thanks, I had lunch late; we can wait a while.)

Me: A clock! A wall! A up?

(Well, in that case, could you hang that new clock up on the wall now maybe please?)

Joel: A screwdriver! A gone?

(Dang it, where did I put my screwdriver?)

Just to make you all jealous... Lucy and I just made THESE little nuggets of heaven. Ohhhhhhmmm. A good!

Mostly, I am pleasant

Okay, so I know it was, like, 13 degrees this morning with an absolutely wicked windchill... but I'm feeling pretty good. The boys are napside, Lucy is island-side... sorta... I have meals planned for the week (well, for today and tomorrow, anyway), the sun is shining, the tank is clean...

THE TANK IS CLEAN!

So, I'm thinking the meals is from whence my funk has been coming. I've been eating garbage: Takeout... sweets... cereal-for-dinner at 11 PM. And sugar cereal at that. No jubbaloes. SODA. And I've been feeling ROTTEN.

And I was doing so well! For months! And then, with all my activities, I got less-than-diligent about packing myself a dinner for my double-rehearsal nights. I bought the stupid sugar cereals that only cause a Serious Riot in the house when I try to eat them because the kids want to eat them too, only I really don't want them to eat them, and did I mention I'm not a morning person? And I'm not kidding I was eating some Caramel Crunch cereal on Saturday and I almost gagged, it was disgustingly sweet. And I have a giant sweet tooth.

So I'm going to start working a little more on planning what I eat. I think it's better for me, and I think it's going to make me feel better. Or that's the theory for the day.

This kind of made my day. How do I post an actual video? Gaaaah!

And Sundays are supposed to be happy days!

I thought, at long last, I could finally pull myself out of this GIANT FUNK I have been in for the last, oh, I dunno, month or so, by flinging myself into some housework and maybe getting to the bottom of some of these giant piles of crap that have collected in every possible nook and cranny of my house.

So I squeezed some toilet-cleaner into the toiley and scrubbed like mad, checked the clock, and strode confidently into the kitchen, determined to handwash the five or twelve must-be-handwashed items that are ALWAYS sitting in the sink, now that we don't have to handwash everything anymore. I go to plug the drain, and... wiggle. Huh? Umm... Joel? Can you come here for a second? Is the drain supposed to have come entirely unglued from the sink and be bopping around in there? Foiled again.

I swear, I am feeling like we just can't catch a break. Sure, it's 40 degrees out and as I retrieved the paper from the sidewalk this morning because the Pioneer Press's "front step guarantee!" is a load of hogwash, I thought, YES! maybe we can actually take the kids on a walk this afternoon! -- but it's actually raining. And the snow has melted just enough for Lake Gronau (the giant 3" deep puddle spanning the sidewalk which happens to be the only way to get to our garage from the house) to form, as it does every spring. And of course when the temp dips below freezing, Lake Gronau becomes Ice Sheet Gronau, and then I get to choose between walking through the snow and getting wet feet, and taking my chances on the ice sheet -- extra-sketchy, since I'm typically carrying at least one child and twelve bags every time I go out.

And I have a large mirror living on my stairs because I can't hang it on the wall because we tried to stop by Home Depot to get a couple hanging-brackets and both kids completely freaked out and were screaming in the store and this was after Eddie had stuck his hand in a totally disgusting puddle of some mysterious milky substance on the shopping cart.

And Joel's cell phone has gone missing again. Like, seriously? Did I tell you about this? First I lost my phone (and purse). Got it all back within an hour or so... but in the process, I lost Joel's phone. Got that back about three weeks later... but then he couldn't find his charger for another month or so. He just found the charger last week.
And promptly lost the cell phone again today.

And, like, we had to go buy new cordless phones... and even our kitchen clock chose this week to give up the ghost. And my computer keeps shutting down at random, with no warning.

And did I mention I'm in a FUNK!?!?

MWF ISO TPR

So once, not that long ago, I made a recipe and I think it was called Tamale Pie, which is a popular name and style of recipe... and the distinguishing characteristics of it were:

1. The ground beef got cooked at the same time as the tomatoes, onions, etc -- it seemed almost too easy but it turned out extra-delicious.
2. The tamale breading part was a little sweet.

HELP! I can't find it anywhere. It was soooo yummy.

So at ECFE on Wednesday, the leader (Mary Ann) mentioned that she had been watching Ed do something (she didn't say what) and was about to correct him, when she "realized he's only two." (To which I quickly replied that he is, in fact, only one for another nine days but please don't let me interrupt your thoughts or anything.) She went on to explain that when your children are way bigger (or way smaller) than other kids their ages, people can have incorrect expectations about what their behavior will be like. Ed, she informed me, looks like a three-year-old. I knee-jerk denied it, but some of the other moms were nodding and mentioning that Ed was indeed taller than other almost-three-year-old boys in class. And I was, like, oh holy cow, they're right -- and I didn't see it because Lucy is also an Amazon. They're proportionate to each other, sure, but I probably should have noticed that Ed is suddenly wearing 3T clothes.

This is all well and good, but it kind of hit me like a ton of bricks. I've never before had to worry about my kids' development. And I was never especially small or large for my age; and I was for sure a "late bloomer" when it came to boys and social maturity. Joel, on the other hand, was his current 5'11" in fifth grade. And it ought to come as no surprise that the kids inherited many of his physical genes.

So the other morning the kids were making noise in their room, so I lumbered downstairs and opened their door. I had brought Lucy with me to HSM rehearsal the night before.

"Mommy," Lucy says, "That show was great. Thank you for taking me."

Before I could scrape my jaw up off the tops of my feet, Lucy sneezed.

"Bless you, Eddie," said Eddie.

Still bewildered at where these polite little people came from, I said, "Bless you Lucy!"

"Thank you!" said Eddie.

Speaking of the show, during rehearsal I had to take Lu to the bathroom, where she found all kinds of delight in the automatic flusher. Something about the smallness of her body on the toilet must freak out the sensor, or something -- it flushed six or seven times while she was in there. The first time surprised her. The second time scared her a little. After the third, her eyes got really wide and she said "A hundred flushes!?!?" And after that it was a fit of shrieking-giggles every time. The soap and water are automatic in there, too -- Lucy must have thought she'd stepped onto the set of The Jetsons or something. If she'd ever seen The Jetsons, that is. Now that you mention it, I don't think I've even ever seen The Jetsons. Not that I'm complaining.

Is anybody going to listen to my story?

Jean's going to blog about Across the Universe, if she hasn't already. Awesome movie -- rent it!

I was SO happy to see "Falling Slowly" (from Once) win best song at the Oscars last night. Such a great moment.

It's Monday, which I suppose is inevitable. Lucy has bitten Ed already this morning, and he's pulled her hair. Lots of tears -- but none of them mine, which is a nice change.

Gotta get the boys down for naps -- that is, if William will finish eating! He's the only one who will touch these egg muffins I made, so I suppose I should be grateful.

Ed loves to play Hide and Seek and counts like this:
"One, Zee, Eight, Sen! Ready I come!!"

I'm really letting myself go

I'm eating an orange... and I'm not even bothering to pick off all the white stuff. What's next -- wearing the same underwear three days in a row?

Oh, wait, I'm already doing that.

My folks are visiting this weekend (weather permitting) and we haven't seen them since Christmas. Wayyy too long! I miss my mommy and daddy. It's nice for Joel to have a little deadline to work on some of the trim in the kitchen (not like he has any time before that deadline to accomplish anything, but still, a deadline is nice).

Speaking of my parents, I think they will be delighted with the job they did when they read that my latest Serious Pet Peeve is being lied to. I think I vaguely remember my mom telling me that lying to someone is pretty much the worst thing you can do. And I've thought about it and you know, I think she really had something there.

Now I know a couple people with the tendency, when put under a little bit of pressure, to fib. It's weird, because I can tell when they're doing it. And I'm not intuitive at all. When there's a kid crying in the next room during Moms' Time at ECFE, I can NEVER tell whether it's mine. OK, that might just be an example of poor hearing. But, like, not ONCE have I had a "bad feeling" about something that actually turned out to be serious. I've never had a bad dream come true -- just the other night I dreamed that a series of tidal waves kept smashing into me and Lucy and Ed on the beach, and for sure there has been nothing even resembling a tidal wave in St Paul. So there!

But sometimes, these fibs, they are obvious. Then there's the times they aren't obvious... and then when I discover the truth I feel like the idiot. There's not much that rankles me more than being made to feel like an idiot. This probably stems from 7th grade when the Cool Girls were talking about their periods, and I thought they were talking about smoking, and they said "What we're talking about has nothing to do with you" and I said "YEAH? AND IT NEVER WILL EITHER!" and when you're in 7th grade, there is certainly nothing humorous about self-effacement, especially in regards to delayed puberty. Now? My lack of breasts is comedy. Then? Devastating tragedy. Where was I?

Right, lying. So I make it a point to tell the truth, even when, on the surface, it might seem easier to tell a little white lie. And if you can muster up the courage to do the same, I would truly appreciate it.

Loving my 3-year-old... and then changing my mind

I'm sitting at my new desk, on the chair that's a little too short for it I think, and Lucy is peeling an orange herself (a newfound skill). All of a sudden she hollers "I HAVE TO SIT ON THE POTTY WIFFYOU!" (as she does) and dashes off through the kitchen. She makes it into the hall but, lord love 'er, her little reflexes aren't fully developed and she skids right past the turn to the bathroom and winds up in the middle of the living room, a little dazed, unable to figure out what the heck she's doing in the living room.

We retrace our steps and get to the bathroom door, which is shut because I shut it because I tried to call my sister and about three seconds later I found both Lucy and Ed STANDING ON THE TOILET and Will standing on the floor right beneath them and I thought, you know what? I oughtta keep the bathroom door closed, anyway so Lucy and I get to the bathroom door and she comes to a dead stop and turns to me and says, "Is somebody IN there?" and I was all, "Who on EARTH could possibly be IN there?" and she just thinks that's the silliest thing in the world.

And she's wearing that blue-striped sweater that for some reason brings out this gorgeous blue in her eyes.

But then she drops baby Will's cell phone on the floor ... again ... LOUDLY, and Eddie starts crying in his room because he's so unbelievably tired because he was boppin' around in his crib until 11:00 last night and then woke up shouting "CEREAL!" at 7AM. And I'm all, "It's time for your island, Lu."

I'm going to make some spinach-carrot brownies. Ick.

Walk hard (it's laminate!)

This morning as I was trying to take care of some bid'ness (checking my email quick before ECFE), Lucy grabbed Will's toy cell phone and started shouting into it:

"Christopher! Christopher I CAN'T! Don't call me back! Eating food is not eating food! Nothing is left! But you told me that everyone's going to eat peanut butter! Do you understand me? NO, CHRISTOPHER!! 'BYE!"

Strange child.


So I was supposed to teach three dance classes on Wednesday nights through St Paul Parks and Rec. Beginning swing dancing, beginning Latin dancing, and a beginning jazz dance class. I have ZERO people signed up for any of them. I know this because I checked the internet registration site.

This is super aggravating, for a number of reasons.

1. I have taught the swing and Latin classes before and had dozens of signups.


2. Back when that happened, St Paul Parks and Rec was actually sending printed class catalogs to every household in the city. Due to budget cuts, they now print brochures that are available ONLY at the rec sites themselves. They also list the classes on the internet... if you know where to look.

2a. Even if you know where to look, the web site is extremely difficult to navigate. Here it is: https://www.reservemaster.com/1w4x_saintpaul/program_search.asp

It took me several tries and two phone calls to the director to find MY OWN classes. Here, I'll give you a shot at it. Go there and look for an adult swing dance class on Wednesday nights at Hazel Park Rec Center. See how you can select a "Corridor" but then you can also select a "Location"? Confusing. See how the "Age Group" options include "Teen/Adult (13 and up)" but also "Adult (18 and up)"? And how, if you select the Teen/Adult option you don't get any of the classes listed as "Adult"? See how the default session at the bottom is "Winter" but some classes are actually listed under "Spring" only? See how you can choose "Music, Dance, and Theatre" but there are some dance classes listed instead under "Health and Fitness"? ARRRRGH!

3. St Paul Parks & Rec is completely separate from St Paul Community Education. But Community Ed holds all the same type of classes... and they still send out catalogs!

4. Now try registering online. All right, maybe they've fixed it since I tried to register for something last September -- now that I think of it, in Aggravation #2a I forgot to mention that they did fix some of my classes' internet-search programming to make it a little more intuitive.

In a way, I'm relieved not to have to teach the classes. But it's really frustrating to think there's so much opportunity for the Parks and Rec department, but NOBODY can figure out about the registration procedure.


To take my mind off it, here are some pix of the kitchen... with floor!!

From just inside the new back door:


From the hallway:


From the old back door:


Those crazy Watson boys! (This is Will):


My angels:

Si se pueden

See, I would have thought "Yes we can" in Spanish would've been "Si, podemos." Which is why I speak English.

PS I can't figure out how to make an accent mark. Gaaaah!

So, I've had no internets for the last fourish days. I'm back.

Ed's developed this habit, nay, compulsion of carrying one small toy in each hand. Cars, animals, Barney, whatever he can find.

Lucy has started writing songs. Complex songs, mostly about her day and random other things that have come up. She also talks a lot about her invisible friend, Arizona (sometimes "Ellerzona"), who has died. Or sometimes it's Eller's mother who has died. Morbid little child. I'm guessing she watches too many Disney movies.

This afternoon Lucy asked for a kitten. She promised to take care of it. I can't believe this is starting already.

While I was internetsless, I started some incomplete thoughts which I will now publish. Seriously incomplete. Here goes:


I was reading the Bulletin Board in the Pioneer Press the other day and someone wrote in about how their parents didn't raise them to sit around and watch people work.

Now, I'm not saying my parents DID raise me to sit around and watch people work, but I think they may have enabled me. My parents and many others of their generation are exceptional workers. They show up somewhere and immediately pitch right in and workworkwork. There's a grandma/volunteer at ECFE who, during snacktime, zips around the table, asking kids if they want more snack or refilling water cups. Pushes in chairs, sweeps the floor, BUSTLES. I sit back and observe, holding my little bowl of Goldfish crackers, waiting for one of the munchkins to start looking hungry.

I strive to be a worker. I am not a worker. At our church there's lots of setup and takedown to do: stacking and moving of chairs, packing of things into boxes, folding tables, packing up the nursery fixin's. Joel manages to dive in and make himself useful. I kind of stand there, oscillating, trying to figure out what I can work on. I don't know if I'm afraid to mess it up, or if I just lack the ability to SEE what job I ought to tackle.

I don't LIKE sitting around and watching people work -- but I'm not a self-starter. You give me a task and I will totally do it... but I kind of want to be told. I'm REALLY good at taking direction; not so good at occupying myself in a way that others might find valuable.

So, I sorta resent being judged as a nonworker, especially when seriously? I spent the entire weekend working. Hard. I know that putting the DVDs back on the shelf for the mazillionth time isn't technically "cleaning" since there isn't any dirt involved. I know that folding sheets the right way (meaning the one way that will make it so they will all actually fit inside the linen closet without exploding into my face every time I go in there to grab a washcloth) probably seems like a waste of time, but I assure you it is necessary for the functioning of the household.

I kinda lost track of what I was talking about.


Well anyway, it's as good a time as any for a couple plugs. I'm sure you know this but I'm choreographing a production of "High School Musical". We open March 7 and run through most of March. It's going to be really good and you should definitely buy your tickets ASAP!!

Ashland is also sponsoring a show featuring Laura Osnes, the gal who won the TV show "Grease: You're The One That I Want" last year and is currently starring on Broadway as Sandy. Laura played Dorothy in Ashland's "Wizard of Oz" several years ago, and since Broadway is dark on Mondays, Ashland is flying her in for one night on Monday, Feb. 25. Some of the youth show choir groups I work with will be performing that night, as well. Tickets are $35 -- come see a real-life Broadway star in person!

Also, I haven't talked much about this yet, but Joel and the kids and I have started going to a teeny little church and we are really getting so much out of it. It's called HopeSpring and if you are at all searching for a church or some spirituality, I encourage you to come to a 9:30 AM Sunday service at the White Bear Lake Armory. HopeSpring is the antimegachurch -- typical attendance on Sunday is about 15 people (including Lucy and Eddie). Our dear friends Cara and Alley Joel first invited us (Alley Joel is the pastor's cousin) and Joel and I have been surprised and amazed at how much we are learning and growing in our faith.


Joel asked me to share an Eddie story from this evening: we were all eating the bean & ham soup I made for dinner. Ed was eating the soup with his fingers, of course -- he's exceptionally tactile. He grabbed a giant piece of ham in his fist (like only a not-quite-2-year-old boy can do) and declared, "Mmm, good! CHICKEN! Bawck-bawck-bawck!" and started pumping his right elbow up and down (in a one-armed version of the universal sign for "chicken," of course).

Ham, Eddie, it's ham. Pig. Oink.

"Uh-good!"

I'm no electrician...

...but I'm guessing this is some kind of code violation:

That gray plug on the far left is for the STOVE, ladies and germs. And yes, that's the toaster on the floor. Yeesh. Most of the time I keep this entire power-strip setup covered with the lid from my biggest roasting pan, just to make sure the kids don't electrocute themselves.

Here's a little "before-and-after" action with the new tile, hardware, and countertop (OK so you can't really see the countertop):

BEFORE

AFTER

I like how the mess in either picture is exactly the same in volume but totally different in composition. I can almost tell what I'm making for dinner in each shot, if I really think about it.

Also, the tile has since been grouted. And I am hoping for electrical outlets tonight maybe!!

Here's the dining room. Yes, that blue is the actual color. I wanted it to be "soothing." I dunno.

Here's a pic from inside the dining room, toward the new back door and the kitchen:

And here's one from just inside the new back door. I think the point of this one was to show the color of the walls. Or something:

This picture is really just for Bridget: doesn't Ryan have the same jammies as Ed here?

I miss this weather.

Hi there, excuse me, could I just have my old brain back please?

We were in church yesterday and Ed shouted at the top of his lungs: "GOD GOD GOD GOD GOD."

And Friday night Jean and I took the kids swimming, and on the way home Lucy said, "Mommy turn on some music!"
And Jean and I were sorta talking so I sorta ignored my daughter. Not five seconds later Lucy said "Mommy I'm STARVING."
I didn't even have enough time to take the breath I was going to take to answer her when I heard, in her I'm going to say something cute now tone, "I'm STARVING for some MUSIC."

OK so seriously, we are having some major whining issues with Lucy. "I need you to HOLD ME. I need you to CARRY ME. I need you to FEED ME." ALL the TIME. She still has her sweet side, but I feel like we see it less and less often. I tried explaining to her that even though she isn't "a baby" anymore, she'll always be MY baby and I will always love her so much. And that even though Baby Will is around a lot and requires my attention, I'm not his mommy but I AM LUCY'S mommy. And she is still my baby even if I can't treat her like a baby much anymore.

She responds with tears, saying "Mommy, this baby still needs to be carried."

And here I'd thought referring to yourself in the third person went out with Terrell Owens.

Saturday Joel started tiling our backsplash, in the cobalt-blue tile of my dreams that reminds me of Spain and makes me so happy... and that also happens to be a quarter of the cost of the blue-glass tile I'd originally had my eye on. He took a break at 10AM and we went to the St Paul School Fair down at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium at the RiverCenter. We confirmed that Lu can't start in one of the St Paul Public Schools' (SPPS) 4-year-old programs for another year and a half (because her birthday is September 2 and the cutoff is September 1). They don't do any early enrollment for the 4-y-o programs, but weirdly, she COULD get admitted to Kindergarten early if we wished (so essentially she could skip the 4-yr program entirely).

I don't really wish, but I do see her playing with Nathan down the street and with Paige Lier, who are both going to be TWO years ahead of her in school, and ... I just wonder if we'll be holding her back. I'm entirely sure we're going to stick with our guns and keep her back the year; I hate to have her be the last one in her class to get her drivers license, and I especially hate to have her always struggling to keep up.

The one thing I was really impressed with was the variety of options through SPPS. They have several language-immersion schools... a World-Cultures magnet school... a year-round school... an "open" school where K-12 all mixes together... a couple Montessori options... an aerospace magnet... a school just for gifted kids... and (my favorite!) a Creative Arts school where the kids learn everything through music, dance, and theatre. They had videos and photos of the kids playing the part of waves, molecues, and light beams. It sounds seriously awesome. WAY better than sitting behind a desk all day. I'm feeling better and better about our decision to stay in St Paul. I know our school decisions are going to be way more time-consuming and challenging than they would be if we lived in the 'burbs, but I think the opportunities for enrichment are far greater. I'm kind of excited!

Whoops, back to work, Will is here! Bring on the patty-cake!

...and where is that Hole In The Head I ordered off Amazon?!?

Yesterday Ed got a bit of frostnip on his fingers because it took me more than three stinkin minutes to get little Will strapped into his car seat on the way to ECFE.

Last night I got pulled over (actually NOT for speeding, honestly!) because the tabs on my Corolla are 5 months expired. And then I couldn't find any current proof of insurance anywhere in the car.

And this afternoon I ran the dishwasher and I now have two kitchen-sinkfuls of disgusting water that is absolutely not going anywhere.

I was about to ask that nice Obama supporter who came to the door today if she would give me a nice paper cut and then pour lemon juice into it. I would thank God it's Friday, except that means that a plumber is going to cost, like, $600 instead of $200 like it might normally.

It's hard being a grownup!

or...

You're Asking Too Much of Me.

I just can't keep up. There is not enough time in the world to complete all the tasks I am being asked to complete -- to research all the issues and all the concerns I have -- to implement all the advice and ideas and suggestions and recommendations that are being fired at me from every direction.

Today at ECFE I got a very nice yet very serious talking-to about how when I sit down to draw next to Lucy, and she asks me to "draw a princess" or "draw me" I should NOT draw those things for her, but only draw in the same manner she is capable of drawing. Essentially, scribbles and curves and the occasional almost-circle.

I get it. I get why I am being asked to do this. I get that she's going to think she "can't draw as well as Mommy can" and grow up to think she "can't draw," period, and that somehow that's going to screw her up for life.

But WHEN DO I GET TO DRAW?!?! What am I supposed to do, draw in secret and then hide all my drawings from the children so they don't think I'm holding them up to an impossible standard? Should I also never ever sing or dance with the children, lest they think they can't sing or dance as well as I can? Should I never take the kids to an art museum because it's going to ruin their self-confidence? Or is that OK, because I'm "leaving art to the professionals"? I am having serious problems with this and this is where I think there may have been some misunderstanding: Lucy was drawing her own picture, and I was drawing MY own picture. I wasn't drawing a picture for Lucy, so she could get out of drawing her own picture. I was drawing, and Lucy was drawing, and we were both making perfectly good drawings. I'm no Rembrandt. But I like to draw, so that's what we were doing. Together. And if she grows up and thinks she can't draw then that is something she is going to have to deal with on her own. I grew up, and when I draw something I can look at it and say "Yup, it actually does look like a house/dog/dolphin/cat/whatever. I am not the worst drawer ever." Because I overall think I'm good enough in this life. And I don't think sitting next to Lucy and scribbling, because she's at a developmental stage where she scribbles, is going to help her in any way realize that she's good enough. I have a lot of other ways I'm going to help her realize that she's good enough. Well, I hope.

Now that she's back in the atmosphere...

I have a seriously quick three seconds to blog while Will sleeps and my kids eat Second Breakfast:

Happy Tuesday! It's sooooo good to be back in our own house, sleeping in our own beds, eating our own foods! Oh how I missed our own foods. I missed my coffee-with-raw-sugar-and-half-and-half, and I missed my oatmeal-with-raisins-dates-and-walnuts with the dates and walnuts sliced just so with my very own kitchen shears. I missed my own pots and pans and my Peru coffee mugs and I missed my creaky floors and my own alarm clock and I especially missed being able to run around my own house without worrying about disturbing any downstairs neighbors. Though to be honest with you, there could very easily be a colony of hobos in my basement, and I would never know -- it's a bit cluttered down there yet.

As I type, Lucy and Ed are fighting over a box of cereal -- there is one stupid drawing of a fish on the back of it and they both want to press their noses up against it. I mean, honestly.

Happy Belated Birthdays to Alison and Nikki!