Happy Mother's Day

Being a mother is much like the title of this blog:  


 Here's a link to the poem that I got published in the Buffalo News about the force of heritage entitled Her Force.

I'd like to thank my husband, and my children for making me a mother, it's not been anything I expected but its been wonderful all the same!

Happy Mother's Day!

Sandbox Season Starts!

Its' official, its Sandbox season!
Now how do I get them inside for a nap?

Find out how NOT to build a sandbox here.

or what to put in one if you actually manage to buy or build a working one.  Melissa and Doug Seaside Sidekicks Sand Cookie Set*

ENJOY!



*affiliate link

4 Years in the Life of My Blog

 

I started this blog 4 years ago today, with this lame post. (Please don't go looking at it, its survived thus far with only one viewing thus far, and that was probably me.)


A lot has changed in that time, even the name of this blog. For the life of me, I cannot remember of what the original name was. I've even redesign and renovated it few times, the latest being over this winter when I participated in the SITS Girls 31 Days to Build a Better Blog. In just the last year I've done photo challenges, series, list, recipes, linkys and giveaways.

this may have been the banner at the top of the old blog

To think, when it started I thought I'd just post some cute baby pictures from my phone, or rant on about politics.

The 6 Best Things About Being A Mom

That "OMG" moment
(when I realized I was a Mom of two!)

1) I finally have something in common with my Mom. I don't know about your relationship with your Mom but for me and mine... Let's put it this way, we've had our differences. Since I've had kids there has always been something we connect on. She loves to give me advice and I love to ignore it. But I know her heart is in the right place, and I love her for it.


2) I can blame most stains and my lax housekeeping on the progeny.  Martha does not live here. So when people come to visit the toys, laundry and mysterious wetness can easily be explained by the little cherubs being underfoot. As far at the coffee stains on my jacket, well I will take partial blame for that.

3) There are at least 2 people in the world who think it's 1/2 normal to dance and sing whenever one is stuck at a red light. I know I have my eccentricities and car dancing is one of them. However as far as K-dog, and Princess-A know, I am perfectly normal. I'm sure I'll embarrass them one day but until then, "Pump up the Jams".

Mom's (I mean the kids') sandbox

4) I almost always have crayons & Clif bars in my purse. I'm not known for being the most organized person in the world, but I've had to get it together a bit for my little ones. The thing is, I love art supplies, and who doesn't need a snack form time to time. Being a Mom means having the magic purse that seems to always produce a wipey, granola, or distraction when needed. Even if I'm the one who needs it.

5)  I get to design  sandboxes. I love learning to use my creativity in new ways. I mean, I never knew how many pop song could be turned into potty training ditties. My children stretch my imagination every day.  The sandbox was just the first, I'm wishing for a fairy fort and hopefully they'll let me sit in with the garage band from time to time.

6) My kids! Pardon me for saying so, but I have the best little ones that anyone could hope for. Mysterious wetness, the mommy wars and sleep deprivation aside they bring enormous joy to my life. I wouldn't be who I am without them.

Sick Day

Could someone tuck me like this?

Today I had a plan, it did not include being sick. I wanted do laundry, work on my paintings, I was going to do a great pantry purge post. Instead, I spent the day horizontally, while my children watched more TV in one day than they usually see in a month. So much for media-free kids.

Fortunately, my husband fed the kids, and even came home from his day-job for lunch. He had to go back to work, but promises to be home for bed time. I don't really feel like I got a sick day. Not as all like when my husband is home sick, door closed, children quieted, occasional trays of tea and crackers. I hate being sick on weekend because I feel like I'm wasting my time I could be spending with my husband , and I hate being sick during the week because I can't really just sack-out the way I'd want to.

Hey, maybe I just hate to be sick. I did get to catch up on reading my twitter feed.  I guess there's the positive.

How do you recuperate, especially when there are the needs of little ones? Its not like I can call in sick or anything.

The Problem of Time

I have two small(ish) children, (please take a moment to meet seeds.) We have two cats. My sweet, talented and ambitious husband has a day job, and is starting a business. This in reality means two jobs. I am trying to find a least one or two careers for myself. I have two blogs, and about two tons of extra-curricular interest, too many to list here. We only have one car, and strangely only one me.

Managing time is the biggest problem I seem to have. This is not an exhaustive list, but it helps. This is how get to all the things I need to, and sometimes I get to do the things that I want to.

• Let some things go. There is cat hair on my duvet. I did not send out any cute holiday cards or organize the cookie exchange this year. I said no. I let some things go. This is the most difficult thing to do. If you read a few blogs – especially ‘Mom-themed’ blogs, you could start to believe that there are women who do “do it all”. They have perfectly behaved children who were potty trained at 18mo.; they blog about designing a line of hand painted greeting cards while their artisan bread rises but only on their days off from underwater Sanskrit brain surgery. Fact: there are people out there who do MORE than you do. So what? It is your life. Spend a little time to prioritize, draw a line and everything below it, LET IT GO. Give yourself a little acceptance. This has given me a handle on my time. It may sound trite, and that’s because you will never have the time to knit that sweater or write that novel or learn to oil paint if the cat hair on the duvet is keeping you up at night. I just read a great blog post about even reusing a few towels to cut on the laundry.

• A little organization goes a long way. I am the least organized person that I know. I know that it is not my nature. If you are someone who can find the stamps right now, I commend you. I know I have a lot to learn. One of my new year’s resolutions was to use organization as a way to get stress out of my life. My 5yo son hates to get dressed in the morning. It takes forever, it takes tears, and it often takes the entire family to get an appropriate type and quantity of clothes on the boy. In the last couple of months, I have started laying out the kids’ clothes the night before. It takes the exact amount of minuets to select skivvies and a sweatshirt, but not the ever-precious and bleary-eyed morning minuets. The same goes for planning meals out for the week, instead of trying to come up with some thing on the way home from swim class. Even, steal one of my dinner (now!) ideas. Whatever that all consuming, stress inducing, time-suck there is, see if a little bit of planning and organization can take some of the stress out of it.

• Use the Technology. I know you have a computer, (or at least a smart phone). There right now you have more technology readily available than all of our fore mothers combined. The trick is to use it and not let it use you. You gotta love the UPC scanning shopping list like Grocery IQ but ultimately you have to get the time to actually go to the store! There are two applications that I rely on: Google Calendars and Toodledo. I use the calendar because I can easily share a “family calendar” with my husband and this facilitates sharing a car, and making plans. It online, in our phones, there is no excuse for not knowing when swimming ends, or Joey’s birthday party starts. The real key is when you are proposing an all family underwear shopping trip, be sure to put it in the penciled-in until the Steelers are out of the play offs. I use Toodledo mostly to prompt me for recurring items, like getting to that cat hair on the duvet. It helps to know that everything does not need to be done right now!

How to you get everything in? I’d love to add a few more tools to my tool kit, because who wouldn't just want to spend more time playing with those two cuties in the picture up there.

You Still Have Time to Make This for Dinner: Vegetarian

Sorry, it's so yummy, I forgot to take the pic first :)

Not only is this quick, it isn't even home made. Basically you warm up your favorite canned soup. What makes this a special meal around our house in the cold winter evenings is the CHEESY BREAD!  It was the only thing K-dog requested for his 5th birthday dinner.

I used to make grilled cheese to go with soup, but I'm not really good at cooking things on the stove without burning them so I've started making a sort of Bruchetta, but with cheese instead.

• Preheat oven to about 350 (400 if your in a hurry.)
• I melt about a tablespoon of  butter and add about the same amount of olive oil for a nice loaf of french bread.Let the kid brush/ drizzle this mixture on sliced bread
• Sprinkle with garlic and herb seasonings, fresh herbs are nice but not essential.
• and of course CHEESE! (and by cheese I mean whatever cheese you like or have or can borrow from the neighbors.

 I pop it in the oven, and heat up the soup on the stove. Its usually all ready at the same time, if you add some salad it's even a balanced meal.

Not what you have a taste for tonight?  See my other Dinner (now)  post!

The Meaning of Christmas

I love Christmas, you usually love Christmas, but lately you have been questioning the “true and ultimate meaning of Christmas”.  You know the meaning of Christmas.  You have seen the It’s Christmas Charlie Brown special no less than 163 times.  Our hero Chuck can’t get into the Christmas spirit and is a bit frustrated by the commercial take over of the holiday, but Linus’ soliloquy (memorized at the threat of violence) is probably the best excuse for a joyous season that anyone could come up with.  It came out in 1965; it is 46 year old.  You are still reading a blog post entitled “The True Meaning of Christmas.”  If a cartoon cannot settle this debate for you, I clearly will not.

I know the true meaning of Christmas

Finland's Baby Box

I saw this and it brought tears to my eyes. In Finland every baby gets just a few essentials from the government. And while I know that I probably wouldn't have needed it, I received 35 green bodysuits at my baby shower from enthusiastic family and friends, the idea of a country and and a culture that starts out every life with a gift is something special. There is much debate about an the American welfare state on one hand, and even if a woman should be able to have an abortion. I can't settle this debate here, but reading about this made me cry.  What if every child entered this life know that everyone was looking out for him or her, and wanted to make sure that their first few months were at least warm and safe?  Even the box it comes in can double as a bassinet.  Its just the basic hospitality that we  could give a new life.  Most of us have friends or families that do that, or at least the wealth the buy the odd blanket or diaper.

I feel like the Finnish people fully expect each infant recipient of this grant to become and law abiding productive member of society, and imagine that there is the belief that it is the child parents that are held most responsible for this. But why not start off with a well thought out gift that says, "Hey, this is what you might need to get started; we're pulling for your success."  I got a letter stating that my insurance company was charged $2,000 for an anesthesiologist that I never saw.  I felt that our system, and my culture were saying, "Congratulations, you had a baby, now its easier for us to scam you.  Now back to work."  I think we can do that a bit better, and make stronger families and healthier happier children in the end. Its not really about being the "nanny state", it's about investing in the lives of one another.

This is what you'd find in the what's called the Maternity Package can be found here.  What did you get from you're society when you had a baby?

You Still Have Time To Make This for Dinner: Breakfast!

As it turns out everyone in my family likes breakfast, and it is always a special treat to have breakfast for dinner.  The real trick is to also make it a balanced nutritious meal.  So last night we had spinach mushroom and cheese omelets.  My kids my be a little odd in their affection for spinach and I may have their grandparents and the creators of Popeye the Sailor Man, but butter doesn't hurt.

I like to saute my mushrooms.  These are baby portbella's here, but sometimes i go for whatever is already sliced in the market. When they start to sweat I put in onions and garlic. Now you probably don't have to chop them this fine, but my son does not eat onions he can see.

spinach thief!

Spinach - Mushroom mixtu

While that's going I thaw a package of spinach in the microwave, and drain. Here, daughter A is stealing some. If you are a bit more organized than I you could use actually fresh spinach.  I like to warm that all up in the pan. and put it aside.  Then I made up omelets: Eggs, splash of milk  fill with spinach mushroom mixture and Swiss cheese. You can adjust the  cheese or veggie for each family member. We added whole wheat toast, a side of soy bacon and apple cider.  What is your family's favorite breakfast for dinner menu?

Not what you have a taste for tonight?  See my other Dinner (now)  post!

 

Wordless Wednesday: Fun Food!

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Season of Photography: Shoes

This weeks assignments for the Season of Photography Challenge was Shoes  I really did take some pictures that were not of my kids, but again a quick snapshot is my favorite. Enjoy fall!

 

Boy Shoes

See the other entries or join in  here at Crunchy VT Mommy's blog.  Happy shooting!
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Wordless Wednesday: Rainy Day While Camping

 

Labor Day Camping

Labor Day means camping in our household.The truth is I like the idea of camping much more that I actually like camping. Nothing will convince my husband of this. Nothing will convince my children of this. It is my least favorite outing. I say 'outing' because during a vacation I would be responsible for less housework instead of more. There is a reason running water has become so popular in the western modern world.

I never went camping with my family, ever. My father did not fish or hunt. In my family, there is little real or feigned nostalgia for the rural areas from which my ancestors left to escaped subsistence farming, poverty and racism. I have never been there, and I am not sure I could find them on a map, and I have very limited desire to go there now. I love my city life.

As I was saying, we went camping this weekend. I know it is because DH has all of these fond childhood memories of his family's property and I've only know a sunken out-house, and leaking trailer.

My husband does try to do the cooking and clean up, which involves burning garbage. There also is the grass mowing. My husband loves to mow the grass. Granted since we have not been up there this year we had to hire a neighbor to 'brush-hog' the bulk of it so that it could be mowed. One of my friends from high school uploaded pictures from her Paris vacation that I simply cannot bare to look at. I made drip coffee in coffee maker older than I, with water I had to carry to it, with creamer from a melting cooler. Then it started to rain. 

My husband was smiling, my kids got as muddy as humanly possible. We invited some friends up and their kids got as muddy as possible. They caught and released colorful if slimy little fish. They all spend time in the woods, looking for salamanders, firewood, and I am sure we brought home three big bugs and a frog.  My family ended sun burned, gorged on s'mores and there was an enough grass in my son’s hair to weave a small hut. They are happy, and they will remember it that. We will likely be going again this month.

Wordless Wednesday: Kindergarten!

"Kindergarten"

 age 4 3/4

 

age 3 3/4

age 2 3/4

You still have time to make this for dinner (vegan)

 

It's rare but it's 3pm and I know what we're having for dinner tonight. I'm sharing this because you still have time to make this for tonight as well!  Here's a link to the recipe: Vegan Quinoa Salad.  This one dish meal has something for everyone, and works well as a picnic side too (no pesky mayo to keep you up at night).  I always forget how much every one loves this dish but fortunately DH made the request. It calls for cukes, bell peppers, tomatoes and broccoli and of course quinoa.  I have in the past substituted for each of these ingredients (i even accidentally made it with cous cous, and it was still very good. Its' 15 min. on the stove and a while to chill, but if you don't put the veggies in right away you can chill the cooked grain in the freezer for quick summer supper that even my DS will eat. Aside from looking yummy quinoa is a source of complete protein and other nutrients ==>Nutrition Facts Here<==; and if you don't really feel like cooking and just want some colorful history associated with it ==>Quinoa on Wikipedia here<==

fresh cukes

uncooked quinoa from bulk section

 

the worlds easiest dressing

BTW: this is my 100th post, but that's counting the one that DD made from my phone by accident. Anyway I'm thinking of revamping and renaming this site so look for coming changes. And some more frequent post as well!

What are you having for dinner tonight? Because I have no idea what I'm making for Thursday.

Why Not to Hire an Architect to Build a Sandbox:Part 3

However, my poor children have no choice. The design bug bit both of their parents as young adults. My DH and I don’t always have the same taste or opinion on design (read: 3 years to paint one bathroom). However, what we agree on is a love the problem solving, imagining, making, and a hate of painting the bathroom. When we found out we were having my son, the first think I could think about was how to redecorate his room, and the kick-*ss tree house we were going to build. He was one before his room was done, but that is another post for another time.

This post is supposed to be about architects and sand boxes. This is going to tell you how we did it, but please do not take this as a How TO post if you need instructions for a simple, functional, and rational designs go here: ==>>Great Sandbox Plans <<== . As doctors make poor patients, architects make poor clients, so we both took these plans and proceeded to ignore them completely.  See the start of this project check out Part 1, and Part 2.

Here's the back story: Probably 3 years ago my husband drove by one of those traditional sandbox turtles, and garbage-picked it. It appealed to the both of us, re-used, retro, already to fill with sand and it covered the not grassy spot in the back yard perfectly. My son loved it for at least two summers!

.

(You can see the outline of the new one behind there)
Then DD turned one. The turtle was not big enough for the two of them. Something had to be done immediately!

So in and effort to fit a bit more sandbox in an already cramped back yard we came up with this design. I really wish I could find the old plans for this one, yes there were plans, just be glad I didn’t draft it in 3D. It didn’t take too many weekends, used a bit of log from a tree damaged in the “2006 October Storm”. We constructed it just like our raised garden and it would have been integrated as planting space when the kiddos lost interest. I say, “would have been” because about a month after its completion we decided to put our house on the market and move. Kind of like when the city decides to pave your street the year before they decide to dig up and replace the sewer, (and those are engineers…sheesh). Fortunately, family that bought our house also has a young son, and I’d like to think that he’s enjoying it right now.

So, with moving last fall, and winter, and the rainiest spring ever it was the first week of July before we started the new and fabulous designer sandbox.
The outline on the ground was my DH idea, and since we couldn’t have just make a simple rectilinear box, in fact, we couldn’t even make it an octagon, that would have been too easy, and as I said before we needed a challenge. So, it is mostly an octagon, except when it's not, (heptagon I think). We used 2x12’s for the walls and the seat, and 4x4 for the corner and bench supports.

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Here are a few more images

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BOO-BOO!

Of course, Sunday evening just before we would have called it quits for the first weekend, we have a minor job site injury. So there was a 6-hour detour to the ER, but DD is doing much better now, and as soon as the glue’s gone, we can get back into swim lessons and back yard sprinkles. Good thing we have the sandbox to entertain everyone.

It will probably take 2400lbs of sand

.

We stained it “Gettysburg Blue” I’m not sure DH really likes the color (it’s almost the same as that epic bathroom re-do that I mentioned earlier), but I bought the paint without a formal change order so there you have it.

Its blue!

The cover and sunshade (Ikea, but discontinued I believe) were in fact off the rack, but I’m sure I’ll end up hacking them up in the end. But that’s for next week’s project.

our shady spot

So in short the reason you don’t hire and architect to design your sandbox is that is they will likely go way over on time, materials and of course budget, pay no mind to site safety and in the end you’ll have a seven sided blue sandbox. 

Sun Sail over "over designed sandbox"