Monthly Archives: September 2011

Five Question Friday

Posted on September 9, 2011 | 5 comments

Holy moley… I can’t believe it’s Friday already? Whose idea was it to make the first week of school a short week? I know it’s better than going back to school for one or two days before a long weekend, but boy, does it make for the crazy the first week of school!

1. What ringtone do you have on your cell phone?
Before I got my new phone, I had Florence and the Machine’s Dog Days Are Over. Now I have Adele’s Rumor Has It (the chorus). For Simon, I have a techno beat that he picked himself – because I said, oh, that sounds annoying.

2. What is your favorite memory from this summer?
Going back to the very beginning of summer, I loved our get together with my college friends and their families over Memorial Day weekend. So fun to spend time with some of my favorite ladies but even better to see all the kids playing together and totally enjoying each other.

3. Paper books or ebooks?
I love reading, always have and always will. I’ve always loved owning books, never really liked getting them from the library because I preferred to see them on my bookshelf when I was done but I rarely went back and re-read a book I owned. I am apparently just a book hoarder (though I do loan them out). But, despite my love of books, I really wanted an e-reader and Simon got me one for my birthday and I have to say I love it! I find that I read a lot more now because it is just that much easier to pick it up and read. And my Kindle holds a charge for forever (unlike my phone which needs charging all the time) so I don’t have to worry about it dying on me mid-trip – one less charger to lug around. The only downfall is the inability to let others borrow books. Some Kindle books are lendable but most are not. But soon, I hear, you’ll be able to check out library books with a Kindle and that will be wonderful! So I guess the short answer is both 🙂

4. If you could have one home upgrade what would it be and why?
Just one? Hmmmm… can I say a professional kitchen? One that bumped the outer wall out another 5-6 feet? That’s what I’d want (other than, you know, moving to a completely different house about 10 miles to the east of where we are now). Why the kitchen? Because I love to cook but sometimes it’s frustrating when the kitchen feels crowded and nothing is easily accessible (the stand mixer is in the hallway closet, the crockpot is in the basement). And fancy appliances and pretty countertops would make me so very happy.

5. When was your first serious boyfriend/girlfriend?
Gosh… never kiss and tell, right? (Too late.) My first serious boyfriend was in high school and while at the time, it was the end all, the details are so not important to me now. That’s the one thing about relationships I hope to impart on my kids in their high school days – no matter how life-altering it seems at the time, it’s really nothing in the grand scheme of life. It’s terribly unlikely that you’ll end up with your high school boyfriend/girlfriend (though not impossible since I know someone this happened for) so just chill out and enjoy the rest of life. Not that you shouldn’t date but give the relationship only as much credence as it deserves (which isn’t much). That said, my first serious boyfriend was a very good kisser, that much I remember and that’s all I’ll say.

5 Comments

Posted in Five Question Friday, Life in general

Thursday Thoughts, Kindergarten Edition

Posted on September 8, 2011 | 6 comments

That, right there, is the face of a kindergartener. And I’m more than okay with that… we dropped him off and I didn’t cry or even get choked up – it just seemed natural. Liam’s been in daycare since he was 3 months old so leaving him for the entire day is nothing new, though kindergarten seems like a much bigger deal, like the major league compared to minor league.* Though when I drove away, unlike with daycare, I was thinking how I couldn’t wait to pick him up and see how his day went. [Spoiler: It went great!] That sounds like I don’t care what goes on at daycare, which isn’t quite right, it’s more that I pretty much know what goes on at daycare but kindergarten is the unknown. It’s the tip of the iceberg of unknown. From here we have years of school and adventures he will have separate from us. And I think that’s why this moment seems so big and so normal all at the same time because this is the new reality, the new every day. And it’s true, before we know it, he’s going to be all grown up. In the meantime, I can’t wait to hear about those adventures.


Oh, how this picture makes me laugh! This was the best of the bunch and what we get when we command ask our kids to smile.

And not to leave Jack out, his daycare report detailed that he “Tried Didn’t Go” twice on the potty, an improvement from last week when he “Refused” three times to even sit down. And he showed off his new shoes and pretended to be a butterfly on their daily walk. I love daycare reports. (Keri – It’s like low-tech Facebook updates about my kid.)

And here’s a cute story from yesterday: I was wearing a t-shirt with a heart patch on it and Liam said in a very wistful voice, “That heart on your sweatshirt makes me feel like falling in love.” Later that evening he threw the Wii remote at my head.**

*Did you see that, I used a sports analogy!? Fancy pants.
**Liam will not be playing the Wii for the next couple days.  

6 Comments

Posted in Life in general

This is not a cooking blog, but you should totally make this

Posted on September 7, 2011 | 6 comments

 

Quinoa Greek Salad with Lemon Herb Dressing

2 cups cooked quinoa
3-4 roma tomatoes, diced OR 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, seeded, peeled and diced
1/4 cup kalamata olives, halved
2 oz. crumbled feta
Dressing to taste (see below)

Mix salad ingredients (I cook quinoa the night before and refrigerate it overnight). Add dressing to taste, I wouldn’t use it all, but you’re not me, you might like it that way.

Lemon Herb Dressing:
Juice of 1-2 lemons
1-2 T. red wine vinegar
Olive oil (about as much as lemon juice + vinegar combined, but you can add more, depends on how oily you like your dressing – I like an equal to less ratio)
2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1 tsp. garlic salt
Mix all dressing ingredients together and shake very well.

And because this is not a cooking blog, you get an unstyled photo of the recipe while it was in the Tupperware container, taken with my cell phone. You’re welcome. It’s delicious. Trust me.

6 Comments

Posted in Food, Life in general

Karma

Posted on September 6, 2011 | 1 comment

To the tiny, speed-walking pregnant woman who overtook me on the Reed’s Lake path and smiled ever-so knowingly, come talk to me in 5+ years when you are pushing 70+ pounds worth of two children in a non-aerodynamic stroller.* I do not think your non-touching, twig-like thighs will be able to hack it.

To the lovey-dovey high school-aged couple lounging around in the grass who didn’t even give my cute kids a smile when they ran past you at the park and shouted ‘hi,’ someday you will break up. And someday, a gorgeous afternoon spent at the park feeding ducks and eating cheese crackers will be the best part of your day and you (too) will feel old and wonder why those young people don’t bother to smile at your children (though, it should be noted, your kids won’t be nearly as cute as mine).

</snark>

Tomorrow is the first day of kindergarten, wish us luck and say a little prayer. We’re ready.

*Liam rides on the handlebar/canopy of the Graco stroller when he can’t handle walking, today it was the entire walk.

1 Comment

Posted in Confessions, Life in general

What the neighbors must think…

Posted on September 6, 2011 | 4 comments

Almost daily the following scene plays out:

  • The kids are happily occupied with an activity so I decide to take the opportunity to use the bathroom (hey, it happens – every day, remember?).
  • I’ve learned my lesson and quickly lock the door behind me, but otherwise do not broadcast my intentions to the little rugrats in the house unless I want someone to join me.
  • Inevitably, the moment I am indisposed, Jack will aggravate Liam.
  • This aggravation will result in Liam a) yelling at Jack, b) doing something to Jack and making him cry, c) slamming his bedroom door or d) all of the above.
  • Liam’s bad behavior results in two things: Jack crying and George barking like a maniacal little dog.
  • Since I am indisposed, I have two choices: remain silent and pretend I don’t hear anything OR yell (rather loudly) through the bathroom door for everyone to just be quiet (mainly to get George to stop barking his fool head off). You can guess which option I go with.
  • I’d imagine the neighbors are highly entertained, or at the very least, far too knowledgeable about what goes on in our house, specifically when I’m in the bathroom. (Perhaps this explains why they keep showing up to give us random things like gift certificates their kids earned through a summer reading program, an Entertainment Book and extra boxes of markers and crayons – they want to see if we are running a circus.)

4 Comments

Posted in Life in general