formula for disaster

Homemade Dishwashing Detergent

2011-05-06T08:04:00.000-07:00

My first attempt at going green in this area was to buy dishwashing detergent in powder form, in the cardboard box. My first mistake was buying "Cascade". Not only did I nearly pass out each time I opened the box because of the fumes, it did a crummy job of washing my dishes. Next, I tried Seventh Generation. It worked fine with no fumes but it did leave a cloudy residue. But...what if I took it a step further and made my own?

Since my homemade laundry detergent worked so well, I took the ingredients I already had from that experiment and made my own dishwashing detergent. According to Matt Jabs at diy Natural, the citric acid in this recipe helps with the cloudiness that is sometimes left on glasses. Combined with white vinegar as the rinse agent, my dishes came out sparkly clean! Even though the citric acid is a little pricy, the recipe comes out to $0.07 per load, which is half the price of name brand detergents!

Homemade Dishwashing Detergent

● 1 cup borax ($2.99/box at Target)

● 1 cup washing soda ($5.99/box at Ace Hardware)

● 1/2 cup citric acid powder ($28 for 5lbs at Amazon or check your bulk aisle)

● 1/2 cup kosher salt

Mix ingredients together and use 1 tablespoon per load. This detergent will clump together because of the citric acid but it doesn't affect the product in any way.

Fill rinse agent compartment with white vinegar.

I also want to make a note that the biggest motivation in making my own cleaning products is not saving money at all. That part is nice, but I love that I can clean with natural ingredients and keep my family safe from toxins as well as reduce waste.

Green Snacks and Lunches

2011-05-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

I got these cute reusable snack and sandwich bags last week and I am in love with them. We normally use glass snapware for lunches and leftovers but they are so heavy and take up so much room. Sometimes a ziplock bag is great for snacks on the go and these are perfect for replacing those plastic bags! I bought a few from a small company here in Seattle as well as online at Etsy. They come in different designs, sizes and closures. You can flip them inside out and wipe them out or throw them in the washing machine. Most of them have a velcro closure at the top (some have a drawstring option). The "sandwich wrap" is genius. It's basically just a square of fabric backed by a waterproof liner that you fold your sandwich up in and it seals with a piece of velcro. I wish I knew how to sew so I could make my own and save more money! But, I love supporting local moms and artists so it all works out :)

Below are the links to my favorite shops. I always look for bags with the "gusseted bottom" because it allows for more room and the design allows you to "stand" the bag up when it's filled. (Yes, that is Care Bear and Strawberry Shortcake you see there...Mama needs her own snack bags too!)

Mama Luvs

a stitch of mine

Cotton Top Quilts

Homemade Laundry Detergent

2011-05-02T19:22:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe over at diy Natural and decided to give it a shot. I wanted to stop polluting the earth with those plastic jugs every couple of weeks and save some money too. There are only 3 ingredients and all but one are easy to find. Bar soap, borax, and washing soda. I had the first 2 ingredients already but had to do some investigating to find the washing soda. They didn't have it at my grocery store or Target but I managed to track it down at good ol' Ace Hardware. Needless to say, I stocked up since I also plan to make my own dishwashing detergent later this week with the washing soda. You can also find all the ingredients at Amazon but they are a little more expensive.

I've already done 2 loads of laundry with it and it seems to be working great. I may change soaps (I used Ivory) as I'm not fond of the scent, but other than that, it does the job!

Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe, by Matt Jabs

● 1 bar of shaved bar soap (Ivory, ZOTE, Fels-Naptha)
(I got 10 bars at Target for $3)

● 1 cup borax
($2.99/box at Target)

● 1 cup washing soda
($5.99/box at Ace Hardware)

Grate the bar soap, add borax and washing soda and mix well until it forms a fine powder. Use 1-2 tablespoons per load. Also works with HE washers.

I keep mine in a recycled glass pickle jar with a tablespoon scoop inside, properly labeled of course.

Is Bigger Better?

2011-04-24T13:55:00.000-07:00

A friend asked me recently if I was planning on staying in my current home for much longer. Apparently, she assumed I would want to get a bigger house, especially now that I have a kid. But how much room do kids really need? How much room do WE really need? Am I depriving my child by not providing him with his own playroom or home theater?

My younger sister and I spent the first 6 years of our life in a tiny 2 bedroom apartment with the laundry facilities in the basement of the complex. My grandmother moved in with us for a short time when my sister was born and my family of 4 shared ONE bedroom so my grandmother could have her own room. When I turned 6, my parents saved up enough money to buy our own house so we "upgraded" to an 820 sq ft home with a big backyard. We still only had 2 bedrooms so my sister and I shared a room and all of us shared the tiny bathroom. Do you think I ever felt deprived of a single thing in my childhood? Never. Do I look back and wish I had more? Nope. I didn't even know what I was missing. The way I saw it, I had a nice clean place to live, toys to play with, a backyard to run around in, and a comfortable room to sleep in.

When I was 9, we moved to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and rented a duplex apartment with again, 2 bedrooms, while my parents figured out whether this would be a good place to settle down, as well as determine if the restaurant was going to be successful or not. A couple of years after the grand opening, it was clear that Coeur d'Alene would be our "home" so we looked for a bigger, permanent house for our family. We settled on a 4000 sq ft home with nearly an acre of land located on the lake with a swimming pool and a basketball court. This was quite a step up from what we were used to. But, over half of the house went unused. We were always hanging out in the kitchen, the family room or our bedrooms. I remember walking into our formal living room and dining room and feeling uncomfortable because it did not feel lived in. Unless we were practicing piano, no one liked being in there. We had one t.v. but no cable (my mom didn't believe in it) so we had maybe 4 fuzzy channels to choose from. We did have a "Nintendo" but only a handful of games. My sister I spent a lot of time outdoors, riding our bikes all over town, playing sports, reading, and volunteering at the local hospital. We also had many responsibilities at home since my parents were always working. In addition to household chores, I was in charge of baby-sitting my little sister, helping her with homework, defending her against bullies (it was not easy being one of the only Asian kids in North Idaho), and also working at the restaurant. I look back on my childhood with fond memories and am thankful my parents encouraged us to learn new skills, develop a good work ethic, and taught us to conserve and save-- monetarily and thus, ecologically. These are the things that stand out in my childhood. Not toys or fancy birthday parties or media rooms.

I know that the American way is to "go big" but I am actually quite content in my 1800 sq ft home. I don't have a playroom, or a theater, or a wine cellar, or even a formal living room. Would I like to have a bigger house and have all those extra rooms? Sometimes. But then I think about the additional cleaning, money, and maintenance involved and I'm glad I don't have to waste all that time taking care of rooms I don't need. It makes me happy that every single room in our house gets used.

What do I get for "sacrificing" more space? I get to live in a wonderful, close-knit neighborhood with small kids up and down our street. We're in a cul-de-sac so Owen can ride his bike and run around without worrying about traffic. Our fence opens up to a park right behind our house. We are 2 blocks to the grocery store, coffee shop, restaurants, and more. There is a trail system that runs throughout the entire 900 acre community along with pools, tennis courts, and parks. Our schools are some of the best in the nation and they're public. What more could I ask for?

Less is More

2011-04-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

In honor of Earth Day, I wanted to pass along a post entitled, "Less is so much More" from my new favorite blogger and mentor. I was introduced to the Zero Waste Family 3 months ago while I was in Santa Cruz visiting my sister-in-law. She shared an article with me from Sunset magazine about this family in Northern California who produces nearly zero waste in their household. Just a small handful of garbage in 4 months. Furthermore, this family lives a beautiful, simple, and clutter-free lifestyle and because of this, they have time to enjoy the things that really matter... spending quality time with family and friends, enjoying nature, eating healthy food, and being respectful to our planet.

I was immediately inspired and along with my sister-in-law, started thinking about the many ways we could start reducing waste. We, like many others, had already stopped using plastic bags at the grocery store but wanted to find ways to do more. We decided the next step was to stop using paper towels and napkins completely and instead start using cloth wipes as well as cloth napkins at dinner. That weekend, Laura and I scoured the antique shops in Santa Cruz for vintage linen cocktail napkins and dish towels (besides being really cool, buying vintage or second-hand is a great way to recycle and reduce unnecessary resources on new products). My favorite cloths for wiping up spills are "Trader Joe's Super Amazing Kitchen Cloth". You get 2 in a pack and they hold up great in the wash and absorb lots of liquid (although they do shrink a bit after washing).

When I got home from my trip, I pitched the paper towel idea to my husband who was confused as to how this would work out. This was the person who probably used an entire roll of paper towels per day, just by himself. But...he was willing to give it a try and that's all I ask. We went cold turkey- we had maybe half a roll left and after that was gone, it was gone for good. For the past 3 months, my paper towel holder has been empty. I should just remove it from the wall but sometimes I like to look at it as a reminder of our zero-waste goal. Was it difficult? Absolutely not. Ask my husband. Every time I went to reach for a paper towel to dry my hands and it wasn't there, I just grabbed the kitchen towel that hangs right above my sink. Every time I went to grab a paper towel to clean up a spill, I opened up my kitchen drawer and used a cloth instead. Out of sight, out of mind. Seriously. I've since moved on to other zero-waste methods but I'll go into that in future posts. For now, I ask that you just consider trying something different.

Santa and Owen, Then & Now

2010-12-09T10:01:00.000-08:00

Everyone has their favorite spot for Santa photos and ours is at Nordstrom in Bellevue. As you can see, we've been there the last 4 years and plan to continue the tradition. I love how the background remains the same but my little baby keeps changing and growing. I love how he responds to Santa differently each year, and how this year, he finally feels comfortable enough to sit on Santa's lap and express a genuine smile.

Owen and Santa talk about his Wish List.

All I Need

2010-12-07T20:14:00.000-08:00

In preparation for our visit to Santa tomorrow, I asked Owen what he was going to ask for this year. He replied, "Ummm....Candy. Cars. And a suitcase."

"Okay, what else? "

He threw his hands up in exasperation and declared, "That's all I need!"

Naughty by Nature

2010-12-05T10:14:00.000-08:00

O and I have been having some serious discussions lately about his behavior and whether or not Santa will be bringing him presents this year. He's having some difficulty listening to us and argues about every little thing...what to wear to school, which jammies to wear to bed, what plate to eat on, which shoe to put on first...I know the difference between asserting an opinion and just being argumentative and it's definitely the latter. He even argues with me about whether or not I love him.

Me: I love you Owen.

Owen: No you don't.

Me: Yes I do sweetheart.

Owen: NO YOU DON'T!!!!!

But wait...there's more....

Me: It's raining outside.

Owen: No it's not.

Me: Hey, you pushed me.

Owen: No I didn't.

Me: Please hang your coat up, it doesn't belong on the kitchen floor.

Owen: Yes it does.

Aaaand we could do this all night......

Big O has his own Elf named Georgie who watches over him and reports back to Santa each night. Kind of like Elf on a Shelf but we can't actually see Georgie. I knew he would never believe that a stuffed doll had enough clout to actually follow through with my threats, so it's better this way. Sometimes when things get really bad, I pull out my cell phone and "call" Georgie.

"Hi...it's Tammy... Owen's mom. Yes, I just wanted to let you know that Owen is not listening to me again...."

At this point, O is BEGGING for me to hang up the phone. It works like a charm. I have no idea what I will do once Christmas is over!

A story about hot chocolate

2010-12-03T11:32:00.000-08:00

Last week I sent Scott out to the store to get us some hot chocolate. We had run out of our Ghiradelli mix and I was in the mood for a big cup of cocoa. He came back with a box of Swiss Miss packets. In his defense, I didn't actually specify which brand of hot chocolate I wanted, but assumed he would pick out something a little more...upscale. Anyway, I totally turned my nose up at him and scoffed, thinking to myself, "Hmmph! I can't believe he bought me Swiss Miss! My taste is much more refined than that!" I never did drink the hot chocolate. Not because I was protesting, but because I just never found time to sit down and enjoy it that evening.

Two nights ago, I was at my friend Jamie's house for a holiday party. She is known for her elaborate parties. She has great taste and always serves an impressive spread. I saw that she had prepared a thermos full of hot chocolate for us so I helped myself to a big cup. I can't pass up chocolate...like a moth to a flame. And it was delicious. Creamy, rich, but not too chocolatey. Just perfect. I must have drank 5 cups that night. This morning, I had a craving for Jamie's perfect hot chocolate, so I sent her a text asking what brand it was. I was prepared to drive all over town looking for this special cocoa.

She sent me a text back: "ha ha! Swiss Miss powder!"

Christmas Spirit, continued...

2010-12-01T13:29:00.001-08:00

People ask me all the time, "How can you have all those decorations out with a 3 year old boy running around??" Well... I can honestly say it's never been a problem. I know... considering how crazy and destructive he is with everything else, I would have never guessed, but O is super careful around everything and he always has been. I don't follow him around or scold him every second either, if that's what you're wondering :) I just tell him that he can look and touch gently but that they are not toys, and amazingly enough, he understands!

This year, I thought it would be really special for Owen to have his own small tree in his room. I knew I wanted to find something different...perhaps a vintage feather tree or a tinsel tree. I looked and looked for weeks and couldn't find anything. Finally, I gave up and bought him a cheesy 4 foot tree from Michaels. That evening, we went to the Bellevue Botanical Gardens for their Christmas d'lights show and I stopped in their gift shop to browse. I came across a new (but vintage looking) tinsel tree that was exactly what I had been searching for!

I've been saving a box of Scott's old ornaments from childhood and I knew this little tree would be the perfect backdrop for displaying those cherished items, as well as the ornaments I've been collecting for O each year. He was so excited..."A Christmas tree?? For ME??!!"

I love these old wooden ornaments.

How cute is this??!

A fishing pole!

This one was made by our friend Dana at MommyBrain

This is O's 2010 ornament from Mama :)

And these little piggies hanging out under the tree are from PoPo (Owen was born in the year of the Pig, just in case you were curious)

The other day, I was dropping off some clothes at the local thrift shop when I decided to look around. In their holiday section, they had a group of Christmas villages for sale. None of them matching but similar looking. They were all $2-3 a piece and I thought it would be cute to get a few and display them on the shelf in O's room where his dinosaurs normally reside. I also found a miniature horse and carriage as well as a tiny Santa that was perfect for the tiny village. For $25, I came away with all of this:

I think I'm done now...until next year :)

Christmas Spirit

2010-11-29T22:15:00.000-08:00

I admit it. I have an excess of Christmas spirit. I go a little overboard with the decorations this time of year. My obsession stems from childhood Christmases, or rather, lack thereof. Growing up, we didn't celebrate Christmas the "traditional" way, the "American" way. Our family never had a tree, we didn't get presents, and my sister and I didn't understand why all the kids at school were fussing about Santa and his elves.

The concept of bringing a giant tree into your house that would eventually have to be disposed of was foreign to my parents, and they certainly weren't about to pay for that to happen! However...there was one exception. The one and only time our family had a tree was in 1995. I was fifteen and it was 2 days before Christmas. My family and I were doing some last minute grocery shopping and as we were driving out of the parking lot, we spotted a sign: "Free Trees". There were a handful of charlie brown trees propped against the fence so we made my dad stop and then begged him to let us take one home. It was free, we argued. And... after all, it was Christmas. He eventually caved. Ironically, my dad had picked up a christmas tree stand from a neighbor's garage sale a few years earlier (WHY, I have no idea!!) so we were set there. Howbeit, we didn't own a single ornament to hang on our new tree, save for a few tiny wooden ones my sister and I made in grade school. So...the next morning, we got up early and drove to Target and bought several boxes of silver balls, lights, some tinsel, and a star for the top. The selection was slim pickens as it was Christmas Eve and all. Then we raced home and trimmed our tree while listening to the 'Home Alone' soundtrack (also our favorite Christmas movie). It didn't take us long as we only had enough ornaments to decorate the "front" of the tree. But were we ever proud! We made sure to position it in the biggest living room window so everyone who drove by could see it. And when friends came over, we would make a point of showing off our beautiful tree but make it seem like it was no big deal... like we were just your typical Asian American family who always had a tree at Christmas time.

We were certain that this would spur the beginning of many christmas trees to come, but sadly, that was the first and last tree we ever had. The entire two weeks that tree was in our house, my mom complained every day about the needles dropping and how she had to get the vacuum out unnecessarily. And how sad it was to watch this tree wither away and die. Needless to say, our christmas spirit was pretty much deflated after that year. I learned to appreciate the fact that we were just different from other families and while we didn't exchange gifts, or decorate our home, we always got a good chunk of cash to spend on whatever we wanted.

It was a good 10 years later before my Christmas spirit returned. I was 25 and had just purchased my first house. My co-worker at the time had just purchased her first condo as well and we were both lamenting the fact that neither of us had any Christmas decorations for our new homes. So...a week before Thanksgiving, we met up and went on a small shopping spree. We stocked up on everything you could imagine. Ornaments galore. Ribbons, bows, garlands, wreaths...We could barely fit all our new treasures in the car! The morning after Thanksgiving, Scott and I raced down the hill to pick out our first tree together. It was pouring rain but we didn't care. We walked around and carefully examined each tree, and then forked over $95 for what we thought was the perfect Noble Fir. When we got home, we realized we had overestimated the size of our house and underestimated the size of the tree. It was 7 feet tall alright, but also about 7 feet WIDE. Huh...it didn't look that big sitting out in the open field. We would have to make a mental note for next year.

Nevertheless, my house looked gorgeous with all the decorations and I was overjoyed. I finally got to participate in the traditions I had only heard about growing up. I was eager to share these traditions with my kids, when that time came. I wanted my kids to be as excited and giddy about Christmas the way I was at age 25. That may be a little old to have your first real Christmas, but certainly never too late.

Hung by the chimney with care...

My treasured Christmas Village.

Can you spot the birds hanging out in my feather tree?

I think I would like to live here.

Santa is watching you....

A collection of "Snow Babies" that I inherited from a dear friend. It makes washing the dishes more enjoyable :)

These are just some leftover ornaments that I combined with a string of lights.

Windmills of Your Mind

2010-06-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day Weekend in Coeur d' Alene, 2010

Kelsey Creek Farm

2010-05-07T21:54:00.000-07:00

Tulip Festival

2010-04-03T22:41:00.000-07:00

Suuun-ny Days...

2010-03-23T21:26:00.000-07:00

"I did it!"

2010-03-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

O is really into doing everything "by self" lately....brushing his teeth, making his oatmeal in the morning, and getting dressed. For the most part, he does REALLY well. He goes into his closet, picks out an outfit and puts it on by himself. Sometimes the outfit even matches. Sometimes he wears the same shirt 3 days in a row. And sometimes, his clothes are on backwards and I just don't have it in me to tell him he did it wrong. So I give him a big hug, tell him what a big boy he is, and how very proud I am to be his mama.

What the Cuss?

2010-03-17T15:33:00.001-07:00

Our friends just took their nephew to see the movie "Fantastic Mr. Fox" based on the novel by Roald Dahl, who by the way, is one of my favorite authors of all time. I love love love The Twits, The BFG, The Witches, and of course James and the Giant Peach. I wish I still had my tattered and worn copy of James and the Giant Peach from my elementary school days...I must have read that book 20 times and each time, it was like reading it for the very first time. I'm certain that it was Mr. Dahl who introduced me to the wonderful world of books. It was he who commenced my love for reading. There are many others to acknowledge: Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume, Betty MacDonald (Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle), and Ann M. Martin (The Baby-Sitters Club) to name a few. But that Roald Dahl...he stimulated my imagination more than anyone ever has. I'm also sure my sarcastic nature is not at all a result of reading his books!

Anyway, getting back to "Fantastic Mr. Fox"...I've been told that this is a very cool movie for adults, especially because they have witty lines like, "What the cuss?" and "Who the cuss do you think you are?! My cussing mother?". The only downside to that is trying to explain to your child what "cuss" means!

On that same subject... like many parents I'm sure, I've been having the hardest time controlling my swearing in front of Big O. Not that I have a dirty sailor mouth by any means, but every now and then, I let one slip. "Oh *cuss*!"

These are some of the things I'm trying to use instead: "Oh Snap!"..."Mother of Pearl!"...and my personal favorite "Louisa May Alcott!" This last one is totally random and freakin' hilarious!!! What are yours?

Wow! Taste Me Please!

2010-03-12T14:00:00.000-08:00

It never fails...everytime I shop at Trader Joe's, I always find something new to love. Oh, I have my tried-and-trues: the organic tomato bisque soup, the maui short ribs, the cheddar cheese with caramalized onions...but I try to make an effort to buy at least one new item on each shopping trip. I love going with friends because they help me point out things I may have overlooked. I'll even admit that I'm one of those people who actually read their "Fearless Flyer" cover to cover. In fact, I would love to be a copywriter for them...I love their witty descriptions and articles.

Last week, I decided to buy 2 new things: the "Vegetable Gyoza" and "Mintz's Blintzes". Considering I make AWESOME potstickers, their gyoza was pretty darn good (if cooked correctly). Owen scarfed them down and rubbed his belly, which is always a good sign. It is also worth mentioning that the "Chicken and Vegetable Gyzoza" is NOT GOOD...very very bland.

I just tried the blintzes today, as an afternoon snack, and it's my new favorite thing. They are basically crepes filled with cheese, except they're dairy free. I know, I know...I'm not lactose intolerent. But it doesn't matter...these things taste like the real deal. Pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds and you've got breakfast, snack or dessert ready! I mean, how can you resist when it says " Wow! Taste Me Please!" right on the box???

Super WHY

2010-03-11T09:09:00.000-08:00

A "conversation" I had with Big O yesterday:

Whatta noise?

That's a lawnmower.

Why?

Because someone is mowing their lawn.

Why?

Because their grass is getting long.

Why?

Because it's growing and they need to cut it.

Why?

Ummm...because if they don't, they'll get in trouble with the Klahanie Association.

Pause.....

Whatta "so-sha-shun" mean??

Jump For Joy!

2010-03-10T18:06:00.000-08:00

I was introduced to I Heart Faces, a photography website, long ago, but with my growing interest in photography, decided to explore it a little further. Each week, they have a "photo challenge" with a theme. You pick a picture that fits the theme and link your post to their website. They choose 10 winners. Easy peasy. This week's theme is "Jump for Joy". I didn't have to think very hard about which picture I would choose to submit. The deadline for each challenge is Tuesday, 9pm CST. Unfortunately, it was a good 10 minutes before I realized that today is WEDNESDAY. Oops. Nevertheless, I still wanted to share my picture:

This was taken last year in Miami.... The Miami 5, as we call ourselves. We were there for a girl's weekend and had so much fun...I love how silly and happy we are in this picture. When I look at it, I don't feel like a mom, or a wife, or a (somewhat) responsible adult. I feel like a girl without a care in the world. Sometimes it's good to feel that way.

It's in the Bag

2010-03-09T09:10:00.000-08:00

I listed a bunch of baby items and furniture on CL last week and I've been getting a lot of action. A lot of times people want to meet at a public location, which is understandable. I don't want random folks coming to my house and they don't know who they're dealing with either. Obviously, I'm not too scary, but they don't know that.

A lady who was interested in buying a diaper bag from me suggested we meet at the Target parking lot on Saturday morning. I arrived right on time and she met me there a couple minutes later. We had already negotiated the terms via email so it was just a matter of completing the sale.

It was a quick exchange and as I drove away, I thought about how funny that must have looked to passerby's.... Two women meeting in the far corner of a parking lot...one handing over a big ass bag, and the other a large wad of cash, and then quickly dispersing. Yes...very sketchy indeed!

Spring Cleaning Time

2010-03-06T09:22:00.000-08:00

I'm kind of a clean freak. Not totally retentive...I don't carry hand sanitizer in every pocket or anything, but I like to keep things neat and tidy. With the birth of my child, I've had to let that go a bit. But...with Spring right around the corner, I'm making up for that with my biggest cleaning spree yet. Every year for the past 5 years, I've reserved a weekend in March for "Tammy's Spring Cleaning". Yes, very clever, I know.

First, I make a list. Any task worth blogging about always begins with a list. Actually, I make 11 lists. One for every room in the house...kitchen, family room, office, garage, bedrooms, bathrooms, and laundry room. Then I write down every single thing that needs to be done in that room. For example, for my bedroom, it would be:

* go through closet/dresser and donate any clothing that doesn't fit

* dust all furniture

* flip mattress

* change sheets & duvet

* wash windows

* dust blinds, lampshades, & chandelier

* vacuum floors, baseboards, and the trim above windows and doors

* wipe down door and doorknobs

* clean out nightstands

As you can see, it's a very lengthy procedure that requires at least a couple days, if not more. Especially in the kitchen...I take EVERYTHING out of the cupboards & drawers and wipe them down before putting things back in. God only knows what has been growing in there in a year's time. It's also good for me to weed out food items that have expired as well as dishes/utensils I don't want anymore.

You're probably thinking I'm crazy right about now, if you haven't already thought so. But let me tell you, it's one of the most gratifying feelings ever when I'm finally done and I know that every nook and cranny is clean and dust free. It's sort of like moving, when you are forced to go through all your belongings and decide what you want to bring with you to your new home, except this is a new year.

It's a good idea to wear comfy clothes, put together a caddy with your cleaning supplies, and have some inspirational music playing. No, I don't have a "cleaning" playlist...but I should! Maybe some BEP, JT, Miss Gaga...

After everything is done, I gather all the unwanted stuff and save it for our yearly neighborhood garage sale. It usually takes place around April or May and the entire community participates. I'm hoping to get a few of my friends together so we can make it a party! Are you in?

Chasing Waterfalls...

2010-03-01T09:17:00.001-08:00

While vacationing in San Diego this past weekend with my family, I took the opportunity to practice getting those waterfall shots, the ones I've always admired in the magazines. After many attempts and adjustments, I finally figured out the trick. A very low shutter speed and a steady hand.

Hey...a girl's gotta find a way to entertain herself at SeaWorld!!

A New Language

2010-02-23T08:13:00.000-08:00

I have to admit...the first 15 minutes of my photography class left me thoroughly confused. It was like a new language, and I was frantically scribbling down notes while trying to listen. My multi-tasking skills are not quite up to par these days...having a 2.5 year old boy run circles around you, both figuratively and literally, will do that to you. But I managed to keep up. Before long, all these foreign terms were starting to make sense and come together. I was beginning to understand how each adjustment I made to my camera changed the outcome of my picture and how to achieve the shot I'm looking for depending on my environment. Much to my chagrin, I had been using my camera mostly in Auto Mode, which is a shame because it is capable of doing SO MUCH MORE... I just didn't know how.

Since O was at school yesterday, I decided to practice on Grover, playing around with the shutter speed, aperture, ISO and white balance:

Once I've mastered photographing puppets, I may try to move on to human subjects :) Anyone care to volunteer to be my model??

Blogging Convention

2010-02-21T09:04:00.000-08:00

Picture this...9 moms from the Issaquah Moms Group... gathered around a table in Grimaldi's Coffee Shop on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, with our laptops in front of us...talking about blogging techniques. Can you say Nerd Alert???

Believe it or not, this was actually very fun. We learned lots of tips and tricks to pimp out our blogs and shared great links to blogging websites. I experimented with my background (but ultimately chose to stay with my gray and yellow design...it's just so sweet and non-obtrusive!), added a picture behind my title, changed the color of my header, and finally learned how to add a space between my navigation buttons and the body of my blog...something that was annoying me for a long time! Thanks Monica!!

There is still so much I want to do...but for now, learning HTML code is pretty low on my priority list. Right now, I have to get ready for my very first photography class with my awesome friend Aileen. She owns a studio called Baby Dream Photography and just launched Live, Love, Dream Weddings. She was recently voted "Best Portrait Photographer in Western Washington" and has generously offered to take a few of us under her wing and teach us how to use our cameras. I am just a little excited!!!!

FROST me!

2010-01-27T17:30:00.000-08:00

I have a sweet tooth. So much so that I'd rather eat candy and ice cream for dinner over steak and potatoes any night. And often times, I do. I'm pretty much nondiscriminatory towards any and all sugary foods, but am particularly partial to baked goods. So when I saw that a new doughnut shop had opened up in my neighborhood...(okay, not really my neighborhood...really like 5 neighborhoods over but who's counting?) I HAD to try it out!

Frost Doughnuts, located in Mill Creek, about 45 minutes from my house, has seriously got my vote for the best doughnuts...no...little bites of heaven...EVER. You have not experienced delicious until you've tried these things. I think I stood in line drooling for 5 minutes before I could make up my mind. This is what I came home with...and probably will be back tomorrow for:

Banana Split Fritter

Salted Caramel

Southern Red Velvet

Glazed French Cruller

and TWO of these babies:

Smokey Bacon Maple Bars

Absolutely brilliant...I only wish I had come up with this awesome combination. For those of you who like to dip your bacon in maple syrup, this is the ultimate indulgence. If you live anywhere near this place, go try it out!! If you don't, I'm sorry.

Crostini di Fegatini

2010-01-20T22:18:00.000-08:00

My current obsession is Chicken Liver.

Say whaaat??!!

Chicken Liver Pâté . I'm addicted to this stuff. Served on top a slice of toasted french bread and it's heaven. Seriously. If I drank wine, it would probably taste even better. In fact, the author of this recipe says to "Imagine you are leaning back on a wooden chair under a pergola in a hilly part of Tuscany, where you have one of those views of typical Italian landscapes painted by an Italian old master. In your left hand you have a fresh crostino and in your right a nice glass of young Chianti. You have the right mix of ingredients to forget the cares of the world." Yeah.....

This is such an easy recipe and is perfect as an appetizer, although lately I've been eating it for lunch, dinner, and sometimes I'll even sneak downstairs for a midnight snack because it's that good.

Crostini di Fegatini

Recipe by Antonio Carluccio

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
10oz chicken livers (I got organic chicken livers at PCC in the frozen section)
2 large sprigs fresh rosemary
2 tbsp dry white wine
2- 2oz tins of anchovy fillets
4 tbsp chicken stock
4oz unsalted butter, chilled and diced
12-18 thin slices of crusty white Italian bread
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

First, wash and trim the chicken livers. Fry the onion gently in the oil for 5 minutes until soft but not colored. Add the livers and one sprig of rosemary and cook gently, stirring from time to time, for approximately 8 minutes until the livers are cooked through. Add the wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate for 2-3 minutes. Discard the sprig of rosemary, add the anchovies, and coarsely process in a food processor.

Return the puree to the pan. Add the anchovy fillets and chicken stock and cook gently for 2-3 minutes. Check the seasoning, adding lots of black pepper but probably only a little salt, if any, due to the saltiness of the anchovies. Finally, stir in the butter. Keep the pâté warm while you toast the slices of bread - if it splits or you like a smoother pate, simply blend again briefly in the food processor. Spread the toasted bread with pate, arrange on a plate and garnish with the remaining sprig of rosemary.

Note: I actually prefer my pâté after it's been chilled in the fridge for a few hours. It firms up and I think it tastes better.

Wing Luke Museum, International District

2010-01-16T17:52:00.000-08:00

Balloon Twisting Cures Boredom

2010-01-04T11:06:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve

2009-12-31T22:47:00.000-08:00

Gone are the days of wild partying and staying up late....This New Year's Eve, we celebrated by "Riding the Wave"...the Seattle Link Light Rail. It runs between Westlake Center and Sea-Tac Airport. Owen loved looking out the window and chatting with the other passengers. I was concerned that we wouldn't be able to make the roundtrip as it's about 45 minutes each way but Big O did awesome (other than asking "get out? get out?" about 20 times at each stop). It was also a great way to see Seattle. We drove through some parts of the city that I rarely get to see on my own, and it was a great reminder that there is life off the plateau :)

Wishing all of you a happy and healthy 2010!

My So-Called Life, 2009

2009-12-30T09:09:00.000-08:00

Or perhaps it is called, as most of my thoughts were centered around Owen, food, and the weather :) Who knew that somewhere out there in cyberspace, someone was keeping track of all your status updates?? It's a little creepy, but at the same time, very cool to look back on a year of reflection.

Tammy...

just got back from a run and can see why some people might like it ● is addicted to Etsy ● is SO SICK of the rain! blah! ● is excited for O's first swim lesson today!! ● is eating birthday cake for breakfast ● is looking forward to seeing everyone at the party tonight ● is sitting in the car in the garage because I don't want to wake O up ● just got back from swimming and is famished ● is feeling thankful to be a mom to such a sweet funny boy ● is wondering why a girl would make up a story about being kidnapped ● just bought a leash for O after talking to Jamie :)● Thinks her house is starting to resemble a daycare facility ● is wondering who came up with this 25 things list?? ● is sick of hearing about Jessica Simpson!! No one cares about her ugly jeans!! ● is happy that the sun is out! ● is sitting in the hallway folding laundry ad nauseum ● is making beef stroganoff for dinner...thanks Kari!! :) ● is laughing because someone opened a fake facebook account for Scott...who did it??!! ● thinks her husband is pretty cool to go along with all this tomfoolery ● is grateful for whoever created the Curious George show! ● hasn't had a haircut since Halloween-scary!!! ● is headed out to see Slumdog Millionaire with Angela ● O should be napping but he just climbed out of his crib and fell on the floor!! Ahhhh!!! ● is brushing her teeth and getting ready for bed. Great party Clarks!! ● is annoyed ● just made the best burgers for dinner!! ● day was a comedy of errors...sorry Katherine! :) ● is in love...with cinnamon chip bread...mmmmm... ● and Owen are rockin out to Kanye ● is not gonna let O eat m&m's on the couch again!! ● can't put this book down!!! Help! Need to sleep!! ● is having a party tonight to get rid of the 8 bottles of wine I aquired from bookclub!! ● has a sick baby...boo :( ● is shopping online for the spring wardrobe ● thinks Pandora is really cool ● is gonna go to the beach and get a tan. Oh wait...I forgot...I'm in Seattle and it's snowing!!! Again!!! ● always does things last minute and is just now packing for Whistler! ● loves being on vacation!!! ● is reading a magazine with my feet up and watching the snow fall...so peaceful! ● Just got back from O's 18mo visit...27lbs and 34 inches tall! ● has her hands full with 2 crazy monkeys today!! Help!! ● is going to bed soon! ● loves Naptime...There IS a God!!!! Thank you! ● wishes the husband would quit stealing my Us Weekly's...busted!!! ● tried Huggies Overnights for a week and is NEVER using them again!! Little gel balls exploded all over O this morning and now he has a rash :( ● is booking my flight to Florida!! Yeah!!! ● Yesterday was not a good day for Big O...gelly ball rash AND a black eye!! Booo!!! ● is on the couch with a cup of tea and a magazine...good times!! ● is getting ready to head over to Daniel's for Happy Hour with friends ● is trying to decide if I should clean the house or go to the mall today?? ● has swept, mopped, scrubbed, vacuumed, dusted, laundered and is now sunbathing on my bed next to the window. Sad but true! ● is thinking about Easter brunch ideas... ● is thinking Maui in June... ● is going out for breakfast and then perhaps a stroll around the park... I love you sun!! ● is desperately seeking advice...how do you get your kid to take his medicine after you've tried hiding in icecream, chocolate sauce, milk, juice, and he's totally got your number...?!?! ● is headed to Bellevue Park to feed the ducks and have a picnic with my little man! ● is sitting in a lawn chair in my driveway ,ghetto style...Love Seattle!! ● is happy to start a bright new sunshiney day!!! ● packed away all the winter clothes in a fit of passion...out comes the puffy down jacket and turtleneck sweaters again :( ● just woke up after a crazy fun night with my favorite girls!! :) ● Tip for the day: if the label says "handwash only" you should probably follow it's advice ● is so thankful to be living in Seattle where the air is clean and crisp, we can drive to the ocean or the mountains and we get to experience all 4 seasons...sometimes all in one day! :) ● is having lunch with my nieces on Carillon Point ● is looking forward to spending a beautiful day with my son ● loves being vomited on first thing in the morning! Poor O ● is trying to stay positive despite the crappy weather and a pukey son & husband ● Owen has decided my computer does not need the 'shift' key anymore and ripped it out. How do I get it back on?? ● is trying to decide if a child with a grumbly tummy should be going to waterbabies today...ewwww.... ● is headed to the mall to find sunglasses for my trip tomorrow!! Woo hoo! ● is in a van with 5 girls driving to Key West ● Is cruisin Ocean Drive in South Beach ● just ended my Florida trip with an awesome boat ride. Thanks Kara & Aaron!!! ● is happy to be home in beautiful sunny Seattle! ● is thinking about Twix icecream bars. Mmmmmm... ● Why does every single piece of fruit have a sticker?? ● is going to bed tonight with my best friend...Vicks VapoRub ● REALLY needs to clean out my car!!! Gross! ● just had a great day at the beach with the gang! ● Happy Mother's Day to all my mamas near and far! ● is wondering what to wear for highschool bunko night??!! ● is wondering if O needs shoe charms for his new Crocs. Really?? ● had a great night with my buds, as usual. Now off to get a massage and new make-up at the Bobbi Brown counter! :) ● is just now putting O to bed...what a fun time we had...same place tomorrow? :P ● We will be at Pine Lake Park at 4:45 for play and picnic if anyone wants to join us! :) ● is watching O splash in puddles and collecting pinecones ● is excited to spend the weekend with our dear friends. Just not thrilled with all the work that goes into it, particularly packing for a small child ● A quick stop for coffee and then headed to the H's to caravan over to Winthrop! :) ● Is at my first rodeo...yee haw!! ● is playing around with my new camera :) ● Grilled cheese & ham with tomato soup for dinner! The perfect meal!! ● crossroads water park it is! We'll be there around 3! Come one, come all!! ● Too hot to sleep!! I'm not complaining though! :) ● Just heard "Ditty" on the radio. Ah memories! Summer is here!! ● O was presented with "The Busiest Patient" award at the Dr's office today...I'm such a proud mama :) ● Between Alds and Big O, I have had it with the snoring!! Let me sleep people!!! ● is leaving for P-town this afternoon and has not packed yet ● Just woke up in my sister's bed and now getting ready to go to breakfast. Mother's Bistro? ● is about to watch my brother-in-law get married :) ● just had a yummy dinner out and now off to dreamland... ● just watched the Sig Ep golf video...pretty funny stuff!! I'm sure the wives are so proud! ● Gonna spend some time at the bookstore...suggestions? ● Is watching the HAIL cover my skylights. Summer!!??? ● cheese-filled hotdogs...mmmm.... ● is drinking tea and reading about how to deal with terrible twos. Or just plain rotten in my case ● should NEVER attempt to bake again. I'll just stick to cooking ● loves that my mom friends feel inclined to bring beer when it's my turn to host a playdate. Awesome ● I turn my back for a SECOND and O has dumped out a whole bag of cheese puffs and stomped all over them with his bare feet. WHY?? ● Ryan Reynolds...yummy..... ● is in CDA for the weekend! ● is boating on Lake Coeur d' Alene ● watched a parade, ate hamburgers for lunch and will be watching the fireworks on the beach tonight...happy 4th everyone! ● is happy to be home and back on schedule. Too much sugar and not enough sleep is not good for anyone! ● is taking O to see Thomas the Train! ● On a ferry to bainbridge! ● 93 degrees...a G&T sounds really good right now!! ● is listening to all the neighborhood kids play and sing outside my bedroom window :) ● Thanks to our friend Jon for an awesome tour of the Bellevue fire station!! O loved it! ● The Hoedown was a success...now time for bed!! Happy Birthday Jamie!! ● is watching a fascinating documentary of the disappearing honey bee ● is having dinner at Tutta Bella and The Bachelor is here! ● Slow melt popsicles rock!!! I bought them for O but I've eaten most of them! ● Off to see 500 days of summer...hope it's good! ● The boys are watching the BA's and I get to relax in my clean, quiet home. ahhh!!! ● had a great birthday dinner at Restaurant Zoe...thanks Uncle Rico and Auntie Kiki for baby-sitting!!! We won't even hold the black eye against you!! :D xxoo! ● Thank you everyone for the wonderful birthday messages!! It was a great weekend!! ● So proud of myself for figuring how to add navigation buttons to my blog...now how do I add my posts to it?? ● Packing for Westport! ● Has anyone ever used the childcare at Fred Meyer?? Grocery shopping with a 2 year old is impossible!! ● My baby is 2!! How did that happen??! Happy Birthday Big O! ● Going to Costco today to use my coupon for glass snapware!! Yeah!! ● I need some volunteers to drink leftover wine from tonight's party...anyone?? ● Looking forward to the Mariner's game tonight! ● Big O had a great first day of school yesterday and today we have our first field trip to Remlinger Farm! :) ● The fed-ex guy just walked into my intricately strung cobwebs!! Sorry dude! ● Made it through the haunted house alive!!! SCARY but soooo much fun!!!! ● Excited to see Paranormal Activity tonight!! ● Didn't sleep at all last night because I was paralyzed with fear. I am getting way too old for scary movies!!! ● Parent-Teacher conferences today for my 2 yr old...seriously?!? ● Not sure how I feel about my son calling me "Tammy" ● Hoping the weather stays like this for trick-or-treating!! ● Had such a fun night with great friends and great kids! Now off to eat all of O's halloween candy! ● I'm super excited about the awesome fort I built for O! ● Gonna go have lunch at Five Guys...hope it's good!! ● okay...I might have to switch over to Team Jacob.... ● The boys are at the parade and I'm having a cup of coffee, listening to Christmas music and decorating the tree. I love this time of year!!! ● Just got O's progress report back. 2 of the very FEW things he has "mastered": "exhibits appropriate sense of humor" and "demonstrates balance (climb, kick, jump, hop)". I'm surprised "eats his body weight in snacks" isn't on there ● Look out Santa....here comes Big O!!!! ● Taking O to Snowflake Lane tonight! Maybe it will snow for real! :) ● Looking forward to O's first school performance tonight! ● Hours after putting O to bed (or so I thought), I walk into my room and find him asleep in my bed...sneaky little thing! :) ● The Clarks always throw the best parties!!! Thanks for a great night! ● To Grandmother's house we go for a Chinese Christmas! :) ● Finally on the road after turning around 3 times for deodorant, sunglasses and spilled hot chocolate! ● Christmas decorations are all put away...ready for a fresh new year! ●

Christmases Past

2009-12-04T15:35:00.000-08:00

We went to see Santa today and it was about as painless as it gets, at least compared to last year's incident where we waited in line for 2 hours only to have Santa take one for the team in the family jewels department. The kid before us puked in his lap so it was not such a good day for Jolly Old Saint Nicholas. We were not entirely sure this year's excursion would turn out any better, but much to my surprise, Santa and his crew were incredibly accommodating. They were prepared with all the usual suspects to turn that frown upside down...bubbles, candy canes, stuffed animals, even a rocking horse.

O was skeptical when we walked into Santa's "workshop"

but Santa managed to woo him with a candy cane.

He grabbed the candy and immediately took 3 steps back. Can't fool Big O!

From there, the photographer grabbed her bubble machine and distracted O for a few seconds. Then we lured him toward the rocking horse and slowly pushed him closer and closer to Santa.

When Santa and O were finally face to face, the photographer tickled O with the stuffed animal and quickly snapped a few decent shots.

After that, the pair were best buds, laughing and giggling with each other.

O even gave Santa a hug as he was leaving.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Christmases Past:

3 months old

15 months old

2 years old

For Sale: Whiny 2 year old. Not potty trained but very cute.

2009-12-03T19:24:00.000-08:00

Today was one of those days where I wanted to run away from home and never come back. It's not that the day itself was that horrible...it's the accumulation of days upon days of the same whiny attitude, temper tantrums, insubordination, and general lack of disregard for my requests that has driven me to this point. The point where I want to run away to some remote island and live peacefully and quietly for the remainder of my life, or give him to a nice couple who have a never-ending supply of patience and the ability to speak in soft, calm voices at all times.

I'm kidding, of course.

I love my child. I really do. But that doesn't mean I have to go around skipping and singing when, for instance, my dear sweet son decides to draw a masterpiece all over my couch cushions... "Mama, draw couch! *proud grin*" Or when he asks for water and I give it to him in a sippy cup and he throws himself on the floor sobbing because he wants it in a "big boy cup". Or when he absolutely refuses to get in his carseat and there is a line of people waiting to take my spot and I have to "raise my voice" and wrestle him like a crazy person with half my body in the backseat and my ass sticking up in the air.

Yes, these are the things that cause me to send emails to my husband that say, "Not only do I want to get my tubes tied, I want to give away the one I already have." One being child, not tube. Just for clarification. And then of course, the day would not be complete without said husband rushing home from work early because I missed 5 of his calls while O and I were in a music class and he took this as a sign that we had both fallen down the stairs and were laying dead on the floor. True story.

But then my impossible child redeems himself by giving me one of his toothless grins and all is forgiven. My heart melts everytime he says, "Mama". I catch him singing (with his hands to his mouth like a microphone) about trucks and garbage cans and I am amazed that I was blessed with such an adorable, cheeky, sassy little boy.

To all of you people out there with more than one kid (and that number is growing exponentially every second in my circle of friends!!!).....you are my heroes. Honest to God, I don't know how you do it. You must have the patience of Job. I admire you. I really admire you.

Yes, he has stripped naked and is playing in the sink...again.

Organizing, Part 1

2009-11-11T19:33:00.000-08:00

A good friend of mine who shall remain nameless recently asked for some organizational advice. It seems her office is in need of a makeover. I think this is a pretty common problem. I know that my office tends to be a catch-all for all the mail, books, receipts, catalogs and random stuff we don't know what to do with. However, the first step in organizing is designating a spot for everything, even if that spot is called "random stuff I don't know what to do with".

At the risk of sounding like Martha Stewart, I've always loved the saying "a place for everything and everything in it's place". One of my biggest peeves is not being able to find something when I need it. I guess more specifically, I can't stand it when people don't put things back where they belong, whether in my home, or at work. At almost every job I've had (except my last job, in which case I worked alone and didn't have this problem) I've had to label my stuff, threaten my co-workers AND hide my office supplies. If you've ever worked with me, you'll remember that all my pens were labeled "Touch and Die"....my scissors and calculator were velcroed to the underside of my desk and I protected my stapler very much like Milton did in Office Space.

At any rate, organizing is my "thing". I find great comfort and satisfaction in putting stuff in order, whether it's the pantry, the bathroom closet, or my office. In order to be successful, you have to have the right tools (baskets, containers, folders, shelves) and be diligent about putting things away. I still have a hard time with my mail and filing. I detest filing. It can pile up so quickly and then I get really overwhelmed having to deal with such a huge mound of papers.

Another tip is to only keep things in your home which you believe to be beautiful or useful. That means getting rid of those knickknacks, coffee mugs that have broken handles, stacks of newspapers you've been saving in case the world comes to an end, clothes you paid a lot of money for but will never wear or fit into, books that you've read and probably won't read again...the list goes on and on. It's hard to part with your "stuff" but I bet you won't even miss it once it's gone. And you'll feel like a huge weight has been lifted off your shoulders once all the junk is out of your life.

If you must keep those knickknacks, at least group them together to make it somewhat cohesive. A collection of anything can look really beautiful when it's done properly. For me, the most appealing look is minimalism. I like to have things hidden and out of the way. I only keep the basic items out on my kitchen counter: a coffee maker, a bowl of fruit, a jar of cooking utensils, and my KitchenAid mixer--my only decorative item as it's only been used twice in it's 5 years with me. Everything else has a home behind closed doors. When I walk into my home, I like to feel relaxed and I can't do that when I'm tripping over stuff, not to mention trying to cook dinner amidst a kitchen that is overflowing with debris.

In my bathroom, I only keep what I use on a daily basis in my drawers. It's easy for that area of the house to get messy because things just collect in the bathroom--makeup you don't use anymore, hair appliances, bottles of half used shampoo, spare change, buttons, wrappers...

Another thing to remember: just because there is ROOM in there, doesn't mean it needs to be filled to capacity...which is different than maximizing the full potential of space, which I'll have to get into in my "Organizing, Part 2".

My office: the 2nd most used space in our house, besides the kitchen

A not-so-secret love affair with my label maker

No wire hangers in my closet!!

I spent my last month of pregnancy organizing our huge file cabinet :)

MEme: Shopping Spree

2009-11-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

Want your own shopping spree? Go to MommyBrain & Supahmommy to find out how!

1. Because a girl's wardrobe would not be complete without this adorable little thing.

2. I'm not a big fan of jewelry, but I loooove a beautiful watch and this one would definitely make the list.

3. I think my home needs this chandelier. How fun is that?? Only $4,800!! Nothing my phake Visa can't handle!

4. I've been dreaming about these 800 thread count, Egyptian cotton sheets...if I had these, I'd never get out of bed!!!

5. A vacation in Fiji...I don't swim or snorkel, but I'd do it if I were here!

Snuggle Fort

2009-11-06T23:07:00.000-08:00

It was a dark and rainy Friday night...and I was bored. And what happens when I get bored? I start looking for things to do, or fix. Tonight, Big O had the pleasure of being the recipient of my ennui-inspired fun:

I found an old tension rod and stuck it between the wall and O's crib. I draped and pinned a curtain over the rod and used a mattress topper as the base. Add a couple of pillows, stuffed animals, blankets, and a nightlight, and ...voilà!!...an instant fort! O loved it!! We snuggled in there, read stories, and snuggled some more. Scott thought it was so cool, he said we needed to make it a permanent fixture in O's room! So, now it is. I'm still looking for ways to pimp it out though. Maybe add some glow-in-the-dark stars to the wall. I'm secretly obsessed with it...I want to move in to the fort and make it my own hideaway.

BOO!

2009-10-31T23:28:00.000-07:00

For Halloween this year, Dana and I decided that it would be fun to dress our kids, Natalie and Owen, in coordinating outfits and go Trick-or-Treating together. She had this Cowgirl outfit for Natalie which contained all this rich history--she wore it, her sister wore it, and so on...naturally, that meant Big O was to be a Cowboy. Either that or a horse...but we didn't think it would be appropriate at their age. Maybe next year.

Then I decided that it would be even MORE fun to invite some of our friends over and have a Halloween party so we can ALL go trick-or-treating together! About a week before the party, I was seriously hating myself for setting this whole thing up. I didn't know what I was gonna do with all the kids, and the weather forecast was prediciting rain, rain, and more rain for the whole weekend. Truthfully, I almost called the whole thing off...but then I gave myself a pep talk and said, "The show must go on!" and forged ahead with the plans.

I am sure glad I did because everything kind of fell into place beautifully. We couldn't have asked for more perfect weather. The sun even popped out a few times today and by evening, the air was crisp and and clear. I borrowed a blow-up bouncy house from my friend Laura and set it up in the garage and it turned out to be a life-saver. The kids were able to shuffle back and forth from the house to the garage and had plenty to keep them busy and entertained while the adults enjoyed our beverages and treats.

Who says only kids get to have fun at Halloween??!

Flashback: T & D with the kiddos LAST YEAR!

Ah-Ha!!

2009-09-17T10:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I've been racking my brain on this one for a long time. Well, a week and a half. But that's a long time for me to be thinking about one thing. So...you all know Big O got a train table for his birthday. And we (okay, Scott) has been arranging and re-arranging those tracks for him every night after work because our son can't help but destroy the intricate configurations we've set up for him. And of course, once the tracks are destroyed, O can't play with them and is back to looking to me for entertainment. No, that just won't do...I must find a way to secure those tracks down temporarily and without ruining the table. I certainly don't want to squelch any of his creative juices with a permanent solution. I think when he gets a little older, he will definitely want to create his own track masterpieces, but in the meantime, we've got to figure out how to keep the kid playing. On his own. Without me.

This is the stuff that keeps me up at night. I don't worry about burglars, or kidnappers, or ghosts...okay, maybe I do worry about ghosts, but for the most part, I lay awake at night thinking about finding solutions to small annoyances. Let me show you a glimpse of how my little brain works...

4 days ago, I decided to clean the garage. Let me digress a bit by saying that my garage is a dumping ground for all things crap. On a daily basis, I'll open the door from my kitchen and blindly toss whatever I don't want in the house, into the garage. Days, weeks, months later, I look around with complete disgust at the landfill it's turned into. Anyway, last Sunday I literally could not see my car over the huge mound of stuff, so I went on a cleaning spree. I came across a stash of clear mounting squares that I bought a while back but never used for whatever reason. I looked at them... and you could see the wheels turning in my head, but nothing clicked. I looked at them again, and put them away. Last night, as I was falling asleep, those train tracks kept nagging at me. It was then that I had my "ah ha!" moment, at 11:59pm. The mounting squares!! They would be perfect for securing the train tracks to the table!! This morning, I rushed out to my garage, found the squares and tried them out.

Brilliant.

Sometimes I just amaze myself :)

Flaming Skulls

2009-09-16T21:50:00.000-07:00

I don't understand it. I just bought new shoes for my son a couple months ago and now he has outgrown them...again. Since I can't tell how much he's really growing, shoes (and feet) are a really good measure of that. At the time of purchase, it seems as though his feet have an infinite amount of space that will take him forever to grow into, and, in the blink of an eye, his toes have reached the end, and beyond.

I've been looking around for some new kicks this fall season and have come up with a stylish yet comfortable alternative to the much loved Crocs he has been sporting all summer long. What I love most about his Crocs, aside from the impeccable design *sarcastic cough*, is the fact that Big O is able to put his shoes on all by himself. He can even tell right from left and turns all shades of upset when they're on the wrong foot.

So, what I ended up buying him are Vans, the classic slip-on sneaker. Now...when my baby was in my belly, I imagined he would be a clean cut, well-behaved, aloof, mellow, preppy kid. What I got was O-Dogg...a total punk. Messy, active, energetic, strong-willed, funny, silly, happy P-U-N-K. So, in keeping with his personality, I think Vans are a great fit. I ordered 2 pairs from Zappos.com to try on. One has a single giant flaming skull on the front and the other has lots of mini flaming skulls all over. Why the creepiness?? I don't know, maybe its my inner bad-ass being projected via my 2 year-old son. Maybe I'm passive-aggressively letting the other kids at his school know to "Back the eff off, or else!!". Most people know better than to mess with a kid who has one, or multiple flaming skulls on his shoes, right?? Really though, I just think they look super cool and I'm considering getting a pair for myself.

Which one do you like better??

MEme: Breathtaking...

2009-09-14T10:05:00.000-07:00

It's Monday...and that means another edition of MEme's, brought to you by your friend and mine, MommyBrain & SupahMommy!!

5 White Lies I've Told

1. To my mom: "I am feeding your grandson lots and lots of vegetables and of course he NEVER gets any sweets."

2. To Scott: "Owen doesn't watch very much tv at all during the day."

3. To Owen: "Bob the Builder only wants to be friends with kids who take loooong naps, preferably twice a day."

4. To my Mom's group: "I just whipped up these tasty cupcakes from scratch and didn't even burn a thumb!"

5. To my dear friend Dana: "Of course I fed your cat every single day while you were on vacation."

Kidding...just making sure you were paying attention, MommyBrain ;)

Roasted Beet Salad

2009-09-10T21:54:00.000-07:00

Beets...we all know what they look like but do people really eat them?? They have a bad rap, which is unfortunate because beets are highly beneficial to our bodies. Beets contain folic acid, which is recommended for pregnant women because it may lower the risk of spina bifida and other neural tube defects in newborn infants. Beets are also unique for their high levels of anti-carcinogens and are loaded with antioxidants that help the body fight against heart disease. But most people don't care for the taste of beets...I think they are absolutely delicious if prepared the right way. If you have never been a fan of beets, I would highly recommend this recipe...the combination of the goat cheese, arugula, walnuts and dried cranberries is fantastic and might just change the way you view beets from now on!

Roasted Beet Salad, recipe from Giada De Laurentiis

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons shallots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 medium beets, cooked and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
6 cups fresh arugula
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
1/2 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed
3 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled

Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the vinegar, shallots, and honey in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with salt and pepper. Toss the beets in a small bowl with enough dressing to coat. Place the beets on the prepared baking sheet and roast until the beets are slightly caramelized and tender, stirring occasionally, about 25-30 minutes. Set aside and cool.

Toss the arugula, walnuts, and cranberries in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mound the salad atop 4 plates. Arrange the beets around the salad. Sprinkle with the avocado and goat cheese, and serve.

Birthday Playdate: Owen & Matthew

2009-09-09T22:07:00.000-07:00

Matthew's new bouncy house

Our friend Riley

Sweet Sahara

The candle won't bite!! :)

O & M - born 3 days apart

Happy Birthday to Owen: Evening Edition

2009-09-08T22:49:00.000-07:00

Ah-choo!

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday dear Owen....

Happy Birthday to youuuuu!!!!

Messhy

I love cars!

Happy Birthday to Owen: Morning Edition

2009-09-08T09:30:00.000-07:00

Sleepy eyes...

that suddenly perk up when he sees his present!

I think he likes it!

Wow Mama & Papa! You're the BEST!!

Happy Birthday from Mama, Papa & Thomas!

The 5 and 5: Fashion

2009-09-07T08:36:00.000-07:00

MEme is back and this one is right up my alley. Head on over to MommyBrain & SupahMommy to check out how this all started!

Five Worst Fashion Mistakes
(no pictures because I am the only one in the world without a scanner--hint, hint)

1. Leggings-I tried them out in 6th grade and it wasn't so good. Can you say camel toe?? Yeah, ewww. I see tons of cute girls wearing them now with the long flowy tops and I'm jealous. But I can't bring myself to wear them again... I've been scarred for life.

2. Baggy, and I mean really baggy, clothes - so big that my 6 foot 3 husband can wear them! No wonder boys didn't like me in highschool, they probably couldn't even see me under all that fabric!

3. To compensate for the bagginess, I started wearing really tight clothes and now when I look back at pictures of myself, I just cringe. Freshman 15 + skin tight pants...ouch.

4. Flannel shirts with Timberland boots - Idaho in the 90's!! Hey, back then I was considered ahead of my time!!

5. Being too matchy matchy - the shoes had to match the belt had to match the purse. Even my bra and underwear had to match each other! Thank god I am SO passed that! :)

And just for the fun of it, here are five items that will never go out of style...

1. Black mini-skirt: I've had this one since highschool and I just wore it again last weekend for a dinner party - granted it was a "trashy" theme I was going for- but it reminded me how much I like wearing skirts. I think I'll wear mine with black tights and a turtleneck sweater this winter.

2. Cardigan with matching shell: not to contradict my previous fashion mistake but when you have the option of a matching shell, ya gotta take it. I love cardigans because they work with everything - jeans, slacks, capris, shorts, skirts... Add a pearl necklace and it's so First Lady!

3. Two pairs of designer jeans: a longer one to wear with heels and a shorter hem to wear with flats or tennis shoes. Trust me on this one. I'm a jeans whore. I have more jeans than I know what to do with, both bargain and designer. It really does make a difference.

4. Navy V-neck sweater: I LOVE V-necks in general because they are so flattering but a navy V is the epitome of classic. Wear it with a white t-shirt underneath for a casual preppy look, or pair it with a collared button-up for the office. Just don't wear it with Khaki's...too private schoolgirl-ish.

5. A cashmere scarf: I have these in a few different colors and they really complete an outfit. I love all kinds of scarves but there's nothing better than a soft, luxurious fabric against your neck and face on a cold day.

Chicken Osaka

2009-09-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

Laying in bed last night, I started thinking about a restaurant my BFF Kari and I would frequent all the time back in highschool. It was called The Mustard Seed and our favorite dish there was the Chicken Osaka. Stir-fried in a light ginger dressing, it was served with rice and this yummy mustard dipping sauce. Naturally, my curiosity got the best of me and I had to Google it to see if the recipe was out there.

I was in luck, with one caveat...not only was the recipe online, but there were several versions of it. Which was the real one and which was the impostor? After much investigation, I pieced together what I think is the most accurate version of this dish. Don't let all the steps and ingredients intimidate you. It's all very easy once you do the prep work---making the 2 different sauces. And both sauces keep in the fridge for up to a month and can be used on a variety of things-as a marinade, a salad dressing, tossed with pasta, etc. I hope you'll give this a try!

Chicken Osaka

Step 1: Make Ginger Dressing

1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 tablespoons ginger root, minced and peeled
1/2 rib celery, chopped
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1/8 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon ketchup
Pinch white pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup distilled white vinegar

Using a blender, combine all ingredients except the soy sauce and vinegar. Blend for 30 seconds. Then add the soy sauce and vinegar and blend for 30 more seconds. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Step 2: Cook the chicken

1 1/2 pounds chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 to 3 slices fresh ginger, minced
½ lemon, juiced and zested

Chop up your chicken into bite sized pieces. Heat up your wok or if you do not have a wok use a deep pan. Add your 3 Tablespoons of vegetable oil. When the oil just starts to smoke add chicken, lemon juice, zest and ginger. Get the chicken slightly browned then add the Ginger Dressing just enough to coat. Heat through. *You can add more ginger dressing if you like, just don't overheat or sauce will break*

Step 3: Make the mustard dipping sauce

3 tablespoons Kikkoman soy sauce
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Coleman’s Mustard (found in the spice aisle of the grocery store)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil

To make the dipping sauce, blend all ingredients until smooth. Pour sauce into small bowl and serve with chicken and steamed rice.

Healthy Sleep Habits

2009-09-01T19:29:00.000-07:00

He's at it again...this time, there's no stopping him!! Remember that one time O decided to climb out of his crib and strategically landed on a pile of stuffed animals? And then my dad came over and drilled new holes into the crib to lower the mattress as far as it would go? Well, he no longer needs those animals to cushion his fall. Because...he has completely mastered the art of escaping...in a matter of seconds. I kid you not. I place the child in his crib, turn around to reach for the doorknob, and he is right behind me. Before my almost 30-year-old brain registers that he is out of bed, Big O is off and running.

I quickly run through my options. I could put him in a big kid bed, so at least he won't hurt himself while climbing out. But I just don't think he's mentally ready to understand the concept of staying in bed if he's not enclosed. I could let him sleep in our bed, with us. But I don't want to create a habit that will be difficult to break. Like my favorite saying goes, "Start as you mean to go on". Hmmm...now what?? I know!! I'll refer to one of my sleeping bibles, Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby. This book helped me so much when O was born so there's bound to be some good advice in it for me now. Lo and behold, there was a section in it titled the "Jack-in-the-Box Syndrome"! My god, it was as if it was written just for me!!

"It's quite natural for two-and three-year-olds to climb out of the crib to check out the interesting things they think their parents are up to. Or maybe they just want to watch the late, late movie, or have a bite to eat. Of course, what they like to do most is to come visit with their parents and/or get into their bed. This not only disrupts their parents' sleep, but it also harms the child."

So what is the solution?

"Tell him that when he gets out of bed, you are going to put him back to bed and you are not going to talk to him or look at his face while you are doing so. Let's call this "silent return to sleep." Silence when you take your baby back to bed is important, because if you are sweet or stern while trying to explain why everyone needs sleep, the verbal attention will reinforce your child's desire to get out of bed to get more attention. Attending to a problem will cause the problem to occur more often. Be silent and unemotional; appear disinterested or mechanical. No more night entertainment. "

The key is being consistent. Every time he climbs out, you put him back in, even if you have to do it 50 times a night. In the morning, you shower him with praise and affection and perhaps offer him a favorite food or outing. I tried this at every nap and at bedtime and within 2 days, he was back to being the sleeping angel I knew he could be. He still cries and whines when he goes down, but at least he isn't escaping anymore! There is just no rest for the wicked!

MEme

2009-08-31T20:21:00.000-07:00

You two monkeys (Mommybrain & SupahMommy)...shame on you for trying to distract me from more important blogging!! :)

5 quirks about me:

1. I can't stand clutter on my counters. The first thing I do when I start the cleaning process is take everything off the countertops. Then I feel the motivation to continue.

2. I almost always use my turn signals when driving, even in parking lots. It just feels wrong when I don't, and it annoys me when other drivers don't use theirs.

3. When eating, I have to leave something on my plate. I can never finish an entire meal.

4. Wire hangers are my nemesis. I take my clothes off the hangers before I leave the drycleaners and hand it back to them. I don't even want them in my house.

5. I love drinking hot water. Not tea. Not hot water with lemon and honey. Just plain hot water.

Skillet Lasagna

2009-08-24T08:08:00.000-07:00

Do you love lasagna? Do you hate the time it takes to make lasagna? Look no further! I've got the solution! Under normal circumstances, I would happily take on this labor of love in exchange for yummy layers of pasta, cheese, meat, sauce, and more cheese. But attempting to create this masterpiece with a toddler who wants to "help" is impossible. That's why Skillet Lasagna is perfect! One pan. 20 minutes. A delicious dinner.

Skillet Lasagna, recipe taken from Cook's Country

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
Water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
salt
3 garlic cloves
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 lb ground beef or your choice of meat
10 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch lengths
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1. Pour tomatoes with their juices into 1-quart liquid measuring cup. Add water until mixture measures 1 quart.

2. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground meat and cook, breaking apart meat, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.

3. Scatter pasta over meat but do not stir. Pour diced tomatoes with juices and tomato sauce over pasta. Cover and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.

4. Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Dot with heaping tablespoons ricotta, cover, and let stand off heat for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Serve.

Cut Off!

2009-08-19T20:16:00.000-07:00

I've been cut off. Yes, its true...the husband has officially taken the credit card away from me. Well, not really but he is cracking down on card usage. Ahhh...those late nights of online shopping have finally caught up with her, you say to yourself. Come on now, you know I'm not like that! I do like to buy nice things (who doesn't??) but I also understand the value of money, which is why I'm more than happy to go along with whatever the financial guru (that would be Scott) says. He thinks we need a budget. And he's right. We rarely keep track of our expenses and have been fortunate to not fight about money. We're both pretty thrifty when we need to be, but I know that I can easily drop a hundred dollars each time I go to the grocery store...several times a week. Add to that my almost daily Target runs, Scott's weakness for Specialty's sandwiches every lunch hour, and you get the picture.

So, we've taken an idea from our friends Kier and Liz and created a budget based on cash only. Each week, we take out X amount of money for each of us and we need to make it last until the following week. That includes all food, diapers, clothing, and non-essential items (like my Tory Burch shoes...which, in some parts of the country are considered essential!!) Anyhoo, if we spend all our money on the first day of the week, we're SOL until the next week. We can borrow from each other's allotment, but we cannot take out more money or use credit cards. If we need to purchase items online, we still deduct it from our cash for the week.

I think its a good plan. Everyone needs a budget, even the super wealthy (which we most definitely are not) so we know where our money is going and can plan and save for special things. I think things mean more when you have to save up to buy them. I know that sweater at Nordstrom might lose it's appeal if I actually have to part with my cash, knowing it could be used for something I need more. And it's kind of fun coming up with creative ways to make your money go further. There are still so many cool parks left to explore, so many activities that don't require a lot of money. What children want most is your time, not a ton of stuff to keep them happy.

Camping on Cohasset Beach

2009-08-17T21:08:00.000-07:00

We've just spent the weekend "camping" on Cohasset Beach in Westport, WA. I say camping, because this trip was originally intended to be a "pitch a tent, build a bonfire, squat and pee" for realsies camping expedition. However, the more I thought about it, the less thrilled I became with the idea. I should tell you that I've never been camping before in my life (excluding my highschool senior all-nighter where I passed out in a tent somewhere in the woods and was bitten by a spider during the night).

If the conditions were more attractive...say, for example, I didn't have a crazy active 2 year old who only needs 20 minutes of sleep to function, then I might be more open-minded about the whole adventure. But this is just disaster waiting to happen, and not the good kind I like to write about. So, we started looking into renting a condo on the beach so we could still build a bonfire and have the camp experience. Well, trying to find a condo that would sleep 6 adults and 4 kids proved to be quite challenging. We then moved on to homes and stumbled upon Cohasset Beach Homes. Damn...this would be very hard to turn down. We had no choice but to book it. This... would not be camping. This would be the complete opposite of camping, unless most campsites are equipped with a Subzero fridge and a humongous soaking tub with a view of the beach?? I didn't think so.

The 3+ hour drive from Seattle went well. We timed it with O's nap and brought the DVD player to fill in the blanks. Seriously, thank god for portable DVD players!! We spent most of our time playing on the beach, running away from the waves, collecting sand dollars, flying kites, building sand castles, and corralling driftwood for our nightly beach bonfire. We went into town once to get ice cream and fresh crab but other than that, we found more than enough activities to keep us busy at the house. There's nothing better than waking up to the sound of the ocean!

Leave me alone!

2009-08-13T07:37:00.000-07:00

I have a handful of friends who are prego with the 2nd one. It's that time I suppose...when your first-born is hovering around the 2 year mark and you start thinking about expanding your family. Well...people do. Not me. I'm actually quite content with the size of my little family. Famous last words.

I get asked that question on a regular basis. Before that, I would get bombarded with the "when are you getting married?" question and then after I checked that box off, it was the "when are you having kids?" question. People!!! Have I not held up my end of the bargain? I've fulfilled your requests and now you should stop being so nosy and leave me alone. I will have another child when I'm ready...or not. It's my choice. Believe it or not, I actually had some dude at the magazine counter at the Spokane airport reprimand me for not wanting to have more children. "It's not about you", he said, wagging his self-righteous finger at me. "It's your obligation to give your son a brother or sister. You're being selfish."

WHAT?!!

At the risk of sounding narcissistic, it IS all about ME. I can't be a good mother if I'm stretched beyond my limit. I'm not going to rear and be responsible for another human being just for the sake of giving my son a playmate. We have enough friends to play with (see 13 babies). We are really enjoying this stage of Owen's life right now and want to devote all our attention to him. I can't stand the thought of him having to share us with another baby. In addition, doing the baby thing again right now scares the sh*t out of me! Contrary to popular belief, you don't forget about those first 6 months of sleep deprivation, crying (mom and baby), feeding & changing every 2 hours around the clock, and general zombie-like behavior. No thank you! Unless I develop sudden amnesia, I've got those memories stored at the forefront of my brain, reminding me not to give in to peer pressure as well as societal pressures. So, in response to all of you out there--No, I don't want to try for a girl. No, it's not a terrible thing if Owen is an only child. No, I don't want to have another one... At least not right now.

A Good Investment

2009-08-10T10:26:00.000-07:00

Spending $100 on a play kitchen for my son was the best investment I've ever made. If I had to trade in every single toy in the house in exchange for the kitchen, I would do it in a heartbeat. We've had it for well over 6 months now and not a single day goes by that he doesn't play with it. In addition to "cooking", he also loves opening and closing the doors to the fridge, using the microwave, turning the knobs on the stove, washing his hands in the sink, and preparing all sorts of meals with his cookware and play food.

I bought him a set of pots and pans from Ikea, a bunch of super cute play food from Haba and a cool eco-friendly set of dishware made from recycled milk jugs in gender neutral colors. Speaking of colors, why are all play kitchens pink??? Don't toymakers realize that boys cook too? I've read that pretend play assists in the development of cognitive, verbal, and social skills. Kids who play imagination games learn to empathize and interact with others. Owen loves mimicking what I do in the kitchen, and I love how proud he is when he brings me one of his food "creations".

French fries, an egg, a carton of milk, a slice of tomato and a bon bon! A nice well-rounded meal!

And even if he doesn't become a world-class chef, at least he can use his skillz to impress the ladies!

Happy Birthday to ME!

2009-08-09T21:52:00.000-07:00

The best part about having a birthday on a Sunday?? It automatically turns into a weekend celebration!! The highlights: dinner downtown, shopping in Fremont and eating strawberry white chocolate cake at Simply Desserts, painting my nails and watching girly movies, more shopping at U-Village, more cake eating (homemade carrot cake with extra cream cheese frosting from my friend Angela!), eggs benedict, flowers, cards, and texts. I especially love this card I received from my father-in-law, who apparently thinks I'm 9 and a Miley Cyrus fan...

...and the madness doesn't end there...unfortunately. My friend Danny also was under the impression that perhaps I would like to dress like Miley Cyrus and e-mailed me a picture of a shirt he thought I would like from her new collection at Walmart.

So obviously, all this worrying about getting old was futile! I'm still trying to process all of this and not quite sure if I should be offended or flattered...

I kissed a girl....

2009-08-09T08:51:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share a quick funny story about O...we had just finished eating pizza at Tutta Bella last night when I took him out of the highchair to get cleaned up. He noticed a cute baby girl at the table next to us and pointed to her. "Beebee" he calls them. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he made a beeline for her and planted a big kiss right on her lips! She didn't even have time to introduce herself!! The parents started cracking up and told us it made their night. It just so happened to be her 1st birthday AND her very first kiss from a boy! What an evening to remember! Upon hearing the positive responses, Owen went in again, for a hug. The mom told us she would definitely be documenting this in her baby journal!

Big O...you are a playa!!!

Happy 23 Months Big O!!

2009-08-08T08:51:00.000-07:00

With Big O's 2nd birthday coming up in exactly one month, I'm scrambling to come up with gift ideas. I have a handful of them so far... a red Radio Flyer wagon, an electric ride-on car, a 3-wheel scooter, a train table, or...perhaps a more practical solution....a contribution to his 529 account. But what 2 year old on this planet gives a rip about college savings plans?? No, they won't appreciate that gesture until their early 20's or so...Big O, you are welcome in advance that your parents had the foresight to make your adult years a little easier to start out with.

In the meantime, I need to come up with a gift that he'll get really excited about. Okay...I have a confession to make...

I already bought him the wagon.

And I put it together myself.

And...I gave it to him last Sunday.

As usual, he blew it off. Didn't want anything to do with it, even though our first trip in the wagon was to pick up his girlfriend Natalie and head to the pool...two of his favorite things in the world. Nope, the little prince demanded to be carried the entire way there. At least Natalie was excited to ride in the wagon!! He did warm up to it on the way back home but it definitely wasn't the reaction I was hoping for....which is pretty much par for the course these days. Kids are so spoiled!!

However, I have to say that since then, he's been happy to go on rides around the neighborhood. Which makes me happy because I hate the idea of spending a ton of money on something that will never get used. I spent a lot of time researching my wagon purchase, as I do with most things I buy. It's my nature...I like to have all the facts and read all the reviews. Then I try to find the best price.

I was torn between 3 wagons. The Radio Flyer Pathfinder (which is the one we ended up buying), the Radio Flyer All Terrain with removable wooden sides, or the Step 2 Wagon for Two Plus, which is very similar to the Pathfinder but is a little smaller and has a door. I ultimately chose the Pathfinder for several reasons.... Even though I'm not a huge fan of plastic toys, I liked that O could climb in and out of it smoothly and safely. I liked the fact that it had drain holes in the bottom and would be okay if we left it outside in the rain. There are 2 separate seats with seat belts to make the ride more comfortable but the seats also fold down to create a flat surface for the kids to lay down or play in. There are 4 cup holders (great for mommies who want to bring adult beverages along) and the handle is longer than the Step 2 which makes it ergonomically correct for parents.

Putting it together was a breeze. It took about 15 minutes and all that was required was a hammer. I decided not to install the seat belts because I really don't think they'll get used anyway. Most 2 year olds are also Houdini's who can escape from the most intricate of restraints so those flimsy seat belts are child's play!

Now, with all this behind me, I have an entire year to start thinking about next year's birthday gifts!!

Restaurant Zoë

2009-08-07T22:20:00.000-07:00

For my 23rd birthday this year, we dropped Owen off at our dear friends Eric and Kristi's (AKA Uncle Rico and Auntie Kiki) condo in Belltown and dined at Restaurant Zoë, located on 2nd and Blanchard.

Okay, fine.

29th birthday. Can I go on now??

Uncle Rico had been asking to hang out with Big O for a while and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. We would only be 6 blocks away if they needed us, I'd get to dine at a restaurant that serves something other than mac-n-cheese or hotdogs, and O gets to spend time with 2 of the coolest people we know! Other than a tiny bump on the cheek, no one was hurt! I was really more concerned for our friends than our son! Since O skipped his afternoon nap that day, I couldn't be sure which one of his personalities they would receive, especially since he'd also be staying up waaaay past his usual bedtime. But, it's amazing what an Elmo dvd, cars, and lots of snacks can do to keep a kid happy.

It's been a long time since we've tried a new restaurant. I am always afraid to venture out into new dining territory. As most of you know, I'm very particular about my food and when I take the time and effort to fix my hair and pick out an outfit other than sweats to eat at your restaurant, it'd better be GOOD. Restaurant Zoë is very european...a friend described their menu as "carnivorous" before we arrived and he was right...calf brains, cow tongue, pork belly...but please don't let that scare you. Everything we had was absolutely delicious. We started off with the hog croustillant appetizer, which was basically this deep-fried pulled pork cake, then moved on to the palmex foie gras tourchon--fatty duck/goose liver...sooo good. For our entrees, Scott had the wild boar bolognese, and I had the painted hills beef short rib. It was a lovely meal and I would definitely recommend it if you are in the mood to try something different.

Favorite Fridays

2009-08-07T08:20:00.001-07:00

Every now and then, when mangos were in season, my mom would buy a big box of them and reserve a few for her Mango Chicken dish. It was one of my favorite meals of all time. My mom very rarely uses "recipes"...in fact, I don't think I've ever seen her use a measuring tool of any kind, other than a spoon or her hands. A pinch of this, a sprinkling of that...maybe that's where I get my aversion for measuring. That, and I still haven't figured out how fractions work!

I've always been envious of how my mom can invent a new dish just by using simple ingredients she has on hand. She has a way of knowing what spices and flavors go best together. Almost all her dishes include the use of garlic, ginger, green onion, soy sauce and oyster sauce. And every meal had to be accompanied by a heaping serving of steamed rice...the mango chicken was no exception. I loved how the opposing flavor and texture of the chicken and the mango contrasted with each other. I loved spooning the sauce over my rice...it was one of the few times I would finish everything on my plate!

The other day, as I was flipping through my recipe file, I came across a mango chicken recipe I had torn out from a Seattle Home magazine years ago and had forgotten about. I was curious to see how this one compared to the one my mom made. As I scanned the ingredients list, I noticed that some of them were foreign to our household (we never used cream or butter in our recipes growing up) but it was basically the same concept. Tasting it for the first time brought back memories from my childhood, and even though it wasn't the same as my mom's, the crux of it was there.

Mango Chicken

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
4 fresh, ripe mangos, chopped (I used 2 bags of Trader Joe's frozen mango chunks to make it easier)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2-1 cup half & half
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup chopped green onion
salt to taste

*In a large mixing bowl, mix soy sauce and cornstarch until dissolved. Add chicken and stir well.

*Heat oil in large pot and cook chicken until just done, about 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and add crushed red pepper and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds stirring constantly.

*Add mango chunks and cook for 5 minutes until mangos start to break up a little.

*Stir in brown sugar and half & half and cook for 3 more minutes.

*Add butter and green onion and stir for 2 minutes.

*Combine chicken with sauce and ladle over rice.

What's Cookin' ?

2009-08-04T08:04:00.000-07:00

I've just made a nutritious meal in 30 minutes or less...and no, I haven't been watching Rachael Ray! The inspiration for this stems from my recent lack of motivation for cooking...I know! That's so not like me!! Combine the scorching weather with an empty fridge & pantry, throw in a pinch of laziness and you've got a week and a half of hot dogs, frozen meals, and cereal for dinner. It's every man for himself over here.

Frankly, I just don't have time to make the gourmet meals my family is used to...by the time 5pm rolls around and I start thinking about dinner, I'm totally wiped and fresh out of ideas. In fact, I'd love for someone to make ME dinner for a change. But since there's a slim to none chance of that happening in my lifetime, 30 minute meals are the next best thing. Therefore, I'm going through all my cookbooks and collection of recipes to find the ones that are up for the challenge. And with the heat, minimal oven and stove usage is preferred.

Last night I made lettuce wraps with ground turkey (a recipe taken from Bon Appetit with a few modifications). I bought a bag of julienned carrots, sliced up some cucumber, whipped up a tasty peanut sauce to go with it and they were gobbled up in minutes. Because the meal took such little time to prepare, I even made (from scratch nonetheless) an almond peach cobbler for dessert, breaking the oven rule and my self-imposed, no-baking rule (I'm a terrible baker so I'm doing everyone a favor by enforcing this rule). Luckily, cobblers are pretty foolproof and combined with a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream, it was the perfect ending to a great Sunday night meal.

Tomorrow...steamed salmon and warm spinach salad. Even though it sounds healthy, the salad is loaded with bacon, eggs, and praline pecans. Another rule of mine -- I don't believe in non-fat or substitutes...bring on the real stuff...just eat in moderation. Sounds easy enough right? :)

Some like it HOT!

2009-07-29T22:05:00.000-07:00

Is it odd that I'm sitting on the floor of my son's bedroom in the dark, blogging away? Could it be that this is the only room in the entire house that provides a safe refuge from the super colossal heat that is to consume me if I dare open the door? Do you think I'm exaggerating just a little? I really wish I were. Even a tiny bit. The truth is, I can't remember a time when I've experienced such suffocating heat. And I grew up in Coeur D' Alene, Idaho, where summers in the 90+ degrees were the norm! We would spend all day outdoors, sunbathing, sitting by the pool, swimming in the lake, walking around downtown and it was NO BIG DEAL. No one ever complained or took such drastic measures to escape the heat. I mean, have you been watching the news?? Every mall, movie theater, library, and restaurant is flooded with people from morning until night. Hotels are turning people away. My pregnant friend Dana went to five different stores to try and find an air conditioner to no avail and came home dejected after having paid $50 for a pancake-sized fan. No, this definitely feels like a different, more extreme strain of heat than I'm used to. You know it's serious business when we make the Nightly News with our record breaking highs and lows!

And how has the Lai-Alderman household been holding up under this heat wave? Not good, I'm afraid. This crazy weather has everyone on their last nerve, yours truly included. I won't even try to explain why my husband had the inclination to spend $500 on a used portable air conditioner he found on Craigslist when we have a perfectly fine window AC unit sitting in the garage, waiting patiently to be installed for the past 2 years. In fact, just writing this last sentence has my blood boiling. But...what's important in this story is, I threatened him to the point where NOT installing it is not an option if he prefers to maintain the use of his legs.

Needless to say, I can be very persuasive sometimes.

My Baby-Sitter

2009-07-24T23:11:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows baby-sitters are hard to come by. Baby-sitters who are reliable, mature, and responsible. Baby-sitters who charge $5 an hour. Yes, you read that correctly. $5 an hour. At this point, I expect to get spammed with all sorts of hate mail. I probably shouldn't even reveal her name, much less her picture. But I wanted to give a shout-out to my girl Michelle, otherwise known as Mishy, as Big O affectionately calls her. Today is her birthday...the big 14...and we're celebrating with dinner and cake, all prepared by her awesome mom, my good friend and neighbor, Angela. We're having lemon pasta, caesar salad, and homemade chicken fingers...all her favorite things. Happy Birthday Michelle! We're so lucky to have you! xo

Slacker...who, me??!

2009-07-21T18:10:00.000-07:00

I am a slacker. No doubt about it. Blame it on the weather. We're having the most amazing summer in Seattle that one can't be bothered with blogging! No, we're too busy filling our sunny days sitting (me) and splashing (Big O) in the pool, running through sprinklers, conducting water balloon fights, taking walks to the park, digging in sand boxes, chillin' under the umbrella (seems we can't escape the umbrella, rain or shine around here!), making fruit smoothies, blowing bubbles, depleting every drugstore in town of sunblock, dining alfresco, and spending time with our best buds!

So you see...I have a valid excuse for not being current with my blog. I apologize to all three of my loyal followers for letting you down. I'll try to be better in the future....just as soon as summer is over!

Ps. I'm working on retroactive posts that were started but never finished so if you're interested (and who wouldn't be??), scroll down for those. But I can't promise when they'll show up! :)

You're a Rockstar!

2009-06-27T17:10:00.000-07:00

We were prepared for another lazy Saturday morning at home but our awesome friends Dana and Natalie invited us to go with them to "The First Annual Children's Music Festival" at The Seattle Center. This very cool show is put on by The Vera Project, a music-arts center run by and for youths. Dana won the tickets online--a "family pack" although nowhere on the ticket did it specify what a "family" consisted of. So... the 5 of us--Scott, Owen, Dana, Natalie, and I (our very own modern family-cue the Jetsons theme song!), piled into D's Volvo and made our way downtown.

When we arrived, we were very excited to see that the first band playing was Recess Monkey. These 3 guys are elementary school teachers who just so happen to be the equivalent of The Beatles for kids. Their music is lively and contagious! With songs like Marshmallow Farm, Bubble Factory, and My Pet Rock, they are guaranteed to get any kid's attention, as well as get their booty shakin'! Big O and Nat-Dog were a little nervous to begin with, but quickly warmed up once they saw the other kids rocking out. They meandered their way through the crowd and planted themselves front and center - jumping, twisting, punching, and screaming. We were so proud of our little rockstars! After about an hour of fun, both kids were overstimulated and needed some good old-fashioned coloring to calm them down. We didn't get to stay for the rest of the bands, Caspar Babypants, The Not It's!, and The Board of Education, but we will definitely be back for future shows...next time with the video camera!

Checking out the equipment before the show

The crowd goes wild for Recess Monkey!

Can you spot Owen and Natalie?

They've got moves...

Big O is rushing the stage!

We need a coloring break!

For the Love of Books

2009-06-24T20:51:00.000-07:00

My amazon.com order arrived this afternoon. A big box full of books, new and used. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing I love more than spending an entire day at the bookstore, but with a toddler in tow, it's not exactly the relaxing experience I hope to have...my fingertips grazing upon each book's spine, holding the perfect uncreased specimen in my hands, smelling the new pulpy pages...is this sounding a tiny bit erotic? Well, maybe it is. But that's my point exactly. Words are so powerful. They can evoke emotions, feelings and images. Books can transform you into another world (which is precisely why I love them so much!), and sharpens the brain (yet another reason a stay-at-home mom should read!). My favorite time of day for reading is in the evening, after dinner, after bathtime, after night-night time, and after I've taken a long shower to wash away the day's activities (shower at night, you ask? maybe I'll blog about that another time). I crawl into bed, fluff my pillows, set a glass of water next to me, and begin the process of escaping into someone else's life for the next 30 minutes to 3 hours, depending on how good the book is. I'm a fast reader, but that doesn't mean I skim the pages. On the contrary, I absorb every single word, I take in every sentence, I'll re-read paragraphs if I need to, I make notes in the margins, and look up words in the dictionary if I don't know their meaning. I love words. That's why I love books.

Here is my summer reading list, in no particular order, although I'm definitely starting with The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. He also wrote The Shadow of the Wind, which is one of my all-time favorite novels.

100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig

Some I'm reading for my monthly book club, but most of them are ones that sound interesting or have been recommended to me. I'd love to know what's on your reading list this summer!

The Boyfriend...Tee

2009-06-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

I was shopping for new summer tops at Nordy's over the weekend and came across the "boyfriend tee".

"Everyone is wearing them right now. They're totally in," explains the teenage salesgirl in the BP department. And indeed, everyone IS wearing them. All the girls working there have on these tees in a different color, with a contrasting tank top underneath. As such, I am a little reluctant to buy something that is so ubiquitous. But like so many of us do, I cave to the pressure of the salesgirl and make my way to the dressing room, just to appease her. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this boyfriend...tee. It was a little roomy (which contributed to my hesitation in the first place - I'm done with those days where baggy was in style) but it ended up being very flattering. It was super soft with a hint of stretch and felt like an old shirt that had been worn and washed a bunch of times... hence, the "boyfriend tee" name. But what do I know, I've never worn a boyfriend's t-shirt before!

At any rate, you should definitely give these a try...I would suggest going to Nordstrom rather than ordering online. They have so many more colors at the store and I know you secretly enjoy being tempted by all the overpriced fruits Nordstrom has to offer :)

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T08:20:00.000-07:00

Father's Day this year was a stormy one. Really. After almost an entire month of gorgeous hot weather, we were given an incredible show in the sky, filled with massive amounts of rain, hail, thunder and lightening. To tell you the truth, I get very excited about storms. The louder the better. Especially when it happens after a long dry spell. Maybe its the disturbance that breaks up the monotony of everyday life. I can remember on several occasions, running out into the storm and getting completely soaked, letting the rain wash over my face with the knowledge that while everyone else was safely tucked away in their homes, I was out getting cozy with the universe. Or something like that.

But back to Father's Day...

After presenting our cards and gifts to Scott,

I made omelets for breakfast

and we relaxed for the rest of the afternoon (partly because we were too full to do anything else). Scott had a craving for Mexican food so we headed down to Las Margaritas for some Carne Asada and Chicken Mole. Afterwards, we came home and made coffee ice cream... I haven't made my own ice cream in years but after the success we had with this batch, I'll definitely be doing it more often. How cool is it to mix together 4 ingredients and come out with something so sinfully delicious??

And so the day ends on this sweet note. Happy Father's Day Scott!! Our child is so blessed to have you for a father. And Happy Father's Day to my daddy, my very own superhero!

Gotta give props to my girl Dana for introducing me to Picasa! Love it!!

Road Trip to Hood River, OR

2009-06-13T08:56:00.000-07:00

Question: What do you do when you're sitting in the front row of your brother-in-law's wedding and your child is screaming for his papa who is a groomsman in the ceremony?

Answer: Release the little rascal from your death grip and let him run to his beloved father because weddings are the epitome of disaster and nothing ever goes exactly according to plan, so you might as well roll with the punches!

Big hugs to Bryan & Kristin Alderman!! xo

Slideshow is best viewed in HQ, Original Size

The Tooth Fairy

2009-06-05T20:46:00.000-07:00

The Tooth Fairy will be making a special visit to our house tonight. You're probably thinking, but Owen is only 21 months...how can he be losing a tooth already? Let me start at the beginning.

About a week ago, O was running on the sidewalk in front of Safeco Field (we were getting ready to go in for a tour with my Mom's Group) when he tripped and fell on his face. Now, O has been walking since he was 10 months old, so he's had plenty of practice bracing his falls. This time, however, he was not so successful. When he came up for air, his face was cut, his lips all bloody, and little white bits of teeth were floating around in his mouth.

We peeled out so fast our stroller left dust clouds in our wake! We set up an emergency visit with Owen's pediatric dentist, who, bless her heart, had to come in on a beautiful Saturday morning when she was just getting ready to spend the day at the park with her husband. After a lot of screaming and prying, we were able to take an x-ray of O's mouth. Both front teeth were badly chipped. The one on the left had chipped in half horizontally, in a crescent shape. The one on the right was not so lucky. Not only did it have a huge triangle chunk cut out of it, but it had a vertical fracture into the root. Diagnosis? Extraction of the doomed tooth. There was no other choice. I wanted to cry.

What does this mean?? O will have one, albeit compromised, front tooth until his permanent ones come in. So...for the next 8 or 9 YEARS, he'll be known as the kid with one tooth! "Isn't there anything you can do?", I asked the dentist. "Baby dentures? Implants?" Unfortunately, no. They don't want to disturb or disrupt the growth of the permanent tooth. On top of that, Owen will need to be sedated for the extraction process, unless we want him to be traumatized for the rest of his life, not to mention the fact that it'd probably take 2-3 large adults to hold him down for the removal if we choose to forgo the anesthesia.

We left the office bummed, to say the least. We had some very difficult decisions to make over the weekend. On Monday morning, we met with the oral surgeon across the hall who would be performing the "surgery". He was confident that Owen would not have any problems being put under and that the extraction would be a very quick procedure. We scheduled the surgery for Friday morning...today. It was a long week...I was mentally prepping myself for this, wanting to get it over with but not wanting to let go of my baby's perfect tiny tooth.

To prepare for the surgery, O would not be able to eat or drink for 8 hours prior. When your child gets up at 5am and his surgery isn't until 8am...that's a problem. We had one ANGRY kid on our hands. I mean, really vicious. Like his lovely mama, when O is hungry, he needs to eat immediately or it's not fun for anyone. We were off to a great start! When we arrived at the office, O was given some liquid medicine which was supposed to make him drowsy in about 5 minutes....10 minutes later, the doctor comes in to check on him and O is jumping off chairs, playing with the fake teeth on the counter, weighing himself on the scale, and trying to escape. "Is it working yet?", the doctor asks. Ummm...does it LOOK like it's working??? Plan B: give him an injection of the sleepy stuff, right into the bloodstream...he's knocked out in 2 minutes flat. Add some Novocaine and let the good times roll! 10 long minutes go by and O is back in our arms, awake but totally out of it.

Its disturbing seeing O like this, all drugged up and incoherent. We brought him home and were told he would probably sleep all day...he slept for 2 hours and then proceeded to climb out of his crib when he woke up. I know because I slept on the floor next to him so I could keep an eye on him. This little 28lb person likes to defy the odds. He got this burst of energy and was like the Tasmanian devil for the rest of the afternoon. Apparently, it's pretty common for kids to get really hyper after the anesthesia wears off. He was still a little unsteady on his feet so it was like watching a drunk toddler trying to play. Then...he crashed. Not literally...he was going through withdrawal and he was GROUCHY. Super irritable. Nothing made him happy. He just wanted to whine and cry. Oy Vey.

On the bright side, things could have turned out much worse. In the big scheme of things, losing a baby tooth is not such a big deal, especially considering it will be replaced...someday :) I've been told that the tooth fairy pays double for extractions...since I'm new to this game, can someone please tell me what the going rate is these days??

One tooth can't stop me!!!

I got the magic stick!

2009-05-22T17:57:00.000-07:00

Per a friend's suggestion, today's Favorite Friday is about s'mores. Specifically, the sticks you use to roast the marshmallows to make the s'mores. So, this is really about the sticks. I found these really cool telescopic marshmallow pokers at Target last summer in the dollar bin and scooped up 10 of them on a whim. At a dollar each, who cares if they end up collecting dust in my garage, right??

Ahhh...but not so fast...imagine the envy of all my neighbors when I pulled these bad boys out for our first bonfire of the summer while everyone else is still using old wire clothes hangers to roast their s'mellows. My pokers are 12 inches in their compact form, but stand at a full 34 when fully, um, erect. I can sit comfortably in my lawn chair and roast away without fear of burning any fingers. And when I'm done, I simply retract and put them away for the next time.

I've gotten so many comments on these that I've tried to go back and buy some for my friends. But alas, the inventory in the dollar bins are fleeting. I doubted if I would ever see them again.

Enter Memorial Day weekend, 2009...I get a text from one of the admirers of my pokers. Seems as though this person has been scouring Target all year long, hoping to find these highly coveted sticks. The stars must have been aligned just right because there they were, in the last bin of the last aisle of the dollar section, with the sun shining directly on them. Of course, upon hearing this news, I rushed out to my nearest Target store and grabbed a handful of them. You never know...you just might be the lucky recipient of one of these magic sticks!

Elmo

2009-05-20T15:58:00.000-07:00

I knew it was only a matter of time before my child became addicted to the red furry...ummm...monster? I'm not quite sure how to describe him actually. You know who I'm talking about...they call him Elmo but I secretly think he's the devil in disguise. Why the kids don't get freaked out by him is beyond me. Frankly, I'm surprised it has taken him this long to hop on the Elmo bandwagon as most of his buddies have been devotees for some time now. Owen is a little behind the times, I guess.

Even though I think it's very adorable he has found a new "friend", what is NOT adorable to me is hearing the word "Elmo" fifty thousand times a day.

Me: Good morning sweet baby! Did you have a good sleep?
O: Elmo! Elmo! Elmo!

Me: What do you want to eat for breakfast Owen?
O: Elmo! Elmo! Elmo!

Me: Do you want to go to the park today and play with your friends?
O: Pointing to the TV, Elmo! Elmo! Elmo!

Me: Look at this nutritious and delicious lunch mama has prepared for you!
O: Elmo! Elmo! Elmo!

Me: I think it's time for your nap my darling.
O: Elmo! Elmo! Elmo!

Me: Look! Papa is home! Go give hugs!
O: Runs to Papa, forgets about Elmo for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile I sit at my desk and try to plot Elmo's unfortunate and accidental demise.

Me: Dinner time! Let's all sit down and eat!
O: Elmo! Elmo! Elmo!

Me: I think somebody needs to take a bath. I'll race you upstairs!
O: Elmo! Elmo! Elmo!

Me: Night night baby. Have a good sleep. I love you!
O: Elmo! elmo! ellllmmmmoooooo........zzzzzzz

Now, lather, rinse, and repeat.

One doll at a time

2009-05-19T19:27:00.000-07:00

We were at Fred Meyer the other day, shopping for a birthday gift for our friend Ryan who just turned 4, when O spotted the "babies". Okay, who am I kidding...they were dolls and O wanted one. Every time we browse the toy aisle, he is drawn to the dolls. So, being the liberal and progressive mother that I am, I pick out a baby boy doll for my son, complete with a blue sleeper, cap, and bottle. Some of you might remember me writing about a certain Strawberry Shortcake situation so this story probably isn't news to you.

Owen is surprisingly gentle with his baby. He holds him close and gives light kisses. He rocks the baby back and forth while "singing" to him. He feeds the baby milk and then burps him afterwards. He lays his baby in the stroller and takes him for walks. He even gets one of his own diapers and changes him. Clearly, he's been observing me...and here I thought he had the attention span of a gnat.

Just when my heart was beginning to warm over from this precious moment, O snaps back into reality. He throws himself on top of his baby and body slams it. He bangs the plastic head against the dining room table and bites the tiny hands, almost dismembering the poor thing. He swings it from side to side with reckless abandon. He flings his baby from the crib over and over again while laughing hysterically. Now THIS is the Owen I know and love!

A really great friend told me that not enough people teach parenting to their little boys. I hope I'm helping to change that...one doll at a time!

You make bathtime so much fun!

2009-05-14T21:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T20:47:00.000-07:00

We spent my 2nd Mother's Day at a very lovely brunch thrown by my cousin Wendy at her house, a tradition that has been going on for many years. We have 4 generations of family represented here...my grandmother PoPo being the anchor for it all. I try to imagine the thoughts going through her mind when she looks around the room and sees what she has created. All of us, her daughters, her grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, are all a piece of herself. I feel really proud and honored to be able to participate in this special club of motherhood. Happy Mother's Day to all you mamas who have helped shape the lives of the children in your life. And Happy Mother's Day to my own amazing beautiful mom...THANK YOU for all you do for us!

Cousin Ashley's new swing set!

Ashley, Caitlyn, and Owen

Best Buds

Room Make-Over

2009-05-09T09:55:00.000-07:00

I have a new project on my hands...I'm re-decorating Big O's room! It's actually long overdue. Considering my affinity for interior design, you would have thought I'd be in heaven when it came time to "do" the nursery. But I just couldn't decide on a theme, colors, or basically anything. So, at the moment, Owen's room is a cluster, filled with mismatched furniture and hand-me-downs. There's a dresser from the french provincial period, a jenny lind changing table, a mission style wood crib, a cheap white bookcase, and a squeaky rocking chair with a sheet thrown over it to, I don't know, "complete the look" ?! The poor child has been living in this tasteless room for 20 months now and it's time he got a make-over.

I've been scouring CraigsList looking for children's furniture but not having much luck. I'd prefer a matching set, but am open to mixing and matching, as long as it's in the same era! I love the look of antiques mixed in with modern touches but I'm having a hard time picking stuff out that Owen can grow into and use until he's out of the house (yes, I AM thinking 17 years out!!) I may just have to break down and buy new...something I try not to do very often. I love the pottery barn style, just not the pottery barn prices! So...the search continues. If you have any ideas for cute boy's rooms, I'd love to hear them!

Favorite Fridays

2009-05-08T08:07:00.000-07:00

If you've never heard of WooBees before, it's time you got acquainted with them. Especially if you have kids. Even if you don't have kids, you'll want to buy them for all your friends with kids. They also make great baby shower gifts. What am I talking about?

WooBees are water resistant blankets, bibs, and burpcloths created by a local mom right here in Seattle! She wanted a way to keep her kids warm in the unpredictable Seattle weather while still looking ultra stylish so she came up with the WooBee blanket--water resistant on one side, plush on the other, and has ribbons sewn into it so you can tie it to your stroller or carseat...genius!! She has lots of different designs and colors to suit almost anyone's taste. Owen has the chocolate cream, and the "Superman" --bright red and turquoise. So cool!!

But my favorite product of hers are the bibs. I LOVE these things!! They are big enough to protect even the messiest eaters, have that great water resistant backing, a soft front that is impervious to stains, a pocket to catch all the spills, a snap closure instead of that annoying velcro, and you can wash them a hundred times and they still come out looking THE SAME! No shrinking or fading. Totally worth the $20 price tag!

Owen at 4 months with his cow print bib

We would also tie the blanket to the bjorn!

Housekeeping!

2009-05-06T14:32:00.000-07:00

I've been toying with the idea of getting a housekeeper. TH (the husband) is all for it. In fact, he thought we've had one for some time now. It saddened me to have to break the news to him that I'VE been the one cleaning our house this whole time, thank you for noticing. Apparently his attention to detail was lost somewhere along the way.

So why the hesitation? Well... the reasons are three-fold. First, how can I justify getting a housekeeper when I don't technically "work" or bring in any income?? How can I outsource a job that's supposed to be my responsibility? Isn't scrubbing toilets and washing floors covered under the "stay-at-home mom" umbrella? Second, it's a tough economy out there. I should be saving our extra cash for a rainy day...but wait...if EVERY DAY is a rainy day, doesn't that mean I should be spending MORE money?? And last but not least, getting a housekeeper would mean admitting I'm a complete failure. I've been defeated. I give up. I'm not perfect and I can't do it all. Does that really surprise anyone? :)

Croc Fan Club

2009-05-05T19:09:00.000-07:00

How is it that I am a proud member of the "I don't care how comfortable Crocs are, you look like a dumbass" fan club, yet my child, my own flesh and blood, is infatuated with these foam nothings that resemble more of an endangered reptile than a shoe? His love for them is so great that he has managed to dig up a pair from when he was 6 months old that I tried (obviously unsuccessfully) to hide, and attempts to stuff his pudgy size 8 sausage feet into what can only be described as a shell of a shoe...just like those ugly stepsisters did with the glass slipper. He walks around the house proudly, showing off the obnoxious neon green color, with his heels hanging off the back. But he doesn't care. He stops to admire himself in the full length mirror. If for some reason a shoe manages to slip off his foot, he stops everything and painstakingly squeezes it back in. Perhaps he is more like me than I care to admit...I have been known once or twice to sacrifice comfort for the sake of fashion. But these things are hardly considered fashionable. To even use the term fashion in conjunction with Crocs would be the ultimate insult.

Regardless, I'll most likely be buying a new pair of proper fitting Crocs for my son this weekend because he loves them and that's all I care about.

There's no place like Home...

2009-05-04T18:55:00.000-07:00

It's been 3 days since I've been home from my vacation in the Sunshine State. Lucky for me, my arrival home Friday afternoon was a welcoming one, complete with blue skies and 75 degree weather. As much as I complain about living here, there really is no better place to be than Seattle in the summer. And we've had a couple glimpses of what's to come in the next month or so. Hopefully.

However, as I currently sit at my desk, it's raining. Scratch that. It's POURING. And it's windy. And cold. And I can't help but reminisce about what I was doing just days earlier. I was on vacation, "Spring Break" if you will, with 4 of my girlfriends from my Stay-At-Home Moms group. We flew into Miami late Sunday night after starting our day out in the Alaska Air Boardroom, having cocktails and chatting with interesting people...Remember Jack LaLanne, the power juicer...?? He was there, 95 years old and still looks great! Upon arrival, we hauled our suitcases onto the Hertz shuttle and got ourselves the coolest mini-van on the lot. We ARE a mom's group, after all!!

From there, the days (and nights) were pretty much a blur. We never made it to bed before 3am each night, woke up at noon every day, lounged by the pool (note to self: never again go to a resort where "Bingo" is the highlight of the day's activities), spent a day in Fort Lauderdale, danced with sailors, shopped at the world's 4th largest outlet mall, drove to Key West (and tried to convince my friends that we should all chip in for a trailer on the beach and move there because KW is THAT beautiful), ate too much, drank too much, people-watched in South Beach, went on an amazing sunset boat ride, and enjoyed our time away from our families so we could appreciate them that much more when we got back.

13 babies

2009-05-02T16:56:00.000-07:00

"If someone had told me 3 years ago that I'd be doing THIS on a Saturday morning, I would have laughed at them."

--All the parents at Liz and Kier's brunch

What's in my suitcase?

2009-04-25T18:13:00.000-07:00

I got the inspiration for this post from the pages of Vogue where celebrities share essential items they take with them on vacation. I am by no means a celebrity, which means I'll be showing off my Target swimsuit and $20 sunglasses. But that just goes to show that you don't need to drop a lot of dough to look cute for your next vacation!

The hat and shorts are from J.Crew--my favorite store for stocking up on everyday casual clothes. I have these shorts in every color of the rainbow. I also like that they offer them in 3 different lengths and hold up well in the wash (the most important aspect when it comes to being a mom with a toddler, at least in my opinion). The hat I've had for years and it's gone with me on many many vacations. I can fold it up and stick it in my suitcase and it comes out looking great. It also has a wide enough brim to provide adequate shade.

Cute tops are a must...this particular one comes from BCBG. I like that they have unique but classic designs.

The swimsuit and bag are from Target...one of my favorite places to shop! They're great for trendy clothes and accessories, and totally affordable too!

Sunblock--an absolute must if you're out in the sun!! I've had my share of baking back in the day and I'm much more diligent about taking care of my skin now. I love this one from SkinCeuticals, "Ultimate UV Defense SPF 30". It provides broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection and contains 7% transparent zinc oxide - a physical barrier from the damaging effects of sun. I use it on my face as well and it's lightweight enough to wear under make-up. The best part...it's exactly 3 oz so I can throw it in my carry-on!

For fun shoes (or all shoes, really) you should check out Zappos.com. I've been using this online shoe store for years and it's the most convenient way to shop for shoes! Depending on where you live, the shoes are delivered to your door in 1-3 days and shipping is FREE! Know what else is awesome? FREE 365 day returns!! That means I can sit in the comfort of my own home, browse their huge selection of shoes, order them in different sizes, colors, etc., and then return the ones I don't want! Does shopping get any better than that??!!

And lastly, no vacation would be complete without the iPod and the latest issue of Us Weekly. In my defense, I don't normally read trashy magazines, BUT...my 12 year old neighbor was selling magazines to raise money for her school and I thought, Why Not?! And I tell you, every Thursday when that magazine arrives in my mailbox, I rush out to get it like it's Christmas morning. Now why would you want to deprive me of that joy?

Favorite Fridays

2009-04-24T09:35:00.001-07:00

"Favorite" Fridays seem to be very popular in the blogging world. In keeping with this tradition, I too, will write about my favorite item(s) every Friday.

This week, I'd like to introduce to you my favorite candle. It was a gift from my lil' sis Christy for Christmas, which I just received last month. Yeah, we do things a little differently in our family...Basically, we're all procrastinators, but we seem to get the job done nonetheless :)

But, as usual, I digress.

Bistro Candles is based in Beaverton, Oregon and their candles are handcrafted and made with simple ingredients. I have the large tumbler in the Ginger Crème scent which I keep on my bathroom counter and I plan to try out their Mango Jasmine or Vanilla Cassis next. With descriptions like, "...the subtle sweetness of ripe fruit and tropical flowers drifts through your home like a gentle Caribbean breeze, offering a sunny, tropical escape on a moment's notice..." how can one resist??

Five Things

2009-04-23T14:03:00.000-07:00

There have been a lot of "Five Things..." floating around Facebook lately. I must admit I have succumbed to filling out more than one of them. Actually, it's much harder than it looks, trying to come up with only five items, whether it's 5 cars you want in your garage, or 5 celebrities you'd like to date, or 5 places in the world you'd like to visit. It's thought-provoking...and that's what I'm all about! :)

Here are my 5 "Fives":

5 cars I've owned (or have had the privilege of driving)
1984 Buick Skyhawk, Toyota 4-runner, Toyota Avalon, Honda Accord, Volvo S60

5 things I carry in my diaper bag
Diapers, Baby Wipes, Sippy Cup, Hand Sanitizer, Band-Aids

5 things I'd rather be doing right now
sunbathing on a secluded beach, reading, napping, shopping for new sunglasses, painting my nails

5 gadgets I can't live without
iPod, Blackberry, Laptop, Microwave (is this considered a gadget??), Calculator

5 things I'm scared of
spiders (all bugs really), heights, strangers, growing old (or just acting old), ghosts

What are yours?

Are you alive?

2009-04-23T13:31:00.000-07:00

“Are you alive??” This is the subject line from an email I've just received from my concerned friend Dana. Apparently my disappearance have some people (or at least one) worried. What have I been up to??

I've just spent the last 4 days dealing with a sick toddler and husband. Here are some things I've learned:

-When your kid is throwing up, DO NOT feed him more food. Especially food that has color.

-Slipcovered couches are the best invention ever!! Thank you Ikea!!

-If you suspect your kid is about to throw up, try to move him to a non-carpeted area. Even being puked on is better than trying to clean puke off of carpet. If anyone knows how to get the smell out, please let me know.

-Vomiting in combination with diarrhea is awesome! Especially for the person who gets to clean it up! It’s also great that my kid loves water because we've had to spray him down about 6 times a day.

-Watching cartoons anytime he is awake is totally acceptable, and even better if it stops him from whining all day long.

-Being stuck in a smelly vomit/poop saturated house on the hottest day we've had so far totally blows (no pun intended).

-Being sick makes my baby extra snuggly and sleepy. A nice change from the Bouncing Off The Walls Baby I normally have.

-I don't have very much sympathy for sick husbands. Sorry Scott! :)

-Scheduling a vacation to Florida with a departure in 3 days is absolutely brilliant on my part!

My sick child watching cartoons with the aforementioned dinosaurs lurking around in the background.

What happened to my house??

2009-04-15T09:13:00.000-07:00

As I look around my house, I am amazed at the transformation that has taken place in 19 short (but sometimes very very long) months. Instead of coming down the stairs in the morning to a bright & shiny CLEAN house, I am greeted by a big yellow CAT truck placed directly in my path so that I have no choice but to step on it and roll right down the stairs. It's hard to tell what color my floor is these days as it's littered with toys, animals, tiny socks, hats, food (play & real) and things I can't even identify.

To one side of my living room sits a huge green slide. To the other is a bright red play kitchen and bench which stores the majority of O's toys. The console table that was originally used to display my collection of beautiful teacups is now home to 4 ugly dinosaurs. My office has been attacked by a sand & water table filled with rice (because it's too cold to play outside and the neighborhood cats would have a field day with the sand). I'm constantly stepping over little matchbox cars as I try to make my way to the bathroom in the middle of the night. My son's fascination with toilet paper (unrolling it, ripping it, eating it...) has left me with nearly invisible strands of white paper all over my bedroom carpet and my bed. How lovely it is to crawl into bed at night and roll over to a huge wad of crumpled up TP next to your pillow. Almost every window in the house has sticky handprints stamped all over them-a detective's dream come true!

Shall I go on? I think you probably get the idea... The lesson in all of this? I've just learned to let go (kinda) of my obsessive-compulsive need for a clean orderly home and in exchange, I get to spend more time with this amazing little person who fills my heart with so much love and joy that there's not much room for anything else!

My very own Picasso

2009-04-14T08:58:00.000-07:00

In trying to come up with new and exciting activities for a very active toddler to do while being stuck inside because it's 50 degrees in the middle of April and either raining or snowing EVERY SINGLE DAY, I decided that it might be time to bust out my famous "craft kit". What is in this craft kit, you ask? Anything from ribbons and stamps to glitter and beads. For this particular rainy afternoon, I chose to experiment with paints-washable of course. You all know me better than that!

I taped a big sheet of butcher paper to the dining room table, strapped Big O to his booster seat, and let him go wild with the paintbrush and colors! He had a blast! It was his first time painting and clearly, won't be his last. When he was done, we cleaned up and I hung his masterpiece on the kitchen cabinet to dry (and admire).

Deceptively Delicious

2009-04-13T14:43:00.000-07:00

My son is very opinionated about many things. What he eats has never been one of those things...until now. Much to my dismay, he has suddenly developed a "palate" for certain food items. Scarfing down ANY and ALL foods without a second thought has now been replaced with vigorous head shaking accompanied with a defiant "no no no no no!" Sometimes he'll even repeat this a few times lest there is any confusion. Obviously I am more than annoyed. Meals that used to take minutes to get through are now being dragged out because I'm rifling through the fridge trying to come up with something acceptable for the little food critic to eat. I mean, I can't let the boy starve, can I?? I know he's got some reserves (especially in those cankles and cheeks) but still!!

The advice I've gotten so far? Kids will eat if they're hungry enough and don't get into the habit of letting them control you!! I guess this would be a good time to try out a cookbook I bought last year, "Deceptively Delicious" by Jessica Seinfeld (yes, Jerry's wife). She has some great recipes and ideas for sneaking veggies into your kid's diet, something I never thought I'd have to do!

Hoppy Easter and a New Start!

2009-04-12T07:51:00.000-07:00

In honor of Easter, I've decided to "resurrect" this blog...something I've been meaning to do since I last posted, what 6 months ago?? But what do you write about after being missing in action for so long? Well...to start, this blog sort of encompasses all aspects of my life--my family, my work (stay-at-home-mom & housewife), and random thoughts that go through my mind on a daily basis.

For example...yesterday afternoon, I began the preparations for my Creme Brulee French Toast to serve for Easter Brunch this morning. As I cracked egg after egg, I began to wonder...how do other people crack their eggs and what egg-actly is the BEST way to crack an egg?? (Sorry...I'm a mom; thus, I'm a nerd) Do you crack them on the counter? On the edge of the bowl? And how do you get it to break cleanly with no shards of shell floating around in your eggs? On Foodtv, they do the cracking and opening of said egg one-handed! Hey...I didn't say these would be intelligent thoughts!!

Anyway, the french toast was a success and everyone involved had a great Easter. Below is the recipe I used for my signature dish.

Creme Brulee French Toast

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
an 8- to 9-inch round loaf country-style bread
5 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a small heavy saucepan melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup over moderate heat, stirring, until smooth and pour into a 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking dish. Cut six 1-inch thick slices from center portion of bread, reserving ends for another use, and trim crusts. Arrange bread slices in one layer in baking dish, squeezing them slightly to fit.

In a bowl whisk together eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, Grand Marnier, and salt until combined well and pour evenly over bread. Chill bread mixture, covered, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 350° F. and bring bread to room temperature.

Bake bread mixture, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed and edges are pale golden, 35 to 40 minutes.

Serve hot French toast immediately.

Hoppy Easter everyone!!

The Milkman

2008-10-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

I started this blog (and named it accordingly) to celebrate the fact that we are now a formula-free household. No more cans of ridiculously expensive organic powdered milk will be consumed from now on! Well...for a while at least, but that's another subject I would prefer to avoid altogether! That's about $120 saved each month!!! No applause please! We've now moved on to whole milk, which is considerably cheaper, requires no mixing, and comes delivered right to our door! That's right folks! We have our own milkman!!...and that's not meant to be a metaphor! No...we get our milk and milk products from a local farm in Seattle called Smith Brothers Farms. In addition to being family-owned, they are the third largest dairy farm in Washington and the milk comes from their own cows...organic, and free of hormones and antibiotics. They provide you with a cool, vintage looking, insulated box which you leave on your porch and every Friday the truck comes and leaves your order in the box. You can order anything from sour cream to orange juice, to cookie dough. There's no delivery charge and the prices are comparable to the grocery store. Why wouldn't you want to do this??!! Besides, I recently heard that it's really posh to have the Smith Bros box sitting on your porch...who would have thought that being lazy is also very cool??