Mixed Baby Greens

Mr. Mustachio

2012-01-08T13:09:00.000-08:00

This little cutie patutie cracks me up.

Zoo Train

2012-01-05T19:54:00.000-08:00

Some of the fun, imaginative play that happened on New Year's day included the zoo I made for Elliot for Christmas last year and some new train tracks he got for Christmas this year. We're not a huge train family. We lived happily on just a single circle track for the last few years. But adding a few more pieces, plus some new plain train cars, and Elliot's favorite toys of all times--his plastic animals--and we had one amazing Zoo Train. The train could drive right through the zoo and see all of the animals. Just a few simple toys, plus a playful and engaged Mumma (this is often key to getting good play time out of Elliot), and we had one happy little guy.

PS... I'd love to take him on the real Zoo Train at the Portland Zoo. So far he only knows of it as a game we play with his toys in our living room. It would blow his mind to be on an actual Zoo Train!

Welcome 2012!

2012-01-01T20:44:00.000-08:00

Phew, I am so glad December is over. Although we had wonderful christmas and birthday celebrations and loved with lots of family from near and far, we also experienced a whole lot of sickness. Between the three of us there was strep throat, conjunctivitis, bronchiolitis, a nasal infection, four rounds of antibiotics, an inhaler, and even an overnight hospital stay for Elliot. Yeah, when I said a whole lot of sickness I meant a WHOLE lot of sickness. And while Elliot seems to be onto another bit of congestion, I hope so deeply that nothing ends up as bad as December. And, except for that bit of congestion, I am thankful to say that we are starting our New Year as a healthy family. Well, at least the three of us are... a sad shout out to my mom who came for an innocent Christmas visit and ended up with ALL of our germs: strep, conjunctivitis, and bronchitis. She's not over it all yet, but I know she will be soon. Wish I could be there to make you tea, mom. I hope we didn't scare you off for good.

In addition to starting the year off healthy, we also spent our first day of 2012 doing all of the things that I hope to have in abundance as the year unfolds...

- lots and lots of fun, imaginative play

- baking

- messy art projects

- trying new delicious dinner recipes

- long naps

- Elliot putting himself to sleep for his nap!

- time with family

- a hike under the trees and along the water (must get more nature into my days! it feels so good)

- mimosas for breakfast and wine for dinner (okay, maybe this one might be better in moderation than in abundance, but it's still a good one to have on the list :)

- and, finally, blogging

Oh, what a lucky lady I would be to have a year filled with such healthy, happy, and whole experiences as we've packed into this one wonderful day. And while Andrea rolls her eyes at me when I tell her I was thinking about having this be "the year of no mayonnaise" (which was already shot by mid-morning when she came out with bacon for BLTs. Who can eat a BLT with no mayo?!), I think maybe what would be best for me is to focus on just that. A healthy, happy, and whole year.

So I raise my glass (filled only with water because, you know, enough's enough for one day) and set my sights on a New Year. A 2012 that is healthy, happy, and whole. Wishing you the same. xoxo

Our Christmas Tree

2011-12-09T07:44:00.000-08:00

Much to my delight, Elliot is soooo "into" all things Christmas... Santa, stockings, twinkly lights, and OUR TREE! We didn't have one last year because he was a crazy toddler and too much into things in a not-so-good way, but this year is perfect. We went to the nursery up the street and picked one out, he helped me hang our ornaments (I hung the glass ones on top and he hung all of the nonbreakable ones on the bottom), and he loves waking up in the morning and seeing the lights go on. It melts a Mumma's heart.

Photo credit for tree pic goes to Elliot!

And for a walk down memory lane... two years ago... click here.

Concentration

2011-12-07T12:37:00.000-08:00

Disregard the dirty, snotty face... Elliot's had his fair share of colds since starting school. It's the concentration on his face that caught my attention in these pictures. It's this level of concentration and focus that is a double edged sword for us right now. It's amazing that Elliot has such strong interests and focus on things in his world. He's really stinking smart because of it! But having such an intense level of concentration on everything also makes it really difficult for him to just relax.

School is still difficult, though we think his separation anxiety is easing up a bit. He still asks ALL OF THE TIME where his Mamas are (whether we are sitting right there with him or not), or where we are going, or if it's a school day or not. And he still asks his teachers ALL DAY LONG where his Mamas are. Did I mention he has an intense level of concentration?? Yeah. But we know he's not crying during the day at school. And we are also getting some reports of his interactions with the other children. But it's basically that he just doesn't relax into his day. He's hyper-focused on things in his world, both in a good way... and in a challenging way.

It's so interesting to still be learning new things about this little guy two and a half years later, not to mention thinking about him for a lifetime! We didn't at all expect this school anxiety situation, nor do we know how it will play out in the long run. But, whether it's in a good way or a challenging way, I am so grateful to be along for the ride!

Night Terrors and Waffles

2011-11-09T18:08:00.000-08:00

School transitions have continued to be H.A.R.D. Elliot just does not like to separate. Mornings are full of great big sobs, loud heartbreaking screams, and lots of begging for me to either stay with him or take him home. He really, really likes it better when he is home with both of his mummas. And he is so smart and thoughtful that even when we are at home he talks mostly about either going away to school or mummas going away to work. He talks about and thinks about separation almost all of the time. It breaks my heart to think that he is so stressed out. It does help a lot that we love his teachers and that we know he settles into his days at school pretty well, but clearly he is a changed child now that we have introduced this concept of separation from his familiar world.

And then he had another night terror. It has been a year or so since his last one. And it is absolutely terrifying, not to mention exhausting. He woke up in the middle of the night in a freaked out rage, with eyes that looked more goat-like than human-like, and he yelled and screamed and hit and kicked and demanded waffles. Yes, waffles. The last time he demanded food in the middle of his night terror, too. But this time we had just been talking about waffles in the evening before bed, so that idea was still on the tip of his consciousness. It all made perfect sense and no sense at the same time.

Luckily, the next day was a stay-at-home day. One that was very, very clingy. And very slow and sleepy. One that involved going to the store first thing in the morning for a waffle maker and making big platefuls of fluffy homemade whole wheat waffles. With lots of maple syrup. We spent the morning filling our bellies and calming our minds. We spent a long day just being together. This mumma tried to take a big, deep breath and wrap her little one up with as much love and strength as I could. Knowing all along that the next day was another school day, but that on this day we got to stay home together and eat waffles.

'Cool Days

2011-11-06T07:45:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago Elliot transitioned from home-care with Kelly to group-care in the childcare center at my work. To help ease this transition (maybe more for me, than for him), I made Elliot a new nap blanket (he picked out the robot fleece and the matching blue backing himself!) and a little backpack to carry his things in each day. It felt really good to sew these mumma-made things to help us talk about school in the few days leading up to his first day, and it felt even better to say goodbye to him each morning knowing that he would literally be wrapped up in my love during his day. Even with these extra things, the transition was/is still very hard. The tears have lessened (both his and mine), and he's more willing to separate from me and go to the comfort of his teachers each morning. But it is so very, very clear that Elliot loves his "stay at home days" way more than he likes his " 'cool days." And, quite honestly, so do I.

Hoppy Halloween

2011-10-31T13:35:00.000-07:00

With a wriggly nose, one quick hop, and couple of sweet bunny bites, this Chocolate Bunny is here to wish you a wonderful HOPPPY halloween!

A Very Splendid September

2011-10-26T20:56:00.000-07:00

Somehow, someway, September is gone. I know most of you are probably stuck on the idea that it's the month of October that is nearing its end, but I'm still back on September.

See, September is my birthday month. The month when I am showered with love and feel the most thrilled to be me. The month when I was lucky enough to get a visit from my dad (Elliot loves his baseball-playing Papa), a weekend trip to Portland (oh, PDX... how you've got a hold on our hearts), a deepening appreciation of the Boise landscape (the color contrasts here are really awesome), and the gift of a trip to Indiana to visit some of my favorites (lots of love was given and received). Holy moly, that's a lot of awesomeness in one month!

September also marks the first month since November of 2009 that I haven't posted to Mixed Baby Greens. This blog started as such a lifesaver for me, at a time when I thought my very bumpy entrance into motherhood was going to get the best of me. Blogging, and reading other crafty mom blogs, gave me an incredible gift... the ability to feel grateful for and connected to every minute that I was lucky enough to spend with Elliot. Seriously, every minute is so amazing. There is a photo op around every corner, a learning moment constantly at my finger tips, and an opportunity to be grateful for how lucky I am day after day after day. Don't get me wrong... it's really, really stinkin' hard! But, as hard as it is, I feel so lucky to be a mother. And I love that this blog has helped me focus on all of that love and chronicle Elliot's early childhood.

So, although most of you are getting ready to say goodbye to October, I'm working really hard to say goodbye to a very splendid September. Sniff, sniff. September, I loved you. Too cheesy? Ok, maybe a little. How about this.... I'll leave you with a recommitment to blogging, a quote that speaks deeply to my soul (thanks, Emily!), and a handful of pics that show just how splendid September really was.

"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new." -Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh

A Trip To The Fair

2011-08-25T20:31:00.000-07:00

Ask Elliot what he got to do at the fair this year and he'll tell you, "A maaaan give you a baaalll, and you throwwww it in a waaater!" And, sure enough, it's true. A carny gave Elliot a little ping pong ball for free to try throwing into his slowly spinning pool of water. A ploy to get a child hooked so that the parents feel compelled to pay. But, alas, Elliot is only two, he does not have very good aim (though he did make it into the water!), and we were able to distract him with something else once the ball was out of his hand. But while the carny might not have made any money off of us, clearly the memory was worth a million for Elliot.

Keep asking and he might also tell you that he got to pet "a baaaaby goaaaat." (He has a way of drawing out his words for emphasis.) And, that, he did.

As for other fair highlights that he's not so quick to recall... he flipped when he saw the big ice cream cones in the sky, he ate his way through one heck of a cob of corn, and he rode his first ride--twice. Yep. It was a good year at the fair.

Amazing Alazar

2011-08-17T18:25:00.000-07:00

Hi there! Popping in with a different kind of post this time. I'm going to take a minute to introduce you to a very special person in my life.... Amazing Alazar!

Alazar is this super smart, super aware, super kind, super funny, super awesome kid who I know from Portland. He's a really good friend of mine and he and Elliot absolutely love each other! While I could go on and on about all of the things that make Alazar so awesome, what I really want to focus on is his dedication to helping stop HIV. That's right. He's a kid who isn't afraid to talk about HIV, isn't afraid to teach people (of all ages!) things about HIV, and isn't afraid to work his tail off in all sorts of ways to help stop HIV. One of the things he's doing is raising a lot of money for the AIDS Walk Portland fundraiser that helps to support people living with HIV and provides HIV prevention programs. I asked him if I could interview him on my blog so that he could spread the word about his frundraising and message raising compaign. I want to let as many people as possible know about his efforts so that they can support him in any way possible (read his blog, donate money, talk about HIV with the children and adults in their lives, etc). So, here it goes...

First of all, Alazar, tell me 3 things about yourself so that readers get to know a little about you.

1. I like people. I get along with most everyone no matter their age, race, religion, sex, orientation, etc.
2. I like to have fun, from playing with my iPhone to going outside and playing with a ball!3. I like art, from sculptures to painting to stamping. It's all fun!

Now, tell me about AIDS Walk and why it's so important.
The AIDS walk is so important because me and my Dad both have relationships with Cascade AIDS Project [who puts on the walk and is one of the major HIV service organizations in Portland]. It's important to raise money to help people in our community. It's fun being a leader and leading a team. This year I'm trying to get "famous" people to walk with us. I don't know if that's going to work, but I am trying. HIV isn't going away anytime soon and it's growing 7 times faster in the black community than the white. It is totally preventable if people would just be more aware of their behaviors.

What does CAP do with the money that is raised by AIDS Walk?

CAP takes the money that is raised and gives it back to the community through the many programs they have, including housing, teaching about HIV, emergency care, family support, etc. CAP's mission is: "To prevent HIV infections, support and empower people affected and infected by HIV/AIDS, and eliminate HIV/AIDS-related stigma."

I heard that this year you are working really hard on fund-raising, but you're working even harder on message-raising. What's the main message you hope people learn from you?

The main message I want to send is that by doing the right things, you won't get HIV. It's totally preventable. What I've learned is that most people don't want to talk about HIV, especially with an 11 year old. My Dad says adults don't talk about it with themselves, and they feel uncomfortable talking with a kid like me. HIV is growing 7 times faster in the black community than the white. I want people to get help, to get tested sooner, to have safe behaviors and to talk about HIV.

How can people get more information about HIV, learn more about you, and donate to your AIDS Walk team?

1. People can learn more about HIV from our primary source, which is Cascade AIDS Project at: www.cascadeaids.org
2. People can also learn about HIV at the bottom of my blog at: www.ateamfund.wordpress.com
They can also read and learn about me on this page! From my page, you can click on "Sign up to help the A-Team this year" and the click on "Donate at the official AIDS Walk Team Page" and it takes you right to the A-Teams donation page. I hope people will sign up to walk with me, as well as donate to my campaign!
3. Another place to look for information about HIV is: www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources.factsheets

See what I mean? Amazing, right?! Yep, that Alazar. He never ceases to amaze me. So, readers. You heard him... take a look at his blog, sign up to walk with him (if you're in Portland), donate to AIDS walk, and talk about HIV. Get it? Got it? Good!

PS--Alazar, you did a really good job on this interview. xo
PPS--Update: apparently Alazar got Angela Bassett to donate to the walk and comment on his blog. Um, ALAZAR! You are sooooo amazing!!!

From Start To Finish

2011-07-26T19:58:00.000-07:00

Homemade black bean quinoa burgers and roasted potatoes from our farm share. In the end, they didn't look pretty but they sure were tasty. And Elliot is, by far, the best kitchen helper ever.

Finally...

2011-07-25T12:16:00.000-07:00

After months and months of talking about it, I finally made grilled pizzas. And they were awesome! Here's the menu:And here's the deliciousness:One trick I found was to grill one side of the plain dough first, take it off and build the pizza toppings on that grilled side, then put it back on the grill to cook the ungrilled dough side (now on the bottom) and get the top all melty soft and warm (the other option is to grill both sides of the plain dough first, build your toppings on, and then put it back on the grill to cook the toppings... I thought this overcooked the dough and like the one-side-at-a-time method). The bits of bubbled, charred dough were absolutely delicious. It was as closed to wood fired as we can get making it at home. Crunchy crust on the outside and chewy dough on the inside. Oh my. Seriously, so good.

Then and Now

2011-07-22T07:28:00.000-07:00

Just 6 months between Elliot's first visit to the dentist (top picture) and this week's visit (bottom picture). In just those few months he's gone from a little baby faced squishy to a long and lean boy. It truly blows my mind.

A Summer Bunting

2011-07-21T11:27:00.000-07:00

Envelopes filled with location, hours, and admission for a variety of fun summer adventures hung for Kelly and Elliot to enjoy the summer months together. Fun, fun, fun!

Water Can Baby

2011-07-20T07:28:00.000-07:00

Our oh-so-beautiful best friend, Meguire, and her lovely Mr. Walsh came for a very special visit. See... Meguire and Ryan are expecting their fist baby this coming November AND it was Meguire's birthday while they were here! A besty, a baby belly and a birthday, all rolled into one. Oh heaven! There was lots of playing (both adults and child), some guy bonding time over one of Elliot's favorite movies, and lots of wonderful cake. It was a perfect and very special weekend. We can't wait to meet this special little babe, whom Elliot has lovingly named Water Can Baby. Little Water Can Baby, you have wonderful parents and are surrounded by many who love you dearly. Safe journey. We'll see you soon.

Crafty Mamas

2011-07-18T19:55:00.000-07:00

When the Stroller Strides group that I used to go to offered a crafty mom's-night-out at a very cool little fabric store, I jumped at the chance! It was a great night. Eleven Mamas of varying craft and sewing abilities, some basic applique instruction, a great setting, wonderful tools (I got to sew on a Bernina!), and beautiful materials to work with made for some really awesome Mama-made napkins by the end of the night. Oh, and someone brought an amazing cake and when the sewing was over we walked across the street to a pub for drinks. Yes, I will definitely be stopping in at Twig and Twist again, and will most certainly be enjoying more of the great mom's-night-outs.

From Backyard To Belly

2011-06-30T02:32:00.000-07:00

Make A Wish

2011-06-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

Say CHEESE

2011-06-28T07:05:00.000-07:00

We've never been ones to make Elliot "look at the camera," "smile," or "say cheese." But somehow he's developed his own fake, camera smile and even says, thought clenched teeth, "CHEESE!" Proof that some things, both big and small, are so ingrained in our cultural fabric that we can't get around them.

Summer

2011-06-27T07:20:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, yeah. Bring on the sprinkler and the post-sprinkler snuggles. We're ready!

Before and After

2011-06-27T07:14:00.000-07:00

More fun with my power tools. This garden plot had been dug by a previous tenant, but I decided to take it to the next level. All it took was two more of the same 2x6s I used for Elliot's sandbox, the scrap piece of 4x4 left over from the sandbox, and the 5 pavers that I put down the middle. All together it only cost about $15 (plus soil and plants). Since we joined a CSA and get a weekly farm share for the summer, I decided we only needed to plant the fun stuff: cherry tomatoes, pumpkins, cantaloupe, watermelon, and herbs. Mmmmm, I can't wait!

Look What I Made

2011-06-13T21:48:00.000-07:00

I built Elliot his very own sandbox! With many thanks going to the two, best little helpers in town, and Elliot's Nan for granting his birthday wish. It came together over the last week or so. I used the raised garden beds we made at our last house as inspiration for the design, but added the 2x6s across each end as a little ledge for us to perch on when we're playing with him. I used a staple gun to line the inside with a tarp, then used a second tarp and sewed a fitted sheet-style cover to keep the cats out. 650 pounds of sand later and Elliot is one happy little two-year old.

Sun Valley

2011-05-30T19:42:00.000-07:00

A weekend hanging out with aunties, uncles and cousins in beautiful Sun Valley, Idaho. The little ones played music, Elliot got to "climb a mountain," and he did plenty of hanging out with the guys (we never did get him his own white robe--next time!). Another not-so-great car ride for Ellie, but he did a real good job rocking the sunglasses and the headphones for a bit on the way there. The Sawtooth Mountains are really, really beautiful. These iPhone pics don't do them justice, but this weekend--and the snow that came with it!--was more about just hanging out with family. But I'd definitely love to spend more time here in the future. After all, I never did get to spot a celebrity, though I'm pretty sure it was Ashton flying off in that private jet as we drove out of town :).

Lucky Elliot, Lucky Us

2011-05-18T20:55:00.000-07:00

A while back, Kelly started taking pictures during her days here with Elliot. It started becoming a really special part of my and Andrea's evening when we'd settle in, find the camera, and get little surprise snapshots of Elliot's day with Kelly. It's one thing to hear from her what she and Elliot did each day. And another thing to hear it from him (which is a new and incredible part of his development). But to see little moments captured and hidden away in the camera... it's like a treasure hunt! And it only reinforces what we already know: Kelly is a-w-e-s-o-m-e!

Sometimes she's captured moments of Elliot at the park or in the yard or doing activities. And sometimes it's just that the two of them are hanging out and she gets a great picture of him. Like this one from awhile back. Isn't it amazing!? And it inspired a whole series after it.

On this day I came home and she said to me, "we did colors today!" All on her own, that's just what she decided to do with Elliot on this day. Which is awesome, right?! I mean, I don't think I'd put a bunch of glasses of water in front of him, but she's willing. Which means he totally lucks out

And today I came home and found this project she had made (a background drawn on a piece of cardboard from the recycling with cutouts from Elliot's little National Geographic kid's magazine). She didn't take this picture, I did. But I couldn't resist another opportunity to capture some of their day together. It is just such a gift to know this is how Elliot gets to spend his days while we're at work. Lucky, lucky, lucky us.

Messy Monday

2011-05-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

Mondays are my one day of the week home alone with Elliot. Some Mondays are super productive and some are more on the lazy end of the spectrum. This weekend's dramatic shift from 80 degrees down to 57 and rainy has given me full license to crank up the heat and and stay, as Elliot likes to say, "Warm and Cozy." It's definitely and inside day. But even inside days can be fun and exciting. With the heat up, it was the perfect opportunity for Elliot to strip down and do some messy art. This hand and foot (and leg and belly and elbow...) painting kept his enthusiastic attention for a half hour or so. And was followed by, you guessed it, a nice long bath. The perfect way to spend a rainy, inside day. Now if I can just figure out how to fill our afternoon?...

Elliot is Two

2011-05-15T19:02:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday, amazing Elliot! You give us so many reasons to celebrate--your sweet snuggles, your quick charm, your outstanding smarts, your cool attitude, your sly tricks, your silly humor. You are truly amazing! This little back yard pool party and bbq was just one of the many ways we celebrated you and your second birthday. Though, I think I can speak for all of us closest to you when I say that every single day with you in our lives is a celebration. You are a gift, Elliot. Happy, happy 2nd birthday!

Blue-lues!!!

2011-04-02T19:50:00.000-07:00

Elliot's answer to pretty much anything is, "Uh blue-lues!!!" Some say blue-berries, Elliot says blue-lues (we're not sure why, but it's really stinkin' cute). So, as I was saying, if you ask him what we should buy at the store, what he wants for breakfast, or what we should get Mama as a treat, the answer is almost always, "Uh blue-lues!!" And so, every Friday when we make our homemade pizza for our weekly Fun Friday celebration, Elliot is asked what he wants on his pizza. And as you can imagine, the answer is always, "Uh blue-lues!!!" And so this week we said sure! I mean really, why not? And it turns out a little mozzarella, a few frozen blue-lues, and a sprinkling of brown sugar and cinnamon is pretty dang good. If you need any proof, just check out Elliot's face. 100% blue-lue love.

A Week Of Surprises

2011-03-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

The first surprise was that we said goodbye to Elliot's crib this week. Completely disassembled, removed from his room, and his room rearranged to make way for his growing toddler self. He'd been sleeping on and off in the twin bed on the floor in his room lately, always during nap and sometimes during the night, but as of the last week or so he'd slept in it 100% of the time. So Andrea took the plunge while I was at work on Friday. Just like that, no more crib. And Elliot is happy as could be. He sleeps really well in his bed and never wakes up fully crying like he used to in his crib. He'll just sit up and call for us until one of us gets to him. It feels like such a huge "growing up" transition.

The second surprise--coming home from work to this amazing table of yummy treats!--was actually a celebration of the biggest surprise of the week... Elliot completely weaned himself this week. Talk about growing up. Just like that. No more nursing. He was already down to only nursing just before nap or before going to bed for the night (and only two nap-nursings a week since I've been at work) so he wasn't nursing that much anyway. But as has always been true for Elliot, that little bit of nursing was a really big deal for him. This boy has always like his nursing. A LOT! I thought for sure that weaning him was going to be an all out battle. But slowly, over time, little bits fell away until we were down to just a bit before sleeping. Then, one night about a week ago, Andrea just said they were going to go read books in his bed before he went to sleep, and off he went. Straight to his bed to read, hear some Old McDonald, and have his back patted. Then he was asleep. And asleep for almost the whole night! And then again the next night. And the night after that. And now even I can be the one to read, sing and pat him to sleep in his bed and he doesn't even mention nursing. Just like that. Weaned.

What a surprising week. And it's also been a week with a lot more sleep in it--which helps everything. So cross your fingers for us and hope for the best. We think this is going to be our ticket to long-term sleep and a happy and healthy child.

Big Smiles

2011-03-23T19:02:00.000-07:00

I am so happy he still has those sweet little dimples.

And thank you, so much, for all of the wonderful comments on my last post. It feels really good to put myself out there and get all that love back. xoxo

Spring Cleaning

2011-03-21T11:53:00.000-07:00

It feels like the day has finally come to really focus on a good, deep clean. The house, the toys, and, most importantly, my Self. I feel like things have been building up for far too long, getting grimy in the corners and developing layers of film that make it hard to see through. I'm feeling the guck build up in me and I'm ready to wash it away.
So, here's where we start. Elliot gives his animals a good deep scrub and I set my intentions on the process of getting my Self fresh and clean. The official to-do list:

1. Today starts my personal 6 Weeks of Fitness. Lots of healthy food choices, water and exercise. The reward is a trip to Maui for Elliot's first time to celebrate his 2nd birthday during the first week of May and a Mumma who can go with her body-image-problem in check. My plan is to go feeling healthy and strong about myself and in my Self.
2. Make a dentist appointment to get my teeth cleaned. Dental insurance is a privilege. And clean teeth can make the whole body feel healthier, so I've gotten a referral from a coworker and I plan to do that.

3. Clean up my finances. Finally having two incomes after a period of not has given me a newfound freak-out for the amount of debt I have. It's filthy dirty and needs to be cleaned up! So I've started working on that. And that clean-up will help the whole family.

4. Get a therapist. Those closest to me know my entrance into motherhood wasn't the most graceful. Unexpected postpartum depression, challenges at work, an enormous amount of nursing, major life changes like selling our house, relocating and shifting relationships, continued multiple night wakings (I'm talking every one to three hours. Still. And, yes, he is almost two years old.), and now a new job and figuring out how to adjust to life in Boise. And all the while being mumma to a wonderful little Elliot who is a whole lot to handle. In a good way. But still. A whole lot. And, so, here I am. Two years into it and feeling like this very important time in my life deserves some attention. I deserve some attention. And I have health insurance to help me with that. So I have decided an appointment will be set and I will get the help I need to pay attention to my Self.
5. Tackle this sleeping problem. Sleep depravation is a deteriorating, debilitating, dangerous thing. I think the cumulative effects of two years of serious and on-going night wakings has done more damage than I even imagine. Elliot is just a terrible sleeper. He doesn't put himself to sleep, he doesn't stay asleep, and he doesn't sleep for very long. And believe me, we've tried everything. I have always appreciated any advice I've been given, but have also always been so disappointed to have to always say, "oh yeah, we've tried that." Nothing has ever worked. Nothing created sustained change in his falling asleep or staying asleep behaviors. So we need to figure out what to do. And it's possible that what didn't work a year ago will work now. Or maybe there's some technique or intervention out there that we haven't tried. I don't know. But we've got to do something to make a real change in this whole sleeping business.
6. Figure out some new strategies to be kind to myself. It's just something that I've never been good at. But I truly want to be. I want to be loving and healthy and happy inside myself. I don't want to beat myself up for slacking on my blog posts or for eating too many calories or for not reading books or for any other thing that I judge as being bad or wrong or unhealthy. I just want to be nice to me, you know? Think of how refreshingly clean that would feel to do just that one thing.

So there it is. My official Spring Cleaning to-do list. And, hopefully, if all of those things get a little bit of attention then I'll feel more able to get back into blogging doing more of my crafty-mamma things. I want to be perpetuating good cycles, not negative ones. So... here I go!

Out In Nature

2011-02-18T16:11:00.000-08:00

A recent trip to "the foothills" (the low desert hills lining the North side of Boise) gave us a couple of wonderful opportunities to be out in nature during last weekend's heat wave (can we get a whoo hoo for 60 degrees!!!). We plunked ourselves right down at this great sand pit and Elliot had an awesome full-body digging experience. Since parks don't have sandboxes (aka--litter boxes) anymore and we don't have one yet, digging in sand when you don't live by the coast is a rare blessing. Nothing like some good old digging to keep a toddler engaged. And the sand area was also next to a beautiful little stream, just right for throwing rocks. "Puh-LASH," says Elliot.

A Kelliot Original

2011-02-14T19:12:00.001-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Our Very Own Ukulele Folk Singer

2011-02-07T20:24:00.000-08:00

Dear Kelly,
You are amazing. You came to us first as just a sitter. Someone to come play with Elliot for a couple of hours in the afternoon a few times a week. No diaper changing. No meal preparing. Just come and play. Maybe have a snack. Read some books and play with some dolls, we said. There were just a few hours each week that we couldn't be home with Elliot and we just wanted someone who could come and engage him for those hours. And engage him you did... singing him songs, playing him music, teaching him how to dance, making up games with his animals, crashing his trucks, singing, dancing, make believe, singing, dancing, singing dancing!!!! It was clear that you were so incredibly engaged, so incredibly talented at meeting his toddler level of development and interests, so incredibly fun and playful.

Then you became so much more.

This last week I started my first full time job since Elliot was born. After he arrived I adjusted my schedule to work three ten-hour days and was able to be home most of the week--and I was just continuing in a job that I had already done for the previous four years and could do in my sleep--which I essentially did until I left that job a year later. Then I had a wonderful summer solely with Elliot, followed by a handful of months working just a few hours in the late afternoon and some on the weekend. All in all, I have spent nearly two years either working part time or not working at all. I haven't had to wear five "work" outfits in a row since the beginning of May, 2009! Which brings me to last week. Working five full days (that's five work outfits in a row!) was... well, it was a lot of things.

It was refreshing to reengage in my profession and put my focus somewhere other than my house and Elliot. It was difficult to get in a rhythm of getting my own needs met only during break times, instead of whenever I felt like it. It was emotionally challenging (in a really big way) to be removed from my cell phone and have a dreaded sense of disconnect from Elliot's day. And, most of all, it was totally fine. Fine because I knew Elliot was home with Kelly--his ukulele playing, folk singing, garbage truck song writing, art making, quinoa muffin baking, park going, game inventing Kelly, who, without batting an eyelash, jumped on the chance to transition from being with Elliot just a few hours in the afternoons to being with him for 9 hours at a time.

Kelly, you are such a gem. We feel so lucky that you choose to spend your days with Elliot. We have seen his imagination, his love of music, and his mad dancing skills bloom since you've been a part of his life. We know this symbiotic relationship (her words--love) won't last forever (Elliot's on the waiting list to get into the childcare center on the hospital campus where I got a job), but for now, we are so very, very happy.

xo, Elliot and his Mamas

(pics below of Kelly playing a show at the tea house and Elliot dancing his little heart out to her tunes. Find more Kelly here here and here.)

Special Times

2011-01-30T08:38:00.000-08:00

Lots of outside sunny (cold!) time with visitors, followed by Elliot's first ever zone-out in front of the screen while the adults enjoyed happy hour and some conversation. There is a first time for everything, it was short lived, and it was wonderful!

Fourteen

2011-01-27T21:51:00.000-08:00

It was only half way through the morning and we had already read fourteen books. And each one of them were read numerous times. Elliot's attention span for sitting and listening to stories has skyrocketed recently. And, best of all, he's even loving full-story paper page books now, not just shortened board books. And we've started a new ritual of having him choose three books to read before bed time and it's provided so many new learning opportunities. A few nights in a row he brought four books to the couch and we had to negotiate which he would put back to get it down to three. Hard to do for such a little guy, but he did it amazingly. Then, tonight, I told him it was time to pick three books to read before nursing and he went to his shelf, selected one and brought it to me saying, "onnnne." Went back and chose another and brought it to me saying, "twooooo." And then went back to pick a third and brought it to me saying (by now we were holding our breath in disbelief), "threeeeee." No way! He just counted out his books, one two three??! Amazing. Every day. Tantrums and monster moments and all. He is simply amazing. I can't wait to read 14 more books tomorrow morning.

Toddler Art

2011-01-26T12:38:00.000-08:00

Phew... finally found the camera cord! It was questionable for a few days there as to whether or not Elliot might have thrown it away. Alas, it was just buried in one of those piles that grow and grow in the corners of our home and eat up all of our little things that we seem to not be able to live without--or at least blog without. So now that I'm back, here' s a little look into what we've been doing.

I'm so excited because Elliot's really into art exploration right now. The other day I said to him, "let's do some painting." And he went straight to the kitchen, got out one of his new smocks, and brought it to me. I didn't even know he knew what those were for yet! And today I asked him, "what would you like to do before lunch?" And he said he wanted to paint! Oh happy happy Mumma!

Over time, we've moved from drawing with markers and crayons to painting with acrylic paint onto pine cones (thanks for the beautiful idea, A!). Then we moved onto painting right on the table top and making prints of it by rubbing a piece of paper onto the painted surface, then pulling it back to reveal the print it makes.
Then we were exploring with wet chalk. Great big chunky chalk is a wonderful medium when it's dipped in water and drawn or painted with on paper. This project really works best on thick water color paper (which can be spendy--so I like to take my 50% off one item coupon to the big-box craft store and buy my good art paper that way. This makes big rolls of easel paper more affordable, too). But back to the wet chalk--it turns into more of a water color medium, but you can draw with it too. And if the chalk is really saturated and gets banged over and over on the paper (as toddler artists are likely to do) it comes off in great gooey heaps and adds texture to the painting. It's great, too, because I can set one picture aside to dry for a day or two then give it back (taping it down so that it doesn't slide around) and Elliot's wet fingers and new colors of chalk completely transform the picture into a whole new piece of art (again, it really takes thick water color paper can stand up to this).And now the easel has migrated inside and Elliot is exploring with his first easel painting. I found an inexpensive set of regular Crayola washable paint and I took our smallest little tupperware containers and cut a hole in the top of each to help hold the paintbrushes upright and detract some from the sticking-of-hands into the paint cups. Not that it's not okay to get good and painty when exploring at the easel, but it also helps guide this new process of this new form of art.
So, yes. I am loving Elliot's interest in art. It does bring with it more messes and more times to have to say "no" and, sometimes, more tantrums. But my excitement to bring these experiences to him, and his interest and delight in doing them, make it all so very worth it.

Two Good Things

2011-01-14T20:26:00.000-08:00

1. I'm feeling much, much better. Thankfully. Because I was sick! And it was no fun.

2. The weather today was like the wonderful and familiar Pacific Northwest... quietly foggy and drizzly, with some warm and wet but dry spots in the day (that makes sense if you understand that kind of weather, trust me). A wonderful relief after all of the bitter cold that has kept us cooped up indoors this winter. Andrea said it felt like a hug, and I agree. A hug that had Elliot and I smiling all the way to the park. It felt so good to be healthy and out of the house. Out in the elements that felt so familiar. And Elliot loved it. From the minute his bum left the stroller he was running and climbing and splashing in puddles and going up up up the hills and then down down down the hills. Amazingly, sometime between when the weather turned frozen and we stopped going to playgrounds and today, Elliot developed the ability to climb up a climber with ease and grace. Just ran right up to it and climbed up the steps until he was at the top, like he'd done it a million times before. Although he hadn't. Before he was uncoordinated and not strong enough to pull his body up and it never worked quite right or safely for him. But today it looked completely natural. Speaking of, my favorite parts of the morning were when he was splashing in the water and climbing the hill. I love feeling free to let him just be in the natural world. The snow and cold have really kept the out-of-doors feeling off limits to me (and, by default, him). But I love being out in nature with Elliot. And, clearly, he loves it, too. So, here's hoping for a few more of those familiar "hug" kind of days where we can go out and run and splash and leave our big coats and our hats at home and just be outside.

Pillow Pile

2011-01-11T19:43:00.000-08:00

Pillow piles help
To pass the time.
When Mummas are
Too sick to play.

Open Wide

2011-01-07T01:41:00.000-08:00

Elliot had his first dentist appointment and it was great! He went to a wonderful pediatric dentist with a waiting room that was awesome enough to want to go back and just play on cold or rainy days. And the staff are all trained to first tell, then show, then do. Elliot didn't get as far as an actually cleaning, but he did let them practice with the "tickle brush" on his teeth and the dentist took a quick look at his teeth and declared them healthy and strong (a huge relief for this Mumma who feels a lot of responsibility for maintaining the health of his teeth during this stage of his development). We left with a special toy, a new toothbrush, and an appointment for six months out. Oh, and did I mention a relieved Mumma. Yeah, we left with that, too.

A Sweet Treat

2011-01-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

One of the sweetest things we did with Elliot's Nan when she visited was to head out one afternoon for the sole purpose of finding a pink cookie (and an afternoon cup of coffee never hurts). So off to Big City Coffee we went, because if a cookie is what you're after then Big City Coffee is the place to go. And although they didn't have any pink cookies per se, this gorgeous sugar cookie with pink sprinkles worked just fine. And with Nan painstakingly picking off all of the pink sprinkles for Elliot to eat, we were all in pink-cookie-heaven.

Top Chef

2011-01-05T13:30:00.000-08:00

Elliot got his dream kitchen for Christmas from his Nan this year. Elliot has always been interested and involved in whatever we're doing in the kitchen. We're hoping this small addition to our larger, real kitchen will give him even more cooking time in his day (and also give us something to redirect him to when we're in the middle of cooking dinner!). Who knows... we may just have the winner of Top Chef 2021 on our hands.

With A Capital T

2010-12-30T10:40:00.000-08:00

Oh, well hello there Tantrum. I was wondering when I was going to meet you!

It is so very hard for a toddler to be told no. No jumping on the couch. No dumping your cereal bowl over. No throwing, hitting, biting. For most things, and most of the time, we're pretty good about redirecting and telling Elliot what he can do, instead of what he can't do. In those moments, tantrum averted! But there are those times, too, when he simply must just be told No. Then, watch out. Head shaking, arms flailing, usually a full-body drop to the ground and lots of screaming. Pretty textbook.

But what's interesting is watching Elliot process those tantrums later, after he's moved on and is no longer upset. It could be at any point in the day that he remembers, and often he wakes up from his nap he launches right into remembering a tantrum that he had earlier in the day. Reenacting it, he'll shake his head and arms back and forth, stick out his tongue and says, "ahahuaghgthsh, what's dat?" Then he looks at you for an answer. If one doesn't come right away he'll repeat his question, head and arms flailing back and forth, "ahshghchsugaaahh, what's dat?"

"Oh," you say to him. "That's when you were tantruming."

Then, each and every time, he responds to that by doing the sign for crying (a finger pointed to the eye and drawn down the cheek). And he says, "Cwhy."

"Yes, that's right Elliot. You got frustrated, had a tantrum, and then you cried."

This memory and reenactment happens over and over each day. He watches us so intently as we discuss it with him, often reenacting it ourselves. And it goes in the same order every time. Always ending with, "cwhy."

A Boy After My Own Heart

2010-12-29T00:01:00.000-08:00

Somewhere along the way I must have taught Elliot that you do whatever it takes to get at the peanut butter. Yeah, me and him. We suuure do like our peanut butter.

Happy Birthday, Mama!

2010-12-28T08:19:00.000-08:00

Sorry your birthday pie was a little flat, but I had to test all of the apples before I would let Mumma put them in. I hope you had a wonderful day. Oh, and I know! Let's eat pie leftovers for dinner tonight! Yum yum!

Love,
Elliot

Coolest Kid On The Block

2010-12-26T00:01:00.000-08:00

Yeah, that's right. Elliot's Uncle Kaua got him what every 15 year old boy asked for this year. Don't mind the fact that Elliot is only one and a half. He can hang with the big boys.

Wishing You...

2010-12-25T06:56:00.000-08:00

A wonder-full day!

Snuggle Time

2010-12-16T13:44:00.000-08:00

Liam and Baby Owen came over to play today. Elliot did lots of fire trucks and coloring and eating snacks with Liam. But he also got a whole lot of snuggle time in on the floor with Baby Owen. So incredibly sweet.

Little Artist

2010-12-15T19:32:00.000-08:00

Elliot has a wonderful sitter in the afternoons. She comes to our home and they sing and dance and play and draw and who knows what else. She's pure merry-making. I love when I come home to a project she and Elliot have started, like this piece of cardboard that was spread out in the kitchen with some drawings and a pile of markers. Just the right amount of inspiration for Elliot and I to pick up where they left off. We spent a long part of our afternoon today adding animals and names and doodles. Elliot has totally surprised us by saying, with almost complete accuracy, the names of 6 colors--blue, yellow, green, red, pink, and grey. We didn't "teach" him those. We are not at all interested in making sure he knows things like the names of colors and the alphabet. I'm much more focused on making sure he's a kind and gentle friend to himself and others. The whole colors and letters thing will come later. That doesn't worry me. So you can imagine how surprised we were when he just started pointing out and labeling the colors of things. The other day he pointed to the ground that had just been rained on and said, "gray." Then pointed to the big painted handicap sign on the parking spot next to us and said, "blue." And today, with this pile of markers, he picked up the red in one hand and the green in the other and told me the color of both. With no prompting. All on his own! I am amazed every day that this little one is only a year and a half old. He's learned so much.

Festivals Of Lights

2010-12-13T13:42:00.000-08:00

A late Hanukkah celebration brought with it a weekend full of festivals and warm light.

Kitchen Helper

2010-12-07T18:52:00.000-08:00

Cookie Monsters

2010-12-06T11:43:00.000-08:00

As I write this I'm devouring one of Andrea's inside-out carrot cake cookies (and dreaming about Maria's peppermint chocolate cookies, and Julia's chocolate chip cookies, and Kirstin's snickerdoodles, and....). Yes, cookie exchanges can make you feel a bit cookie-obsessed. And with 9 different cookies on the table, there was plenty to get obsessed about. But the best part of our cookie exchange party was watching the 6 little boys that were here all playing together. Yes, 6 of them! Can you find them all?
They played, decorated cookies, wrestled (you got to get all that sugar out somehow!), and they even all sat on the couch for the obligatory and oh-so-cute group photo.
Elliot was in cookie heaven. I'm pretty sure he ate more cookies, sprinkles and chocolate chips in one afternoon than he's eaten in his whole life combined. Yes, happy happy happy boy! And sweet enough to share.

Learning How To Do The Snow

2010-12-01T17:46:00.000-08:00

No, Elliot did not start out happy with this situation. He absolutely loved his new sled when it was unpacked from the box and sitting in the living room for him to play with (thank you so much, Auntie Santa!). But once I got him all suited up and finally out in the snow learning how to ride in it, Elliot was not a happy camper. Apparently, sleds are not meant to be pulled through the fluffiest, thickest part of the snow. Doing so causes much toppling over and ending up with ones face in the snow. (Yes, this mumma had some learning to do about how to pull a sled.) But once I took him out to the street where the snow was packed and slippery, we both got the hang of this sledding thing. And it was fun, fun, fun!

Cabin Fever

2010-11-26T20:34:00.000-08:00

Starting to go a little stir crazy being cooped up in here while the temperature outside still hangs below freezing. I'm just not used to it. Thank goodness Andrea came home from work tonight with a fun, fresh idea... bring the fun of the outdoors inside! And with that, up went the tent. In our living room! Elliot was very, very pleased. It turned our stir crazy, cabin fever into a fun, spontaneous adventure.

Thankful

2010-11-25T20:38:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving, Elliot learned about the magic of the kids' room.

16 Degrees

2010-11-24T20:12:00.000-08:00

That was the temperature outside today. The HIGH temperature. Ouch. Good thing this cold front is a fluke and not the norm here in Boise, or in the entire snowed in/freezing west coast for that matter. So... what does one do when frozen in for the day with a toddler? Make playdough, of course!

First you mix the dry ingredients:

Then you stir in the wet ingredients (we chose blue because Elliot is pretty good at identifying things that are blue... "Bue!"):

Finish by mixing with your hands until combined:

And enjoy!

My one-time-use, so easy, no cook playdough:

Mix:

2 parts flour

1 part salt

Stir in :

1 part water

1 quick squeeze of food coloring

Then mix with your hands until fully combined.

We've Got Pumpkin

2010-11-23T20:01:00.000-08:00

And lots of it! None of my beautiful pumpkins were carved this Halloween (when a toddler runs the show, sometimes priorities just need to be shifted around, you know?). And the recent snowfall made them turn from a pretty fall decoration on the front porch to a pile of unseasonable squashes. So inside they came, to meet their match with my knife and oven. I cut them, buttered them, spiced half and left the other half plain, and popped them in the oven for the afternoon. A little zap in the cuisinart and I had myslef a bucket of plain pumpkin puree waiting to be made into pumpkin curry soup and another bucket spiced and waiting to become muffins, sweet bread, pancakes, you name it. Oh the yumminess! Elliot was totally into it with me. The squishing of the pumpkin guts. The smelling of the spices. The tasting of the raw pumpkin. Er, I didn't put him up to that. It was all him. But he didn't get too far. Raw pumpkin really doesn't taste that good. But whole wheat pumpkin walnut chocolate chip muffins sure do! See below...

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking sa
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or make an equivalent mix of cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg)
2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup buttermilk (or 1/3 c milk plus 1 t lemon juice, let sit for 5 mins)
Plus a few handfuls of chocolate chips and walnuts

Whisk together the first 3 ingredients and set aside. Blend together the next 6 ingredients. Mix wet into dry ingredients just until combined, then add any extra yummies. Bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Makes a dozen muffins.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

2010-11-22T20:56:00.000-08:00

Look at that little face! Can you even stand it? The snow over the past few days, Elliot’s first real snow, has quicklychanged the mood here from Fall to Winter. Suddenly the pumpkins, still sitting on the front porch andon top of our mantle, look terribly unseasonable. Snapping pictures of this little snow baby today made me want todig out our twinkly lights, spread pine boughs along the mantle, and startmaking this year’s Christmas card! Last year we made a photo card for Elliot's first Christmas using Shutterfly. I loved the simpledesign of the card we chose (and am even toying with the idea of using it again becauseI just love how simple and clean it is while still giving me lots of photospaces). And since I got a new camera this year (thanks again, Nan!), I have so many pictures to choose from. I doubt I'll be able to stop at just the Christmas card. Watch out, loved ones... pictures of Elliot plastered all over calendars, mugs, and wall decals (no way?!) will be arriving in your mailboxes any day now. Shutterfly makes it so easy. And who doesn't want to look at that sweet little face each time you rest your drink on the coffee table? Oh Shutterfly, you know exactly what I want!

Little Buddies

2010-11-17T11:27:00.000-08:00

Ask Elliot if he wants to go to ______ (fill in the blank, it could be anywhere), and he will most likely respond with, "Luh, Luh, Luh." That's right, he wants to go and play with Liam every time. And apparently, if you ask Liam if he wants to play with Elliot, he always says, "Peas! Peas!" So polite! These two little ones have become the best little buddies. They are just the right speed for one another and have all the same interests... motorcycles, garbage trucks, fire trucks, diggers, books, running, spinning, moving faster faster faster. They are about as close to toddler BFFs as you can get.

Our Very Own Thanksgiving

2010-11-15T11:42:00.000-08:00

If your loved ones can't be with you for the holidays, then have the holidays when your loved ones are with you. At least that's what we do. We've never gone so far as to have Christmas in July, but we did just celebrate an early Thanksgiving this weekend when Annika was here. That's right, a full turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie Thanksgiving. Not to mention a killer cheese plate for our hors d' oeuvre. Elliot couldn't get enough of the Humboldt Fog goat's milk cheese. That boy has good taste! The house was festive and fall-like. It was gray and stormy outside, making it all the more cozier inside. And by the end of the night, our bellies were as overflowing with yummy food as the kitchen was with dirty dishes. Just the way Thanksgiving day should be.

Oh Yeah!

2010-11-05T20:50:00.000-07:00

Nothing like a big ol' pile of leave to really kick the season into high gear!

Gathering Leaves

2010-11-05T06:37:00.000-07:00

Our new neighborhood is full of big, beautiful trees and it has been the most splendid sight to see them change colors this fall. Elliot and I couldn't pass up a chance to go gathering. I'm thinking of stringing a garland out of our collection to add to our fall mantle.

Halloween Is Long Over

2010-11-04T14:10:00.000-07:00

But visions of it are still drifting through my head. Elliot at his first Halloween party. Elliot seeing the lion while dressed as a lion at Boo at the Zoo. Smooching with Nan. And the candy basket. Oh, the candy basket! He was in lolly heaven.

Halloween Trickery

2010-10-30T20:37:00.000-07:00

So it may look like Elliot just got a new, super cute, fuzzy, warm, homemade fleece suit, but....Add a fluffy mane, a long tail, and one fierce ROAR and this little guy is the cutest lion on the block!

The mane was made by looping strips of fleece onto a circle of elastic. It slips easily on and off over his head. In fact, it's as warm as a scarf without any worry of it falling off or him pulling it off. I'm thinking of making him one in every color for the winter. The tail (just a strip of fleece with some fringe) is sewn onto a circle of elastic that I slip around his waist when he's wearing his costume. He doesn't even know it's there. Truly, the easiest, one-day, homemade, warmest, versatile and CUTE costume ever.

The Vegans Visited

2010-10-29T13:01:00.000-07:00

We were lucky enough to have a wonderful visit from The Vegans shortly after we moved into our new place. This was their first time to Boise so we did some fun Boise things, like Big City Coffee and The Boise Fry Co., Julia Davis Park, the Basque Block, and the Idaho History Museum (see Hilary pretending to be a very historical Idahoan below! And were people really that much smaller back then?! Look at how skinny that dugout seat is!). But mostly we stayed home and hung out with Elliot. They read a ton of books, played in the backyard, and even babysat while we were at work. Elliot adored them, and I'm pretty sure the feeling was mutual.

Settling In

2010-10-28T21:52:00.000-07:00

Well hello! It has been quite a while sine I've posted last. Just a few things have gotten in the way, like, oh... moving into a new house, starting jobs, Portland visitors, suddenly needing to buy a second car, a sick babe, and the oh-no!-what-will-we-do-with-no-internet freak out that happens for a week or so during any move. But, without further delay, I'd like to share a few scenes of our new sweet little home with you. Enjoy!

Welcome. This is our covered front porch. A very relaxing place to sit and watch the neighborhood pass by. It's also outfitted with an easel (my $2 yard sale score!) and a bean table to give Elliot some outdoor play without being out in the rain or upcoming snow (yikes).

We have a great little enclosed backyard, too. Many thanks to the previous tenants who left some cherry tomato plants. They have provided Elliot with endless enjoyment and exploration.

The room that gets a whole lotta use is, of course, the kitchen. It's got great windows looking over the backyard, cute painted cupboards, a nice big eating area, and the very vintage Kelvenator--the stove from the 40's. It goes perfectly with our fiestaware, formica table, retro kitchen style. (Oh, and that's Elliot finding out how much he loves to lick little cookie sprinkles off his finger and crunch them in his teeth like a little chipmunk. He was a very helpful, and very cute, halloween cookie decorating helper this morning.)

And my favorite room of the house... Elliot's bedroom/guest room. The little bed is just right for any of our loved ones who come visiting (hint hint). It's covered in Elliot's very special quilt that his Amuma made him when he was born. Two of those dollies are mine from when I was a little girl and so is the Treeland School House Lamp. The blonde dolly and the lamp were both made by my favorite Auntie Sue. The oh-so-sweet owl painting above his crib was done by Andrea's cousin, Sarah Pilar. Check out her etsy store for more of her great paintings. Bumpers on Elliot's crib by his Auntie Gran (my Auntie Sue) and the vintage quilt was his Uncle Ryan's from when he was a baby. And, as always, thank you Nikki McClure for the ever-important reminder. Yes. Breath.
While Elliot's room might be my favorite place in the house, our mantle is definitely my favorite thing in the house. Yes, a real mantle with a read fire place. Ever since the first time I saw this house I have been day dreaming about what I might adorn my mantle with and what my rotating seasonal displays might have. Well, here's my first shot at it. My glass collection (bottles from random thrift stores and one even found buried under our house in Portland by the people doing some construction work for us; glass floats from my great-grandma Marge). And I just love my wee fall display. A beautiful pumpkin. An amazing leaf. And three little acorns all in a row. Elliot loves to take their "hats" on and off oh-so-carefully.

So, there you have it. Some highlights from our sweet little house. And now that you've gotten a little glimpse, don't you want to come and visit in person??! We love visitors!

Pumpkin Painting

2010-10-15T20:41:00.000-07:00

Elliot got to do his first real painting today... paint cups full of tempera, chunky paint brushes, smocks, the whole shebang. He was a little tentative at first, but quickly got into the spirit of things. Before you knew it, he was mixing colors, feeling the wet squishy paint, and getting smudges of it from his fingertips to his elbows. It was a super fun play date at John's house. From what I could tell, all of the boys (yes, John included!) had a ton of fun.

Community Supported Agriculture

2010-10-14T20:58:00.000-07:00

Last week Elliot and I went out to Spyglass Gardens to pick up his grandparent's weekly share of produce from their CSA. It turns out that the boxes weren't ready until the afternoon, but Elliot and I showed up bright and early at 9am. Lucky for us, "Farmer Smith" came out and gave us a whole bunch of personal attention. He went around gathering our beets and chard and squash and this and that, then said to Elliot, "Wanna go see the chickens?" And he reached right down and picked Elliot up and walked us back to the chicken coop. Apparently, Farmer Smith has three young grandchildren who spend lots of time on his farm, so Elliot felt very familiar to him. We got to see his pumpkin patch that he's getting ready for the annual pumpkin party for all of the CSA members and we talked all about the amazing spinach that he's growing. It's a special kind from New Zealand that grows in vines up fence posts and produces the thickest most beautiful spinach leaves I've ever seen. It's amazing. I told him about all of the dinners I've been making with his delicious produce and he just carried Elliot around pointing out this and that while his sweet old dog Morgan followed us around. He even gave Elliot a special little Elliot-sized pumpkin to take with him when we left. It is so very special to get to see where your veggies and pumpkins are grown. We can't wait to go back out for the pumpkin picking party and meet other CSA members. But mostly we can't wait to see Farmer Smith again!

Basquos By Proxy

2010-10-11T19:31:00.000-07:00

Elliot, busting a move to the music coming out of the Basque Center. Okay, so it was just music coming out of the bar at the Basque Center. But I say Oinkari, here he comes!

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-10T19:50:00.000-07:00

After a very long week (I got a job and we put a deposit on a rental in the North End and are preparing to move next week--ack!), we enjoyed a wonderful weekend visit from Elliot's Spiritual Guardian, Annika. After showing her all the best Boise has to offer (at least the best that I've found so far... Big City Coffee, the greenbelt bike path, the North End, Zoo Boise, and the Basque Block), we finished off the weekend with a trip to the pumpkin patch. We drove out to the beautiful farmlands surrounding Boise to Cabalo's Orchard and Gardens. This organic farm in Kuna, ID, has a u-pick apple orchard, organic turkeys that you can order for Thanksgiving (butchered or live), a farm stand, an awesome tractor ride, and the most wonderful pumpkin patch I've ever been to. Instead of just a dirt field with pumpkins laying on top, this was a wonderfully weedy field with twisted vines and pumpkins of all sizes and shapes. Elliot was his usual farm-stoic self. He's never appeared to be that outwardly excited by farms--well, unless blueberries are involved. But Andrea, Annika and I were all smiles. And I picked my fill of pumpkins and can't wait to put them out on our new front porch. Thanks for a wonderful weekend, Annika. Here's to many more years of laughing at how grumpy Elliot is at the pumpkin patch.

Water Day

2010-09-30T19:56:00.000-07:00

I invited some cousins and their little ones over for an end-of-summer Water Day. John brought little Liam and baby Owen and Laura brought Elliot's cousin Jack. The boys had a ton of fun... scooping and pouring water, making a squirt bottle mural, fishing, rescuing animals stuck in icebergs, and eating plenty of watermelon.

Elliot even tried his hardest to get Owen in on the fun. Yes... he did just dump that bucket of water and, yes, it did almost go all over Owen. Little stinker.

Beet Crayons and Blackberry Paint

2010-09-28T16:49:00.000-07:00

Toddler art is fun and messy. And when their media are organic materials, letting it get all over their skin and letting them taste it is just no problem. I left this mural to dry in the sun after Elliot was finished and now I have a big, beautiful, hand painted piece from him that I can either use as wrapping paper or cut into smaller pictures. And I've also found one more use for all of those beets from the CSA!

PS: Happy birthday, Annika! We hope you liked your blackberry paint hand print!! xoxo

We Love Goats

2010-09-26T21:07:00.000-07:00

Even if they are a little bit crazy looking.

Toto...

2010-09-24T20:01:00.000-07:00

I have a feeling we're not in Portland anymore.
Elliot and I took the family dog, Finnegan, to an off-leash dog park this week. And, let me tell you, it was unlike any dog park I'd ever seen before. The landscape here can sometimes be so completely foreign to me. Not like I've never seen deserty, dry, dusty land. But to be living in it, taking a dog to run around in it, calling it the "dog park" is just so far from what I'm used to. But, even though I was sure a rattle snake was going to jump out at us with every step we took, we managed to have a good time kickin' up some dirt, running on the paths, and looking for rocks.

Stroller Strides

2010-09-22T20:05:00.000-07:00

Today Elliot and I went to an introductory class of Stroller Strides. It was really awesome and kicked my butt! The kiddos were all strapped into their strollers and the tough Mamas squatted, jumped, ran, sang "I'm a little teapot," and had oh-so-much fun. The group was really well facilitated (thanks, Emily and the three other helper-teachers!) and there was a lot of good attention put to making new members feel welcome. It was great to get out there and sweat, meet other Mums, and watch Elliot having fun running around with other little ones. He was (mostly) patient with being strapped in for the 75 minute work out, but when I took him out at the end he immediately grabbed a stick and started running around like a crazy baby. He didn't want to be the only one not having fun!

Grocery Shopping

2010-09-18T20:20:00.000-07:00

Elliot and I took a trip to Boise's Discovery Center on one of the free admission Fridays that Fred Meyer's is sponsoring between now and November 19th. The Discovery Center is a science museum, like Portland's OMSI. Like most science museums, the majority of it was more appropriate for school-aged kiddos. Not a lot to keep Elliot engaged. But they did have one area that was set up as a grocery store just for the little ones. Elliot, who happens to be really into pretend food right now, was totally engaged for over a half hour. Lots of good pretend play and interacting with other kiddos. I think we'll definitely take a bit of time out of our next few Fridays and head back to the store. I spent most of the time playing with Elliot in the store, but I'd love for him to get comfortable enough for me to stand back and let him play with the food and the kids all on his own.

Lessons From A Painter

2010-09-16T20:10:00.000-07:00

After nap time and lunch, when the afternoon is hot and slow and long, Elliot enjoys a good long hour of water play. I fill a couple of big buckets with a few inches of water and set him up in the shade on the driveway. He scoops and pours and is, for once in the day, quiet. Completely quiet. Silently engaged. Then the other day I remembered a classic preschool outdoor activity of putting large paintbrushes out with buckets of water and letting the kids "paint" the walls and ground. So I dug around in the garage and came out with a few brushes. I added the brushes to his water play things and told him he could "paint the garage door." It was a few minutes of watching Elliot bang the brushes on the ground and throw them around before I realized that he had no idea what I was talking about. Not only had he never seen or held a large paint brush before, but he had never seen anyone paint with one. So I took a minute to demonstrate and guide him, then let him go. He picked it up right away and loved it. It was so fun to watch him explore something new. And such a good lesson for me to remember that, even though this child is so capable and skilled, he is still only one year old. There is so much in this life that is still brand new to him.

Virgos Unite

2010-09-15T17:52:00.000-07:00

We celebrated the third birthday of our nephew, Jack, yesterday. I gave my creativity a license to drive and this is where it went... garden creature cupcakes and a superhero cape. My favorite was when Jack said, "my mouth is full of bumble bee!"

Watermelon Head

2010-09-13T21:33:00.001-07:00

Here's Elliot... showing off his new, AWESOME watermelon helmet while he sits in our new-to-us bike trailer that I found on Craigslist. (Thanks for the birthday money, Pops! I found exactly what I wanted!!!) Elliot and I set out on our first bike adventure today. The big question was whether he was going to leave his helmet on or not--a deal breaker for us when it comes to bike riding. We've been having him play with it and pretend to take bites out of it and I put on my helmet and we tap our heads together. Anything we can think of to make it fun for him to wear it (generally he's NOT a hat kid--we can never get him to keep anything on his head). And, today, as you can see... success! He wore his helmet, we rode on the bike path, we went into town and sat at a coffee shop for a while, then rode home. He fussed a bit a few times, but was generally content to watch the world go by.

Bumping Up and Down

2010-09-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

Elliot's new favorite... his little red wagon that we found at a yard sale this weekend. It has two seats with seat belts and cupholders. It's a super sweet ride.

Snapshots From My 35th... How Lucky I Am!

2010-09-10T20:19:00.000-07:00

Keeping Busy

2010-09-09T20:48:00.000-07:00

I've noticed that the older I get them more I need to be in constant motion. Always doing a little something, usually something like cleaning off the counters or sweeping the floor. Keeping busy helps keep my stress at bay. It helps keep me calm. And when I need to keep my mind still and quiet, I love to turn to cooking and baking. Needless to say, in our most recent life transition, I have been doing a lot of cooking and baking. It's just the right controlled, successful process for me to engage in to keep me feeling balanced. And it just so happens that while we're staying at Andrea's parents' house I have access to an amazing kitchen and a stocked pantry. So, yes, for many reasons I have been doing a lot of cooking an baking. Here's a little glimpse...

This delicious roasted beet salad with dried cranberries, pine nuts and goat cheese was inspired by one of my last meals in Portland with Dr. Judy at Laurelhurst Market. I took one bite of that salad at our dinner and interrupted her story to tell her I felt like I was rolling in a field on a warm summer's day as I ate this most delicious bitefull of salad with a slight burst of fresh mint exploding in my mouth (it was seriously so good). Well, my version was really really good, but the mint flavor didn't come through at all. I'm not sure if I needed to add more of it or if I needed to crush it more to release the flavor. Regardless, the sweet roasted beets (fresh from the CSA farm) mixed with the creamy chevre and the balsamic dressing was absolutely delicious.

I don't have pictures of my other recent yummies, but I would recommend them equally as highly as the roasted beet salad.

One were these amazing Crispy Baked Zucchini and Summer Squash Strips (also from the CSA farm--when the zucchini comes in, you've got to figure out how to use it all!). These strips were so good. So easy. So healthy. We dipped in marinara instead of the sauce the recipe calls for. The perfect accompaniment to our hot dog extravaganza! Yumm yum!
The second, Peach Shortbread, was the yummiest, easiest, quickest dessert treat to make if you have just one fresh, juicy peach lying around. I halved the recipe but still used a full egg, and I didn't brown the butter so I followed her suggestion for a bit of extra flour. I baked it in a round cake pan and cut it into wedges when it cooled. It came together so quickly and easily, and was gobbled up just a quickly and just as easily!
The last and yummiest of all are these Salted Butterscotch Cookies. So easy. So yummy. I'm sure you have everything you need to make them in your cupboard right now. And don't pay attention to the description that says they're crispy. Cook them for just 10 minutes and they are pure soft, salty, butterscotchy goodness. Mmmmm...

So, clearly, my hands and mind (and belly!) have been kept extra busy lately. I love having a creative outlet to turn to when I need some balancing. And, of course , it helps to have a great space to work in and a happy and willing audience to share my creations with. I wonder what I'll make tomorrow....??

Cast Of Characters

2010-09-08T21:29:00.000-07:00

Starring, in the lead role as the newest Social Worker for Ada County Juvenile Justice... Andrea!

And in a supporting role as Stay-at-Home Mum (at least for now)... Malia!

And, of course, the best leading man any one could ever ask for.... Elliot!

Congratulations, Andrea!! You are so good at what you do. Ada County Juvenile Justice is lucky to have you on their team. (But does this mean our vacation is over now??)

In The Mountains

2010-09-07T19:38:00.000-07:00

Look at that view. We were lucky enough to get to spend the weekend at Andrea's parents' cabin in Cascade, Idaho. We had so much fun, including plenty of sitting on the couch and staring out at that view. Lucky us. Elliot, whose only other time there was when he was 7 weeks old, took full advantage of his mega-toddler skills to tromp through the dry pine forest with his Amuma and climb the rocks with his Grandpa. A very special and very good time was had by all.

He Loves It

2010-09-01T21:21:00.000-07:00

Elliot loves the Boise River. And so do I. We are lucky enough to be living right across the street from it right now. This beautiful spot that we splashed around in today is literally right across the street from Andrea's parent's house. It is quiet and peaceful, cool and refreshing, and it smells so good. It is quickly becoming my favorite go-to place. My new Mt. Tabor. A place that lets me feel like I'm worlds away from civilization and real life while filling me with that tranquil feeling that only a deep submersion into nature can do. And Elliot... he splashes and throws rocks and waves sticks around until he's covered in water droplets. He doesn't hold back. Just marches right in. It is a truly wonderful way to spend an afternoon... for both of us.

Hard At Work

2010-08-31T09:52:00.000-07:00

Elliot and his cousin, Jack, spent a good long time digging and dumping in the dirt pile at the end of the driveway. They worked hard side-by-side one another. And Elliot did a lot of watching and learning from his big cousin. The boys were having so much fun that little Maizy, who is Elliot's age and lives next door, got her Mama to bring her over for some scooping and pouring, too. It was a super fun impromptu play group for all of the little people.

Strawberry Picking

2010-08-30T19:56:00.000-07:00

Where's the best place to pick the yummiest strawberries? Right outside in Amuma's backyard, of course! Extra-juicy, sun-warmed, mouth-filling strawberries. A whole patch of them. What a lucky little boy.

Moo Baa La La La

2010-08-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

Elliot learned all of his animal sounds just in time for a trip to the Western Idaho Fair. We were so delighted with his interest in all of the farm animals. And, because he would run up to them making their sounds, we knew he was interested. He says a perfect, high pitched "mmmahm" for the goats and an awesome, deep, loud "bHHAAA" for the sheep. His "nehh" for the horse is adorable, too. It was so amazing to hear him make the all of the sounds with complete accuracy, and then watch him as he heard the actual live animals make the sounds right back to him. Live animals, plus some of the sweetest corn on the cob I've ever tasted, a corn dog and some churros, and we had ourselves one perfect trip to the fair.

Indiana On My Mind

2010-08-28T19:59:00.000-07:00

Welcome back, from Indiana. We have just enjoyed the most wonderful week in North Vernon, Indiana, with cousins Austin and Traci, Auntie Granny and Uncle Gramps, Nan, Nana and Grammy. What a visit!

There was a whole lotta water play. Fun, fun, fun.

A bunch of dog cuddling. Snuggle, snuggle, snuggle.

And a weeks-worth of gabbing. Love, love, love.

We also had a trip to the urgent care to have a tick removed from under Elliot's arm (yuck!). And this was Elliot's first time meeting some of my most favorite relatives, and specifically his first time meeting his great-grandma Nana. We are lucky, lucky, lucky in so many ways. The only thing missing at this point is more time to spend with our loved ones in Indiana. What a great week we had. We can't wait to go back again for more water playing, dog cuddling, and gabbing.

Water Day

2010-08-19T20:57:00.000-07:00

The sun in Idaho is bright and the heat is hot. It's desert heat, and we're not used to it. This little toddler needs to get out in the world to move and explore and be loud and run, but that's hard to do when it's so hot out. So today, we did what one does when you need get your ya-yas out but stay cool while you're doing it. We played in the water. Three times in three different places in three different ways! The fountain, the Boise River, and the good old fashion sprinkler. It was the perfect solution to staying cool outside.

Watch Out

2010-08-18T21:40:00.000-07:00

Only fourteen and a half more years before he's really behind the wheel!

Good Morning

2010-08-17T20:04:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness for parks. They help make big transitions feel a little more normal for little people. Getting to wake up on our first morning in Boise and head to the park (in what I hope to be our future neighborhood) was just perfect for Elliot, not to mention for me and Andrea. So... good morning Boise, we've finally made it.

Good or Bad?

2010-08-13T22:53:00.000-07:00

Do you think that it's a progression or a digression in Elliot's eating habits if all he will eat these days are pickles? Dill pickle spears. Pickle chips. Half a jar of Amuma's bread and butter pickles. Vegetables and proteins... no way. Pickles... yes. Any kind of pickle you give the kid, he will eat it. He will, emphatically, choose it over anything else you're offering him. So the question remains, does this mean his palette is getting more sophisticated, or more narrow and picky??? Hmmm....

Learning To Love

2010-08-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

Today, after naptime, I took Elliot and his snack downstairs for one of his favorite activities... watching traffic. Luckily, we live right off a very busy street. A quick hop across the street and there is a great grassy, shaded area right behind a bus stop. We sat, with a freshly peeled and sliced peach from last week's trip to Sauvie Island Farms with Auntie Mira, and watched buses, trucks, vans, motorcycles, bicycles, cars, even a tractor and a police car with its siren and lights on! They all passed right before our eyes. Never before would I have thought I'd spend afternoons watching, commenting on, and, dare I say, getting excited about traffic. Andrea says it's like when Greg Brown sings about "learning to love what your lover loves" in the Good Morning Coffee Song. We didn't teach Elliot to love heavy machinery. We never even considered pointing out the passing semis and garbage trucks. But when your child is literally leaping out of your arms and screaming with excitement, there's not much else to do but to get in the mood. So, for now, we are all in serious love with each passing TRUCK! BUS! and CAR!

What Does Elliot Think About His Auntie?

2010-08-07T21:22:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhhhhhh! He loves her... THAT much! He loves her at the park, on the street, and in the house. He loves her laughing, playing silly mouth games, and reading books. He loves her in all of these places and in all of these ways, and so do I. We are so lucky to have Auntie Mira in our life. She is, most definitely, the best. Thank you for coming to visit, Mira. We are so very lucky to have you. xoxo.

Hold On Tight

2010-08-04T11:42:00.000-07:00

Whatever you do... no matter how tired you get... don't let go of your pretzel.

Days Start Early With A Toddler

2010-08-03T12:28:00.000-07:00

By 11:00 this morning we were home for nap time, having already been out of the house for three hours. It's long mornings like these when a park like Laurelhurst comes in handy. I haven't spent much time at Laurelhurst, but it turns out it's the perfect place to take a toddler. All at one park you can watch traffic go by or get immersed in the forest, you can play on the playground or run in the field, you can watch kids play tennis or basketball or chase, there's a duck pond (see his fingers in the second picture above? he's doing the sign for "duck") and lots of space for one of Elliot's new favorite toys... the age-old bucket and shovel. I think we'll try and get our fill of Laurelhurst in the next few weeks. Seems like it's just our speed.

Stay-At-Home Mummas...

2010-08-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

make blueberry pancakes for breakfast, right?!? My first Monday home of my month of unemployment (getting a job will happen soon!) and I couldn't think of anything better to do than make Elliot some homemade blueberry oatmeal pancakes. If day one starts out this fun, I can't wait for the rest of this month!!

The Piggy Bank Fund

2010-08-01T21:53:00.000-07:00

I am certainly no authority on dive bars, but I do know a good one when I see one. Dark, loud music, friendly bartenders, lots of posters and neon lights on the walls, pool, video poker, and big comfy booths. Thatcher's is all that, emphasis on the on the big booths and friendly bartenders. We used to live just a few blocks from it and were regulars pre-Elliot... well, we went there more times than anywhere else and we always sat in the same booth. I think that kind of makes us regulars. Did I mention they make awesome burgers and the best "special" sauce? Yeah, Thatcher's is all that.When Andrea, Annika and I lived together we had a joint piggy bank for all of our pocket change. We agreed that we would let it accumulate as much as we could then have big Thatcher's blow-out and spend all of the piggy bank money on video poker. Seems like the right idea, don't you think?!

Well, here we are, just two weeks left in Portland and our sweet friend Emily in town. Seemed like the perfect time to cash in the bank. In total we had $64 to blow. Of course, Andrea was the only winner in the group. She swears it's because of her positive attitude. I think I'm just too focused on my awesome burger and bottomless fries to be be good at anything else. Regardless, it was a perfect few hours away from the babe, enjoying one of our iconic Portland hang outs. And, we all agreed, the perfect way to blow our piggy bank fund.

Food Carts: Sonny Bowl and Sweet Wheels

2010-07-31T13:04:00.000-07:00

Friday was my last day at work, and also the final food cart extravaganza lunch. We didn't have much time to research and decide where we would go, but I was sure I wanted to squeeze in a trip to Sweet Wheels, a roving food cart that serves only cupcakes. I knew it going to be at SW 2nd and Oak on Friday at noon, so we decided to grab lunch from Sonny Bowl (since neither of us had been there and it was just one block away from our cupcake destination) then swing by Sweet Wheels (because, as I said before, dessert is always the right idea), and then we headed down to the waterfront to meet up with Andrea and Elliot for a quick lunch.

So here's the lunch cart low-down for the day... Sonny Bowl is a vegan cart option that offers three different "bowls" of food. We both chose the black bean, brown rice, mexican themed bowl. It was good. Better than I was expecting, actually. Very filling, neither of us finished ours, and very flavorful.

But the clear winner for me were the cupcakes from Sweet Wheels. There were only three varieties left when we got there, so we bought one of each (of course!). Chocolate with fresh strawberry frosting (the frosting was amazing), vanilla with chocolate frosting (my favorite cake of all three varieties), and the winner by far... coconut with cream cheese frosting. It was so good! Sweet wheels doesn't have a set location, so you have to check in on Facebook or Twitter each day to find out where they are, and I suggest you do. And when you're there, cross your fingers that they still have some coconut cupcakes left. You will be in for a very yummy treat.