Waste not

Because of the weather, our garbage has not been picked up in almost three weeks now. I am feeling really guilty about all the waste produced by Christmas. So many boxes and plastic wrappers, wrapping paper and bags. It makes me a little sick. I am usually so good about keeping our garbage low and recycling. My goal for next Christmas is to scale way down on the waste. Wrap presents in cloth and aim for any store bought gifts with little or no packaging. That will be a fun challenge I think. I will put a sticky note on my new calendar right now! What else to remember for next year?

Pictures with Santa

We are buried in over a foot of snow here (that is alot for us). I hitched a ride to town yesterday after being home for 6 days straight. I had to get out, but it has been fun staying home. The kids are loving it and finding lots of friends to keep busy. I am glad all my Christmas shopping was done! Unfortunately we did not get to visit santa yet, and the forecast isn't looking good for tomorrow. Our neighbors snow santa will have to do this year. (it is really amazing!) Sorry, I didn't get cards out this year, (thinking I will be sending a greeting in 2 months anyway.) I hope everyone is safe & warm and spending fun time with family.

Merry Christmas!

Play in the Snow - Check!

We got a surprise little flurry of snow here, about 2 inches. The kids were ecstatic and played outside all day and got along great! I didn't have to do anything but sit inside and be lazy. With any luck, we will have a bit more snow this year.

Coconut Thai Soup- Yum

Here is a new recipe I constructed and love! Its a little too spicy for the kids, but just what you need on these cold days. You can add any vegis you like or shrimp. Do you have a fav soup recipe?

THAI CHICKEN AND COCONUT SOUP-
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tsp lemon zest or 3 TBL minced lemongrass
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 to 3 teaspoons Thai red curry paste (or to taste)
6 cups homemade chicken broth
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 (14-ounce) cans unsweetened coconut milk
1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into strips
1 can slivered bamboo shoots, drained and rinsed
1 cup or so of chopped carrots
A handful of rice noodle sticks
3 tablespoons lime juice
Salt if needed
1/2 cup loosely packed whole fresh cilantro leaves
3 green onions, sliced thin on an angle

1. Heat the oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the lemon grass, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
2. Add chicken stock, fish sauce, and sugar, coconut milk, bamboo, rice sticks, carrots and chicken. Simmer to blend flavors, about 20 minutes.
3 Taste for seasoning and add salt if desired. Add lime juice cilantro and scallions. Yum!

Perform in a Christmas Play- CHECK

Tonight the kids got to be in a Christmas play at our church party. It was a simple nativity story but very cute. Owen was a sheep and played his part so well and serious, with great excitement. I was surprised at him. Perrie was an angel and was shy of course. It was very fun to watch them. The pictures are really not as cute as the real thing.

We have a fake tree. I know this takes away alot of the fun, but it also takes away the mess, the expense and the hassle. We put our tree up on Friday, because Perrie could not wait a minute more. But we managed to enjoy some of the live tree fun with my inlaws at the Christmas tree farm for their tree.

Turkey Day Fun

We have a fun tradition on Thanksgiving with my extended family. The previous year we all write “predictions” for the coming year and then we read them the following Thanksgiving. Most of them are not serious at all. Here are a few that had us rolling with laughter this year…

Trisha will own a mushroom farm.
David and Perrie will be making their own survival TV show.
Owen will sign with the Padres.
Trisha will join fabric store shoppers-anonymous.
Kasey will grow huge sideburns Brigham Young style.
Morgan will come face to face with a cougar and win, then cook it.
Something funny will happen, and it will be funny.

Favorite Leftover Turkey Soup

Barley Mushroom Soup

1 c. dried porcini mushrooms (soak in 2 cups boiling water) (optional)
2 onions chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ lb white mushrooms ( 1/2 chopped & ½ sliced)
1 TBL oil
8 cups water or broth
2/3 cup uncooked pearled barley
Cooked turkey
1 tsp dried thyme
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt & pepper

Saute chopped veggies in oil about 10 min. Add broth, thyme and sliced mushrooms. Add porcini and soaking liquid. Bring to boil and add barley & turkey. Reduce heat and simmer till barley is tender about 40-60 min. Add parsley, salt & pepper. Serve. Do you have a favorite turkey recipe?

An Old Dog Can Learn New Tricks

Perrie started piano lessons this year and since I never learned, I thought I might tag on and learn too. Piano is one of the few instruments that can sound complete all by itself.
I am really getting excited about it. I wake up and want to play “Joy to the World”. Every spare minute I have, I want to practice. It is so fun to learn something new. I love being able to play all my favorite Christmas Carols (in the beginner book of course). Music can be very soothing to the soul, even more so when it is live or created by you! It feels like a little escape too. It has inspired me to keep learning. I could learn a new skill, language, talent, or anything.

Advent Ideas

I love the Christmas season. I love to decorate, bake, attend plays, sing carols, all that stuff. But I feel like it goes by fast and unless I do alot of planning, we miss something. I am putting together an advent list, something to do everyday until Christmas. Here are some of my ideas, not in any order...

Watch it’s a wonderful life
Watch the Grinch
Bake cookies and deliver
Put up tree and decorate
Go Christmas shopping
Wrap presents
Make salt dough ornaments
Take and drive and look at Christmas lights
Sing Christmas carols & play instruments
Attend a Christmas pageant
Make a food garland for wildlife
Read journal of holidays past
Put on a Christmas play
Talk of Christmas around the world
Invite a family over for games & goodies
Make an advent paper chain with scriptures inside to read each night
Have a special meal with food Jesus and Mary would have eaten in their life
Make a snowman craft
Donate gifts to less fortunate
decorate and mail cards to family far away
go sledding
visit botanical gardens for light show
cut paper snowflakes and decorate
visit santa
see the nutcracker ballet

What do you do for the season? Any other ideas?

Human or Octopus

Baby girl must think I am going to forget about her. She feels the need to remind me a lot, in very strong karate-kick ways. Usually, just as I am settling down for a rest.

Or maybe she is hearing the battle-cries of her brother and sister. She has started training for the rumble with kickboxing. She will need it.

But really I think I am giving birth to an octopus. It feels like a large octopus is stuck in a small space and is trying to get out, using all its tentacles.

I actually love this part of being pregnant. It really helps me bond with baby and force me to think of her. What is she doing? Was that a foot or a hand? Can she hear us?
Pregnancy is really a strange, amazing thing.

kids in costume

My fairy and triceratops had lots of fun for Halloween. I dread the day they will want to be something scary. I like sweet happy costumes!

When I grow up

My kids have a cute lil critter book called "When I Grow Up". I started thinking of a list called “When my kids grow up” (well a little bit more anyway) in the same spirit

I will buy a kayak & have great adventures discovering hidden beaches
I will paint - oils, acrylic, watercolor, anything
I will join the mycology association and become an expert mushroom hunter
I will become a serious rockhounder and uncover treasures around the world
I will go back to school – (I was on schedule to go back this fall and start a nursing program but
baby #3 popped in. Some people can multi manage this but not me. Also my brain turns off alot when I’m pregnant. )
I will have interesting and fun dinner parties.
I will become active in an important environmental group.
I will travel to Spain and Italy.

hmm, what else? How about you? What dreams do you have on hold?

movie night

In a rare turn of events, I actually got to watch a movie of my choice the other night. I had wanted to see a new one called “The Other Boleyn Sister.” I really knew nothing about it except I liked the actors in it (Eric Bana, Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson) The movie was great, with very entertaining characters. I loved seeing Portman be a bad girl. Then I found out the whole story, down to nearly every last juicy detail, is real. It is a brief story of Henry VIII, and some of his wives and mistresses. You should see it. It was a shocking history lesson. It makes me want to learn more.

Here are a few movie favorites:

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers - a classic packed full of humor. A kid favorite too.

Taming of the Shrew, with Elizabeth Taylor-

Chocolat -- a good message

Hour Of The Wolf - or anything by Swedish Director Ingmar Bergman – he is a little dark and disturbing but I like it

Alfred Hitchcock films – like Rear Window

As you can see, I don’t get to watch many shows. What are some of your all-time favorites?

pregnant nun

My tummy is getting big! I really look like a swallowed a basketball. I started thinking about how to fully take advantage of this shape for Halloween. I have a few costume parties to attend and need to dress up. I dont think I am brave enough to paint my belly and let it hang out like a jack-lantern. Here are a few ideas I have found:
Nun
Cheerleader
Pilsbury Dough Boy
peapod
Bride
santa claus

Any other ideas?

Tickled Pink!

It looks like a baby girl is on her way, set for Valentines day. Perrie is soo excited. She is not liking "brothers" much right now. I am excited too. Owen can always be my mamasboy now. Now to come up with a name we can agree on. hmmm...

Excess

If David had his way, the garden would be nothing but delicata squash and cherry tomatoes. I had to talk him down to 2 cherry tomato plants this year. The problem is they all come on at once and we cant keep up with them. Well I just read about a way to preserve them. I sliced them and put them in my dehydrator (that was gathering dust) for about 24 hrs and whalah! Sun Dried Tomatoes! They have a great flavor, I keep munching on them plain. I am envisioning these in soups, pizzas and casseroles this winter. They are delicious! Do you have a favorite sundried tomato recipe?

The mysterious hybrid

Two years ago I took the kids to a pumpkin farm and bought some of those cute mini pumpkins. I decided to save the seeds and grow them in my garden. (I think they make fun teacher gifts) Last year when we planted the seeds we got half cute mini pumpkins, and half warty gourdy pumpkins. This year we tried again and only got these warty gourdy pumpkins.

This is what I have learned the hard way about hybrid seeds. They are created with two different varieties of plants, a mother and father of different characteristics. The offspring is a perfect blend of the two. However the offspring of the hybrid (the grandchild) is totally unpredictable. It could be characteristics from both grandparents, just one or a complete dud. They want you to keep buying the seeds. Great marketing scam huh?

Now an heirloom seed is a seed that will guarantee the same crop year after year (unless it accidentally crossbreeds but that can be avoided.) These are the seeds that have been passed down from generation to generation and have stayed out of the laboratory. These are self sustaining and hearty. I have heard these terms before but didn’t really understand what they meant. Thought I would pass this info along to any fellow gardens. I for one will not waste my time saving hybrid seeds any longer.

Daddy Daughter Time

I think daddy/daughter time is sooo important. So I was thrilled when David and Perrie went on a overnight backpacking trip a few weekends ago. They went with Dave's brother and his son as well. It was a perfect trip for all. The weather was great, they caught fish to eat for breakfast and there were thousands of little frogs everywhere for the kids to catch. Not to mention the heavenly surrounding. I hope this will become an annual tradition.

Today was such a beautiful summer day and Owen was feeling a bit left out of school. So we went to one of our favorite haunts, Mukilteo Beach on the Sound. I couldnt imagine a more perfect day. It was heavenly. Owen played in the sand and chased seagulls while I read my book in the sun. The park recently added a fun playground too so Owen got alot of exercise. Maybe summer is still alive after all!

First Day of School

Good Luck Perrie!

Sweet

I really like using natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup and fruit juice concentrate. I had seen one called agave nectar at the store but didn’t know much about it. Then I learned agave nectar has one of the lowest glycymic index numbers for natural sweeteners. I was diabetic my last pregnancy and my dad is diabetic too, so I am always looking for low glucose solutions. I got some and tried it. I LOVE IT. Yum, it is similar to honey but more mellow and sweeter. It is easier to pour, won’t get hard & I don’t have to use much at all. I have and will use it on:

Pancakes/ French toast
In smoothies
In hot cocoa or steamed milk
In a peanut butter sandwich
To sweeten yogurt
On cereal
In salad dressings

I haven’t tried to bake with it yet, but I will. It is a newer product so there are limited recipes out there for it. Let me know if you try it.

having a pregnant wife means...

Things David likes about having a pregnant wife:

1. I totally crave meat. Usually we eat meat 1-2 times a week, but lately it is 1-2 times a day.

2. No PMS. I don’t think I am that moody regularly, but I have been very happy and content since being pregnant (besides the tired & sick part)

3. I am too tired to argue or disagree. You want a new fishing rod, OK. You want a new sleeping bag, OK. (He hasn’t actually caught on to this yet.)

4. I do not want to spend money on new clothes right now. Just too depressing.

5.How could I not write, BIG Boobs. That and I crave romance books, movies or the real thing. Enough said.

Things David does not like about having a pregnant wife:

1. I find myself borrowing his clothes more often. He did not appreciate me wearing his wakeboarding shirt but my old swimsuit just didn’t fit me all in anymore. He doesn’t want the boob part to get stretched out. Haha.

2. Yes, I am tired a lot. He sometimes has to take care of someone besides himself.

3. I need about 5 pillows at night to get somewhat comfortable. I predict this number will continue to increase.

4. He has to start thinking about Labor and Deliver. Like most men he does not like hospitals, blood, needles and all things labor related. For the first child he stood in the furthest corner like a ghost. For the second child he was braver and sat in a chair next to me but stared at his feet for the majority of the night. Number 3?

5. I’m sure there be more to come…

Competition

Here is Owen and his grampa doing some work in the cherry picker. Owen knows how to control it of course. He knows how to drive the tractor, use the blower, air compressor and all the tools (thankfully not the chainsaw yet.) He even has his own ear protectors. What kind of toys am I supposed to entertain this kid with now? How could he ever be happy with a plastic hammer? Papa has a very hard time saying "no" to Owen and we couldn't be happier. He is a great role model for the kids.

Rock & Roll

We are so lucky to live in such an artistic area. Any night of the week in summer you can find a free concert in the park around town, and it is actually good music. Tonight Owen and I went with Dave's parents to a concert on the lakefront. It was a Beattles coverband and we had alot of fun. They had everyone up dancing by the end of the show. I think we all need to dance more.

Surprise

We always told the kids when Owen got potty trained we could get a dog. We even had the kinds narrowed down. Well Owen is now potty trained but instead of a dog you get... a new baby. Surprise! (to us all.)

I am finally getting over the shock. Sorry to my friends and family who are trying for babies right now. I'm not sure how I got bumped up to the front of the line. Perrie is taking it very well. She thinks about it almost as much as me and has been such a little mother to Owen since she found out. She says she wants to be there when I deliver, hmm I'm still thinking of that one. When I asked Owen if I should have another baby he said with panic "NO!" He tries to lift my shirt and look for the baby. Dave is taking it well too. Maybe it hasn't hit him yet, but he hasn't complained about me being so lazy lately so that is a good sign.=)

February 14th!

Natural Beauty

I was inspired by Ashley’s blog to write about my “beauty regiment”. I have very sensitive skin and used to have alot of breakouts. I bought this book a few years ago called “Absolute Beauty” by a gorgeous woman from India. I have a lot of respect for ayuervedic medicine so I was drawn to this one. She basically says, your skin is your biggest organ right? So why would you put something on your skin that you wouldn’t eat? That made a lot of sense to me. She has various recipes for different skin types and more information on massage, meditation, and diet.

For the last few years I have used only food grade oils for my skin. My favorite is almond oil for a body oil, which you can mix with a favorite essential oil. I have also tried grapeseed oil, apricot kernel oil and even extra virgin olive oil works well. For my face I wash with a homemade scrub of barley meal, powdered milk and dried lemon peel. Then I nourish and moisturize with pure absolute Rose Oil, mixed with a little almond oil. This has worked better for me then anything ever! I never feel too dry or too oily, my skin rarely has a breakout anymore. The real Rose oil is a little pricey but last a long time. Otherwise I am saving a ton of money and doing my body good.

Now I have been trying to eliminate shampoo and conditioner. I know you are thinking stinky hippy, but after reading about the known carcinogens in that stuff I was looking for alternatives. I heard about this baking soda wash and apple cider vinegar rinse. I was skeptical but since I have all those items in my house I had to try it. So far it has worked great. There is more info here http://babyslime.livejournal.com/174054.html

I am excited by these simple, healthy choices and I am saving a lot of money. What beauty treatments do you find helpful?

Garden Help

We peek at our garden daily, but it is barely growing in this 50' weather. =( Owens tool of choice right now is this edger. He loves the sound it makes when he pushes it. The kids dare each other to run thru Papa's bee-infested raspberry rows. We love working in the garden.

Note to Self:

Alpine lakes & trails are still very snowy late May. While hiking you will fall into snow pits as high as your waist, many times. You will not be able to see the trail because it is buried. Everything is white and you will get lost, many times. It is cold at the lake and the kids are wet (extra socks would be good.) You cannot start a fire because all the wood is wet. The fish are not biting so don’t bring your fishing rod. You will hear an avalanche!

In other words- Please don’t go hiking at higher elevations in May ever again!

Priceless treasure

Today some neighbors trimmed there hedges and we found this little fellow very exposed. I knew the family would not return to the nest out in the open, so we claimed it. This is a real treasure to our family, we are very excited. We marvel at the complex and laborous work. Over the last few years we have become bird watchers. It is like a treasure hunt looking for birds. You have just a brief moment to observe & memorize some features before they fly off, and then try to identify them in your book. It is a fun challenge.

Mouthwatering Rhubarb

If you have rhubard, you know it is growing CRAZY right now. Here is my favorite rhubarb recipe. So easy, so yummy.

Rhubarb- Strawberry Crisp

Stir the following together in a bowl:
4 cups diced rhubarb
4 cups halved strawberries
¾ cup sugar
2 tsp orange zest
2 TBL cornstarch
¼ cup orange juice

Pour into a greased 9x13 in pan. For topping, cut together:

9 TBL cold butter
1 ¼ cup flour
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
Pinch of salt

Spread over fruit. Bake at 375’ for 45 minutes. Top with cream or ice cream. Enjoy!

Chopper man

A good part of each day is spent following this fellow around with his real hammer and ear protectors. Yesterday we actually got out to the fabric store and can you believe he found a hammer for sale at the fabric store? I never knew. Well of course I had to buy it. It was destiny. It is smaller and safer looking then our others. He keeps me laughing.

fairy fun

I had lots of girls at my house today so I kept them busy making fairy furniture. They loved it.

I'm Dyeing

I saw this really cute quilting project I wanted to make. It takes various shades of solid yellow fabric. Well I haven’t had much luck finding a variety at the stores so then I started wondering if I could dye my own. I got a few books from the library about natural dyeing and it sounds soo fun. You can try just about any plant (dandylions, flowers, moss) and sometimes get very surprising results with the colors. This might become my latest little hobby. There are various techniques but I want to try setting them in the sun in glass jars on hot days. The Native Americans were very good at this, (they would use buffalo gallbladder for a deep yellow.) Do you know why purple was always a color for royalty? Because it took 10lbs of mollusk shells and 30 days just to dye a yard of purple fabric. There is also vegetable dyes too, (I have started saving my onion skins for a pot.)It will be fun to experiment with berries and such. My husband smiles and tunes me out when I start telling him all this and calls me “Mountain Woman.” So many projects, so little time!

All I need to know I learned from Trees

• Its important to have roots.
• It pays to branch out.
• Dont pine away for old flames.
• Dont be afraid to go out on a limb.
• Be flexible so you dont break when a harsh wind blows.
• Sometimes you have to shed your old bark in order to grow.
• Grow where your planted.
• It okay to be a late bloomer.
• Avoid people who want to cut you down.
• Your cant hide your true colors in the autumn of your life.

Happy Earth Day!

Fun

I should have put this one up for Easter but my camera was missing!

my day in pictures

Camera

3/30/08
I have misplaced my camera, I vaguely remember hiding it somewhere the little ones couldn’t find it, and now I can’t find it! But I am secretly happy because I have been wanting a new camera. Conveniently George Bush wants me to buy a new one too. I think I want the SLR type but wonder if I would use it less then a regular digital camera and then you have to buy all those fancy lenses with it too. I really don’t have one picked out yet though. I know I want one with more artistic capacity.

What kind of camera do you have, and do you like it? Please help!

Cleaning Tools

I have been bitten by the spring cleaning bug. Here is some helpful tools I have discovered.

Squeegees
When I was a child I always loved to wash the car windows at the gas station. This fun tool makes washing windows fun and soo fast.

Castile Soap
This is a "green" concentrated soap that can be used on everything like carpets, counters, hand soap, and even shampoo and toothpaste if you are desperate. It comes scented like peppermint or unscented for you to add your own essential oils.

Borax
This is a recent discovery for me when I bought some for a science experiment ( fun slime recipe is here http://www.fatlion.com/science/slime.html) It has many uses but I really like it for deodorizing and a light scrub for surfaces.

Broom
There is something very therapeutic for me about the repetitive motion of sweeping. I have been known to sweep carpets, not to mention the noise and trouble of a vacuum gets very annoying to me.

Vacuum extension snake
However, there is times when a vacuum is needed and mine comes with an extra long snake attachment. I can easily and quickly do stairs, ceilings, and all the cracks and corners of our old house.

How about you? What tricks and favorites do you have? I would love to know. My grandpa-in-law (he is 85) still hangs his clothes out on the line. Im not sure if he is being economical or really loves the sundried feel and smell. I have to laugh when I see his underwear hanging on the line, but kudos to him.

Pesto Minestrone

Loved this new recipe tonight, but I am a soup lover. Wanted to share...

Pesto Minestrone

1 TBL oil
1 leek or small red onion chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups chicken or vegi broth
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 carrots diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
1 cup small soup pasta
4 cups chopped cabbage or kale or spinach
2 cups cooked cannellini (white kidney) beans (I used garbanzo)
4 TBL pesto
Salt & pepper

Saute leek or onion and garlic about 5 min. Add broth, tomatoes, carrot, celery, rosemary and thyme. Bring to a boil then simmer 20 min. Boil again add pasta and cook about 5 min. Add cabbage and beans. Simmer 5 min more. Add pesto (and seasoning if needed). Serve!

Despite having the worst day ever teaching “sunbeams”
Despite the fact that one car is not working even though we just put $700 into it (arg)
Despite the fact that I havn’t seen my husband for more than 5 minutes in the last 4 days
Despite the fact that gray clouds and cold rain have moved back in
Despite the fact that 2 young children are going winter stir-crazy

I deem tomorrow HAPPY DAY!
(and maybe the whole month of March if nessecary)
This means we should…

Smile a lot – even if you don’t mean it
Skip whenever possible
Dance
Hum
Take a bath
Wear Orange or Yellow
Eat Chocolate
Smell the flowers
Pet friendly dogs
Hug, Kiss and cuddle a lot
Bask in the sun if possible
Doodle happy faces and sunflowers

what makes you happy?

Digi Book

I’m working on a really fun project right now. Did you know over here at Shutterfly ( http://ck.shutterfly.com/inspire/? ) you can print a high quality picture book of your own design? You can create your own digital design pages or use their super easy templates. I am working on a few ABC books; a family one, and one for each of the kids. Each letter gets a word, a picture and a little explanation.

Here is a few from the ABC’s of Owen
B is for boots
E is for Ear protectors
F is for Firetrucks
G is for Gloves
O is for Oatmeal
P is for Perrie

Here is a few from our family ABC’s book:
C is for camping
D is for Dancing
G is for Gardening
H is for Hikes
V is for Vacations

I have most of the letters figured out, now I just need some more pictures to match up with them. You could make this project yourself with just scrapbook supplies. Check out the website though because they have a big list of ideas for each letter and some great examples. Fun huh?

Lost in the woods

“Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.”…
“What business have I to be in the woods and be thinking of other things?”

Henry David Thoreau

We took a hike yesterday and I heard my soul sigh “Ahhh.” I am so at piece in the woods (as long as there is not grizzly bears around) No messes to clean up, no tv-phones-computers, the kids can run and not argue, we can all breath and use our senses and just BE. I find a lot of spiritual strength there. I like how it makes me feel small and humble. I have really been needing this. It has been too gray and too wet here too long.

We feel like we are visiting a royal museum when we hike. We try to be very respectful, quiet, and notice everything small and big. However some do not take this same appreciation. One trail we took today was a bit more popular and we passed a group of people who where shouting, yelling and making weird jokes about nature. We saw a fair amount of litter on the trail too. It was very annoying and I wondered why those people even come out to the woods.

Twilight

Ok, I just read the 500 page book "Twilight" in a 24 hr period. (im too embarressed to tell you when I went to bed.) Now I need to get my hands on the next one. Not only is Meyers an amazing writer by making her characters so real and likable in a fantasy world but it also takes place in Forks WA, a place I know well, so it was fun to read about. Hmm and that Edward! What are you reading right now?

arts

What is it about the arts that we hunger for? When I say arts I mean paintings, poetry, dance, music ect. I think they celebrate the great mysteries of life, the mystery of love, beauty, birth, & death. And we all have these mysteries in common. Sometimes we get too caught up on the surface of life and forget about these mysteries. A thoughtful painting or poem can stop me in my tracks and remind my soul of another life or hidden passion. I liked this poem today. NPR has a great daily newsletter to visit for all kinds of literary goodies at http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/

Winter Song by Aaron Kramer, from Wicked Times

Under a willow
close by a brook
her lap for a pillow
her eyes for a book

she like a drummer
practiced her art
all spring and all summer—
the drum was my heart.

Hear how the willow sighs to the sun:
It is over and done with, over and done!
Hear the cold brook, that can hardly run:
It is over and done with, over and done!

Under what maple
close by what lake
will she lie next April?
Whose heart will she break?


What are some of your fav poems or celebrations of life?

Rex Ray

Ive never really gotten into abstract modern art before, I mean I have liked some pieces but never been smitten by them. Then I found Rex Ray. (Swoon) Even his name gets me excited. His art is clean and organized in a random way and there is something organic about it all. It makes my soul smile. I LOVE IT. Here is a few of his pieces.

Wonderful World of Color

Making meals for a family of 4 can get pretty mundane sometimes, so I came up with a plan to mix things up. I call it Color appreciation week. Here is the skinny, each day of the week you get to only eat one color of food for that day.

WHITE MONDAY:
Rice, potatoes, milk, cauliflower, halibut, sweet potatoes, some cheese and yogurts, tapioca pudding, tofu, marshmallows, white chocolate.

BROWN TUESDAY:
Nuts, peanut butter, mushrooms, pancakes, cereal, brown rice, chocolate, beans, beef, chocolate milk, chocolate pancakes-muffins & cookies

RED WEDNESDAY:
Strawberries, apples, kidney beans, tomato tortillas, pasta sauce and red pasta, salsa, red rice, red peppers and tomatoes. (tomato juice could dye many items)

ORANGE THURSDAY:
Oranges, carrots, salmon, yams, shrimp, mangos, pumpkin-(this could help colorize many things too like pumpkin pancakes or pumpkin muffins)

GREEN FRIDAY:
Green tortillas, green salsa, spinach, broccoli, peas, PESTO, cucumbers, guacamole, lima beans, edamame, celery, pickles, green olives, green pasta (spinach juice could dye some items too if needed)

YELLOW SATURDAY:
Eggs, squash, bananas, vanilla pudding, corn, butter, cheese, lemons, cornbread, cornbread pancakes, peperoncini,

I think we can pull this off. However I am very excited about GREEN day and might just become a greenatarian eating only green foods the rest of my life. Do you think I would turn green? I know someone who ate carrot juice a lot and they started to turn orange. What am I missing and what would be your favorite color day? I will let you know how it goes.


P.S. I know what you are thinking, that I have too much time on my hands right? Well I will have you know that when I worked 40hrs a week I planned spirit week at my office just like in high school and actually got a lot to participate. Ha! I just wanna have some fun. Ok maybe this gray wet weather is getting to me a bit.

Year of the babies

Ok, so six of my friends are pregnant so far this year, six! Did I miss a comet flying by or something? Some where planned, some where not planned and some had been planning & planning & planning. I have two kids and feel like that is my sanity maximum right now but I can’t help feeling a tiny bit envious of them.

First off being pregnant is such a special thing, you get to eat tons of food- no really- You get to be sooo close to a being and share your life and energy with it. You are apart of something so much bigger then yourself and this life. Pregnancy always made me soo emotional, in a good way. I cried at sunrises and sunsets, I cried at Disney movies and cried at tiny little baby socks. It was a very happy time.

Labor, now that is a different animal. I feel like you are helping bring this new life here - you have to go halfway to meet it into the other world. I have done it with drugs and without drugs. They both have some positives actually. Without drugs it is very intense and powerful, you are in your own world (however you want to jump out the window) A little too traumatic for me. With the drugs it was a quiet process I could really be around for and enjoy more (not to mention my husband too.) I do however have great respect for those of you going “natural” and wish you the best. It is such a different process for everyone.

It is so fun to finally see what has been growing inside you. When my babies were born they always laid them on me skin to skin and we kept that up for a long time after. I loved nursing, I loved being that close. One of my most favorites is when the baby has eaten and has that drunken look on their face! Pure contentment! That doesn’t last forever.

What do you love about being pregnant and the newborn?

Alright, I better go wake my husband up now for some lovin. (lol) You never know, I comet might fly by my house some night too. How do you know when your done?

hedgies

One of my latest discoveries is hedgehogs. I sooo want to get a pet hedgehog. Owen actually turned me on to them. He has a lot of little plastic animals and he particular loves the hedgehog. His hedgehog sleeps with him, rides motorcycles, takes a bath and has a snack on occasion.

So I started thinking, well maybe someone has a pet hedgehog and checked the internet. There is a whole world out there of proud hedgehog owners, they call themselves “hedgehog enthusiasts”. I will name him “Herbie” and he will be my pet.

Pretty cute huh? I still want a pygmy goat too though. What animal would you like as a pet?