Well I'll be a monkey's mama

Read This

2012-01-07T10:16:00.000-08:00

If you do one thing today - read this post. It's awesome. Just plain awesome. So drop what you're doing and read this. You won't be sorry.

The first foray into the forest - overnight!

2011-07-15T19:04:00.000-07:00

I've really wanted to take Monkey camping for a while but last year it just wasn't in the cards (and before that I was not up for the challenge of camping with a toddler or baby). All along my husband has thought that I was insane. So with Mr. Monkey out of the equation, I planned a mom's camp out with an experienced friend (thank God for her!)

We smashed the kids into her car and then shoved in all the gear. We were only going for two nights but I'm pretty sure we could have survived weeks in that car if a disaster had hit. We stayed at Moran State Park which I would highly recommend for kid camping! We were at the North End campground which doesn't afford a lot of privacy but it's very close to the wonderful Cascade Lake day-use area (swimming area, playground and boat rentals) and easy hiking trails. We hiked, explored the campsite, roasted marshmallows for s'mores, swam in the lake and kayaked. We really packed it all in. Monkey LOVED it and was so sad that we had to leave. We will do it again - but maybe in two cars!

Takeaways

1) If you don't have a lot of gear - tag-a-long with a friend who does! My camping guru had a camp stove and everything else I don't have or would have forgotten.

2) Start small (close to home/civilization so you can bail if necessary & not too many nights for your first time). You WILL be exhausted!

3) Bring wipes! A roll of paper towels doesn't hurt either.

4) Pack some of those wipes and some ziplocks on long hikes - let's just say we had a bathroom emergency about two miles away from camp . . .

5) Even if the weather feels like summer (which unfortunately this year it hasn't) bring some warm layers as it's colder in the trees and after the sun goes down. It's tough to sleep when you are freezing.

6) Have fun and get dirty. Realize that your back will probably hurt and you won't get much sleep but it's all worth it!

Right Now - March

2011-03-05T18:55:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe it's March already. Monkey will be starting Kindergarten this year and I've been going on school tours. All this rumination on starting school has made me really conscious that time is speeding by (again) so I sat down to think about our Summer plans and such today. I thought I should probably calm the heck down and just live in the present for a bit so here goes:

Right Now . . .

Watching . . . Ponyo (delightful) with the kiddo and Dexter (disturbingly delightful) with the husband after Monkey is asleep

Making . . . lists of activities for the Summer

Smelling . . . freshly popped popcorn (it's movie night tonight and Monkey insists on it)

Reading . . . just finished The Stone Diaries and next up is some pulp fiction (Darkside) the last in my stack of free books

Planning . . . the next book exchange party (this time adding clothing and kid's books to the exchange madness)

Listening . . . to my Pandora Mumford & Sons radio station - LOVE those guys!

Missing . . . lazy days with Monkey and friends in San Diego

Coveting . . . a vacation without Monkey!

and you? Where are you right now? I'm off to watch Ponyo again!

FareStart Rocks

2010-12-31T11:07:00.000-08:00

You have a few hours left for 2010 donations and FareStart is a wonderful cause. Check out this video for an overview. And if you're not in a place to donate - do check out the Thursday night guest chef dinners - great food, great price, great cause!

LIVESTRONG Challenge

2010-06-07T21:45:00.001-07:00

I haven't been posting much lately (who knows if anyone is even reading this . . .) but I thought I'd let you know about a cause that's pretty important to me and that's the LIVESTRONG foundation.

My husband Mark is an avid cyclist and way back in our pre-marriage days we took a trip to France in 1999. We looked at some castles, drank a lot of wine, met some cool French peeps but mainly we watched cyclists whizzing by. That's right, we were lucky enough to follow the Tour the first year Lance won! It was pretty exciting. We started out in the mountain stages (which frankly were the best to watch because you can watch them coming up the hill for a while and not just whizzing by in a split second). The col du Tourmalet in the French Pyrenees was my absolute favorite. We camped out on a great spot overlooking some switchbacks. We got some good swag pre-race on that stage too. It was a really fun trip and really exciting to see the Lance momentum build as we followed along to Paris.

In 2005 (4 months before our son was born) Mark was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He was 44. Two weeks after I gave birth he had surgery to remove his prostate. Needless to say it was a stressful time for all of us. He's been fighting the disease ever since and on June 20th he will ride 100 miles in the LIVESTRONG Challenge (he did it last year too - don't worry, he was insane like that prior to the diagnosis). I will be attempting 45 miles - and if you know me that's a lot!

Last year Logan wore LIVESTRONG bracelets constantly - and insisted on calling them his rings. So this year we formed the team "Logan's Rings". It's not too late to join! If you're in Seattle consider doing the run or walk (no fundraising minimum) or heck, cycle with us ($250 minimum). Join us!

Food Revolution

2010-04-16T16:58:00.001-07:00

Not sure if you've been watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution but I am. I admit, it's a bit contrived since Jamie is always "biting off more than he can chew" and then amazingly gets it done by the end of each episode - but I don't care how they do it as long as it gets people talking about the state of food in our schools. My jaw DROPPED when I saw the head of the school lunch program have them bring out the fries because there weren't enough vegetables in the healthy stir fry Jamie was serving - what??

Anyhoo, I'll be watching to see what happens next and hoping for change in our own community. Sign the petition here to show your support of the revolution.

Paper Dragons

2010-04-03T18:37:00.000-07:00

Everybody's talking about "How to Train Your Dragon" these days and I've been considering taking Monkey to see it (not in 3D) but am waiting for the full report from a friend. He's never been to a movie theatre (since the mom & me movies he slept through) so I'm a little apprehensive. But all that aside I saw these free printable dragons on HP's creative studio and thought I'd share. I haven't made them yet. I am working on making invites for my parent's 40th anniversary party - so I am surfing while waiting for my sloooow printer. But I wanted to share because frankly - by the time I make them I will forget to post! So if you do make them let me know how they turn out!

Right Now - Tail End of March

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

It's been so long since I've posted so I thought I'd at least jump on this meme I found over at Sycamore Stirrings. I had just about enough time to type it in before returning to the post-vaca laundry mountain.

Watching: Attempting to empty the DVR so I can finally watch "The Hurt Locker" on demand one of these nights.

Smelling: rosemary and sage - huge bushes that I grew from grocery store herbs that are in glorious bloom. I can't pass by without rubbing my hands over them.

Enjoying: Getting back to the daily routine after 10 days in California.

Reading: Michael Pollan's The Botany of Desire (just started it after finishing I Thought My Father Was God and Other True Tales from NPR's National Story Project).

Making: Just finished putting together the little treats Monkey will pass out at his half-birthday celebration at preschool tomorrow (recycling these cups and filling them with dinosaurs).

Wondering: If I will ever get through my backlog of email.

Hoping: Monkey will sleep in his own bed ALL NIGHT tonight.

Thinking: About my parent's upcoming anniversary and how I really need to get cracking!

Remembering: Fun times with family and friends in Cali.

Coveting: A real vacation - without Monkey!

Retro Recipes From Weight Watchers

2010-03-05T19:55:00.000-08:00

I had to share this hilarious collection of Weight Watcher's recipe cards circa 1974. I am afraid of every single dish. I love the commentary - especially regarding the props in the photos. Check it out for yourself at candyboots.

Coffee Filter Butterflies

2010-02-11T13:56:00.000-08:00

This isn't an original craft by any means but it was a lot of fun so I thought I'd share. It all started when I was scheduled to be the project parent for preschool a few weeks ago. Monkey had regaled us with stories of how one day he and his friends were butterflies at school and they "migrated" to the gym and back. He thought it was pretty cool so I decided we'd make butterflies on my day that week. Google never lets me down - so Phase I of the Coffee Filter Butterfly project was implemented. But one day of butterflies wasn't enough for Monkey. He decided he wanted a "whole bunch" and that we needed to hang them in his room. So I got some supplies and we set to work. This time it was serious. He was determined to make an entire "army" of butterflies.

Besides being a super cute end product the "getting there" portion of this craft is rife with learning possibilities (and just plain fun).

So here's what you'll need to make them the way we did at home (school was a different story):

1) Coffee filters

2) Food coloring (food coloring stains clothes and skin so be prepared for you and your kiddos to have colorful fingers for a few days). You could also do this project with liquid watercolor (less mess) but I didn't have any on hand.

3) Spray bottle with water (Tip: get a small one in the travel section so it's easy to handle for small hands - notice the behemoth bottle Monkey is using)

4) pipe cleaners

The cool thing about coffee filters is that they're absorbent so it's fun to see how the color bleeds. We experimented with wetting before and after the color was applied. Wetting the filter first and then dropping on the colors is the most spectacular so I'd save that for last. Here's how we did it.

(Wetting after)
1) Spread out a few coffee filters (you can do one at a time but we were making an "army" so ended up stacking about 5 at a time) - you'll need to thoroughly wet to get color on all the filters in the stack

2) Drip colors onto filters (we also experimented using daubers which was fun but not as dramatic or as satisfying as dripping the colors)

3) Spray with water and watch bleed (you'll need to wet through if you are making more than one at a time)

(Wetting first)
1) Spread out a few coffee filters

2) Spray filters with water - completely wet or partially wet to see how the color reacts differently

3) Drip colors onto filters

Monkey really liked wetting first and dripping after. It was definitely the most dramatic reaction as the colors bleed immediately and give a great batik effect. The natural progression of this project led to a discussion on how colors mix and a slight introduction to primary/secondary colors. I think you could really go crazy with that with an older child. Monkey really likes to make brown more than anything.

4) Set filters aside to dry. (We let them dry in their stacks and separated after they were dry so they wouldn't rip - Monkey loves the spray bottle so they were saturated).

5) Now you just need to twist a pipe cleaner around the center and create the antennae. You can either accordion-fold and twist the pipe cleaner in the middle or I found scrunching by hand was easier and faster. Then fluff the wings a bit. I was also informed that butterflies have FOUR wings so after that we made a bunch with four wings. All you need to do for that is stack two scrunched filters and tie together with the pipe cleaner. Then flatten out the wings.

We hung our finished butterflies with fishing line. Cheap and easy room decor - watch out Martha!

The Benefits of Lazy Gardening

2010-02-01T15:28:00.000-08:00

I used to be so neat and tidy in the garden (at least in spurts). Now it's pretty much teensy spurts of work and long stretches of watching the weeds being fruitful and multiplying. But during the last spate of dry weather Monkey and I ventured out into the garden to bring order to chaos (me to weed and Monkey to jump around, dig, "help" and generally instill that there will always be chaos).

Usually, by this time of year, I would have cut down the dried stalks of windflower. But they're still there - standing tall and crackly and having completely gone to seed. They're pretty interesting really, tall stalks covered in cotton balls (which is originally why I'd kept them so long so Monkey could see how they change) but by now it was just because life had been marching on without a thought to the garden. That was all about to change. The sun was out, I was armed with clippers and a bucket and I was getting down to business. I need to cut them down before the tulips start pushing through and I can't get to them anymore without causing more harm than good.

But as I started to clip I heard a buzz and saw green in my peripheral vision. And there was an Anna's hummingbird collecting fuzz for its nest! I whispered to Logan to slowly come over and we got to watch as it hovered and collected a good sized ball. Wow! So the stalks remain. We were lucky enough to watch another collection today which is why I remembered that I wanted to share the benefits of lazy gardening with you. Unfortunately, I haven't had the camera nearby when the visitors buzz in so you'll have to make do with the pictures of the neglected (thank goodness) windflower stalks.

If you're interested in gardening with kids you might want also want to read this.

Haiti

2010-01-16T10:20:00.000-08:00

I'm sure you've been inundated with images of the devastation in Haiti and calls for help. If you haven't decided how you can contribute I thought I'd pass along some information on a great organization - The Mona Foundation The Mona foundation has projects all over the world and focuses on education.

The work of the Mona Foundation is inspired by the example of Mona, a 16-year-old high school girl who was devoted to service to humanity and who was executed in 1983 because she was a Bahá'í. Mona was a beautiful and popular girl in her high school, and her teachers and friends cried when she was expelled from school because she was of a minority Faith during the revolution in Iran.

Mona loved children and in addition to teaching children Sunday classes, she volunteered twice a week in an orphanage from the age of 12 to age 15. Mona's mother relates that the only time she saw Mona cry in prison was when she talked about “her children” at the orphanage.

The full story can be read in the book Olya's Story. She said a prayer for unity and prosperity of mankind before she was hung.

100% of all designated Funds and 97% of all funds given to the General Fund has been a policy of Mona Foundation since inception. Consider giving to their Haiti Disaster and Reconstruction Fund.

Many of us don't have a lot of disposable income at our fingertips but every little bit counts. The Red Cross has a program where you can text "GIVE" to "2HELP" (24357) to donate $5.00 to Red Cross which will show up on your wireless bill. It all adds up.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2010-01-11T15:23:00.000-08:00

Change is hard. Most rail against it (at least initially) but when at our best we attempt objectivity and, if it's right, we embrace it. But it's still hard. And for a four-year-old it's nigh impossible.

First, we talked about the possibilities and the inevitable and finally elicited his help - and amazingly (two weeks after Christmas) he agreed to help de-decorate the tree. He happily handed down ornaments and helped clip branches. He even dragged some boughs to the curb - all with a smile. We vacuumed the area and once all remnants of the tree were gone, I let out my breath and thought we were home free. Then, during nap, I started on the mantel. I removed the figurines, ornaments and lights leaving behind a bare, mostly dead garland. Monkey stumbled downstairs, still a bit sleepy, and his breath caught as he spied my handiwork. "Mommy!" he gulped. "It's *sob* Not *sob* BEAUTIFUL *gasp* Any *sob* Mooore . . ." and my heart broke for my little boy (and his mom who tried so hard to ease this transition - and had thought we were over the hurdle).

I'm still a four-year-old at heart. Change is tough - I say no before I say yes most of the time. I have not evolved. But I'm happy to have a supportive (and patient) family and friends to hold me when I think things will never be "beautiful" again. And those who can see around the corner to the onslaught of hearts that will soon be upon us to beautify us all. I'm pretty sure we'll leave the Valentine's decorations up till Halloween. I wonder what's in store for Santa Spider . . .

Here are some photos of our BEAUTIFUL (Monkey's emphasis) decorations this year - I've never decorated so much but Monkey was so INTO it this year. I even got him his own mini-tree (that is still up - he says he'll take it down next week - we'll see). He loved every minute of it (until it was over). But he now tells me that, "You know mommy, you can't have things up forever or they won't be special." so seriously - as if he's not just parroting my words. I love the little bugger.

Mini Tree - partially decorated (he was SO excited) I put it up during nap so he woke up to it and then we decorated it.

Cute wall stickers that Monkey adores (and still adorn his room)

Some close-ups of the mantel. First year we haven't had to hang the stockings on the bannister - thanks Mark!

Fifteen Birds

2010-01-03T16:45:00.000-08:00

I think "The Hobbit" is a great work of fiction. Really, I do. But for a three or four-year-old? Not so much. But thanks to my DH (an acronym I've never used and always disliked - so somehow it works in this case. Let's just say it's got sarcasm dripping all over it when used in this story. Love ya babe!) Bilbo Baggins is now a constant companion in our lives in both animated and book form.

It all started with a simple Monkey and daddy outing. DH enjoys taking Monkey on jaunts to 1/2 Price Books to see what treasures are to be found - whereas, I'm more of the pre-read, pre-screen, put-it-on-hold-at-the-library sort of gal (mostly). Frankly, one of the scariest phrases my DH utters is, "Monkey and I picked out some movies today!" So after one such jaunt, in walks Monkey clutching an old videotape of the 1977 animated Hobbit movie. I look over at DH (and my dislike of this acronym and overuse of it in this post might give you a hint of the look upon my face). But that look of horrified incredulity had to be quickly masked since there was no taking the movie away now as Monkey was positively glowing at the prospect of a new movie that daddy liked. It was movie night and Monkey planned to be front and center communing with Bilbo.

Now, my husband loved this book in his youth (so did I) and has read the entire series recently as well. So really, there's no excuse not to remember that the story is filled with violence and packed with "scary stuff" like goblins, goblins that ride on wolves, war, dragons, huge dwarf-eating spiders, trolls, Gollum and much, much more. Granted, it has a great anti-war/sharing message - but that mostly goes over the head of my four-year-old as he focuses on the battles and bad guys.

Before the show was to begin I took Monkey's dad aside and told him in no uncertain terms that he'd be watching the entire movie at Monkey's side (no escaping to check email or read a book or pee) and dealing with all night terrors for the next week.

Flash forward many months and Monkey's nightmares are gone and his favorite part of the movie is when the 13 dwarves, Gandalf the wizard and Bilbo are set upon by Goblins riding on wolves. The heroes climb the trees to escape and the goblins set fire to the trees while singing the following truly horrific song (video clip at the end for your viewing & ear worm pleasure):

(©music by Maury Laws, lyrics adapted by Jules Bass 1977)

Fifteen birds in five fir trees,
their feathers were fanned in a fiery breeze!
But, funny little birds, they had no wings!
O what shall we do with the funny little things?
O what shall we do with the funny little things?

Roast 'em alive, or stew them in a pot;
fry them, boil them, eat them hot?
Bake and toast 'em,
fry and roast 'em!
till beards blaze, and eyes glaze;
hair smells and skins crack
fat melts, and bones in cinders lie
beneath the sky! So the dwarves shall...

Fifteen birds in five fir trees,
their feathers were fanned in a fiery breeze!
But, funny little birds, they had no wings!
O what shall we do with the funny little things?
O what shall we do with the funny little things?

Luckily all the words aren't understood (yet) by Monkey because what a great song to teach your friends at preschool!

Although, I have to say the fifteen birds part is very catchy - and my DH and I sing it under our breath all the time . . .

I just hope Monkey identifies more with Bilbo and not the "bad guys" in this case. We do try to discuss why war is bad and why the dwarves should have offered to share their gold in the first place - and how selfish the dragon is and blah blah blah. But still - fifteen birds . . . is what you walk away with in your head.

Surprisingly, after all that, Monkey still refuses certain Disney-type movies at the rental store because a bad queen or monster looks "too scary" (I don't blame him - Disney scares me too) so he's not completely jaded. I hold onto the hope that on later viewings we can start to discuss the major themes more and more and not just focus on the goblins on their wolves.

Fifteen birds . . . in five fir trees . . .

Reminiscing

2010-01-01T14:53:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd take a little time to reflect today - so I read through my old blog posts. I started this blog on July 12th, 2008 and we've had a rocky relationship ever since. Blog, I promise I will try to spend more time on you this year - really. But in the meantime here's a look back:

Keeping Mine Small - I still feel exactly the same way I felt on this day in 2008 - but he's changing every day.

DIY for Dummies (like me!) - My adventure in making wedding bouquets.

Happy Birthday to Me - I realize it will never be "all about me" ever again.

Big Boy Bed - Monkey once again hits another stop on the milestone train.

Monsters Monsters Everywhere - I finally learn to roll with it.

A Day at the Races - More exploitation to bend Monkey to my will.

Preschool Humor - Beloved Billy Bear.

Fun Stealer - Grappling with guilt and judgement.

Santa Spider - Honoring Monkey's art.

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T23:06:00.001-08:00

Well, it's time for new beginnings and all that - and time to reflect on the old. It's been a crazy year - full of fun, challenges and craziness. Frankly, I can't believe it's already 2010. I think this last year was the first year I came to terms that I'm very much closer to 40 than ever before - and . . . I'm aging. I truly am. I'd like to be above all that - but I'm not. I have to admit I'm not loving the crows feet and the neck wrinkles and the slower healing - and the creeping of the weight (the wrong way). I remember after I quit nursing I was the skinniest I've been in a long time - and it was nice! Unfortunately, those days are well behind me and all the size 6 jeans have been given to those luckier, smaller friends. I'm not saying I'm fat - but if I don't do something soon I could get there.

So on to the new year's resolutions:

1) Get more SLEEP! I hope to be in bed by 11:00 unless I'm doing something really fun or productive! No more vegging in front of the t.v. or computer past 11:00.

2) Write more - whether it's on the blog or elsewhere.

3) Organize my life. Get a better routine going so this house doesn't look like a hurricane hit all the time. Tackle the office.

4) Spend more quality time with the hub.

5) Better meal planning and try more new recipes.

6) and what almost everyone says right after the holidays - get in better shape. I know I won't ever be a gym rat - but I need to get more exercise!!

7) Start a team for the LiveStrong Challenge this June (and train for the bike ride - that would help #5 too)

What are YOUR resolutions? Yeah, I'm talking to you!

P.S. If you want to join our LiveStrong Team - let me know and I'll hook you up. You can run or ride and they had a few distances last year so there's something for everyone!

Baby Steps

2009-12-17T09:49:00.001-08:00

Months ago I blogged about a clock that we purchased in hopes of getting Monkey to let us SLEEP! It's a handy little invention that has a built-in night light that you set to turn green at a specific time. This is supposed to let the kiddos who can't tell time when it's okay for them to start jumping on your bed - and when it's not. Well, it stayed in the box for a lot longer than I'd like to admit but a while back I finally got it out (after Monkey spied it) and set it up. He was pretty excited about it and helped choose the color to personalize it. It comes with rings you pop onto the clock face (blue, pink and yellow) and he chose pink - just like Santa spider.

It is also a learning clock - it has a mode where it asks questions and you can set it to show digital or analog or both. If you push a button it will tell you what time it is too. All in all a pretty cool product. But the green light - that's the ticket (or so we hoped) for sweet, sweet sleep.

You see, Monkey has never been one of those fab sleepers (that many of my friends are lucky enough to have birthed). He didn't really sleep through the night until he was two. He's pretty decent now but does like to wake up at the crack of dawn (or pre-dawn) and come in for snuggle time. For a while that was fine - he'd usually go back to sleep and it was really hard to muster the strength to get up and put him back to bed. But interrupted sleep adds up after a while - and the end result is a very cranky mommy. Thus the need for adhering to the green light!

I'm happy to report that this morning - green light nirvana was achieved! He must have been up and waiting because he came in at 7:01. After the requisite snuggle he said, "Mommy, I have to show you something - come see!" and on the shelf/headboard of his bed were all his sea creatures spread out. He had woken up, seen his light was yellow and played quietly until it turned green. (Something we have talked about ad nauseum when brainstorming on what he could do before his light turns green). I can only hope that this will continue (and I am prepared for the worst) - but what a great morning!!!

This picture was taken during "quiet time" at our cabin on Vashon.

Update 12/19: 3 days in a row he's waited for the green light! I shouldn't even type this as I might jinx it!

Santa Spider

2009-12-12T23:00:00.000-08:00

We stood in the living room, surrounded by boxes scrawled with chicken scratches: "Tree", "Lights", "Garland", "Misc". I looked around the living room and the last vestiges of Monkey's Halloween crafts were still up. We agreed to take the jack'o'lantern pictures off of the window but decided to keep up the leaf collage (he made an excellent point that it was still Fall). We were almost cleared out and ready to bring out the holiday bling but then I reached up to take down the spider (made at preschool out of an egg carton, pipe cleaners and some googly eyes). That's when I heard the screech, "Noooooo! I want it to stay forever!" At first, I just couldn't understand (and I was tired and not really wanting to understand a crazed four-year-old). It could have easily become a power struggle (I mean I was REALLY tired) and then I realized - why can't it be there "forever"? In the big scheme of things I think a little spider (did I mention it's pink?) isn't a big thing. So we decided to make it a Santa spider. So I made a little hat, Monkey decorated it with his favorite thing in the world (glitter) and we glued a puff ball on the top. Santa spider now lives on the garland on the mantel - forever.

Photo credit goes to Monkey.

Oldies But Goodies

2009-12-11T22:01:00.000-08:00

Thank You Cards (or Christmas Cards)

Easy Santa Photo Display

Advent Mania

2009-12-03T22:39:00.000-08:00

So I haven't been as organized with the advent calendar this year (thus the cups in the first place). Last year I typed out cute little activities for almost every day ahead of time. This week I was lucky if I stuffed the cup before he woke up. This morning I had to distract him during breakfast and do a little surreptitious slam dunk with the loot. I caved and stuffed it with dinosaur tattoos as I didn't have any activity inspiration (or time) today. But yesterday was inspired (or so I thought).

On the first day we took out all the holiday books. We had a lot of fun reading all of them. Monkey will sit for hours listening to books. We read "If You Take a Mouse to the Movies" over and over and over and over. Monkey is enamored with the mouse since we saw the theatre version of "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" a few weeks ago. In the book, the mouse strings a popcorn garland so I thought it would be fun to make one too (there's also one with popcorn and cranberries in "The Littlest Christmas Tree" so he wanted to make that). I didn't have any cranberries and Monkey didn't have any interest in going to the store so we kept it simple with just popcorn. We also don't have a popcorn popper so we went old school on the stove top. Well, let me tell you - stringing popcorn that's cooked on a stove ain't as easy as you'd think. The kernels are still stuck to most of the popcorn so it makes it really hard to get a needle through - and they're dry so there's a lot of breakage. Luckily, as with

any project, it's not about the end result to Monkey (and I had to remind myself of that when I was wanting to swear at all the broken popcorn). He thought it was really cool and enjoyed eating the popcorn just as much as making the garland. We finished a little over a foot and he decided (hallelujah) that it was long enough for the birds. So we donned our coats and hung the sad little thing on the tree out front. We plan to watch and see how long it lasts with birds, critters and weather. Tomorrow the activity is "go to Grammy and Grandpa's for the weekend and watch the Santa parade". That will be a big hit - and give me some time to come up with some stuff for the next few weeks (or maybe I'll put that off and nap) . . .

Update: This morning we watched as the crows devoured the last of the garland.

P.S. thanks to Kids Craft Weekly for linking to my little advent idea. I got 500+ hits the other day - craziness! If you haven't checked out her stuff out you should.

Advent Adventure

2009-11-29T11:37:00.001-08:00

I'm a procrastinator - always have been. So I'm usually no help to those who search blogs for crafty ideas. I'll post about them months later or too late to get it done - or not at all (you should have seen the cute witch hats we decorated for a preschool project). HOWEVER, you still have a day to complete this easy peasy project and have a fun way to count down the days with your kiddos.

Last year, I painstakingly folded origami cups and it was worth it (and really not that bad), but I didn't make them sturdy enough to be re-used (plus I wanted a little bigger pocket for loot). So I desperately tried to figure out a way I could make something quick, easy (cheap) and cute.

Voila! I present to you the quick & dirty advent calendar!

Materials you'll need to make your own:

Small cups: (I chose plain red and green punch cups) - found at Fred Meyer in the party section. They are 9 oz. I was hoping for smaller (the original idea in my head was with dixie cups) but I actually like the size now.

Numbers: I printed some in circles that I colored red and green on the computer - you could stamp or just simply write them on the cups with a pen. There are even easy number stickers you could use.

Ribbon: Joann's was having their 70% off ribbon sale yesterday - score! Or just use kitchen string or twine.

Clips: I used mini clothespins (leftover from last year's project) but you could use binder clips, paper clips, etc. You could even staple to the ribbon. I chose not to so we could take the cups down as we go. I plan to replace the empty spots on the ribbon with any drawings/projects Monkey makes during the month.

1) Affix numbers to the cups
2) Attach to the ribbon
3) Fill cups with messages, loot, etc.
4) Show to kiddies and have a fun time each morning checking out the new surprise!

I haven't figured out what will be in all the cups yet but some days will be a little treat (edible or a toy) and others will have a note about an activity we'll do that day.

Here are some I know I'll be using:

Note: Get out the holiday books

Note: Paint an ornament for the tree

Note: Go to Grammy & Grandpa's and watch the Santa parade
Note: Decorate the Christmas Tree
Note: Visit Winterfest
Note: Bake & decorate cookies
Note: go look at Christmas lights

Note: paint wrapping paper
Note: look under the tree for a surprise and we'll watch a holiday movie tonight (the surprise will be pj's for the whole fam)

"Stuff"
small dinosaurs
crazy straws (the kid loves them)
dinosaur tattoos
card game

Now go do it - it's fast and easy and a whole month of fun!

P.S. if you had to buy everything for this project it would be well under $10. Compare that with the Pottery Barn tree I've always coveted (and have thought of trying to make every year but then remember who I am!)

Involve your kids - get white cups and have them paint, draw or glue to decorate! I would have done that if I had thought ahead and Monkey wasn't at Grammy's this weekend.

If you like this - check out these great thank you cards and this easy Santa photo display.

P.S. Please share your results!

Christmas Crafting

2009-11-24T11:04:00.001-08:00

Well, I've caught the bug again. Not H1N1 but the crafting bug. Of course it's a bit late - but I want to make another advent calendar this year. Last year's was a lot of fun (both to make and open) and the plan is to make it a tradition. If only I had made the origami cups a bit sturdier . . . I would suggest using ribbon for the handles if you make it but I didn't want to buy anything so I tried to use what I had in the house (lots of paper). Anyhoo, I've got a quick idea for this year's calendar and I'll be sure to share once it's done - hopefully prior to December 1st!

(Last year's folding fun)

I'm also excited to have a mantel this year - Mark finished it (mostly) over the summer and it's exciting to have somewhere to hang the stockings again. It also means I have some horizontal space to play with for decorating . . . agh! I was inspired by Amber over at Life and Times of Stella (check her out - she's funny and smart) to create a banner kind of like this. She hasn't blogged about it but I know she has all the materials just ready and waiting. Mine will be a bit simpler as again - I want to use up what I have in the house! I think I'll raid Monkey's glitter stash.

So that's what I'll be doing in the wee hours - what about you?

Movember

2009-11-11T14:58:00.001-08:00

I meant to post this prior to November - but it's not too late! Movember is an annual, month-long celebration of the moustache, highlighting men’s health issues - specifically prostate and testicular cancer.

If you've ever wanted to grow a mustache - here's a wonderful excuse that your partner can't dismiss. And if you're follicularly-challenged (I don't think that's a word but it should be) or mustache-phobic (understandable) you can support your mo-bros, raise awareness and donate to the cause! Feel free to join our team Mo Bikes.

Or donate to the cause here:

We got a bit of a late start as we had family pictures done on Monday (oops) so Mark had to shave off his fuzz and start over - so you can too! Really, it's not about the mo - it's about the conversation.

A Mo Bro starts Movember – the month formerly known as November – clean shaven, and grows a moustache all month long, garnering support from friends and family in the form of donations. What’s more, a Mo Bro is a walking billboard for the cause as his new look opens the door for him to talk about cancers affecting men – making the moustache a symbol, much like the pink ribbon is for breast cancer. Each Movember culminates in a Gala Partè in major cities around the globe where Mo Bros dress up to match their Mo, channeling the likes of Tom Selleck, Gandhi and Ron Burgandy, vying for the ultimate accolade: Man of Movember.

While growing a Mo is left to the guys, Mo Sistas (women who support their guys) form an important part of Movember by recruiting Mo Bros, helping to raise funds and attending the highly anticipated Gala Partés.

This Movember, the money raised in the U.S. will be split between the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation will use the money raised by Movember to fund research to find better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation will use the money raised by Movember to fund:
• the LIVESTRONG Young Adult Alliance program which has the goal of improving survival rates and quality of life for young adults with cancer between the ages of 15 and 40.
• research initiatives to further understand the biology of adolescent and young adult cancers.

To date, Movember has raised $47 million globally making it the world’s largest charity event for men. Significantly, awareness of men’s health issues has improved with Movember helping to spread important health messages directly to millions of Mo Bros & Sistas around the world.

I challenge you to join us in changing the face of men's health.

For further information, visit Movember's official site.

Fun Stealer

2009-10-29T15:00:00.000-07:00

Looking for fun

I'm a fun stealer. A stealer of fun. Does that make me a bad mom? This is what I was accused of the other day by a scuzzy man I ran into on a street corner.

Let's back up.

It was the first day of preschool and my son and a couple of his buddies (and their moms) were getting pre-preschool doughnuts to celebrate. After the sugar infusion the boys were on the sidewalk banging on the newspaper machines and having general excitement overload. I was watching from the corner of my eye while trying to listen to my friends when a man came up to the boys and started chatting. They were out of earshot so I sidled over and jokingly said, "careful boys, don't break anything now." Or something innocuous (or so I thought) like that. Basically, I just wanted to inject myself into the conversation since I didn't know this man.

Later, I asked myself if it was because he was unwashed with wild hair, clutching a lot of bags . . . but that is just middle-class guilt clouding my vision. I know that I'd have done the same thing if he'd been in a suit.

After my comment, he wheeled around and said with complete disgust, "oh GREAT! You've just completely ruined their fun. You're just the kind of mom I'd want! They were exploring their world and you had to go and ruin it! What a horrible mother!!!" He continued to yell at me as he walked away down the sidewalk. I was taken aback of course. Confrontation always makes me sweat - and in this case, I had nowhere to place my emotions. I couldn't scream back at him (as I so wanted to do) because the kids were right there. So my fight or flight response just made me shake - good times! I even questioned myself for a minute - did I take away their fun? Am I a horrible mother? And then I really wanted to slap myself - because really that's what it comes down to. That is the mother experience in a nutshell. Constant questioning from external and internal sources - am I doing a number on my kid?

So here I was on a street corner being yelled at by a man with obvious issues and it was affecting me. This crazy guy was making me question myself and my parenting. Visibly flustered, I walked back over to my friends (they missed the whole exchange) and recounted the whole fun confrontation. One friend said something like, "Well, maybe if his mom had taken away a little more of his fun he'd be in a better place right now." We all laughed and my tension eased a bit. But later when I was reflecting on the whole experience, I couldn't stop thinking about that guy's poor mom. She was still being judged! I mean at some point can we be absolved? Or it it always going to be our (collective mom) fault?

Well, I for one will continue to be a proud stealer of fun.

Dinosaur Mania

2009-10-18T16:35:00.000-07:00

Monkey is loving the dinos these days (they pop up in all sorts of conversations) and I thought I'd share some of the winning books and toys. We were lucky enough to get some great used books from an older boy who also loved dinosaurs (and pirates but that's another post). Here are a few books that Monkey has really enjoyed, again and again and again and again . . .

The Colossal Book of Dinosaurs - Monkey really loves chapter books and this book is no exception. Each chapter is a "day in the life" story of a specific dinosaur. I really enjoyed learning right along with him about how all the featured dinos lived. It's nice because you learn about each dinosaur via a story - not just a list of dry facts.

Jane Yolen and illustrator Mark Teague have a whole series of "How Do Dinosaurs X" books. They are short and sweet - rhyming format. The first half asks if dinos do X (all the naughty/funny things you probably shouldn't do) and then at the end it changes to how dinos really act (very well of course). The rhymes are cute but the illustrations are really what I love in this series. Each dino is named somewhere on the page as well - and Monkey loves to find each one.

When Dinosaurs Came With Everything - written by Elise Broach/illustrated by David Small

We stumbled upon this book eating breakfast - it was free in the Cheerios box. I have to say I love that program - we've gotten some great books out of it. A few weeks ago we found it at the library so we could see it in large format. This is a great story about a boy who goes on boring "errand day" with his mom - but this day you get dinos with EVERYTHING. Needless to say, he loves it and his mom is none too happy. Great story - and I haven't gotten sick of reading it. High praise indeed!

Dinosaurs Forever - written by William Wise/illustrated by Lynn Munsinger

This book is packed full of funny rhymes about dinosaurs - some teach you things (like the three ages of the dinosaurs - Jurassic, Triassic, Cretaceous) and others are just for fun (like the dino ball or Allosaurus trying desperately to stick to her diet). I have to say I have gotten tired of reading this - but only because it's been on the menu for nap and nighttime for weeks now - and it's long! And if you skip one - he will call you out!

Last but not least - a great dinosaur set that gives good bang for the buck. It's the Animal Planet Big Tub of Dinosaurs. We got this as a gift and it's gotten so much use! I've seen it for many prices but Toys R Us has the best so far at $19.99 (and I HATE Toys R Us - but for the next dino lover's birthday party we're going to brave it). The dinosaurs aren't the most realistic - but 12 dinos for twenty bucks - plus TWO volcanoes (popular at our house) and trees (way too many trees) is a great deal. The play mat is way too flimsy - but who needs it? Lately we set up our the train tracks in dinosaur land - that's a lot of fun. So I would highly recommend this set - great for open-ended dino play and not too expensive. I've seen one dinosaur for over $20 before (very nice and all but really does Monkey care that it's accurate to the millimeter? - I think not!)

Playmobile also has a cool set with an exploding volcano - but only a couple of dinosaurs. It also comes with some scientists and lots of little, teensy equipment for said scientists (not a great toy for those with babies crawling around). It also has dinosaur bones that you can "find" and put together - fun! This set is more expensive than the "tub" but he does love to explode the volcano! We just add both sets together nowadays. Dino land takes over the living room most days.

Halloween Fun

2009-10-10T15:47:00.000-07:00

I just stumbled upon this wonderful blog and it's perfect for this time of year! It's all Halloween all the time. Love it! I can't wait to make these great spinners. It also led me to a fun flickr group. I love Halloween!

I know I haven't blogged in a while but I hope to change that - soon. I've joined a writing group (which I hope to actually attend at least a few times a month) and sadly, I've decided to stop writing for Seattle Picks. It was a hard decision but I'm hoping it will be for the best and help me focus more . . . you heard it here first. Now if this is my last post until next year - you know it didn't work!

Enjoy the Halloween goodies!

Delicious!

2009-09-04T12:49:00.001-07:00

Check out my latest pick (Dish D'Lish) - #2 titled "A Tisket, A Tasket" - my editor cut one of my favorite sentences: "That nip reminds us that summer is fleeting and every moment must be savored." so I'm posting it here because it's all too true! Summer is winding down people - take advantage! So after you read my pic - get out there and enjoy before the rain starts!

We're enjoying our weekend at Kingfisher Cabin - there is still space available in September and October :) Carpe Diem!

Whimsy

2009-08-07T15:45:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest pick here. (#1: Let the Sun Shine In)

Preschool Humor

2009-07-25T16:07:00.000-07:00

Today we went to Seafood Fest. Monkey enjoyed an obstacle course sponsored by Children's Hospital (got a free jump rope at the end), making a boat (Center for Wooden Boats), the bouncies, climbing in a fire truck and especially listening to Billy Bear. In fact, Billy Bear made us a bit late for quiet time as Monkey just couldn't break away - but we made it home. He walked the whole way with only a teensy bit of whining. If he started to slow we'd just start talking about that silly bear and he'd about fall over laughing.

Now Billy Bear is a silly, silly bear. At first he tried knock knock jokes - but really word play like that is pretty lost on the wee ones (unless there's something about potty involved). But then he started repeating words fed to him by his "owner". And this is when hilarity ensued. The man would say, "can you say lollipop?" and Billy Bear would respond, "Polli-Lop" - then all the kids would roll on the floor (literally) laughing. Hamburger - Bamhurger and on and on. The kids ate it up and I bet Monkey will still be talking about it right after he wakes up.

I love the simple humor that leaves preschoolers in stitches. Many times to get Monkey to put on his own clothes (for some reason he loathes doing that) we'll play a game where he'll put his shorts on his head and ask, "like this?" and I'll respond, "YES!" then pause and say, "nooo" as if I'm confused (he loves this and sometimes the game goes on a bit long . . . but in the end the shorts get on).

I try to use this technique when I see a tantrum or something brewing (note: if the tears have begun this will NOT work). Just anything silly or out of place will do it to snap him out of it (if I'm lucky that day). I'll put on his hat - or put a bracelet on my head - or try to put a hat over my shoe, etc. Anything that's "wrong" is right in this case! Rhyming games can also head off the tears if started at the right time. Rhyming is a big deal in Monkey's world right now. Combine rhyming with twisted words - you've got yourself an act.

Kids in the Garden

2009-07-21T16:49:00.000-07:00

Monkey is closing in on four and this year has been great for the garden. I've actually been able to work in the garden once in a while while he's awake! In the past he would want to "help" in ways that were not so helpful - like pulling up prized flowers or eating dirt. But this year he listens (mostly) and if I can keep him busy he can even be semi-helpful (or at least stay out of the way). Here are a few ways I attempt to keep Monkey engaged in the garden.

1) Kid's gardening gloves - I found some at the Thriftway on Vashon (I swear they have everything). He LOVES them.

2) Clearly defined places to dig - I gave up some space in the garden early on and came to terms with the fact that some plants nearby might die. Last night my husband took it a step farther and pulled out some plants to make a dirt area just for Monkey - it is currently filled with dump trucks.

3) Kid-size watering cans (big ones get over-filled and frustrate Monkey to no end) and tools.

4) Water Barrels - great source of entertainment and easy on the water bill. If he wastes the rain water I still get annoyed - but not as annoyed as running the faucet! He sometimes waters the plants that actually need water and the rest of the time he makes water tracks on the driveway. Either way it keeps him busy and that's what you're looking for.

5) Fast-growing veggies that are easy to pick and eat. Snap peas and cherry tomatoes are great. Bush beans or pole beans are also a lot of fun to watch grow. He also picks out a few plants to plant and tend aside from veggies.

Scarecrow Project

Today we noticed that something is chomping on our squash so we brainstormed ways to stop it. Monkey decided we needed a scarecrow (little does he know we probably need a scare raccoon or a scare squirrel). So we decided to make one and this is how we did it (note: this is not waterproof!):

You'll need:

2 sheets of large paper (I used packing paper we've been saving from an Amazon shipment)
stapler
scrap paper or newspaper
long stick/pole + shorter stick/pole
hammer
nail
child's shirt

1) Have your child draw a face on a piece of large paper (even better have them draw faces on two pieces of paper so you can make a two-faced scarecrow). We discussed what kind of face to draw and Monkey landed on a "mad face".

2) Cut out face(s) or face and another blank piece of paper

3) Staple together leaving a large opening for stuffing purposes.

4) Ball up scrap paper and stuff the head.

5) Staple shut leaving small opening for stick/pole.

6) Creat a small cross by nailing smaller stick/pole perpendicular to longer one.

7) Stick in the ground and put on the shirt.

8) Top with the stuffed head - enjoy!

Dining Al Fresco

2009-07-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to share an easy (and relatively cheap) way to beautify your outdoor dining experience (or cover up a funky table in our case) which was inspired by my good friend Ashley.

1) Measure table.
2) Decide how much overhang you want (add to measurement) - check it twice!
3) Go to local fabric store or Etsy and pick out oil cloth.
4) Come home, pop it on the table, pour a glass of wine and voila!

Hungry For Change

2009-07-05T21:39:00.001-07:00

I can't wait to see Food Inc. Check out the trailer on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2sgaO44_1c

Pick a Peck of Pickled Peppers

2009-07-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

Latest pick - PASEO! (# 2 titled "Surf's Up")

You must go . . . it's making me hungry just thinking about it!

Veggie Burgers

2009-07-02T17:06:00.000-07:00

I really like these veggie burgers - and so does Monkey! Many I've tried haven't held up to the burger test (too mushy) but after I made a few adaptations - these are awesome (or as the original recipe calls them "The Ultimate Veggie Burgers") - adapted from Vegan Planet.

1 t ground flaxseeds (grind your own if you can or you can buy then ground)

2 T tamari (or regular soy sauce but I prefer tamari)

1/2 c walnut pieces (I use a bit more)

3/4 c cooked brown lentils (squeeze out the moisture - if you're using canned rinse well before squeezing)

1/4 c grated onion (really squeeze out the moisture!)

1 T minced fresh parsley

1/3 c wheat gluten flour (vital wheat gluten - Bob's Red Mill makes it)

1/2 t browning sauce

Salt/Pepper

2 T olive oil for browning (maybe a bit more depending on pan)

1) In a blender combine ground flaxseed and tamari - blend until viscous (Personally, I don't think it's worth it to use the blender - I try to whisk really fast in a small dish. If you have an immersion blender you could try that too.) Set aside.

2) Using a food processor, pulse walnuts to coarsely chop.

3) Add lentils, onion, parsley, wheat gluten flour, browning sauce, flax mixture and salt and pepper to walnuts. Process until well combined with some texture remaining (till it turns in to a ball).

4) Shape mixture into patties (I usually make 6 small patties) about 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick.

5) Refrigerate on platter for at least 30 minutes.

6) Heat olive oil in large skillet (medium heat). Cook until browned on both sides (about 4-5 minutes per side). Serve hot with all the fixings.

Notes:

For squeezing out the moisture - you can do a few things - squeeze in cheesecloth, paper towels or press through a fine mesh (that's what I do since I don't have cheese cloth - but I have used paper towels in a pinch).

If you don't have buns on hand (and your kid is picky like mine and wants burgers to look like burgers) cut circles out of bread. You can do it freehand or with a cookie cutter. Works like a charm! I toast them after cutting so they'll hold up.

It was hard to get the picture of Monkey eating the burger as he was scarfing while I was finishing up in the kitchen!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2009-06-11T14:33:00.001-07:00

Well the second year of the vegetable garden is well on it's way. We planted some beans that were saved from last year (we'll see which varieties they are as I couldn't remember and the color was out of the dried pods - hopefully a few purples were in there). New this year we added sugar snap peas. I hope they turn out as I LOVE snap peas and hope that will convince Monkey to eat them if he can just pick them off the vine.

Three different tomatoes (of course I don't remember what they are but I picked some with shorter growing days so we will hopefully get a few this year - update: "Sweet Baby Girl" cherry tomato, "Dona" Salad tomato - French Market hybrid - medium sized" and "Yellow Perfection" salad tomato - 3" yellow. All are 75 days. So far in this heat they are very happy - crossing fingers). They are all from Langley Farms on Vashon (just up the street from Kingfisher Cabin) but bought at Swanson's Nursery.

In addition, we planted some yellow zuchinni - different variety than last year. We'll see how it goes over.

To top it off I got a teensy arugula start from a neighbor and planted my "Great Sunflower Project" sunflowers (a little late but they've sprouted). Hopefully, I'll get to count me some bees this year - last year nothing came up.

We also have a few strawberry volunteers that wintered over and spread themselves around - and the alpine strawberries made it too. I was surprised since we lost so many other plants in the big freeze. They are starting to ripen and hopefully we'll get to them before the slugs and bugs! I used some of Monkey's blocks to hold them off the ground - it's working!

I can't wait for everything to take off like it did last year and it will be fun to make this right out of the garden.

What are you growing?? Any tips for snails?

Tommy Boy

2009-06-09T14:20:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to my latest pick (#2 Get Serious). It was changed up a bit by my editor . . . I did not write that facial hair line! And here were the silly titles I suggested :) Sometimes I can't pick one so I give a few - alas, none were picked. Tommy Boy amused me . . . but you can't win `em all.

Tommy Boy
Pie Perfection
Serious as a Heart Attack

Spinach Pesto Pasta with Mushrooms, Onions & Tomatoes

2009-06-02T05:30:00.000-07:00

I know, I know - more spinach - but I really wanted to share a new family favorite (no, Monkey won't try it yet but I know he'd like it). So really I guess that's 2 out of 3 which ain't too bad.

So here goes (all amounts are approximate).

You'll need:

For the pesto:
2+ cups of pre-washed spinach leaves
1/4 cup walnuts
1-2 garlic cloves minced
1 T nutritional yeast (optional - or some grated cheese like parmigiano or pecorino)
olive oil
salt/pepper
(food processor)

For the rest:

Pasta of your choice (we use whole wheat penne)
10+ mushrooms (we used crimini) sliced
1/2 large yellow onion or whole small one (sweet onions are good too!)
1-3 garlic cloves minced
bunch of cherry tomatoes (halved)

While cooking the pasta saute the onions, mushrooms and garlic. Add tomatoes for last minute of cooking (or add after pasta is assembled if you don't want them cooked at all).

To assemble the pesto:

Put the spinach, walnuts, garlic, yeast in the food processor - stream olive oil while blending to desired consistency.

When pasta and veggies are done - combine pasta, veggies and pesto - adjust seasonings and serve. It's good room temperature as well.

Optional - top with some roasted pine nuts

Spinach Eggs

2009-05-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

Monkey has taken a decidedly anti-vegetable stance these days but the one veggie I can stuff in him is spinach. I know . . . hard to believe! Since he was old enough to eat eggs I've made scrambled eggs with spinach (green eggs) and (thank God) he still likes them. In fact, one morning I was out and I got a call on the cell that went like this:

Husband: Uhm, Monkey is crying and he won't stop - he's saying "eggs" and "green" I think.
Me: Did you make scrambled eggs?
H: Yes
Me: Did you put spinach in them?
H: Spinach? No . . .
Me: Yeah, he won't eat eggs unless they're green - try pancakes.

So my advice is if you have a little, try making green eggs and hopefully it will continue on. Here's how I do it.

You'll need: pre-washed spinach (1-2 cups), a decent chef's knife, eggs & cheese (optional).

1) Chop spinach really fine like this.

2) Melt butter (or a little oil) in a pan over medium heat - add spinach and cook a bit (I add a bit of salt and pepper now but back when he was tiny I didn't).

3) Scramble eggs in a bowl (I add a bit of water) and pour over spinach. Important note - you need to make sure the little spinach bits are all covered with egg so fold eggs over the spinach until cooked. Otherwise you'll get a kid picking at the bits of free spinach.

4) Add some grated cheese and voila! Please share what (healthy) meals your kids enjoy!

blood & boys

2009-05-24T20:36:00.001-07:00

Conversation between me and Monkey while eating Bing cherries.

Monkey: Is there blood in here??

Me: No, it's just cherry juice.

Monkey: Phew! Because blood is yucky, right mommy?

(long pause while munching)

But it's good for dinosaurs!!

Marmalade Originals

2009-05-22T08:46:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest pick (Marmalade Originals). I really dig these skirts! I have one with a great print - it's brown bird silhouettes with green leaves on a field of white (I'll attempt to take a picture later today - update: here's my self-portrait). It makes me happy to wear. I can't wait to pick out another one. My friends and I are having a skirt party in June - I really want to support this mom/daughter team! Check them out here (not a lot shown online - go to Ballard Farmer's Market to see much, much more).

KOBO at Higo

2009-05-08T09:19:00.001-07:00

My latest pick is KOBO at Higo - stop in this month to see the museum wall.

Sweet Petula

2009-05-03T19:39:00.000-07:00

Sweet Petula is my latest pick (edited a bit this time). Check it out at Seattle Picks.

Honoré Artisan Bakery

2009-04-17T00:40:00.000-07:00

Read my latest pick (Honoré Artisan Bakery) for Seattle Picks.

Poppies Floral

2009-04-10T15:01:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest pick "Saving Grace" (#3) at Seattle Picks.

Candy Sushi

2009-03-30T20:25:00.001-07:00

Okay, I found this the other day on Mommy Knows and had to share. It's a great tutorial on how to make candy "sushi". Great idea for an older kid's b-day activity. Check it out here.

Cute Quote

2009-03-22T13:55:00.000-07:00

Me: Daddy will be home in an hour and a half.

Monkey: Whoa! That's a lot of numbers till Daddy gets home!

Spaghetti Painting

2009-03-21T00:46:00.001-07:00

I can't wait to do this so I had to share! Check out this great tutorial on painting with spaghetti over at Instructables.

Giveaway

2009-03-19T14:43:00.000-07:00

Great giveaway over at i heart faces. Check it out! It's the new Photojojo wrap-around-the-corner frame (or a bottlecap tripod) - either prize is fabulous!

A Day at the Races

2009-03-15T12:49:00.001-07:00

Monkey is all about winning these days. And let me tell you - it can get a bit . . . much! I've tried to counter it - I swear! I've calmly explained that "we can't always be first", "winning isn't everything", "it's the race that's fun not the outcome", "yada yada yada". But it's exhausting! Not to mention a bit of a lie. I ran track and it does matter who comes in first. But we'll let all that wait until puberty, because it is not fun when your three year-old is gasping in tears at the bottom step because you dared go first on the way to brush teeth. I mean, I didn't break down crying when I was second in the 400 - come on kid! (oh wait, I think I did in Cross-Country when we didn't do very well at State - but it was an aberration I swear!)

Well, it's a losing battle (see our language is filled with winning and losing - it's impossible to escape) that I am still trying to fight in bits each day but if you can't beat `em join `em (or at least exploit `em). You may recall Monkey's monster phase and how I used that to my advantage . . . well he still has a habit of denying the need to pee before long car trips - so now it's a "race to the potty". Works like a charm! He's also been refusing to try to put on his own coat. But not if it's a RACE! Next, we'll try socks and shoes (if he doesn't fall out of this phase in the meantime). We'll see you at the races!

Spring Fling

2009-03-06T15:00:00.000-08:00

Check out my latest pick (Moshi Moshi Sushi) at Seattle Picks. My original title was "Spring Fling". Thanks to Kristy for the suggestion!

Wine 101

2009-02-27T13:47:00.000-08:00

Check out my latest pick on Jack Cellars at Seattle Picks. Thanks to Wendy for suggesting it!

Life & Times of Stella

2009-02-24T05:30:00.000-08:00

Well, since I haven't been posting - I thought I'd give you something else to read. Check out this great post by my friend Amber over at The Life and Times of Stella.

She's recently had to redo her resume so it got her to thinking about what her mom resume would include - check out the true and funny results here.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Glass Jar Photo Frames

2009-02-23T15:13:00.000-08:00

Another cool idea from Photojojo - Glass Jar Frames!

Happy Birthday Monkey's Daddy

2009-02-16T19:57:00.001-08:00

Well today I made my first ever "scratch" cake for M's birthday AND it was vegan! I was very nervous but only called A (my neighborhood baking expert) once - well, it would have been twice but she wasn't home the second time so I decided to wing it. All in all this cake is delicious and moist and the glaze is very yummy. The only drawback was the cake fell a bit in the middle - but I wasn't out to impress M with the look of the cake (I knew Monkey would be doing the final decoration anyway - no Martha Stewart cakes in this house!) and the taste made up for the droopiness. You can get the recipe at Real Si mple.

Picture 1: Monkey sneaking a bite
Picture 2: The full droop - looks a bit like red blood cell!
Picture 3: The glaze - yum!
Picture 4: Glazed cake (didn't wait until it was fully cool as we had to go to dinner and I wanted it to be "dry" by the time we got back! - worked fine
Picture 5: Monkey decorating with strawberries
Picture 6: Finished cake with Monkey stealing yet another taste

Chemical Wedding

2009-02-14T22:25:00.001-08:00

Okay, first off I love the name . . . and I love these handbags! Check them out for yourself here. A few teasers below!

Valentines for 20

2009-02-14T05:30:00.000-08:00

How to make 20 valentine's (and include your child).

Supplies needed:

1-2 pieces of large paper (easel sized) - we used one
Paint, markers, crayons, etc. (we used red paint mixed with silver glitter)
Cardstock or scraps in color of your choosing
Gluestick
Assorted stamps/stamp pad
Digital photo of your child
Photo Paper

1) Encourage your child to make a big painting or drawing

2) Wait for said child to fall asleep

3) Using a heart template trace 21 hearts on back of artwork, madly cut them out before child wakes up. I would definitely talk about this prior to doing it - I had prepared Monkey and we still had a little issue.

4) Find a digital image of your child (preferably not blurry - this may take a while) and crop for a close-up.

5) Print a contact sheet of the image (my printer does up to 35 small pictures per sheet with the name of the photo - so if your printer has this option remember to change the name of the jpg before printing (I changed to "XOXO, Monkey" & "Love, Monkey" or you can print out larger pics - whatever floats your boat (I was low on printer ink and paper so a contact sheet was perfect!)

6) Cut up 20 of the pictures - use the rest to seal envelopes and send to the grandparents, etc.. I will definitely be creating more of these for birthday cards, etc.

7) Use scrap paper or cut up cardstock (I chose to make the valentines 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 so I could get 4 per page. Cut out 21 rectangles.

8) Gather some heart stamps together.

9) Wait for child to wake up. Soothe child after he cries, "PUT IT BACK! PUT IT BACK TOGETHER!" tell him he can cut up other paper and glue it on - with glitter glue!!! You can mix the glitter!!!. Explain you have picked out some special stamps for him to use. Once child opens eyes to see stamps, carry quieted child and art supplies downstairs.

10) Give glue stick, hearts & rectangles to child - let him go wild.

11) Decide maybe it would be better for him to stamp - give him stamps and WASHABLE ink

12) Have him position hearts on valentines and then glue on a picture.

Voila! Valentines for 20

I used a punch to round the corners of the cards and Monkey helped. His favorite parts of this project (after the initial painting) were the glue stick and emptying the punch.

Cheers

2009-02-13T14:39:00.000-08:00

Check out my latest pick "Where Everybody Knows Your Name". Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter :) they often have contests - and before I was a writer I won - so you can too!

The Master Negotiator - Guest Post

2009-02-07T22:50:00.000-08:00

Well, since I haven't been blogging much (my resolutions are always doomed!) I thought I would share a story from my friend Dana. She's a great mom and a great storyteller - enjoy the guest post!

G (Age 3) is the master negotiator in our house. I'm considering equipping him with a tape measure and a cell phone and setting him loose on all my tough contracts. He has a roundabout way of approaching what he wants that should earn him a Machiavelli Jr. prize.

At 2 am I hear the (not so quiet) cry from across the hall, "Bombee" (his nose is hopelessly clogged with snot from his most recent cold) and I know from experience that he won't quiet down until I respond. "Bombee, I deed somefing," he says as I walk into his room. And even though I know that I shouldn't encourage him, I ask anyway, "What do you need?" I'm really hoping it's not going to be his usual request to discuss the nature of power tools, vacuum cleaners and furnaces. It's tough for me to hold up my half of that conversation.

"Weeellll," there is a long pause and I don't know it yet, but this is where he is setting up the mark. "I deed by weebote condroll." I'm tempted to ask why, but frankly I'm relieved it's something I can actually do. Last week he urgently called me into his room at 1 am to tell me that "sometimes spiders chase people." I was stumped by that one because frankly, I couldn't have agreed more. But my husband has told me (repeatedly) that I'm not allowed to agree with him.

Did I see that this request for a "retired" remote control was a lead-in to his real agenda? No. The kid is 10 steps ahead of me.

I hand him a defunct VCR remote that is sitting on his bookshelf. He thanks me sweetly (I should have been suspicious) and I'm feeling pretty confident that I might get to go back to sleep.

G then kicks back on his pillows and points the remote at the wall opposite his crib. "This is for my TV," he says pushing several buttons with his thumb.

I know it's late and my feet are frozen but I can't keep myself from stating the obvious, "you don't have a TV in here."

"My imaginary TV Mommy."

Oh, well that's OK then, he can watch all the pretend TV he wants, "Great, have fun then."

I'm halfway to the door when he says, "There's a problem with this TV Mommy. It doesn't play the Mickey Mouse Club or Little Einsteins." I'm thinking this is a pretty worthless imaginary TV if it doesn't play his favorite shows, but I manage to keep that comment to myself. "Wow, that's too bad. Goodnight!" and I head for the door again.

"Only the TV in Mommy and Daddy's room plays Mickey Mouse Club and Little Einsteins," he says slyly. There's no TV in our room either, but now I get it. This is all about him having a cold and not wanting to sleep by himself. But the kid is a terrible pillow hog and kicks all night long so I'm not giving in.

"Well, the pretend TV in our room is Daddy's TV and all it plays is Seahawks home games and Formula One Racing." And with that I say goodnight and shut the door behind me.

Ha! I may be perpetually sleep-deprived, but I can still keep up with a 3 1/2 year old. I figure I have about six more months before he can outsmart me.

Find of the Week

2009-01-19T14:46:00.000-08:00

Check out this site to make your own image in the style inspired by the famous poster of (now President) Obama (designed by Shepard Fairey). Here's a quick one I just did - it would work even better if you get a close-up portrait and make a transparent background. If you create any, please share the permalink in the comments - I'd love to see them!

And a poster is only $13.95! You can also make t-shirts, mugs, etc. of your image.

http://obamiconme.pastemagazine.com/

Reduce, Reuse, Recyle

2009-01-19T05:30:00.000-08:00

Party Ideas for the economic downturn . . .

Well, we're all tightening our belts these days but we still want to have fun! So instead of going out to dinner yet again to catchup with friends, I decided to host a Book Exchange party. The bonus being you get to hang out with friends AND go home with a few (new to you) books. So here's how we did it:

Each guest was instructed to bring two books that she enjoyed and was now ready to pass along. We spread them all out on a table (a train table of course - but a regular table will do just fine if you're not surrounded by kid's toys in your home). I provided post-its and pens and had each guest take five post-it's, numbered 1-5 and put their name on each and then place on their top five book choices.

Later in the evening after everyone had chosen we checked out the books. Some were easy, only one #1 was on a book so that person would automatically get it. However, if there were more than one #1 or no number ones but a few #2's, etc. I decided those people should fight it out. This works best later in the evening when most are good and liquored. We decided that each person would tell a story and the group would vote for the best one. We started out with "most embarassing moment" stories. That in itself was worth it and long after the book choosing was over more stories were flowing. I also gave a small bag of books to the person who brought the book with the most post-its on it. All in all we had a great time and I'm excited to read my new books.

I'm hoping someone else hosts soon in the future to get a whole new pool of books going. I'm thinking of doing a toy exchange next. Basically, any excuse to get together with adult drinks and no children is as Martha would say, "a good thing" a damn good thing!

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

2009-01-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

Monkey with a monkey - well, technically a Siamang which is a gibbon (lesser primate) and not a monkey!

For more Wordless Wednesday check out 5minutesformom.com.

Photojojo

2009-01-12T14:44:00.000-08:00

I found a new site that I love and I thought I'd share. It's Photojojo and it's all about great things you can do with your photos or as they say,

"We find the best photo shiz anywhere"

They've got photography tips, DIY projects (like this awesome calendar above) and great products too. Check it out and sign up for their newsletter. I may not do any of these projects anytime soon but I like the thought of them . . . and the possibilities!

I will be buying the fotoclips used in this project and plan to use them to create some art to fill up the walls in the family room or Monkey's room. I might as well start putting up all these pix I take of the boy!

Here are some other fun products - the Doodle Frame and DIY Photo Block Kit:

Sleep . . . wonderful sleep!

2009-01-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

A friend (thanks Bridget) recommended this product to me and I just ordered it from Amazon so (hopefully) it will be in my hot little hands by the end of the month. It is supposed to help your child learn to tell time but the BEST part is that you can set it with the super secret parent controls to glow green when it's time for kiddo to come out of his room.

I will let you know if it helps keep Monster - errr I mean Monkey - in his room! One can only hope.

Monsters Monsters Everywhere

2009-01-07T23:26:00.000-08:00

Monsters are big in Monkey's life right now. He asks if there are monsters in the darkened living room, under his chair before he puts his feet down, he pretends he's a monster, he wants me to pretend I'm a monster, he has Dad pretend with him to be monsters and attack Mom with tickles, he wants the lamp on in his room so he can make sure there are no "big bad wolves" or monsters . . . It's basically 24/7 monsters around here.

Well, after fighting the "you need to go potty before we get in the car" battle every freakin' day - I decided to use monsters to my advantage. If you are in a public bathroom and hear the following exchange in the stall next to you - it's me and Monkey:

Mom (in a puny, squeaky monster voice - think Mr. Bill): "Oh no, don't get me . . . noooo!"

Monkey laughing (peeing in bowl): "I got you!!"

Monkey ordering me: "say, don't flush me!"

Mom: "NOOOOoooooo Don't flush me - noooo! whatever you do - ahhhh!"

Monkey (giggling): flushing the toilet then yelling (so very loudly), "You are going down to the SEWAGE PLANT!!!"

Yep, that's how we roll in the Monkey house.

Rosebud!

2009-01-07T05:30:00.000-08:00

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

Nothing beats your first toboggan!

For more Wordless Wednesday check out 5minutesformom.com or Wordless Wednesday.

Thank you Thank you!

2009-01-06T05:30:00.000-08:00

Thank you notes . . . this year I wanted Monkey to be a bit more involved. I had grand plans of him painting or drawing a picture for each one, etc. but unfortunately, Monkey's artistic output is neither on demand nor as prolific as his presents this year! But as Tim Gunn says, "Make it work!"

As you know, I love Kids Craft Weekly (KCW), so I borrowed her idea of making collages with glitter glue and then took the few pictures he did make, chopped them up and was able to make a bunch of notecards.

Just do it:

First you'll need to get your kid to make some art. Follow the directions above at KCW for the glitter glue pix (#2 Christmas Colors). I actually only used four of the sheets pictured below (decided to keep the yellow one whole for the art wall) and made 10 notecards with enough leftover I could have made a few more.

Hints and Warnings: This can be messy and you need to do some prep to make the glue and cut out a bunch of "stuff" to use for gluing. You might want to do all the prep away from the kiddos as Monkey went a little overboard in adding glitter & food coloring. Some batches were pretty solid (more glitter than glue with my glitter boy at the wheel) and made for some THICK pictures. He really enjoyed painting with the glue more than using it to glue stuff down too. I think I'll just mix glitter with tempera next time or just use the glue sans collage items. If your child is a color mixer (like mine) stick to one color of glue and you'll get more usable output. Red + Green = Brown. Normally I don't mind - it's all about the process and not the actual art - but since you're trying to put something cute on paper for relatives & friends . . . you aren't really looking for brown glitter smears!

Fast and easy - just get the paints, markers, crayons or dots (which I love) and have your kid go crazy on a few pages. The art work can be sparse and the cards will still turn out well (just use the most colored on portion).

Personally, I would do the next few steps alone if you have a younger child just for you sanity :) but they could help glue if you are more patient than I am!

Take an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of cardstock and cut in half to make two 5 1/2" by 4 1/4" cards. This is my favorite size card because you can make two out of one sheet of paper with no waste and they're not too huge to fill with writing! You can get envelopes (A2) at any paper store to fit. You can also just get a pack of pre-cut cards if you don't want to bother with cutting. You can also just use plain construction paper if you don't have cardstock lying around.

Then trim your child's artwork to approximately 4" x 5". At this point pick the parts that are most pleasing and chop away.

Affix to the front of the card with any type of adhesive. I used YES! paste just because Monkey went crazy with the glitter in a lot of spots so I knew double-stick tape or my favorite Tombo adhesive probably wouldn't make it through the mail.

For more kid "thank you" inclusion I like to have a conversation with Monkey about each gift. Sometimes I'll write the conversation verbatim on the card or I'll add what he said when he first opened it if it's a gem. For instance, when opening a construction loader from Aunt Lexy he said, "Oh!!" then paused (with appropriate reverence) and said, "It's bea-uuuutiful!"

Super Saxoflute conversation:

Mom: Why do you like it?

Monkey: Because it's beautiful! and fun!

Mom: Why is it fun?

Monkey: Because I love it - that's why I love it!!! Let's play marching band!

Mom: If Kevin was here what would you tell him?

Monkey: When he comes here I will say Thank you. When do I see him??

This project would also make a great set of notecards to give to a grandparent.

Santa Photos

2009-01-05T05:30:00.000-08:00

I know, the holidays are over - but I've been behind on the blog (and life) and I wanted to share an easy way to display Santa photos. My Aunt has a huge display beginning from my first cousin's birth to now where the spouses and grand kids are included. I love looking at it each Christmas and vowed to start my own with Monkey. It's a great way to see the changes and a great way to make your Christmas decor personal. Here's a quick and easy way to display:

Items you'll need:

Length of Decorative Ribbon (at least 2 inches wide - mine is thicker but I think it would look great with a plain 2 inch red or gold, etc. ribbon) - Length depends on how many photos you have - you'll need enough at the top to hang and however much you want at the bottom.

Velcro Sticky-Back Tape - you can get this in a roll or strips. Just cut to fit your ribbon.

Picture Nail (optional) - you can hang from anywhere - even a curtain rod or mirror, etc.

Decorative Fluff (optional) - feel free to put some greenery at the top or bottom or a bauble - go crazy or keep it simple

Arrange your pictures in order by year (I mark on the back each year before putting away) - not important now since I only have four but later I'm sure it will be! Cut piece of velcro and apply the fuzzy piece to your picture and the nubby piece to the spot on the ribbon you want it to hang. Leave enough at the top of the ribbon for hanging. I didn't have much ribbon this year and I was in a hurry but I would suggest doing a bow at the top - maybe add a sprig of holly - or something like that. I went quick and dirty this year and just looped it on a nail and hung a gold star from the same nail. I would also have a bit more ribbon showing between pictures.

If you don't have velcro (but really, you have over 300 days to do this project so no excuses!) you can use regular tape but use enough so the pictures don't keep falling off the ribbon in the night (not that that has ever happened to me . . .) I like using the velcro because then when you store them you won't have any sticky residue mucking up the pictures.

Eventually, I may frame the pictures when there are enough - but right now I like the ribbon and I don't need a lot of space to display. Once your pictures fill up a ribbon - just cut a longer piece or start a new one. Or change ribbon to your mood.

Look how Monkey has changed: He goes from happy baby (oblivious really), to hysterical, to nervous (tongue sticking out) and back to happy (but still won't sit on his lap - and I don't blame him!)

The Great Fight

2009-01-03T05:30:00.000-08:00

Since it is a New Year and we all strive to be better when the calendar rolls around . . . I thought I'd share one of my favorite stories. I've had it on my office wall for many years and look to it often. Enjoy and Happy New Year!

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life.

"A fight is going on inside me," the old man said to the boy. "It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.

The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. This same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

Hi grandfather replied simply, "The one you feed."

Me Loves Chocolate

2009-01-02T08:39:00.000-08:00

Okay, one of my New Year's resolutions is to start blogging again . . . next week!

Apparently, "stop procrastinating" is not one of them. In the meantime, here is my latest pick Claudio Corallo Chocolate on Seattle Picks.

Top Chef

2008-12-19T07:52:00.000-08:00

It's true - I do love Top Chef. Check out my latest in Seattle Picks.

More Advent Ideas

2008-12-02T14:14:00.000-08:00

I am loving the advent calendar and Monkey digs it too (he just loves a surprise). Here are some other great ideas for advent calendars:

Recycle Bin Advent Calendar

Crafty Crow Advent Calendar Smorgasboard

Or just spend some green!

Better late than never - they won't know!

Countdown's On

2008-12-01T07:42:00.000-08:00

The advent calendar is finally finished (just in time)!

Lately Monkey has been really into the trappings and traditions of holidays. Birthdays are all about cake, candles, parties and presents. He's got that down. He even knows that Santa brings him a present (not sure why but he's down with it). He doesn't want to go near Santa mind you - but he wants him to bring him some loot. Monkey has decided he wants a marble maze. He's been looking at catalogs and that's what he's landed on the past week or so. Today in the car he spied some Christmas lights and he spontaneously shouted, "I want the marbles that go round and round and round for Christmas. I so excited!" So this year he gets it that we just had Thanksgiving and next is Christmas - more food, fun, family and presents. What could be better? To capitalize on all this excitement (and to maybe slow down the, "is it Christmas yet?" questions) I decided to start a tradition with an advent calendar. I originally wanted a little house with drawers and such but they cost an arm & a leg and we're attempting to tighten our belts.

Luckily, I got some great ideas from Kids Craft Weekly. My goal was to use only paper and materials I had on hand. I dug up enough paper but couldn't round up enough ribbon to match. So I decided to make the handles of the cups out of the paper I was using. It would have been great if I had a mini stapler (or wasn't out of staples) but I had some double-stick tape. I was home free! But the next day I saw the tape wasn't holding and half the handles had popped off. So time for regular tape on top of the double-stick (so for those playing at home use a mini stapler!). Finally, to top it off, I did buy some 97 cent ribbon and a package of mini clothespins. So I spent about $2.50 for this project and that's well below the over $100 for the coveted house advent calendar.

It turned out pretty good and was relatively easy. You could still get one done if you're so inclined. I'm filling each cup with a small slip of paper with an activity and a small treat. Some will be inexpensive toys and some will be edible. Many things I already have won't fit in the cups so I'll put "look in your toy box for a surprise" if it's too big. I put it up after Monkey went to bed so I'm excited for him to see it this morning!

Photomania

2008-11-29T05:30:00.000-08:00

If you're like me you take WAY too many photos of your little one (and before that I took way to many photos of . . . everything) but now I have an audience (Grandparents) so I like to give them photo gifts when at all possible.

I thought I'd compile some interesting options. We all know the main players (Shutterfly is my favorite, Kodak Gallery and Snapfish) but here are some off the beaten path ideas:

Photobooks (okay, they are all over the place but this site (MyPublisher.com) gives you software to download so you create the book on your own computer and then upload - no waiting for pix to render, etc.) I was so frustrated when I made my free Oprah book on Snapfish (not a book about Oprah - but the deal was from the Oprah show). Everybody and their dog was on the site so it took forever!

Notepads, shopping lists, lined pads, etc. PicPads makes cute little notepads for pure Grandparent pleasure. Great for a fundraiser, big birthday or wedding chotchkies too.

Inexpensive (and green) photo mounting at Plywerk. They mount your photos on plywood and voila, instant art ready to hang. Check out this weeks Seattle Picks for a 25% discount until Dec. 5th.

There's more but I have to go get ready for the influx of parents picking up wreaths from my garage! If you have any great photo gift ideas please comment!

Give Thanks

2008-11-28T12:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving all! I hope your bellies and hearts are happy and full.

Check out my latest pick (Doing Good - One Bite At a Time) on Seattle Picks and I do hope you'll attend a Guest Chef Night at FareStart. FareStart is one of my favorite organizations. They help disadvantaged & homeless men & women get back on track through a great training program in food services. They even have a barista youth program. Seriously, check them out. If you have a tradition of giving to a charity each year - FareStart is worth a gander.

She's Crafty

2008-11-24T14:28:00.000-08:00

Don't worry, not like in the Beastie Boys song (Stacey, I know you're reading this and chuckling) and now that song will be in your head all day - you're welcome. And since I'm crafting and have no time to blog . . . I thought I'd give a shout out to some cool sites so you can get your craft on. I'm desperately trying to finish an advent calendar and I'm determined not to buy anything for it (luckily, I have a lot of card-making items that I'm scavenging through but it's getting harder - I may have to cave - I'll write about it all when it's done).

The inspiration (and directions) for the calendar are from Kids Craft Weekly. I highly recommend this site and e-letter. Amber puts out a free email newsletter with all sorts of great ideas for crafting (with kids of course). She also just put out a Christmas Craft book for $5.00. It's a great way to kick start the season. Seriously, check out this site and get to it!

Another one you may already know about is the Crafty Crow. They pull from all over the blogosphere and grab great crafty ideas. I love this site just for the awe (and ahhhhh!) factor. I am SO not as crafty as these people! But I aspire and it's nice to read and think - someday. Maybe.

Enjoy! Oh and here is a direct link to the directions for the advent calendar I'm attempting. It's the one with the origami cups. Wish me luck! All the ones to buy were too far out of the budget - paper is just right!

Girl Meets Burger

2008-11-21T09:08:00.000-08:00

Sorry I'm so lame and haven't been posting . . . real life (and facebook) gets in the way!

Click to read my latest my latest pick on seattlepicks.com (Designer Burgers). I originally titled it "Girl Meets Burger" or "Chem 101" I also had written a blurb for Asher Anson but another writer snaked me. Dang!

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

2008-11-05T21:53:00.001-08:00

Monkey enjoyed putting our absentee ballots in the ballot box. He got to be a part of history!

For more Wordless Wednesday check out 5minutesformom.com or Wordless Wednesday.

big boy bed

2008-10-29T22:50:00.000-07:00

It's funny how you obsess over milestones. When will he roll over? Was that his first word? Will I ever stop changing diapers? But then they roll over and over and over and it's on to the next one. It's almost as if they have never not been able to roll. I remember when I thought Monkey would NEVER be out of diapers . . . and poof, he's a potty pro (okay, maybe "poof" is a bit extreme). Same with talking . . . now I wish he'd be quiet once in a while! The incessant questioning is exhausting (but still pretty cool - he's a smart little bugger).

We wait so anxiously for these events, not realizing that each one erases our baby and replaces him bit by bit with . . . a big boy! The last milestone on this crazy rocket ride was achieved last weekend - the big boy bed. Monkey was a bit late on this one (transitions are tough for my boy). My mom even tried a super-cool firetruck toddler bed. He talked about sleeping in it a lot . . . but it was all talk. Although it was a great toy for firefighter play - we rode to fires many times a day in that bed - no sleeping was ever done. But I guess we don't give him enough credit because all the wondering about how a teenager would fit in a crib was for naught. We came back from vacation and he told us he was ready to take apart the crib with daddy. So Friday evening they did just that and he slept in his new bed for the first time. He slept through the night and everything (although I certainly didn't - I was in and out of there like a jackrabbit). Around midnight I found his head and shoulders hanging off the bed. He spoke rapidly for about a minute while I moved him (something about a house) then sighed and drifted off. So here we are with a big boy. And yes Monkey, "I so proud-a-you."

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

2008-10-28T22:24:00.001-07:00

Fall

For more Wordless Wednesday check out 5minutesformom.com or Wordless Wednesday.

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P.S. I will start posting again . . . check back on Thursday!
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Poppy Rocks

2008-10-24T17:28:00.000-07:00

Here's my latest pick (Dress For Success) at Seattle Picks.

We're back, we're tired and Monkey is whipped up into a frenzy! M and Monkey are currently taking apart the crib with tools . . . wish us luck with the big boy bed transition. YIKES!

I'll get back to posting if we get some sleep tonight (not likely!) but in the meantime check out where we stayed the past week: Alderbrook Resort on Hood Canal and Colette's Bed & Breakfast near Port Angeles.

On the Road Again!

2008-10-17T15:20:00.001-07:00

We are off for some much-needed R&R. I will return to blogging end of the month. See you soon!

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

2008-10-15T05:30:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Patch Fun - this one's making the calendar this year!

For more Wordless Wednesday check out 5 Minutes for Mom and Wordless Wednesday.

Buyer beware

2008-10-13T14:45:00.000-07:00

Monkey loves books so in order to not go into debt we go to the library a lot (and also because attention span is a bit short - his and mine!) Every time we go he insists on reading a bunch of books and then we scramble to pick out books to take home.

My advice to you? Pre-read your selections before checking them out! Aside from the annoying books we've brought home we've picked out some wonderful books but books that have made for some awkward discussions with a toddler. Now on to the books (which truly are great books and perfect for a child going through a tough situation):

A few months ago we got to discuss death after reading The Forever Dog. This is a touching story about a little boy whose dog dies. The premise is that he'd made a pact with his dog that they'd be "friends forever" and after the dog dies the boy is mad that the dog broke the pact. The mother talks with the boy and tells him that his dog will be forever in his heart (thus the forever dog). I think this is a perfect book for a child who has lost a pet . . . but not necessarily for MY child who has not! Let's just say we talked about lot about death and such while we had that book on loan. We probably read it at least twice a day - so it's a great book but know what you're getting into!

The most recent selection Now One Foot, Now the Other (down to once a day now) completely made me cry on first read. This book is a very sweet story about a little boy whose grandfather (his best friend) has a stroke. Luckily there's no death in this one because I don't think I could have handled introducing Monkey to the possibility that his grandfather might die. It really affected me much more than Monkey. Truly, I'm glad we got this book because it is very touching and we've had good discussions about how people are different, etc. (The grandfather "sounded like a monster" when he was first trying to talk after coming home). The premise is that the grandfather taught Bobby to walk (now one foot, now the other) and after he comes home they switch roldes and Bobby helps his Grandfather. There's more about building towers, elephants and sneezing (which Logan loves) but I'll let you read it for yourself.

The Moose is Loose

2008-10-03T08:34:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest pick (Senor Moose) in Seattle Picks. Have a good weekend!

P.S. I liked "dare we say dive" better but I'm definitely not an editor!

Nothing says Halloween like a sucker & a bucket on your head!

2008-10-02T05:30:00.000-07:00

Monkey wants to be a pumpkin for Halloween this year. He talks about it a lot and I was able to find a cheap pullover deal at Target (2nd to last one!) so hopefully he will actually WEAR a costume this year.

Last year we fashioned a Bob the Builder costume (complete with a little tool belt I got at Top Ten Toys) but alas, he would have nothing to do with it when the day came around. We decided he'd go as "obstinate boy" instead. We still had fun and with the crush of kids and coats hardly anyone noticed he wasn't wearing a costume.

Every year I create calendars for my parents. I use pictures from each month the year before of (you guessed it) Monkey. Well, for October the year before I had very sweet photos of Monkey in his lion costume and with pumpkins, etc. Well this year all I could scrounge up were a photo of him as "obstinate boy" with his first sucker and one with a jack'o'lantern bucket on his head. The caption for October reads, "Nothing says Halloween like a sucker and a bucket on your head." Let's hope this year we'll have some better picture opportunities.

Purple Beans

2008-10-01T05:30:00.000-07:00

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

Did you know purple beans turn green when you cook them? Very confusing and a bit disappointing for Monkey (which is why I took these pictures so he would remember the before while looking at the after).

For more Wordless Wednesday check out 5 Minutes for Mom and Wordless Wednesday.

DIY for dummies (like me!)

2008-09-29T21:12:00.000-07:00

My good friend R got married last month. It was an intimate affair at a local park and we decided to do the flowers ourselves (including bouquets for the bride and her two girls). I was pretty nervous about creating bouquets but she had gotten an outrageous quote from a florist for doing three small, simple bouquets so we decided to go for it. First, I did a little searching online (as you know, I love Google). After reading through a bunch of wordy explanations I found this little slideshow and a little wine later I blithely thought, "I can totally do this!"

In the light of the sober morning I freaked out again but we were a go. The wedding was on a Friday evening so we decided to hit the Lake City Farmer's Market on Thursday afternoon to pick flowers for tables and hand-held bouquets. I dropped Monkey at A's house (thank you!) and we jetted off with buckets in the back of R's van. We didn't have a lot of preconceived ideas except for dahlias and something that would work with the sage and fuchsia ribbon R had bought to go with the dress sashes.

It was touch and go there for a while but they turned out beautiful in the end. I would advise anyone to make your own (or a friend's) bouquets. It's not as hard as we thought (and R's THANKFULLY not a picky or crazy bride - like I was). Here's what you'll need and some lessons learned:

1) Pick sturdy flowers (a flower that stays for a week or so in the vase). Don't pick anything too delicate.

Tip: Buy more flowers than you think you need. You can always put some in a vase if you have extra. Once you get down to the business of stripping the leaves, etc. there will be some breakage and some not as straight, etc.

2) Green florist tape (sites suggested wire but we didn't use any since we were working with sturdy stems)

Tip: it's easier if you have a friend to hold the stems tightly while you wrap

3) Ribbon to wrap stems (wider is easier)

4) "pearl" tipped pins

5) GOOD scissors to cut the ribbon

6) Crap scissors (or clippers) to cut the flowers

7) Hot glue gun

Creating the bouquets

Strip the flowers and set them out in bunches on the table. Start at the center and build out placing the flowers in a concentric circles until you like the shape. Keep a tight hold right below the flowers as you go. Tightly wrap with the florist tape (but not too low just yet as you'll be putting the flowers in water). Put the flowers in water until a few hours before the ceremony (we did this step the night before and wrapped them with the ribbon Friday afternoon). Sites suggested using florist preservative but we didn't have any!

Wrapping the ribbon

This was the scariest part for me but it wasn't that tough once I got going. First, choose thick ribbon. We had one thick ribbon (easy) and one pretty thin (harder to keep it straight). I made a practice bunch of stems to try out the wrap before doing the real bouquets.

First, take them out of the water and dry off the stems. Continue wrapping the stems with the florist tape to give your ribbon a smoother surface.

If you want to cover the end of the stems (and you don't have to) cut two pieces of ribbon and hot glue them in a cross on the bottom (go up the sides on each as you'll cover with the main wrap).

Start wrapping at the bottom and swirl upward. I folded a bit of the ribbon over to give a clean end, wrapped around a few times and then secured with a pearl topped pin. I continued up to the top (keep it tight and don't be afraid to start over if it gets loose). Once you get to the top secure with more pins (you can do a line of pins down the side or just keep a few at the top). We decided to put some tails on the end of each bouquet so I just threaded thin ribbon through the cross at the bottom and tied.

Now go out there and make a bouquet! I wish I had a little girl because it would be fun to make some for dress-up. Monkey's a bit more interested in throwing the bouquet than carrying it.

RAW

2008-09-26T07:49:00.000-07:00

Check out my new piece on RAW Threads (boutique in Ballard) in Seattle Picks .

Roasted Green Beans

2008-09-25T05:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to recipe Thursday! Today's recipe is quick & easy and a great way to eat more veggies. I know I need help in this arena. Monkey will even eat a few when I prepare beans like this. Our pole beans are slowing down in production but we've been able to eat this dish a few times this season.

What you need:

a bunch of green beans (or any type of long beans). We use an assortment of purple, yellow wax and green. The small green beans work the best because they get sweet. If you're buying at the store I'd do string beans or green beans. It would be interesting to try Chinese long beans (but I never have).
Some olive oil
salt & pepper
1-2 cloves garlic (minced) optional (but I say essential!)

Preheat oven to 450
Trim your beans
Toss beans with some olive oil and lay on a baking sheet (rimmed) in as close to a single layer that you can get
Roast for about 10 minutes (shake pan 1/2-way through) until browned a bit and tender.
Sprinkle garlic on the beans and salt/pepper to taste and roast about 1-3 minutes longer (don't burn the garlic)
Transfer to bowl and serve

Optional additions:

roasted red pepper
splash of lemon juice (right before serving)
splash of vinegar (right before serving)
parmesan cheese
red pepper flakes or chili oil

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-24T05:30:00.000-07:00

When do I not talk/write when given the chance? I ask you, when? Well, nobody's ever classified me as "quiet" or accused me of writing in the style of Hemingway . . . but I'm going to try to do quick posts with a picture on Wednesdays (and I know that at least Jackie & my mom will dig that). Here goes!

I like to call this, "You gotta start somewhere!"
This photo was taken at the Kingfisher Cabin on Vashon Island.

For more Wordless Wednesday check out 5 Minutes for Mom and Wordless Wednesday.

Rain King

2008-09-23T05:30:00.000-07:00

My friend A & I went to see the Counting Crows & Maroon 5 at the White River Amphitheater Sunday night. I'd never been to this venue and I have to say it was pretty cool. We were in the FRONT ROW so really how could it not be cool?!! But it does seem like a decent outdoor venue and a whole lot closer than the Gorge which is what is needed on a Sunday night.

I won the tickets by being the 10th caller on The Mountain (radio station). I was calling with both my cell and home phone and I got through on my cell. I was amazed (and just like every other caller you hear winning on the radio)! All in all we had a great time at the show. A got a guitar pick (and I think she is still buzzing about that) and we had a nice time away from the kiddos. I'm not much into Maroon 5 but they put on a good show. Counting Crows I love (but maybe not quite as much as A does) and it was fun to see them up close and personal AND they did mostly old stuff so YEAH for me! The staff around us were really friendly and nice (which can be rare in concert security) which is great since they're basically right in front of you the whole concert! One guy was taking pictures for people and he also found a bunch of kids during the Maroon5 set and brought them up front. This one little girl knew all the words and was really getting down. So cute!

All these people around us had cameras and if I'd known I could bring my camera I would have! Luckily, A has a blackberry so we snapped a few photos for posterity (and the blog of course). Enjoy!

I love Google

2008-09-22T05:30:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how much we know about . . . well . . . everything! Sometimes I think we know too much. I know that I often know just enough to freak me out all the time (hmmmm . . . that may be my neurotic tendencies more than the knowledge though). But really, my mom is always saying it was easier to parent when there were only a few books and not a billion different ways to choose from. It seems like it might have been easier when your role was defined and you don't know much else! But really I am glad we live in the age of information (and info at your fingertips). It's not always good info (Wikipedia anyone?) but it's info just the same and it feels good when we find answers - no matter if they're the right answers. They're answers damn it!

While we were vacationing at the beach this summer we made a few interesting finds. We found some egg casings on the beach which we didn't recognize (and I'd never seen before in all these years going to Vashon) and a crazy-huge black & white bug with amazingly long black & white striped antennae. Now in the "old" days we'd say, "Wow, I wonder what that is?" and if we remembered later we might try to look them up in a reference book. But really, we wouldn't remember by the time we were anywhere near a reference book. Well, this time I snapped some pix and then searched on Google using my wireless laptop on the deck after Monkey went down for a nap. In just a few searches I found the answers. No trip to the library needed. Now this was a bit exhilarating but it also made me stop and think. Now I know why my generation (and especially those that follow) have issues with delayed gratification . . . because we don't have much of a delay.

So when Monkey gets older we'll definitely use Google (or whatever else there will be by then) but hopefully also try to do some extra research when needed so everything isn't so instant!

But in the meantime here's what I found:

The eggs are squid egg capsules and the bug is a Banded Alder Borer. So now you can file those away for when you stumble across them.

Here's a better picture of the insect (found on google images - bugguide.net). It is a pretty spectacular bug (about 2 inches long) and a bit frightening when it's flying toward you and you don't know what the heck it is! Apparently, they are attracted to fresh paint so sometimes you'll get a swarm on a freshly painted building.

I was more interested in just finding out what laid the egg casings we found all over the shoreline (Monkey loved picking them up and hurling them back into the sea). He would yell, "eggs! eggs!" with delight and scoop them up for a good throw. The main thing I found was that there's been a study that shows contact with squid egg capsules increases agonistic behavior in male squid . . . so now you know!

Ahhh . . . knowledge!

Leche

2008-09-20T23:07:00.000-07:00

Whoah!

Okay, I am completely on board with the whole "breast is best" stuff. I'm no nipple nazi but I think breastfeeding is a good thing if it works for you and your babe and Monkey and I partook in the whole experience for quite some time . . . but this is a bit W-A-C-K-Y!

Apparently a Swiss chef is planning on including breastmilk in soups and sauces according to an article in The Telegraph. He's quoted as saying, "We have all been raised on it. Why should we not include it into our diet?"

I'm pretty sure it won't be pasteurized.

Too bad this isn't happening here . . . women will receive just over $5.00 US for 14 oz. I bet that's not on the radar for the Mompreneurs .

And no, that isn't Monkey or my breast (thank God as that looks painful). I do have a picture of Monkey on the boob (when he was first born) and in the haze of the first few days it accidentally was emailed to most of our friends and acquaintances. Oops! So pretty much everyone has seen at least one of my breasts so if you missed out - nothing much to see here. Move along!

Please Sir, I Want Some More

2008-09-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

Well, that was my late suggestion for a title (or "Food Lovers Unite") but the editors went with "Ocho is Enough". Check out my latest mini review at Seattle Picks. It's numero 3.

Sorry I haven't been posting lately what with all the fall schedule changes and such plus a killer of a head cold I have been L-A-Z-Y. I'll try to get back to it next week.

Braised Kale

2008-09-11T05:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I missed recipe Thursday last week. I haven't had much time to post lately! Here is an easy, yummy recipe to help you eat your greens. I've never been very good at doing vegetable sides (I always forget) but this one I've mastered and both M & I like it (Monkey will not dare to try it).

Braised Kale
(amounts are approximate) - this feeds two people with a bit leftover (as a side of course)

Ingredients
1-2 T olive oil
1/2 onion or a small onion sliced very thin
red pepper flakes
one bunch of kale (any kind will do) if you don't like kale this works with swiss chard too (Chopped or torn with thick stems removed)
1-3 minced garlic cloves
vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
splash of flavored vinegar (I use red wine vinegar but cider vinegar would work well too)

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over Med High heat
Saute the onion slices until slightly carmelized (3-5 min)
Sprinkle red pepper flakes to your liking
Add kale, garlic (on top so it doesn't burn) and enough vegetable stock to cook the kale but just have a little bit left at the end for "sauce". I'd say try 1 cup but I eyeball it. You can always add more - harder to take it out!
Cook for about 8-10 minutes until kale is tender (I use tongs to get the onions and everything mixed well)
Take it off the heat and add a splash of vinegar (serve immediately)

We often have this with broiled salmon & rice

Let me know what you think!

Happy Birthday to Me . . .

2008-09-10T15:38:00.001-07:00

Monkey's birthday is a few days before mine so the madness of the birthday planning, etc. is then followed by me (and most of my loved ones) suddenly remembering (or forgetting) that it's my birthday too.

This morning I told monkey it was my birthday and he said . . . wait for it . . . "Why?" (which he asks of EVERYTHING). So I said, "because 36 years ago today I was born." And he gaily responded, "I was born YESTERDAY!" Gotta love that time continuum for kiddos--absolutely everything that happens pre-nap is "yesterday" or "last week".

I remember the days when birthdays rocked! I loved my birthday. Now all I hear is my dad's voice gleefully telling me, "you're on the bullet train to forty." Thanks dad!

Actually, the whole thing isn't really bumming me out like I thought it would (although I must say crow's feet suck). I don't much care that I'm no longer the center of attention (at least most of the time). I had a lot of good years there in the spotlight. Today I was surprised by a few prezzies and some thoughtful cards and calls (thanks for the songs - you know who you are) so I'm pretty happy. All in all it was a nice sunny day and a good birthday.

I still can't believe I'm 36 but I'll just concentrate on Monkey being 3 (which is completely mind-blowing) instead. Will it ever be all about me . . . ever again? Somehow, I don't think so and, surprisingly, I'm okay with that. And really, when you're potty-training, who the heck has time to celebrate birthdays!

Edit 8:30 pm: M came home with roses, chocolates & my favorite imported cookies (yeah!). I did have to share with Monkey (so now I can hear him whizzing around the room as M attempts to put him to bed). AND Monkey pooped in the POTTY (no begging for a diaper) with no cajoling or anything. He just went in there and said, "I just want to be alone mommy." The best present ever!

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

2008-09-05T08:08:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest piece on Seattle Picks about Hazlewood titled "Girls Just Want to Have Fun".

Also, for some reason Monkey picked out Horton last night--and has asked for it three times since. Is he reading this blog???

Clorinda

2008-09-03T05:30:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you come across a book and you adore it (but your child couldn't care less) . . . like "Horton Hears a Who!" (I love it, Monkey's not as interested).

Or your child loves a book and you are not so enamored (for instance, "Finding Nemo Bubble Hunt" sound book!) Ugh.

But when you hit that sweet spot . . . it's worth noting!

Clorinda (by Robert Kinerk, illustrated by Steven Kellogg) is a book I don't mind reading over and over and over . . . and over. It's illustrated beautifully and the rhyming is exquisite. The story and moral are pretty dang good too. The basic story is about Clorinda (a bovine) who accidentally goes to the ballet (instead of the ballot-cutely explained pictorally) and loves it! She decides to try her hoof at dance and eventually goes to New York to start her career. Well, it's hard to be a ballet dancer and a cow but she tries her best--and that's the whole point, right? Try!

All in all I give this book both thumbs up (or two pointer fingers up as Monkey does instead). He'll come around on Horton next year . . . I'm sure of it!

Willpower Wednesday (on Friday)

2008-08-29T14:44:00.000-07:00

You know how blogs often have cute theme days . . . there's "Muffin Tin Monday" (of course!), Tackle It Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday, Recipe Thursday (ha!), Photo Friday . . . and so many more. Well, I think I need Willpower Wednesday - because I have NONE and I need some . . . fast!

I thought about titling this post, "My DVR is trying to kill me" but really it's me again. I have a compulsive need to empty it. There's no reason to stay up so late watching inane shows . . . but I do it. I NEED MORE SLEEP! The solution is simple - go to bed earlier - but for some reason I simply can't. 11:30 pm seems to be the earliest I can hit and even then I open up a book, do some stupid sudoku, write or lay there staring at the ceiling before my eyes close. Insomnia sucks. I make deals with myself from time to time . . . don't turn the t.v. on past a certain time. Close the book once this chapter ends . . . it may work for a bit but I always end up breaking the deal.

Don't get me started on nighttime snacking! The pounds are creeping up on me and it's (again) up to me to fight it!

Maybe admitting there's a problem (in print) will help me to change. One can only hope!

Oh and I did end up going to bed early last night (to bed at 9:30 and lights out 10:30--pretty good since the past few nights I've looked at the clock and it's been 1:30 am). But then Monkey was up off and on between 2:00 and 3:45 . . . that hasn't happened in months! I guess he knew I was trying to catch some zzz's. Damned if you do, damned if you don't!

Poached Halibut

2008-08-28T05:30:00.000-07:00

This recipe is very easy and Monkey will even eat bites of the fish! I've started getting our seafood delivered from Surfin' Seafood. It's great to have it on hand and not have to go to the store (especially now that we're eating fish at least once a week). It's also been very yummy!

And now for the recipe (adapted from Rachael Ray on food network) I use less fish but the same amt of shallots/garlic for four pieces . . .

You'll need:

pan with tight fitting lid
olive oil
2 halibut fillets
salt/pepper
sliced shallot (or a thinly sliced 1/4 of an onion if you don't have shallots on hand)
garlic clove (diced)
enough white wine to fill pan about 1/4 inch or so (1/4 - 1/2 cup?)
about a cup of diced tomatoes (or 1/2 - 2/3 of a well-drained can)
lemon
thinly sliced basil for topping

Season the fish with salt/pepper.
In a large pan (with a tight lid) add a bit of oil (less than a T).
Lightly dredge the fish in the oil (turn over so both sides get a bit of oil)
add garlic, shallots and wine to pan
Top each piece of fish with tomatoes
Heat to boiling over Medium heat, then put on the lid
Cook until done (but not too dry) about 7-10 minutes

Transfer to plates (add some of the cooking juices and garlic/shallots)
Squeeze lemon over the top and top with basil

Serve immediately

I like to serve this with whole wheat pasta with Newman's Own tomato/basil sauce (if I don't have my own and I usually don't!) or quinoa (then put the fish on top and the quinoa will soak up the juices).

This is a great weeknight meal that looks fancy and tastes great.