Wow, the holidays are quite a huge deal, aren't they? Especially with a 6- and 9-year-old! I won't even begin to list the multitude of presents that my kids received...
Fiona crawled in bed last night, however, a bit forlorn, and I asked her what was the matter. She dejectedly replied, "I didn't receive enough presents..." I stifled a laugh and tried to talk seriously with her about how some children don't receive any presents or only one, and then we started to count her presents up. She initially only counted nine, but we were still counting at twenty-something, when we were finally distracted by Michael, who came in to ask what we were doing. She still maintains, however, that she didn't receive enough, as she wants at least 100. I think I'll have to buy her a stickerbook next year and give her each sticker separately... Anyhow, she received a very fancy doll, an Aerogarden, Wii games, movies, clothes, etc. Life is rough for the poor privileged thing! Honestly, though, I am a little sympathetic. It really is all a bit much for a little girl to take in. She's being utterly doused with far too many things, and we're guilty of this repeatedly. I'm seriously considering trying to stick to just one or two fun presents for them at their birthdays this year.
For example, Fiona received Olivia on Christmas Eve. Olivia is a very high quality doll--the likes of which I never had as a girl. I also gave her Kit, a small American Girl doll, on Christmas morning. Kit sort of displaced Olivia in Fiona's attentions, of course, which I rue because Olivia should be a treasured toy and has been relegated to the level of Kit and Barbies at this point. If Olivia had been an only toy for Christmas, then I think she'd be treated with more regard, and Fiona would have enjoyed her much more.
My dear friend Kelly commented, "we're creating monsters!" when I mentioned Fiona's greedy reaction to the inundation of Christmas. She's right...it's difficult for a child to process so very much, and the continual stimulation of constantly receiving creates a pattern that the child adapts to.
Fiona is a very sweet, very loving, and quite generous little girl. She is not generally greedy, and she's one of the most thoughtful six-year-olds in existence, I'm sure. I'm sad that we truly do 'spoil' her by making it so excessive.
Sorry to be such a killjoy! Fiona will adapt and be okay, I'm sure, whether she receives one or one hundred presents for her birthday next year! I do remember that she was a bit rotten at her excessive birthday party last May, as well, but she quickly went back to her normal, sweet self.
Alex, on the other hand, received just one major 'fun' toy from Santa--his Wii. Of course it has a multitude of games, but he seems to be happy with his presents and a bit better-adjusted to receiving and appreciating them.
Santa brought 'Rock Band' for Wii with accompanying instruments, and I played drums or sang tonight with Alex and Michael. I don't like the guitar, as I actually do play real guitar and find the fake one annoying. The drums are a blast, though, and singing is like karaoke. Michael had a wonderful time--the most fun he's had in ages! I was happy to see him having so much fun! Alex, on the other hand, was also having fun and looked way too cool jamming with the Wii guitar--which worried me more than anything...
Anyhow, just decompressing about our Christmas. We are taking a trip up to colonial Williamsburg, VA next week. We'll be coming back on Alex's 10th birthday, January 4th, 2009.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Brilliant Homo Sapien Hubby!
Our million-dollar, incredible, computerized Maytag Neptune washing machine went kaput on us last week for the first time in over 6 years. Michael, a jack-of-all-trades, somehow managed to figure out what was wrong with it and ordered a new motor and a new gasket (the leak likely killed the motor, from my understanding...). After a long day of work, he came home oh-so-happy to find the parts waiting for him to tackle. He replaced the motor within about a half hour, but the silly gasket was the killer! Alex initially tried to help him, and then I did, and my arms are still sore! There was this cord that seals the gasket on, and, by incredible strength or a special tool, you are supposed to stretch a metal spring to hold the cord together. Michael and I could not manage it, no matter how we tried. I was actually quite worried that one of us would get injured, and Michael did get a gash on his hand at one point. After a bit of this, and my arms shaking from prolonged effort, I came up with brainstorming ideas of implements and strategies to help us. While my ideas didn't really have a lot of practical substance, they set Michael's mind churning, and he rigged up a home-brew anchor to one end and a pulley (devised of a thin rope and a metal ring) onto the spring. It worked without a whole lot of to-do!
The analogy with how humans became the dominant creatures of the earth through using their tools and wits came to me while I observed his cleverness. I'm not sure a man of twice his brute strength could have pulled those ends together!
I am happy to say that we have our first load of clothes in almost a week washing in our machine right now. Yay for Michael!
The analogy with how humans became the dominant creatures of the earth through using their tools and wits came to me while I observed his cleverness. I'm not sure a man of twice his brute strength could have pulled those ends together!
I am happy to say that we have our first load of clothes in almost a week washing in our machine right now. Yay for Michael!
Lower Braces on--finally!
Ouch! I now have a full set of braces, and I have to say that the lower ones are far more painful than the top--probably because the teeth are far more crooked! Not for long, though, right?
I hope that 2008 is the end of invasive procedures for me for quite a while! Of course I'll have the braces on for a couple of years, but they've been set in place, the tooth extraction is history, and now I should only need adjustments. I'm done with my knee surgery and am rehabing that knee currently. The Lasik is just a memory at this point... So, no more plans for bodily invasions for some time! Whew!
I hope that 2008 is the end of invasive procedures for me for quite a while! Of course I'll have the braces on for a couple of years, but they've been set in place, the tooth extraction is history, and now I should only need adjustments. I'm done with my knee surgery and am rehabing that knee currently. The Lasik is just a memory at this point... So, no more plans for bodily invasions for some time! Whew!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Alex is a 2nd Degree Black Belt!
Alex achieved his 2nd degree decided black belt today. Testing was this morning. He is turning 10 next month, and he has now been in taekwondo for over four years. I was gratified to see that his form and techniques are continuing to improve. I take it for granted now, but when he started, I would have been amazed to see the contrast between then and now.
Fiona received her red belt today! We hope to see a black belt around her waist by sometime next summer...
Unfortunately, I completely spaced on the camera today. Sorry no pics!
Fiona received her red belt today! We hope to see a black belt around her waist by sometime next summer...
Unfortunately, I completely spaced on the camera today. Sorry no pics!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Tooth Extraction with Acupuncture
I had one of my lower front teeth extracted today as a preliminary step before getting my lower braces. We found a dentist, Dr. Robert Miller with Miller Dental Group, who was willing to let us try acupuncture anaesthesia, and it worked! Michael, Dr. Miller and I were all rather tickled about it. I think we provided the entertainment for this morning at the dentist's office--and gossip for the rest of the week! Anyhow, acupuncture seems definitely the way to go there. I did feel pressure, and there was momentary pain, but it was very brief and not excruciating. I've taken some ibuprofen and I think I'm going to lie down for a nap now, but it was rather an exciting experience, and quite the validation for the effectiveness of acupuncture!
Friday, November 7, 2008
My Handsome Boy
Just thought I'd throw in some home quick shots of Alex. Isn't he good-looking? Fiona is so often in our limelight, seeing as how she's so pretty and photogenic and loves fancy dresses and posing for the camera. I have to make Alex sit reluctantly still to shoot pics like these!
Oh, while on the subject of Alex, I'll mention that he's been wonderful about helping me this past couple of weeks since I've had surgery. He's my strong man! All I have to do is ask, "Alex, are you strong enough to carry this basket upstairs?" and poof! it's done!
Fiona keeps jumping on my leg! Luckily, she's a light little thing! Alex is not as bouncy nor as huggy as her. Fiona's a darling, though, in that she asks me every morning and afternoon, "Mommy, how's your leg today?" In fact, she has even become much better about remembering not to press on that leg in recent days.
I'm such a lucky mom!
The Dark Forces of Halloween!
Darth Alex and Fiona Witch!
Fiona Witch with her familiar--black cat Lillian!
Fiona's Coven (friendly neighborhood witches Savannah and Kasi)!
Darth Alex had those Sith moves!
Behold our dark gathering in honor of Halloween! Our neighbors (Angela, Jay, Kasi, and Savannah) and our friends (Kelly and Lillian) joined our group for trick-or-treating this year. I stayed home and passed out candy, due to my knee surgery, but it was fun to see them all in their costumes, and actually kind of fun to be home for the trick-or-treaters. I actually was dressed up as the Snow Queen (costume compliments of Michael, who surprised me with it the night before), which was quite fun--complete with accessories and white, sparkly face paint. I believe Kelly may have a picture of me, but I don't have any of myself... anyhow, the kids were cute and had fun.
De Rabbits!
LIZZIE!!
and Lorelai!
For the first time ever, we have real pets! Actually, Alex had some Aquasaurs for less than a month, but that was mostly depressing, as he was so excited about them and then they died so quickly. The only perk was that they were interesting, but it was totally not worth it to see my poor boy have to deal with losing his only pets so quickly. I don't recommend them (they have naturally short lifespans).
Anyhow, Lizzie and Lorelai came to live with us a couple of weeks ago. Lizzie is the dominant of the two. I believe they're probably older rabbits, but it's hard to tell. I think I saw some opacity in Lizzie's eye. We aren't 100% sure that it's going to work out, but things seem to be improving. They were rescued by a local pet store owner, who had been looking after them for quite a long time.
When they arrived, they were cranky and so large! The biggest problem, though, is that we had been told that they were litterbox trained, and thus we were hoping to allow them to run around the house much of the time. However, they mostly didn't make it to the litterbox and my kitchen was taken up with their enclosure. That would not do!
Uncertainly, we allowed them to play in the backyard. The dumb bunnies suddenly came alive and seemed so happy! I was convinced that they had been in a dull stupor the entire time that they were indoors. We have an old dog kennel out back, and we actually decided to put them out there for now, and it seems to be working out well. It's a lovely time of year, so the weather is fine for them. We're considering enclosing it and putting in heat and air for the summer and winter, as they can't tolerate weather extremes very well.
I hope it works out. They are so quiet and cute and actually like to be petted, too. Lizzie has taken it into her head, though, to make a game of being put back in the kennel at night, whereas Lorelai has been quite cooperative about it. Michael became so frustrated with Lizzie that he left her outside last night. I went out hours later, and she was quietly sitting outside the kennel, looking in, and she meekly went in when I opened it up for her. Poor thing. I wouldn't much care to spend the night outside, either. Lorelai has been quite busy working on her own little burrow during the day, though, so perhaps they're creating their own alternatives:).
It's fun to feed them veggies--crunch! crunch! crunch! We never could figure out how to deal with a dog or a cat, as we are vegetarians ourselves, and the bunnies have been an idea that has been brewing for years. They eat a store-bought 'rabbit food' as well as the veggies. They're quiet and cuddly and smell fine! They may have litterbox issues, but their little poops don't stink and aren't that messy (tiny round balls). Very low maintenance, so far!
The kids were extremely excited at first, but I think they've curbed that a bit, as we told them that this is going to be a trial, based on the rabbits' litterbox issues. I do know, though, that the kids are definitely more excited about playing in the backyard now!
Oh, honestly, I think I curbed my own excitement as well, given my unhappiness with the house mess. Now that the backyard experiment seems to be working out, though, I'm getting a little more enthusiastic (hence this blog!). The rabbits also seem sweeter and happier. Yay!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Presidential Processing
I am always amazed at the American public. They surprise me over and over again with their choices, and I can never guess what they're going to do! I would never have guessed that our people would elect a racially mixed man with an Arabic-sounding name (including 'Hussein') during this wartime!
It was inspiring, though. How incredibly heartwarming to hear the respectful and humble speeches by both McCain and Obama last night. I have always been disturbed by the rhetoric, blatant attacks, and boastful speeches that I've witnessed in politics, and thus the incredibly gracious concession speech and equally gracious 'victory' speech were very moving.
I actually had more trouble than ever choosing a candidate this year. I've always liked McCain, and I was quite excited that he'd chosen Sarah Palin as a running mate. McCain's pro-war and less environmentally friendly stance were the deal-breakers for me, though, and I did cast my vote for Obama. However, I felt much like the 4% of blacks who didn't vote for Obama must have felt--like a traitor to my kind! I would have been delighted to see the first female vice-president, and it was a bittersweet moment when I realized that Obama was winning the election. It does help, though, to know how very uplifting and empowering this is for a huge segment of our population.
One man, with tears in his eyes, related how his father had always said, "this nation will never elect a black president", and he was full of incredulous joy when he declared how happy he was that the nation had proved his father wrong.
As a girl, I heard many black classmates talk about how the history books were about white people, and thus they really weren't that interested. Their reaction was perfectly legitimate, and I know that the further removed history seems from my own reality, the less I'm interested in it myself. It's always bothered me, and I was so glad last night to know that Obama will be in the history books and generate so much more involvement in their lessons for black students--even, perhaps, putting a happier 'ending' on a story that includes an awful start for our nation with regards to slavery. I hope this helps to dissipate some of the feelings of victimization and anger against the established government that is prevalent in many black communities.
Michael and I watched the speeches last night on our television, which doesn't get the greatest reception (as we don't have cable). I had a silly, uplifting moment when being completely inspired by Obama's speech. His image was hazy, and it seemed as though I could see the backdrop through him. Just as I was thinking this, he started talking about a new 'spirit' arising in the nation. I was struck with this impression that he was an angel/spirit sent to correct so many wrongs and unite our nation. His humility and wisdom seem so ideallic and completely unlike what I expect from politicians. I am very hopeful about our progress in the next four years.
And...perhaps we'll see a woman in office next time!:)
Oh, Alex's pet peeve is that children can't vote. I really sympathize with him on this...and I think that it's a lost cause. Children truly have little power, and by the time that they're old enough to make a difference, they've got the vote and lose any motivation for trying. I probably shouldn't have teased him about his grandparents with Alzheimer's being able to vote, while he can't! He was so bummed that he didn't want to go to the poll with me to vote. I took Fiona and Lillian, and they took turns selecting my candidates and then cast the ballot for me, so I think they felt part of the whole process.
As far as children voting...I'm not 100% convinced that they should all be able to, but I do know that I was extremely informed and involved in the presidential election process when I was 14 years old. I sat up watching the results on TV and was very emotional about the whole thing. I've never again been as informed or motivated about it, and I do think it was a shame that I couldn't vote. And as for the question of whether children will think independently of their families--well, what adults do? Some, of course, just as some children will. Alex has more adamant opinions about politics than either Michael or I do, and he was completely fascinated in watching projections on TV and listening to the commentary. I woke him to tell him that Obama had won, and he got the most elated smile, which nearly baffled me! I'm glad he was happy, though.
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It was inspiring, though. How incredibly heartwarming to hear the respectful and humble speeches by both McCain and Obama last night. I have always been disturbed by the rhetoric, blatant attacks, and boastful speeches that I've witnessed in politics, and thus the incredibly gracious concession speech and equally gracious 'victory' speech were very moving.
I actually had more trouble than ever choosing a candidate this year. I've always liked McCain, and I was quite excited that he'd chosen Sarah Palin as a running mate. McCain's pro-war and less environmentally friendly stance were the deal-breakers for me, though, and I did cast my vote for Obama. However, I felt much like the 4% of blacks who didn't vote for Obama must have felt--like a traitor to my kind! I would have been delighted to see the first female vice-president, and it was a bittersweet moment when I realized that Obama was winning the election. It does help, though, to know how very uplifting and empowering this is for a huge segment of our population.
One man, with tears in his eyes, related how his father had always said, "this nation will never elect a black president", and he was full of incredulous joy when he declared how happy he was that the nation had proved his father wrong.
As a girl, I heard many black classmates talk about how the history books were about white people, and thus they really weren't that interested. Their reaction was perfectly legitimate, and I know that the further removed history seems from my own reality, the less I'm interested in it myself. It's always bothered me, and I was so glad last night to know that Obama will be in the history books and generate so much more involvement in their lessons for black students--even, perhaps, putting a happier 'ending' on a story that includes an awful start for our nation with regards to slavery. I hope this helps to dissipate some of the feelings of victimization and anger against the established government that is prevalent in many black communities.
Michael and I watched the speeches last night on our television, which doesn't get the greatest reception (as we don't have cable). I had a silly, uplifting moment when being completely inspired by Obama's speech. His image was hazy, and it seemed as though I could see the backdrop through him. Just as I was thinking this, he started talking about a new 'spirit' arising in the nation. I was struck with this impression that he was an angel/spirit sent to correct so many wrongs and unite our nation. His humility and wisdom seem so ideallic and completely unlike what I expect from politicians. I am very hopeful about our progress in the next four years.
And...perhaps we'll see a woman in office next time!:)
Oh, Alex's pet peeve is that children can't vote. I really sympathize with him on this...and I think that it's a lost cause. Children truly have little power, and by the time that they're old enough to make a difference, they've got the vote and lose any motivation for trying. I probably shouldn't have teased him about his grandparents with Alzheimer's being able to vote, while he can't! He was so bummed that he didn't want to go to the poll with me to vote. I took Fiona and Lillian, and they took turns selecting my candidates and then cast the ballot for me, so I think they felt part of the whole process.
As far as children voting...I'm not 100% convinced that they should all be able to, but I do know that I was extremely informed and involved in the presidential election process when I was 14 years old. I sat up watching the results on TV and was very emotional about the whole thing. I've never again been as informed or motivated about it, and I do think it was a shame that I couldn't vote. And as for the question of whether children will think independently of their families--well, what adults do? Some, of course, just as some children will. Alex has more adamant opinions about politics than either Michael or I do, and he was completely fascinated in watching projections on TV and listening to the commentary. I woke him to tell him that Obama had won, and he got the most elated smile, which nearly baffled me! I'm glad he was happy, though.
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Sunday, October 26, 2008
Knee surgery finished
I did wake up! Yay! I'm hobbling about and just hoping the healing process is rapid. I start physical therapy on Monday...
Friday, October 24, 2008
Knee Surgery
I have knee surgery in just a few hours. My nerves are rattled! Anyhow, I hope to report that all went well soon... I'm having my ACL reconstructed (using part of my patellar tendon) and my medial meniscus trimmed arthroscopically. Wish me luck, please.
Strange anaesthesiologist claims that I'm a high-risk population group for an epidural and won't do it, so I have to go under general anaesthesia. If I don't wake up, y'all look into that, okay? Seems to me that I'm the exact target population for an epidural! In the midst of those childbearing years...
Note the note of paranoia in there! This is how I get in high-stress situations! Alright, I'm going to go try and get a little rest.
Strange anaesthesiologist claims that I'm a high-risk population group for an epidural and won't do it, so I have to go under general anaesthesia. If I don't wake up, y'all look into that, okay? Seems to me that I'm the exact target population for an epidural! In the midst of those childbearing years...
Note the note of paranoia in there! This is how I get in high-stress situations! Alright, I'm going to go try and get a little rest.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Scrambled Eggs No-Go
Well, I tried the blended cauliflower in the scrambled eggs this morning, and I ended up eating them all myself! I actually thought they were delicious, but my family of cauliflower-haters were not fooled in the slightest and gently let me down with, "these are the worst eggs I've ever tasted!". So much for that quite nice idea from Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious cookbook!
Remembering Uncle Richard Ard
My Uncle Richard passed away yesterday. He was my grandfather Emmett's younger brother. In many ways, Richard functioned much like Granddaddy's oldest son, and it pains me to know how my grandfather must be hurting right now.
Emmett was 14 years older than Richard. Their father, John Henry Ard, abandoned them for many years when Richard was just a small boy. Emmett, a good-looking, rugged football player, quit high school to go to work to support his mother and siblings. He was energetic, loud, cocky and quite dashing, and Richard looked up to him greatly.
Richard Ard grew to be a quite handsome and responsible man. He had seven children with his wife Louise, who sadly passed away many years ago from cancer. Richard's family has always been the anchor of the Ard clan. Strongly connected to one another, they are the center of our Ard family reunions and get-togethers. They are a loving, hard-working group of genuine Southern folk who are entrenched in good-hearted family values and actually seem to enjoy each others’ company.
His family has my long-term respect and gratitude for always being dependably supportive. They were all, of course, at my Uncle Felton's funeral. While many of my very close and intimate relatives from ‘right down the road’ failed to attend my own wedding, my Uncle Richard's clan was all there--unfailingly present despite the distance.
I credit both Uncle Richard and my granddaddy with the strength of Uncle Richard's family. Whereas my own grandfather Emmett suffered from the lack of a father, he provided that role for Uncle Richard, and they have always been close. Despite John Henry's poor example, my grandfather pulled through and stayed consistent to his family—thereby providing a consistent example for his younger brother Richard to emulate. Emmett did suffer through a bit of alcoholism in his early years, per his father's example, but he had the strength of mind to overcome that for the sake of his family, and he became a strong Christian and, eventually, the Reverend Emmett Ard--an enthusiastic and devout Pentecostal Holiness minister. I still recall his “Jumpin’ for Jesus” sermon… I thoroughly enjoyed it and have rarely witnessed such charisma in the pulpit!
Uncle Richard was a grounded Capricorn man (though I doubt he even knew that he was a Cap!) who kept his family close. He was always thoughtful of the younger folks. I recall that I was staying with my grandparents for a bit the summer of my 16th birthday, and I thought that my grandparents had completely forgotten that it was my birthday. However, Uncle Richard came by their house for a visit, and Granny mentioned, while they rocked on the porch, that it was my birthday. Though he had been clueless about that fact, he showed great diplomacy. Granny obviously didn’t want to make a big deal about my birthday, so he didn’t either, but he did slip me some cash, whispered ‘Happy Birthday’, and gave me a warm hug—which meant so much to me, after my Granny and Granddad’s seeming indifference throughout the entire day (how I do hold a grudge!). Uncle Richard provided the only bright moment of my 16th birthday, and I’ve always treasured that small, thoughtful gesture.
Granddaddy reaped what he sowed in quite a wonderful way… Emmett was the surrogate father and model for young Richard, and, accordingly, in Emmett’s late years, he received the love and support due a father from his eldest son. Uncle Richard lovingly visited Emmett regularly, and, when Emmett became ill with prostate cancer, Richard would drive some distance and work ceaselessly to keep up Granddaddy’s small farm for him—I believe more for moral support than for practical reasons. It did Granddad good to see his place maintained, and I maintain that it was done with the love and care of a son to his ‘father’.
Uncle Richard suffered from Parkinson’s in his last decade or so. It was debilitating and, I couldn’t help but feel, terribly unfair for a man who had given so much love and care and consistency to his family and community. In fact, there has been some association between a high rate of Parkinsonism in farmers and the synthetic chemicals used, but I won’t go into that now, though the cruel irony that Uncle Richard was being perversely punished for his years of helping my grandfather keep up his farm has always struck me. Of course, Uncle Richard kept his own farm as well, but the extra exposure while helping my grandfather could have only negatively contributed.
Uncle Richard was an anchor and a source of loving warmth in the Ard family. He was a man who doubtlessly had no idea the degree to which he inspired and encouraged and unified those around him.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Muffins and cookbooks
I was in a domestic mood tonight and made some applesauce muffins! Of course, I made two different batches--one wheat-free for Alex.
After becoming interested in my neighbor Angela's copy, I recently bought the cookbook Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld, and it was fun to try one of her 'tricks' to increase veggie consumption in her picky kids. The muffin recipes incorporated applesauce and carrot puree.
The thought struck me that I end up changing recipes so much that I could record my own cookbook, completely based on others' recipes! I substitute so many ingredients! I really like the recipes mainly to provide a basic idea, especially with regards to spices and bases and such.
For example, I generally substitute ground flax seed for eggs in baking recipes, simply to increase fiber, decrease cholesterol, and increase beneficial fatty acids. Oh, and yes, studies have shown that the fatty acids are still beneficial, despite being exposed to oven heat! The flax meal acts like glue, practically! I've been a big fan of the flax meal since I first read about it probably 10 years ago (very helpful in my vegan days!). The substitution for one egg is 1 tbsp flax seed. Grind the flax seed in a coffee grinder, then combine with 3 tbsp water and let congeal for at least one minute before adding to the recipe. I keep my flax seeds in the freezer, as I generally don't bake that much and the oils tend to go rancid quickly if not kept there.
Then, of course, I make other substitutions, as Fiona and I avoid dairy and Alex stays away from gluten. I sometimes wonder how close my end product turns out compared to the intended recipe! Maybe it is different enough that no one would have a clue! I suppose cookbooks 'inspire' my creations, really. Michael's always teased me that I won't even set the microwave for the exact time that is recommended. I have to switch everything up!
Occasionally the switches actually don't work out so well. For example, soymilk just won't make decent pudding! At least, not as a straight substitution!
There's a sweet potato soup recipe that I occasionally make for the kids that calls for a cashew creamy base. I pureed the soup, as the kids dislike chunks of veggies, and I substituted peanut butter for the cashew butter and had a big hit with the kids! We have peanut butter soup now and then, which doesn't really resemble the original recipe all that much!
I suppose everyone does that, eh? I wonder how many people don't alter their creations based on convenience and preference? It's fun to realize that cookbooks are largely just variations on each other, though, and that our own variations actually can stand as independent recipes!
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After becoming interested in my neighbor Angela's copy, I recently bought the cookbook Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld, and it was fun to try one of her 'tricks' to increase veggie consumption in her picky kids. The muffin recipes incorporated applesauce and carrot puree.
The thought struck me that I end up changing recipes so much that I could record my own cookbook, completely based on others' recipes! I substitute so many ingredients! I really like the recipes mainly to provide a basic idea, especially with regards to spices and bases and such.
For example, I generally substitute ground flax seed for eggs in baking recipes, simply to increase fiber, decrease cholesterol, and increase beneficial fatty acids. Oh, and yes, studies have shown that the fatty acids are still beneficial, despite being exposed to oven heat! The flax meal acts like glue, practically! I've been a big fan of the flax meal since I first read about it probably 10 years ago (very helpful in my vegan days!). The substitution for one egg is 1 tbsp flax seed. Grind the flax seed in a coffee grinder, then combine with 3 tbsp water and let congeal for at least one minute before adding to the recipe. I keep my flax seeds in the freezer, as I generally don't bake that much and the oils tend to go rancid quickly if not kept there.
Then, of course, I make other substitutions, as Fiona and I avoid dairy and Alex stays away from gluten. I sometimes wonder how close my end product turns out compared to the intended recipe! Maybe it is different enough that no one would have a clue! I suppose cookbooks 'inspire' my creations, really. Michael's always teased me that I won't even set the microwave for the exact time that is recommended. I have to switch everything up!
Occasionally the switches actually don't work out so well. For example, soymilk just won't make decent pudding! At least, not as a straight substitution!
There's a sweet potato soup recipe that I occasionally make for the kids that calls for a cashew creamy base. I pureed the soup, as the kids dislike chunks of veggies, and I substituted peanut butter for the cashew butter and had a big hit with the kids! We have peanut butter soup now and then, which doesn't really resemble the original recipe all that much!
I suppose everyone does that, eh? I wonder how many people don't alter their creations based on convenience and preference? It's fun to realize that cookbooks are largely just variations on each other, though, and that our own variations actually can stand as independent recipes!
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Friday, October 10, 2008
The Corkeys--the new New Yorkers
I've been missing Pamela Corkey and her son Oscar since they moved to New York over the summer. Pam was a breath of fresh air for me, and Oscar and my kids were starting to really hit it off.
Pam seems to exist in a state of continual search for maximum self-honesty and truth. She asked once, "why would anyone settle?" and I answered, "for sanity!"...but I so appreciate her unwillingness to settle and live 'in a box'!
Pamela is an utterly fascinating person to me. Her house was full of unique and interesting items. Her career in teaching film and her book-writing, both entrenched in dark humor, fill her days. Conversations with Pam tend to jump straight to the depths of my soul! She validates my perceptions and challenges my assumptions on life.
Pamela is one of those people who really experiences life with unsurpassed intensity. She feels life's changes with an excruciating awareness, but she is fearless about making almost any change that feels resonant and true. I worry about her seeming lack of short-term self-preservation there, but she expects great strength from herself and therefore delivers!
Pamela has two sons--tall Milo, who is fairly grown and independent, and Oscar, who Pamela adopted at birth and with whom she has an incredible bond and understanding. They have a quirky, playful banter and interaction that makes Pamela's intensity more manageable for Oscar, I think...
Anyway, I'm happy for Pam finding a happier home in New York. She feels more comfortable in the city life there, with all of the cultural opportunities and progressive attitudes. I, too, can relate to her desire for those things--which is part of why I miss her so much here in Savannah! It was so refreshing to spend time with her!
Good Luck to Pam and Oskey in NY!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Overwhelming Pride
I've always been a parent who idealized the idea of trying to allow my children space to make their own decisions. Alex is very independent, and he operates within our structure on his own. He's such a boy! He's doing quite well, though, and I am very proud of him.
Fiona, however, has taken to heart my goals and objectives for her. She tries so hard to be as good as she can, and she cares so much! It's incredibly endearing, and my maternal pride is busting at the seams nonstop! She doesn't do it just to please me, but she absorbs my goals and attitudes and makes them her own, with a formidable strength of mind and drive!
Anyhow, I suppose I'm trying to find a balance. You know, to try to avoid living vicariously. The harder she strives, the more tempting it is! I found myself yesterday making plans for her to eventually play the flute, which is what I did when I was eleven. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but I don't want to saddle her with my life!
At the same time, it's our job as parents to try to provide opportunities to our children, so I do get excited about her having violin lessons and taekwondo classes and such!
I suppose it's okay to be proud as long as we try to maintain some detachment and refrain from forming too many hopeful expectations, which pop up more and more frequently, the more Fiona shows her willingness to strive towards my own favored objectives! Regardless of my logic here, I do feel like I have a perfect little girl. She's kind, caring, perceptive, funny, athletic, sweet, loving, artistic, intelligent, and beautiful. Can I really be expected to temper my pride? :)
Fiona, however, has taken to heart my goals and objectives for her. She tries so hard to be as good as she can, and she cares so much! It's incredibly endearing, and my maternal pride is busting at the seams nonstop! She doesn't do it just to please me, but she absorbs my goals and attitudes and makes them her own, with a formidable strength of mind and drive!
Anyhow, I suppose I'm trying to find a balance. You know, to try to avoid living vicariously. The harder she strives, the more tempting it is! I found myself yesterday making plans for her to eventually play the flute, which is what I did when I was eleven. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but I don't want to saddle her with my life!
At the same time, it's our job as parents to try to provide opportunities to our children, so I do get excited about her having violin lessons and taekwondo classes and such!
I suppose it's okay to be proud as long as we try to maintain some detachment and refrain from forming too many hopeful expectations, which pop up more and more frequently, the more Fiona shows her willingness to strive towards my own favored objectives! Regardless of my logic here, I do feel like I have a perfect little girl. She's kind, caring, perceptive, funny, athletic, sweet, loving, artistic, intelligent, and beautiful. Can I really be expected to temper my pride? :)
Saturday, October 4, 2008
A lemonade stand, taekwondo testings, and a spaghetti dinner
Lillian and Fiona were up at the crack of dawn, whispering and giggling in Fiona's room. They were wearing purple sweatshirts and fitted pajama pants for their sleepover.
Alex also woke up bright-eyed and hurriedly pulled on some warm clothes and went outside to set up his lemonade stand--for the neighbors were having a yard sale and he was seizing an entrepreneurial moment!
Leaving Alex to mind his lemonade stand (as the neighbors looked out for him), we took Fiona to her testing for decided brown belt. We were very excited when Fiona was unexpectedly invited to be in the Leadership Club today! These are entirely different classes, and it's an honor!
We dashed home and brought the lemonade inside, although Alex was having a very successful stand, as we had to get to his taekwondo testing. We've just gotten home from that.
Alex is now recommended for his 2nd degree black belt, and he'll hopefully test for his 2nd degree belt in 2.5 months or so. Until then he can ogle it as it hangs on the dojang wall, awaiting that time!
Alex broke all three boards at testing, which was exciting! Though his sparring was not quite up to par with what I expected, his form was sharper than I've ever seen it.
After all that excitement, we are home for just a couple of hours. I soon need to cook three pounds of spaghetti noodles for the church spaghetti dinner tonight! We are all going to crash tonight after this busy, but good, day.
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Alex also woke up bright-eyed and hurriedly pulled on some warm clothes and went outside to set up his lemonade stand--for the neighbors were having a yard sale and he was seizing an entrepreneurial moment!
Leaving Alex to mind his lemonade stand (as the neighbors looked out for him), we took Fiona to her testing for decided brown belt. We were very excited when Fiona was unexpectedly invited to be in the Leadership Club today! These are entirely different classes, and it's an honor!
We dashed home and brought the lemonade inside, although Alex was having a very successful stand, as we had to get to his taekwondo testing. We've just gotten home from that.
Alex is now recommended for his 2nd degree black belt, and he'll hopefully test for his 2nd degree belt in 2.5 months or so. Until then he can ogle it as it hangs on the dojang wall, awaiting that time!
Alex broke all three boards at testing, which was exciting! Though his sparring was not quite up to par with what I expected, his form was sharper than I've ever seen it.
After all that excitement, we are home for just a couple of hours. I soon need to cook three pounds of spaghetti noodles for the church spaghetti dinner tonight! We are all going to crash tonight after this busy, but good, day.
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Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Greening Our Lives
I'm struck this morning with the 'green' bug. I'm so happy about using my cloth bags at the grocery store this morning, about picking the basil for Alex's pesto out of the back yard, about noticing how quickly compost is created in the summer heat...
It's a challenge to figure these things out sometimes. We have to balance comfort, finances, time, and other practicalities with our green efforts.
On the up side, I have been very responsible about using my cloth bags lately. I've rarely forgotten them! My plastic bag supply is dwindling (thank goodness!), as I still utilize them for sundry things--for garbage and putting produce in after I get home from the store... Michael seems to have picked up the cloth bag practice a bit more, as well. I had a whole space in the pantry stuffed with the bags, and I now use that space for our placemats:).
Our garden is again not doing so well... but the basil is really flourishing. I'm going to have to figure out some recipes! Honestly, I'm not so sure that we've done the environment any favors with our garden, given our extremely low production and expensive water wastage!
Now that Fiona and I have figured out that we shouldn't consume dairy, we're another step closer to vegan and that much greener. Being more veg in your diet is one of the most environmental habits you can create! It's not bad for your health, either!
While I was proud of how much we stayed home this summer (thereby wasting less gas), I noticed that our electric bills were phenomenally high, a side effect of spending so much time here. I've been very spoiled abut wanting a quite cool and comfortable indoor temp, and I have been terrible about blasting our energy-inefficient air conditioner! Michael and I would absolutely love to get an energy-efficient air conditioner and then some solar panels... Truly, though, despite our energy-efficient clothes washer and dryer, we must be one of the families with the worst energy consumption!
It's a constant labor of love. I would love to somehow figure out how to implement the bus stystem or ride our bikes. I dream of getting a new A/C and the solar panels. I hope to keep reporting progress on our green journey!
Perhaps the most important thing, though, is to reduce consumption. There's a lot we can do from that perspective. We used to be so great about buying used products, but that's not happening as much these days. We do use the library, though, and I try very much to not waste any more gas than is necessary. I've been better about carrying water bottles with us and not purchasing disposable ones... I do think it's important to give ourselves credit, as otherwise we may simply forget to do the good things that we do!
That said, I admire folks who have very little 'stuff'. Kasi, Fiona's neighbor friend, has a closet with perhaps a third as many clothes as my little girl! I admire that, as it takes a bit of organization and orderliness to make it work, and I'm a bit embarrassed about the sheer volume of all our stuff!
It's a challenge to figure these things out sometimes. We have to balance comfort, finances, time, and other practicalities with our green efforts.
On the up side, I have been very responsible about using my cloth bags lately. I've rarely forgotten them! My plastic bag supply is dwindling (thank goodness!), as I still utilize them for sundry things--for garbage and putting produce in after I get home from the store... Michael seems to have picked up the cloth bag practice a bit more, as well. I had a whole space in the pantry stuffed with the bags, and I now use that space for our placemats:).
Our garden is again not doing so well... but the basil is really flourishing. I'm going to have to figure out some recipes! Honestly, I'm not so sure that we've done the environment any favors with our garden, given our extremely low production and expensive water wastage!
Now that Fiona and I have figured out that we shouldn't consume dairy, we're another step closer to vegan and that much greener. Being more veg in your diet is one of the most environmental habits you can create! It's not bad for your health, either!
While I was proud of how much we stayed home this summer (thereby wasting less gas), I noticed that our electric bills were phenomenally high, a side effect of spending so much time here. I've been very spoiled abut wanting a quite cool and comfortable indoor temp, and I have been terrible about blasting our energy-inefficient air conditioner! Michael and I would absolutely love to get an energy-efficient air conditioner and then some solar panels... Truly, though, despite our energy-efficient clothes washer and dryer, we must be one of the families with the worst energy consumption!
It's a constant labor of love. I would love to somehow figure out how to implement the bus stystem or ride our bikes. I dream of getting a new A/C and the solar panels. I hope to keep reporting progress on our green journey!
Perhaps the most important thing, though, is to reduce consumption. There's a lot we can do from that perspective. We used to be so great about buying used products, but that's not happening as much these days. We do use the library, though, and I try very much to not waste any more gas than is necessary. I've been better about carrying water bottles with us and not purchasing disposable ones... I do think it's important to give ourselves credit, as otherwise we may simply forget to do the good things that we do!
That said, I admire folks who have very little 'stuff'. Kasi, Fiona's neighbor friend, has a closet with perhaps a third as many clothes as my little girl! I admire that, as it takes a bit of organization and orderliness to make it work, and I'm a bit embarrassed about the sheer volume of all our stuff!
Alex's Reluctant Maturity
Alex impressed me yesterday. Not that he planned or wanted to, but out of sheer practicality and common sense, he showed some newfound maturity.
We were at Fiona's taekwondo class, and, for the first time ever there, without being told and without my even being aware of it, Alex started working on his homework. I only knew about it because he came to me in frustration with a question about it.
When I praised him for his self-direction and maturity in starting it on his own, he scowled and brushed off my praise, citing his very practical reasons for needing to go ahead and work on it.
On the way home, knowing full well he was still doing his homework, I asked if we could turn on our current audio CD's--InkSpell by Cornelia Funke. Alex grumpily retorted, "No, I really need to focus on finishing this worksheet." Fiona wasn't too happy about that, but she had her ever present artwork to keep her occupied. Honestly, I was as disappointed as Fiona, but how can you refuse to allow your kid to focus on his homework on the rare occasion that he wants to? Oh well, I guess I've got to try to be almost as mature as my 9-year-old...
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We were at Fiona's taekwondo class, and, for the first time ever there, without being told and without my even being aware of it, Alex started working on his homework. I only knew about it because he came to me in frustration with a question about it.
When I praised him for his self-direction and maturity in starting it on his own, he scowled and brushed off my praise, citing his very practical reasons for needing to go ahead and work on it.
On the way home, knowing full well he was still doing his homework, I asked if we could turn on our current audio CD's--InkSpell by Cornelia Funke. Alex grumpily retorted, "No, I really need to focus on finishing this worksheet." Fiona wasn't too happy about that, but she had her ever present artwork to keep her occupied. Honestly, I was as disappointed as Fiona, but how can you refuse to allow your kid to focus on his homework on the rare occasion that he wants to? Oh well, I guess I've got to try to be almost as mature as my 9-year-old...
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Saturday, September 27, 2008
Fun Guns and Sexy Dolls
Gosh, my boys (that would be Alex and Michael) have been darting around the house, full of glee, shooting dart guns at each other. I had always said, "no guns" for toys as a general rule, but Alex so desired the dart guns, and they're bright orange with sponge darts--not overly similar to real guns. I acquiesced, and now I can't help but laugh as they dash around with such joy.
I know that we need to parent with conscientiousness, but I keep giving in to our culture and finding that I don't actually mind so much. For example, I really wanted to avoid the Barbie syndrome with Fiona. I wanted her to stick with Waldorf dolls and stuffed animals and baby dolls. However, she adores Barbie, and I gave in right away. We've completely succumbed to that whole Mattel thing. We have most of the Barbie major movies, which are quite good!
Oh well. Perhaps moderation is the key here. Dessert isn't good for us, either, but occassionally it is the best thing ever!
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I know that we need to parent with conscientiousness, but I keep giving in to our culture and finding that I don't actually mind so much. For example, I really wanted to avoid the Barbie syndrome with Fiona. I wanted her to stick with Waldorf dolls and stuffed animals and baby dolls. However, she adores Barbie, and I gave in right away. We've completely succumbed to that whole Mattel thing. We have most of the Barbie major movies, which are quite good!
Oh well. Perhaps moderation is the key here. Dessert isn't good for us, either, but occassionally it is the best thing ever!
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Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Lillian's Birthday Party
Guess what the theme was? Yep...Kelly's friend made this functional mermaid tail by hand.
The birthday girl, Lillian Soucy.
Lillian with Ken.
Lillian opening presents after their swim session. That's Fiona across from her, and Kelly and I are the floral prints standing behind them.
Kelly just sent me these pics of Lillian's birthday party on Saturday. Lillian just turned six on September 18th. She and Fiona (May 18th) have a trine between their earth sign birthdays--Taurus (Fiona) and Virgo (Lillian). A trine bodes well for a compatible relationship. I have a trine with Michael and my mom. There are just a handful of days in the year that create a trine, and, generally speaking, those days lie in the other signs of the same element. Therefore, generally, all earth signs are compatible, all air signs are compatible, and so forth.
Air signs: Gemini, Aquarius, and Libra
Earth signs: Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn
Water signs: Pisces, Cancer, and Scorpio
Fire signs: Sagittarius, Leo, and Aries
The trine is just one relationship aspect, and, given the complexity of charts, a statement such as 'Aries and Leo are compatible' is a vast over-simplification. However, it does help if there's actually a trine!
Family Pictures
Fiona with her daddy.
Alex with his cousin Nicholas.
Fiona with her cousin Elizabeth.
Nicholas, Fiona, Elizabeth, and Alex.
Fiona and Lillian are practically joined at the hip, and they tell us that they're 'real cousins' (a fact that Alex routinely disputes).
Monday, September 22, 2008
Nearest and Dearest
I was realizing today that I have neglected to blog about my closest current friends. I think that so far I've been remembering special visits with old friends and recounting our history in a nostalgic way. Perhaps the fact that these relationships are more 'history' and not as much daily life make the visits seem special to record, which they are. I love reconnecting and catching up with these wonderful old friends.
Likewise, my local, current, and active friendships are precious to me, but I haven't been as motivated to pull out the camera or mark them as memorable events, perhaps because they occur regularly, rather than as unique occurrences.
Anyhow, please forgive being taken for granted here! Just because I never write about you, never answer my phone, and often seem too wrapped up in my little daily schedule doesn't mean I don't love you dearly!
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Likewise, my local, current, and active friendships are precious to me, but I haven't been as motivated to pull out the camera or mark them as memorable events, perhaps because they occur regularly, rather than as unique occurrences.
Anyhow, please forgive being taken for granted here! Just because I never write about you, never answer my phone, and often seem too wrapped up in my little daily schedule doesn't mean I don't love you dearly!
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Dr. Charlotte Charfen, Adventuress
Charlotte with husband Jaime and daughter Mia
Charlotte and I with our kiddos.Charlotte is another friend of mine since freshman year of college. I've enjoyed our friendship, as Charlotte is a very dynamic and bold, successful woman! She's an extremely self-confident Emergency Room doc, and I believe I'd feel very safe in her hands!
I get to have vicarious adventures when I catch up with Charlotte. She has safaried in Africa, experienced Europe, trekked down the Amazon for a honeymoon, eloped to Mexico, works for a non-profit educating Mexican health care workers in medical technology, functioned as president of her sorority...
Charlotte (then Charlotte Newman) and I spent a lot of time studying together for our physical chemistry classes, in particular. Her focus and drive are amazing!
Daughter Mia is cut from the same mold as Charlotte, it seems. She knows what she wants and will go for it! Long ago, when Charlotte and I chatted about our med school interviews, she had a ready answer for one of the interview questions that comes up frequently, "What one word describes you best?" Charlotte said without hesitation, "Determined!"
Presenting Pediatrician and Mother Extraordinaire, Dr. Ana Arias-Pandey!
Ana with newborn Veejay.
Vinod, Alex, and Fiona. Vinod seems to be very social and quite bright.
Vivek with his reading! This precocious lad was reading the Harry Potter collection when he was 4 years old. Unbelievable! He was also riding a bike without training wheels at that age. I'm in awe of this kid!
Baby Veejay asleep in my lap. He's not falling off, though it looks that way!Ana has been a very good friend of mine for 15 years. We were roommates at the College of Charleston, and we both travelled to Seattle, WA to attend Bastyr University. Ana's naturopathic training was interrupted by her pregnancy with Vivek, her oldest son. I was so excited by her pregnancy, and it was perhaps no coincidence that I got pregnant with Alex at the ovulation following the discovery of her pregnancy!
Ana's the person who introduced the whole idea of naturopathic medicine to me. She taught me about organic food and homeopathy. Charleston is blessed to have her as a pediatrician! She's very sincere and committed to her work and to her family.
Ana now has three children--all boys. Vivek, just turning 10 now, Vinod, perhaps 7, and the new kid on the block, Veejay, who is about 3 months old. Ana graduated from MUSC with a new babe-in-arms this year. She had a month or so off, and then she started her grueling pediatric residency in July... Needless to say, Ana is overwhelmed with work and family. I've barely seen her since she started her M.D. medical education 4 years ago. This visit was during her small break before the residency began.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Laziness confronted!
Just feeling a little guilty here...Master Richard was speaking to the black belt class in taekwondo and said, "there are plenty of talented people out there who are flipping burgers for a living". Why? Because they didn't try. The talent does no good without the effort.
Anyway, he was saying this just as I am in a monumental lull. I am the epitome of laziness this past week. Okay, so I did a few things, like Nordictrack a couple of times and practice the Swedish and piano, attend church and choir and such, but I haven't been willing to work at anything very much.
I've gotten so comfortable with this concept of a mellow life that when I was chatting with Michael and Ken this evening, I said something to the effect of, "working at things just doesn't sound that appealing to me any more"--completely in all seriousness! I didn't even really realize what I'd said until I noticed Ken's raised eyebrows!
A film tonight brought home the power of "working at things". Michael, Alex, and I went to the downtown Trustee's Theatre to see a documentary for the Ocean Film Festival about Jane Yarn, who was a huge environmental advocate for Georgia and the nation. She achieved an incredible amount, although she began as a 40-something housewife. The secret? Tenacity! She was a charming annoyance that wouldn't go away!
While this is somewhat inspiring, the fact is that she died of breast cancer, and I can't help but think how I loathe all the social exertions and feel too sensitive for such work. I fear that I'd die of breast cancer or another disease like that myself. My body reacts so terribly to me not doing exactly what I want to do!
So, while I want to finish this by saying that I'm inspired to work through and show tenacity at worthwhile endeavors, I'm actually kind of happy at not having to, though I do realize that progress and success sort of hinge on that! I'm comfy, though...
I'll think about it--how's that? And, meanwhile, perhaps I'll show some tenacity at following through with a couple more personal goals, like finishing the Pimsleur Swedish course and getting my knee fixed! Maybe I'll improve the school, save the environment, help animals or, most challenging of all, clean my house next year!
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Anyway, he was saying this just as I am in a monumental lull. I am the epitome of laziness this past week. Okay, so I did a few things, like Nordictrack a couple of times and practice the Swedish and piano, attend church and choir and such, but I haven't been willing to work at anything very much.
I've gotten so comfortable with this concept of a mellow life that when I was chatting with Michael and Ken this evening, I said something to the effect of, "working at things just doesn't sound that appealing to me any more"--completely in all seriousness! I didn't even really realize what I'd said until I noticed Ken's raised eyebrows!
A film tonight brought home the power of "working at things". Michael, Alex, and I went to the downtown Trustee's Theatre to see a documentary for the Ocean Film Festival about Jane Yarn, who was a huge environmental advocate for Georgia and the nation. She achieved an incredible amount, although she began as a 40-something housewife. The secret? Tenacity! She was a charming annoyance that wouldn't go away!
While this is somewhat inspiring, the fact is that she died of breast cancer, and I can't help but think how I loathe all the social exertions and feel too sensitive for such work. I fear that I'd die of breast cancer or another disease like that myself. My body reacts so terribly to me not doing exactly what I want to do!
So, while I want to finish this by saying that I'm inspired to work through and show tenacity at worthwhile endeavors, I'm actually kind of happy at not having to, though I do realize that progress and success sort of hinge on that! I'm comfy, though...
I'll think about it--how's that? And, meanwhile, perhaps I'll show some tenacity at following through with a couple more personal goals, like finishing the Pimsleur Swedish course and getting my knee fixed! Maybe I'll improve the school, save the environment, help animals or, most challenging of all, clean my house next year!
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Swedish Linguistic Fun
I've gotten the Pimsleur Swedish language introductory course, and I'm currently on the 3rd CD. It's very simple and has a lot of repetition, which is nice because you get comfortable with just a few basic phrases.
What I'm finding fascinating are the cute similarities to certain words. Of course there are the obvious ones--like for here, you, how, where, etc., but certain ones just make me crack up! Here are some of those:
1. Ain't. Remember hearing that ain't ain't a word? Well, it is! Our "you are not American" sounds something like "Du ar ain'ta Amrikana". When they say it up to speed, the "ar" gets lost and it sounds just like ain't. I was thrilled!
2. Will. Okay, so think Sweden and Vikings, alright? When we would say "I want", the Viking says "I will" or something that actually sounds like "Yog vill" (Jag is "I" and is pronounced yog). If they want to be polite, they say "I will gladly", which brought up images of the Vikings gladly taking whatever they want!
3. Obvious. On the Viking roll, I noticed that listening to "I think" in Swedish sounds a lot like "It's obvious", when they're speaking up-to-speed, although it's actually something like "Jag viet". Imagine the Viking pomposity, where anytime you think something, it's obvious!
4. Prattle! I don't think that the Vikings were known for being terribly loquacious--or, should I say, it's obvious that the Vikings didn't value loquacity, given their reputation as the tall, strong, silent types. Hence, it makes sense that their word for "speak" is "pratar", so "Jag pratar Engelska"..."I prattle English"! Quite in line with my general Viking impression!
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What I'm finding fascinating are the cute similarities to certain words. Of course there are the obvious ones--like for here, you, how, where, etc., but certain ones just make me crack up! Here are some of those:
1. Ain't. Remember hearing that ain't ain't a word? Well, it is! Our "you are not American" sounds something like "Du ar ain'ta Amrikana". When they say it up to speed, the "ar" gets lost and it sounds just like ain't. I was thrilled!
2. Will. Okay, so think Sweden and Vikings, alright? When we would say "I want", the Viking says "I will" or something that actually sounds like "Yog vill" (Jag is "I" and is pronounced yog). If they want to be polite, they say "I will gladly", which brought up images of the Vikings gladly taking whatever they want!
3. Obvious. On the Viking roll, I noticed that listening to "I think" in Swedish sounds a lot like "It's obvious", when they're speaking up-to-speed, although it's actually something like "Jag viet". Imagine the Viking pomposity, where anytime you think something, it's obvious!
4. Prattle! I don't think that the Vikings were known for being terribly loquacious--or, should I say, it's obvious that the Vikings didn't value loquacity, given their reputation as the tall, strong, silent types. Hence, it makes sense that their word for "speak" is "pratar", so "Jag pratar Engelska"..."I prattle English"! Quite in line with my general Viking impression!
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Sunday, September 14, 2008
My Precious Ones!
Fiona came down with a sudden fever again last night, and I spent the night with her while she fought whatever battle was going on inside of her. Her fever was strong, and she was a bit delirious--insisting at one point that she really wanted to play the piano, even though her eyes were closed and she was hardly moving that direction!
As I held my precious little girl, a recurring fear hit me--I've been so incredibly lucky to have two such thoughtful, sweet, lovely children and it sometimes seems 'too good to be true'. What a terrifying thought.
Fiona was much better today, thank goodness.
I know everyone loves their kids, but I feel my love for them growing more and more as their sweetness and thoughtfulness increases. We have both a boy and a girl--both intelligent, beautiful, kind, loving, generally healthy, and incredibly sweet. How fortunate can we be? I am so blessed!
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As I held my precious little girl, a recurring fear hit me--I've been so incredibly lucky to have two such thoughtful, sweet, lovely children and it sometimes seems 'too good to be true'. What a terrifying thought.
Fiona was much better today, thank goodness.
I know everyone loves their kids, but I feel my love for them growing more and more as their sweetness and thoughtfulness increases. We have both a boy and a girl--both intelligent, beautiful, kind, loving, generally healthy, and incredibly sweet. How fortunate can we be? I am so blessed!
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Thursday, September 11, 2008
George's Secret Key is finished
We finished George's Secret Key to the Universe by the Hawkings tonight. I was amazed that the kids really loved it. I actually did learn a little bit myself, though I think I already knew many of the mind-blowing facts--like that we're made of stardust! The kids were very interested in the book--quite surprising me, since I was fully expecting their interest to wane when the story would get bogged down in pages of scientific explanations about the solar system and such. I think it was a great success, really. If anyone knows of other educational fiction, I'd love to hear it--especially as Fiona specifically asked me for another science story for our next chapter book.
I highly recommend The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer as one of the more educational fictional books I've read, but it's extremely violent (with Vikings frothing at the mouth and all). It was really helpful in understanding and learning about some Norse mythology and the whole relationship between the Vikings and their raids on the English coast around 800-1100 A.D. and seeing the growth of Christianity juxtaposed with the older Celtic beliefs. Anyhow, as I said, it's too violent for the kids, but I thought it was absolutely fascinating!
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I highly recommend The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer as one of the more educational fictional books I've read, but it's extremely violent (with Vikings frothing at the mouth and all). It was really helpful in understanding and learning about some Norse mythology and the whole relationship between the Vikings and their raids on the English coast around 800-1100 A.D. and seeing the growth of Christianity juxtaposed with the older Celtic beliefs. Anyhow, as I said, it's too violent for the kids, but I thought it was absolutely fascinating!
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Sunday, September 7, 2008
Choir
Today was the first day for both Fiona and I to sing in the church choirs. Fiona is in the children's choir, and she did a wonderful job. I overheard some church members talking about how "she really belted it out" and sounded great, and they said that they could tell she was enjoying herself. I'm so proud of her, as she wasn't really feeling well, and she developed a fever by the end of church--but she held up for her 'performance' with the other children.
I'm enjoying singing with the Adult Choir. I've never had such an awareness of dynamics and how to shape the sounds with my mouth. It's truly hard work, and I'm incredibly impressed with Kelly's choir directing.
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I'm enjoying singing with the Adult Choir. I've never had such an awareness of dynamics and how to shape the sounds with my mouth. It's truly hard work, and I'm incredibly impressed with Kelly's choir directing.
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Tuesday, September 2, 2008
1st day of school
Whew! The kids are off to school and Michael's off to work. I'm secretly blissed out to have some alone time!
The kids were so cute this morning in their uniforms. I went last-minute, of course, to buy their school supply lists last night, and I found myself buying things like 3-ring binders and composition books for Fiona! I'm used to it with Alex, but I guess 1st grade is serious business!
It was a nice morning and seemed ridiculously laid-back, but I think that's partly because I made their lunches last night. They prefer day-of, the picky little things, but I didn't want any glitches in our morning.
1st and 4th grades--would you believe? They're getting so big!
Alex is now considered 'upper elementary' and has a 4th, 5th, & 6th grade classroom, in which, joy of joys, his best friend Zachary is again with him! Their 2nd-3rd grade teacher, saintly Ms. Anne, actually saw that they were originally set for different classrooms on the roster, and she went in and changed it so they could be together! Kisses for Ms. Anne! Both Zachary's mom, Karen, and I were moved around throughout our childhoods and always wished for the lifelong friendships 'since Kindergarten'--and that's exactly what Alex and Zachary have. They're like 2 peas in a pod. They were only in separate classrooms for 1st grade, and otherwise they're set together from Kindergarten thru 6th grade!
Fiona was also switched on the roster last-minute, and I was surprised to find her in Ms. Laura's class--which is fine by me, as I once requested Ms. Laura for Alex. She has a couple of friends in her class, and I'm sure she'll be fine, as she's so adjustable.
It's a big day for us! Alex's new teacher, Ms. Carol, gave an extra boost to my idealistic views of the Ellis Montessori utopia when she shared, as many other teachers have, how much she loves working at Ellis and how she never wants to work anywhere else. Oh, and best thing? She has the kids wear bedroom slippers in the classroom!:)
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The kids were so cute this morning in their uniforms. I went last-minute, of course, to buy their school supply lists last night, and I found myself buying things like 3-ring binders and composition books for Fiona! I'm used to it with Alex, but I guess 1st grade is serious business!
It was a nice morning and seemed ridiculously laid-back, but I think that's partly because I made their lunches last night. They prefer day-of, the picky little things, but I didn't want any glitches in our morning.
1st and 4th grades--would you believe? They're getting so big!
Alex is now considered 'upper elementary' and has a 4th, 5th, & 6th grade classroom, in which, joy of joys, his best friend Zachary is again with him! Their 2nd-3rd grade teacher, saintly Ms. Anne, actually saw that they were originally set for different classrooms on the roster, and she went in and changed it so they could be together! Kisses for Ms. Anne! Both Zachary's mom, Karen, and I were moved around throughout our childhoods and always wished for the lifelong friendships 'since Kindergarten'--and that's exactly what Alex and Zachary have. They're like 2 peas in a pod. They were only in separate classrooms for 1st grade, and otherwise they're set together from Kindergarten thru 6th grade!
Fiona was also switched on the roster last-minute, and I was surprised to find her in Ms. Laura's class--which is fine by me, as I once requested Ms. Laura for Alex. She has a couple of friends in her class, and I'm sure she'll be fine, as she's so adjustable.
It's a big day for us! Alex's new teacher, Ms. Carol, gave an extra boost to my idealistic views of the Ellis Montessori utopia when she shared, as many other teachers have, how much she loves working at Ellis and how she never wants to work anywhere else. Oh, and best thing? She has the kids wear bedroom slippers in the classroom!:)
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Monday, September 1, 2008
Tea Party!
Fiona's new dress from Strasburg Children was the impetus for this impromptu tea party!I just love the row of little buttons and the big sash on the back...
Isa, Kasi, Fiona, Lillian, and Alyssa sit around the table for the tea party.
Isa, Kasi, Fiona, and Lillian pose for the pictures.
Lillian receiving cream in her tea.
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Isa, Kasi, Fiona, Lillian, and Alyssa sit around the table for the tea party.
Isa, Kasi, Fiona, and Lillian pose for the pictures.
Lillian receiving cream in her tea.We had a lovely tea party today for Fiona and her friends Kasi, Lillian, Isabella, and Alyssa. Alyssa's brother, Zachary, came over to play with Alex.
Fiona wore a gorgeous silk dress from Strasburg Children. Honestly, the dress was the reason for the party! I was so thrilled with our purchase of the dress that I said, "We need to have a tea party!" just to have a special occasion to wear the dress!
For the first time ever, I finally pulled out the beautiful little tea set that my mother gave me 15 years ago. The dainty cups are so tiny! But it was absolutely perfect for the party, and it was so exciting to use the china. The girls did wonderfully, and absolutely nothing was broken.
Scones and crustless sandwiches, grapes and jelly beans were the finger foods at the table. Once the girls finished eating, they played and played. It's amazing how they go non-stop! They went outside, and I managed to stop Isa just seconds before she sat down on the slide in her pretty white dress! Meanwhile, Fiona was flipping on the rings in her silk dress! I convinced them all to come inside and put on Fiona's clothes while they played outside, which they all thought was a great idea (as girls love to try on each other's clothes). Isa was the only one who came down in a matching outfit, surprisingly!
The party was great fun for the girls, and I enjoyed chatting with Karen (Alyssa and Zachary's mom) and Kelly (Lillian's mom). I think I can honestly say that this is the only impromptu party that I've ever hosted for absolutely no good reason (unless we consider a fancy new dress a good reason!). That's a lot of firsts for this weekend!
Fiona wore a gorgeous silk dress from Strasburg Children. Honestly, the dress was the reason for the party! I was so thrilled with our purchase of the dress that I said, "We need to have a tea party!" just to have a special occasion to wear the dress!
For the first time ever, I finally pulled out the beautiful little tea set that my mother gave me 15 years ago. The dainty cups are so tiny! But it was absolutely perfect for the party, and it was so exciting to use the china. The girls did wonderfully, and absolutely nothing was broken.
Scones and crustless sandwiches, grapes and jelly beans were the finger foods at the table. Once the girls finished eating, they played and played. It's amazing how they go non-stop! They went outside, and I managed to stop Isa just seconds before she sat down on the slide in her pretty white dress! Meanwhile, Fiona was flipping on the rings in her silk dress! I convinced them all to come inside and put on Fiona's clothes while they played outside, which they all thought was a great idea (as girls love to try on each other's clothes). Isa was the only one who came down in a matching outfit, surprisingly!
The party was great fun for the girls, and I enjoyed chatting with Karen (Alyssa and Zachary's mom) and Kelly (Lillian's mom). I think I can honestly say that this is the only impromptu party that I've ever hosted for absolutely no good reason (unless we consider a fancy new dress a good reason!). That's a lot of firsts for this weekend!
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Saturday, August 16, 2008
Phone Fun
Fiona is currently at her dance classmate Isa's birthday party. I received a call a few minutes ago, and Fiona was nearly hysterical with laughter when I answered. She finally said, "Is that really you?" and when I answered in the affirmative, she explained that she thought it was a play phone when she dialed. We had gone over my phone number just before the party, so it was fresh in her mind and I suppose she was practicing dialing!
Isa's grandparents live in a close neighborhood and are hosting the birthday party. They have a nice in-ground pool and fish pond with an enormous screened-in structure above. Isa's mother explained that the screen not only blocks bugs but that it blocks sun, and, even though she is pale, she never has to wear sunscreen out there. The entire place is like a fun-world, really, as they have a pool table in a play room, and they've converted the apartment over the garage into a princess-land for the girls!
Sometimes you can tell what people like when you simply see their home, and, in this case, it seems that Isa's grandparents prioritize fun and their grandchildren!
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Isa's grandparents live in a close neighborhood and are hosting the birthday party. They have a nice in-ground pool and fish pond with an enormous screened-in structure above. Isa's mother explained that the screen not only blocks bugs but that it blocks sun, and, even though she is pale, she never has to wear sunscreen out there. The entire place is like a fun-world, really, as they have a pool table in a play room, and they've converted the apartment over the garage into a princess-land for the girls!
Sometimes you can tell what people like when you simply see their home, and, in this case, it seems that Isa's grandparents prioritize fun and their grandchildren!
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Friday, August 8, 2008
Summer Camps and Television
Life is still mellow here for the summer. We're breaking up the relaxed days with summer camp just for this week. Alex is doing a 'sword camp' this week at our taekwondo school, and Fiona chose to go to Splish-Splash camp with her best friend Lillian. The week has flown by, and we'll be free to relax for the next 3 weeks before school and activities consume us again!
Since I've hurt my knee, I've been Nordictracking for my exercise. I watch TV series that I get from the library or buy on CD while exercising--as 1 episode is generally just over 40 minutes, which seems a nice amount of time generally. Anyhow, I've been through the first season of Alias recently, which was fantastic, and before that I finished the third season of Charmed. I like to stick with action-type films for exercising, as I tend to stop working out and just lean against the machine when I watch drama or suspense, to some degree. Anyhow, we're now on Desperate Housewives, season 1, which is not action, but which I'm so taken with that I've been exercising to it anyhow! I say "we" because Michael came and joined me last night to watch it for several hours--vegging on the couch! It's a fun show.
I'm actually waiting for season 2 of Alias to arrive at the library, though, honestly! It's really fun to watch some TV, as I actually don't tend to see it much when my knee is well--and we don't have cable.
The kids have recently discovered the joy of watching television shows on the internet--something I haven't ever done myself! I guess they've discovered a way to get around that lack of cable impediment to a normal modern childhood!
Since I've hurt my knee, I've been Nordictracking for my exercise. I watch TV series that I get from the library or buy on CD while exercising--as 1 episode is generally just over 40 minutes, which seems a nice amount of time generally. Anyhow, I've been through the first season of Alias recently, which was fantastic, and before that I finished the third season of Charmed. I like to stick with action-type films for exercising, as I tend to stop working out and just lean against the machine when I watch drama or suspense, to some degree. Anyhow, we're now on Desperate Housewives, season 1, which is not action, but which I'm so taken with that I've been exercising to it anyhow! I say "we" because Michael came and joined me last night to watch it for several hours--vegging on the couch! It's a fun show.
I'm actually waiting for season 2 of Alias to arrive at the library, though, honestly! It's really fun to watch some TV, as I actually don't tend to see it much when my knee is well--and we don't have cable.
The kids have recently discovered the joy of watching television shows on the internet--something I haven't ever done myself! I guess they've discovered a way to get around that lack of cable impediment to a normal modern childhood!
Monday, August 4, 2008
Happiness Dropout
The third Happiness class was today, and I'm afraid I might be a Happiness dropout! I gave up on that kind acts homework, as it seemed to be causing more stress than anything, and our new homework is to spend 20-30 minutes several times this week recording our goals for 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years. I was a bit perturbed at this, as my understanding is that goal-setting and focus has little to do with happiness. However, when I asked him if goal-setting was related to happiness in studies, he simply responded that my goal-setting would be related to happiness if happiness was my goal and focus! I thought that was a great answer, but I'm not on the bandwagon... We'll see, I suppose. I'm really pretty happy, and I think the instructor has some great information and the class is entertaining, but I think my discriminating mind works against his chipper presentation. It may not be the best fit for me! I did want to relay the new homework, though, as it could be useful to do.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
2nd Happiness Class
Last night was our second happiness class. Lots of interesting points, which were mostly review. I did learn something absolutely new, though. Disabled folks are generally just as happy or happier than they were before they became disabled! This excludes, of course, the several months of adjustment after becoming disabled. I'd never have guessed, as I thought I'd probably prefer not to even live that way. Despite my surprise, I immediately knew why--it's because they've learned that they can face adversity and still be okay. Their perspectives have shifted. Interesting, huh?
My new homework is to do 3 acts of kindness each day--extra, beyond my normal activities. Wow. I'm stumped, but hopefully it'll come easily if I keep it in mind.
I realized that the gratitude list was incredibly easy for me, as I'm a grateful person. The kindness thing, though...well!
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My new homework is to do 3 acts of kindness each day--extra, beyond my normal activities. Wow. I'm stumped, but hopefully it'll come easily if I keep it in mind.
I realized that the gratitude list was incredibly easy for me, as I'm a grateful person. The kindness thing, though...well!
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Saturday, July 26, 2008
PRK for Michael
He did it! Michael went to LasikPlus and had his procedure done today! He actually went with the tried-and-true (i.e., outdated) PRK method:). It really sounds pretty good--instead of creating a corneal flap, they abrade the eye's surface. It's a little more sore during the healing process, but there will never be an issue with the 'flap' coming loose. This is the preferred method for boxers, police officers, scuba divers, etc. I didn't realize when I heard about it that it's actually less expensive than Lasik--not more so. I passed over it, thinking that I didn't really need that, primarily due to an attempt to avoid extra cost. As the predecessor to Lasik, it is very well established and safe, theoretically.
I observed the entire procedure, as anyone can. The surgery room has entirely glass walls, with a viewing area to sit down. They don't serve popcorn, but they do offer tea and coffee from a quite state-of-the-art brewing machine! Anyway, it was very interesting to watch, and the laser aimer was quite reminiscent of a video game--a bit scary, too, as you see it subtly move around by the surgeon's hand! Dr. Campen, my surgeon, also performed Michael's procedure. The optometrist informed us that he generally has 4 espresso shots each morning before surgery--which may explain the bouncing leg a bit! She also said that he's the most meticulous surgeon that she's ever worked with, which was comforting to hear!
Michael is sleeping downstairs at the moment. I'm glad he has a quiet afternoon to rest. It is a bit exhausting!
I observed the entire procedure, as anyone can. The surgery room has entirely glass walls, with a viewing area to sit down. They don't serve popcorn, but they do offer tea and coffee from a quite state-of-the-art brewing machine! Anyway, it was very interesting to watch, and the laser aimer was quite reminiscent of a video game--a bit scary, too, as you see it subtly move around by the surgeon's hand! Dr. Campen, my surgeon, also performed Michael's procedure. The optometrist informed us that he generally has 4 espresso shots each morning before surgery--which may explain the bouncing leg a bit! She also said that he's the most meticulous surgeon that she's ever worked with, which was comforting to hear!
Michael is sleeping downstairs at the moment. I'm glad he has a quiet afternoon to rest. It is a bit exhausting!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Cucumber Water, Espresso machine, eye/teeth/foot updates!
New tip: Slice a 1/4 of a cucumber very thinly into a whole gallon pitcher with filtered water. I haven't wanted to drink water much for the past couple of years, but I've been downing this refreshing water with enthusiasm! It's like Dasani plus! I'm totally tickled over it, and it supports a healthy habit!
I have also finally figured out how to work my espresso machine correctly, and I'm totally wild about my own fantastic home mochas...who needs Starbucks now? Alright, I suppose this doesn't have the health benefits of the cucumber water, but at least it has pocketbook benefits:).
I'm in a cooking and home improvement phase, I suppose. I've been baking breads, and I made a fennel-potato soup yesterday. We've been stripping a wall border and putting primer on Alex's walls. He's 9 1/2 now, but he has the decorations for a little boy's room. We bought new room decorations over a year ago and I'm finally getting to it...
Michael's still on crutches and is dealing with a lot of soreness. I'm not dealing with too much tooth discomfort, unless I try to eat tough foods--hence the soups and breads and mochas! Michael has his Lasik appointment on Saturday--actually a PRK procedure, or something like that. My eyes are fairly normal now, and I'm enjoying reading again.
The summer is going quietly, and I'm glad the kids have down time. Fiona is getting the hang of her bicycle, we're hitting the pool, and life is pretty calm.
I have also finally figured out how to work my espresso machine correctly, and I'm totally wild about my own fantastic home mochas...who needs Starbucks now? Alright, I suppose this doesn't have the health benefits of the cucumber water, but at least it has pocketbook benefits:).
I'm in a cooking and home improvement phase, I suppose. I've been baking breads, and I made a fennel-potato soup yesterday. We've been stripping a wall border and putting primer on Alex's walls. He's 9 1/2 now, but he has the decorations for a little boy's room. We bought new room decorations over a year ago and I'm finally getting to it...
Michael's still on crutches and is dealing with a lot of soreness. I'm not dealing with too much tooth discomfort, unless I try to eat tough foods--hence the soups and breads and mochas! Michael has his Lasik appointment on Saturday--actually a PRK procedure, or something like that. My eyes are fairly normal now, and I'm enjoying reading again.
The summer is going quietly, and I'm glad the kids have down time. Fiona is getting the hang of her bicycle, we're hitting the pool, and life is pretty calm.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Braces
I now have braces on my upper teeth! They're uncomfortable, but, frankly, they don't feel as bad as the spacers did (for now, at least). Michael looked quizzical and asked "aren't they supposed to be in a straight line?" after he finished laughing at how 'cute' I looked in my new braces (i.e. like a 12 year old!). I answered, "eventually!", as, of course, the uneven line is why I have the braces! Honestly, though, I had the same initial reaction.
I dreamt last night about putting on one of those thick, huge black leather droopy belts from the 80's (making a V in the front, you know). It was striking me as so 80's and out of style in the dream. Anyhow, I laughed when I woke up and realized that the belt was a metaphor for the braces--which I should have gotten in the 80's and which would have been more in style then (when I thought braces were so pretty)! Also, I put the belt over a long white sweater--white for teeth! The braces/belt wrap the teeth/sweater! Okay, not rocket science, but it's still kinda fun.
Michael's foot is doing a good bit better today. No major bruising, swelling is way down, and he's been putting limited pressure on the foot, which is a good sign to me, though I keep reminding him not to. He is going to be hobbling around on crutches for quite a while.
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I dreamt last night about putting on one of those thick, huge black leather droopy belts from the 80's (making a V in the front, you know). It was striking me as so 80's and out of style in the dream. Anyhow, I laughed when I woke up and realized that the belt was a metaphor for the braces--which I should have gotten in the 80's and which would have been more in style then (when I thought braces were so pretty)! Also, I put the belt over a long white sweater--white for teeth! The braces/belt wrap the teeth/sweater! Okay, not rocket science, but it's still kinda fun.
Michael's foot is doing a good bit better today. No major bruising, swelling is way down, and he's been putting limited pressure on the foot, which is a good sign to me, though I keep reminding him not to. He is going to be hobbling around on crutches for quite a while.
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Learning Happiness
I've just begun a 5 week course at my church entitled 'Pursuing Happiness'. I was actually quite pleased with the first class. It's being taught by author and psychologist Robert Pawlicki, whose specialty is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I'm not sure I learned anything new, but it was a nice reminder that it is our interpretation of events which determines how we feel. Anyway, sometimes it just helps to be reminded of what we already know.
There are several scientifically validated factors that help in increasing 'Happiness', and my homework for this week is to record 5 things that I'm grateful for each night. We'll get a new focus next week. Dr. Pawlicki reminded us that achieving happiness, much like losing weight, is dependent on our self-discipline, and that we will need to continue the things that help us to be happier on a consistent basis. This class is also meant to give us some experience with various known factors, so that we can determine for ourselves which factors help us the most in our quest for happiness.
A sidenote: Michael hurt his ankle tonight in taekwondo. It looks really swollen. I'll update this in the next day or two with how he's doing with it.
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There are several scientifically validated factors that help in increasing 'Happiness', and my homework for this week is to record 5 things that I'm grateful for each night. We'll get a new focus next week. Dr. Pawlicki reminded us that achieving happiness, much like losing weight, is dependent on our self-discipline, and that we will need to continue the things that help us to be happier on a consistent basis. This class is also meant to give us some experience with various known factors, so that we can determine for ourselves which factors help us the most in our quest for happiness.
A sidenote: Michael hurt his ankle tonight in taekwondo. It looks really swollen. I'll update this in the next day or two with how he's doing with it.
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Monday, July 14, 2008
Michael's Lasik Appointment
Hah! Michael has succumbed to the temptation and will be getting his initial Lasik assessment on Wednesday:) I think it was really the fact that he won't have to do yard work or go to the beach for two weeks post-Lasik...
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Sunday, July 13, 2008
Vision check
On Thursday, I went to my 3-week post-Lasik check-up. My eyes have healed fairly well, and my vision is 20/15! Well, the right eye is 20/15 and is doing great. The left eye is barely 20/20 (that line is still blurry), despite the fact the left eye was my good eye before! The left was the intralase eye. The one hope there is that it supposedly takes longer for the intralase to heal, so hopefully that vision will continue to improve. My next check-up is at the 3 month point, and all is well for now.
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Thursday, July 10, 2008
PTA conference, Lasik & Dieting Tip!
I'm off to a PTA conference this weekend. I'm actually a bit nervous, as I won't know anyone very well and actually feel a bit like a kid who is going off to camp! I typically have my crew with me, or at least my car, but I'm carpooling and sharing a room with another PTA officer who seems totally nice, but who I don't know really well.
Also, today is my final check-up post-Lasik surgery. Everything seems to be going well, though my eyes do take a while to get clear in the morning. I think it's dry eyes, which they tell me lasts for a few months. Otherwise, they seem pretty great--though I haven't done much book reading since Lasik and I'm not sure if that might not be because my eyes don't like looking up close quite as much. It's so nice to be able to see the kids when I'm in the water at the beach or pool, especially, and poor Michael has to endure my teasing now when he's looking for his glasses and I don't need mine!
Now that I'm finishing up with Lasik, it's time for braces! Actually, it was time for braces about 20 years ago, but I'm finally getting them! Anyhow, I have the separators already between my teeth, in preparation for the upper braces on Tuesday, and my mouth is so sore that it's hard to eat. I hadn't realized that braces would be such a good way to enforce calorie restriction compliance! :)
Also, today is my final check-up post-Lasik surgery. Everything seems to be going well, though my eyes do take a while to get clear in the morning. I think it's dry eyes, which they tell me lasts for a few months. Otherwise, they seem pretty great--though I haven't done much book reading since Lasik and I'm not sure if that might not be because my eyes don't like looking up close quite as much. It's so nice to be able to see the kids when I'm in the water at the beach or pool, especially, and poor Michael has to endure my teasing now when he's looking for his glasses and I don't need mine!
Now that I'm finishing up with Lasik, it's time for braces! Actually, it was time for braces about 20 years ago, but I'm finally getting them! Anyhow, I have the separators already between my teeth, in preparation for the upper braces on Tuesday, and my mouth is so sore that it's hard to eat. I hadn't realized that braces would be such a good way to enforce calorie restriction compliance! :)
Monday, July 7, 2008
Memories of Uncle Felton Burbage
My Uncle Felton was buried Sunday, a week ago. We'll miss his congenial presence at our family get-togethers. He had a knack for making everyone at ease and comfortable. Uncle Felton won a special place in my heart long ago, as he defended my vegetarian 'phase' and even insisted on accommodating me with a cheese pizza once--which meant so much to a young, insecure teenager.
My cousin Ruth's husband, Jacky, had an uplifting recollection at the viewing. Jacky works at a pharmaceutical plant and at the time was training a new employee with fairly obvious birth defects, who enjoyed going to the go-kart races. One day this employee came in to work and told Jacky about a man named 'Felton Burbage' who always defended him from anyone who picked on him at the tracks--Felton would just 'light them up'. Anyhow, that remembrance touched me completely, as it was just such nice example of the compassionate heart Uncle Felton had. I'm sure that he didn't hold on to his kind deeds--he just routinely did stuff like that. We're blessed to have had him in our family. Loving thoughts and prayers to Aunt Bertha, Debby, Mike and their families.
My cousin Ruth's husband, Jacky, had an uplifting recollection at the viewing. Jacky works at a pharmaceutical plant and at the time was training a new employee with fairly obvious birth defects, who enjoyed going to the go-kart races. One day this employee came in to work and told Jacky about a man named 'Felton Burbage' who always defended him from anyone who picked on him at the tracks--Felton would just 'light them up'. Anyhow, that remembrance touched me completely, as it was just such nice example of the compassionate heart Uncle Felton had. I'm sure that he didn't hold on to his kind deeds--he just routinely did stuff like that. We're blessed to have had him in our family. Loving thoughts and prayers to Aunt Bertha, Debby, Mike and their families.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Helmet Reminder
Hmm, I suppose I'm on a public service rampage... I wanted to remind everyone to please wear helmets when riding bicycles or motorcycles and the like. My dearly cherished, kindhearted Uncle Felton has just had an awful accident while riding his motorcycle without a helmet. He has significant head trauma. I don't know what his prognosis is at this point.
According to Michael, my uncle and father were discussing the ridiculousness of laws requiring people to wear helmets and seatbelts and such at the last family reunion--just a month ago.
I always tell my children about the time that I flew off my bicycle and cracked my helmet open--without getting hurt at all, beyond a few bodily scratches. My head was fine, though obviously it would have been cracked open if I hadn't been wearing the helmet, which took that impact for me. It was the cheapest, most ill-fitting helmet available, too, but it did the job. I emphasize to them that they might not exist if I hadn't worn that helmet! Needless to say, they're fairly good about remembering their headgear!
So, again, please wear helmets and encourage, force, beguile your children, family members, and friends to do likewise.
According to Michael, my uncle and father were discussing the ridiculousness of laws requiring people to wear helmets and seatbelts and such at the last family reunion--just a month ago.
I always tell my children about the time that I flew off my bicycle and cracked my helmet open--without getting hurt at all, beyond a few bodily scratches. My head was fine, though obviously it would have been cracked open if I hadn't been wearing the helmet, which took that impact for me. It was the cheapest, most ill-fitting helmet available, too, but it did the job. I emphasize to them that they might not exist if I hadn't worn that helmet! Needless to say, they're fairly good about remembering their headgear!
So, again, please wear helmets and encourage, force, beguile your children, family members, and friends to do likewise.
Plastic Bag Awareness
I just received a wonderful slide show that I wanted to share with you, but I can't figure out how to load it here. I've sent it to many of you. Just let me know if you'd like me to e-mail it to you, okay?
The slide show is about the environmental damage done by plastic bags. Even for those of us who are aware of this issue, the slide show is educational. Other large countries, such as China, Bangladesh, and Rwanda, have completely banned plastic bags, and Ireland taxes them--which has reduced plastic bag use by 90%. There's a lot to know about the damage that the bags cause, but a couple of interesting points in the slide show were that 10% of the debris washed up on the U.S. coastline consists of plastic bags and the amount of petrochemicals used to make just a few bags could fuel a car for a mile--so we can reduce our foreign oil dependency by using fewer bags. Imagine if the whole nation went to cloth bags?
It inspired me to remember those cloth bags as I'm headed in the store. Personally, I love to use the cloth bags, as you can fill them to the brim and it makes far fewer trips, less hassle, and less waste to deal with afterwards--it's just the process of remembering to return them to the car and to carry them in the store with me, but I'm always so glad I did when I walk out with my 3 cloth bags to carry instead of 13 plastic ones to deal with! Oh, and baggers are becoming much more comfortable and familiar with these cloth bags, so it's a much more pleasant experience to use cloth bags than it used to be! Just FYI, if you don't have bags or forget, many shops are offering very inexpensive cloth bags near the front of the stores--we've been picking up Food Lion cloth totes for 89 cents apiece! So it's totally manageable...
Like everyone, I oscillate on remembering this sort of thing. Habit helps, though. My kids, especially Alex, get very enthusiastic about using the cloth bags, though they don't tend to remember them from the car. Alex always wants me to buy one, though! I generally do, too, as the price is so reasonable and I know we can always put them to use later.
Funny, but Alex asked me tentatively this morning, as we were going into Kroger, "Do you think it's rude for us to carry a Food Lion bag into Kroger?" I laughed, as I hadn't even considered it, and said, "you may have a point there!" Anyway, no one seemed to react...:)
A couple of other tips on reducing plastic bag use include not bagging items which are particularly large or have handles--like bags of onions or potatoes or oranges, bleach, laundry detergent, toilet paper packages, twin soymilk packs, gallons of milk, etc. That often cuts down significantly on plastic bag waste. I manage this by quickly setting these things back in the buggy as I help with bagging, and I often throw extra items in the plastic bags that have already been 'filled' by the baggers. I'm fairly convinced that I manage to cut down on the plastic bags by at least half on these visits where I forget the cloth bags--and when I include just one new cloth bag along with these techniques on a large grocery purchase, I leave with amazingly few plastic bags, generally.
I had one friend who, when she was single, would reuse all of her grocery bags in a small trash can for all her waste. While I thought that might not be very practical for a big family, I suppose it could work if daily trash duty were given to the kids (beware Alex!). Anyway, I'd love to hear what you guys actually do to cut down on your environmental impact, so that I know what's actually easy to do and what the fringe benefits are!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Friends moving away
Our Indian friends are moving away to Missouri this week. It was a spur of the moment decision, based on a job offer to Suneeta's husband. Anjali is in the top picture with Fiona, Suneeta and I are in the middle picture, and Sanjana is with Alex in the bottom picture. All six of us take taekwondo together, the kids are all in gifted, and we're all vegetarian! The kids get along remarkably well, and Alex even likes Sanjana quite a lot, despite the fact that she's a girl and won a math duel with him! (He's in the midst of that 'yucky girl' stage.) Anyway, we always looked forward to seeing them in class, and the kids were always happy to play together during the adult class. Suneeta and I even left class once during the kids' class to play tennis! Suneeta has been in the United States most of the past 10 years, so the girls have grown up here. Sanjana will be sorely missed on the demo team in taekwondo, as she is absolutely fantastic. It's too bad that she's just a few months from getting her black belt. She's really earned it!
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