Week 52: Sight

My Mom has been incredibly blessed with the gift of sight in most all forms of art, but especially when it comes to the art of poetry. I always receive the most beautiful pieces from her. Some, from well-known greats, and others from the most obscure, off-the-wall sources. And one of my favorite things happens to be finding the beauty within obscure, off-the-wall sources :) 

Apparently, God matched us well, mother and daughter :)

This Christmas, she sent a compilation by contemporary American poet, W.S. Merwin, called, The Rain in the Trees. I happened upon one of the most stirring, lovely pieces within this collection. The poem, Sight, perfectly sums up my own compilation of these past 52 weeks of life. I have often looked at my son and wondered if God sent him to me so that I would have sight. I wonder (because I cannot recall) if I had it before he came into my life. Did I see? How could I have? Because the moment that a mere fertilized mass of cells attached itself within in my uterus was the moment that I first saw. 

And in these 52 weeks, I have seen much light. Thank you to all of you who have shone so brightly for us on this journey. May your coming 52 weeks be blessed and inspired.

Sight
-W.S. Merwin

Once
a single cell
found that it was full of light
and for the first time there was seeing

when
I was a bird
I could see where the stars had turned
and I sent out on my journey

high
in the head of a mountain goat
I could see across a valley
under the shining trees something moving

deep 
in the green sea
I saw two sides of the water
and swam between them

I 
look at you
in the first light of the morning
for as long as I can     

Week 51: The Missing Piece

What's New?

Returning home is the most difficult part of long-distance hiking; 

you have grown outside the puzzle and your piece no longer fits.

-Cindy Ross, explorer/author

In Week 51, we welcomed home our other third from a long journey. We give thanks for his safe return, first and foremost. But at the end of this year's story, the real take-home message is that no one will ever know the love that this man has for his Country better than Henry and I. He would freely give of himself and of his gifts to give others a safe passage, and I, selfishly, would hoard him in my mountain cave, if it were up to me. Thanks be to God, it is not.

We have all "grown outside of our puzzle", and truth be told, we have no desire to fit there anyway :) Week 51 was less about trying new things and more about letting it all go. Our brains are decompressing, and our hands are holding tight to one another. We wake up each morning knowing that we are all present and accounted for, and that we do not have to endure yet another day of trying to fill the missing piece with duct tape and super glue. 

Thanks to all of you who supported us on this journey. You will never know how much you are appreciated or necessary.   

Week 48: Brr! It's Cold Outside!

New 3-year old. I find myself constantly praying for this boy. He has such a quiet nature about him, and a dry sense of humor. Terrible eater. BEST laugh I have ever heard. Loves to hold hands on the couch and do puzzles on the floor and have random dance parties. With all of my heart, I love him.

 

 

New crochet whimsey: Free-hand snowflakes. Easy and fun to make!

New breakfast: adding 1 TBS of olive oil to my oats or cream of wheat. Got this idea from Giada Delaurentiis, and it is sooo yummy in this electric-dry, Kansas cold.

New children's fiction (for b-day): Bang! Boom! Roar! and Waking Dragons. Both books are so cute, and once again, Momma has grabbed a Jane Yolen goodie in Waking Dragons, a story about a little boy whose job it is to wake up the dragons and get them ready for school (he brushes their teeth, feeds them, it is very sweet.). "Bang-Bang Rwraaaaar!!!!" as Henry calls it, is the clear winner of the entire year of new children's fiction. We read this book 1,000 times per day. Dinosaurs + construction equipment + a little I-Spy + good morals. We highly recommend both of these!

,

(Not my photo: photo credit Simply Crochet) New project idea: This beautiful crochet garland (I would also like those gold drapes, the vanity, the vintage outfit, and the door, if that is possible)...

New beverage: German mulled wine. My neighbor introduced this to me, and it is quite tasty during a cold winter's happy hour :) I think I am sufficiently sick of it though. Kind of like egg nog, this will be a once-per year purchase. I'm just not a big sweet/flavory drinks person.

New (almost finished) crochet project: Summer baby blanket! This is 100%, American-made cotton, and there will be just a few, little lemon-yellow flowers decorating this as well. One of my sweet neighbors is having a baby girl next month, so my idea sprang from having a 6-month old in 108 degree, humid KS temps...

I also tried 2 new recipes this week. No photos have been included because they were both huge fails! One was a crockpot Thai chicken, which received great reviews on Food.com, but I just did not like it. Perhaps I was not in the mood for the peanut butter (I use Sunbutter), or maybe I added too much soy. It is always weird when I don't like a food of any kind, so beware! I also attempted to make a chocolate cream pie for Thanksgiving and burned the chocolate pudding. For the record, I am terrible at puddings and custards, but I LOVE to eat them. My Mom happens to be so talented at these types of yummies, and there is no way I can do the pudding from the box. My issue is that I always burn it. Do I need more patience? A double-boiler, perhaps? Less over-thinking? :) OR, maybe I should just stick to making what I don't screw up: fruit pies (for which, I credit Southern Living and The Joy of Cooking for teaching me how to make a good pie crust and fruit pie filling).

Week 44: With and Without Time

What's new?

Week 44 was a memorable one, for so many reasons. I was racing against the clock, trying to get my Mom's blanket finished before we flew up to Washington. This project has been in the works for a while, evolving and growing with and without time, just like my Momma always did, in my eyes. I suppose it knew all along who it would be created for, which explains why it was such a cantankerous creature and why Amma's Grandson was suddenly so angelic all week long so I could finish it :) One morning, during the finishing process, I woke up at 4:30 and turned on AMC, and low and behold, The Grapes of Wrath was on! I had never seen this movie, and I was particularly excited to watch it because that is the next book on my pile. BEAUTIFUL story and well-done movie - I highly recommend seeing it, if you have not. Henry and I got up to my parents' house the day before Halloween, and I was so excited to take him trick-or-treating for the first time with some of the cousins. These little boys were so cute :) Henry dressed up as Curious George, and I was The Man With The Yellow Hat. However, we were still playing catch-up with the timezone change, and we passed out just as the festivities were getting underway! Next year...

The best treat of all was the arrival of my newest Nephew, baby Miles, on Halloween morning. My Sister-in-Law, Whitney was blessed with what was one of the easiest birthing stories I have ever heard (17 minutes of labor). It has been such an amazing feeling, seeing each of my 3 brothers bring sweet sons into the World, but seeing my babiest brother with his new youngling was a particularly memorable moment for this big sister.  

My Mom sent this blog to me a while back created by this writer who had collected a bunch of poems related to knitting and writing. The two for me are quite a similar process. I found this beautiful poem in her collection, though she did not have the complete piece on her blog, for some reason. At first, I read this and pictured an old woman, knitting because she had to knit as much as she had to breathe. Then you realize that she is not necessarily talking about her death, but Death as a facet of time. A memorable and inspirational find, and how appropriate as we celebrate new life, to reflect upon.

The Knitter 

By, Jackie Kay

I knit to keep death away

For hame will dae me.

On a day like this the fine mist

Is a dropped stitch across the sky.

I knit to hold a good yarn

For stories bide with me

On a night like this, by the peat fire;

I like a story with a herringbone twist.

But a yarn aye slips through your fingers.

And my small heart has shrunk with years.

I couldn’t measure the gravits, the gloves, the mittens,

The jerseys, the cuffs, the hose, the caps,

The cowls, the cravats, the cardigans,

The hems and facings over the years.

Beyond the sea wall, the waves unfurl.

I knitted through the wee stitched hours.

I knitted till my eyes filled with tears,

Till the dark sky filled with colour.

Every spare moment. Time was a ball of wool.

I knitted to keep my croft; knitted to save my life.

When my man was out at sea; I knitted the fishbone.

Three to the door, three to the fire.

The more I could knit; the more we could eat.

I knitted to mend my broken heart

When the sea took my man away, and by day

I knitted to keep the memories at bay.

I knitted my borders by the light of the fire

When the full moon in the sky was a fresh ball of yarn.

I knitted to begin again: Lay on, sweerie geng.

Takkin my makkin everywhere I gang.

Een and een. Twin pins. My good head.

A whole life of casting on, casting off

Like the North sea. I watch wave after wave,

plain and purl, casting on, casting off.

I watch the ferries coming back, going away.

Time is a loop stitch. I knit to keep death away.

Week 40: Tomatoes, Prayers, and a Love Story

Week 40 brought strep throat to Henry and I. He actually had it at the end of Week 39 and is over it already, whereas I am just now in the thick of it. Thus, Week 40 was spent mostly on the couch, usually cuddling, and frequently watching television. Not being able to talk to my son has been difficult, and I have been in excruciating pain. I wonder if he was in this much pain, or if my adult body is just no comparison to his amazing pre-school aged one? Do any of us truly realize how amazing kids of this age are until we become stewards of them? The other night, during our bedtime prayers, he thanked God for "falling down, getting up, and for kisses and for stars...". I have no idea where that came from except that earlier that day, he tripped and fell while we were outside, playing. What a beautiful prayer just for life in general. Orated by a 3-year old.

Newness for Week 40: 

• Henry has read all of his books to me. I had no idea he had that many books completely memorized. 

• We have officially moved the puzzle station to the dining room table, which we rarely use anyway.

• I watched an entire movie from beginning to end in one sitting that wasn't made by Pixar: Les Miserables. I have never seen this - Any version! Weird, right? What a story of true love, from beginning to end. I don't think a greater love story has ever existed.

• Tried a yummy new smoothie recipe from Green Smoothie Revolution (Victoria Boutenko's recipe): 1 bunch dandelion greens + 4 Roma tomatoes (I used 3 vine tomatoes since that's what was in my fridge) + 3 cups water. This was good. I also added garlic since I'm sick, so it ended up being like a room temperature soup. As weird as it sounds, it was extremely satisfying. And besides Cream of Wheat and canned peaches, the only thing that tastes good. 

Week 35: New Favorites

What's new?

Patee House Museum in St Joseph, MO is AMAZING! I took my 2.5-year old and my Father-in-Law, and all 3 of us gave this place 5/5 stars. It is a 40 minute drive from Fort Leavenworth, and, should you find yourself in the area, I highly recommend you do not wait 1.5 years to visit! We will, most definitely, be returning. My Father-in-Law and I both agreed that this museum is just as well-done as the American History Museum in D.C. Beautiful historical displays, and SO many of them. We could have stayed for hours! 

From the website:

 "Patee House Museum features two full floors of exhibits. Inside Patee House, you can climb aboard an 1860 train and ride the vintage "Wild Thing" carousel. The museum also houses an 1877 railroad depot, stagecoach, cars, trucks, fire trucks, wagons, buggies and carriages, Jeeps, a racecar, horse-drawn hearses and a real gallows, a blacksmith shop, dressmaker's shop, model railroads, antique furniture and toys, a wing with Western art by artist George Warfel, and a wing designed to look like the Streets of Old St. Jo in the 1860s-1880s."

Week 35 brought with it some fantastic newness, in addition to our visit to this historical treasure. You all know how I am a hard sell on new favorites? Well, this week I discovered quite a few! My Father-in-Law has been here visiting for a couple of weeks, so we are in vacation mode, which always helps.

• New favorite hair place: Jabez, located in Leavenworth. Ask for Marley. NO one knows about this place because everyone on Post goes to either Tom and Ann's or Teri's Hair Loft. I strongly recommend you give Jabez a try before they discover how awesome they are and raise their prices!

• The O'Malley sandwich at Weston Brewery in Weston, MO. It is basically the most amazing Reuben you will ever eat. In your life. Even better than my Mom's (never thought I'd say that). Mom, if you are reading this, I am SO sorry I did not take you here when you came to visit. I will get the recipe. All I know is, they use some kind of stone ground, spicy, sweet mustard sauce instead of horseradish or 1000 Island (which is gross and not a real Reuben but that's how everyone makes them). 

• I tried out Harbor Lights Coffeehouse in downtown Leavenworth. I cannot remember the last time I went to a coffeeshop by myself. It was phenomenal (not the coffee, the freedom). Coffee was okay. Menu looked yummy, and the place seemed very family-friendly. I'll go again, just because I can :)

• Henry...What a boy, this one :) He is growing so fast and changing at such an incredible rate these days. We seem to be moving out of a VERY frustrating phase and into another fun one :) The reason is because he is expressing himself and actually conversing. I love picking him up from school and hearing about his day. I love it that he can tell me little things now, like if he is cold or wants to go home or wants more food?! His nighttime prayers have also been very lengthy and detailed, of late. I adore listening to what he is thankful for. It is my new favorite part of the day. God Bless preschool teachers. 

Week 34: Treasures (Ecological, Historical, Psychological)

What's new?

Picture, if you will, a half-groggy, non-caffeinated mom, still in her pajamas, enjoying the quiet of the first of the end-of-summer cool mornings in Kansas. She goes outside to clean up the toys in the yard and drain the kiddie pool. Reaching for the foam alligator toy in the half-dark of morning, she, who also happens to be an amateur bug collector, jumps through her skin with a half-masked yelp as she grabs something very large, spiny, and dark. It ain't right, folks, this early in the morning. Then, she goes to turn on the porch light, heart now racing with excitement (rather than primal fear), as she knows she's found a true treasure...a giant robber fly! WOW!

And that, my friends, is how Week 34 began :)

When I had my brief moment of fame, sorting insects for the Entomology Department at the San Diego Natural History Museum, I got to see a non-giant version of this guy. Seeing this guy, however, is a first, and such a treat! The Genus Promachus, it is said, can deliver quite a painful bite with it's needle-like proboscis and is a great predator of the insect world. However, the larva of these guys might be eating the roots of my grass, among other creatures. Who invented lawns, anyway? What a terrible idea, in any climate.

Other Week 34 Awesome Newness:

• While visiting the Parkville Farmer's Market for the last variety of local peaches, we discovered the jaw-droppingly beautiful little town of Parkville, MO! The Parkville Farmer's Market is tiny, but absolutely every farm had the most beautiful of wares. A 45-minute drive from Fort Leavenworth, just like anywhere, and worth it. English Landing Park, which hosts the market, is a wonderful, large park that overlooks the river, and Parkville has quite the history behind it. If ever there was a ghost story to be written, this place would be some great inspiration.

• Now that I am no longer studying for the Praxis II Middle Grade Science (which, by the way, I PASSED!!), Ted and I decided to go back to our tradition of trying to read a book together during deployment. We picked Why Can't You Read My Mind, by Jefferey Bernstein. Having read a few marriage devotionals or counseling-type books before, we decided to give this one a whirl because we thought it seemed a little more focused on the partnership aspect of ANY relationship and managing thought patterns with one another and less about roles in marriage. I am a Christian woman who also happens to be married, but I grow very tired of book after book where the focus is the woman (and man's) "role" in the marriage. How is continually defining your "role" in any situation EVER helpful to the GROWTH of that institution? If you worked as part of a team of project managers and all you ever did during meetings was dole out roles, how would that inspire members of the team to continue to create, inspire one another, and stay loyal to the business? Duh. How about focusing, instead, on each member as an individual, outside of a box, capable of creative thought and inspiration beyond belief, to one another?

From the Amazon reviews:

"They claim that one of the most significant steps is to focus on yourself rather than your partner by ridding yourself of toxic thoughts, "negative thoughts that have lost their basis in reality and have gotten out of control." Examining nine toxic thought patterns (such as jumping to conclusions, labeling one another and playing the "blame game"), the authors provide well-researched explanations, relevant examples and practical alternatives to transform negative thoughts and behaviors into positive and constructive ones." 

When all you have are your thoughts and a prayer because the other part of your team is rarely present in the flesh, the brain God gave you to manage your thoughts and your words becomes a powerful tool, and pretty much, your only one.

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer." Psalm 19:14

Week 32: Beginnings of a Thunderstorm

What's new?

Week 32 brought with it so much 2.5-year old. This boy! I have never seen such a willfull, stubborn, independent little person in my entire life. It is apparently, time for pre-school. SO much Henry newness...He now says "Bless You" when someone sneezes. He walks by himself into the post office (not in the stroller) and most other public places. He drinks water because I have convinced him "that's what big boys do." He rips child safety mechanisms off of doors. He quotes books. He washes himself. He lets me know which music he likes and wants to know who the artist is...What happened to that baby I just had?! Who is this little man-cub? :) 

One of my girlfriends has a son who is in his early 20's. She was almost in tears the other day as she told me the story about how he broke up with his serious girlfriend (who had been so serious she was in family photos) whom they had all fallen in love with. The reasons he gave his mom, my friend, were not (as a momma) ones that you want to hear from your son, the one you raised to be a stand-up guy. Mom was extremely disappointed in his decision and trying hard to be supportive of him and be the good listener that she is. The fact of the matter was that her son is not ready for a serious, grown-up relationship. Growing pains - do they ever end? :) 

Listen

One morning I awoke to a muffled song

A deep soft sound like the beginnings of a thunderstorm

My feet touched the ground as I followed the voice

It grew louder though was still unclear

I came upon a baby boy, sleeping in his bed.

Touched his cherubim face and held the light upon it

Deafening were his inaudible lyrics –

One day to be discerned as clear as bells

but perhaps just not by me 

this morning

by, Becca @Allbrandnewin52.blogspot.com

Other Week 32 Newness:

• Red Barn Pickled Asparagus. Mom got this for me (I love pickled asparagus!) while she was here and we were visiting our local Red Barn Farms out in Weston, MO. I paired it with Absolut Peppar and a little Mrs. T's and a sprig of celery :) Basically, a delicious little salad.

• Learned how to align my BOB SUS thanks to my amazing neighbors who fixed it for me (it had been pulling very hard to the left). Basically it was like someone wrapped my sprained ankle. Lifesaver. By the way, having smart, kind, intuitive neighbors who recognize that running outside is your sanity is going on my list of deployment musts.

• Cookies fail! Yes - I am publishing a fail. You cannot substitute Sunbutter for peanut butter in cookie recipes, apparently. If anyone out there has successfully done this, please let me know how you did it.

• Sharkbait #3. Yes. Yep. Youbetcha. I think I traumatize my Betas when I go on vacation. This little guy seems pretty feisty, and I am trying him with no tank heater, this time around. I am pulling for ya, Buddy!

• New workout! The 10-minute body-weight workout (August 2013 issue) from Women's Running Magazine, a great, digital publication has been a wonderful supplement to my runs lately. The body-weight exercises include alternating lateral lunges, squat thrusts, the inchworm, and mountain climbers. The exercises are done for 20 seconds with a 20 second rest in between, for 10 minutes. Love this one!

Week 25: Look with your Eyes, See with your Heart.

What's new?

"Look with your eyes," is something that I say to my son quite often these days :) Though I mainly say it as a command synonymous to "don't touch that!" - it is something that he understands on a deeper level than most 2.5-year olds. He genuinely seems to enjoy looking "with his eyes", and we have the most fun together reading our Eye Spy books and looking for birds and bugs. In Week 25, I was much inspired to take Henry to his first art museum. We had a blast. He surprises and impresses me with his little brain, and more and more, I love hearing what he is thinking about, as he starts to verbally express himself (though not much...I think he might take after his Daddy just a bit in that department), I find that I just want to show him the World in the way that you want to show off for someone. I want to grab his hand and present him with all of this amazing beauty and life. 

Of course, my expectations were that we were, realistically, going to probably last all of 6 minutes before we were done (because he had to be in the stroller). Not so! He really seemed to enjoy looking at all of the paintings. We tried to play a larger version of "Eye Spy" books, and it worked. He also got a kick out of the sculptures and the sound of his voice as it echoed in each room :) Some of the docents came over and commented on how well he was doing and pointed out some more cool stuff to see. We ended our hour-long visit with a trip outside, which was just an extraordinary terraced lawn/landscape with even more sculptures. I highly recommend the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, should you find yourself in the area. It is free admission, and parking is only $5.

Other Week 25 Newness:

• I received the most beautiful book of watercolors of local landscapes called, Return to Kansas. The artist is J.R. Hamil, a local who worked for Hallmark Cards for 15 years before deciding to open his own studio in 1973. His wife, Sharon Hamil, was a teacher and writer of curriculum materials in Kansas. She wrote the accompanying historical text in the book, a really wonderful gift from my peeps that just moved away. I will treasure it, always.

• We are now hamster-sitting for 5 weeks for some neighbors who are on vacation. Henry is obsessed with this mangy little thing, and I will admit, it has grown on me. She follows me around in her little ball and just mostly wants to be held. She rolls in her poo and pee, and I try not to think about it too much because she really is pretty cute. Messy little creatures...

• Henry and I are learning our owl calls. He memorized all of the species of owls in my bird book and then kept asking me what they sounded like...uh...I knew 3? So, we have spent some time on YouTube and in the Ornithology Institute's library :) 

• I learned that milk thistle greens are edible.

• Tried a new green smoothie for the week: Kale, cucumber, granny smith apple, and banana (just a little bit to sweeten, otherwise it is very "green").   

• Conducted my first interviews of preschool potentials for Henry and found one whose director I think I may have a small woman crush on who JUST SO HAPPENS to be the teacher for the 2.5-year old class! I am so excited to have found a preschool that has a 2.5-year old class that is a perfect fit for us, and we meet next week for the tour! I think Henry is going to have the best time. 

Week 24: A Galaxy, A Smoothie, and A Toddler

what's new?

We spent week 24 in the company of our fabulous friends, the Morrows, who were staying with us for a week before they moved to their next Post. We have grown quite close over the last year, and I gave them my whole heart, and they gave me several solar systems, in return. Sometimes, when you allow yourself to be truly vulnerable in friendships, you get stung, but other times, you get a galaxy :) And so, there seems no other passage more befitting than One Art, by Elizabeth Bishop:

 The art of losing isn't hard to master;
 so many things seem filled with the intent
 to be lost that their loss is no disaster.

 Lose something every day.  Accept the fluster
 of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
 The art of losing isn't hard to master.

 Then practice losing farther, losing faster:
 places, and names, and where it was you meant
 to travel.  None of these will bring disaster.

 I lost my mother's watch.  And look! my last, or
 next-to-last, of three loved houses went.
 The art of losing isn't hard to master.

 I lost two cities, lovely ones.  And, vaster,
 some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
 I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.

 ---Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture
 I love) I shan't have lied.  It's evident
 the art of losing's not too hard to master
 though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.

New things we tried in Week 24:

• Scooter's Blend Coffee (a medium roast/blend). I liked it - very deeply roasted and nutty flavor overall. Still not better than my favorite, but better than many. An easy drinking coffee that you can get at the drive-thru in a pinch if you don't want to make a special grocery store trip just for coffee.

• New deployment book for kids - Lily Hates Goodbyes. This book received the utmost praise from critics and reviewers, buuuut...I was not a fan, simply for the reason that "Lily hates goodbyes" is repeated on almost every page, despite the creative and wonderful things she is doing throughout the story. I don't like the idea of harping on hating something and continuing to whine about it. Say it once, get over it, and move on. Tough baloney, Lily. C'mon. 

• Red Barn Farms Country Market (Weston, MO). I LOVE the town of Weston (about 20 minutes east of Fort Leavenworth), and though we have visited many of the local farms around here, have never made it to Red Barn! They have the cutest little country store - I highly recommend paying them a visit, should you venture out this way.

• The Farmhouse (Kansas City, MO). Beautiful farm-to-table restaurant downtown, near City Market. Our dear friends treated us to this great find, complete with lovely outdoor seating and delicious wine and appetizers before the beginnings of a toddler meltdown occurred (mine) and we said goodbye. It happens...We will be back. They have Black Butte Porter ON TAP :)  

• Green Smoothie Revolution (by, Victoria Boutenko). This book was given to to me to read by my neighbor, after chatting about rebuilding immunity from being sick/taking antibiotics. Her exact words were, "This book will rock your World.". I (wildly) concur and recommend to just about anyone. I learned quite a it about the overall digestion of green vegetables in general from this book. As a Colitis patient, I also learned some valuable tips for the absorption of the vitamins and minerals from veggies, but even if you learn nothing, this particular recipe feels really good on your tummy. I love parsley. It is highly underrated. We will alternate the types of greens we use (to avoid alkaloid absorption) every other week, but here is this week's smoothie recipe, which I modified (the original called for dates and only one lemon, and I prefer the piney-citrusy flavor of the parsley and didn't want it that sweet, so I opted for unsweetened berries):

2 cups parsley

1 Fuji apple (we used whatever)

1/2 cup frozen blueberry/raspberries

lemon juice from 2 squeezed lemons

a little bit of water to make my cheapo blender turn

This will be enough for a couple of days - make sure to store in glass, not plastic, which will leach nutrients

Week 22: Happy Dinosaurs

What's New?

We fully lived each and every moment of Ted's week-long, pre-deployment visit in Week 22, on top of which, he let me win at Scrabble. Just kidding. If you think for a second either of us would ever let the other one win at Scrabble, you totally have the wrong idea regarding the level of competitiveness in this household :) Buuut, I am pretty sure I won with a word that I misspelled, and he initially questioned it, but at the risk of losing his turn should he end up wrong (I was 99% sure of my spelling), took the chance. The word was "Ouija", which I had incorrectly spelled, "O-u-j-a-i". But what a great way to use your J (8 points!) on a double or triple letter block! 

Aside from Scrabble, puzzles and stories with our Buddy, and 99 bottles of delicious and nutritious beer on the wall (to wash down all of the BBQ we consumed), we just enjoyed each others' company and had lots of cuddle time and outside time with our Henry dinosaur. By the way, our level of dinosaur knowledge, in general, is insane right now. Ask us anything about the Cretaceous period, or rather, ask Henry. He would be happy to explain it all to you, which is good because I am pretty sure some of that is going to be on my Praxis exam in July. 

Ted and I also managed to squeeze in a wonderfully long date night at The Majestic, which is a delicious steakhouse and jazz club located in downtown Kansas City. This place had come highly-recommended by some dear friends and acquaintances alike, so we had to try it out! Though it was recommended that we get a seat downstairs, in the club, we actually opted to sit upstairs, in the main dining area, next to the beautiful bar and the jazz pianist. It was a little more open and airy, which was a plus for us. We experienced wonderful service, and any server who is willing to talk about the marbling and aging in steaks for 20 minutes had me at hello. I recommend trying one of their prohibitionist era cocktails :) Also, I am 99% sure that after a week of partying with my husband and 2.5-year old, I can no longer fit into the dress I wore for this date night :)

Ah well. I love that man so much I want to marry him. Good thing I did :)

Other Week 22 newness:

• Discovery of the most beautiful running trail ever, which I got to run sans jogging stroller while Ted and Henry went for a hike on a nearby nature trail (the one I ran was paved). From what I could tell, it was pretty non-creeper, but I would still carry mace just because I will mace your face! :) Thanks to my Lover, who showed me where this was. 

• T-Rex Cafe in Kansas City. We sat under Pachycephalosaurus and had a view of Parasaurolophous and the jelly fish forest. AND we sat by the aquarium. Overstimulating just a teensy. Good food! Best timing ever for a 2.5-year old obsessed with dinosaurs, but still a bit scary because they do a simulated meteor shower every 30 minutes and all of the animals roar, tweet, or buzz all at once. A solid 5/5 stars for us!!

• Ted and I tried 2 new beers from Boulevard: Long Strange Tripel and The Sixth Glass. Ted is a harder sell on new beer than I am, but he said he liked them both. I loved The Sixth Glass for the light molasses aftertaste and cannot wait to have it again. It has all of the flavor of a good, dark beer but with a light body. I think these Belgian dark ale finds are slowly but surely becoming my little beer treasures in life. Not the easiest to find, but I always like them. Long Strange was meh. It was good. Nothing to write home about, but then, you are reading beer notes from a gal who still likes Budweiser with her barbeque. What do I know? :)

• I finally perfected one of my favorite comfort foods of all time and one of 3 things that my Dad knows how to make: Cocoa Quickies. This is more like a candy than a cookie, which means it requires precision, patience, and exact ingredients. I had to finally just call my Dad because of course I kept screwing it up so badly. The key ingredient? Nestle Quick Cocoa. Yes. It has to be the one with the bunny :) And the key technique? Cook 3-4 minutes AFTER you bring it to a boil, otherwise it will be gummy!   

Here is the recipe for my Dad's Cocoa Quickies: 2C white sugar, 1/2C butter, 1/2C Nestle Quick, 1/2C milk, 3C oats, 1 tsp vanilla. Mix all in saucepan. Quickly bring to a full, rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook 3-4 minutes. Take off heat and add oats. Drop onto waxed paper until they harden. "You will know immediately if you did it right or not." (my dad)

Week 21: Tornados, Tiger Tails, and Those We Love

What's New?

In Week 21, I received a phone call from my Dad asking if we were in our basement. No, I responded, we just got home from a run. Laughter. "There's a tornado watch in effect in your area," he explains. "Yes, Dad. I know. But we ran in between watches." Twenty minutes later, our power was out, and wind gusts were strong enough to throw our neighbors' yard trampolines across Post and to knock a person over. And those are just wind gusts. We experienced our first real tornado watch.

We are relatively prepared for minor things such as power outages in our area, and for this, I am thankful. Flashlights, candles, propane stove, blankets, changes of clothes and water/food/medicines...We would be okay for a few days. Residents of our area were told to watch the skies for hail and a "greenish" tint. Henry and I made hot cocoa and curled up in a blanket and sent texts back and forth to my Husband and Siblings/Parents. Henry was getting over a quick but nasty flu virus, and honestly, my worrying had been so great over that incident, that the tornado watch seemed somewhat insignificant in comparison. I just hugged him and smiled at his 2.5-year-old curiosity about what thunder and lightening and flashlights were. 

The next day, we turned on the news to hear and see the tragic outcome of the tornado in Moore, Oklahoma. Feelings of helplessness and grief washed over us all. As insignificant as it may be, here is the link to the Red Cross if anyone reading this feels lead to help out in a small way. 

Hug your loved ones, and maybe even your acquaintances, once in a while.    

Newness for Week 21:

• Tried out Weston Brewery on a momma's-only lunch date with a girlfriend. The Drop-Kick Ale (which I had never tried from there) was delicious, comparable to a nutty amber such as Fat Tire, but better. We enjoyed delicious burgers and spicy fries on the patio - I will definitely be returning! Very kid and family friendly, which is always a plus. 

• Tiger Tail Rolling Muscle Massager! WHY is this just now in my house?! A-MAZING. I have been rolling it over my feet, my ridiculously tight IT bands, and my hip flexors. I basically just want to marry it. 

• Discovery of a great new blog: Silly Eagle Books. The author of this blog is a friend of a dear friend, who recommended this site to me. She reviews children's fiction and discusses related projects that she does with her kids, who are home-schooled. It is not a cheesy crafting site where they paint egg cartons and glue googly eyes onto toilet paper rolls! It is very legit with some meat on its bones, if you know what I'm getting at :) Check it out! You will love it even if you don't have children!

• Guess who came home (for a whole week!) during Week 21?! Our Other Third!! We are sooo excited. We have missed him greatly these past couple of weeks.  

Week 18: Bug Hunting and Manners

Caterpillar stalker

Week 18 brought with it a special weekend visit from our other third. We packed in no less than 48 hours of family cuddle time, pizza-eating, and exploration. There seemed to be just enough time for everything, but not enough time to say goodbye again. And thus, we have what seems to be the theme of my life :)

New for Week 18 was a visit to the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens! It was wonderful, and we highly recommend this as an activity for anyone! Singles, couples, families with small kiddos - You will all have fun here. We have explored a number of arboretums and botanical gardens across the Country, and what I loved about this place were all of the intricate, little alcove and specialty gardens within the nooks and crannies of the main, theme gardens - A lot of privacy :) They have a weekly birdwatcher's group here, too, as well as a children's garden and a train garden (in progress)! This place is picnic-friendly (in the picnic pavilion), and most of the little trails are only a mile or so long.

Henry loved the big pond and the turtles as well as bug hunting along the pathways and butterfly-chasing. He is such a good little hiker now and (most of the time) a good minder. For short outings, we don't even need the stroller anymore. He's good for at least a mile :) It is amazing how much he has grown up in the last 2 months (since the last time we went exploring with Daddy)! He was so proud to show Ted what a big boy he was. 

Other newness for Week 18:

• We've been working on manners lately (and watching where we are walking in relation to others). In particular, saying, "excuse me" when barreling through or over someone, now that Henry is not really in a stroller anymore. This week was the first time I heard him say, "scuse me". It was very cute :)

• Snow in May. Only in Kansas, people.

Week 17: Exploring Kansas City with the Mad Ones

In Week 17, we explored some new parts of Kansas City with some very dear Fort Leavenworth friends of ours who happen to be moving way [too] soon. It is a funny concept, time, because one year is not enough time to get to know people you don't initially (really) click with on more than a surface level. Yet for those rare souls of whose intensity Love will only ever partially satisfy (the ones you seem to know immediately), one year is but a blink of an eye or a thousand years, you know? Like either way, the concept of a year is pretty meaningless. 

These friends are of the latter sort - The ones you'd still be friends with even if Facebook wasn't around after they moved to create the illusion that you are somehow going to be friends for life :)

I promise I have not even had a single glass of wine while writing this. In case you're wondering.

 “the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.”
 -Jack Kerouac, On the Road

City Market

This place is an outdoor market that has been around since the 1920's, in the style of my beloved Pike's Place Market in Seattle. Though nobody was throwing fish, we still enjoyed a fresh cup of coffee and a good chat with the owners from City Market Coffeehouse. I bought black jelly beans from Plantars Seed Co Herbs and Spices, watched the giant riverboat wheel spin at the Riverboat Museum, enjoyed yummy gyro meat and hummus from a Mediterranean cafe, and best of all, bought cumin and anise for $1 a scoop from the Arabic Market. Amazing find and a wonderful day out with JUST mommas :) We need some more of those. I look forward to heading back down here when the weather is a bit warmer and all of the vendors are out!

Sea Life Aquarium

I would recommend this as the perfect weekday place for kids 5 and under. Henry went with his 2 best buddies, and I think they all had a marvelous time, but it is small, and I would definitely not recommend ever going on a crowded day! We were so lucky to have experienced this with only a few other families and one school group on a weekday! The whole thing takes only about 30 to get through, and I highly recommend getting your tickets in advance, online, rather than at the door. Not only do you save $4, but you actually have a chance of getting in. I am so glad we finally did this and that Henry is at an age where we don't (usually) need the stroller anymore. Pretty good find...just plan accordingly :) 

Week 9: Oscars Parties and Puppy Dogpiles

We did not try as many new things in Week 9 because I spent most of it being sick and road-tripping back to Kansas with my favorite 2-year old buddy. But, in spite of the continued and worsening sickness, our last days in San Diego with Daddy were happy ones and included one of my new favorite memories. I spent much of our last full day as a family together for a long while in Urgent Care, but Henry and Ted had some good quality time together, which made all of us happy. I was too sick to even be sad at that point, and all I remember is going into the bedroom to lay elevated on some pillows, after taking copious amounts of randoms, which included something with codeine as well as ZzzQuil, nasal spray, and essential oils. I turned on the Oscars, and my sweet husband and son crawled up in bed with me with their new Thomas the Train I-spy book, and we had the absolute best cuddle time ever AND we got to witness that spectacular mini-show of Les Miserable (Ted was especially excited about that part). And finally...eventually...I fell asleep in a big puppy-love pile. 

I've never hosted an Oscar party before, but I think I will, from now on. Especially if there is a Thomas the Train, puppy-pajama dogpile with my sweet family included :)  

Henry and I are home now, safe and sound, and I am slowly but surely starting to feel better. I am thankful for our special time with Auntie Shana, Uncle Eddy, Cousin Ira and Baby Leif and with our other good friends in San Diego (and so, so sorry for missing the ones we missed due to being sick!) 

We miss our other Third already. I feel like I left with a lot of doubts and nervousness about how this year was going to work and whether or not any of us (Ted, Henry, or myself) were strong enough to handle (insert whatever you can think of inserting, here). I think I came back knowing that I am not, and being totally okay with it because Ted and Henry aren't either. 'Cause ya know what? None of us are that strong - We aren't supposed to be. So, you just accept weakness sometimes and move forward - And often times that is when you finally allow growth and healing and figure out what it is you are supposed to be doing. It helps especially, when you come home to find a homemade lasagna and pot of daffodils on your counter :) 
  

In addition, I left with a 2-year old and came home with a 2.25-year old. Apparently, there is a difference! Most amazing, impressive kid, this one. I just loved driving home across New Mexico and Northern Texas with him in the bright morning sun. I will never forget that. I hopefully will forget how over road-tripping he was by the time we were in Northern Oklahoma :)

Other new things I tried in Week 9:

• Dermatologica skincare products. I love Proactiv, but here in Kansas my pruny skin cannot handle that much Benzoyl Peroxide. Plus, it's time for some grown-up makeup.

• ZzzQuil. I love this product. It works. 5/5 stars.

• Chicken tortilla soup from Islands - So yummy for sick mommas (but without the cheese).