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 50: Comfort and Joy, and my Crowd-Shy Boy

What's new?

My sweet, crowd-shy boy had his first Christmas program in Week 50. I knew that when they all walked in to the gym and he saw the 12 or so parents all sitting there, staring back at him, that he would probably freeze up or cry, despite the fact that I had heard almost the entire program, word-for-word, at home. He froze, then, upon seeing my face in the crowd, ran over to sit directly behind me, performing the entire program from that chair. One little boy stayed up in front of everyone, but rolled around on the ground the entire time, before he took off running. Yet another boy, kept running back and forth between his mom and every kid in the program, then back to his spot again. All of the girls stayed up there and performed. I am sorry because I normally don't notice gender differences like that, but it was too funny not to notice. It was ADORABLE. The whole thing was 15 minutes long, and just precious. My Henry Bee...I could not have been prouder of him :) 

It is not often that I live vicariously through my son, but I have to admit something totally silly and material: Since I was a little girl, I ALWAYS wanted one of those fancy stockings from Land's End with the name stitched up on the top and the pretty, stitched picture below and the velvet on the back. My Great-Grandma hand-knitted all of our stockings, which were so huge and amazing, and she stitched our names into the tops and everything, but as a stupid kid, what did I know about the value of handmade versus machine-made. Yet, I could not resist. I went to order some flannel sheets from the bargain sale Land's End site, and what should pop up, but that beautiful stocking with the choo-choo train on it! My childhood self stared up at me with puppy-dog eyes, and it was all over. Henry will grow up wondering why it is that he is the only one in the family who's mom crochets yet he ended up with a machine made stocking.

Other Newness for Week 50:

• Birds of Bethlehem, by Tomie dePoata - New Children's Fiction. Beautiful, and simple, age-appropriate version of the Nativity. The artwork is stunning, and I would like to add more of his work to our library in hardcover versions. This particular version tells the story of the Baby Jesus through the eyes of the birds in the nearby field. 

• We found a house to rent in VA! Yay. We rented it for the yard and the neighborhood, but the inside looks cozy and is well-insulated.

• I made gift truffles for the first time, and they turned out yummy! Here is the recipe I used, although I opted for a cocoa powder dusting rather than the toasted almonds.

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 46: "Mommas Owies"

What's new?

Well, well, well, Week 46. You made this momma spit coffee through her nose and smile until that smile hurt. I am as proud as I am completely and totally surprised. I didn't see this one coming for a couple more years. And why not? I have encouraged my son to be observant and cognizant of the world around him; to map the beauty and the differences of his surroundings. And, regardless of my encouragement, he does these things better than I ever hoped to. For my skills as a true scientist, will always fall short of my preschooler.

The other day, as I was getting out of the shower, Henry pointed to me and said, quite in earnest: "momma's owies?" The look on his little face - The genuine concern for my well-being, priceless. Thinking that he was most likely talking about the large tattoo covering my entire back, or the medium-sized one covering my hip, or my large birthmark on my backside, I say, "no buddy, that's not an owie, that's just momma's painting." "No," he continues, "momma's OWIES." Hmmm, I think. "Come show me, little love," I say. "Show me where is owie." So over he marches, finger outstretched. And there he points. THERE. Right about at his height. "OH!" I say, "Well...(think fast), no that's not an owies, buddy, that's just momma's pee-pee." "Momma's pee-pee," he repeats, several times. He is satisfied with this. And apparently, somewhat relieved. After a time (he is playing with his trains in my room), he points again, "Momma's other owies!" This time, it's my boobs he is pointing to. "No, those are just momma's boobies." Okay. That one was easier. Either that, or he lost interest. 

Thomas and Percy and a cup full of goldfish crackers are much more interesting than my body parts. 

Just wait until Daddy comes home. Wouldn't I like to be a fly on the wall when they get to talkin':)

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 41: Some Fun Yummies

What's new?

In Week 41, Henry and I wanted to focus on re-building our immune systems with lots of warm, sticky vegetables and colorful foods, fish, nuts, and green smoothies. What a perfect opportunity, we thought, to try out a new recipe from Skinnytaste.com, Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna Rolls! We also decided to share some with our neighbors, after finding out our entire neighborhood had Strep. This was a delicious dish, and it was very easy to make (and inexpensive). I think I could eat this every day. Things I did differently than the recipe: Whole milk ricotta instead of lowfat; red onion instead of shallot; used about 1/3 more butternut squash; added cinnamon, oregano, and lots of black pepper to ricotta mixture; sprinkled a little cheddar cheese on top before serving :) Okay, so my version wasn't very skinny. But I don't believe in lowfat ricotta. It's against my religion. 5/5 stars.

In addition, we received Henry's Scholastic book order from school, and in that order was another Jane Yolen goodie, How Do Dinosaurs Say I'm Mad (by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague). We like books about emotions around here, and this was so much fun. I am definitely going to add this to my list of suggested deployment resources for children. We also got No More Hitting (by Maria Mayson), which also deals with the subject of acting out, but in a different way. Yolen accepts that Dinosaurs are going to be mad sometimes, and that's totally fine, but you need to go take a time out and a deep breath instead of throwing, hitting, yelling, etc. Mayson's book deals with acting out (in this case, hitting) by redirecting the anger entirely in a physical way: dancing. So anytime tiger cub wants to hit someone, he instead does a little dance, and pretty soon he feels better and doesn't want to hit anyone. I think both books are wonderful, and Henry LOVES all of Yolen's books. No More Hitting is super cute, just a teensy bit long-winded for the age-range of the audience. I usually shorten it up a bit when we read it, but I would recommend both to just about any youngling who needs a reminder to use their words :)  

Other Newness for Week 41:

• I received good news regarding the arrival of my Husband, which may or may not be a good chunk of days earlier than expected :) But I am not letting myself get TOO excited about it until the day I am actually seeing him with my own eyes.

• Began a new, scaled-back running routine, which incorporates equal parts yoga and running. The goal is to focus on moderation (for reals this time) and get myself out of that binge runner's mentality that I think I have had my entire life. I can't be approaching 37 and still in this mentality that I can run 18 miles and go eat like crap the entire weekend afterwards. And, approaching 37 means, for the first time, that weight isn't the issue anymore; it's stuff like blood pressure and arthritis and warding off dementia :)

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 39: Let's Celebrate 75% Completion!

What's new?

In Week 39, we celebrate a milestone: 75% of the way through the year! And just because we can, we will give thanks for all of it: our successes, our failures, our dreams, and our realities. My favorite ways to celebrate just about anything include eating food, chatting with friends and family, wearing a good pair of jeans, being outside, and making lists. 

Non-mom-jeans. The last time I bought a pair of hot jeans (the really good kind) was 2006. I didn't even buy any after I lost weight! Desperately needing to channel Linda Hamilton in the Terminator (and not owning a gymnists body or a machine gun or a cigarette), I got a new pair of Joe's. And it worked. I look exactly like the photo above. 

September foodie penpal. My second foodie penpal (check out The Lean Green Bean for an explanation of foodie penpals) package was full of deliciously sweet and energy-filled treats. Brookside acai chocolates are delicious! I love dark chocolate and was quite excited to discover that these were chewy. I LOVE chewy candies. I also had no idea Brookside was owned by Hershey. Way to go, Hershey. Henry and I love the honey sticks, which he had never had, and honey is a completely underestimated, natural anti-bacterial and anti-viral food. Agave nectar has nothing on honey, as much as it tries. I had had the Sweet Leaf mint green tea before, but was pleasantly surprised by my foodie penpal's ballsiness to include a glass jar of liquid in my package. Maybe my Linda Hamilton alter ego will give me the strength I need to be that brave in my future packages :) The homemade cookies were a sweet touch - Ted would have devoured these, being that they were peanut butter and chocolate, had he been here! I love orzo and fruit leather for running fuel - Orzo always makes for a nice, chilled pasta salad. Throw in some feta, cucumber, and tomato...maybe a little olive oil, and you have a delicious meal. My penpal also included special treats for Henry, which I thought was the sweetest thing ever.

Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge (Mound City, MO). This is an hour and a half north from Fort Leavenworth and completely worth every speck of your time. What a perfect time of year as well being the fall migration! There is a 10-mile loop around the refuge that is basically a driving tour (slow) with lots of places to get out with the spotting scope or camera, or just sit in your car with binos. We enjoyed seeing American white pelicans, osprey, turkey vultures, snow geese, loons, turtles, and lots of monarchs everywhere. We will definitely be back this winter to try to spot some bald eagles! 

Used food dehydrator. We can't wait to make some homemade teas and dried fruits. I may or may not include a specimen or two as well :)

If you will recall, at the Halfway Point, I created this list of goodies for completion to have done before the end of the year:

Here is what we have completed:

• ditch the sippy cup/switch to full big-boy cups only - done, for the most part. Cups with a lid are still nice for taking on runs, hikes, and in the car, kind of like a Nalgene.

• Pass the Praxis - by the Grace of God, I did pretty well on this crazy test!

• finish current book - yes 

• make it through a playgroup session without trying to leave the building barely, but yes

• successfully find a preschool in VA before we move there - yes, though I am not head-over-heels in love with it, as compared to how I feel about his current school/teacher

• pick peaches from local orchard and freeze enough pie fillings for peach pie until the end of the year They didn't open for u-Pick this year, but I was a farmer's market stalker, and have peaches galore. 

• take Henry owling and to a local owl lecture at a nearby nature center while he is still obsessed with owls - We did go owling! However, we did not make it to a lecture because they were all late in the evening (bedtime) rather than what I was hoping for (a couple that were in the early morning). Both are good times to go owling. He is still loving learning about owls, who fascinate us both.

• get a cute grow chart for Henry's room - done! He's growing like a weed.

• start preschool - yes

• not sit in the parking lot and cry for 3 hours on the first day of preschool like a total loser - yes, thanks to a very good friend

• seriously. get a life - I still have anxiety leaving him every single time. But it goes away within about 12 seconds after dropping him off :)

• say "please" and "thank you" consistently - He has started doing this! I am so proud. This was really the only thing I cared about on this list, and it happened. I've noticed he is better at saying please and thank you to strangers than he is to his Momma, however :) I am probably the same way with my Momma...

• squaw creek national wildlife refuge

Here is what is in the process of being completed:

• potty training completion - If you could graph this progress, it would look like a wave. Just within the last few days, he has been telling me "help"; grabbing himself; then holding it for a few seconds, which is awesome. He only does this in cotton undies - Pullups are a joke in case anyone reading this is just about to start this adventure.

• KS/MO bug collection - Just have to finish and affix my labels! Would like to get a couple more species.

• finish current crochet project and complete about 5 more - I don't know about the "5 more", but should be finished with the current behemoth in a month or so

• finish the rest of current book pile...about 8-9 of them, not counting the teacher resources now on my list - Probably more like 4.

• finish writing current short work of fiction - I think this will actually happen. As usual, It needs to be simplified a LOT for a short story.

• call my grandparents more regularly - Trying...My limited phone talking time is usually spent calling one of my parents, siblings, or sister-in-laws, so I really, sadly, have to schedule time to call anyone else, including friends. Though, is it really that sad? It gets done that way. Just life, I think.

• learn new tree identification (list) - Sucking it up on this one. But I have learned a few...

• try one new smoothie week per week - More like, every 2 weeks :) But yes.

• teach my son to catch and throw a football - working on it! He has a good arm, though teaching someone to catch is HARD when you suck yourself :) haha

• teach my son to ride his bike - Well, we are getting on, being pushed, and are fascinated by big kids on their bikes. Working on it...

• find a place to live in VA - Working on it. I think my Husband has much more lavish taste than I do, but I have always known this. I like cozy. He likes an echo :)

• get my child to willingly eat a vegetable/food in general - If green smoothies count, then yes.

• complete a half marathon on Post before we leave - One more week! Yay.

• make sure he can recognize his name (written) before he gets to his first day of preschool - I think he can recognize his name...He knows the spelling. not 100% sure if he really knows it or has just memorized it :)

Week 38: Our Brains Are Alive (and Melty Is Too A Word)

What's new?

Oh, how I missed you, Wally Lamb. Reading favorite authors is like stepping into a nice, hot bath. You can confidently just let their words completely absorb your melty, porous brain because you're not tripping over their shitty, cliche, underdeveloped characters or bored out of your mind or disgusted because once more, someone mistook a pessimistic point of view for good writing. It is like knowing in advance you are going to get a brain massage and a good laugh and your imagination is going to come alive and be free. The Hour I First Believed is a similiar style to I Know This Much is True, where he ties deep, historical roots with regard to the protagonists family history into the current day. This story centers around a couple going through marital problems who deal with the after-effects of the Colombine massacre. Deep, complex, believable, and thought-provoking.

Week 38 New Stuff:

• Henry has given up naps. Oddly, he seems SO much happier and content on this schedule. No more spending 2 hours a day fighting him to take a nap, then fighting him to eat, then to go to bed. He sleeps from 7:30-7ish; eats more; talks more, is more affectionate and playful. I think this is actually working! Quiet time for an hour in the afternoons is a must, and I am learning as I go. Time Management...this is something that is being quickly readjusted :) Not sure if I will ever crochet again!

• Cod liver oil - A lot of great research exists on the benefits of cod liver oil on brain development, the prevention of learning disabilities, and even various disorders of the Autism Spectrum, not to mention nerve disorders. I just don't think it can hurt, especially since our boy is such a picky eater!  

• I signed up for a half marathon on Post the first weekend in October. One of my girlfriends offered to come hang out with Henry that morning, and having that possibility made me more excited than waking him up early to take to someone else's house while also trying to get ready for a half marathon. While I am no stranger to half marathons, it has been a year since I have run one!

• New green smoothie recipe from Green Smoothie Revolution. I had been wanting to try this one for a while because it only had 2 ingredients and looked extremely refreshing; 3 cups of cubed cantelope and 1 bunch of parsley. That's it! I add a little water to mine every time just because I have a blender from 1994, but you fancy VitaMixers need not add water. I THOUGHT this was going to be good. I am obsessed with parsley. I love anything with melon. I had both ingredients handy. However, it didn't really sit right with me. The flavor combo was not doing it. Green apples, sour berries, lemon, other greens...those are things that work with parsley. Cantelope is too sweet or too melon-y or something. Blech. Like all of those fruit and mint candies and gums? Those also gross me out, and this was kind like that (1/5 stars).

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 33: Holding Hands, Hot Air Balloons, and Baggy Clothes Wearing

What's new?

In Week 33, my sweetest little buddy had his first day of preschool! I wonder if he heard how loudly my heart beat against my chest when I dropped him off that morning? Knowing he was in the best of hands for a few hours, I treated myself to a little visit to Michael's to look at yarn and all of the fall/harvest decor without a little person in tow! A glorious time, my friends. One of my very sweet girlfriends let me drag her along as well, so bonus for some uninterrupted, adult conversation :) I have SO many solo momma plans...trail runs, return to writing fiction, local Victorian mansion/museums, the little kitchen store in town...Maybe some solo birdwatching? It's all dangerous. I'm not even sure where to start.   

Is it weird that I feel fat when I am nervous? When I feel fat, I tend to wear super baggy clothes. So chances are, if you see me wearing super baggy clothes, I am nervous or anxious about something(s). Like test days, doctor visits, hospitals in general, loud crashes in the middle of the night, and taking my son to his first day of preschool :) Also, when I am nervous, I crave hot coffee and hot soup (just since you were dying to know that).

When I picked him up and his teacher brought him to the door, he came out wearing his backpack (I couldn't get him to put it on, so already I was happy that he was learning), carrying his little painting he did and so proud. He even let his teacher HOLD his HAND as he walked out the door. That alone filled me with such hope. Such glee. When he saw me, his little lip quivered and his eyes filled up with tears. I quickly changed the subject and told him I was proud of him and that he was such a big boy. His teacher said he cried a few random times but was really good - followed directions, waited his turn, etc. Then, as SOON as we started walking down the hall, he was telling me all about his day and what they did and was speaking quite excitedly about it all. And as we crossed the street, he let me hold his hand the whole way across without a meltdown. A Christmas miracle, folks.

Preschool, I love you.

What else?

Other Week 33 new stuff:

• New children's fiction: A Little Critter compilation with all different Little Critter stories than we currently have, as well as a couple of Little Golden Books. The Please and Thank You Book is full of cute rhymes having to do with social etiquette and good behavior, but oddly, has nothing about saying "please" or "thank you". Out of the 3, it is my favorite. Henry is Little Critter obsessed, and I am no longer allowed to read it to him (he reads it). 

• New bug! Our first katydid! I have never seen one in real life :) We found this one at the Ernie Miller Nature Center down in Olathe, KS, and we were pretty excited.

• Great Midwest Balloon Festival (Olathe, KS) - We woke up early to drive an hour down South to see the hot air balloons come in and try to make their target. It was really fun, and the weather was beautiful. I always love being surrounded by nerds of whatever the "thing" is. Hot air balloon nerds are awesome. They just follow the balloons around and photograph them, commenting on wind speed and direction and the balloon itself. Huh. Oh, and Henry loved this :)

• New hiking shoes! I had my old Merrells about 8 years; abused and used them, and figured it was about time to replace them. I never like new shoes, but it is important to take care of your feet when you are on them as much as I, or so my Husband always tells me :) Merrells are nice if you have really narrow feet with high arches, and I used them for work many years. Now I just wear them to preschooler-hike and chase after the youngling. 5/5 either way. 

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 30: The Sweet and The Sour

What's new?

Good Morning, all! Posting a day early this week, as we are headed up to the great Pacific Northwest, where our hearts are rooted deep in the moss-covered forests and where the smells of smoking salmon and never-quite-dried-out soil permeate your entire identity. A welcome getaway, after Week 30 hit us like a ton of bricks with the Praxis for Middle Grade Science. I am pretty sure I will have to retake that test, having guessed on 70/93 questions that decided to be all graduate-level chemistry and one biology question. Most of the content was not what the study guide eluded to, so really, I have no idea what my plan will be for the retake. I will know my score in 10-30 days, but I really am not being humble when I say that I don't even want to look. You know it is bad when you are praying for physics questions. Just please let there be a physics question. Or an earthquake. Or please let this be just a bad dream that I get to wake up from so I can start over. Yep. So that's that. And guess what? There are no start-overs in big kid world. You just have to keep moving forward. Breathe. Eat jars of salsa. Catch bugs with son. Lay in the grass. Sigh heavily. Watch the sun set. It won't look so bad in the morning, right? :) 

"What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us."
Henry David Thoreau

Thankfully, aside from that experience, Week 30 brought to Kansas, for the first time ever, my Mom (and Henry's Amma). Henry and I were so happy that she could spend some quality time here, and her presence was such a comfort to me. 

Speaking of comfort, here is a deliciously-sweet comfort food recipe that we tried and loved this week, straight from my Goosberry Patch 101 Homestyle Favorites cookbook. The original recipe was submitted by Sandie Pfeiffer, but I made a couple of slight modifications that made my Mom and I want to eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner:

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
1 head of cauliflower
2 small bunches of broccoli
1 cup mayo
2 tbs sherry cooking wine
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup maple-cayenne pecans (my own recipe, but you could use any candied nut)
1/2 cup finely chopped raisins
6 slices crisp bacon, chopped

Mix mayo, sherry, and sugar together. Set aside. Combine everything else into a large bowl. Add dressing mixture; mix well, and chill before serving. The original recipe called for 1/2 cup of chopped red onion and plain pecans (not candied). It also had you use 1/2 the quantity of broccoli/cauliflower and 10 slices of bacon, rather than 6. I love mayonnaise and see absolutely nothing wrong with egg, canola oil, and vinegar, which comprise mayonnaise. You could use Vegannaise instead, or omit, entirely, and this would still be tasty. Also, the original recipe called for red wine vinegar, rather than cooking sherry.   

Other Week 30 newness:

• New children's fiction. Mom brought a new Jane Yolen book for Henry, which he loves. The artist is Kelly Murphy, and her little monsters are adorable and fun! Romping Monsters, Stomping Monsters is a sweet addition to our library.

• New art. Mom also brought some new art, and it is quirky and beautiful; cheery and complicated. It is by a Swedish artist done with a mixture of watercolor and pen and ink. Just what I needed! I am getting it framed right now but will include a photo as soon as I have it back.

• New wine. One of my girlfriends here on Post left a sweet and very thoughtful goodie bag on my doorstep on test day, and inside was a wine I had not previously tried: a Sweet Red (Woodbridge 2011). Has anyone had this? It was extremely sweet! Even more so than a Gewurztraminer. I would classify this as a light dessert wine, for sure. Mom thought it would be good with spicy barbeque or Thai food, and I concur.   

Week 29: Tomorrow is Test Day!

What's new?

Week 29!  AAAH! <---(real live action shot of my brain)

:)

Mom came in last night, and for this, I am truly grateful. There is something very calming and steady in the knowledge that she is here, and I can honestly, completely relax because I will not worry about Henry (or a babysitter flaking out at the last minute). If anything, he'll be in better hands than my own. Maybe I will come back tomorrow afternoon, and my Mom will have Henry potty-trained and eating his vegetables? She's kind of like the preschooler-whisperer, so who knows? And as for me, I may be 36, but I still need my mommy during the times I am a total spaz, like now!

I know that at this point, what will be will be, and there is no use worrying. I am not sure that I am worried...I am more excited; like that feeling the night before a marathon. You know you trained well. You know you did your best. You know, realistically, that you are probably not going to PR, but that you'll do well and finish strong. You know things can go wrong, but you also know that even if they do, it is going to be okay. I've run an entire marathon with Plantar fasciitis. This will be a lot easier, I am pretty sure :) Ohm's Law and divergent plate boundaries and refraction vs. diffraction!!!! You are so my bitch. I own you! :)

Week 29 was kind of pathetic in terms of trying new things, but here is some cool newness:

• We got a stonefly (Plecoptera) for our collection. I love them! Brings back memories of playing in the creek at our family's cabin in Northern Idaho...

• New bird book! Eastern Birds (Peterson Field Guide)...I have been surrounded by them for over a year now, and about to be for at least 4 more, so I was pretty excited about finding this used one on Amazon.

• Henry got a new set of John Deere farm toys. I never buy him actual toys. Books, yes, but not so much just for fun toys without any educational purpose. Daddy is much better than I am at getting those for fun things :) So for the first time ever, Henry said "thank you" to something other than juice or new library books. He also, for the first time ever, told me he "likes his new toys". Big Momma win :)

• Discovered a new Bible App (Tecarta). Do any of you Bible thumpers out there use a Bible App? I am not that techie, and I rarely get excited about things like Apps, but this one is neat because you can highlight and email scripture, make notes, "fold" pages, cross-reference stuff, etc. I really like having it on my iPhone and being able to send what I am reading to my Husband, across the World. It's the little things, sometimes...most times :)

Week 26: Climbing Mountains and the BEST Foodie Penpal, Ever

What's new?

Week 26 was full of mostly deliciousness and a smidgeon of growing pain. In addition, I have had the worst bout of insomnia for the last few days (who knows), so please bare with me as I typo my way through this post and regale you all with the Newness.

• My Foodie Penpal package arrived!! Oh my goodness - A huge, cyber-hug and a thank-you to the beautiful and thoughtful Laura (and please check out her website, Urban Starlings!). As I opened her package, I LOVED how each item was individually wrapped. Each totally non-fat item :) Yum. First of all, the Sahalie Tuscan almonds were devoured within 2 days of opening. Second, dry Italian salame. The end. But not really...Sonoma Jacks soft cheese wedges and coffee candies. Cheese straws. SWEET note. What it was, was a celebration in a package. 

• La Croix sparkling water. The grapefruit is my favorite, but I also gave the cran-raspberry a try this week. Not only does this beverage seem like such a splurge (is it because it comes in a can???), but it has no sodium, artificial color, flavor, or sweetener. When it is 88 degrees out, and you just finish a 5 mile run pushing your 35-pound son in the jogging stroller up a hill, those little, mini (but HEALTHY) splurges in life sure are welcome! And they will not give you a beer belly or digestive disorders (diet soda) :)

• My little Love is going to preschool. We toured the facility and signed him up, and boy has that experience elicited some major growing pains in this momma. On one hand, I have never been more excited for him to begin this (what I think will be a) wonderful experience. His teacher seems so amazing in all of the ways that I need his first teacher to be. He loved her (in fact, he keeps asking to go back and see her!). She reminds me of my Sister-in Law, Whitney's mom. Not super gushy or emotional, but sweet and caring. I think maybe a little bit of a control freak, which I liked. I think Henry will challenge her, but I think she can challenge him right back, in a loving but firm way. I am so happy that he will get structured, quality time with other kids learning about things like following directions, manners, trusting and (hopefully) bonding with other adults, and working as a group. On the other hand, I feel nervous. Since birth, the most we have ever been apart with him in someones care other than my husband is 4 hours, and that maybe happens once every 3-4 months. And usually it is no more than 2 hours :) I am extremely picky about who cares for him. For example, I would never in a million years do something like Sitter City. I would have all of the teeth rot out of my head and bleed to death before I ever, ever, ever did that. I know it is time to climb this mountain, and I sincerely believe that there will be a happy little boy at the top. Ted has been such an amazing husband listening to me freak out about all of this, even on deployment. I sure do miss his cool, calm and collected physical presence during times like this. I'm pretty sure Henry does too :)    

• A new recipe, which I super-modified from this month's issue of Southern Living, from a recipe called Chicken Salad Exotique. This is SO yummy and easy to make! I am completely, 100% obsessed with this kind of old-school chicken salad recipe:

1 baked chicken breast, cut up into small squares

1/2 cup of organic red grapes, halved

1/2 cup unsalted, roasted almonds, chopped

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup mayo

1 tsp oregano

a dash of salt and pepper

Week 26: The Halfway Mark!

image source

We are about to be 50% of the way through the year, people! How are you doing with your 2013 goals, up to this point? Are you where you envisioned you would be? Or have you become a little lost (either by accident or on purpose) and you are now brushwacking a new pathway somewhere? Perhaps you have found a really great view somewhere, and you aren't moving at all - You are just sitting, enjoying the spray of the waterfall. Maybe you didn't even make it up the mountain because you became so distracted by that amazing new pub near the trailhead, and you got to talkin' to some other distracted person, and the sun started to set...

:) 

We have tried may new things this year, and in honor of our halfway mark for Allbrandnewin52, here are 50 more new things Henry and I would like to do/try for the remaining 26 weeks:

1. squaw creek national wildlife refuge
2. potty training completion
3. KS/MO bug collection (pins only, nothing in vials, which means no spiders)
4. ditch the sippy cup/switch to full big-boy cups only
5. begin regular Pilates routine
6. begin training for The Great Wall of China Marathon (May 2014). This is kind of a big one since I have only run 3 previous full marathons, the last one being in 2008, when I developed bad Plantar Fasciitis. I really don't want to run TGWC half marathon. C'mon.
7. Oh, I don't know...maybe PASS the PRAXIS??! EEEEK!
8. finish current crochet project and complete about 5 more 
9. finish current book
10. finish the rest of current book pile...about 8-9 of them, not counting the teacher resources now on my list
11. finish writing current short work of fiction
12. finish writing current children's folktale series
13. start preschool
14. not sit in the parking lot and cry for 3 hours on the first day of preschool like a total loser
15. seriously. get a life
16. learn all of the species on the ceiling at T-Rex
17. say "please" and "thank you" consistently
18. make it through a playgroup session without trying to leave the building
19. Wonderscope
20. call my grandparents more regularly
21. learn new tree identification (list)
22. try one new beer per month
23. try one new smoothie week per week
24. try about 40 new recipes
25. teach my son to catch and throw a football
26. teach my son to hit a ball off of the T
27. teach my son to ride his bike
28. actually take my son to the pool, even though I am not a fan of pools
29. find a place to live in VA
30. successfully find a preschool in VA before we move there
31. apply to Educate VA (after hopefully passing Praxis)
32. meet new nephew/cousin
33. get my child to willingly eat a vegetable/food in general :)
34. complete a half marathon on Post before we leave
35. convince my neighbor that she likes running and is going to be a total badass at it. I am really good at this (convincing people of their secret badassness). It's like my secret talent.  
36. learn the second verse to "America the Beautiful"
37. learn the real words to "This Land is My Land/This Land is Your Land"
38. pick peaches from local orchard and freeze enough pie fillings for peach pie until the end of the year. Peach pie is one of my favorites!!!! And last year the peaches didn't do well due to the drought.
39. get a good juicer and begin juicing for preschooler
40. get rid of TVs
41. take Henry to an outdoor jazz festival
42. take Henry to the Renaissance festival
43. take Henry to Branson, MO
44. take Henry owling and to a local owl lecture at a nearby nature center while he is still obsessed with owls
45. Kansas City zoo! We've been to Omaha a few times now, but have yet to visit our own KC zoo!
46. get a cute grow chart for Henry's room
47. crochet pennant for H's room
48. make sure he can recognize his name (written) before he gets to his first day of preschool
49. visit Foucakes in town (local fancy bakery)
50. visit the Atchison farmer's market...