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 43: Being Fruitful

What's new?

I am MOMENTS away from completing a major crochet project. You know when you give a project a name, that it has taken over your life and spread its tendrils into the nerve center of your brain. Your children are eating toast for every meal (well, mine basically does anyway), you haven't cleaned or gone grocery shopping in 2 weeks. The house smells like pee and burned toast and you don't care. It. Must. Get. Finished. The reason, my creative fellows, is that you cannot be fruitful again until you have produced this thing. Being fruitful is important because that's how you get Joy. If you're not fruitful, you don't have Joy. And if you aren't producing, you can't be fruitful. I don't make the rules, people, but I do like to try new things. 

The newness of Week 43 was so awesome that I barely noticed the pee smell:

• First field trip. Henry's preschool class took a field trip to Lamborn Farm in Leavenworth, KS, and it was wonderful. A family-owned, small-farm who actually grows their own pumpkins (rather than have them shipped in, like all of the other farms with "pumpkin patches"), raises beef, sheep, and pigs and has a little hay maze for kids as well as a playground? Priceless. Plus, this farm has recently been put on the National Historic Register, which is very great for this family. This farm has been in existence since 1877! The kids had fun and were so adorable to hang out with for a couple of hours. It was also interesting to see Henry with his class for the first time. He is definitely that kid who they give jobs to, and I realized that is probably how they get him to transition from one activity to the next or to do anything, in general :) Give him a job. He takes it very seriously :) I keep saying that I need to do more of this, but I think that this needs to be more of a focus of our day now, rather than a cute little thing he does. You judgers out there who are thinking, "oh, but kids should play and have all play-based learning..." Meet my son. He likes working, this one. 

• New Children's Fiction. Steam Train, Dream Train (by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld), like it's predecessor, Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, is ADORABLE, long-winded, and the perfect bedtime story, with lots of onomatopoeia and make-believe, as well as beautiful artwork. Henry gives this 5/5 stars. 

• New app!! Charity Miles - Have you heard of this wonderful fitness app? It is legitimate! A fairly new invention, you can run, bike, or walk for a number of fantastic charities of your choosing. The app lets you track via miles or time, and you start and stop the GPS when the workout is finished, which then reports the total on your behalf. I like it because it keeps track of your history, but I wish it would keep track of which charities you gave to as well (it only tracks distance or time). You can also create teams, which is how I found out about this (via the Michael J. Fox Parkinson's Foundation). I was just telling Ted that I don't think I will ever be able to do a run again without using this app. Why would you?? It would be nice to know exactly how this works and how much money you are raising, but, I also believe in the Placebo Effect. In other words, even if this is totally bogus, when you dedicate something to a cause and meditate on it (your heart's intention), I believe that energy can only be used for good in the World. Like if you go around thinking, "I just ran 6 miles for Parkinson's research," and you keep doing stuff like that, at some point, that energy is going to be fruitful. And being fruitful creates Joy, which hopefully, eventually, generates awareness and healing and something tangible, though it may not help a person write actual, for real, grammatically correct sentences whilst blogging :)

• Fleece-lined running tights. Um. Are you serious? 100/5 stars for Sugoi running apparel. How I have lived in KS without these, ever, is beyond me. I recommend them for runs >30 degrees F, with wind or without. They are breathable, so you can't overheat. I basically want to marry them. They weren't cheap, but still less than a gym membership.

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 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...

Week 13: A New Poem, Friend Dating and the No Nap Zone

New in Week 13? First, some new poetry:

little, muddy shoes lay strewn across 
the kitchen floor like sleeping kittens
whose bellies bulge from too much milk.
when they wake, clods of dirt will
my shadow, be.
I am grounded by it - the sound
of pitter-patter 
-Becca, 2013 (allbrandnewin52.blogspot.com)

There are many new things to report on this week. First, I might as well tell you all that we are dating again, and it is going very well! Henry and I have met some keepers :) Yep, back in the saddle, as they say. You think friend dating is different than romantic dating? Think again. It is a natural part of life if you ever relocate, start or end a job, quit drinking, start drinking, get married or divorced, have kids, or experience any other major change of life, it seems. And friend dating now, I am more picky; I know what I want. I love being sociable, but not to the point where I will just hang out with anyone because they are a warm body. I have recently realized that I want the same thing that I wanted when I met my Husband: A bonafide, normal person without hangups, who doesn't try to one-up you but who, instead, makes you want to be a better person in some way. Negative people, victims, drama queens, multiple personality disorder...you need not apply. I was talking to M about this the other day, and she also brought up the good point that how they treat/discipline their own kids becomes a factor - So true. I have a large amount of respect for moms who correct their children in public places - Moms who are paying attention and not just letting their kids run rampant through the streets, screaming their heads off at 1am...ahem...

I have the best collection of friends a person could ask for, but it is nice to have in-the-flesh folks who you can go on a walk with or saunter into their house and their dog attack-licks you and coffee is ready in a steaming mug of hello how are you and no one blinks twice about the fact that the kids are still in their pajamas at 2pm. And those are the rare ones (or the ones who have moved/are soon-to-be moving, booo!).    

Week 13 represents the 25% milestone! Yes, friends, we are a quarter of the way through 52 :) Here are the new things we did to celebrate:  

• went on a blind friend date and loved both mom and sons

• went to a new playgroup at a new library outside of town

• tried 3 new recipes (red lentil curry, orzo salad, and stuffed cherry tomatoes), all of which I would make again, though I have decided lentils are never as good as they are the second day. Fact.

• went to a new local farm to buy fresh goat milk (Screamin' Oaks in Tonganoxie)

• tried a new mom and pop cafe with blueberry pancakes as big as your head (Mirth Cafe Too) 

• experienced a snow-storm in mid-March

• began 2 new crochet projects, one of which is for ME (a big-time first!!!)

• treated myself to a new pair of DKNY Bermuda skinny shorts, my wardrobe for spring :)

• Henry decided to give up napping. This may be a phase or a new routine, but for the past 2 weeks, he has only gone down a couple of times. He lays in his room and reads his books for about 45 minutes and then gets up. He also is sleeping much longer at night, so I really have nothing to complain about. But I'd be lying if I said this was not an initial shock to the system (in week 13, mommy drank a LOT of wine...)

• tried a new beer! Sofie Belgian Ale 2012 (thank you, M!) It was citrus, honey-cream, and very ripe banana, which was not overpowering due to the very strong, tangy lime overtones. I thought it was good by itself and would have it again.  

• We received a very sweet Easter care package from Daddy this week...complete with Chuck the Truck stickerbook, a steamroller playdough set, and Godiva chocolates :) Best package ever.

Week 10: Kidney Bean Quinoa Burgers

Week 10 already?! Where does the time go? In Week 10, we tried a few new meatless recipes. Henry is basically already a vegetarian, except for fish, and of course, did not eat any of the new stuff I made, and that is fine :) The focus is on trying to rebuild my immune system and decongest my poor liver, after being sick for so long, being on antibiotics, and taking a gazillion supplements and medicines and sleep-aids...Just lookin' for an easy-on-my-tummy diet for a while. In addition, I have been trying to replace one of my daily fruits with a veggie to get more minerals and detoxifying goodness. AND trying not to be a fatty because I had gained back a few pounds from my original 30. Not a travesty. Not worried about it - just wanting to see that lovely 140 on Friday mornings :) It makes me happy. Thanks for the recipe, Momma :) Here is my modified version of the original:

Quinoa Kidney Bean Burgers

made 4 patties

[Served on a whole wheat bun with 1tsp mayo, (you could use Veganaise or nothing at all) some smoked paprika and Siracha, and 2 slices of avocado]

1 can of kidney beans, rinsed, drained, and mashed, leaving a few big chunks of bean

1/4 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup water

1 cup bread crumbs (I used Progresso Italian but you could just make your own)

1/4 cup minced yellow bell pepper

2 tbs minced onion

1 large minced garlic clove

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground pepper because I like a lot

2 tbs hot sauce (I used this Tennessee hot sauce we had in our fridge)

2 eggs

2 tbs olive oil

Directions: Bring quinoa and water to a boil in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed for about 15-20 minutes (it did not take this long on my stove). Mash beans (I used a potato masher but you could use a fork). Lightly beat eggs in a mixing bowl (I always let my eggs get to room temp before using in any recipe, I learned it in an online British baking class and will never go back). Add bean mixture, quinoa, bread crumbs, bell pepper, onion, garlic, cumin, black pepper and hot pepper sauce. Mix and form into patties (the original recipe said 5, which is ridiculous, unless you are a mouse). Heat olive oil in skillet and fry patties about 2-3 min per side. SUPER yum. 

 

Other new things we tried or accomplished in Week 10:

• New bedtime routine of reading a couple of stories in bed and leaving the door cracked a bit. He requested these things after we got back from San Diego and our roadtrip and every night was a total meltdown. He was used to Ted and I (or just me) sleeping in the same room as him for 5 weeks, so this new routine probably spun from that. I am more than happy to comply, as I love bedtime stories with my Buddy, and I love that he has his favorites, and it makes him happy. 

• Got to know our new fish. We love him. His name is also Sharkbait, in case you are curious. And he is also a Beta. This one seems a little less inbred and eats his food. RIP Sharkbait #1.

• Finished Sister-in-law Jenn's baby blankets for her M.O.P.S. auction. 

• 3 new non-fiction books: 8th Grade Science, Our Changing Earth, and Life Science :) All registered for both the Middle Grade Praxis II and the VCLA (State of VA required reading and writing test) and have been in contact with the Educate VA program director. Very excited! 

Week 7: Mermaids and Talking to the Ocean

Week 7 has been a busy and wonderful week in San Diego! We have had great fun visiting our old stomping grounds and have tried many new things. Ted has been working very hard getting his crew ready to pass inspections for their upcoming deployment and fitting in quality family time with us while we are here. Of course, we wish we could see more of him, but I cannot be sad about being able to get in quality girl time and conversations with my best friends and my son, every day! One of my favorite new things that we did this week was just sit on the beach and watch the waves crash against the sand (Henry and I). He seems to love doing this as much as running in the sand, and one day he just plopped down and I sat down next to him, and we began telling our story of the little boy who talks to the ocean. This may top my favorite Henry memory list :) What an amazing son I have. 

Other new things we did or tried in Week 7:

• A new beer! Coronado Brewing Co. Mermaid's Red Amber Ale: Ted did not care for this because it was too hoppy and therefore too much like an IPA and unlike his favorite nutty ambers that teeter on being brown ales (in my opinion). I normally dislike IPAs as well because they taste like perfume, but I have to say, I liked how they did this. Even though it was hoppy, it had just enough of a fruity twist to overpower the floral notes, and what I ended up getting was something along the lines of peach and rose petal hues. I actually liked it, which is weird because I normally do not like any hint of fruit or floral in my beer, whatsoever. I guess this is a great example of how complex craft beers can be and why one should continue to try new things :)

• Balboa Park Science Center: One of my girlfriends here has a daughter Henry's age, so we took them to the upstairs area of the IMAX Science Center, where they have this great play/discovery room for kiddos under 5. We've done a couple of things like this before with Henry, and he seemed to be a little overwhelmed and overstimulated, and it wasn't all that fun. So, I was really happy that he had such a great time here and wanted to stay and explore all of the activities. He is at the perfect age for this stuff at this point, but up until this point, I really don't think he has been. Every kid is so different! I love spending time with other kids his age and noticing all of the diversity in 2-year olds.

• 1-20: Henry can now count to 20, which is cool, but the concept of "how many" doesn't necessarily have anything to do with being able to count. For example, if I ask him how many feet he has, he may count to 2 or 4, depending on his mood :) He also seems to have a good memory for numbers such as street addresses and such. 

• The Little Red Caboose: We got a new book, and he loves reading it to us, which is also a new thing (him reading to us). He is a very good memorizer. Future botanist? :)

• I finished a crochet project (that was a fast one!)...

• I think I have officially decided what I am going to do when I grow up (what I am going to do for a career when Henry starts pre-school when we move to Northern Virginia next year). I've known I was not going to go back to being a field biologist or a consultant since I left my job. I thought for a long time about going for my Master's in Occupational Therapy and teaching people how to do the small things that will empower them to live their lives again after they've been in accidents. I've also thought about getting my teaching credential and teaching biology and/or earth science at the Jr High level. I've been thinking heavily about this all year, and I think I am going to teach. When I was interning after college, I got a lot of opportunity to teach environmental science projects to kids of all ages, but Jr High was my favorite, and having strong female role models in the science community is a topic that is becoming more and more important to me the older I get. I think it would be fun because I have 10 years of experience working in the field and could (hopefully) transfer that passion of nature and of science to kids. The idea of being a substitute teacher for a while also appeals to me because I could get teaching experience while still being able to be there for my family in the way that I would like to be. I haven't really talked to a lot of people about any of this, so if any of this comes as a shock to anyone, hopefully it is a good shock :) 

          Climb aboard, explorers!! :)