Knitting Zeal

Happy Lulu

Andrew spent the weekend wishing us a happy lulu and we haven't yet figured out what it means.  I have a feeling we'll never know, but it certainly was cute to see him wish everyone that came over to visit a happy lulu.

Saturday we had the first annual BBQ for July 4th.  It was the best party we ever had considering the weather couldn't have been more perfect--great temperature with a light breeze.  All six kids, Andrew plus his five cousins, spent the afternoon playing outside.  They built a big sandcastle in his sandbox, went swimming, and just ran around. 

 

Later on Andrew practiced blowing bubbles, although I have a feeling he ingested more than he created.

Summertime fun!

I made two desserts for the bbq--a crunchy topped apple pie and blueberry crisp.  I've made the apple pie before, many times, so I knew that would be good.  The crisp recipe was a new one to me and it was amazing!  Served with a bit of ice cream or whipped cream, it was great.  It was gobbled up before I had a chance to take a photo, so I'll just have to make it again.  I found the recipe online after googling "blueberry crisp."  I read through many recipes, but this one from Martha Stewart sounded good to me.  Definitely a keeper.

Play date for the mommies and the kids

Andrew had his friend over today for a play date.  It happens that his mom came for a play date with me too! The boys had a great time playing and Andrew impressed me with his generosity in sharing his toys.  They played until they were exhausted and Andrew took a nice afternoon nap.

For the lunch part of the play date I made a great pasta dish for the moms.  A friend had given me the recipe, but I ended up altering it a bit to fit with the ingredients I had on hand. 

Brie and Tomato Pasta

1 cup grape tomatoes halved

2 cloves garlic minced

1/4 cup of pesto sauce

1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper, or to taste

1/2 pound of brie (or a nice sized wedge) without rind, cubed

1/2 cup olive oil

8 oz Ancient Harvest Quinoa Spaghetti (available at whole foods)

Assemble all ingredients, except pasta, in a large bowl and combine.  Let sit out for an hour or so.  Cook pasta according to the directions on the box.  Combine cooked pasta with tomato/cheese topping and toss.  Serve warm or at room temperature. 

The original recipe calls for half a cup of basil leaves instead of the pesto, but my basil plants had been attacked by bugs with all the rain we've had and I forgot to buy some at the market.  I actually liked the pesto instead.  I did not actually measure all the ingredients, but these are my best estimates to the quantity.  The original recipe also calls for linguine, but I really like the Quinoa pasta, although it would be good with a whole wheat pasta too. This was an easy meal to make and it was enjoyed!  We had brownies for dessert to conquer all that garlic flavor! 

We are having a family bbq on Saturday.  Fifteen people for dinner, including 6 kids all 6 years or under.  It should be lots of fun.  So far the weather forecast is looking good, so I am happy!  I am planning to make an apple pie and blueberry crisp for dessert.

I received my belated birthday gift this week--a new dslr camera.  I am still learning to use it.  Of course I forgot about it today and didn't take any photos of anything!  Andrew has enjoyed being my test subject and even says "more cheese mommy" when he wants me to take more photos of him.  I'll post photos soon, really!

Friday favorites, or wow, this crazy busy week is almost done.

This first week of summer has been a whirlwind of activity.  I haven't had time to post, but I keep thinking about what I want to share.  Here is my week's wrap-up:

• Father's day was filled with fun.  We had breakfast at a local restaurant where dads ate free.  Andrew enjoyed a mouse shaped pancake.  I grilled dinner and we had a nice dinner at home.  I forget why we didn't eat outside...maybe because the weather continues to be annoying here.  We had chicken marinated in Chiavetta's bbq, tomato salad with toasted French bread, and pasta with pesto. 

 

• Monday started our summer music class schedule.  We are in with a new teacher who I really like.  The songs for the summer are great and the class is small, which is less overwhelming for Andrew.
• We had a super fun play date on Tuesday.  The mommies ate baked brie and brownie pudding while the kiddos played.  Andrew loves new toys.  Of course he rarely plays with the toys here.  Currently he is playing with a receipt.  Seriously.
• Wednesday was Pop day and Andrew continues to ask where he is.  (at his house? he asks.)
• Thursday we had another play date.  Andrew's girlfriend and baby sister came for lunch and fun.  They had a great time together.  It's all fun and games until nap time, though!  After nap, I took Andrew to get his second haircut.  As much as I adore his blonde curls, it was getting unruly and it is summer.  We went to Wiggle Worms, a kids place nearby.  The hairdresser was great, considering Andrew was bashful and buried his head into me.  He didn't want to sit in the car shaped chair, so he sat on my lap.  He got a #4 clipper cut in the back and she shaped the top and sides with her magic scissors.  It is short, but very cute. Before After
• Then, I found out Michael Jackson died and I immediately called my mom.  How sad and crazy his life was.  Back in 1984 my mom took my sister and I to his concert at JFK stadium (which no longer stands!) in Philadelphia.  The show was rained out.  We stood in the rain and waited to hear what was happening.  They rescheduled the concert and we got to go back and see it.  I don't remember it all that much, but somewhere I have the concert program, maybe in the attic.  I loved his music in the 80s, but as he got weirder, I couldn't stand to see or hear him anymore.  The news coverage is impressive...and thankfully there is less Jon/Kate news as a result. 
• Today we visited my sister and her kids for a play date.  Andrew adores his oldest cousin and cried out her name as we drove home because he missed her.  He had lots of fun playing with new toys.  We got home and watched Sesame Street because we were tired and it is really humid outside! 

• I did finish the baby blanket I was working on for Andrew last weekend.  I made him the pinwheel blanket using yarn I bought when I was in France five years ago.  I like how it turned out and am waiting for personalized labels that I ordered from an Etsy shop to add to it.  Andrew loves the "taggies" on his bas (blankets) so he needs a tag on this one.  Here he is dancing around it.

 

TGIF!

The dreaded jury duty summons

A couple of months ago or so I received a summons to appear for jury duty.  This was my third summons in less than two years.  The first I received when I was pregnant and that was for Federal jury duty.  Luckily, they didn’t want pregnant chicks on their juries so my letter from my obstetrician stating my pregnant state excused me from going.  Then when Andrew wasn’t quite a year old, I received one to appear in my county’s juror pool.  I called at the time to see if I could be excused because of the baby’s age.  They told me I could be deferred until next summer.  While it isn’t technically summer yet, my time came up recently.  I tried to get out of it again, citing being a full time mom with a child who has never been in daycare, but that didn’t fly.  My county provides free daycare to the children of jurors in the court house, helping to eliminate this issue from potential jurors.  It is wonderful that they have it; however, I just couldn’t see leaving Andrew there.  He is fearful of strangers and I just didn’t trust leaving him there for up to eight hours a day.  Needless to say, I overreacted to the situation and lost lots of sleep over this.  (He had a fun day with his Grandparents and my dad even changed his diaper--very impressive!)

Serving on a jury can be very interesting and is definitely an important service.  I’m not arguing that.  My past experience for jury duty was not pleasant, though.  Jury duty in Philadelphia was a nightmare.   They treat you as a non-human (not all, but that was the impression left with me!)  I then served in Bucks County, a suburb of Philadelphia.  That was definitely better than Philadelphia, but not enjoyable.  This most recent time was in yet a different PA county and I have to say it was actually an enjoyable time.  While I was still nervous about getting stuck on a long trial and worrying about what to do with my toddler, the judge that spoke to us explained that they were able to estimate the length of a trial and that if there were hardships, they would take that into consideration.

Unfortunately, I had a valid hardship to report and requested to be excused from sitting on the jury that was being selected for the civil case.  The case that was seeking a jury was a malpractice case involving a couple suing their doctor for monetary damages.  I didn’t learn many details, but did decide that I didn't trust the plaintiffs’ lawyer and he was seeking lots of $$.  My hardship was the death of my grandmother, who passed away the prior week.  I was not selected for the jury, so I was relieved. The judge was very understanding and listened to everyone's reasons for hardships without argument. I met many wonderful people while I was there and it was nice speaking to so many adults! 

At the beginning of the morning, one of the county’s judges came to the jury marshaling room and spoke to the waiting potential jurors about the importance of having a good pool of jurors.  He thanked everyone for showing up, and even joked that we didn’t really have a choice.  He also took questions and seemed to answer honestly.  What I thought was so interesting was that the judge explained that most criminal cases in the county are resolved without jury trials because of the strong pool of jurors.  The defendants are made aware by their lawyers that the county’s jurors are intelligent, caring, and get “it right” every time.  This helps lead to resolutions prior to trials beginning.  Just by showing up to form the pool supports this issue, according to the judge. 

I made my “jury duty friends” for the day and we all went to the courthouse coffee shop to pick up some lunch and dine outdoors.  I had driven by the courthouse many times, but never paid much attention to it.  On one side was a sculpture in memory of the 9/11 tragedy that includes a steel beam from the Twin Towers.  It was fascinating.  We had to return after lunch to see if we were needed for the other jury case of the day.  When I returned, the Jury Marshall inquired if I had a nice lunch and chatted for a bit with me.  Again, this was a delightful surprise, considering my prior experiences.

So, my day of jury service is done now, and I shouldn’t be called back for at least three years.  By then, Andrew will be in school, so daycare won’t be such an issue for me then.  I made a whopping $14.10 for the day.  After the cost of lunch, tolls for the turnpike, and gas, I made approximately $1.50.  Whoo-hoo!

My good friend actually had to serve jury duty the week before me in Philadelphia.  She is employed as a nurse at a large hospital and her department is currently understaffed.  If she were to serve on a multi-day jury, her job would really suffer.  In the past people employed in the medical profession were excused immediately.  Not in Philadelphia anymore.  She had to sit through two jury pools of questioning and both times the judges were nasty to her for stating her work hardship.  The one judge even argued with her that her excuse wasn't valid. One of the lawyers was flip with her as well.  It was for a malpractice case that was closely related to her job, so she probably wouldn't be an unbiased juror anyway.  What a different experience we both had!

 

Pineapple Express

Ever since we returned from our Hawaiian honeymoon ten plus years ago, I have craved fresh pineapple.  I have yet to buy a pineapple that even came close to how good the ones we enjoyed in Hawaii were, but the pineapples imported here are pretty good.  Cutting them up is usually a problem--I always end up butchering them and the slices never look pretty.  I often splurge and buy it already cut up, but that is costly.  However, now I own my very own pineapple corer/slicer!  My good friend Sherry gifted me this for my birthday and I love it!  It is so easy and fun to use and the pineapple comes out in a perfect spiral.  The juice stays inside the pineapple base and I was able to add it to my morning OJ.

 

The base of the pineapple can even be used as a giant cup for a tropical drink, or to serve a fruit salad.  Thanks Sherry!!

Andrew and I attended a graduation party yesterday afternoon for the "little" boy who I was a nanny for when I was in graduate school.  He is now 18 and a High School graduate!  Where did that time go?  He is working at a fancy schmancy French restaurantin NYC this summer, a place that I barely understand the items on the menu, let alone could afford to eat!  He is then going to the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in the fall to become a chef.  I am so excited for him!  He's always wanted to be a chef.  I am hoping that I get a chance to return to Rhinebeck for the sheep and wool festival in the next three years so that I can make a pit stop at the CIA to dine at one of their restaurants when he is working there. 

On our way home from the party, I took the "scenic" route home, through Philadelphia.  We started near Society Hill, went through part of South Philly, Center City, North Philly, and finally hit the city line and entered suburbia.  It was the beginning of rush hour, so no matter what route I took I would have hit bad traffic.  Andrew was a trooper and was great on the ride, enjoying pointing out the buses and cars we saw.  I took a few photos of our trip through the city.

 Mural somewhere near South Philly.  I think I was at Broad and Lombard.

City Hall

Philly's finest at work!  The taxi did an illegal u-turn and almost hit me trying to get in front of me.  I was waiting at a red light and could not move anywhere.  While I was sitting there thinking bad thoughts about the idiot driver, this bike cop showed up and confronted the taxi driver.  Yay! 

in memorial

My Grandmother passed away last Friday and since then I have thought about if and what I would write about here regarding it. She was 92 years old and two weeks!  In February, she fell at home and fractured her pelvis.  She was in the hospital and several rehabs since then, and was never able to return to her home in Florida.  After a series of complications, her heart finally gave out last Friday and she passed away.  As sad as it is, I am thankful that she isn't in pain any more.  As with all families, death stirs up many issues.  I am trying to put all the drama aside and focus on all of my good memories of my grandmom.

My grandmom moved from Philadelphia to the Bradenton/Sarasota area of Florida the summer after I graduated from college, in 1991.  Since then, I tried to visit her there as often as I could afford to go.  She was fearful of flying and I can only remember her coming back to PA once, when her sister was ill, and my aunt drove her here.  In later years, her bones were too brittle for traveling, so she never got back up here. 

On my visits to Florida, I learned so much about her life.  She enjoyed reminiscing and I love history, so I was a good audience.  She told me stories about growing up and her old neighborhood in Philadelphia, which was the Fishtown and Kensington area.  She was born in 1917 and met my grandfather who lived on the street and in the house behind hers.  She talked about her mother making snapper soup and traveling through the neighborhood to someone's house where they sold the turtles in their yard.  Her mother would take her to pick out the turtle.  Honestly, that repulses me to no end, but it also makes me laugh at the thought of going to someone's backyard in Philly to pick out a snapping turtle to make dinner.  She talked about using a red soap (I think called Lava) to wash her hair to give it red highlights.  She told me about her friend whose father had an illegal still in his basement during prohibition and sneaking moonshine.  She went to Kensington High School, but suffered from such bad migraines, that she never finished her senior year.  I know this bothered her, but I suppose it wasn't unusual back then. 

My grandmother told me about going for car rides with my grandfather around Fairmount Park.  He was a mechanic and had access to nice cars--what a way to impress!  Her mother wouldn't let her get married until she was 21, so despite meeting him in her early teens, she waited until June of 1938 to get married. 

My grandfather died when I was 12 years old, so I never really got to know him well.  My grandmother didn't learn to drive until after his death, and she frequently told me how much she enjoyed it.  As the years wore on, her driving skills were a bit scary.  My sister and I still laugh at the story of her driving us around when we visited with her high-beam lights on the entire time.  She said it was to help her see, but I don't think she ever realized the challenge she created for other drivers.  She reluctantly gave up her car when it became too dangerous and too expensive to maintain.  She did own a golf cart for a while when she lived in a community in Bradenton.  She had fun driving it, and so did I when I visited. 

 

Cats were very important to my grandmom and I don't recall her ever not owning one or two.  She took great care of them and they always lived until they were in the 20s, which is old for a cat.  They always had people names:  Cindy, Suzie, Eric, Tara, Beau; and they were always either Siamese or part Himalayan breeds. 

I'll miss visiting her in Florida.  Over the years, Chris and I have decided that we love the Sarasota area.  The beaches are beautiful and so relaxing.  I regret that Andrew never got to meet his great-grandmother or see Florida while she lived there.  I hope to take him there someday to see Lido Beach and Siesta Key Beach and share with him some of his family history. 

 

How cool was my grandmother--she went to the Hard Rock Cafe with me in Orlando!  This was so long ago, 1992. 

The last time we went to Florida to see her was in October of 2006.  We spent a week staying on Lido Beach and drove to see her at her apartment in Sarasota frequently.  She was too frail to go out with us, so I spent as much time as I could at her place.  I always left sad, wondering if I'd get to see her again. 

 

I'm glad that I did get to see her when I did and that she was able to see Andrew through photos and hear him on the phone.  She would have gotten a kick out of him and all of her great grand kids, although I think she preferred adults over kids!  She was fiesty until the end and had lots of spunk!

berries and basil

 New pots with new plants! 

Andrew and I are growing two pots of strawberries and a pot of basil.  We are both big strawberry fans, so I'm hoping to actually get some edible fruit.  I haven't a clue what I'm doing, since I never really grew fruit before, but I'll figure it out.  We got the two big pots to use to block the edge of our patio from Andrew leaping off the side.  When I bought them, I thought they were bigger, but somehow they look small now.  They fit the plants, nicely though.  We've had a few days and nights of rain, so we haven't had to water them much.  Andrew loves to use the watering can, even if he doesn't always get the water in the plants. 

 

gourmet toddler

I have always been focused upon my toddler eating healthy foods and developing a taste for a variety of foods.  As he goes through his various toddler moods and stages, he starts eating a few new foods, but stops eating others.  For a long time he'd eat almost anything I'd give him, but now he is much more particular.  He would be quite happy if he could only eat dairy, specifically milk and cheese, and fruit.  While he used to gobble up veggies at almost every meal, now he turns his nose at them.  He also decided he no longer likes meat or chicken or fish.  He certainly looks healthy and his pediatrician is not concerned, but I do find it frustrating.  A friend recommended the Toddler Cafe cookbook.  It has so many great kid friendly recipes using yummy foods.  I also just discovered the author, Jennifer Carden, has a blog too! 

So far I've made three recipes from the book.  The first I tried was a pea pod pop, something that Andrew tried at my friend's house and liked.  They are popsicles that are made from a combination of cream cheese, pureed petit peas, peppermint extract, chocolate chips, and a bit of sugar.  A weird combination, but they taste like frozen chocolate chip mint yogurt to me.  Andrew never had a popsicle before, but he has been enjoying these.  I used lollipop sticks for them and a square shaped ice cube tray to freeze them.  They are a hit! 

I also made lily pad pancakes, which are a combination of pureed petit peas with some flour and baking powder to make a pancake batter.  They are VERY green.  When they were fresh made and hot, Andrew seemed to like them, but he hasn't liked them reheated.  I tasted them and thought they were a bit odd, but not bad tasting. 

In my attempt to get Andrew eating some chicken, I made the chicken tenders recipe in this book.  They involve lemon, panko bread crumbs and some parm cheese.  I thought they were delicious!  Andrew wouldn't even try them.  Since his tastes changes every other week, I think I'll pull out this recipe again in a month to try again.  Overall, I am very excited by this book and have tagged many recipes to try throughout the summer.  Next up is baked tofu...another protein attempt!

I can't really complain about his diet.  For lunch he ate half of a toasted cheese sandwich on multi-grain wheat bread, slices of strawberries, and an entire kiwi.  Then he fell asleep!  He is a funny little guy!

Happy Thursday!

wiser by a year

 Cake taste-tester.  He approved.

The second cake, approved as well!

We had a fun, cake-filled weekend! 

New Car!

 Andrew finally has his own set of wheels!  I had been debating on buying the cozy coupe for him for a while now.  When I was unsuccessful in my search for a used one in good condition, I gave up.  Then he tried to get inside a plastic car that was his dad's, one the size of a shoe box.  He got completely frustrated that he couldn't fit any more than just his toes into the car and threw a bit of a fit.  Target had the coupe on sale for close to half price this week, and I had an unused gift card that was quickly losing value since it was over a year old, so now he has his own car.  It took a while to assemble, and thankfully my dad was here to help.  Andrew loves his car.  He likes to point out that mama has a car, dada has a car and A-dew has a car.  He loves it so much he won't get out of it to eat.  This morning he snuck his breakfast into it to eat!  He hasn't figured out that he can make it move around, but is fascinated with opening and closing the door, getting in and out, and making his toy Elmo ride.  Such fun out of plastic!