decisions, decisions...

Somehow Lane and I came to an agreement that if he bought a board game, I could buy a shirt (it's prison rules around here while we are still saving for a house). I honestly don't know how those two things became paired together, but, he bought a board game.

I am sure you remember my confession about not only despising shopping, but also having absolutely no knowledge of what I am doing. And so, I am hoping that you fashionable friends of mine will help me out.

Here are a few possibilities I have picked out. But they may all be horrible, so I am completely open to suggestions (do you sense my terrible insecurity about all things trendy?) :

From J. Crew:



From Madewell:



Also from Madewell:



Apparently I'm into stripes right now.... Any votes? Any suggestions? Thanks!

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morning glory muffins

Yawn. Everyone has had a morning glory muffin, right? Nothing new. They are the ones that are "healthy" because they are full of carrot, apple, and nuts.

I have had my share of muffins that are supposed to be healthy, but are actually comprised of oil, white flour, and sugar. Not my muffins. Oh no.

I started by reducing the sugar and eliminating the raisins (in my opinion they have no business being in muffins, or, while we are on the subject, cinnamon roles either). Then I substituted water and flax meal for one of the eggs, and yogurt for part of the oil to keep them nice and moist. The result is a hearty yet delicate muffin. I have been eating them in twos, which is a terrible idea because they actually are very filling.

I am not completely sure of the exact measurements of the ingredients that went into the muffins. You see, James was helping me. He was also eating shredded carrot out of the bowl as soon as I would put it in. So, here is my best shot:

Morning Glory Muffins
adapted from King Arthur Flour's Whole Grain Baking
recipe says it makes a dozen, I got 16


2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 brown sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups grated carrot
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated
3/4 cup large unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 eggs
1 tbsp flax meal + 3 tbsp water
1/3 cup lowfat or nonfat yogurt
1/3 cup canola or olive oil
juice of 1 orange

Whisk together the first ten ingredients (flour through walnuts). In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, flax meal, and water. Add yogurt, oil, and orange juice, and beat well. Stir in flour mixture until evenly combined.
Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray or line a with papers and coat them with cooking spray. Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes. Allow to cool in tin about five minutes before removing and setting the muffins on a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy.

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Rothko

Yesterday afternoon my mom and I went to the Portland Art Museum to see the Mark Rothko exhibit. It was an amazingly sunny day, which made me feel a little guilty about complaining so much this past week.

Rothko was actually a native Portlander, which makes his work even more brilliant, if you ask me. He later moved to New York City, which is my second favorite place in the world, so his subway paintings are some of my favorites.

  
(this image from: http://www.preview-art.com/previews/02-2012/rothko.html)

I also love his pieces that are big blocks of color. He had an incredible way of using color and blurring the lines just enough that you want to stop and stare and get lost in the paintings. I would love to decorate a whole house in prints of his.


(this image from: http://www.preview-art.com/previews/02-2012/rothko.html) 

I took this terrible picture of this awesome quote of Rothko. (It was in a stairwell, but I still had to take the picture super fast because, you know, no flash is allowed in the museum and, being the technological genius I am, I could not figure out how to turn the flash off my little Cannon pocket-sized camera.)

   

To me, this quote means that Rothko sees his art bridging a gap between he and the people that are privileged to enjoy it. I loved reading this quote because as I stood gazing into the huge canvases of color I thought about how he painted it to communicate himself through color and abstract lines, to bring his "observer" (me) closer to what was in his mind.

But before I get too philosophical, I will just say that we then went and had some great Lebanese food, and then drove home as the sun was setting. I was pleased when the Hawthorne bridge was going up and I was forced to stop my car, turn off the engine, and sit and watch the sunset reflecting off Mt Hood.

All in all, it was a refreshing evening that made me realize once again how much I love this crazy city of ours.

P.S. Did you know that the Portland Art Museum is free every last Friday after five?... Neither did my mom and I; they told us after we paid to get in a little after four. But I would encourage everyone to go see the exhibit... Who are your favorite painters? What kind of art inspires you to decorate?

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snowed in... or out?

When I woke up to pee and check on James at about three this morning I thought our neighbor had left his porch light on... why was it so bright outside? I peeked through the blinds and was surprised to see a blanket of white covering the ground. I crawled back in bed, with that giddy its-snowing-outside excitement.

When I woke up again at six I wasn't feeling so much enthusiasm. The opposite in fact. I felt tired, and I had cabin fever to the max, but the last thing I wanted to do was go outside which would be freezing and require energy. I decided that instead we would play inside a little and then go to play group at our local gym. I made the excuse that I was "snowed out" and ready for sunshine and warmer weather.

James and I got all bundled up and put on our jackets and boots to venture out to playgroup. I tried to herd him immediately into the car. No such luck. Instead, he wanted to run through the snow in our front yard and jump in the quickly-forming puddles. I indulged him a little, but continued my attempt at persuading him to hop into the car. He was not having it. Finally, I gave up.

We put on gloves and went for a walk, splashing in puddles and crunching the snow under our boots. Then we headed back home and played with Sadie in the back yard, threw snow up in the air, and made a little snow man.

When our toes and fingers started to get numb we shook the snow off our boots and went back inside where we made hot chocolate ("ca-ca" according to James) and drank it snuggling on the couch.

I was a bit confused this morning when I didn't feel like a kid at Christmas, as I usually do, about the snow. I thought that I was "snowed out," ready to ring in the sunshine and say goodbye to the cold weather. I had a whole plan for the day that avoided the snow. Thank God I have a little guy in my life who can change my attitude (and my plans) in an instant by showing me the excitement and adventure and wonder in the things I find annoying.

If you live in the fabulously soggy Portland area: how did you spend the snow day?
...and if you live in beautiful, sunny Cali (cough-Jen): how did you spend your sunny day?

P.S. to make your own hot chocolate, do not follow almost every recipe you will find online. They will tell you to use about a three to one sugar to cocoa ratio, when it should actually be the other way around. I used less than 1/4 cup sugar, about 1/2 cup cocoa, a pinch of salt, a couple cups milk and a couple cups water. Then you heat it slowly on the stove, whisking well. This makes three or four servings, and is deliciously chocolaty.

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the first day of spring (or so they say)

I'm feeling a little jealous of the beautiful weather some people are having, while here it's snowing on our daffodils.

Or at least it did yesterday, which I guess is fitting since yesterday was technically the last day of winter.
I am so ready for sunshine, picnics, and fresh produce from the farmer's markets. I blame the weather for my lack of creativity in the kitchen lately, but I have been reaping the benefits of other cook's creativity. I tried to make up a fresh dish this evening which involved asparagus, tofu, and basil; but the overall flavor was not blog-worthy.

Until the sun comes out and I feel more inspired, I guess I will just have to put on my snow gear, grin, and bear it.

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happy st. patty's day

I kind of boycotted the holiday by wearing blue and making Italian.

We spent a lot of time looking at houses today, and then played outside in the sunshine.

In case you're not sick of the housing updates yet, we didn't get house number five. But we were one of the two offers that were actually considered, so that was exciting. I bought flowers as a consolation gift to myself.

We saw a house today that came on the market yesterday evening. Twelve people saw it today, and there is an open house tomorrow. We put an offer in, but our offer will be one of multiple. This house has it all: crown molding, built-ins, wood floors, a huge fireplace with a mantel, a great backyard, those super-charming glass door knobs, and -in classic NE style- two tiny bedrooms, one tiny bathroom, and a ginormous unfinished basement. Oh, and did I mention it's one block from Alberta? If we don't get this one, I will be doing some major retail therapy next week.

Until a further update, please help me make this post more interesting by telling me your St. Patty's day adventures. Any green beer drinkers?

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some chalkboard paint craftiness

It all happened very fast.

Yesterday a house came up on the rmls that our realtor sends to us each morning, and we thought "cute." By the evening, we had done a bit of research on the house and the surrounding area, and we decided we wanted to go take a look at it. I gave our realtor a call this morning. She said we could tour it on Lane's lunch break, but there were multiple offers on it by that point. It had been on the market only 24 hours, and that is how the market is in NE Portland right now. 

We saw it and decided to put an offer on it. Our fifth home offer, if you've been counting. I don't think we got it, and I have to admit that I'm getting a bit bummed out by our inability to find a home that will stay on the market long enough for us to purchase. So, to make myself feel better, I have been mentally decorating the house we don't have yet; finding inspiration, and making things.

Yesterday, it was chalkboard paint. 

First, I painted this frame, which was this awful brown wood and I decided very suddenly that I hated it and it must be painted. 

Also, I broke the glass in one of the picture frames above our key hooks. So, I wrapped the backing in wrapping paper and painted over the paper with chalkboard paint. I think it would be fun to decorate this little square with different kinds of wrapping paper depending on the occasion or holiday.

What do you decorate with chalkboard paint?

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mom fashion

Let's talk about fashion. Wow, I never thought that the word "fashion" would enter my little blog unless preceded by the words "I know nothing about."

But (as dumb as it may sound) lately I have been thinking a lot about fashion. I realized I don't really like my wardrobe, and I just keep adding boring things to it. It's like if you have a set of boring and not very pretty dishes, but you break one dish at a time, so instead of buying a whole new set, which takes time to pick out and a lot more money, you just keep replacing the broken ones with the exact same dishes.

Every once in a while I will buy something trendy. Last year (okay, once in a great while) I bought a super-cute pair of black leather boots. But in order to wear the black boots, you have to have the leggings, and then you have to have the strategically long shirts, or cute skirts and tops. Or you have to have skinny jeans, in which case you have to have skinny thighs...

My point is, I hate shopping for clothing. I wish I could hand someone a wad of money, give them my sizes, and let them buy it all for me. I realize that there are people who make this their profession, but I think they charge a ridiculous fee. And they shop at the real Nordstrom instead of the Rack.

The other problem -aside from no money, time, or desire to go shopping- is that I want to look cute, but my clothing has to also be functional. I can't exactly show up for library story time and sit criss-cross applesauce  in high heeled boots, leggings, and a miniskirt. I also shudder to think of myself crawling into the bear cave at the OMSI kid's room in "skinny" jeans.

I know that there are much bigger problems in the world, and I am so lucky to have clothes at all, especially so many clothes that keep me warm and dry and comfortable. But, c'mon, I am a girl in my mid-twenties, and you just wouldn't think it to look in my closet. So, I have been trying to get creative and to re-purpose some old clothes. Here are some examples of my attempts (things are about to get weird; let's just say I'm no budding clothing photographer, and these pics look more like a person melted and left only what they were wearing) :

Above: Layers are always good, right? My mom gave me this jacket a few years ago; it's from Levi and apparently was the same one that the blonde actress wore in "Kill Bill", and my mom just had to have it. The black hoodie is probably the softest thing I own. It's cashmere that I got on a huge after Christmas sale at Gap my senior year of high school. As in, eight years ago. Underneath the sweater is a redish T that I found on the Target sales rack for about six bucks. The scarf that I wear around my head has a red that matches the shirt, and I wear it when I haven't had time to wash my hair the night before. It was a Christmas gift from an old boss.

Above: The pumpkin-colored sweater was actually given to Lane, but he is not sure how he feels about the V-neck, so I swiped it from his side of the closet. I belted it with an old leather belt my mom gave me to make it less manly, and wear it with a blue scarf that has big pink, white, and orange flowers. Luckily, the sweater is long enough to wear with leggings and then I can wear my hippest clothing item- the boots!

Above: I feel like this outfit could either be super old lady, boyish, or maybe it is just really hip. I bought the flannel shirt last mothers day, which, by the way, was the last time I actually went shopping. I wear it with this awful sweater which I think could be extremely mom, but I like to think that I make it edgy by wearing it with the flannel shirt, cool earrings, and my 7's. I'm not sure if I'm correct in this assumption.

So, here is the question: What's a girl to do? How do I make my style less suburban-mom and more up-to-date without spending a fortune? What are your favorite style tricks and ways you use old clothing in trendy ways?

PS I love that yesterday I checked my blog to see if anyone had posted rainy day ideas (thank you Jane, we will be flying paper airplanes very soon, and hopefully I will be brave enough to make some flubber) and I noticed that the blog fairy had visited. I now have a boarder on the sides of my blog! So fun.

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one rainy Sunday

Although we had a short blast of sunshine last week, there is much evidence that Spring has not yet arrived.

The sunny portion of Spring, anyway. The rainy portion has moved in to stay for, well, at least the next fifteen days. Luckily for our family, we know how to party despite the gray clouds.

This morning James helped make pancakes, then we had a musical parade. At one point Lane was drumming on a tin can, James was wildly beating two measuring cups together, and I was using my microplane sleeve as a trumpet, all as we ran circles at a dizzying pace around the table.

There is nothing quite like baking on a rainy day, so I made some crackers during nap time. I told you before how I had made these crackers once, but they were too greasy. I tried substituting half the butter for olive oil, and they turned out perfect. My only regret is that I made just one batch.

After nap (and much cracker munching) we pulled on our boots and our rain jackets and headed out to do some puddle jumping. We happen to have a puddle the size of a lake that forms each time it rains at the park down the street.

You can imagine what took place.

So, these are the simple and wonderful ways we spend our time... what does everyone else do on a rainy day?

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sweet and salty tempeh fajitas

I am not sure if I have ever confessed to you that I am a picky eater. But, it's true. I am extremely picky. There are many things I dislike. Among them: mayonnaise, cucumbers, and meat. Honestly, I can't really stand the taste of meat. I also despise preparing it. I would surely be a vegetarian if it were not for my wonderful husband, who doesn't consider a meal actually a meal unless it contains a component that once had a face.

I do, however, very much enjoy meat substitutes. Especially tempeh. The grainy texture is much better than tofu, and it takes on whatever flavors you marinate and cook it in.

If you have never prepared or eaten tempeh before, this is a great recipe to start with. It is sweet and salty (obviously, hence the name), easy, and quite satisfying.

Sweet and salty tempeh fajitas
adapted from this recipe

1 cup diced pineapple
2 limes
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp cumin
freshly ground pepper and salt
8 oz multigrain tempeh, cut into thin strips
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 bell pepper, cut into strips
1 white onion, cut into slices the long way
1 bunch green onions, chopped
about 1 cup broth
cilantro
whole wheat tortillas

Place pineapple, juice of one lime, soy sauce, and cumin in a food processor and puree. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour pineapple mixture over tempeh strips and refrigerate for at least two hours.
Heat a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add one tbsp of olive oil, then place bell pepper, onion, and tempeh in the pan, reserving marinade. Cook, and cook, and cook, stirring occasionally. Add the other tbsp of olive oil, then the broth little by little as the mixture cooks and the moisture is used up. Sprinkle in green onions and add the reserved marinade just before done.
Once the tempeh is browned and the veggies are tender, take off the heat. Warm tortillas. Place tempeh mixture into a tortilla, sprinkle with cilantro, and fold up. Serve with lime slices. Enjoy.

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Tuscan White Bean Stew

In case you have been following along, I feel like I should update you on the house situation after the last post. Let me just put it this way: the house-hunting saga will continue. The seller decided not to sell his house mid-negotiation. "Unusual," you may think, yet that is the second time that has happened to us. One of these days I will write an entire post and fill you in on our house hunt from beginning to (hopefully) end. 

Anyway, on to more exciting and enjoyable things, like hot soup on a cold day. This soup is hearty, although it  could even be served to a vegan friend. It is super flavorful thanks to the abundance of rosemary and garlic. And it is just about the only soup I can think of that has a satisfying crunch, thanks to the crouton topping. 

My dad made it for James and I some time last month when we were over there for a visit, and I was excited to get the recipe and share it with you. When he emailed it to me, I was surprised at how few ingredients it included. It begins by infusing some olive oil with garlic (very easy, and a good thing to know how to do), and the rest is very simple. I pureed a cup and a half to make it stew-like, but you could leave it more like a soup, or puree more to create a thicker consistency. Any way you make it, it is sure to fill you up and warm you up in the cold, rainy weather.

Tuscan White Bean Stew
adapted from my dad's recipe which was adapted from the Mayo Clinic Cookbook

5 tbsp olive oil, divided

3 cloves garlic, quartered

3 cloves garlic, chopped

about 4 cups artisan bread, cut into cubes

1 can white beans, undrained

1 white onion, coarsely chopped

2 cups coarsely chopped carrots

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

3 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

2 cups broth

Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the 3 quartered garlic cloves and let cook a couple minutes. Then remove the pan from the heat and let the oil and garlic stand about 10 minutes. Discard the garlic, and return the pan to medium heat. Add the bread cubes and saute, stirring often, until light brown and crispy. Set aside. 

Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots, stirring until onions begin to brown and carrots begin to tenderize, about 15 minutes. Stir in the chopped garlic, chopped rosemary, salt, and pepper and cook a couple minutes. Then add the can of beans and the broth. Bring to a boil, then let simmer at least 10 minutes. 

Remove about 1 1/2 cups of the soup and puree in a blender or food processor. Return to the pot and stir well. Garnish each bowl of soup with croutons and a rosemary sprig if desired. Enjoy.

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Little Helpers, Big Lessons

Long before I even found out that I was pregnant with James, I decided that I wanted to be the type of parent that takes action rather than reacts to issues as they come up. Raising a human being doesn't just happen. It takes preparation, planning ahead, and thinking through how you are going to deal with and handle situations. There is no correct set of guidelines to follow. Each parent handles things differently, which is why every child is different.

One thing I have tried to be deliberate about from the beginning is having James help out around the house. I know it may sound crazy since James is only one and a half, but it's not like we wait until they understand language to speak to them, so why wait until they understand what chores are to ask them to help out?

I truly believe that if we make helping out fun, if we engage children as we help them do things around the house, and we step back to appreciate what we have accomplished, then maybe there will never be a need to bribe children into doing checklists of chores. If we fail to give children the positive outlook of chores being fun and productive activities we can do together, they will just do a quick and sloppy job at anything we force them to do down the road so that they can move on to what they really want to do. And who knows how this may affect their schooling and even their job performance in the future?... Do you see what I mean about being deliberate in my actions? Everything we do has a consequence!

The other benefit of allowing young children to "help" with chores is that you are interacting with them rather than trying to get something done quickly while they are playing by themselves (we all know that doesn't work anyway). Here's an example: I may be trying to make dinner, or throw some baked good in the oven for an event the next day, but James wants me to play with him. I could try to do everything by myself in the kitchen while repeating over and over "Hold on, sweetie, mommy will come play with you in a minute... why don't you go pick out a book and mommy will come read it in a minute?... Mommy just has to get this into the oven... James, hold on just a second..." on and on and on. This only results in a bite on the back of my leg. Not kidding. That's exactly what James does when he is frustrated that I am not paying attention to him. And guess what? He has learned that I will pay attention to him real fast if he bites me (not to mention, I will let out a pretty awesome sound!). Okay, now here is a different approach: I could not take myself or my schedule so seriously, put an apron on James, put on some fun music, plop him on the counter, and let him "help." The result: a huge mess, a 20 minute task takes an hour, the final product may suffer, but also a whole lot of giggling, dancing, and an important lesson learned: helping is fun and mommy cares more about spending time with you than making a perfect dinner.

Some other ways James "helps" out: putting toys or other items back into containers (I make this fun by having him stand back a little and throw them in, "Basket!"); switching laundry over from the washer to the dryer, or the dryer to a laundry basket (I hand him clothes, and he puts them where they go); carrying armloads of clothes or diapers down the hall to his bedroom and putting them away in the drawers (you have to let your perfectionism go on this one, the pjs will no longer be folded, or in the correct drawer!); taking recycle items out to the garage and putting them in the bins; emptying the dishwasher (he takes things out and hands them to me).... the list could go on, but I'm sure you get the point. Just remember: the things we teach them now will last their entire lives, so have fun, don't take yourself too seriously, and applaud them tremendously when they do help out, you will be surprised how much they will want to do.

(PS Could everyone please say a prayer/ light a candle/ send out good vibes/ whatever it is you do... We found a house we like and may be putting in our fourth -yes, fourth- offer on a house... more to come, and thanks!)

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Maple, Berry, and Pear Dessert

I've been thinking about my little blog a lot lately, and planning in my head several posts that may or may not ever come to fruition. The reason I have been thinking more than blogging? Could it be because I am too busy taking care of a 60 pound dog who had a tumor removed from her head and we now lovingly call her Frankendog? No. Possibly because my toddler has a terrible cold and he nor his parents can ever sleep due to the coughing? Wrong again. Then it must be the obsessive house hunting that has seemed to take over my life?...

The actual reason is that every time I get on my computer to write a blog, I get side tracked reading other people's, and before I know it an hour has passed, nap time is over, and it's back to reality.

Reading all my friends blogs is seriously like a part-time job (that I don't get payed for and love doing... so maybe not like a job), and is even more time consuming when they post like everyday.

Anyway, here is a little recipe I threw together last night because we had a sweet tooth and needed something to go with our vanilla ice cream. Oh, and I needed to remedy the fact that I bought pears at Costco and they all ripened at once.

Maple, Berry, and Pear Dessert
3 1/2 cups pears, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 cups berries (frozen then thawed, of course, unless you live on a different planet where berries are actually in season)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups oats
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of salt
6 tbsp butter, chilled and cut into small (pea-sized) pieces
vanilla ice cream, for serving

Combine the fruit, maple syrup, and vanilla in the bottom of a baking dish.
Mix together the oats, brown sugar, spices, salt, and stir in the butter pieces. Sprinkle oat mixture evenly over berry mixture and bake 35-40 minutes at 400 degrees.
Serve hot over cold vanilla ice cream. Enjoy.

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You Know You're a Mom When...

Does anyone else remember "The Family Circus" that would appear in the comics every Sunday? (It's possible that it is still around, but we don't get the paper; who has time to read it anyway?) Every once in a while, the comic would read: "It's apparent your a parent" and then it would go on to show all the tell-tale signs that signal to others that you indeed have offspring. It was pretty cute.

Lately, I have been thinking of several of my own:

1. You need to squeeze past someone in public, so you blurt out: "Beep, beep!"

2. Your phone, sunglasses, and camera are constantly covered in little finger prints.

3. Your own clothes shopping is done at Costco. As one mom friend said to me "...I mean, you're already there..." (Did anyone else recently pick up that eight dollar DKNY hoodie? No? Just me?)

4. You sing obnoxious songs that you learn from your child's toys. Lane came into the kitchen the other day serenading me with: "The Weebles weeble-wobble, but they don't fall down... The weebles! The weebles!"

5. You carry Kleenex (mostly used) and a binky in every handbag and every pocket of every jacket you own.

6. You leave the house with a really obvious wardrobe malfunction... obvious to everyone else anyway. Here is a small sampling of some of my own clothing issues: deodorant on the outside of my armpits on my shirt (so distracted by a little one, I forgot to reach inside my shirt while applying), inside-out clothing, taking off my jacket and realizing that what is underneath should have never been paired with my pants/shoes (i.e. brown on brown on brown- yikes).... the list could go on.

7. You decide to stop by a popular clothing store while on a romantic getaway with your spouse and buy nothing over the size 4T.

8. You use the words "bink" and "nums" in casual conversation with other adults.

9. Your main concerns when house hunting become proximity to parks and libraries, safety of stairways, and school ratings.

10. You do all you can to stifle it, but bust out laughing when anyone who doesn't have a child tells you how exhausted they are.

... I am sure you moms can think of plenty to add to my list. I would love to hear them!

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