school pics 2009

Instead of giving our hard earned money away to Lifetouch for school pictures this year, I decided to get out the great camera I was gifted for Christmas and do my own. I am happy. And pretty proud of myself.

The Pill and E

Casey McFarland

In a week and a half, my family is going to get shot by Casey McFarland. Shot with a camera that is. I am filled with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Excited because his work is AMAZING, he lives just down the street, and we are shooting here. At my house, in my yard, around my 'hood. If we are really doing this whole moving thing, I want to capture my home, our family as it is right now, and some of what our lives have been like living here. Anxious because the thought of getting everyone ready is stressful and I think everyone worries that nothing will turn out. I should know better. Really good photographers always get the shots. Go here to check out his blog and here to browse his website. Then pick up your phone and schedule yours today. I know you won't be disappointed. Pictures to come...Happy Weekend!

1000 Splendid Suns

Every now and then I read a book that makes me think. Educates me. This is by choice, as I choose to keep my reading light-hearted and trashy. The violence and brutality that I see and hear of is enough to keep me up at night, add an authors brilliant writing and I am sure to wake up with puffy, red eyes. However, my Mother dropped of a book with a sticky note on top. It read, "Ali, read this. Start it today." So I did. And one chapter into Khaled Hosseini's, 1000 Splendid Suns, I knew I was in for gut-wrenching experience. This book follows the lives of two generations of Afghan women over 3o years, through the Soviet invasion, the reign of the Taliban and the rebuilding that followed. I don't think that I can put into words how I felt reading it and for days following. The brutality of men, the strength of women, the resiliency of children, and hidden all throughout, the compassion found in surprising places. Like I said, I struggle with how educated I really want to be sometimes, but came away from this book with a greater respect for my country, our leadership and the people who need our help being liberated. If you have some time (you won't need much, you won't be able to put it down), I recommend this book. And I warned you, it will tear at your heart strings, but you will walk away (or run, like I did) a better person for having read it. Then go pick up some trashy, chick-literature to chase the blues away.

best dressed

In honor of Autumn's official arrival, we put on our best dress.

bike parts and mended hearts

Yesterday morning, E and I had a good one. (she later referred to it as a discussion, we both know it was a fight) The combination of my being entirely too stubborn, and her being as equally over dramatic made for some real (unnecessary) fireworks. All over a broken bike part. That she was determined to keep around until I finally find it in the back of her closet, a good 2 months down the road, and throw away. She would have never known. However...I am sick of the piles of clutter. Rocks, sticks, pieces of paper, old cards and now, bike parts. I refused. Refused to have it lie around, and walked it out to the garbage. The meltdown followed and continued for a good 15 minutes. Her becoming more dramatic, me becoming more stubborn. We were going nowhere fast. We dried tears, hopped on our bikes and left for school. I told her I loved her and then spent the rest of the day feeling guilty for letting something so lame get me going. I fished the broken fender out of the garbage and along with a new notebook, tucked it in her mailbox for her to find after school. Which she did and thanked me with a giant hug while making sugar cookies. Sugar cookies made from equal parts love and guilt. A while later I found this, placed neatly in my 'mailbox'... It said "Thank-you. Mom I love you." The bottom half of paper was filled with X's and O's. It makes the ridiculous fight over the bike fender almost worth it. About an hour later she asked if I liked her gift and if I REALLY wanted to keep the gloss. Of course I don't, it is never about the gift.

a friday night

Friday night at our house was loud!!! But a good kind of loud. Laughter, screams, a cracking fire and the occasional, mischevious giggle of a little brother.

E had five of her girlfriends over for a late night. If I could hand-pick a group of girls for her, it would include all of these faces. They are sweet, funny, polite and I adore all of them. It is times like this, watching more memories being made in my backyard, that I know it will be hard to leave this house and area. It has been good to us.

We ate pizza, roasted marshmallows, played Ghost in the Graveyard and went out for a night adventure walk, armed with flashlights. The Pill had a few on edge after telling them that he and Ripp had found wolfman tracks at the baseball field. Monkey bars in the dark and all was forgotten.

My funnest moment? Driving around the south end of town with all the windows down, Black Eye Peas, I Got a Feeling blaring out of the speakers and all six girls singing at the top of there lungs.

For those of you who know the lyrics to that song...it was a good, good night.

baby steps

One nice thing about having your home on the market is that it stays clean and organized. The possibility of having strangers inspect your home at the drop of a hat motivates you to stay on top of things. No stacks of papers, lingering loads of laundry, or piles of shoes at the doors. And because I am not constantly cleaning or picking up clutter, I have more time to think...and blog. The Pill finally started preschool this week, too. Less little superhero messes and a break in the constant string of chatter. I can be a tad more productive in a quiet house. I also have more time to exercise. I just made it home from run. This would make it about the 7th time I have ran since completely a marathon in May. Boy...how fast you lose that fitness. After the marathon, I thought I had come to terms with doing a lot less running. Okay, no running. That I was okay going out to walk the dog, occasionally hitting pilates, and spending way more time in the mountains on my bike. And I am okay with all that, but am admitting that I miss being dedicated to training for a goal. So I am considering a half marathon to get the ball rolling. This mornings run was baby step number one. I couldn't have been more than 4 miles. It is taking some self-control to not jump in the car to clock it and telling myself that it doesn't matter how far I go, just that I get out. At about the halfway mark, Bon Jovi was shouting in my ear that he'd be there for me, but it was Jewel's sultry voice telling me to have a little faith in her that got me home. As her voice trailed away, just in time for me to turn up the hill to my house (I strongly dislike that hill), I decided to have a little faith in myself. Turns out the hill wasn't as long or difficult as I remember. Baby step number one, check!!!

techie needed

Help! Can anyone tell me how to get my header picture to span the width of the page, so that there isn't a big white space on the sides of my Tulip Mandala. The tulip mandala, BTW, is a peice of art hanging in my dining room that I took a picture of, cropped, brightened, and uploaded. Aren't I clever? I have searched and tried, Ripp (my resident techie) has searched, found way more answers and tried...to no avail. And generally speaking, Ripp doesn't get stumped by any computer related issue. We even found the 'official' pixel measurement of the blogger header and it is still being stubborn. All of the techies at Ripp's disposal at work are entirely too busy to be bothered with my blog problem. So to the few of you who read this little 'ol blog and are computer savvy or have your own techie in your back pocket, would you please ask around. I will thank-you with cookies.

apple days

What are you doing this Saturday?

My city is hosting its annual celebration, Apple Days. The best parade in the valley starts at 4 pm and cruises right past my house. The lawn will be freshly mowed and you are all invited to pull up a piece of grass. The candy to children ratio is always great and last year we pocketed boxes of Crayola crayons, toothbrushes and hair ties. And seriously, lots of candy. So bring a bag. Then head over to the famous park where the festivities continue with tons of activities for the children. That is where we will be, hope to see you there!

one of my favorite things

In my garden, I have tomatoes, cucumbers and basil. If I could get good, crusty bread to grow on a vine I would plant that as well. Here is why.

This is one of my favorite summer indulgences. I throw it together (it is seriously that easy) a couple times a week for lunch, occasionally for a snack, for dinner and would have it for breakfast if it complimented coffee. It is locally grown (in my backyard), 100% organic (guaranteed) and has that fresh taste that just captures the bounties of summer.

So next time your are hungry and have a bowl of garden tomatoes staring at you in the face, give this a try.

TOMATO AND GRILLED BREAD SALAD

recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food cookbook

1/2 lb country bread, cut into 3/4 inch slices

1/4 cup, plus 2 T olive oil

3 large tomatoes, but into 3/4 inch dice (about 4 cups)

1 cucumber, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch dice (about 2 cups)

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil, torn into bite-sized pieces

1 T red wine vinegar

Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

1. Heat a grill to medium. Brush the bread with 2 T olive oil on both sides. Grill until lightly charred on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Let bread cool slightly, then cut into large cubes

2. In a large bowl, toss the bread crumbs with tomatoes, cucumber and basil. Drizzle with the vinegar and remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

Enjoy!!!

What I have found:

-I have used asiago, sourdough, ciabatta and any other crusty bread and am happy with any and all.

-When in a real serious fit of hunger, use the toaster.

-Buttering the bread works great, too.

-I have tried it with balsamic vinegar (my favorite), but don't like it here. Stick with the red wine vinegar.

Now if I could just get raspberry crumb cake and homemade vanilla ice cream to grow in the garden, my summer palette would be complete.

this long weekend

I plan to rest, relax, and rejuvenate...and live soley off these beauties.

Have a great long weekend!

a swimming hole...and unrelated thoughts

I thought she was taking a while to get into the bath.

In our house, Mom is not a big fan of tubs. Something about more of the water ending up on the floor than stays inside the tub walls. But this time, she promised that she wouldn't make a mess. As I was moving through the house, cussing anyone who dared make a mess (because you never know when they might call to show it) , I though it sounded a little quiet. Since I believe she has passed the whole drowning-in-a-bathtub phase, I checked in to what else could keep her so quiet. With no splashing sounds. Found this.

Little weird, bobble-head dogs suctioned to the bottom of the tub and some really big goggles and a snorkle peaking out. Along with her little shoulder. Sidenote: I can't believe how little a shoulder joint can be and still function. When she crawls in bed next to me in the morning in her little tank top, I think ahead to her as an adult. That someday, all the little teeny-tiny parts of her will become big. They will drive a car, graduate from college, hold a bouquet, hold children...I am starting to get sick. The point is, everything about her, minus the attitude, is so little.

And that is good. She can still fit comfortably in the bath tub. And as we transition towards fall and away from public crypto-infested pools, it is nice to know that she and her little friends can still escape to their underwater worlds in our renewed swimming hole. Minus the splashing.

I am also hoping that the presence of goggles and snorkles in the tub will give our home a lived in quality. That stangers will be able to imagine all the fun they can have in this house. We've set the bar high.

Ripp likes me

and my legs...apparently.

At least that is what I gathered from the smile on his face when I asked him about this picture on my camera. Nothing like knowing how to make your girls heart flutter a decade into your union.

for sale

add space on my forehead. and my house.

i am telling myself:

that change is good. and for various reasons, we should do this now.

that it is a good time to sell...and buy.

that E will get through it. she isn't too keen yet.

that The Pill will understand that we will take everything. EVERYTHING! i promise.

that my yard will somehow follow me.

that it is the right choice for our whole family.

time will tell.

did you do this last weekend?

we did sack races

threw cowpies shot marshmallow guns

and threw more cow pies

Ripp's 3rd annual work party was this last weekend and has became one of our end-of-summer traditions. Horse back riding, marshmallow guns, games for all, Norma Jean's BBQ dinner, sleeping over at the lodge, the Limber Pine hike and a day at the lake.

Perfect.

E informed me that when she picked up her cowpie, it was still a little wet. I can't believe I found myself educating her about how a slightly wet cow pie will fly farther than a dry one. I was right though, she came in second her age group.