The Daybook April 5

Outside my window... it's overcast. The sun and heat of the last few days have leveled out and it's a nice break.

I am thinking.... about VBAC and paint colors and Easter dinner ideas. Are you having anything special?

I am thankful.... that we are in Week Four of the remodel. Being in Week Four of a three week remodel has to mean it will be over soon. Right?

In the kitchen.... there are toys e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e. See above.

I am wondering.... if there will be a Week Five.

I am reading...  Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman.  Actually I'm starting it today. My book club meeting is Tuesday night. Fingers crossed for the finish. I finally finished It and while I am glad I read it, I am also glad that it's over. Man was that book long. The major writerly lesson I got from it was trust the story. The plot of It is CRAZY and I would think that it would be hard to stick with it. How many times must he have thought "This is ridiculously out there and no one will ever connect with it."? But if he did think those things, he kept writing. And in trusting the story, he created something that is deeply relatable. Funny how that works.

I am looking forward to... Easter. It is definitely my favorite Christian holiday and I can't wait to celebrate it with Kate and Yogi.

I am hearing.... more and more actual words in the cloud of Yogi chatter. He repeats the main word in everything we say and he's just beginning to pair words. When he wants to watch the dogs in the yard next door, he says "Puppy check!" while pointing. Love it.

Around the house... I'm not talking about "around the house". Week Four. That's all I'm saying. Week Four. 

One of my favorite things...is the Cookie Butter at Trader Joe's. If you have a TJ's, buy some.

A few plans for the week: The overarching plan is to enjoy life in the first floor of our home. There is sanding and staining and all sorts of things afoot upstairs that both smell bad and require that we stay away. It's an adventure around here. In the morning Yogi and I will be joining some friends for our first Easter Egg hunt of the weekend at a local farm. We've heard that the Easter Bunny will be there! The weekend holds a trip to the first neighborhood Farmers Market of the Spring and at least one more egg hunt. Should be fun.

Here is a picture thought I'm sharing.... I'm in love with this expresison.

Easter Bunnies in Nashville

You think that's cute?

These guys have nothing on the crew that we met right here in Nashville.

That's right, it's Easter and the bunnies are back at Phillips Toy Mart! We've been twice and I'm sure we'll be back before the season ends.

The bunnies are clean, cute and unbelievably patient with little hands. The folks at the Toy Mart even provide hand sanitizer!

The Daybook March 29

Outside my window...the sun is shining. Cherry blossom blooms and lawnmowers are everywhere. Spring is here.

I am thinking....worried kinds of thoughts. Unfortunately the sort of hypomania that I always feel in the spring is intersecting with the fact that my Dad's white cell count has been dropping over the last month (not a good thing) and Yogi has suddenly developed a pretty serious case of separation anxiety (Huh? My child doesn't cry hysterically when I drop him off at school. What is this?) leaving me with something like manic anxiety. Lovely.

I am thankful.... that Monkey is head down. What a tremendous surprise this was! We had been feeling what we were SURE was a head in the very.same.spot Yogi's head had been, but when the OB did her own investigation she wasn't so sure. She brought in the ultrasound machine to be sure and that head turned out to be a tail! Way to go Monkey!!!

In the kitchen....Yogi is done with porridge every morning. It was bound to happen at some point, but I'm sad to see it go. I felt so very healthy about it and it was such a nice simple system. I guess it's time to get creative. Anyone have good breakfast ideas?

I am reading... It by Stephen King. I'm super impressed with the writing, but I'm ready for the book to end. Does that make any sense? The man is one hell of a writer, but it's hard for me to hang with his l...o....n...g. action sequences. Enough already. Got it. I just start to tune out.

I am looking forward to...Monkey.

I am hearing...Yogi talk, talk, talking with the sounds of nail guns in the background.

Around the house... things are topsy-turvy. We are in week three of a four week remodeling project and although we LOVE the guy who is doing the work (he built the house) I am ready to get my house back. Yogi is sleeping in a Pack & Play in our bedroom which means that no one is really sleeping. As soon as he even begins to toss and turn, his eyes fly open and the "Mommy, Mama, Up!" chanting begins. Tired......

One of my favorite things... is the idea of this book. It's called Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking. Susan Cain (the author) also has an awesome website with lots of interesting resources and information about introversion. Love it!

A few plans for the week: Sanding and painting and drywall oh my! We've had Grandpa in town early in the week and in the morning we will be hosting our third playgroup. I'm really getting into the playgroup thing. It's lots of fun and I love watching Yogi greet everyone as they come in. This weekend we will be in Nashville together, just the three of us. I can't wait! So far there are no solid plans on the agenda, but I'm sure there will be lots of time outside.

Here is a picture thought I'm sharing.... 

Broccoli Rabe, Potato and Rosemary Pizza

We're on a bit of a pizza kick around here and this one is an oldie but a goodie.  You can find the original recipe at Food 52.

INGREDIENTS


1 large yukon gold potato, very thinly sliced
Salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound broccoli rabe, washed, ends trimmed
1 large garlic clove, minced, plus 2 garlic cloves lightly smashed but still intact
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flake
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Rosemary sprigs for garnish

PREPARATION


1. Preheat oven to 375 F

2. Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Arrange potatoes in one layer on a baking tray. Bake until edges begin to turn golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. 


3. Increase oven temperature to 475 F.
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add broccoli rabe and blanch 30 seconds; drain. Plunge broccoli rabe into a bowl of ice water. Cool and drain again. Lay in one layer on a kitchen towel to thoroughly dry. Cut in 2" pieces.

5. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté briefly, 30 seconds. Add broccoli rabe and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sauté one minute. Remove from heat. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

6. Assemble pizzas: Lightly brush pizza crusts with olive oil. Rub all over with smashed garlic cloves.  Arrange one layer mozzarella cheese over crusts. Top with one layer of potatoes and broccoli rabe. Sprinkle one tablespoon rosemary over each crust. Top with grated Pecorino cheese.

7. Bake on pizza stone or on tray on lowest rack in oven until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly, about 15 minutes.

8. Before serving, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with fresh rosemary leaves and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.

The Daybook February 23

Outside my window... it’s Springtime.  Truly.  I just got back from a jog wearing short sleeves and shorts and feeling warm.  Just last Sunday we had snow.


I am thinking....  pizza!!!


I am thankful.... that in spite of the fact that I have to FORCE myself to do it, my body is capable of both jogging down the street and (mostly) enjoying it. 


In the kitchen.... I’m getting efficient.  Last night I realized that I’ve got a real system going.  Only a few years ago Kate and I were eating out or getting take-out from Whole Foods almost every night.  Now I cook breakfast, lunch and dinner for three people.  It still surprises me that I run the dishwasher 7 days a week.  We eat out maybe once a week and I feel really good about that.  Go me!


I am wondering.... if I will ever hear the sound of my own voice in this house again.  Yogi talks all.the.time. and he’s not even stringing words together yet.  It’s just one word at a time, but it’s over and over and over.  Totally fabulous and precious, but also causing my ears to bleed.


I am reading...  Stephen King.  At the moment it’s Christine and I am just as wowed as I always am when I read him.  The man just gets it.  While I’m reading I feel like an 18 year old torn between falling in love and pleasing my parents.


I am looking forward to... having watched at least one of the nominees for Best Picture at the Oscars.  That will happen again someday, right?


I am hearing...  whining.  Constant whining.  It’s not Yogi, it’s Baker.  About a month ago he decided that he can’t navigate the stairs without someone standing close by encouraging him.  He will stand at the top of the stairs and whine at top volume until someone walks to the stairs and coaches him to the bottom.  This would all be a bit sad (in addition to the obvious irritating) were it not the case that he clearly makes it both up and down the stairs into the playroom while we’re away from the house.  His red Viszla hair all over the couch gives him away.  Baker, Baker, Baker.....


Around the house... we’re preparing for renovation.  After imagining that Yogi and Monkey could share the one upstairs kid bedroom, we’re biting the bullet and adding a Monkey room.  No changes to the footprint of the house, but we will be losing our open play/work space at the top of the stairs.  I’m sure we’ll be glad we did it, but it will certainly be a change.


One of my favorite things... is collapsing on the couch with Kate at the end of the day.


A few plans for the week:  Last weekend we had Bella, Sera, Zach and Theresa at our house and it was a blast.  We played and played and talked and talked.  And talked.  There was a lot of talking (I’m looking at you Bella!).  There were even some flamingoes and adorable baby monkeys - at the Zoo of course!  This week we had another kiddie dinner and Yogi was so excited about hanging out with his big boy friend that he insisted on drinking out of a cup and ended up losing his shirt in an icy waterfall incident.  Tonight I’ve got my Simplicity Parenting workshop and tmw we’re having dinner with some friends who have just gotten pregnant.  Yay!  Babies!!


Here is a picture thought I'm sharing....