Raking Leaves Again

It was another one of those days at home where the only time-sensitive item on my to-do list was "Soak beans overnight" for our church's Trunk or Treat Chili Cookoff tomorrow. Days like this don't often happen, so I delved into a few more "home projects" and spent a lot of time playing with Alice:

• "Raked" the leaves in the front yard. I used the lawnmower to chew up the leaves and dump them into the lawn and leaf bags. Alice generally hates the noisy lawnmower, so she ran inside and watched from the screen door. Every time the lawnmower bag would get full, which was quite often, I'd have to turn off the engine and dump the chewed up leaves into a paper bag. Every time I stopped the lawnmower, Alice would shout through the screen door, "All done?" When I finally said "Yes!" she gleefully skipped outside asking for a pile of leaves she could jump into. Fortunately for her, it was a windy day and leaves were quickly gathering on our lawn once more. We piled and played until she came across a patch of sticky brown stuff and asked, "Is that mud or poop?" Game over.
• Took Alice's red Fisher-Price car for a drive on the street for the first time.
• Played with sidewalk chalk on the driveway.
• Packed a picnic lunch to eat at the church building while I did administrative stuff for the Family History Center. We were pretending the church was our "school" and she got to carry the lunches in her spiffy new-to-her backpack. With the right angle, almost any errand/chore can become exciting fun for this kid. I like this age.
• Posted several large items on craigslist. All part of the cleansing ritual that started with the bathroom remodeling. A nice bathroom and freshly painted kitchen makes the rest of our house look like crap. Most of my time at home this week has been spent de-crapping our house. I now have a literal truck load of perfectly-usable-but-not-worth-storing-anymore stuff that's headed to Goodwill tomorrow.
• Made a spectacular dinner, laid out a splendid table, then crouched with Alice under the table for 10 minutes waiting for Bobby to get home. This girl loooooves to surprise Daddy.

 

Yes, she's wearing a huge rubber band around her head. She found it at the Family History Center one day and decided it was a helmet. It cracks me up, but she's totally serious about it.

Also, while I was preparing our amazing dinner, Alice was preparing a feast of her own for all of her friends and family. I made her pose next to the table she set, which is why she looks so awkward standing there. The clothespins are pretzels, there's one pear, and everything else is either a bagel or a brownie. "Baby Taydoh" and "Baby Tiger" have already been seated.

Punkin' Huntin' Exchange Program

Since discovering it with the Jarvies last year, I've decided to make Negangard Pumpkin Patch an annual tradition in our household. You don't hunt for your perfect pumpkin in the patch, per se, but there's a lot of hunting involved as you wind your way through rows and rows of beautiful, unique, and spectacular pumpkin varieties.

 

Bobby selected a huge one for carving, I instantly fell in love with a multicolored warty one that's shaped like a pyramid, and Alice insisted on five baby pumpkins (at $0.25 a piece, it's easy to say "yes". She also came home with 2 teensy gourds which promptly became mother and baby). Grandma Poulson came home with a pale pink pumpkin that made 3 excellent pies with minimal effort. Grandpa Poulson opted to stay home to work on the bathroom remodeling.

We brought along our friends as part of an exchange program. They are die-hard "hunt in the patch" folks, and we prefer bargain basement prices and more variety, so the two of us agreed to experience each others' version of the great punkin' hunt this year. Here are photos from Negangard's:

Wagons are the best part.

Ready to go!

Where to begin?



Start with the babies, of course.



"One, two, fwee..."



Buddies in the wagon



Helping Daddy find a big one.



The final lineup. We drew faces on the pumpkins this year, though we may carve them when it gets closer to Halloween. Alice drew the face on the middle one. She can't draw a recognizable face on paper, but it's crystal clear on a sphere. She also helped us color the other ones, and she wanted Bobby's pumpkin to have stitches ("tishes"). My warty pumpkin is in the back.

And here are the photos from Curtis Orchards' Pumpkin Patch. We were too late to get good pumpkins in the field this year, but there was still PLENTY to do. Alice and I both had a great time. The best part for her, though, was the doughnut and fresh cider afterwards.

Alice going through the Ruby Slipper Maze

"Mommy! See how big my is. Aaaaaaaaaaaa! Ladybug!"
Alice running through the pumpkin graveyard. She was eager to go ahead and find cool ones to show me. She only biffed it twice.
She's having a great time with baby pumpkin. The wind didn't bother her much this time. We did learn, however, that it's hard to remain modest in a dress while sitting cross-legged in a wagon.
Alice deciding which she wanted more: the baby pumpkin or a fresh apple cider doughnut. Mommy made her choose between them since she had 5 other baby pumpkins waiting at home. Doughnut wins.

The final verdict: I think we'll do both pumpkin patches every year. They both have their exciting bits, and I can't pick just one. Besides, it's all about hanging out with friends and doing something a little out of the ordinary. Both outings were a screaming success by those counts, so I'm excited to continue the tradition indefinitely.

My 30th Year

I don't like to celebrate my birthday on the actual day (something about impossibly high expectations that only meet with disappointment). I generally have more fun when the celebration is spread out. This year, I made a conscious effort to actively celebrate it ALL YEAR. One only lives her 30th year once, right? Here's how I celebrated my birthday this year:

• It started in February with a semi-spontaneous trip to see an older (*wink*) friend in California. We had made plans to visit them almost as soon as we knew they were really leaving, but it takes guts to actually pick a date and buy a ticket and drop in on someone you haven't seen in a year. I'm counting it :)
• I took a class on Entrepreneurial Farming. Veeeeery insightful.
  
• Purchased my own copies of a few books I have loved and lusted after for some time: Story People by Brian Andreas, Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan, and How to Grow More Vegetables Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can Imagine by John Jeavons. One of these is not like the others :)
  
• That amazing dinner with Heidi at Prairie Fruits Farm *sigh*
• My friend Michelle surprised me with a garden-themed birthday cake at Orpheum Museum. How did she know I like to garden? LOL
• My friend Denise constructed a raised bed for my raspberry bushes AND gave me a nifty square and indoor/outdoor extension cord that has come in handy for numerous projects since then.

Today was my literal b-day and it was just about perfect. Instead of trying to make it "the perfect day", I ended up with a great regular day that I actually paid attention to. I found myself looking at the day's activities as a cross-section of my life. It was AWESOME! Here's what happened:

• Alice was playing with a folding chair when she tripped and fell on it in just such a way that it collapsed on her finger with her on top of the chair. It looked awful, but no broken skin. Big, puffy bruises clustered all around the tip of her finger. She asked for a band-aid, gagged down some pain killer, and snuggled with me on the snuggle chair for half an hour. We dozed a bit, which was nice. I realized that I really do enjoy being a mom. I am where I want to be.
• We were beginning to get ready to meet Kristin, Will, and Kayla for a play date when my friend JulieAnn called to invite us to the park. I hopped out of the shower and my friend Rachel called to wish me a happy birthday. I literally hung up with her (pulling out of my driveway with the cordless phone in my hand, not a cell phone) when my friend Jessica called about canning peaches with her this weekend. I had to turn around and drive home to get better reception :) This flurry of phone calls from friends NEVER happens. I don't consider myself a popular person and most of these people don't call me on a regular basis. The fact that it happened today, when at least half of them were not conscious of it being my birthday, helped me appreciate the good friends that I do have. I sobbed when Michelle left yesterday. It sounds cheesy, I know, but I really felt rich with friends today. Near and far. A good feeling. Better than any number of people at a surprise party.
• My time with Kristin, Will, and Kayla was sweet, too. Kristin made me my favorite pie (pumpkin!) with homemade crust and everything. Wow! Then we spent the morning at the Winfield pool and toy room until the kids got too tired to play together any more. It's a shame when the kids get enough before the parents do. I realized today that it's good to have family nearby. I have enjoyed getting to know the Evanses better and seeing Alice come to love her cousins. These are friendships that will persist a lifetime, no matter what.
  
• Alice and I stopped at KFC/A&W for a special lunch treat. This activity was hard to find any significance in. I don't think I'll try.
• Quiet time at home...I relaxed on the couch while Alice played naked in her room again. She is a neat little personality to have in our home. I am a mother.
• The Jarvies came over for a little play date. We picked the rest of the green beans in my garden. Actually, Marianne did most of the picking (9.5 months pregnant and all) while I wrestled with an exhausted Alice. I shared some beans and portions of my CSA produce with her, which reminded me how much I love to share things I love with people I love. Alice was fighting every vegetable gift I gave, wanting to hoard the rest for herself. I peeled her a medium cucumber and she ate it whole. Then she ate a raw patty pan squash just because I was giving them away so freely. Then she ate a baby carrot from our garden. It balanced well with the french fries, Teddy Grahams, and lemonade she ate for lunch :D
  
• Alice fell asleep in the car while I ran an errand about 6pm. I toyed with idea of waking her up and wrestling with her sour mood for another hour until bedtime, but then I got smart. I put her straight to bed. She barely stirred. Heck, if she wakes up early tomorrow, Bobby will be around. This experience revealed how I like to make decisions for other people sometimes (mwah ha ha haaaa).
  

Technically, my 30th year ends this week, but I've extended it to the whole 2009 calendar year. It took me some time to build up the courage to actually start doing these things. So! Here's what's in store for the rest of this year's celebrations:

• "Introduction to Genealogy" course through Parkland College Continuing Education
• "Building Your Home Green" course...a bit of a fancy of mine
• A more mature wardrobe (i.e. shirts with buttons or some sort of shape to them, maybe a pair of Sunday shoes that will actually fit)
• TWO operas with my opera buddy, Julia: The Merry Widow and Tosca
  

CSA Share---August 12th

Big, big haul today. Enough to freeze for later and attempt making pickles.

6 ears sweet corn
9 summer squash
2 large cucumbers
4 pounds green beans
1 large bell pepper
1 large sweet and spicy pepper
1 small bunch red leaf lettuce
1 large bunch green leaf lettuce
1 huge Italian eggplant
1 medium bunch of fresh dill

Alice snarfed one ear of corn on our way to the restaurant for dinner, then she started rooting around in the bag for more. She discovered the corn silk and asked me what it was. When I told her it was "corn silk" she promptly shoved it in her mouth and almost gagged herself into vomiting. When I opened her door to get her out at the restaurant, there was corn milk dried all over her face and hands, and she was covered head-to-toe in corn silk. She handed me the fistful of soggy corn silk that almost made her barf and stated, "My no yike it."

Squash may get frozen for minestrone in the winter. The cukes and dill will suffer my first attempt at making homemade pickles. Peppers and eggplant will definitely be chopped and frozen for fajitas and/or Indian curry later this year.

Girls Night Out

Alice treated me to a surprise "girls night out" this evening. After we picked up an enormous load of produce from our CSA (to be posted next), she directed me to Noodles and Co. where I cashed in my "Free Birthday Meal" coupon for a surprisingly tasty Bangkok Curry with beef. Alice opted for the mushroom stroganoff. She pointed out all the most exciting features of the restaurant: lighting, exposed pipes on the ceiling painted burnt sienna, table condiments ("Spicy! No spicy."), the soda machine, plastic lids and straws, and the restrooms. She almost ate her entire meal, which surprised me to no end.

We came home, mixed up a batch of brownies (partly to rid the kitchen of that rotting produce smell I have generated with all my silly compost scraps...ugh), and, throwing caution to the wind, we licked the bowl clean. Coated in chocolate ("cah-coh-yit"), it was obviously bath time for Alice. I put my feet in and she washed them over and over again, which is *almost* like a pedicure, right? ;)

The brownies were done by the time she got out of the tub. We played and talked again over chocolate and milk. It was there that she shared her innermost feelings, "C is for cookie. D is for Daddy. B is for baby. A is for A-yiss. Eth is for 'nake."

She says my name with a lisping "s" like "Thoo-then", but she completely drops the "s" sound from the word "snake", which makes it a very interesting word to represent that letter's sound.

Toothbrush, snuggle, story, and a couple songs later, she went to bed. Now I'm off to do a little more family history research. I had a recent breakthrough with one of my most interesting mysteries so I'm itching to move ahead again. Woo hoo!

Heidi's Visit

My sister Heidi and her son Atticus arrived in St. Louis last Thursday where Alice and I picked them up kinda late. Curse you, Google Maps! We largely filled the week with mundane tasks and regular life:

but threw in a few twists as we could :)

The best twist, I feel, was the perfect evening when Heidi and I took off to Prairie Fruits Farm for one of their "Dinners on the Farm." It couldn't have been a more perfect evening, nor could I have imagined a better dining companion (sorry, Bobby, but you kinda have to be into the whole "small farm" thing to REALLY appreciate this experience)! Here's the menu. We arrived at 5 for appetizers only to learn that appetizers started at 4. Oh well. We enjoyed a few appetizers, selected our dinner seats, and caught up with everyone taking a tour of the barn. No biggie. Heidi and I had toured this exact farm a few years ago and we knew our way around.

The newest baby goat, only 2 weeks old, was eager to be loved so we got to hold him a bit.

He had just pressed his hairy, milky lips into my neck when Heidi took this picture.

I was surprised by how much joy I felt overlooking the green pasture and alfalfa fields. There's just something about self-sufficiency and hard work and green land that brings me joy. Doing it without packaged fertilizers and pesticides makes it all the more satisfying. Satisfying enough to do it myself? I don't know that yet.

When it was time for dinner, we took our seats. Turns out we were sitting next to the ranchers who raised the cow we were about to eat. I thought this dinner would be filled with hippies and yuppies, but I was wrong. Pleasantly wrong. One of our hosts, the goat cheese entrepreneur herself, sat across from us and I knew then that this was going to be an unforgetable night. I could barely keep seated!

We pestered that poor woman about everything. We asked her about cheese-making, raising chickens, and how she found her way into this profession. We marveled how she happened into this perfectly situated parcel of land and networked her way into selling her goat cheeses all over Illinois. We discussed the sad state of fruit trees this year, the seasonal qualities of honey, harvesting alfalfa, and leasing land from neighbors. I hung on every word. This was fascinating to both of us, of course, because Heidi and I have secretly had this shared dream of owning farm land and turning it into something not unlike this woman and her husband have. I remember a few boring speakers at church that got me to doodling the ideal farm for Heidi and me. I wish I still had those drawings. Heidi balked at the pool on her house's roof, but I think the rest of the plan was satisfactory. She would handle portions of the garden and the animals (goats, chickens, maybe alpacas) and I would handle the rest of the garden and any orchards, vineyards, and brambles I could manage to squeeze onto the land. Later versions of the plan included beehives, wildflowers, and children running barefoot in green pastures. We haven't yet figured out how our spouses' own careers and dreams factor into this ;)

Back to the reality. The veggies were phenomenal. The beef, the goat cheese, the fresh herbs and veggies. I loved it all. The good news was, each course was timed and presented in just such a way that we didn't get overfull, just gleefully satisfied.

Between the main course and the cheese plate, Heidi and I scouted out the veggie garden. Rows and rows of REAL food were just ready to be picked and dug. There were weeds, a few rotting veggies, bugs, and everything else that happens in a REAL garden. Awesome! The herb garden was pristine, though we could see where they had plucked and cut back the herbs that went into our meal that night.


May I never forget that "salsa verde" they served: cilantro, basil, flat leaf parsley, olive oil, fresh garlic, salt, and a splash of red wine vinegar. Finely chop/puree the ingredients and serve at room temperature. They served it with the beef, but I'm willing to try it on ANYTHING.

After our sweet corn gelato and blackberry cobbler, we all applauded the chef and our hosts. Heidi, who is far more brave and impulsive than I am, actually asked our hostess to take a picture with us. Woo hoo!

We drove home at dusk and the fireflies were out full force all the way home. I was glowing all evening. What a treat!

CSA Share---July 22nd and July 29th

My sister was in town until recently, so I will blame her for my late CSA share posting :)

July 22nd
1 medium red cabbage
1 small eggplant
5 small summer squash
2 broccoli / cauliflower
1 large romaine lettuce
9 tomatoes (3 slicers, and 6 others)
1 full size cucumber,
3 mini sweet corn ears

I would have made moussaka, but Heidi declared baba ganoush would be a much better use for the eggplant. She was right! Think of a smokey hummus with the bright flavor of fresh parsley.

The summer squash, broccoli, and cauliflower were lightly sauteed with mushrooms and broccoli in butter, fresh basil, fresh parsley, and a hint of pesto. I was inspired to try this technique after sampling an amazing dinner 'on the farm.' More details to come.

The romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and cukes were chopped and thrown into a taco salad. Heidi and I agree that taco salad is best served with ranch dressing...handmade, if you've got it :)

The sweet corn ears were eaten raw. Very sweet. They said we would get larger corn later.

I'm saving the red cabbage for their recommended "freezer slaw" recipe...I'm curious enough to try it at least once.


July 29th
10 summer squash
2 brocccoli / cauliflower
1 freakishly huge bunch of green onions
1 large cucumber
2 skinny Asian eggplants
12 medium tomatoes
2 cubanella peppers
1.5 pounds of green beans

I'm sharing a few tomatoes and summer squash with a friend, then baking most of the rest in layers with swiss cheese (Heidi tells me it's a grand combination). These farmers pick their summer squash very small. I haven't received one yet that is longer than my hand. They are tender and don't have a strong squashy flavor, which means I'm happy to eat more for a longer period of time.

Cucumber and tomatoes were also used in our haystacks tonight. It's a dish I crave in the summer when you have all those fresh garden flavors and textures at once. There's just something about crunchy, tart, and fragrant veggies in the middle of a pile of saucy rice that hits the spot.

Not enough eggplant to roast (these are far too long and skinny to "scoop" anything out) for baba ganoush, not ready for more Indian curry just yet, so I think I'll take a stab at ratatouille. The CSA gave us a cookbook in the beginning of the season and their recipe for ratatouille appeals to me.

Green beans, broccoli, and cauliflower will probably be eaten lightly steamed and salted. I generally like those veggies served simply.

CSA Share---July 15th and Produce Stand

Will and Alice both came along to pick up our CSA share this week. They were both so excited that they were fighting about whose CSA it really was..."Awice's CSA!" "No, it's not your CSA." "Awice's CSA!!" "Hey guys, it's called Prairieland CSA." *silence*

Great fun this week!

1 large bunch of beets with tops
1 large Napa cabbage
3 small summer squash
2 small broccoli
2 small cauliflower
1 medium head red romaine lettuce
1 medium eggplant
1 pickle-sized cucumber
1 large tomato

The cuke and the tomato were consumed within seconds of arriving home. Will and Alice would have eaten them at the CSA pick-up site if I hadn't been fast enough.

The beets will be pickled with spices as soon as I manage to get to the store for whole mustard seed, whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, and apple cider vinegar. I have ALL my garden beets and previous CSA beets waiting in the fridge for those items to arrive.

Napa cabbage went straight into that delicious Asian-themed coleslaw again that I took to a potluck birthday party. I was delighted to see it wasn't all eaten, then crushed when I dropped the bowl and spilled it all over the floor :( Is it too much to hope for ONE more Napa cabbage this growing season?

Squash and broccoli are on hold for now.

I might be able to enjoy a salad again this week...we'll see.

The cauliflower and eggplant went into a brilliant Indian-themed curry that I found through the America's Test Kitchen website and modified slightly to include the veggies I had on-hand. By far, it's the best way I've ever had eggplant. Alice ate half a can of chickpeas and a quarter cup of coconut milk while she was "helping" me prepare dinner.

Alice and I stopped at a produce stand this morning, too. It's the only one in town, as far as I can tell, and it's very close to where many of our friends live, so I pass it a couple times a week. We picked up 3# of fresh green beans, a little seedless watermelon, and 1.5# of ugly tomatoes. Another customer of the stand rolled her eyes at Alice's fatigue-induced fit regarding the "wrong" watermelon going into our car. I still can't decide which bothered me more: Alice's tantrum or the woman's reaction :)

Biking Adventure

Ashley and I threw the kids in the bike trailer and took a ride to the Urbana Free Library for their "Babies Lap Time" program Tuesday morning. Both kids were ready for a nap in the end. Many thanks to Ashley for snapping the photos and posting them to her blog so I could yank them and post them here.

Alice's hand is still in her snack cup, dear girl. By the way, she did manage to stay asleep as I unbuckled her and took her to bed.

"See? I warm!"

Alice prefers to be naked. We've discussed the benefits of clothing with her several times, and sometimes that is enough to convince her to dress...

"No shirt."
"Your shirt helps keep you warm, and safe from the sun."
"Okay, shirt."

"No shoes."
"Shoes protect your feet so you don't step on pokeys."
"Okay, shoes."

The other day, I'm helping her change out of her pajamas into play clothes. She's happy to strip down but becomes resistant when it's time to dress. Before I can say a word, she bounces over to her teddy bear:

"Baby! Look I warm! I warm?" and she clutches him to her bare chest. Then she lowers her voice into a grumbly squeak and has her bear reply, "Oh. You warm. Yaaaaaaaay!"

Then she turns to me, beaming, and holds outs her teddy, "See? I warm! No shirt, Mommy!"

Midway through summer, with sweltering heat in the forecast that day, I find teddy's testimony convincing and I allow her to play topless in her room for a while. Secretly, though, I am devising ways to teach and demonstrate 'modesty' in terms that a 2-year-old can grasp.

CSA Share---July 8th

Woo hoo! I am so pleased with this CSA that I may never leave it :) If all the exclamation points below don't make it obvious, you should know I skipped with joy bringing the following home:

1 head of green cabbage the size of a croquet ball (perfect size!)
1 medium bunch of curly leaf kale (one of my favorite veggies!)
1 small bunch of green onions
3 yellow squash, about the length of my hand but skinny
5 small heads of broccoli (Woo hoo!!!)
1 small head of cauliflower
1 small head green leaf lettuce (ugh, ready for the lettuce to stop)
2 pickle-sized cucumbers
2 Alice hands full of rocks

We get rocks every week, actually. Alice collects them from the gravel driveway at the pick-up location. I suspect those rocks are the only reason Alice chooses to come with me.

The cabbage will keep for several weeks in the fridge. I'm hoping for a cold snap soon that will warrant soup, or I might go a little wild and stuff some cabbage leaves. There's always slaw, of course.

Kale, kale, kale. How I love thee! Flavorful, but not overpowering. Remains firm when cooked, but not tough. Kale is the best cooked leafy green I know! It's another one of those great soup veggies, but we're not exactly in soupy weather. I like it sauteed with garlic and a little oil, then eaten with fingers. Some veggies just taste better when you skip the fork. Really.

We have enough broccoli this week to freeze some of it. Nothing compares to the freshly-steamed flavor, but it's nice to have a pound or two in the freezer for those last-minute veggie additions to meals.

Cauliflower will go into a curry. Oh yes.

Cukes, lettuce, squash, and green onions are ideal for leafy green salads. Now if I could only bear eating one more leafy green salad!

Blog issues

Our blog provider, powweb, is being difficult. Apparently "unlimited storage" actually means "less than 500MB."

Ha ha haaaaaa!

We're in the market for a new offsite digital storage provider that also provides website/blog service...I'm sure there's an official name for that sort of thing. Any suggestions?

Bobby's Sunday Summary (via Susan)

Bobby is not feeling well this evening so I thought I would do his Sunday Summary for him. For tradition's sake I should start with,"Not much happened out of the ordinary this week..." but the rest is pure Susan.

Bobby's parents have been in town since Thursday and will be leaving early tomorrow. They came for Kayla's baby blessing* and it's been a great visit! Thursday night, we all got together with Bill and Kristin and Will and Kayla for some of Bobby's BBQ pork sandwiches. Alice loves Grandma and Grandpa. When they drove up, she ran out front to meet them and then ran into Grandma's arms for a big hug. Her welcome for Grandpa was a little less enthusiastic at first, but she warmed up pretty quickly. She showed off for them all evening demonstrating some new dance moves, telling stories, and sharing toys. Grandpa took Will and Alice out back to play for a long time. I love to see Alice love her family. (P.S. My Asian-themed coleslaw was a hit and I look forward to more Napa cabbage.)

Friday was July 3rd and Bobby had it off of work. Grandma, Grandpa, Bobby, Alice, and I drove out to Pontious Farm to pick blueberries. I was expecting mud and mosquitoes but it was a PERFECT morning for berry picking. Alice REALLY liked the idea of picking berries, but lacked the hunting skills necessary for consistent success. She asked to go potty and shrieked when I lifted the lid on the port-a-potty. She wouldn't sit on it, even when informed that this was the ONLY potty on the whole property. She decided to hold it. Her bladder finally won out in the end while playing with Bobby on the playground. Thank goodness for spare clothes in the car trunk, even if they don't match her flowery hot pink shirt. Speaking of which, Farmer Pontious was taking pictures while we were there and snapped the following one for their website. Alice's hair wasn't done yet and it was still frizzy-crimped from her ponytails the previous day. I hadn't showered or bothered to put in my contacts or anything. Call me vain, but I was a bit embarrassed of the photo-op and chose not to look at the camera. Alice was obviously having a great time in her uninhibited 2-year-old way:

Then we visited Busey Woods and their fantastic boardwalk in the woods.

Later that afternoon, we visited the library to stock up on new reading material, then had a fantastic dinner at Bill and Kristin's house. Saturday went a little slower. Bobby made pies in the morning (strawberry-rhubarb crisp, blueberry pie, and a crust for chocolate cream pie) and Grandma and Grandpa helped us can blueberries in the evening. Alice asked Grandma to read her several stories, then both Grandma and Grandpa were integrated into the bedtime routine.

Sunday morning was pretty typical. I really enjoy that casual time with Alice when I'm not bugged by all the work I could/should be doing instead. It's liberating, in a way, to restrict oneself from routine work once a week. Alice and I played "Wiggles and Giggles" several times this morning. She directed me into the living room where we put on music and ran/danced around while performing magnificent feats like kicks, stop-and-go, arms flapping, feet marching, singing, swinging baby animals around, etc. I literally laughed out loud at her imaginative antics. That motherly awe and joy takes me by surprise every once in a while and I can't help but scoop her up and kiss that little face again and again.

She pulled a funny "mom" move on me this morning, too. I was putting some socks away (okay, okay, it's hard to give up ALL my work on Sundays when it's sitting right in front of me!) in the bedroom when she pops her head in from the hall. She has a grocery sack of crayons on her shoulder, a paper crown on her head, and a shopping cart full of random little toys. She says, "I'm going to Wiggles and Giggles. Want to come with me?" How could I resist such a fine invitation?! I said 'yes' and she quickly replied, "Okay, laundry stays here." That babe knows how her mommy works her :)

Kayla's baby blessing was beautiful. I was grateful to be a part of it. Afterwards, everyone came to our house for dinner. I wondered again at why I have grown so attached to Kayla. I hypothesized that maybe she reminds me of baby Alice...comparing their 4-month-old pictures shows me it's not much of a physical likeness:

It must simply be Kayla's excellent social skills that make her so instantly lovable! She's a smiley girl with lots to say, quite comfortable in private conversations and larger groups alike. I'm glad she's here.

Well, that's my summary of the weekend. Probably more here than you might get from Bobby, especially in the areas of Alice and food. If you've made it this far in the entry, you must be my mom. Here's hoping Bobby isn't sick again next week ;)

*An infant is given a "name and a blessing" in church. It's not a required ordinance, but most families choose do it.

CSA Share---June 24th and July 1st

I have been remiss in my CSA reporting. I'll admit I've been a little overwhelmed with their offerings. It's embarrassing not to know what to do with these things I've had romantic dreams of growing some day...like turnips.

June 24th

1 large bunch of HUGE green onions (wow!)
1 large bunch of turnips with greens
1 medium bunch of beets with greens
1 medium kohlrabi
1 large bunch radishes
1 small head green leaf lettuce
1 small bag of HUGE snow peas
3 small bunches of broccoli...like 3 serving sizes
1 pickle-sized cucumber (Alice's choice, again)

The green onions are currently wilting in my fridge until I get around to freezing them. Turnips are waiting, too, for some cruciferous miracle that changes their odd taste into something palatable. The beets were shredded raw with last weeks beets into a delicious beet salad that Alice fought me for. Funny thing about beets...they put a red tint into your urine and excrement. Alice thought she was bleeding the next day. The beet greens were just composted because they are MUCH more acidic than spinach and I don't like how that messes with my teeth. Kohlrabi was sliced thin and eaten with salad from the PREVIOUS week's lettuce haul. Not bad. Radishes were left in the box at the pick-up site. The green leaf lettuce is half frozen in my fridge right now. The snow peas were eaten fresh straight from the bag. The broccoli remained untouched in the fridge until we could gather more.

Alice used to like frozen peas. Now, the only peas she eats are the fresh garden ones you peel from their shell. The joy of homegrown produce is a blessing AND a curse. I think I'll try to squeeze another crop of peas out of my garden before winter hits :)


July 1st (Happy Birthday Erin!)

1 beautiful head of Napa cabbage
1 huge bunch of green onions
1 small sack of snow peas
3 little bunches of broccoli
3 teeny yellow squash (Alice picked these over the baby cukes with a squeal of delight...let's hope she eats them as gleefully)
1 kohlrabi
1 turnip (no greens)
1 head red leaf lettuce
1 sprig of basil (heavenly scent!)

Napa cabbage! That thin and crisp-leaved veggie used in Chinese food. It's beautiful AND delicious raw or cooked. I'm fancying a little slaw. We left the kohlrabi and turnip in the box this week. I just don't feel like experimenting with them right now.

Fresh basil makes me think of Italian food and Thai food. If my week isn't too crazy, I think I'll go the Thai route.

"Mom Bite"

As a kid, you never want to share food that you really like. We used to tease my mom about her "mom bites" that would always take more than we were willing to share, even when it was her hard work or generosity that made the treat possible. This selfishness doesn't go away when it's your own kid asking for a taste. Oh man. Alice isn't timid, either, about taking the largest possible bite she can wrap her jaw around. Especially when it comes to ice pops. The poor girl has given herself several brain freezes from her own ice pops AND mine. Hmmm.

Bedtime Routine

I was struck this evening with how much our lives must change as Alice grows. I thought I would record the bedtime routine these days for comparison later down the line.

7:30pm Pajamas
There is a very liberal interpretation of the term 'pajamas'. As long as she won't strangle herself in it, get her bed dirty with it, or light herself on fire with it, we call it good.

7:35pm Toothbrushing
A continually improving process. Alice rubs the brush on a couple front teeth and Bobby does the rest.

7:37pm Stories
Usually 2 books, unless we "run out of time" due to Alice's poor choices. She's into library books lately. She gets excited about them as if they were candy.

7:42pm Family prayer
Alice always says the same 4-liner: "Dear Heavenly Father, please bless the food, Jesus Christ, Amen" which is why we often let her bless the food before meals. After she prays for bedtime, Bobby or I will pray for the family and everything else besides the food in our lives :)

7:42pm Sing songs
We turn out the light. Alice lays her head on her "frog prince" stuffed toy and pulls her blanket up around her while we sing three quiet songs of her choice. She almost always chooses "I Am a Child of God", "I Love to See the Temple", and "Give Said the Little Stream" or "Love One Another". She used to sing along with us, but now she's mostly a spectator.

7:45pm Kisses and "good nights" all around
Traditionally, this is when we used to leave her. When she had the pacifier, it was no big deal. When she stopped using the pacifier, she would beg us to come back until she finally cried herself to sleep after 20 minutes or so. That was too much crying for my personal comfort. Through a bit of trial and error (and pure luck), we happened upon the following "Bonus Round" that has helped Alice return to a peaceful, self-soothing, self-initiated sleep in a matter of a few minutes. Much more comfy for all, and well worth the few extra hoops.

7:45pm "Sing one more song"
I sing one more song, but only if Alice asks for it. She usually asks for it even before Bobby and I have finished the usual three songs. Alice chooses between "Amazing Grace", "I Can Sing a Rainbow", and "You Are My Sunshine", or she requests one of her own. She caught on pretty quickly that "Grace" has several more verses than either of the other two songs. It's her choice most of the time.

7:47pm "Stay one minute"
If Alice asks, I will lie on the floor for one minute counted out in my brain. Heck, by the end of the day, that's all I want to do anyway!

7:48pm "Door open it"
Last kisses and then Alice usually requests that the door be left open. That means the light from the hall spills into her room and lights her bed for the last and final part of the routine...

7:48pm Bonus Reading
As soon as I leave the room, Alice hops out of her bed and grabs all the library books she can find. She reads them out loud with all the voices and inflections we use, then she just looks at the pictures. Eventually, her room goes quiet and you know she's sleeping...like this...

CSA Share---June 17th

1 large head of lettuce

1 large bunch of green onions

1 kohlrabi with greens

1 large bunch of beets with greens

Our choice between: pickle-sized cuke, small eggplant, or teeny zucchini

Alice chose the cuke, much to Bobby's delight. We'll chop and freeze the green onions for cooking in soups later. Kohlrabi can be eaten raw and these greens are still tender enough to eat. I like beets a few ways, most of them pickled in some form. I may try a raw beet salad, but only if my sister sends me the recipe AGAIN. Forgive me, Heidi.

CSA Share June 10th

1 huge head of green leaf lettuce
1 huge head of red leaf letttuce
1 small bag of baby salad mix and Asian greens
1 pickle-sized cucumber
1 medium bunch of radishes (I opted out again)
1 large bunch of green onions

We're STILL eating through the red leaf lettuce we got 2 weeks ago and haven't even opened either of the two heads of lettuce we got last week. I'm eating two huge salads a day! Loving it less and less with time, but still enthusiastic about it because good, local lettuce goes away once it warms up a bit.

If only there were a way to preserve fresh lettuce all through the year :(

A Little Too Quiet

Even Alice can get tired of waiting for herself to finish lunch:

Picnic with Friends

We met up with our friends the Demers last Monday for an impromptu picnic and some playground fun. Alice loves, loves, loves the Demers kids but Spencer went all out this time and won her heart. Check out the following movie of Kelsey pushing Alice on the swing and Spencer providing the excitement. I've never heard Alice laugh this hard before.

[flv]http://evansfamily.powweb.com/movies/2009/AliceSwingKickSpencer.flv[/flv]

Alice was very, very sad to leave such fun friends. Posing for this final picture (in addition to Spencer's generous gift of Starbursts) seemed to ease the blow, though.