More Pictures for Megan

Halloween photos coming soon - Jasper was a basketball player; Lucy was Pippi Longstockings. But in the meantime, here are some pics from the last couple of weeks. The very closeups of Lucy and Jasper's faces were taken by Lucy.

Ramblin'

Guess it has been over two weeks since I updated the blog?? I'm afraid I am having a persistent case of writer's block. Even when I finally have a moment to write, I just can't settle on a thread of our lives that I feel like teasing into a cohesive post. So forgive me, but in the interest of jumpstarting something, I'm just going to themelessly ramble.

We've somehow made our way through another whirlwind weekend where it seemed impossible to do everything we wanted to, but we've almost managed. Rob is working on the dishes - our last thing before we're done. I'll join him momentarily... Rob had two nights out this week - a rarity, but by Friday night, I'll tell you, I was done. I headed out for a walk with Jen at sunset, and then after dinner, I headed back out into the world for a presentation on Anthroposophy and Money at the Waldorf school - or some such. I wish I could tell you what Anthroposophy is, but I really can't. All I can say, even after the presentation, is that it is another something or other that Rudolf Steiner came up with, in addition to Waldorf education and biodynamic farming. They really aren't as much presentations as group discussions, which I find to be an engaging format. I like being able to ask questions freely and be a part of the discussion - it keeps me awake and attuned. And someday I might even be able to formulate what anthroposophy is...

Oh, and I know what I've been meaning to write about... Our friends Ali and Tom have just published the second edition of their cookbook The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook. The list of recipes the book contains are also on the site. I use this book ALL the time. The soups and salads alone are wonderful - I just made the Creamy Butternut Squash Soup and the Spinach Salad with pecans and dried cherries for dinner tonight and both were yummy. The book is particularly geared towards helping people learn to cook with new and healthier ingredients if they are dealing with food sensitivies or allergies. But it is also a great way to deliciously incorporate more healthy foods (especially fruit/veg/whole grains/legumes) into every meal.

We went up to Bellingham for Ali's baby shower yesterday. Ali, in addition to writing and publishing a cookbook, keeping up a household, and raising her two girls, Lily (5) and Grace (2), is growing twin boys in her belly. She is an inspiration to me in so many ways: and the rub is that she is only 28 yrs old (well, thereabouts). She is the only person I've met who consistently has more going on in her kitchen than I do. She introduced me to many of the revolutionary concepts that have entered my culinary and nutritional repertoire. And her partner Tom is the world's most amazing resource for everything nutrition and freely shares his knowledge throughout the book. So there is my book endorsement. More on that soon.. and kid and autumn pictures coming too.

Just Pictures

Why I Didn't Make It To The Gym On Wednesday

5:30 am - Jasper wakes; Rob goes to get him, puts J. in bed with me, leaves to take a shower.
5:31 am - Jasper wants to go with his Dad. He says he misses him. But he is willing to nurse when I offer that as an option.
5:40 am - Rob out of shower; Jasper scooches off the bed, opens the bedroom door and goes to find Rob.
6:30 am - I get out of bed and join the boys. They have had some kind of an adventure that led to two empty bowls of oatmeal, a clean diaper, and a book called I Love Trains. There are also two full bowls of oatmeal and a nice warm thermos of coffee waiting for Mama Bear.
7:00 am - Jasper moos very loudly and repeatedly at the dining room table. We start to hear soprano mooos from Lucy's room. The girl soon emerges to join the fun.
7:30 am - Rob managed to leave the house somehow. The eating of oatmeal and kiwi, running around, getting dressed, brushed, the making of lunches etc. ensues.
8:15 am - I'm finally and miraculously out the door with both kids and all of the accoutrement for the morning out.
8:25 am - I rearend a white volvo at 80th St and 1st Ave NE. This is just off the freeway. As I turned the corner onto 80th, Lucy's lunch basket tipped over; I looked down and when I looked up, I hit the brakes, but it was slick out and my van skidded into the Volvo.
9:05 am - We arrive back home. Jasper starts to cry as we enter the driveway; he doesn't want to go home.
9:10 am - My mom comes over, takes Lucy to school and Jasper to the zoo.
9:15 am - I call the insurance company and the other driver to get the ball rolling.
10:00 am - I drive to Holman's Body Shop on Roosevelt. They take one look at the van and say I can't drive it anymore because the radiator is busted.
11:00 am - I start walking from the body shop to Lucy's school to meet my mom, Jasper, and Lucy.
12:00 pm - I stop at Tacos Guaymos at Green Lake to get some lunch; Mom ends up meeting me there with Jasper.
12:40 pm - We pile in Mom's car to go get Lucy.
1:00 pm - We've secured the children in the Prius, after an emergency diaper change, and then realize Jasper's socks must still be at the zoomazium.
1:15 pm - Jasper's socks are not at the zoomazium.
1:30 pm - We're home; Jasper's exhausted and takes a nice long nap.
2:00 pm - Lucy and I make turquoise play dough.
4:00 pm - Jasper wakes up; Granny (Rob's mom) comes over with little gifts for the children and stays to have tea and popcorn with us.
4:30 pm - Granny takes the kids outside to play. I make spaghetti and broccoli for dinner.
5:30 pm - Daddy is home. Jasper feeds some popcorn to a squirrel.
6:00 pm - Kids won't eat dinner because they are full from tea and popcorn. Rob and I have dinner.
6:30 pm - We all head upstairs and the kids entertain us with a little singing and dancing and a lot of running back and forth across the living room.
7:00 pm - Bathtime.
8:00 pm - Kids in bed.
9:00 pm - Dishes done.
9:30 pm - Bed for Rob and April.

What's Going On?

I remember hearing once that if you want to help a community most effectively and efficiently, focus on the women. Educating women or providing opportunities for women will more profoundly and positively impact the overall quality of life of the whole community than interventions with any other group - i.e. men or even children. With this general principle in mind, this week, I intervened in my own life: I started going to the gym, with Jasper in tow and off to the gym childcare. After just a few days of this, I can not only feel my metabolism kicking into at least 2nd gear but am also more pleasant, more organized, more patient, and happier. Our mornings and evenings are smoother, dinner is on time and yummy, I am way more playful with everyone, and I can generally pick up slack in the household willingly and happily. I even made playdough for the kids yesterday AND did a little circle time with autumn verses after Jasper's nap but before dinner was ready (which is sometimes a challenging time around here). I mean really - this is big... Thank you, Endorphins!