Support the Local Economy.... o and Lots of Links.

With the economy being what it is, we see more and more smaller stores going out of business. This was clearly evident on our recent trip to California— a once bustling and still small-store front part of town is now rows and rows of empty store fronts.

3/50 project is putting this issue into perspective. Take a look at it here, go sign up and support your local economy. It’s just that easy.

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Congratulations are in order. It is the birthday of a dear friend, and a faithful blog reader. So go visit her and give her some birthday love at her NEW etsy store.

Here’s a summer recipe we’ve shared and some links we’ve passed on.

Smoothie Pops
6 large strawberries, washed and hulled
1 banana
4 ice cubes
1 cup yogurt (any fruity flavor)
1/2 cup milk (If you want you can omit this)
1/2 cup fruit juice-- (I’d use orange, you can also use peach nectar...yum!)
Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into 3 oz. paper cups, cover with plastic wrap, and insert popsicle sticks. Freeze for at least 5 hours. Makes 12.

Other Links:

Love this site, Lisa Hannigan and her video.

And Veggie Trader!

Have you seen this Design Mom photo shoot in central park? I’m now thinking about getting my friend Andrea to make Izzo one of those flowered headbands, you see, she owns this cute little place.

Conversations

It’s raining and kind of dreary today, but I feel all sunny on the inside. Both kids woke up really happy this morning.

I was still in my jammies— striped sleep shirt, pink sweatshirt, brown socks... Gorgeous I assure you— when Izzo padded into the kitchen, “Good Morning Morning Mimi!” and planted three kisses, after the third she said. “Yep that one was right.” I wondered if the other two were not quite up to par? But when do I ever get three sweet kisses in a row so early in the morning?

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Last night she said, “Mom, when I grow up can I be a boy?”
I asked, “What part about being a boy sounds the best to you?”
She sighed and then said. “Um, I think I want to be the red lighting-a-queen (Lightening McQueen from Disney’s Cars Movie) and then you could be the blue girl a-queen. We could live in the big cones and then um, Mom we could be together always...” O wow, do I love this girl.
I said “Ok, that sounds nice, what would we do with your Dad?”
“Um... He could come too, and Trube, we could all be like the cars. I just don’t want to marry Trube, and Dad is too tall.”

I’m sure she’ll find another scenario for us to play out soon. For example, the one last week when she was my mom and I was her mom. We've played this game before-- but it's been awhile....
She’d say, “Mom?!” and I’d reply, “Yes, Iz?”
She’d get all indignant like and spout back, “Mom, you’re supposed to call MEEEE Mom!” After about 10 minutes we were both thoroughly confused in our imaginative play. So she announced “I think I want to be Izzo kitty again.”


O good.

Farmer's Market Preparation

Photo from sxc.hu

Hello friends! We are gearing up for spring to be in full swing here soon.

For now, I’m preparing for the farmer’s market. Starting the first week of June and every Saturday until October. I spend about three hours with the most beautiful group of farmers/bakers/gardeners. It makes my week. We trade tips, ideas, stories and recipes. I didn’t take near enough photos last year. This year I think I’ll be know as the baker with the camera, and that’s ok with me.

I’m putting together a list of baked goods to start out with this year. And what other sorts of goodies I’ll sell. I think shopping bags are on the list— burlap, scraps, screen printed, recycled. I’ll have to share the more I know. Soap and bath teas are on the list as always.

So far here’s the list:
Sweets
Lavender Almond Tea Cakes
Raspberry and Chocolate Chip Muffins

Bread and Such
Sourdough Wheat
Wheat and Honey Bread
Focaccia
Garlic Naan
Challah Bread
Bagels— I think I could do a lot with these yum!

This year I’m going to try to make Booze Cake. A recipe my grandma got years and years ago from a friend but I’m going to need some mini bundt pans. O I can just see a mountain of little bundt cakes!

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I just discovered this store!

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Sowing seedlings...

So the Earth Day crafts didn’t exactly come through. But I’m putting the idea in the back of my mind for a rainy day. We were too busy playing outside: at the park, on the swings in the backyard and two walks. We were outside until it was dark. What a great day!

Last night we had an impromptu planting party out at our friend’s farm. They have been gracious enough to collaborate with them on a larger scale garden than we got to have last year. With the amount of onions we planted last night we are going to put by more salsa than ever- hot salsa, green salsa, Rotelle style pico de gallo — o my! Has anyone made and froze mashed potatoes? I think we’re going to need to!

We’re even growing some really different varieties and plants this year. Quinoa, anyone? I’m so excited. It just came in the mail and I can’t wait to see how um... It grows. I have no clue how to harvest it, an exciting process. I think next year, we’ll try flax and then I’ll weave the fibers. (I feel a new hobby coming on...).

There is something about working together towards a common goal, out of doors-- a collective experience of digging, planting, watering: the dirt-under-your-fingernails, go-to-sleep-because-you-are-tired kind of experience is binding. These friends have been family to us since we all are so far away from our own blood relatives. I know that God had a hand in guiding us together as friend-family. The leading was so undeniable. And the love that binds us is providential.

I’ll put up some pictures of the garden, I forgot to bring my camera out last night. We even had Isabel out helping us, once she was sure she wouldn’t get eaten by the dog.


I hope you’re weekend is filled laughing children, pink- flowered wellies and mud from the garden and a collective experience of friends.

Earth Day!

It’s Earth Day, and the signs of spring are showing finally in the Midwest. This morning, without a heavy coat on. I walked out to my car and a pair of Robins we’re all twitterpaited— the season of love is in the air. I said good morning to the chickens took a deep breath of spring and sunshine before I started my short trip to work.


I have been thinking of some tangible ways to make this Earth Day special. Tonight the kids and I are going to make a bird/squirrel feeder out of peanut butter and bird seed. I remember making a version of this craft in third grade, (thank you Mrs. Alexander). I’ll share our process or progress tomorrow.




Here are a few pictures of the excursion on Monday night, a walk to the library all bundled up. In the block and a half to the library. The girls were sharks, Dora and Boots (because Isabel was wearing boots), and we were butterflies. Livy said, “HEY, Mary, take a picture of the grass its GROWING!”


Yay for the library, they had the Martha Craft Book. It is perfect. I’ve always wanted to learn calligraphy, right? I can hear my husband right now... “Honey, do you really need a new hobby....”

So this earth day, take a walk to some place you normally drive. Take a reusable bag with you to the market. Recycle. Have a waste-free lunch.

Let me know what you’re doing!

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On other notes have you seen this? I haven’t had much time to check out edible communities, but they did have a link to city chickens.
Question: if we live in rural city... Do we have rural city chickens???

I love this outfit on Creature Comforts. I think she picked out an affordable outfit just for ME (or you!).


Wondering about Anthropologie’s Bee Campaign for Earth Day? Visit here.

Seasons...

It seems, here in Iowa, that we are on the crux of seasons. Winter is loosening it’s grip, but not ready to give up yet and spring is just starting to peek out.

We had our first look at grass.

It grows in less than a week. I always marvel, being a native Californian, that Midwest grass can be dead, ice burnt and crunchy one Sunday and by the next it’s an inch and a half long, by two weeks it’s almost ready for mowing.

I dressed Izzo and her friend, Livy up in coats and hats to walk the block and a half to our library. But just two days ago we let Izzo play in shorts and a t-shirt outside.


It’s the back and forth that I’m particularly in love with here. This time of year, I am not ready to go from bulky sweaters and jump whole heartedly into swimsuit season-- that you cannot do over night. My white-marshmallow-self would have a heart attack. But I am so ready for warm afternoon walks and smoothie pops on the front porch.

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We did have a wonderful time in California. And even though I’ve promised anecdotes and such, I think the pictures speak for themselves. We were so grateful to have this lovely weekend, however short it seemed. You can find more pictures here and here.


Needless to say we’re still recovering over here, and yes we’ve been home more than a week. Schedules are slowly getting back into place. Here is one of my favorite recent photos. The morning after we got home, squeezing out the last moments of sleep before we left for Wendy’s.

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Last night, I made up a new recipe combining my two standbys. One, one and one cookies and Mary’s Super Wonderful Granola.

Follow the directions for the cookies. Throw in a handful of granola (this batch was made without dried fruit), butterscotch chips and chocolate chips. Mix up, scoop and form into balls. Sugar each cookie then smash with a fork in a crisscross pattern. They are reminiscent of my grandma’s 7 Layer Cookies... without the 25 minute baking time and so easy!

California Adventure

Marveling at the ocean on Truman's first trip to the beach.

Hello! We are back from a wonderful little vacation to California-- sunshine, family, friends, food, good discussions around a campfire-- I couldn't ask for much more.

We had so many little adventures while out there. I'll share more soon. But know that I'm back and I have some posts planned for the end of this week!

Remembering....

I'm joining with a group of other bloggers who capture their memories every Wednesday. I think it is a good idea to share our stories and show the realness in our lives beyond the craft projects and the recipes (which are wonderful!).

So here is a picture, about 2 years ago-- the one of the last days in the hospital, barely 6 lbs. Isn't it crazy how big he is now!


We were in the NICU for 11 days with him. After 2+ months of bed rest and pre-term labor. Truman was born 4 weeks early with underdeveloped lungs and pneumonia. It was an emotional roller coaster for those days. At day 5 they told us we’d be going home the next day, then day six same story, then day 7. I think I could classify day 7 as an full on freakout / breakdown. I told them that they should just surprise me the day he got to go home. Then I wouldn’t pack my bags and the car every morning. So I chilled out, prayed a lot, held my breath and acted as normal as a mother can in that situation.

The day we were allowed to come home was just amazing. The hour and a half car ride with four (FOUR!) of us was just amazing. Both kids fell asleep, like they’d never slept before. You could almost feel the acutal hand of God guiding our car and our babe's home (and he was) it was just such a strong presence that day. Isabel had an especially hard time during these 11 days. She was not allowed in the NICU so she had a rotating list of family members and friends who stayed with her in the waiting room, at the campground, the giftshop... She was ready to be home— even more than the rest of us. She desperately needed her schedule and her familiar surroundings back. We were so lucky to have loving family around us. People just dropped what they had going on to come stay with us for three weeks. So blessed.

I’d been wanting to take my kids outside and do normal, everyday things. In those situations you crave normal, lazy, uncomplicated days. We loaded up the kids almost the second we got the car unpacked.


This is Truman’s first trip to the park with Grandmommy. The day was perfect, not super hot, just a pleasant. I don’t remember much about the afternoon except it was exactly what I wanted in life. My family around me and the world to feel simpler.

So here is a piece of my memories. Thanks for indulging me!

I'll leave you with the video I made as a Christmas gift for our families. It was very healing to put this together.

Day book....

The beautiful women I get to see this week!

This starter from the: http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

For Today(That being yesterday)...

Outside my window... The beginning of spring, amidst the unexpected “blizzard-like conditions.” The kids were allowed to play in the snow for a short time. Such a fun event!

I am thinking... about taking a nap.

From the learning rooms... we're leaning how to be patient— all parties involved. And we're reading lots of new books "with the lots of stories in them" --she means chapters!

I am thankful for... my husband. He’s the rock around our house. And things run so much smoother when he’s around. I'm glad he's home today!

From the kitchen... Lots of blizzard baking. Cookies, pizza and calzones with homemade dough. Snowflake popcorn (recipe this week!). Yogurt. Yum.

I am wearing... jeans, a t-shirt and a cap. A weekend uniform of sorts.

I am reading... The Hummingbird’s Daughter.

I am hoping... some ME time today.

I am creating... Knitting pink and brown baby hats. Lots of them (:

I am hearing... silence, everyone is sleeping.

Around the house... A mess of laundry, blanket forts, baking dishes, dress up clothes...

One of my favorite things... Driving to the movie store alone. This American Life from PRI.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Keep everything together. A dinner with friends, packing to go to California for my parent’s confirmation and Easter Vigil.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

I tend to go through life like a vacuum cleaner, inhaling all the interesting tidbits in my path using almost everything I observe, read or report. For me at least, this makes life more interesting and more integrated. -Ellen Goodman On Being a Journalist

Wishing you...

A walk..., originally uploaded by TheYellowDoorPaperie.

A discovery-filled weekend. And since we're going to have massive amounts of snow. I'm sending you my little person-- all dressed in an outfit of her own creation. Aren't those the best?