Photo Thursday

mayafirehose
Originally uploaded by nyjlm.

Ninotchka's theme for this week was water. I was thinking I didn't have anything very recent to share, but then I remembered

On the next to last day of school, the preschoolers got to go to the firehouse, which is across the street from the elementary school. One of the teachers at the school is a member of our volunteer fire dept, so they got to check all sorts of things out, including one of the smaller hoses :)

I took a bunch of shots of Maya and her friends using the hose, but I liked this one best because of the smile on her face.

The Infamous Proust Questionnaire

Whoa, Nellie! Paintergirl has come up with some toughies for her last Getting to Know You

* Your most marked characteristic? intensity
* The quality you most like in a man? tenderness
* The quality you most like in a woman? determination
* What do you most value in your friends? sensitivity, empathy
* What is your principle defect? stubbornness, also very sensitive, anxious
* What is your favorite occupation? I'll let you know if I figure it out
* What is your dream of happiness? Living a life free from anxiety and depression
* What to your mind would be the greatest of misfortunes? Losing my family
* What would you like to be? I'd like to work in maternal/child health, be a baker, an art teacher for young kids (although I guess I'd rather call it 'facilitator of creativity' lol).
* In what country would you like to live? Italy
* What is your favorite color? green
* What is your favorite flower? Cosmos
* What is your favorite bird? I love all of the herons and egrets. As a kid my favorite was the Peregrine Falcon.
* Who are your favorite prose writers? Jane Austen and Thomas Hardy
* Who are your favorite poets? Cavafy, Elytis, Virgil, Ovid,
* Who is your favorite hero of fiction? Aeneas
* Who are your favorite heroines of fiction? Jane Eyre, Tess (of the D'Urbervilles)
* Who are your favorite composers? I like lots of stuff but don't necessarily know the composer's name : ) Aaron Copeland just popped into my mind.
* Who are your favorite painters? Picasso, Matisse
* Who are your heroes in real life? People who stand up for what is right, even though that is not the easy thing to do.
* Who are your favorite heroines of history? mothers who advocate for their children in trying times.
* What are your favorite names? I love the name Esther.
* What is it you most dislike? I have a very hard time when I feel I'm misunderstood.
* What historical figures do you most despise? Hitler
* What event in military history do you most admire? Storming the beach at Normandy
* What reform do you most admire? Civil Rights. Sadly, I don't think it is a completed reform.
* What natural gift would you most like to possess? Inner peace
* How would you like to die? peacefully and painlessly
* What is your present state of mind? overwhelmed, sad
* To what faults do you feel most indulgent? slothfullness
* What is your motto? don't have one!

How to Cure a Tantrum

Make cookies!

Mini Black and White Cookies, Weight Watchers style

• 2 sprays cooking spray
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar, granulated
• 2 large egg(s)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 2/3 cup fat-free skim milk
• 3 large egg white(s)
• 2 cup powdered sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup water, boiling, or more if necessary, divided
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray or cover with parchment paper. (I used a silpat instead)
  
  
• Beat butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, until light and fluffy. Add whole eggs, one at a time, and incorporate with mixer; blend in 1 teaspoon of vanilla and lemon zest.
  
  
• Mix together flour, baking powder and salt in a separate medium bowl.
  
  
• Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture; add milk and beat well. Add remaining flour mixture and beat well.
  
  
• Whip egg whites in a medium bowl, with a wire whisk, until soft peaks form; gently fold egg whites into cookie batter.
  
  
• Drop batter by heaping teaspoons onto cookie sheets; batter should remain in high mounds. Make sure to leave at least 2-inches of space between each mound of batter.
  
  
• Bake cookies until edges turn slightly brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheets for 1 to 2 minutes; move to wire racks and allow to cool completely.
  
  
• Meanwhile, to make vanilla icing, combine 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of boiling water and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla in a medium bowl; beat until smooth. Using a pastry brush or flexible spatula, paint half of each cooled cookie with vanilla icing. (NOTE: Make sure to ice the flat side of each cookie. You should always use the vanilla icing first)
  
  
• To make chocolate icing, combine remaining cup of powdered sugar, cocoa and 2 tablespoons of boiling water in a medium bowl; beat until smooth. Add a little more water, a teaspoon at a time, if icing is too dry. Using the same brush or spatula, paint the second half of the flat side of each cookie. Allow icing to dry completely before serving. Yields 2 cookies per serving.

I probably could have added more powdered sugar to my icing, to make it thicker. Next time. The cookies have a great taste.

Couldn't resist

More Superbuzzy goodness

Do-overs

In this week's Getting to Know You at CAC, Paintergirl asks if there is anything in your life you would re-do.

In the fourth grade (or was it third?) my class was having a 'garage sale' and sending the profits to Unicef. Someone brought in a Barbie townhouse- it was like this one with the elevator. I desperately wanted this house. It was only three dollars!

Only one problem. I was afraid to ask my parents for the money. I dreaded the thought that they could say no, so I didn't ask. I remember riding the elevator down to the lobby that morning. I can see my mother's arm as she stood next to me. The question was on the tip of my tongue, but I just couldn't get it out.

My friend Sandy bought it. I was heartbroken. She invited me over to play with it. It was fun, but I was so disappointed.

I think even as a kid I knew that the truly sad part of the story was not that I didn't get the dollhouse, but that I was too scared of asking my mom for it. I was not afraid of being physically harmed, or yelled at. I used to marvel at the things my younger sister felt comfortable asking our parents for.

I still don't like to ask for things. Even silly things, like asking "do you have this in my size" at the store. If I could do it over, I wish I could have been a less fearful child.

All I wanted for Mother's Day...

was to be able to have my sewing machine out all weekend! I sewed up a storm.

First up was this bag from Tiny Happy


I used a piece of silk my sister brought me from Uzbekistan. I thought that it would be too floppy even with a lining, so I used Peltex to give it some body. Something a little flimsier might have been better, but I really like how it came out. I think I will add some sort of closure to it, a toggle of some sort I guess.

Next up, two totes for the kids to use to transport library books to and fro.


I got to use some of my fabrics from Superbuzzy. The pattern for the bags is from Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing.

Also from Lotta's book is this tool roll, which now holds my crochet hooks




I winged the case on the right, which is for sewing needles.

And right before my family served me a wonderful dinner, I started this guy


From Joy's Waldorf Dolls 8" Pocket Love Doll, for our new nephew. I made a doll from this pattern for my son when he was about 1.5 years old. I sewed that one by hand, and now that I think of it, it was the first thing I ever sewed. I'm happy to say that it is still intact, and he is still a guest in my son's bed from time to time!

It was a wonderful day, and it was so much fun to sew all of this stuff!

Seeds of inspiration

About a month ago, Susan at West Coast Crafty posted about a book that inspired her in childhood. I too had a set of Childcraft's How and Why Library, and like Susan, the Make and Do volume stole my heart. After Susan posted about it I looked on ebay for a copy, but abstained from purchasing because I couldn't find the Make and Do volume for sale on it's own in the edition that I had as a child. I didn't buy one in April, but knew I'd keep looking.

On Friday I had a few minutes before I needed to pick up the children from school. I went to the local Salvation Army thrift shop. I'm always envious of folks who seem to find the most amazing things when they go thrifting. I've never been so lucky, until last week. I slowly made my way around the store. When I got to the book corner I looked down into a box...which held the Childcraft How and Why Library! It wasn't the edition I had as a kid, but I didn't care. I eagerly snatched up the Make and Do volume. Reader, I paid 50 cents for it! I took it home and looked through it- despite being about ten years younger than the one I had as a kid it is exactly the same.

My heart stopped a second when I got to this page



I stared at this photo for hours as a kid. My mother was not crafty--oh how I yearned to sew this outfit for my dolls! When I told my mother and sister about my book find and my reaction to this page, they both said the same thing "now you can!" And I will ; )

When I was a little girl I always had my nose in a book. Make and Do was one I looked at for hours on end. Another was Betty Crocker's New Boys and Girls Cook Book. Just this afternoon I was reflecting on the impact that these two books had on my childhood and my life. I love cooking, baking, and crafting. And I love doing those things with my children. These two late 1960s books were hand-me-downs from my dad's cousin. I wonder if I would be a different person if these books were not given to me? Who knows. Right now I'm just enjoying my books, and loving sharing these books with my kids.

Before and After

CAC Writing Prompts

Kiandra inspired me to go ahead and tackle these prompts. I've been missing CAC due to busy-ness and I do want to get back on the saddle : )

1. If you could have any magical power for only one hour, what would it be and why? The ability to clean cluttered homes in a single bound. Well, one cluttered home anyhow.

2. You've won a pair of round-trip airline tickets to anywhere in the world. Where would you go, with whom, and why? Italy, with my husband and kids. It is my dream place to visit. I've been twice with my husband, and once before that. We are talking about when we'll be able to take the kids for the first time.

3. You are stranded in a library or bookstore for 24 hours. In what section do you spend the most time? Why? I have so many interests I can't really say that I gravitate to one section over another. I do need many hours to slowly walk through the whole store or library! Cookbooks, books on parenting, children's books, magazines, travel books, you name it and I want to read it :)

4. If you were to be on a reality TV show, which one would it be? Why would you be a good fit for that particular show? Hmm. I don't know if this is really what you're thinking of, but it would have to be one of those organizational shows. We really need that.

5. What did you most recently dream or daydream about? I've been dreaming of yarn! I'm trying to choose the yarn for my babette blanket and the possibilities are all so yummy! I'm also dreaming out lout with my husband about an actual family trip to Italy in two years. We'll see!

Three Steps Forward, Two Steps Back

up and down up and down. My mooods have always been that way. I think I have a little less swing as I've gotten older and learned more about myself, but sometimes I just can't help it.

This week is one of those weeks. So many things to feel up about, but yesterday has pretty much negated the up feeling. I had a terrible time with my son yesterday afternoon. It is hard to even contemplate. I did apologize for my inappropriate actions; he did too, and I am hoping he understands a little better what we ask of him. I do think there is something deeper going on with him, which is a reminder that I need to be present for him in the afternoon, instead of getting caught up in my own things.

I also had a terrible fight with my husband. I regretted a lot of what I said. I apologized when I realized the damage I had done. I was also able to apologize this morning for the whole thing. I'm not much of a kidder. I tend not to like silly jokes, and I've been called "too serious" often. He'd made a comment that just set me off after a bad day. After a night's sleep I was able to acknowledge that it was a harmless comment and that I didn't need to let my emotions run away with themselves like that. That is a step in the right direction, as I'm usually unable to recognize that what I've done maybe wasn't necessary. And if I do recognize it, I have a damn hard time admitting it!

I haven't been doing my grateful journal every night for the past few nights. And for a lifelong pessimist I have definitely found keeping track of what I'm grateful for useful. I will make sure to do it tonight.

When I go home this afternoon (soon!), I will be present with the kids. I will not try to get other things done (well, I might crochet in their presence, but that's ok, right?). I want to be fun mommy, not raging, raving lunatic mommy.

Ok, so three steps forward, two steps back, and maybe another one forward.

Small Things to smile about on a Monday

• While getting my journal ready for the CAC swap, my son kept walking by and told me "Mom, it is getting more beautiful and more beautiful." Awww. I hope Pauline thinks so!
• I figured out how to crochet the squares for the Babette blanket! I have a hard time understanding crochet patterns with directions inside of parentheses and brackets. Yup, that is pretty much all crochet patterns. I did a traditional granny square last night, looked more closely at the photos in the Flickr group, and figured out what I needed to do. Now that I know I can do it I can plan what colors I'm going to use. I'm very excited.
• I have two more forms to fill out for my lactation conultant certification exam; I'll be able to have it postmarked by the April 30th deadline. I've signed up for an exam prep course online and also have an exam prep book. Yeah!
• I think I'm mentally caught up from five days away from home. I went to a conference in Georgia, and even co-presented a session without falling ill from nerves :) I got to meet the Fly Lady. I even hugged her because of a story she told. Mind you, I've never done Fly Lady, and have often wondered about her legions of fans. However, I think she's what I've been wishing for. I need someone to tell me what to do, what small steps to take to care for our home. And she will do that. Somehow meeting her and hearing her stories personally has really gotten through to me. I know that there is no magic pill; if I want to change our home, I need to do it one step at a time. Instead of crying about how overwhelmed I am, I need to put one baby step after another.
• I hate asking for help in stores. Hate it. But this morning I was shopping for milk and didn't see what I wanted. I did see a man behind the milk case working to restock. So...I asked for what I was looking for. My heart didn't pound. I didn't hem and haw, wondering if I should bother, I just did it. Yay!

I had a tough weekend, mostly of my own making I'm sad to say. But today is starting the week off on a good note. Even though I was cranky all weekend, I think I've learned more about myself. I can see through my exam prep and work on crocheting that I can take things one step at a time and make them happen.

Look out, here I come. And I'm turning out great.

Fruitful Weekend

I'm not sure how it happened, but I'm thankful for it--somehow I've got my get-up-and-go back!
After some great discussions with my husband on our spring break trip, I've decided for sure to take the IBLCE exam this summer. This is the credentialing exam for lactation consultants. The regular deadline for applying to take the exam is April 30th. As of last week I still had three background courses to take, and I finished them all! Now I'm taking one more breastfeeding education class (all online) and am busy getting all of my paperwork together to send in the application. Like I said, I'm not sure where this feeling came from, but I'm so grateful to be taking care of what needs to be done and just generally feeling 'in the zone.'

In addition to doing this preparatory stuff for the exam, I also did some crafting. I purchased a sweater a few months ago and felted it right away. I just wasn't sure what I was going to create with it. I thought of a small purse, but couldn't decide how to cut the sweater so as to use the cool flowers on it. Finally I remembered the cool Lambkin pattern and realized the flowers would be so cute going across the lamb's back. Et voila! My lambkins:

The eyes are the buttons from the sweater.

I also did some embroidery. I bought some patterns from Sublime Stitching a few months ago after seeing one that Krista was working on. I am relatively pleased with the results, but this is something I definitely want to get better at!

Speaking of get-up-and-go--I really need to scoot out the door and get to work!

Spring Is...

a new pair of sneakers!

Fun prompt DebR! CAC

Getting to Know You - Let's go to the movies

Tammy is the new CAC guest-host for Wednesdays during April. Tammy loves movies and wants to hear about the movies we love.

Name your all-time favorite movie! (Or if you're like me, narrow it down to your top five!)

I'm all over the place- Roman Holiday and Pulp Fiction are two of my faves. My newest fave is the newest Bond movie, Casino Royale : )

What genre of movie do you like best?

drama or romantic comedy, but I love watching movies and will watch nearly anything. The only type I'm not really fond of are those dopey guy-type movies like Smokey and the Bandit, or American Lampoon.

What movie made you cry the most?

Lots of movies make me cry, but I think that Finding Neverland made me cry most. Runner up is probably Mrs. Doubtfire- yes, a comedy! Although my parents divorced many years before I saw this movie, it touched that part of me deeply, like a pin in a fresh wound.

Have you ever applauded during a movie in the theatre? Which one? If not, what would make you do that?

I did for Chicago- it felt like watching a musical at the theater, and it was so much fun. Everyone clapped.

Do you own any soundtracks from movies? Which is your favorite and why did the music inspire you?

I don't think I own too many. I do have the Pulp Fiction soundtrack. I love the songs and how they fit into the movie, and I love the bits of dialogue at the start of the songs. Oh, duh, I also have Chicago!


Is there a particular actor or actress who inspires you? Why do you like him or her?

Hmmm. Not sure about inspiring. I'm sure there are plenty of actors I like, but I can't think of any! I love Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. And Hugh Grant!

Is there a particular actor or actress who you just dislike and will not see their movies? Why?

I really dislike Tom Cruise. He has always struck me as a twerp, and his comments about depression did not raise my opinion of him. My one exception to this is that I love Jerry Maguire!

Have you ever dreamed of being an actor? Which role would be your dream role?

No way! I don't like being the center of attention or feeling like I'm being looked at.

If there was ever a movie made of your life, who should star as you? I can't think of any female actors at the moment except for Renee Zellwegger- I'm taller but I think she hit Bridget Jones so perfectly that she could capture my zany existence as well : )

I am Random: CAC Getting to Know You

Here are Jana's GTKY questions for this week.

What did YOU eat last?
Some very yummy teriyaki chicken drumettes, rice, and peas, cooked by my dh, and eaten on the front lawn on our kiddie picnic table. We brought drumettes on our camping trip and the kids just loved them. We will definitely be making them often- who doesn't love a meal that the kids eat up without reminders that the table is for eating!

What about YOUR love life? Anyone special? Tell us about him/her! My husband and I had some really great conversations on our camping trip, particularly in the car. You know how it is, even in a family that is not scheduled to the gills, it is so hard to have a conversation sometimes. And even in the car it can be tough, because our kids often need a lot of attention. Anyhow, I really opened up, shared my dreams, and he did more than listen. He supported, encouraged, helped me brainstorm.

What is it like where you live? I live in a rural part of Florida- home to many orange groves and cattle farms (did you know FL is second in cattle raising to Texas?). We live in a great neighborhood, with a super community school. The weather is pretty lovely right now, but I fear it'll be getting hot really soon!

What are YOUR favorite features about yourself? I have really good hair. And green eyes (which I so hoped one child would inherit, but they didn't!).

What deep thoughts have YOU been pondering upon? What my next few years will be like- what direction I want to go in, what my dreams are.

List 2 random things you love about life: a baby's first giggle. my kids' imaginations.

How did YOU find out about CAC? I think I found it via Krista.

What do YOU love most about spring? The smell of the orange blossoms! They are blooming in full force right now, and to stand in the driveway after dark, with a soft breeze blowing is just heavenly.

buzzing!

Squeeee! I just placed an order with Superbuzzy. A few months ago I followed a link there from Molly Chicken, and resisted buying the cutest hedgehog fabric. I immediately regretted it because then it was gone.

I signed up for their announcement list and hoped that one day they'd get more hedgehogs in. And today was the day! Look how cute they are:

I couldn't resist a few other things- some adorable storybook people, winking owls, and kimono cuties. The hedgehogs will probably be part of a library book tote for my daughter, who enjoys cutting hedgehogs out of construction paper.

Finding Art in Nature: Saturday Try Day

IMG_0060
Originally uploaded by nyjlm.

Today is my last Try Day at Create a Connection. This week our family went on a short camping trip for our kids' Spring Break. We used to live in the Florida Panhandle, and were eager to take the children to some places we used to like to visit.

We didn't go all the way west to Panama City (where we lived for two years) and beyond, but we did visit Cape San Blas (where Erik worked for six months collecting sea turtle nesting data) and Appalachicola. We camped at two different state parks as well.

While at Cape San Blas, I enjoyed watching the kids jump in the surf. As we meandered down the beach I took my time noticing all of the amazing patterns in nature. I found so many wonderful small details to look at.

Thank You Tooth Fairy

I've been in a fairly sullen mood today. It was wonderful to go into my little girl's room tonight and retrieve the tooth hidden under her pillow and quickly put a dollar in its place.

.................................................................................................................................................................

My kids took these pictures of each other the other day, hanging from trees like sloths.

Thursday: Photo Day

Swampgrrl asked to see us today.

I use the laptop in bed, with possibly the world's most horrendous posture. I did recently add one of those pillows with 'arms' to encourage myself to sit up more. Umm, not working so much, but I think it is more comfortable.

I've always done work in bed- homework, scrapbooking, reading, you name it. I'm a lounger.

You, Me, and Creativity

Wednesday is Getting to Know You Day, and Jana, is the host for the month of March!

Let's get started!
YOU choose what to tell me:
List 3 random facts about you, that we will be entertained by:

1. I met my husband living and working on an island with no electricity or running water
2. I was almost arrested outside of St. Patrick's in NYC for civil disobedience
3. In the fall of 1986 the Mets were in the playoffs (on the way to winning the World Series). One night the Giants were on Monday Night Football, at the same time as a Mets vs. Astros game. My dad made it so we could see both: the downstairs tv had the Mets, the upstairs tv was brought downstairs, and had the football game. And because we're totally nutty, we had the sound off and listened to the baseball via the radio and the Mets' regular announcers : )
   

List 2 things about you, that are important for us to know:

1. I'm very sensitive
2. I'm an introvert, and need time alone to recharge
   

ME! My turn to ask questions!

Do you like board games? What are some favorites? I'm not a big fan of games. I definitely prefer a book, however my kids like games. So I do play Candyland, Monopoly, and lots of games by Cranium. One of theirs that I enjoy a lot is called The Scrambled States of America. I also like some non-competitive games that we have, like Harvest Time and The Secret Door. Ooh, just remembered, as a kid I loved playing Careers and Clue.

What are your non-artistic hobbies? Reading, baking (which is sort of artistic/creative in my mind), cooking.

Do you collect anything? I try not to : ) I suppose you could say I collect books, though I'm pretty good at going through my stash and getting rid of what I don't use anymore. Except cookbooks- I don't give those away LOL. So yeah, I collect cookbooks.

And now, our Creativity:
What types of art do you enjoy creating the most? Scrapbooking and other paper crafting give me a great deal of satisfaction. I did loads of it after my first child turned one, but have not done as much as I'd like since my daughter was born (and she's 5 now!). I do enjoy the creation, the item, but I think I have to say I love the act of creating most of all. So despite not having much to show for it, in the past five years I've done a lot of creating! I do tons of crafty things with my kids. Now that I'm creating things because I want to I'm finding that they are interested in what I'm doing and want to follow my lead as well. Errr, I think I answered the question : ) and then some.

Do you have a type of art that you've always wanted to try, but never done? What is it? I don't consider myself a risk taker per se (like bungee jumping or something) but I do love trying crafts and other things that pose a challenge. I'm learning crochet, though I don't have any completed projects just yet. I think after crochet I'd really like to give quilting a try. I've always thought it involved a lot of rules and things, but I'm seeing so many quilters making postcards, small doll-sized quilts, that I think I've always had the wrong impression about quilting.

Do you have any art "how to" sites that you would recommend to us? What are they? I don't have one particular go-to site for this. I have many crafty/creative blogs on my feed reader, and the posts that interest me are starred and listed on the google reader doohicky in the sidebar. Two blogs I love are Whipup and Craftzine. They both gather links from all over the web- loads and loads of tutorials.