Memorial Day Weekend 2010

It's Memorial Day, a day that we remember U.S. soldiers who have died while in military service. I think we fell a bit short with respect to honoring the true meaning of this holiday weekend; in the future, I would like Anna to know that it's more than the long weekend when the pool opens. Nonetheless, I'm content and happily exhausted after three days of quality time with family and friends, working and playing with people we love.

Friday Night: Homemade pizza and salad with Alicia, Kevin and Aidan. We drank Coronas, the kids splashed in the pool, and we all enjoyed the summer-like weather.

Saturday: We worked hard in the yard all morning. Even Anna helped plant flowers between dips in the pool. Blake stripped one of our beds of ground cover and covered it with mulch. Anna and I planted begonias and impatiens (Anna shockingly remembered the name of these flowers from our trip to the store on Wednesday). Anna demanded more worms and roly-poly's as we dug up the flower bed. I think it's a love-hate kind of thing.

In the afternoon we met with a potential babysitter, who I am very excited about. And, we enjoyed yet another outdoor dinner. Blake grilled a chicken and we made a panzanella salad with croutons from homemade bread. Yum!

It's a blurry photo, but I just love it (dirt on her mouth and rake in hand).

Another highlight of the weekend was the hatching of baby birdies. First one, then two, then three and four. It's humbling to witness this miracle unfold. The mama birdie, the babies, and the entire process (from afar mostly, so as not to frighten mama birdie) are amazing. Anna gets so excited to say "Good Morning" and "Good Night" to her new friends.

I just love the little tuft of feathers highlighted by the setting sun.

Great big eyes resting on her siblings.

Sunday: More yard work in the morning, including planting our pepper seedlings in the garden, planting green bean seeds, and weeding. Blake put down the rest of the mulch around the edge of the garden. Somehow I missed taking any photos. We probably have enough garden pics for now, but it's growing and changing like crazy!

Blake and I sipped lemonade and cleaned up while Anna napped in the afternoon. Somehow we squeezed in a quick trip to the pool before grilling steaks in the evening.

Monday: We took a bike ride in the morning and then took off for Okemos to visit Mo and Papa J and Great Mo, who was visiting from the U.P. We played outside between rain showers and enjoyed more lemonade (freshly squeezed by Mo J this time).

Great Mo (Grandma Richards)

Loving the hammock.

Nature

The majestic Bald Eagle.

Anna and I met Alicia and Aidan at the Leslie Science and Nature Center this morning. I was in the dark about this treasure of a place until Alicia informed me of their tiny tots day this week. While they had activities for the kids, including planting a sunflower seed, painting leaves, and blowing bubbles, the biggest attractions for us were the Critter House and the Birds of Prey. Later, the kids gathered in the shade to dance and listen to a musician singing nature-themed songs accompanied by his acoustic guitar.

Anna didn't want to leave. I actually could have stayed, too, just to walk the trails and enjoy the scenery. The center is set in a beautiful wooded space with plenty of trees and shade and opportunities for learning about nature. I'm sure we'll be back for another visit soon.

In the critter house...the humongous (Anna's latest favorite word, thanks to Sesame Street) bunnies were a hit. She finally warmed up to petting the box turtle before we left.

One of the many hawks - my favorite.

Aidan pausing for a millisecond!

Just the Beginning

Contemplator

It feels like summer this week in a wonderful way. It's not just the heat and popsicles and meals outside that make it so. When I was a kid, summer meant beach vacations, playing in the yard until the sun set, swimming at the local pool, riding bikes to get candy or ice cream, staying up late, and generally just having fun. It felt so carefree and exciting. Then I grew up and worked through the summer months, and although summer still brought welcomed changes, it didn't feel the same. I've been feeling a bit like a kid in summer again, and I know it's Anna's joy and laughter and excitement that inspire those feelings.

Some of my favorite moments this week...Daddy and Anna spinning together.

Butterflies (in my stomach when I look at this photo of my husband)

We've spent hours outside each day, wagon-riding with Aidan to the park, splashing in backyard pools at home and at Harper's, eating meals and snacks of popsicles and melon outside, blowing bubbles and shooting baskets and spinning in the grass until the last possible minute before bed time, bike riding to slide and feed fish, and watering the garden, flowers, or whatever we can find to sprinkle. Blake and I enjoyed wine on the patio together, alone (until the mosquitos got to us). And, we have more outside time planned for the weekend, with annuals waiting patiently in the yard and more seeds asking to be sowed in our garden. Grilling is the only cooking on the agenda.

It's all about the hats.

Busy, busy girl.

Our adorable friend, Harper.

Anna and I wrapped up another much-loved music class this week, which I suppose, added to the beginning-of-summer feelings. We'll have a new groove for the summer, with the pool replacing music at least one day of the week. We'll be hanging with Harper and Emily as well, who are on summer break soon. And, we'll spend one morning per week in Ann Arbor, picking up our CSA share, visiting Daddy, and browsing the farmer's market.

I feel excited about the coming months. At times, I'm even feeling a little bit carefree (not a term I would normally use to describe myself, by the way). I'm uplifted by this week and the fun that we've had. The best part is that it's just the beginning. There's so much more summer to come.

Two Minutes

This was Anna today, sitting quietly, and dare I say compliantly, in the time-out chair after swiping her food across the table and onto the floor, quite intentionally.

Anna is a pretty easy toddler as far as behavior management goes. She responds well when given choices, when we validate her feelings, and when she's given positive reinforcement. But, I'm noticing a bit more defiance in her these days; she is nearing two-years-old after all. I hear more "no" when we attempt to brush teeth or change a diaper or ask her to take her foot off of the table. I'm finding that I have to be even more patient and creative in my tactics.

While the time-out technique is not necessarily creative, I hear it often works. I've used it only once before, and it was done without much thought. I needed a breather so I didn't lose my temper, so I took her to her room. We talked about the concept of "time-out" after this episode, and of course, she remembered it ever since.

Anna was noticeably surprised today when we changed the time-out venue to dining room chair, a place that Blake and I decided would be an appropriate location. We were a bit concerned, though, about how challenging it would be to institute time-out in a chair where Anna is not physically contained. Apparently, we didn't need to worry.

After I explained the time-out and told her that she could get down after the kitchen timer beeped in two minutes, she sat there quietly. I was shocked...so shocked that I had to take a picture. Even when she heard the camera click, she didn't budge. I had to watch her for those two minutes, trying not to be seen, because she was just too precious to miss. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised. But, as is often the case, Anna surprised me.

Pretty Day

Today was a very pretty day, and Anna told us so all day long. She emphasized the "day" part, stretching out the "aaaaaay," and each time she did it, Blake and I smiled happily at each other. I'm loving her language and expressions right now. I'm loving how she knows she can say "bare butt" or "my goodness" to get a laugh out of me. Both of these she tested out before bed tonight at the end of a full, pretty fun day.

Our day started with "oatmeemo" and a long bike ride to Rolling Hills Park a few miles from our house. Anna nibbled on her bunny crackers all the way there. She had the playscape to herself, and we watched her confidence bloom as she climbed the stairs and navigated the slide all alone. A red-faced, sweaty little Anna declared this "pretty fun" after climbing and sliding more times than we could count. We finally broke away to the pond to look for duckies. Instead we found one goose, a swarm of bees, and a school of fish, which wound up sharing some cheddar bunnies with Anna. The fact that the fish ate bunnies was, apparently, hilarious; we heard about it with giggles all afternoon.

Climbing with such intensity and focus.

The fishies ate the bunnies!

We spent more time enjoying the pretty day after Anna's nap. Our first Tantre Farm CSA work party took place this afternoon, so we headed to the farm for a tour and some time with the animals. And, it was all about the animals - the dogs, the cows, the chickens, the goats. Anna loved them all. She especially loved feeding the cows. Blake and I loved watching her, seeing the rows of proliferating veggies, and tasting the freshly churned butter on homemade bread from a wood-burning outdoor oven.

Betty, one of their milk cows.

Beautiful, beautiful lettuce.

This is one of my favorite kind of days, full of family, new experiences, and smiles. Anna was right...it really was a pretty day.

Silly

I tend to get a little bit starstruck. It's ironic then, that I miss the movie stars when the opportunities are there to see them. In New York a couple of years ago, I chose to return to the apartment to nap while some friends proceeded to have lunch next to Toby McGuire. Just a couple of months ago, Blake unknowingly waited in line with someone (who he later discovered was a movie star but doesn't remember who it was) at Starbucks.

We've had a number of celebrities in the area since Michigan instituted tax incentives for film makers. Blake seems to see them all, and of course, he could not care less. He called me Tuesday to inform me that he and Piece Brosnan exchanged pleasantries in the hallway of the Marriott. After a little research, I discovered that Mr. Brosnan is filming Salvation Boulevard in Ann Arbor this week.

Today Anna and I decided to head downtown to meet Daddy for a walk in the afternoon. These somewhat regular visits are a very sweet end to our day. Anna loves the walk, often swinging and jumping as she holds onto both of our hands and we we get stares from people who are probably admiring her curly locks. We generally have no place to go and nothing to do, so we just wander and enjoy the weather. Today, though, we trekked over to 4th St., because my research revealed there might be movie-making going on. To my dismay, we found nothing.

After Daddy returned to work, Anna and I headed home...via U of M's campus. I also read that filming might be taking place in the Law Quad, and this time we found what we were looking for. I debated for about two seconds whether or not I should park the car and take a walk around. Anna was thrilled to get out and wander again. Trucks with lights, chairs, and mechanical equipment were parked next to us. It appeared as though everyone was packing up for the day. There were a few workers and very few observers like me. Anna and I walked through the quad spotting lights and props. On the other side of the quad were more trucks labeled "hair and make-up" and "costumes." We walked around a bit more, me in awe of the entire film-making process, Anna oblivious to my amazement.

I was carrying Anna back through the quad on our way to the car when she decided she wanted to walk again. Just as she was darting across the sidewalk, a man in sunglasses was walking toward us staring intently at his cell phone. I thought it might be Someone. It was Greg Kinnear, and Anna nearly knocked him over. I said "Hi," and without looking up he said the same. Then I said "Sorry," maybe hoping to get another glance. Without turning around he mumbled something along the lines of "Don't worry about it." It seemed obvious to me he wasn't interested in an autograph opportunity. Nonetheless, I was giddy about my sighting.

I know it's totally silly. Celebrities are just people. But, it made my day.

*I, unfortunately, have no pictures from this afternoon. The ones I took of Anna and Blake were blurry (I can't seem to hold my iPhone still enough), and I was too embarrassed to snap photos while we walked around the set.

Good Things Today

Today I discovered this beautiful nest outside the window of our office. Actually, when I first noticed it, a very surprised little bird was sitting on her eggs. Anna was obviously thrilled about the discovery. We will be anxiously awaiting the arrival of these baby birdies!

There are four eggs in this perfect nest.

It appears she has eaten a hole into our screen while waiting for her babies to hatch. It's hard to wait for your babies to come into this world!

Mo J came to visit and play today. It was such a treat, especially since we were housebound.

You wouldn't know she was sick. She was feeling much better today!

Mo J and Anna enjoying the sunny day.

I made this pasta dish for dinner tonight. It was light, spring-y, and delicious.

Books We Love, May 2010

It's spring, but Anna is infatuated with wintertime books right now. We're reading and re-reading old favorites like they are brand new.

Stranger in the Woods was given to us by Mo and Papa Mox, maybe before Anna's birth. It's no surprise that Anna loves this story - it's full of animals and a snowman. It amazes me how focused she is while reading such a long story. She'll ask to read it three times in a row, naming the animals and wishing to pet the deer each time.

Along with The Hat, The Mitten is one of our many Jan Brett favorites. It's a Ukrainian folk tale that, of course, features animals. I love Brett's illustrations. Anna just seems to love the story, especially the part where the bear sneezes and all of the animals fly out of the mitten.

Triple the Fun

A blurry pic of Anna watching the baby duckies from the bike trailer (wearing a helmet that is not positioned well).

Anna woke in the middle of the night with a fever and diarrhea. Along with her lingering ear infection and protruding canine tooth, she's not feeling so hot. I was convinced this morning that her fever was related to the ear infection (not another gastrointestinal bug), so we went about our morning as planned. It turned out that I was wrong - it became clear in the toy store that home was the place to be today.

It was a beautiful day; it felt like the first sunny, warm day in over a week, probably because we missed out on the nice weather at home this weekend. After nap time, we took a chance on a quick bike ride. One of Anna's favorite things to do these days is ride to the pond to watch the duckies. She enjoyed the ride today, despite her ailments. We made it home in time to change another diaper, and then we soaked up some more sun while chomping on a Pedialyte popsicle. It took Anna a while to get the hang of it, but now she's asking for more.

I love her little hands in this photo.

I love the birthmark on her ear in this one.

And, I love her red lips here.

Celebrate Good Times

There are a number of humorous captions that come to mind with this photo. Believe it or not, though, this was taken before the wedding festivities, on the way to Chicago on Friday morning (via Blake's camera phone).

We visited Chicago again this weekend. My dear friend, Amy, got married on Saturday evening in a beautiful ceremony, and I was honored to be a bridesmaid in the wedding. Blake, Anna, Mo D, and I drove down on Friday morning, arriving in time for the rehearsal dinner. Mo D took great care of Anna while we had more fun than should be allowed the night before a wedding. Amy, Dori, and I finally put the champagne and ourselves to bed around 2 or 3am.

Dancing, dancing, dancing on Friday (when we should be sleeping).

Saturday morning we ate breakfast with Mo Mox and "Baby Allison." Anna LOVED her cousin again and couldn't get enough of her soft little knees, bald head, and teeny toes. I went for hair and make-up with the girls. Daddy, Mo D, and Anna walked to Millennium Park in the morning and splashed in the water.

Splashing at Millennium Park with Daddy and Mo D (via Blake's camera phone).

In the afternoon, Daddy went on a tie and suit hunt (a story I won't repeat), I did photos with the girls (we had so much fun traipsing around the city in our dresses with a stunning bride-to-be), and Mo D took Anna swimming in the pool (a close second to Whiskey as far as Chicago hotel attractions go).

Then, the wedding...it was wonderful. The ceremony, the food, the dancing, the people, and of course, the couple. We were exhausted after two nights of too many spirits and too little sleep, but it was worth it. Congratulations Amy and Greg!

My best attempt at a photo with my phone doesn't do the bride and groom justice.

Baynum Yoote

This is by far one of my favorite words Anna has ever spoken. Anna calls her bathing suit a "baynum yoote." Every time she says it we both collapse in giggles.

It will be bitter and sweet when she graduates to saying "bathing suit." She is doing a lot of "graduating" almost every day, becoming more and more a little girl in the fleeting moments between my thoughts. So, right now, I'm loving her in her baynum yoote.

Kale Chips

Washing the kale is the most time consuming part of any kale recipe (our kale always seems to be really dirty and bug-y).

I've been making kale chips at least once per week lately. Anna loves them. I love them. They're not only really delicious, but also incredibly healthy. If she eats them once per week, I almost (almost) don't worry if she eats another vegetable all week!

I use this recipe, adding or subtracting olive oil depending on how big my kale bunch is. I usually end up cooking them a bit longer, too. Be sure to taste them around 30 minutes - if they don't have that crunchy falling-apart texture, give them a few more minutes.

I greatly dislike cleaning kale (it takes numerous water baths to get all the little bugs out of the tiny folds of the leaves), but I love to eat it. Soon enough, we'll be swimming in this leafy green from our garden and our CSA. While we have two other frequently-used kale recipes - Kale and White Bean Soup and Kale-and-Avocado Salad - I think I'm going to need more...anyone have other ideas?

Celebrating Mothers

Happy Mother's Day to the many, many amazing moms in my life. My moms, my grandmas, my aunts and cousins and sisters-in-law, my mommy friends - you all inspire me. I'm celebrating you today!

I've had some time to celebrate me, too. Blake and Anna created a very special day for Mother's Day. It's been a wonderful day. The high points:

-- We slept in. Anna went back to sleep until 7:45am after waking initially at 6am. She was happy and in much less pain today.

-- Anna wished me a breathy, sweet "Happy Day" as soon as Daddy brought her in the bedroom.

-- I spent a few quiet minutes alone with my book while Daddy and Anna made oatmeal for breakfast. I listened to the sounds of cooking in the kitchen, to the pitter patter of Anna's little feet, and to a sing-songy voice whispering "Happy Day" over and over again.

-- An elaborate three-course menu presented by my husband and a beautiful ruby birthstone pendant from Anna. The menu in Blake's words:

First Course

Nacho’s Reinvented

Fried wonton noodles topped with Comte’ cheese, Serrano Ham and Cantalope shoestrings

– Recipe courtesy of your husband

Second Course

Pull apart meat and mashed potatoes (kind of)

Red Wine Braised Short Rib with Celery Root and Melted Onion - Recipe courtesy of Thomas Keller

Side of Roasted Broccoli with Parmesiano Reggiano

Final Course

Chocolate, Butter and Cream

Homemade Brownies, Butter Chocolate Icing and Balsamic Infused Whipped Cream

- Recipe courtesy of Julia Child, Thomas Keller and your husband

The menu and Anna's birthstone pendant.

The insanely delicious wonton chips.

-- A bike ride. We took our bike trailer for a spin for the first time, and Anna loved it.

Peeking.

Back home and ready for another ride.

-- We transplanted tomato seedlings. They are growing fast!

Our heirloom Brandywine seedlings.

-- My very focused little helper independently decided to put an entire laundry basket-full of laundry in the washer today.