http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post

Birthday Bash Brainstorming

Mmm, alliteration. Truly a girl’s best friend. And after re-reading this post, parentheses.

So, the monkey’s big birthday (you know, the BIG birthday…the FIRST birthday) is coming up July 13th. Sure, it’s still May, but I live in this little place called reality, where once a child is born, time starts playing horrific tricks on us. He’s practically shaving.

Okay, not shaving, but he’s insanely mobile (mere moments from walking, I swear) and even says a few words. Wait, “oof oof” is totally a word, right? It is when it’s associated with dogs (and, for the time being, cats…they’re the same thing, all the cool kids say). And the time seriously feels like it passed in the blink of an eye. The blink of an exhaustedly blood-shot, tear-filled eye.

To stave off any further waterworks, I’m focusing my emotional energies into creating an awesomesauce birthday party. I’m using Pinterest, oh evil mistress of perfection-flaunting in the face of mere mortals, to glean some ideas that might be fun to try. But, you know, since I live in reality (and am the mother of an active 10 1/2 month old who demands attention; would he prefer to have free reign and complete independence? Sure thing. Do I want to have a child with numerous concussions and cats with mental scars for life? Hellz no.), I’m fully aware that most of these aren’t attainable.

We can dream, can’t we? If I hit 40%, that’ll be doing something.

Oh, and I also live within a reality which involves people who would think me a tad overboard for implementing all this stuff. So, I have to reign it in, too, simply as not to have any heads exploding come July 13th. Not a pretty way to celebrate a fun day. Horrible replacement to fireworks.

As with most things we do, I’d like to keep it green. Recently, I stumbled upon a website that is essentially nothing but a depressing sob-fest (for softies such as myself) displaying hundreds of pictures of animals who have been injured or killed by balloons after being allowed to float away or even just after being thrown away properly. Damn, Hadman loves balloons. That’s okay, social responsibility comes first — and he won’t even know what he missed. Tissue pom-poms or Chinese lanterns, it is, son!

Birthday Bash Brainstorming - image DSC_0542-e1300774023652-680x1024 on https://megactsout.com

source

What’s a birthday party without hats? A regular ol’ barbecue, that’s what. So, for those who want to wear one (sign me up, please!), we have a couple of options…

Birthday Bash Brainstorming - image 9-party-hats on https://megactsout.com

(These are wooden, but you get the idea. I guess they make birthday crowns from newspaper in England. Not only eco-friendly, but classic! Hadley’s not a hat guy, so this is only an “if Mommy wants to get all Martha Stewart and sleep very little” option.)

Birthday Bash Brainstorming - image DIY-party-hat on https://megactsout.com

source
I’ve already purchased some hats (to reuse over time), but dude. Just dude.
That whole site is chock full o’ birthday sweetness.

Birthday Bash Brainstorming - image Bear-themed-birthday-3 on https://megactsout.com

Like these!!!!! I’m on the hunt for some sans serif cookie cutters. Baking in inevitably 90° weather with an almost-toddler? I’m an idiot. But, if I find an “H” I can use it every year! Y’know. In the sweltering heat. *smacks forehead* Oh, and of COURSE I’m searching for natural (ie fruits and veggies) alternatives to food coloring. Blueberry’s a must, simply because Hads loves ’em.

Birthday Bash Brainstorming - image Bear-themed-birthday-13 on https://megactsout.com

Or I could always make (or buy?) cake pops. I’ve never had them but I hear they’re the rage. Or, at least that’s what the kiddies are shouting into my Miracle Ear. Could also buy cupcakes (maybe the ones we used for our wedding!!!) and make a smash cake myself for the monkey. Ha. More baking.

Birthday Bash Brainstorming - image 2c246329f88d9966c8b673ccd08112ae on https://megactsout.com

Speaking of smash cakes, here’s a lower sugar, all-natural option I’m considering.
Plus, bananas and blueberries = very happy almost-toddler. I did not just type that word. *sigh*

Birthday Bash Brainstorming - image Bear-themed-birthday-4 on https://megactsout.com

STILL from the aforementioned party (man, that Beckham’s got swagger), I love just the simple container for napkins, utensils, etc (I was searching Target today for eco-friendly of all of the above; think I’ll have to hit up Peter’s Cornucopia; love that place) and a chalkboard for the menu. Of course, this is the one area that I’ll be considered crazy if I just say “Let’s just do a cheese/cracker (I guess we don’t do “bread”) and veggie tray, some cookies and cupcakes, and maybe some cute sandwiches on baguettes.” Inevitably, there will be mounds of salads — green (specifically for my husband, who eats nothing with mayonnaise), potato, pasta — possibly several types of grilled meats, perhaps a pizza will show up…food’s one thing we do, and do to excess. No point, really.

See, in my mind, which is always grasping for the aesthetically-pleasing, slightly quirky and quasi-hip method, I’d want the money (hell, if no one else wants to pitch in, I’ll do it!) on organic soda (it exists! And in purdy bottles, too!) and a craft beer chilling in a galvanized tub with some homemade lemonade in mason jars, and a display that looks something like this (sans tomato soup and pie)…

Birthday Bash Brainstorming - image Bear-themed-birthday-11 on https://megactsout.com

Darn you, Beckham.

I am also considering, food-wise, something along the lines of this…

Birthday Bash Brainstorming - image 53e63a4db2dcf61ca67888abd3ed6a35 on https://megactsout.com

Not that font or description, but the thought behind it. Our kid’s got a pretty refined pallet (read: will eat anything, particularly off floor). Avocados. Extra-sharp cheese. Pasta. A plethora of fruit-and-veg blends including kale or beets. Oh, and pizza…and generally anything that adults eat that we literally need to fight him off to consume. It turns into a scene from Oliver!, I kid you not. “Please, sir…!!!” So, I’m thinking pizza, homemade guac with chips for dippin’ (maybe salsa, too), fruit salad (bananas, kiwi, blueberries, cantaloupe), veggie sticks (the ones in the organic chip aisle; he can’t handle the raw stuff quite yet), and cheese ‘n crackers (or a cheese dip of some sort).

By the way, we’re not doing a theme this year. We considered it for one mad minute, but then realized “Um, he’s one. That’s a theme right there.” (If we wanted to get all dramatic, we could do the “Not yet a man, no longer an infant…” theme. Mustaches abound! Or giraffes. God, the giraffes.) We’re just going with the colors of his nursery, for the most part — y’know, turquoise, orange, green. Good times.

(Maybe one day we’ll do the Mo Willems theme…or the Fred Astaire theme…or whatever the heck else he’s interested in. But, we’ll strive to keep them home-grown events without the rigmarole of inviting an entire freaking grade of kids. We’re not here to show off, just have fun. And Mommy totally has fun with aesthetically-arranged sodas, mkay?)

Speaking of which, one thing that our parties tend to lack is organized fun. It’s a tad tough to do this (same goes for favors) since we don’t really have a plethora of kids coming. There’s Hadley, his cousin Lizzie (who will be 2 months shy of 2 years old *more sobbing*), and MAAAAAYBE one more friend of the family who’s not school-aged yet. Tada. The rest are teenagers *yet more sobbing, I changed their dipes* and a buttload of grown-ups. So, rather than force people to violently whack something whilst wearing a blindfold (never got that), I’m thinkin’ we’ll do a variation of this…

Birthday Bash Brainstorming - image 2525a1c876fa86a86ae45cf28b9636be on https://megactsout.com

Halleluia, it wasn’t at Beckham’s party! (No hard feelings, kid. You seem pretty darn cool. Future play date! My child is far less crazy than am I.) Anyhoo, I was thinking more of a card that folks could fill out — one would write something loose like this while the other might have fill-in blanks (what he wants to be, what color his hair will be, what his favorite animal/instrument/food/hobbies/sport, etc.) and folks can do either one. I also considered a photo booth type thingie (just hanging a backdrop and leaving directions and props for photos), but I’m not sure anyone will do it. Party poopers.

Oh, and as far as entertainment goes, it sounds like the hubs hopes to make a video of the kid’s first year. Talk about emotions, gah!

Another “oh, and” — this whole thing is kindly taking place at my mother’s house since she has a perfectly-sized backyard for stretching out, playing, and so forth. I mentioned inviting non-family members (it reaches about 16 or 17 just with close family) and I think I heard smoke come out of her ears through the phone. She nervously mentioned not knowing what to do with folks if it rains, but I brushed it off. (Sure, neither of our houses is big enough to handle that many people. I get the concern, I do.) But, it ain’t no thang. We’ll make it work. I know folks with “pop-ups” and we could always run and grab an extra tarpy tenty thingie or two. I’m on it, Mom!! If you read this. In which case, HI!!!

One last thing (check me out on Pinterest if you really want to subject yourself to more) is probably what I should’ve showed you first: a possible invite.

Birthday Bash Brainstorming - image 4ffb81f858ef08d48a4aee4c028b9f89 on https://megactsout.com

Okay, forget the “possible” part. I already “borrowed” this idea, downloaded some fonts, and stayed up until almost midnight last night hashing out a similar design (orange rather than red, close-but-no-cigar on the fonts, and a cool black and white tree trunk background). Sorry, Magnus, your time’s up — HADMAN’s in town, and he’s a-takin’ over.

So…think I’m nuts to put so much thought and effort into a one-year-old’s party, or do you get where I’m coming from? Aside from my aesthetic-loving self, it’s about celebrating the life-altering first year of the specialest little guy ever. That’s all. 😉

Green Child Magazine

So, hey! I’m pretty darn excited to share with you the latest edition of Green Child Magazine. As a relatively new mom who’s trying to keep life eco-friendly, I love this resource — heck, I read it when I was pregnant (it has lots of great tips for mamas-to-be, as well). Back when I started looking to contribute my writing to different magazines and such, I saw this one and thought…well, I wouldn’t even let myself truly think the words, but it was more of a feeling of “I wish I could be cool enough to write for them.” (I mean, they’ve interviewed Mayim Bialek and Kelly Martin!!!!!!!)

Well, guess what. I’m officially cool. (In my mind. ;-)) Check out the piece on pages 25-26.

//e.issuu.com/embed.js
I KNOW, RIGHT?!?!
//e.issuu.com/embed.js
This is how it all went…

A little while back, I started writing for Kaia, another online magazine that I L-O-V-E (which also happens to be for people who want to learn tips on living greener, among other awesome topics). Well, long story short, Kaia and GCM have become sister publications. I was asked if I would mind doing some product reviews for GCM since I’ve got a little one to use as a ~~guinea pig~~ ~~test subject~~ …for helping me with the trials. Green products for the baby + free + writing = one happy mama.

Let me just say that the fact that this first piece is about animals makes me ecstatic. Dave and I are such huge animal lovers, it’s only appropriate that my first piece with GCM would be animal-friendly. I happened to see a list of topics for the upcoming magazine and mentioned to Amity that I’d be happy to write any of the topics (but that an animal piece would be awesome ‘cuz I’m weird like that). Apparently, the piece had just fallen through so it would be a big help if I could write it. Whuh?! Write a fun piece AND help out? Sign me up!

So, that’s the story of my writing for some awesome online magazines. It’s fun to flex the ol’ brain muscle (wait…the brain is a muscle, right? Just one?), research and write about things that interest me, and to share them with the world through some very positive, socially-responsible publications. Win-win, all around!

By the by, I also love the tips for attempting to maintain harmony among siblings (I’ll need this some day!), suggestions for instilling a love for the outdoors and tons more. And, can I just say — I’m craving an arugula salad with strawberries SO BADLY right now. (Any salad with strawberries is aces in my book.)

Oh, and if you know of anyone who might like to advertise with this publication, feel free to email us at [email protected]. It’s a great place to be!

Mini Revolutions

I was fully intending to celebrate Food Revolution Day last Friday in a small way — dragging the baby to a local farmers’ market, since Dave was out of town for an awesome workshop. The illnesses floating around school put a stop to that.

So, while I did do a quick grocery shopping visit (one of my Aldi/Hannaford runs), I felt like the day was a dud. I ate locally for a meeting I attended in Utica, but the food was far from healthy. At Hannaford, most of my purchases were organic, though, so I told myself that would have to be good enough, as I tried to get my nose to stop running. (Side note: I bought fiddleheads (I was ECSTATIC to find them at the store…and I think people thought I was nuts) and kale for the first time!!! Can’t wait to try it.)

However, Saturday afternoon as the baby napped in my arms, I decided to hit up our Wii for some Netflix streaming. I can’t even guess the last time I did this. My hope was that “Gilmore Girls” would finally be available (what else can a girl wish for with her husband out of town??), but since it wasn’t, I typed “food” in the search area in hopes of finding a cooking show. Instead, I found my re-education and a way to celebrate Food Revolution Day, delayed though it may be.

A French documentary named “Food Beward: The French Organic Revolution”, yes in 95% sub-titles, showed me that the organic craze isn’t just a fad, and isn’t just an American trend. The rise of cancers, particularly among French children, were the origins of major concerns of the state of food production in France. To take a progressive, proactive approach, a rural mayor decided to change the school menu to organic and mostly local foods.

Here’s the IMDB movie description: “Food Beware begins with a visit to a small village in France, where the town’s mayor has decided to make the school lunch menu organic and locally grown. It then talks to a wide variety of people with differing perspectives to find common ground – children, parents, teachers, health care workers, farmers, elected officials, scientists, researchers and the victims of illnesses themselves. Revealed in these moving and often surprising conversations are the abuses of the food industry, the competing interests of agribusiness and public health, the challenges and rewards of safe food production, and the practical, sustainable solutions that we can all take part in. Food Beware is food for thought – and a blueprint for a growing revolution.”

We get to sit in on school lunches (“Organic bread tastes better.” And, Philippe! Eat your damn carrots!! Sheesh.) and follow students to a garden, which their teacher uses as a learning tool, from teaching science and the enjoyment of nature to math (“use your rulers to measure the lettuces’ growth” “that’s impossible!”) and cooperation (“Hugo gave me his parsley. Here, you can have some.” Awww.), as well as the evolution of adult thinking on organic.

At one point, the mayor meets with local farmers, calling it something of an occurrence (rather than something more aggressive…a fight?) and a chance for organic farmers and more traditional farmers to discuss methods and reasons for doing what they’re doing. I found this to be an interesting example of the fact that adults are able to debate an issue in a respectful manner, in addition to the fact that the information they were sharing can be directly linked to similar views in the U.S.

Overall, I was dismayed, informed, entertained, and finally uplifted by this flick. Often, the American-made docs tend to be downers (or so aggressive that it does nothing but inform and upset…and enrage…and then come the tears….), so this was an awesome reminder of our renewed reason to work on eating organically and locally — Hadley.

Next year, I’d like to have a bigger Food Revolution Day, with the hubby in town and the baby old enough to eat, like, EVERYTHING (he’s already a little foodie, I can’t get him to stop trying to devour my food; don’t get me wrong, I love that he loves food and I don’t mind that he wants to eat off of mine (after all, I’m a mom!), but his diet is still relatively restricted at this age). So, whether it’s a foodie get-together with friends or just a family visit to a farmers’ market followed by a special meal, I’m looking forward to it!

No matter what it is, it’s all about the mini revolutions, isn’t it? The small attempts at better things on a boring ol’ normal day?

A Tailor-made Meal, Cooked Perfectly

See what I did there? “Tailor…” “…Cook(ed)”? Yeah, you know this is gonna be good.

This year for my “birthday dinner” (observed the Saturday after my birthday), I opted for something a little different. Usually, our go-to meal would involve Beardslee Castle, a venue that acted as the sight of our wedding reception (delicious food — can’t wait to get back there and offer up a review!). Actually, Dave even said, “Want me to make reservations at Beardslee?” I had to stop him with a different suggestion.

The Tailor and the Cook is a Utica restaurant that’s been open shy of one year. It’s a unique place in more ways than one; not only does it feel like an eating experience straight out of a larger (more modern) city, but many of the ingredients used by the talented chefs are locally sourced. We’ve heard nothing but good about the place, so I’ve been itching to get there. It’s one of those “demands reservations” joints, so Dave hooked us up, and our mouths were watering and minds were wandering in anticipation.

Upon entering, one can tell that the experience would be special. Located in a newly up-and-coming area of the city, the bare brick walls are accentuated by local art and reclaimed wood trim. Edison-style bulbs dangle precariously above tables with mixed long, shared booth-style seating (which creates an intimate, yet still open and private atmosphere). Three large barrels (wine or whisky? Does it matter which?) have been repurposed into light fixtures for the front bar, which double as conversation pieces. The mix of modern and earthy is well-executed from front door to back bathrooms (which, before I even get to the food, I must say were incredible. The ladies’ room held an antique Singer sewing machine with vintage cookbooks, stark black-and-white industrial photography on the walls, a plethora of lotions and a sink that could double as an art installation. Yes, it was THAT worth mentioning).

Birthday Bash Brainstorming - image on https://megactsout.com

After being politely seated and informed of jaw-dropping specials, we were offered sparkling spring water or tap water. We shot the moon (don’t usually drink sparkling), but I was equally as impressed that they reuse (cleaned) wine bottles filled with chilled tap water which stay at the table. It sounds simple, but the efforts to reuse items and the simple air of class that the stylish bottles gave to each table struck a sweet chord with us.

It took some doing, but we finally decided upon our meals (I considered going vegetarian, but this was a special occasion and it was a Saturday, so…I went for it): mine, a glass of Newman’s Own organic Chardonnay and the pork chop meal; Dave, a glass of Ommegang’s Three Philosophers brew and the hanger steak (which his curiosity taught us that this is the cut that butchers used to bring home to their own families without offering them to customers). We opted to share a cheese platter, and our entrees came with salads.

Okay. Let me stop right here. Saying “Dave got steak, I got pork” sounds mundane, boring, average. This was anything but. The meals were served as courses; not dumped in our laps while our waiter juggled a dinerful of other patrons. We were brought each item in a royal fashion, each plate constructed lovingly as if by a doting father. It was far from your average experience. Even our bread was brought to us by a guy carrying a basketful of the stuff (from Old Forge), doling it out one at a time on our plates with a delicious honey butter.

The cheese platter was one of the specials (which usually means you’re paying more for it), but it was reminiscent of a cheese platter that we shared during our Vermont honeymoon and anniversary trips. Only better. There were five cheeses, each from local farms — a bleu cheese, a smoked gouda, a goat’s milk chevre, a cheddar, and I totally forgot the last. (Sorry!) Alongside these were a couple of dried fruits, apple slivers, honeycomb (yes, on the comb…how do you even EAT that? Who cares, we had fun with it), grainy spicy mustard, cornichons (baby gherkins!) and rustic crackers. They were all impeccable and we had a blast sharing combination of flavors and choosing our favorites. Rather, I chose my favorite (that gouda was da bomb); Dave couldn’t choose. Oh, and we clearly didn’t get a picture.

Even our salads were impressive. Everyone had the same molasses vinaigrette (it wasn’t that sweet or heavy-tasting, really) and local hydroponic greens topped with sunflower seeds and beans. It was the first time that we realized how salt (and pepper) can heighten the flavors of a dish SO MUCH. I’m pretty sure it was a fancy schmancy type of salt, but a sprinkling brought out a taste that we couldn’t devour fast enough.

Here’s where things get embarrassing. Have you ever eaten something so good that you make noises you wouldn’t normally make in public, no apologies? Yeah. It happened. I should also say that we were the only folks in the place losing our cool enough to do this. Still not apologizing. We don’t go to a restaurant like this for the “scene”, or to BE “SEEN”. It’s for sharing in a special experience and, in this case, the best meal we’ve ever had in the Mohawk Valley. Onlookers be damned.

So, Dave’s meal was actually the pan roasted hanger steak with fingerling fries, fresh arugula, Gorgonzola butter and a red wine demi glace. Yeah. It was insane. (C’mon, steak with bleu cheese AND fingerlings? Shut the front door. One good thing about humans is that they’ve come up with seemingly CRAZY food combinations that can change a person’s thinking.)

I got the pan roasted pork rib chop (medium) with braised local ramps and celery, hazelnut and barley risotto, and rainier cherry gastrique.

***I had gastrique and I liiiiiked iiiiiit…the taste of that cherry saaau-aaauce…”

Even after trying a bite of Dave’s meal, I had to declare mine the winner. (Not sure he agreed.) Man, do these folks know the meaning of “complementary flavors.” The impeccably cooked chop, the excitement of the first ramps of the season (and the surprise of the evening: braised celery as a side vegetable? Delish!), creamy nutty risotto with a sweet-but-slightly-bitter cherry sauce to pull it all together? Doubly insane. Seriously, all I could tell the waiter when he checked on us was “Insane. Just insane.”

Since we were shooting the moon, we grabbed dessert — Dave enjoyed the Jones Family Farm cheesecake (we LOVE their cheeses, and I just happen to have their daughters in school; it’s awesome to know that it wasn’t a 100% selfish act in eating here; we were also supporting local farms who deserve the heck out of it!) and a Utica Roasting Company’s Drip coffee (they just happen to be TTATC’s neighbor; talk about local!) while I got buttermilk panna cotta with a blueberry sauce and DELICIOUS graham-style cookie, plus a decaf cappuccino (also courtesy Utica Roasting Company).

Ultimately, one of my favorite parts about this meal (aside from the flavors, the execution, the incredible service, the local sourcing) was the conversation it brought up. Since this meal was obviously costlier than most (like, a once a year sort of meal), we discussed what we were actually paying for. Simply put, it’s costlier to ensure that your ingredients (all the way down to the herbs) are quality and responsibly sourced. The lives of the animals that we eat have value beyond that of a dollar value menu. The food deserves to be respected as it’s grown, as it’s prepared, and as it’s eaten.

That being said, we’d give this joint a 5 out of 5 possible spoons. It was THAT GOOD. (Maybe we could take off half a spoon for price, but we think it was worth the splurge.) We even told the hostess (whom Dave knows from work) and our knowledgeable waiter that it was the best meal we’ve ever had in the valley. Makes some of the usual local fare seem like heavy loads o’ crap. (Yes. Yes, I said that.)

If you’re interested in visiting “The Tailor and the Cook”, find out more at their website. You can see their menus (and cost) as well as their sourcing practices. Oh, and as for one of those challenges that folks face more than we’d like to admit: Dave wore jeans with a button-down shirt (he brought a blazer along but didn’t wear it) and I wore a nylon skirt, top and 3/4 sleeve sweater, although we saw a complete range in clothing — from shorts to preppy orange/coral/pink slacks (on a gentleman) to dressy. So, I guess anything goes, but keep it classy, folks. Not that I have to tell you that. 😉

Beets. Bears. Birthdays.

If you “get” the blog post title, 1,000 points to you. We can’t believe “The Office” will be ending VERY shortly, indeed. *sniff, sniff* Hope Jim and Pam make it through. Looks that way for now. *whew*

Birthday Bash Brainstorming - image tumblr_m2j42yh8xr1rqv982o2_250 on https://megactsout.com

Yes, I embedded a gif. All the cool kids are doing it. Wait, that’s what the kids are saying these days, right? Cool?

Anyhoo, just thought I’d drop in with a recap of my awesome birthday festivities. This past Wednesday, I turned 31, and it was a lovely day. The hubs surprised me with “breakfast in the bedroom” (ie I got up earlier than he expected, so I was already up getting ready when he walked in with eggs ‘n toast), then I opened up the tear-jerker of a card and genuine excitement-inducing first gift of the day — a DVD of “Lincoln”, which we have yet to see but I’m positive it’s one I NEED in my arsenal of historical fiction movies. Oh, and he also made my lunch, so how’s about that for a lucky woman?

My mom surprised me with a cake (no, it’s not organic, but it doesn’t have to be — it’s my favorite flavor, the frosting was homemade, and dude, it was free) and some cashola, which is always the right size. Wink. IfyaknowwhatI’msayin’. Yeah, you do.

As I left for work, I noticed that the tulips in front of my house had finally bloomed. Just for me?!?! Aww, thank you! I feel so special.

The work day was relatively drama-free. That’s always a bonus.

The evening was rounded out with my hubby doing dishes (and, no, I didn’t have to cook ;-)) and a few more gifts: a magnet with the kid’s mug on it (adorbs!!), a copy of “The Happiness Project” which I can’t WAIT to read…quite possibly aloud to Dave (unsolicited), and my holy grail – an organic Ergo baby carrier. *SQUEEEEAAAL!*

My birthday festivities will continue with a sure-to-be-incredible dinner out this weekend at the locally infamous (in a good way) “The Tailor and the Cook”, which strives to serve locally-sourced foods in a deliciously gourmet way. I can’t wait to eat there, and I can’t WAIT to blog about it!! *happy dance*

We’ll also be taking part in the Spring Farm Cares First Annual Run/Walk (it’s my brother-in-law Dan’s baby and we’re SO proud of him!!) — the baby’s first charity event! Gotta start ’em early, folks.

Oh, and Sunday I get a birthday gift from my sis — she’s coming over to watch the little one while I do (drum roll, please)… SPRING CLEANING!!!! You have no idea, I’m so excited to get this stuff off my list. Having no child underfoot (or constantly needing to look over your shoulder to see what he’s getting into) seems to make the work go way faster…or, at least, I’ll be sure to do my best Tasmanian Devil impersonation to get as much finished as I can. See, THAT’s what a real best friend/sister is for. She asked what I wanted, what I would never get for myself (that’s an awesome question), but I could only come up with, “Come occupy my little stinker so I can CLEAN!” LOL. Happy Birthday. Go wash windows. 😉

So, in case I haven’t said it yet, I feel like a pretty durn lucky lady. Flowers blooming, babies giggling, husbands cooking. How did I get so lucky?

That being said, I look at birthdays a bit like New Year’s Eve; it’s a good time to press “reset” and try to do some self-analysis (but, then, when am I NOT doing that?). I’ve been talking with the hubs a lot lately about our future — jobs, where we’ll settle (whether it’s close to our current area, which houses our family and some friends or closer to different jobs and a more, um, “open”, safe, creative environment for the tyke), how we can get a handle on debt, etc. We are two incredibly indecisive, gun-shy individuals, so to make a huge life change would be…well, huge. And take, like, a year. Then we’d question it for another year. Eh, so is life.

But, I realize there are little steps towards a happier future that may not be reliant upon a new house (although I get Trulia updates from about 8 different locations, some local and some far, far away) or a different job for either of us. I’ve discussed getting our budget under control, and honestly it just hasn’t happened. I want it to. We both want to have that conversation. I hate to make an excuse, but our baby (for all his cuteness and sweetness and his impeccable sense of humor — the kid’s got timing) is a time-sucker. And, I’m tellin’ ya, if you want to hash out $$$, ya wanna make sure you’re not cross-eyed tired, or else unforeseen arguments will ensue. Just consider yourselves warned.

So, my goal in May is to finally find the time to figure out our budget. (Notice I said “our” since I don’t consider Dave’s debt HIS debt; I consider it OURS. We’re in this thing together.) In the process, I hope to loosen up some kaching that’s been gushing towards things I don’t generally need to be wasting my time with. Sure, I’ll be spending some money on gardening this month, and hope to budget for a few projects, but getting in touch with my financial flow is the point here.

Another goal (which doesn’t have a real time frame) is to fix up the ol’ blog. I’ve got an idea or two to change some stuff up, and I want to start incorporating more than just my random, all over the place thoughts. I enjoy reading DIY types of blogs, so why the heck not try my hand at it more? I’ve learned a lot about shopping for healthier (note: this term seems to be defined differently by every single person on earth, so take it with a grain of salt), so why not share what I’ve learned? I throw together little recipes from time to time, so why not shoot a few more pictures? (Yeah, I suck at using my own pics.) I also have a lil’ organizational idea up my sleeve…er, brain…that I’m hoping to implement in the next few months, or at least during the summer. Ha. Vague enough for ya?

Regardless, I hope you guys enjoy the changes that I make. I do write for myself (or else I wouldn’t do it! How’s that for selfish? ;-)), but I’d like to make this a stop not only for some quirky banter, but a resource for folks. That being said, I’d also appreciate your help.

As a big ol’ “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” to me, I’m asking that you tell one person about my little space on the web. If you enjoy stopping in, tell a friend. If you find it to be an utter waste of your time, tell someone you’re not fond particularly of. You totally know what I mean. At least 20% of your Facebook friend list consists of those acquaintances that you probably wouldn’t keep in contact with if it wasn’t for the void that is FB. 😉 I’m not picky.

Please and thank you!! And I LOVE YOU all for reading. Seriously. Smooches to all!

Before the Bravery

a.) Is this a dude or a lady?
b.) It’s so strange I just HAD to use it.
Gotta love royalty-free images.
c.) SERIOUSLY, though! Transgender, maybe?
If so, rock on!

It takes a lot to make a huge change in your life, and something that’s insanely personal — in this case, FOOD — can be a tad daunting. We have recently made the flexitarian switcheroo, meaning that we eat some (not much) meat on weekends, but are fully vegetarian during the weekdays.

And, guess what. It’s actually sticking.

It could be that our bodies are feeling less “heavy” after our weekday meals. It could be that we’re not eating anything particularly unusual or out of our comfort zone. It could be that we’re not doing it “right” — I’m not forcing tofu or veggie burgers onto the hubby (although I have both in my fridge…biding my time!). It could just be that I’ve figured out a comfortable way to manage our weekday meals in a familiar way.

I’m going with that last thought. Yeah. I’ve figured out a kind of equation for our dinners that help me get through the week without feeling like “Ugh, I can’t wait to eat meeeeaaaat this weekend!!!” Actually, I feel incredibly guilty and tend to cook only one type of meat to last the weekend (our other meals are meat-free or a leftover of that item). Yet, I’m still a bit of a scaredy cat (hence the title — ain’t feelin’ brave yet!) when it comes to cooking outside of my comfort zone.

Breakfast is easy — we’re “eat this everyday” sort of people. Dave, toast and tea. Me, cereal or toast. (We eat a ton more on weekends.) Why is it that we’re so comfortable eating the same breakfast everyday, but we MUST have a different dinner? People are weird, folks!

Lunch can be challenging, but we’re doin’ it. Sometimes it’s a leftover from the night before (yyyesss!!!). Other times, it’s a continuation of my usual snack-like lunches (which I started back when I was pregnant) — usually a combination of the following: organic cheese stick, apple/banana, tortilla chips (GMO-free corn, yay!) maybe with hummus, a handful of peanuts, a granola bar (non-GMO, organic), PBJ sandwich (natural, few ingredient (ie “real food”) bread, organic PB & J, and this is if no leftovers are available), and when I remember it, carrot sticks. Oh, and whole milk organic vanilla yogurt (we can’t go plain yet) with berries and maybe a few dark chocolate chips for a morning snack. It does the trick for my still-nursing, still-pretty-hungry body. The hubs usually figures out his own much smaller meatless meal.

Dinner is the road bump and could very well be a deal breaker. But, here’s my strategy lately:

– One night, pasta with marinara sauce and a green salad. (Somehow, it’s often Monday nights. Hello, “Antiques Roadshow”!!)
– One night, pasta with garlic, oil, parmesan cheese, veggies and seasoning and a green salad.
– One night, frozen all-natural pizza and a salad.
– One night, “breakfast for dinner.” (Pancakes, french toast, or eggs (probably more of an omelet with some veggies) and toast, maybe some sweet potato hash browns.)
– One night, homemade soup and salad or grilled cheese. (I’m into the sammy…Dave’s into the salad. What can I say? I married a salad guy.)
– One night, just one big ar$e salad. Gotta give into the temptation, I suppose.

Sure, there are other things we eat and I’ve been trying to come up with one new recipe each week (or so, depending on how busy we are), but these are the recipes that I have in my back pocket for those nights that I don’t feel like makin’ ANYTHING. The big thing that I’ve noticed is that if you plan a lot more when you’re shopping, not only does it make your food stretch longer (and lessen your waste), you’ll at least have a mental picture of the meals you’ll make. When you’ve got a big ol’ question mark on your forehead, you’re more apt to revert to your old ways, no matter what your life choices may be.

Last week, I made a couple of bunches of on-sale asparagus help us through a couple of omelets (I even asked Dave this weekend if he wanted meat in his and he said he didn’t care one way or the other…of course, I left it out) and some sides. When it reached the point of “crap, it’s gonna go bad in 5 minutes”, I parboiled what was left and threw it in a freezer bag. Now, I’ve got a quick quiche dinner in the back of my head with a frozen organic pie crust, the asparagus, some onions, cheese, eggs and a bit o’ milk when the need arises. It feels good to have an extra ace up my sleeve. Very good.

I also threw together some broccoli cheddar soup that was pretty darn good that served several dinners AND lunches. Use whatchya got! Odds are, it’ll be tasty. The same goes for the excess carrots I had a couple of weeks ago — soup, there it is.

Oh, and I know it’s not the *healthiest* thing in the world (and I can’t list how many horrible things are probably in it), but we have discovered a couple of vegetarian items on our local Chinese menu that help on those nights that I REALLY can’t cook. Say, like last week when I went to the theater to get all covered in paint only to arrive home wicked late to a husband who had more work to do (for his job), a baby in a fowl mood (hungry/tired, lots to do), and a front door knob that picked the perfect moment to fall off in my hand. You know. That kind of night. Broccoli with garlic sauce and veggie lo mein (or was it chow mein…) to the rescue. (Sometimes some Buddhist delight thrown in for good measure.)

I’m sure as time goes on, and as I discover the subtle nuances of tofu, I’ll share some more recipes that are actually unique and yummy, but until then, we’re all in this together! Sometimes you need some easy fixes to get you out of a bind.

Earth Day Birthday

Let’s all sing, now!

Happy blogiversary to you…
happy blogiversary to you…
happy blogiversary, dear Megactsout…..
happy blogiversary tooooo yoooooouuuu!!!

Yep, I’ve been at this 3 years. It’s kind of appropriate that the blog-o’s b-day is Earth Day, even if my topics aren’t (always) about eco-friendliness. It’s still always in the back of our heads and the depths of our hearts, so I guess it’s the foundation of this weird, sensitive little spot on the interwebs. Heck, my first post was even about Earth Day and how the movie “Food, Inc.” inspired me to think differently about our eating (and ecological) habits. So, there’s that.

My first anniversary, I forgot…or skipped over, or whatever. Maybe I was still too high on being married for 6 months, or too excited about visiting friends (and getting some decor inspiration) in Massachusetts for yet another awesome wedding, or too busy posting embarrassing video to show off our boring house. Y’know, doing earth-shatteringly important things. 😉
Last year, I did up the 2nd anniversary. I was eager about the fact that we’d had over 6,000 views — we now have close to 16,000. That blows my mind, folks! I’ve started posting consistently (most of the time) three times a week — Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays — in case you haven’t noticed. I’d like to thank Blogger’s advanced scheduling option for that!

Over the past year, we’ve had lots of events happen, both personally and on a greater scale. We’ve been lucky enough to welcome a special little guy to our family, I’ve tackled breastfeeding, made a little bathroom progress, and, on a graver note, dealt with some more serious issues locally. I’m hoping to regenerate my hope and faith in the world and start to give you some more uplifting posts, but it’s taking time to dig out of the depths of hopelessness — especially as the world continues to show its evils so often.

So, anyway, I thought I’d use the same exact wording I used last year to see what YOU like to read (or hope to see more of) around this joint. After all, while I’m doing this ‘cuz I like to do it, I’m also doing it to hopefully help other folks in their lives. Here goes…

Beyond saying “thank you,” (but, seriously, THANK YOU!!!) I want to ensure that I keep any readers and potential followers happy. That being said, I’d appreciate some Blogiversary Back-Talk. Call it constructive criticism. Call it a virtual suggestion box. Call it “what would I rather read” feedback. Whatever we call it, I call it a huge help as to determining the direction of the blog, and it helps provide some focus.

Here are some suggestions of questions/ideas that you can respond to in the reply section. If Blogger is being naughty (as it often is!) and won’t let you reply, feel free to leave a message or comment on my Facebook page. Whatever way that you choose to get information to me (I’ll keep an eye out for homing pigeons), it’s greatly appreciated!

– What are your favorite parts about the blog? Your least favorite?
– What topics do you look forward to reading about?
– How do you feel about the design, organization, and appearance of the blog?
– Would you read more if I posted more? Less?
– How do you feel about baby stuff? More/less? (Same goes for cats…too much? Too little? Just right?)
– Do you just read for the amusement factor, or are you interested in green living or DIY (which I’m hoping to do more of) or recipes or what?

In the past, I’ve heard “Just keep doing what you’re doing”, which I appreciate hearing…but with a tad more information, I can streamline what I write and remind myself of reader interests. It matters! And it’s appreciated, lots!! So please, over-share as much as I over-share.

(On a side note, this week is my mom’s birthday…my niece’s birthday……and next week is mine! 😀 So, my blog’s in pretty good company. Fine ladies, fine ladies.)

Meaty Choice

I’ve been volleying the idea of vegetarianism around in my head (and even publicly, here and here) for awhile. We’ve mastered, in a loose way, Meatless Mondays — although they’re not always Mondays — but we haven’t taken a larger leap than that. I’ve even recently explained why we’re not vegetarians.

But something seemingly small and unimportant made me snap. I was watching a news story about the bird flu in China (which is being spread by chicken consumption) when the background video showed a man grabbing a bird out of a small cage full of numerous chickens.

Now, I’m not an idiot. I know that when I eat chicken, that chicken was once living. But, for whatever reason, when I heard the sound of the bird screeching, I was struck — not only did it sound like my baby crying, it was screaming for its life. It knew what was coming, and it couldn’t do anything about it. My stomach turned and I started to cry.

Since then, I’ve decided to cut back to eating meat on weekends. This all started earlier last week, so it hasn’t been a long adventure yet, but let’s just say it’s Saturday…and I haven’t had meat yet today (or the rest of the week). I’ve got a freezer full of meat that will need to be used up, so I’ll have to get around my guilt to do so, but I’ve never been good at going cold turkey, so giving myself the leeway helps.

The neatest thing is that when I finally told Dave about it, and found myself getting upset yet again, he immediately agreed and was on board; almost like he was waiting for our family to take the step.

And, much as how we’ve treated Meatless Monday (adjusting the day accordingly, just making sure to include more vegetarian meals throughout the week), we’re going to adjust our vegetarianism according to circumstances. For example, Hadley’s birthday party will be on a Saturday, and it’s shaping up to probably be a barbecue. Because of this (and because one of our issues is the fact that we’ve got very much carnivorous families), we’ll plan on eating meat this day; there may be other family events that fall M-F, so we’ll thus plan.

So, I suppose we’re taking flexitarianism up a notch. We’re also still lacto-ovo vegetarians, in that respect. Still eat eggs (from humanely treated chickies) and pasture-fed milk, yogurt and cheese. I could never give up cheese. It’s my weakness!!

I think the biggest challenge will be figuring out lunches; breakfast is easy, and dinner’s getting there, but work lunches can be a bit of a tough time. I’m still researching a lot of websites for meal ideas, but I’m sure I’ll be sharing what’s working for us. But, seriously, it’s become a lot easier to order delicious vegetarian options when going out ‘n about.

So, that’s an update on our meat-eating. (Side note: Second choice for post title: “Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?”)

A Day in the Life of Monkey Boy

…or Mister Man, or Had-Man, or any variation of our son’s nicknames. This is a guest post written by an 8-month-old Hadley. Since he can neither speak nor otherwise communicate thoughts beyond pointing, grunting, squealing, kicking, and the like, he shall have a ghost-writer. Poof, I’m a ghost.

I’m not really sure what a day is. Mom and Dad seem to think it has a beginning and an end; once in awhile I think I can fool them enough to believe that’s true. But, mostly things are just a series of naps with fun in between. Maybe that’s why I get so upset when it’s dark; why are they laying me back down?? I know I’m tired, but I don’t WANT to go in my crib. We should be enjoying life while we can. Sheesh.

Anyway, I guess things start when I realize my tummy feels way weird. Not really hurty, but weird. It’s dark and I don’t even really need to open my eyes; if I whine enough, Mama comes in the room, grumbling to herself and pulling her hair back (why does she DO that?? It’s so much fun to play with…and grab…and pull). She picks me up and carries me into the big bed. I love bouncing on it, when I’m in the mood, but when my tummy feels this way all I can think about is EATING.

Before I know it, I’m being awoken, this time by a tired-looking but happy mama. Whoa. Wait. Wasn’t I just eating? I know it relaxes me, but…? It’s a little less dark out and there’s a kitty coming to greet me. Mommy grabs some clothes and carries me downstairs.

I see Daddy quickly rushing back and forth, sometimes with something in his hand, sometimes not. He gets really excited to see me and calls me his buddy. He’s just so nice, I can’t stand it. His smile is the best.

Although I HATE it, Mama puts me on a blanket and takes all the clothes off me and puts different ones on. Why does she DO that?? She also puts one of those white things on her head and makes silly faces before taking the squishy, cold one off of me and putting the new one on. She is pretty weird. It’s hilarious, though, so I guess it works.

Before I know it, I’m bundled up in stuff that makes me feel really hot. I wish they wouldn’t put the things on my head, they feel so stuffy and funny. Mommy puts me in my cool seat and bundles me up MORE, then she hands me to my Daddy and kisses us goodbye. It’s Had and Dad time!

Daddy drives a littler thing than Mom’s, so it feels cozy, and he always has pretty sounds going. It’s the only place I really don’t mind falling asleep, and before I know it Daddy’s gone and I wake up at Grandma’s house.

Grandma’s really nice, and Lizzie is my cousin-buddy that I get to hang out with ALL DAY LONG! It’s fun to chase her in my Jalopy — oh, and the doggies, too! Sometimes they yip, but I’m not sure why.

It’s hard to keep track of the day. This is the place that I get bottles instead of Mommy, and we watch Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and some other things, and I eat my foods at different times. Most days, I have a great time, but sometimes my mouth hurts. Those days I don’t care where I am; I just don’t like it. Sometimes chewies help, sometimes not. Sometimes my tasty medicine helps, sometimes not. I wish I could be happy all the time, especially when I see how sad it makes Grandma and Mom and Dad, but I just can’t. I wonder if they’re happy all the time.

I know the end of the day is coming when Grandpa comes home and plays with me. Soon, Lizzie gets picked up by her Mommy or Daddy. They are so cool! Aunt Mary is always so nice and Uncle John is funny…and nice, too! Come to think of it, everybody in my family is pretty nice — unless Mommy loses her temper. That’s kind of funny to watch, though.

After Lizzie goes, Daddy shows up looking tired but excited to see me. I squeal and jump because I love him and I get to go home where my kitties and Mommy are. I love Grandma and Grandpa SO much, but home is my favorite.

I usually wake up again and realize I’m home. It’s so weird how that happens! Mommy and Daddy eat, and sometimes I eat with them — Mommy does double-duty. Daddy puts on his funny sounding phone where people talk and laugh and people clap. Other times, there are nice sounds again that Mommy (and sometimes Daddy) sings to. Oh, and Jasper jumps on the table to see me and try to steal Mommy’s food — it is SO funny!

Sometimes Mommy puts me in water in the kitchen with nice sounds on and I get to splash while she puts stuff all over me. Lately, Mommy has been pouring clean water in a cup and I get to drink it. I’m good at not spilling a lot! She also pours my water from the cup and I LOVE LOVE LOVE watching it and letting it fall through my hands. That’s one of my favorite things in the world, next to things that crinkle.

After I get out of the water, Mommy puts stuff on me, then MORE clothes. Then, we go on the bed and Daddy reads to me. I get to hold one of the hard books while he does voices from another book. I’m good at turning pages, and although I don’t know what these things really are, the pictures and colors and the way Daddy and Mommy talk during them, I love looking at them.

When the books are done, Mommy settles in on bed for me to eat. Sometimes I don’t go to sleep and it’s a fun game to see how late I can stay up — although Mommy always wins, eventually. Otherwise, I try to wake up to let them know I’m still around all while it’s dark.

Some days, I don’t go to Grandma’s. Some days, we all stay home together, or we go out in Mommy’s bigger car to different places, which I don’t hate. Some days I get to look at the boy in the glass, and other days I get to spend extra time touching the kitties and grabbing their tails. Some days, Mommy uses the loud thing on the floor and I help…it has a tail, too, you know! Just skinnier and longer. Some days, I spend more time with Daddy and he talks to me about when he was little or shows me things. Some days, Mommy gives me food to squish and try myself.

Some days I’m happy, some days I have hurties and can’t get happy.

But I LOVE to LOVE. I squeal and kick when something exciting is happening — which usually means seeing someone I love.

And I hope he always has that endless supply of love and joy and INTEREST in his loved ones and surroundings.

Bird is the Word

Raise your hand if that song is now officially in your hand. Raise both hands if you think of the obnoxious “Family Guy” episode that featured it. Consider me guilty.

(Side note: I guess I could’ve labeled this post “Put a Bird On It”, which is relatively on-trend…but kinda irrelevant to what I’m talkin’ ’bout, Willis.)

(Side note #2: I started writing this post the last week of March. Shame on me for waiting. I sit within view of a veritable blizzard. Blerg. Oh, well, if I didn’t continue on and finish this post, you would’ve gotten a pretty bleak one. So, you’re welcome! ;-))

Do birds know how ecstatic they can make humans? Or, at least the non-desensitized, finds-joy-in-simplicity types? Because they do. Truly.

I saw my first robin today. I’m pretty sure it was a lady bird (’twasn’t as pretty as a male, wop wop), but it was jumping around on the side of the road and suddenly my Monday became MOOONNNDDDAAAAAYYYY sung from the mountaintop with Maria. I literally sat up straight and grinned. Oncoming traffic didn’t know what to think of me. A robin! Amidst a colder-than-usual “spring”! It means SOMETHING!!

Sure, I saw some crocuses sprouting green this morning (below freezing here, folks), but the bird had me spastic.

Then, as I inched my way into my school’s parking lot, what soared proudly overhead? A frickin’ bald eagle. You can’t make this crap up. I became glass-half-full and ready to attack the day.

And, at the end of the “I can DO this!” day, I arrived home again to see several more robins and sundry other birds feasting on goodness knows what. The cats were having a field day observing, chirping, and generally gettin’ their feline on.

Bird. Ya heard? Word.