Pumpkin Carving

One of the downsides to city living is that we don't have a driveway or a front yard. Our front door opens directly onto the sidewalk, so things like pumpkins set out tend to disappear or end up smashed in the middle of the street.

For that reason, we've mostly kept our Halloween pumpkins inside and not carved them. Once they are carved, they rot faster, so by keeping them intact, I had fall decorations that lasted much longer.

This year, I was tersely informed by Johnny that we would be carving the pumpkin this year and we would be roasting the seeds to eat as well.

Having received my orders, this afternoon we did some research online, chose a design and carved our pumpkin. Maureen wanted a funny face and Johnny wanted a scary one, but as the carver, I had the final say. The funny face looked pretty difficult, so we went with the simpler scary face.

I thought scooping the innards out with his hands might be easier than using a spoon, but Johnny quickly decided he didn't like the slime. And both kids were quick to tell me that the pumpkin was stinky. It's not rotten, it smells like a pumpkin is supposed to, but they are right, it's not a great smell.



Maureen was not interested in putting her hand in the pumpkin. "You want me to put my hand....in there? Ewwwwww!"

When the pumpkin was finished, we headed outside for a picture.

Behold the final result.


Happy Halloween to all!

Puddle Jumpers

When we came out of the grocery store on Saturday and it was pouring, we ran to the van to quickly get inside. Johnny made it, but I still had to load a cartful of groceries into the back and the sideways rain meant I got pretty wet.

At home, my little helper insisted on putting on his boots to help me lug all the food inside and we got wetter.

At some point, I decided that I didn't care about possible germs swimming in the gutters, swapped my leather footwear for flip flops, and set off on a puddle jumping adventure with my little boy.





I couldn't tell you the last time I jumped in a puddle, and I had also forgotten how much fun it is.

By the time we got back to the house, we were both soaked to the skin and shivery, but laughing out loud.

Sometimes it's fun to quit being an adult and just do what the kids do.

Happiness Is Giggling Siblings

Disney On Ice At The 1st Mariner Arena

Last winter, Feld Entertainment brought the circus to Baltimore. We attended courtesy of Mom Central, and had a blast.

Starting on October 28th, Feld is bringing Disney On Ice to the 1st Mariner Arena. Families can save on weekday tickets by entering the code MOM at www.ticketmaster.com For 44 dollars, you get four tickets. If weekdays don't work for you, the code will also get you 4 dollars off weekend tickets. Additional tickets are 11 dollars each.

Baltimore Show Dates:

Wednesday October 28: 7:30pm
Thursday October 29: 7:30pm
Friday October 30: 10:30am, 7:30pm
Saturday October 31: 11:00pm, 2:30pm, 6:30pm
Sunday, November 1: 12:30pm, 4:30pm

Mom Central and Feld have given us tickets, so we'll be attending next week and I'll post pictures and my impressions.

Menu Plan: Farm Fresh

On Monday, Johnny and his dad went on a field trip for preschool to a local farm to ride in a wagon and pick produce. I went last year, and we came home with a pile of stuff that I then turned into dinner, but I wasn't sure what to expect this time. This is what we got this year.

2 small (more like tiny) pumpkins
2 large sweet potatoes
4 beets
~2 pounds string beans and lima beans
1 large bunch cilantro
1 large bunch curly parsley

The pumpkins are being used as decorations, but since Johnny has informed me that we WILL be carving a pumpkin this year and we WILL be roasting the seeds, we'll need to get a larger pumpkin soon. My husband also decided to pickle the beets, which is a good thing because I hate beets and have no idea what to do with them. The rest is going into the latest menu plan.



**Winter Harvest Soup and Artichoke Bread--This soup was the first time I ever tried cooking butternut squash. Even better, it can go in the crockpot. I'll use one of the sweet potatoes in place of the white potatoes, or maybe some of both. The bread is creamy and yummy and probably not very waistline friendly, but it's so good, who really cares?
**Beef and Wild Rice Medley--No farm fresh produce in this one, but I can whip this up in no time for an easy, yummy dinner on a chilly night. I usually precook the beef in the crockpot so it's tender. Salads to go with it and maybe some extra steamed veg.
**Chicken Cheese Steaks with Beans n' Bacon--Way back in the dark ages (AKA pre-kids), John and I ate once at Hooters. Laugh if you must, but they have a really good salad and John liked this chicken sandwich that is no longer on the menu. I'm going to try to replicate it, and serve the beans along side, cooked with some bacon.
**Hearty Salisbury Steak and Sweet Potato Fries--Salisbury steak usually makes me think of cafeteria food with gloppy gravy, but this version from Healthy Cooking Magazine is delicious! Sweet potato fries and salads to go with it.
**Tomato Basil Soup and Grown Up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches--It's been rainy and chilly out, so I'm in a soup making sort of mood. The sandwiches are an idea I got from a cafe we ate it in the neighborhood once, and they are made with a hearty, thick sort of bread, fresh mozzarella, goat cheese and feta.

I'm also going to use the cilantro to make Fresh Salsa for John.

What are you eating lately?

The Internal Struggle

Although I consider myself an AP mom, I had never heard the term before my children were born, and for a long time, I didn't know that the techniques I employed as a mother were considered Attachment Parenting.

A lot of the principles of AP came to me naturally. I breastfed both kids, practiced infant massage, wore my babies in slings and carriers. I knew from the very beginning that cutting my work hours and staying home as much as possible was the right choice for my family. And I knew that I never wanted to spank my children.

Other principles came about when facing challenges as a parent. When my son was having some sleeping difficulties, so many people told me to just let him cry it out and he'd be sleeping like an angel within a week. But it didn't feel right to me. I started to look into other, more gentle ways of sleep training, and that led to part time co-sleeping, and my discovery of the "AP Way."

In general, although I know the Mommy Wars do exist in some form, I've had very little strife in my own life when it comes to parenting choices. This may because I tend to gravitate towards people with the same sort of philosophy, or it could be because people are less likely to be nasty and judgmental to your face (as opposed to the Internet, where anything goes), but most discussions about breastfeeding, co-sleeping, staying home or not spanking have been respectful. And I love to talk about AP and how well it works for us. Especially when friends mention their children's sleeping issues.

But just recently, I have found myself in a position where those around me, so to speak, are not on the same page. It's an online mom's forum, and there are all kinds of moms there. Religious moms, atheist moms, single moms and married moms. Moms of different races, different backgrounds, different beliefs. Sometimes it gets nasty, sometimes there is finger pointing, sometimes there is name calling, and there is definitely judgement.

When I read a post by someone who not only practices but heartily recommends something that goes against everything I believe in, I found myself struggling internally. Is it possible to ignore it? Is it advisable to ignore it? Where should an AP mom's desire to spread the news end?

In the end, I usually end up doing nothing, while inside my head, I'm screaming, "No! You can't spoil a 6 week old baby, don't let her lie there and cry!"

Part of the reason I bite my tongue is because after years of being online and being a member of various groups, I've realized that there is no point in arguing with a nameless, faceless person on the Internet who isn't inclined to change her mind. The other part is because I actually work for this website and it's my job to be nice.

For now, my personal rule is to only really bring up the nitty gritty of Attachment Parenting and the principles if someone specifically asks for help. Then I share what we do, how it works for us, and also include references for books, websites, and of course, API Speaks. I figure if someone is asking, she really wants to know, and that way I can avoid being the target of the name calling, judgement and finger pointing, while still spreading the word.

How about you? As an AP parent, how do you balance being a representative of the AP philosophy without overstepping bounds and making enemies?

**crossposted at API Speaks.

The Small Purse Club

My brother once joked that as I get older, my purse continues to get bigger. He's not exactly wrong, but there's a reason behind it.

What does a teenager need to carry around, besides some money, ID, and maybe a tampon and tube of lipgloss? That's probably when the purse is smallest.

But then that teenager grows into an adult and needs to carry things like grocery lists and coupons and checkbooks.

The purse grows.

After that, the adult has babies and has a sudden need to carry a bag stuffed with half the house, because it's a given that the little person traveling with her will decide to puke or poop on something, or get cold or get hot or need a pacifier or need a teether or need his mouth wiped. That's not counting the 42 diapers and box of wipes. And then the babies get bigger and the burp clothes and pacis are replaced with bags of Cheerios and lollipops and Elmo phones.

At some point, other people in the family realize how big the bag is, and start asking, "Can I put my wallet/cell phone/gloves/kitchen sink in your bag?"

Then you start to feel like a pack mule and take up yoga to relieve the constant pain in your shoulder from hauling the giant, overstuffed bag. (And, at some point, you might say in a nasty sort of tone, "No, you have pockets. Carry your own damn phone and get your crap out of my bag!")

After Johnny potty trained and I no longer needed to carry diapers for two kids, I downsized to a smaller bag. And this spring, my yellow bag seemed sort of empty and I was always losing stuff inside it. When I switched to my maroon fall/winter bag, the feeling was even worse, and because I was carrying so little stuff, the bag kept falling off my shoulder and sometimes bonking Maureen on the head because she likes to walk on that side. When John and I went away to Cape May, I decided I really didn't need a huge bag since I didn't need diapers or wipes, and switched to a smaller, brown suede purse I found in my closet from pre-baby days. And once we came home, I found that I didn't really need or want to switch back.

On Sunday, Maureen and I attended a baby shower and when my mom went looking for my purse, she overlooked it, because she didn't think I'd be carrying something so small.

Now, I'm pretty sure my brother will consider this bag to be huge anyway, since he carries everything he needs in his pockets.



But I'm proud to be a member of the Small Purse Club. After all those years of digging through diapers and undershirts and pacifiers and matchbox cars to get to my stuff, it's a relief to carry something so lightweight, it doesn't even hurt my shoulder.

Delightful

When we look back at old videos or pictures of Maureen before she had her eye surgery, we're always shocked at how much her left eye drifted. It didn't seem so pronounced back then, but I guess a bit of perspective changes that.

The weather has been nice and mild and we're outside as much as possible, providing plenty of opportunities for photos. Here are a couple recent ones of Maureen, in which you can see how nicely aligned her eyes are. She makes me smile, because you can see her sunny personality shining through in these pictures.

Maureen Goes To School

On Tuesday, my baby girl faced a big milestone.

She started preschool.

She is in the same program as Johnny, but while he goes three days a week, she only goes once a week. In addition, the parents start out in the classroom with the kids, and when they are comfortable, we go off to another room to have a discussion about parenting two year olds. I won't actually leave her there until next year.

Johnny and I both got a lot out of this program last year and I really wish I had known about it when he was three. Three was a rough year for both of us and I could have really used some other parents to lean on. Maureen has always been an easier child than her brother, but she does turn three in about 6 weeks, and who knows what will happen then. At least I'm prepared this time.

Here she is at home, squinting into the sun and unwilling to let me hold her snack so I could take her picture.



And here she is posing outside of school, still unwilling to hand over the brown paper bag.



She's pretty familiar with the classroom and the teachers, so the first thing she wanted to do when we got inside was wash her hands--the protocol for the four year old group. And while many of the other kids were nervous or overwhelmed, she sat down right away at the Play Doh table and dug in, then took her turn at the craft table and the easel before heading off the play with blocks. She looked over to make sure I was there a few times, then smiled and waved, but overall she did really well, and I don't think it will be long before I can leave for the parents room.

A Timely Reminder

On Sunday afternoon, I sat at my desk, fretting because I had so much to do. My calender for the month of October is already jammed with stuff, and my head was filled with all the things I need to do. Clean the bathroom, scoop the catbox, laundry. Buy Kristen a baby gift. Get Maureen some pants before the cold weather gets here. Get Johnny boots before his farm field trip, drop off the dry cleaning. Call the Salvation Army, check the cat's vaccination records, buy stamps. I had a menu plan to make and a grocery list and coupons to collect, plus we're out of just about everything and I needed to make a Walmart list for my husband. Maureen's late eye doctor appointment meant making some arrangements so I could get through downtown during rush hour, and I had to make sure I had her medical forms for school this week. I took over the treasurer position for preschool this year too, so I had a checkbook to balance, a deposit to prepare, paperwork to file.

When did life get so busy? When did weekends become days to work my tail off to prepare for the coming week?

I accomplished much on my list while Maureen napped and my husband and son went for a bike ride, then skipped church in favor of the grocery store.

When my husband and son came home from church, I flipped through the bulletin and found this prayer. A timely reminder that while life may be busy, it doesn't have to be stressful. A timely reminder that the world won't come crumbling down if I take an hour to ride bikes with my kids or an hour to thank God for my many blessings.

Too Much To Do...

Lord, I just have too much to do,

But it's all important..

At least I think it is.

Help me to set my priorities

So that I don't feel so lost

In the pace and the pressure.

Give me the wisdom and energy

To accomplish what is necessary

Without wasting time or effort.

Help me to make the best use of each day,

Remembering that while Time

Is a most precious gift,

The most precious gift

Is the gift of your love for me

And the gift of love

I share with those most close to me. Amen.

Don't forget to vote for me in the Mobbies! Click here, and I'm in the Family category. You can vote once a day until October 9th at 5PM. Thanks!

Menu Plan: Make It Quick

Last week, I used my crockpot three times to make dinner. I love my crockpot. Whomever invented the crockpot is my hero. Seriously.

Anyway, the weather has been pretty typical for a Maryland fall. The other morning, the temperature in the house had dropped below 60 degrees, so I kicked the heat on for a little while so the kids would stop shivering. By evening, it was so warm that the heat was off and the windows open. And it was 80 on Saturday.

But there is a definite fall feel to the air, and this week promises to be a crazy one. Maureen has an appointment with the surgeon who fixed her eyes, and she also starts school on Tuesday. Throw in work, yoga, school for Johnny, and other assorted activities, and who has time to cook? Crockpot, you are my salvation.

Here's what we're eating this week.

**Fully Loaded Chili--This tasty and healthy dish has 4 different kinds of beans in it. I'll serve it with bread and maybe salads.
**Smothered Round Steak with Egg Noodles--My mom's garden was especially prolific when it came to green peppers this summer, so in addition to quick and easy recipes, I'm also looking for ways to use up all the peppers. Veggies and salads to go with it.
**One Pot Chicken Dinner--I spotted this recipe in a magazine earlier this year and it quickly became a family favorite. It adapts well to the slow cooker too.
**Crispy Coconut Chicken--I have a bag of shredded coconut that is so old, I can't begin to remember when I bought it. It seems to be okay, maybe a little dry, but I'm going to try to use some of it up with these tasty chicken fingers. Rice and steamed veggies to go with it.
**Fish and Chips--I've been trying to make fish more often. Unless someone else cooks it and the fish is bought that day, I still can't eat it, but the kids have decided they like fish if they have something to dip it in. Veggies and maybe couscous to go with it, and I'll eat a big salad instead.

What are you eating this week?

Don't forget to vote for me in the Mobbies! Click here, and I'm in the Family category. You can vote once a day until October 9th at 5PM. Thanks!