Another Simpson Family

How would you look as a Simpson character?

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build your own (that's my interpretation of me on the left)

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Sweet dreams

I must have had too much rumbling around in my head last night as I drifted off to sleep because I had three bad dreams.

Maybe it had to do with what we were watching on TV before we went to bed. Or maybe it was just the luck of the draw. I woke up after each dream and tried to think about happy things – honestly, I tried thinking about anything other than what I had just been dreaming. That’s a little like not thinking about pink elephants though. (You’re thinking about pink elephants now aren’t you?)

I remember when I was little and I would have a bad dream, I would shout “Mom!” out into the darkness of the house. Magically, she would always appear – and that’s how I knew everything was ok. Of course, I was always a little jealous that after she calmed me down, she got to go back to bed with Dad and I was left in my room alone! Even last night, I was glad that I could snuggle up a little closer to Adam.

So it goes, I guess. Windows to the soul or jumbles of events and thoughts from the day – I’m not really sure what they are but in the middle of the night, in the middle of the darkness, dreams become reality. Both Adam and I have woken up, talking to the other – making no sense whatsoever in the real world, but adamantly insisting that sense is being made! =)

This morning, the sun rose and the details of my dreams faded and I wondered what was so scary last night. Just like that, reality was altered and all was right with the world again. It’s kind of crazy when you stop and think about it. C’est la vie, I guess.

But still, maybe just tonight, I’ll read one of Addy’s ‘happy ending’ story books before I shut off the light.

Pirate Master * (out of *****)

Adam and I have been watching Pirate Master on CBS. The premise: a group of (reality show) pirates sailing the seas in search of treasure. It had the possibilities of being the next Survivor… up until about halfway through the second episode. The first few episodes were ok, but I’d been watching the last few simply to see the ending.

The rules were ever changing (in some places the participants on the show even seemed to be following different rules than the host explained to the viewers) and the ousting ceremonies appeared to be green screened. The editing was misleading, with cast interviews from later episodes being spliced into earlier episodes and vice versa. Further the cast members – at times more creepy (John) and strange (Azmyth) than the typical reality show contestants – were a little too over-the-top for comfortable viewing.

It appears that the show has been ‘cancelled’ – leaving the final episodes to play out on the web only. What’s sad about it is that the show could have been good. Adam and I have talked about some variations that we think would have made the show more interesting and more thought provoking (armchair producers that we are)… but in the end, it ultimately was a confusing and contrived debacle on the high seas.

Insert your ‘walk the plank’ joke here.

Chicken and fruit salads

Last night, for our movie night, the fam went to see The Princess Bride in the park. We took along our dinner (BBQ chicken salad sandwiches, fruit salad, chips and strawberry peach shortcake for dessert) and had a picnic under the stars. It was a gorgeous night - clear enough to see the Big Dipper and even a shooting star too!

BBQ Chicken Salad Sandwiches:
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
8 Kaiser rolls, split
8 tomato slices
8 lettuce leaves

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag; add barbecue sauce. Seal the bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate overnight.
2. Grill chicken, covered, over medium-hot heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Cool; cover and refrigerate chicken until chilled.
3. Chop chicken; place in a bowl. Stir in the mayonnaise, onion, celery, salt and pepper flakes. Serve on rolls with tomato and lettuce.

Fruity Rainbow Salad:
INGREDIENTS:
1 (8 ounce) can unsweetened pineapple chunks
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
2 cups green grapes
1 (15 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup sliced nectarines
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup honey
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:
1. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup juice. (Discard remaining juice or save for another use). In a bowl, combine the pineapple, strawberries, grapes, oranges, blueberries and nectarines.
2. In another bowl, combine the lemon juice, honey, nutmeg and reserved pineapple juice. Pour over fruit; mix gently. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Ratings: (out of *****)
Sandwiches: Adam *** 1/2; Melanie ****
Salad: Adam ****; Melanie ****
Movie: Adam *****+; Melanie *** 1/2

Just lion around

Travel

Where in the world have you been? =)

Harry Potter and the end

Adam finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows less than 15 hours after it arrived via Special UPS Delivery (in a special Harry Potter box for Muggles no less) yesterday morning. And now he’s driving me crazy. He knows things. He knows about the fate of Harry and Lord Voldemort and Ron and Hermione too. He wants to tell me, but he doesn’t want to tell me. I want to know but I don’t want to know… and so it goes.

I started reading Harry Potter right after I moved to Seattle. I would read during my lunch hours. Harry and I grew rather close over Wendy’s hamburgers in the shadows of all of the tall downtown buildings. I was surprised that I could be so taken over an 11 year old – special though he was in his own world. I was though – I was ensorcelled… one might even say bewitched. =)

There were only three books published at the time that I started and I couldn’t wait for the fourth. I devoured that one right after it came out. I tore into the fifth book and about 50 pages in, I got busy with other things, and I never found my way back. (Hard to believe, I know). Six went rather unnoticed by me. There was hype surrounding the release – I remember that, but I had lost that mad-Harry love somewhere along the way. I heard about some of the secrets (how could I not?), but after I learned of them, I figured I really didn’t need to read the rest of the (dare I say) filler.

Ok, ok, the chastising can stop now. I know that I am in the minority with my views and I can now say that I have seen the error of my ways. Our family went to see the fifth movie a couple weeks ago and I realized that I was wrong about the story that I couldn’t see my way through a couple years ago.

I’m starting the sixth book tonight, with hopes to finish the seventh in the next few days. After all, these books promise magic, romance, intrigue and mystery. So, Harry, I guess it’s safe to say that we’ve come a long way (well you’ve probably come farther than I have), but progress has been made on my side too. So – on to the end, my friend. Though a little late to the party, I’ll be there. Thanks in advance for a fantastic ride.

Ratatouille **** (out of *****)

As a huge fan of Pixar movies, I was excited to see Ratatouille. So, we loaded up Addy in the Ergo with thoughts that she would sleep throughout the movie. We sat on the aisle and I was poised and ready to leave if she started to whimper. There are many movies that we would not chance taking a potentially fussy Addy to, but because this was a kids’ movie, we felt a little more comfortable taking Addy along.

Whether it was my little trepidation that she sensed or just the fact that being a kid means that schedules are rarely set in stone, Addy was a little fussy throughout the movie. I left twice to feed her, but each time, I was able to pop back into the story with no problem. Of course, this ability should be expected from this type of a movie, but it seemed that maybe it was a little too easy. The pacing felt a little off and somewhat drawn out in places.

However, it was still fun. Seeing a kitchen full of rat chefs was a little disconcerting (and of course more than a little silly as well). Of course in the end, everything worked out for the best and the theater goers left with smiles on their faces too.

I still maintain that Monsters, Inc. is the best Pixar movie out there, so it’s probably not fair to compare every Pixar movie made to that one, but I do. So, it was no Monsters, Inc. But it was still definitely worth the trip and time. Also, from what we could tell, Addy, often smiling and watching the screen, really seemed to enjoy the animation too!

Meatloaf

Adam and I have decided to make Wednesday nights 'dinner and a movie' nights. My goal is to prepare a new recipe for these evenings. Last night we had Firefighter Meatloaf (found on allrecipes.com), which, along with tossed salad, garlic mashed potatoes, corn (and rootbeer floats for dessert!) was perfect comfort food to go with the rainy, cool (finally!) weather.

We didn't end up watching a movie - but watched an old favorite (The West Wing) instead (though in the theater so that it felt like a movie).

Firefighter Meatloaf
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Yields: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:
2 slices whole wheat bread
2 pounds ground beef (I only used 1.5lbs)
1 green onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 cup medium salsa
2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon barbeque sauce (I used ketchup)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Soak the bread in warm water in a small bowl. Place the beef in a large bowl. Drain bread and add to beef along with green onion, onion, salsa, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix by hand until well blended. Form into a loaf and place in a greased loaf pan.
3. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven. Drain off excess fat and top with barbeque sauce. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.


Adam's Rating on the Meatloaf: **** (out of 5)
My Rating on the Meatloaf: **** (out of 5)

Adam's Rating on the Movie (WW) ***** (out of 5)
My Rating on the Movie (WW) ***** (out of 5) - of course! =)

Unique Addy

I've started journaling to/for Addy, because I want to remember the thoughts and feelings that go through my head and heart as I watch her grow and learn. There are so many things that I want for her. One of hundreds: I want her to find her way in life - for herself. If schools today are anything like the ones that I went to, there will be pressure to conform. While, in certain situations that's not all bad, I want her to realize that it's ok (and good, even) to be unique in certain ways too.

So, I was really happy to find Trendy Tadpole mentioned the other day on another Mom's blog. The online store has such cute and distinctive clothing. Of course, there will always be a place for pink in Addy's life, but every once in a while, it's fun to dress her in something that distinguishes her from others. I hope that she is able to approach life in the same way - ordinary with a dash of the extraordinary. For now, it's simply clothing, but I hope that she understands the larger meaning as she grows.

Nice to meet you!

Ok, so this isn't a picture of the current week, but it is one that I wanted to show off. Look at Addy at 3.5 months, standing to meet her Great Grandpa!



The original picture can be seen here.

Create a masterpiece

Click on the picture to make a work of art in true Jackson Pollock style.

Here's my own masterpiece - I think I may have found my calling... or not.

Addy's Mom

It’s official – for now, I’m a Stay-at-Home-Mom. It’s actually been official for about two and a half weeks, but we were out of town for the week of July 4th, so the realization has just started to sink in as life has somewhat now returned to ‘normal’ - not that we really have had ‘normal’ in the past 5 months! But it’s as normal now as it ever will be going forward, so I guess it’s safe to say that that’s where we are. :)

Even before I went back to work both Adam and I struggled with the decision of whether or not I should go back. Before Addy was born, I truly had not realized the magnetic Addy-force that I would feel from something so small. Being in limbo is hard though, and so we finally decided that I would go back to work as planned, with the ‘opt-out’ clause there and ready to be used if either one of us wanted to use it.

After being back to work five and a half weeks, we changed the plan. I’ve heard it said that the hardest decision is to decide to make change. I can believe it. So after discussing and discussing (and discussing some more), I gave my notice at work. And so now, here we are.

To be completely honest, I’m still struggling a little with my decision. I absolutely think that we made the right choice and I’m enjoying my time with Addy immensely. And, every day as I continue to see her develop and grow, I’m so thankful that I can be at home with her to see and experience these things. I’m happy that Adam and I can (hopefully!) work to establish a consistent framework for life for Addy in these early and formative years too. But there’s a little part of me wondering about the business world passing me by and there’s a little fear that I’ll lose myself in mommyhood without that other part of my life.

I have to say, I never realized all that goes into each side of the “stay at home or not” question. One of Adam’s friends said that with this decision to make, you’ll have regrets either way you go. He didn’t mean it pessimistically… he just has some clarity on this question – straight from his family’s own experience. Throughout this process, I’ve often wished (gasp!) that we were in the 1940s, so that the choice would be made for me. I’ve come to my senses and don’t wish that now – I do realize a slide backwards in time or in progress is not the solution to my (or the world’s) problems.

But I’ve noticed that when I answer the “What do you do?” question since staying at home has become a possibility, I’ve felt myself wanting to launch into this little diatribe. So, I guess now I’ve had my chance. =)

Now with this off my chest, I’m going to enjoy the wonder of an almost-five-month-old-Addy and take pleasure in every minute of it. My official title is now “Addy’s Mom”. I’ve got a couple other ideas up my sleeve, but for right now, Addy is my main client. It’s where I want to be right now and I’m confident that we made the right decision. And I feel good about that.