It seems that as of Monday Cecilia became interested in using the potty. I've been asking her for awhile now if she'd like to and she shakes her head no, or when I put her on the toilet seat she arches her hips dramatically and wails. I figured the elimination communication I did when she was an infant had been lost in the shuffle. However! She's starting using the toilet! Little squirts and farts, or big pees. Before bed last night she had a great big pee on the potty with toothbrush in mouth (in fact she went to bed with her toothbrush). Just yesterday after lunch we used the potty together and then she gave me the "more" sign and we went back to the potty and she peed some more!
Now I know there's a learning curve here and I'm sure we will go forward and backward on this whole thing, but I'm just happy that she's interested; that she's excited about it! When I go to the bathroom now, she comes with me and sits on her own potty. This new interest makes lots of sense as she's become so interested in doing things as we do them. For instance, salt on her eggs, she needs it! Steamed milk in her cup, yum! And of course shoes on everyone's feet all the time.
I was just beginning to wonder about potty training, and whether I ought to read a book or something and here she is showing interest on her own! These kids are pretty neat!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
One Of The Best.
Yesterday was our anniversary. It's been 1 year since that incredible celebratory party where we all had such a wicked good time. I wouldn't say it's been the easiest year of my life, I'd actually say it's been one of the hardest; a new baby and a new marriage is quite the combination punch to the old responsibility button in your head. It's nice when you spend a hard year with your 2 favorite people in the world though, and that I did. But that's not what I'm writing about today, oh no, I'm writing about food today.
Rafi and I had a truly remarkable meal in St Andrew's by the sea on Sunday evening to celebrate our anniversary at The Rossmount Inn. We had a 3 course dinner which we sort-of turned into a 4 course meal:
chiffonade of romaine lettuce, caesar dressing, bacon custard, parmesan crisp, shared between the 2 of us, the bacon custard was out of this world!
lentil-vegetables + roasted quail salad, chopped eggs, tarragon dressing, local cantaloupe brunoise, anne's choice
seared beef tenderloin carpaccio, truffle-mustard drizzle, crispy capers, pickled shitake, shaved parmesan, rafi's choice (and what a choice it was!!!)
braised "civet" of deer, egg spatzle, sauteed chanterelles, poached apple, cranberry compote, red wine-game reduction, and we both chose this, the poached apple, oh my!
lavendar-citrus creme brulee with a grand marnier sorbet was shared, with an espresso for Rafi
It was a decadent, rich meal and at the very top of my list of food memories in my life, I can still feel the texture and flavor of Rafi's carpaccio in my mouth. The crack and citrus sweet of the creme brulee. The deer meat that needed no knife to cut into pieces. My love of spaetzle. The very overfull belly at the end of the evening. The love between us to share something so special together, and the dream of eating around Italy someday. However even with so much fanfare, and excitement and amazing food, the top meal of my life is still those lamb sandwiches at Maple Tree Farm homemade by my new love and me in 2009.
Rafi and I had a truly remarkable meal in St Andrew's by the sea on Sunday evening to celebrate our anniversary at The Rossmount Inn. We had a 3 course dinner which we sort-of turned into a 4 course meal:
chiffonade of romaine lettuce, caesar dressing, bacon custard, parmesan crisp, shared between the 2 of us, the bacon custard was out of this world!
lentil-vegetables + roasted quail salad, chopped eggs, tarragon dressing, local cantaloupe brunoise, anne's choice
seared beef tenderloin carpaccio, truffle-mustard drizzle, crispy capers, pickled shitake, shaved parmesan, rafi's choice (and what a choice it was!!!)
braised "civet" of deer, egg spatzle, sauteed chanterelles, poached apple, cranberry compote, red wine-game reduction, and we both chose this, the poached apple, oh my!
lavendar-citrus creme brulee with a grand marnier sorbet was shared, with an espresso for Rafi
It was a decadent, rich meal and at the very top of my list of food memories in my life, I can still feel the texture and flavor of Rafi's carpaccio in my mouth. The crack and citrus sweet of the creme brulee. The deer meat that needed no knife to cut into pieces. My love of spaetzle. The very overfull belly at the end of the evening. The love between us to share something so special together, and the dream of eating around Italy someday. However even with so much fanfare, and excitement and amazing food, the top meal of my life is still those lamb sandwiches at Maple Tree Farm homemade by my new love and me in 2009.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Life in Image
Our Volunteer Open-Pollinated Squash-Pumpkin Harvest.
Dishtowels waiting to be folded in the sunlight.
A girl and her cat.
That rainy cidering day, note mouth and hand full of apple.
"Just making the morning tea in my new kitchen, would you like some salt on that?"
Dishtowels waiting to be folded in the sunlight.
A girl and her cat.
That rainy cidering day, note mouth and hand full of apple.
"Just making the morning tea in my new kitchen, would you like some salt on that?"
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Thinking About A Budget.
I've been reading about these Grocery Bill Challenges on a few blogs recently. I've also been thinking about our own Grocery Budget and while so much food that we consume I earn with Barter through the farms we also live across the street from the IGA. Do you have any idea how easy and convenient it is to live across the street from the IGA? You can just hop over any time you're out of cat food/bread/lemons/dish soap/chocolate/beer/whipping cream/basil/canning jars and while I try to plan ahead as much as possible for our needs and buy things in bulk and eat locally sometimes you can't contend with a quick trip to the IGA. Don't get me wrong, I love the IGA, they do a great job, wonderful people work there and it's a great outing when the girl needs to get out of the house (or I do for that matter). However when you try to stick to any kind-of budget and aren't very good at it you end of spending too much money at the IGA. That goes across the board...
So I guess I'm wondering how to create a budget. How do you make it happen? What are the strategies you use to manage your household finances? How do you walk the line between frugal and realistic? Is there a way to tighten the belt and spend less money while not limiting yourself? Is it a value shift? How do you get the "I Wants" out of your head?
So I guess I'm wondering how to create a budget. How do you make it happen? What are the strategies you use to manage your household finances? How do you walk the line between frugal and realistic? Is there a way to tighten the belt and spend less money while not limiting yourself? Is it a value shift? How do you get the "I Wants" out of your head?
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
I Have A Collection...
...and surprisingly enough it keeps growing since I've moved to Eastport! It is LeSportsac handbags. I know, I know I don't seem like the handbag type, I rarely carry one, but I have a small part of my heart that goes woozy for LeSportsacs. As all good things in life this is rooted in nostalgia, you see my Great-Aunt Thea Leni always carried one style, in navy blue across her sturdy little shoulders. She was a practical lady, frugal, sensible not inclined towards expensive things, but she always carried this singular brand name item. I began associating that little zipper strip on the bag with her sensibility. Then I moved to New York.
I remember being in Soho and seeing the LeSportsac store for the first time, I was star-struck, so I wandered in with my jaw slightly dropped, realizing that this brand also had some of the coolest patterned bags I'd ever seen! I coveted each bag I saw, imagining myself carrying it, but looked at the price tag and knew it was something I could only covet at this juncture in life. AND THEN! I went to the department store Century 21, across from the WTC, and realized they always had many a brand name bag at extremely discount prices, so it became a regular stop to see if they had an affordable bag in a pattern and shape that I liked. Then it happened, sophmore year, I bought one! It was a simple shape, perfect for carrying large pads of paper and supplies to Illustration class, a black and grey flowered pattern, and I still use it to this day to carry my art supplies when I'm on the move.
I've had a pink shoulder purse which I used for so long and hard that it became beyond filthy. I've had 2 different small wallets with attached keychains. I bought a shoulder bag at one point that I now use as my knitting bag featuring woodland animals. My biggest and most intentional LeSportsac purchase was The Weekender Bag, black circles on a white background, perfect for weekend getaways with your husband (perhaps I'll use it this weekend!). Most recently I found the smaller version of the weekender bag in red at The New To You, which it turns out my friend Kristin had thrifted, we've been using at as a diaper bag now and love it! Then just yesterday my friend Lindy brought me a little score she'd had at the Brewer Goodwill, a striped laptop bag that she gifted to me, very thoughtful. So much waterproof cute-patterned convenient carrying durable fun in my collection!
I remember being in Soho and seeing the LeSportsac store for the first time, I was star-struck, so I wandered in with my jaw slightly dropped, realizing that this brand also had some of the coolest patterned bags I'd ever seen! I coveted each bag I saw, imagining myself carrying it, but looked at the price tag and knew it was something I could only covet at this juncture in life. AND THEN! I went to the department store Century 21, across from the WTC, and realized they always had many a brand name bag at extremely discount prices, so it became a regular stop to see if they had an affordable bag in a pattern and shape that I liked. Then it happened, sophmore year, I bought one! It was a simple shape, perfect for carrying large pads of paper and supplies to Illustration class, a black and grey flowered pattern, and I still use it to this day to carry my art supplies when I'm on the move.
I've had a pink shoulder purse which I used for so long and hard that it became beyond filthy. I've had 2 different small wallets with attached keychains. I bought a shoulder bag at one point that I now use as my knitting bag featuring woodland animals. My biggest and most intentional LeSportsac purchase was The Weekender Bag, black circles on a white background, perfect for weekend getaways with your husband (perhaps I'll use it this weekend!). Most recently I found the smaller version of the weekender bag in red at The New To You, which it turns out my friend Kristin had thrifted, we've been using at as a diaper bag now and love it! Then just yesterday my friend Lindy brought me a little score she'd had at the Brewer Goodwill, a striped laptop bag that she gifted to me, very thoughtful. So much waterproof cute-patterned convenient carrying durable fun in my collection!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Things About Fall.
-Rain Boots, I feel unstoppable in otherwise miserable conditions!
-My Grandma Grant's Sweaters, they are beautiful objects, I get endless compliments on them and they keep me dry and warm.
-Slippers and Wool Socks and Flannel Night Gowns.
-Hot Baths, so comforting.
-Family Time, it's somehow that much more snuggily now that wet cold weather has arrived.
-Cooking Soups and Stews and Roasts all day.
-Singing songs
-My Grandma Grant's Sweaters, they are beautiful objects, I get endless compliments on them and they keep me dry and warm.
-Slippers and Wool Socks and Flannel Night Gowns.
-Hot Baths, so comforting.
-Family Time, it's somehow that much more snuggily now that wet cold weather has arrived.
-Cooking Soups and Stews and Roasts all day.
-Singing songs
Monday, October 3, 2011
Rainy Cidering
Saturday was the Perry Harvest Fair, which is an annual fair in which there are many vendors: farmers, crafters, display booths and delicious food (like hot doughnuts!). There are fun homegrown activities like an apple pie contest, scarecrow making, music and dance demonstrations; the best part is seeing everyone you know! Which is SO fun in my opinion! Our friend Regina, who runs The Farms to Schools program in Washington County, was cider pressing and knowing this I loaded up the back of our car with apples to bring down, despite the impending "scattered showers." So I dressed Miss Ce and I in jeans or overalls, long-undy-shirts and wool sweaters (both knitted by my grandmother Miss Janet) we pulled on our rainboots and brought cozy hats and headed down to the fair while Puppa secured the last posts to the porch roof. We were ready for rain, and rain it did!
Our friend Emily Guirl was helping out too as well as 12 year-old Oona and Hailey and we pressed the heck out of those apples. I seemed to be the main cranker of the press and the girls all threw apples in for me, Miss Ce mostly busied herself by rearranging apples, some into containers, but mostly into her mouth! I think for the whole 3 hours we were there she must have been eating apples or splashing in puddles most of the time. When the cider started being pressed and flowing the 12 year-old girls gave Cecilia some cider and she chugged it down, and so they kept giving her more as she was pretty funny drinking that cider. As we went through the cycles for crushing apples and pressing them the girl quickly fell into the rhythms, looking for the moment when the cider would start flowing. It felt nice to me as a mother, because with so many good friends there who knew Cecilia so well I was really feeling that "It takes a village" kind-of feeling. It felt like for that day, for that crowd Cecilia was the perfect age and everyone enjoyed how much Cecilia enjoyed the fair and the rain!
Our friend Emily Guirl was helping out too as well as 12 year-old Oona and Hailey and we pressed the heck out of those apples. I seemed to be the main cranker of the press and the girls all threw apples in for me, Miss Ce mostly busied herself by rearranging apples, some into containers, but mostly into her mouth! I think for the whole 3 hours we were there she must have been eating apples or splashing in puddles most of the time. When the cider started being pressed and flowing the 12 year-old girls gave Cecilia some cider and she chugged it down, and so they kept giving her more as she was pretty funny drinking that cider. As we went through the cycles for crushing apples and pressing them the girl quickly fell into the rhythms, looking for the moment when the cider would start flowing. It felt nice to me as a mother, because with so many good friends there who knew Cecilia so well I was really feeling that "It takes a village" kind-of feeling. It felt like for that day, for that crowd Cecilia was the perfect age and everyone enjoyed how much Cecilia enjoyed the fair and the rain!
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