Radical Mama Law

One more day of arguing...

2012-02-10T08:05:00.000-05:00

I have been trying to get Blue Cross and Blue Shield to pay for six of Henry's OT visits at the end of 2011 and they are being truly crazy. Yesterday I had one of the most frustrating conversations ever with a guy named Bruce, who, in the end, said he needed to do more research before he could send a denial because I had convinced him to look into some things. Yeah, nice. He said "they" had emailed an explanation for denial but he didn't think it was right after talking to me.

Bruce, poor guy, is like person number ten I've gone around and around about this thing with, and they all come around. And then the claims are still not paid and u get to deal with someone new. It's awesome. But I'm right, and I won't stop bugging them.

Don't eff with a lawyer who is also mama to a special needs kid. Seriously.

And yes, I have socks.

2012-02-08T07:59:00.001-05:00

Dear double pointed needles,
You are awesome, thanks for giving me a chance. We have a beautiful future together, BFF, ok? Mwah!
Love, V

Over here!

2012-02-05T11:16:00.001-05:00

Look, I can only update one place on a wacky day like today, so check us out over on the family blog: http://hamstocks.blogspot.com/

It's fun.

Crafty Mama bringing it for Henry!

2012-02-03T22:19:00.001-05:00

More Stitching envy

2012-01-19T08:05:00.001-05:00

My mom and grandmother just got this ready to go out to be finished (backing, etc) so it will be ready for next year. So awesome.

I can knit SOCKS!!!

2012-01-17T11:18:00.000-05:00

Ok, so these are yoga socks, so there are no heels or toes, but still... I can do it!! Double pointed needles are my best buddies. Knitting has now moved to the next level. Are you excited? I'm excited. The world of things I can knit has just exponentially increased.

I'm going to need more sock yarn, wrah ha ha ha!!!

Yoga Sock, number one.

2012-01-15T19:46:00.000-05:00

I still have to make number two, but since it goes on my foot and feels sock-esque, I'm feeling like there is a real chance I can get into this sock-knitting thing. Oh, and little double pointed needles and I, formerly awkward acquaintances, are now good friends. Not best buds yet, but we hang out.

Two gnome friends

2012-01-15T19:43:00.000-05:00

Nature gnome and Wizard. Or daytime, nighttime. Or hot and cool. For sweet Luc's third birthday tomorrow. Love!

Little gnome buddy

2012-01-13T21:28:00.001-05:00

Nature gnome for a little friend's birthday Monday. He will have a wizard friend before long... I love making gnomes, it's true.

My Warm, Fuzzy, Go-To Dinner Plan

2012-01-11T09:53:00.001-05:00

In our house, we try to eat local. We try to eat whole, real foods. We try to be really back to basics, and enjoy the process of cooking together and sharing our meals. We mostly succeed, at least when it comes to making food ourselves and eating together. We sometimes cheat, and order food or use prepped foods. We sometimes get a little cranky about making dinner, losing the joy of the process. OK, I get cranky about that part.

I do have a go-to meal that stretches across days with variations and healthy options, and it's my favorite thing ever. I love taking a whole chicken, and seeing it through roasting, extra meals of chicken salad or similar, and then hearty, healthy soups from whole ingredients.

I've started loving variations on the soups and chicken salads, changing up the sides with the roast chicken, and playing with the herbs that make the crispy skin delicious.

Here are my tricks, which I encourage everyone to try. Taking good, whole, local ingredients and creating healthy, hearty meals is good for you and everyone who breaks bread with you. Oh, and my sweet husband is in charge of the bread making, so encourage your dinner-mates to bake bread, especially for soup!

Rosemary and (optional) Lemon Roast Chicken

1 whole chicken (2-6 lbs.)
1/2 lemon, cut in quarters (optional)
2 large sprigs rosemary
apx 3 Tbs olive oil
coarse salt (I prefer kosher)
fresh ground pepper
dried thyme

Preheat oven to 350, and set racks low in the oven (second lowest or lowest rung).

Get a whole, good quality chicken (with skin) and remove the innards and neck (in the cavity) and discard. (NB, You can use neck and innards for stock or gravy if you wish.) Wash inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels.

Rub skin with olive oil, coating bird. Place bird, breast up, on a roasting rack set in a roasting pan.

*You can also cut large slices of onion, place them in the bottom of a roasting pan - or any 9x13" pan - and set the bird directly on top. I like the roasting pan because it's easy clean up - also line the pan with aluminum foil to catch the drippings for easy clean up.*

Pull the small arms of the bird back behind the neck, and tuck in. (Like the chicken was lying on its back with it's hands behind its neck - it just tucks the wings down so they don't overcook pointing directly at the heat source)

Place the rosemary and lemons (optional) into the cavity of the bird. Just shove it all inside, whatever fits.

Sprinkle bird with coarse salt, thyme, and ground pepper. You can also add other dried herbs, etc. if you want to add other flavor to the crispy skin.

Cook for about 25 minutes per pound - this means that if you have a 4 pound bird, it's in the oven for about 90 minutes or so. *Use a meat thermometer to check the temp in the thickest part of the thigh, but don't hit the bone. It should roast to a temp of 165 - 170.

Remove from oven and LET IT REST for about 10 minutes BEFORE cutting it open. This will keep in the juices and make less mess, and make for a tastier meal!

Serve the breasts with sides of choice (you can roast veggies, steam veggies, make brown rice, a salad...etc.) I roast potates (fingerling, red, or even sweet) in a jelly-roll pan on the very bottom rack so it all roasts together - just cut up potatoes into little pieces (1-2" pieces), toss in olive oil, salt, pepper, fresh chopped and dried rosemary and any other dried herbs of choice, spread out on an olive-oiled pan and pop in the oven for about 45 min. For a nice brown I throw them on the rack on broil for about two minutes after the chicken comes out of the oven. Savory sweet potatoes are damn good and perfect in winter when they are abundant!

SAVE all the bones, skin, etc., and the leftover meat for additional meals -- see below. You can keep them ior aluminum foil, Pyrex, ziplock, or other storage in the fridge for a couple of days. (you can also freeze for making stock later, should you need a break.)

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Chicken Soup, with variations

First, and mist importantly, Stock:
leftover bones/carcass from roast chicken
water
rubbed sage
dried thyme
one very large onion (or 2-3 small onions) peeled and quartered
4 carrots, cut into large pieces
4 stalks celery, no leaves, cut into large pieces (discard the white ends)
5 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped in large pieces or crushed
1-2 bay leaves
sea salt or kosher salt

Fill a very big pot with several cups of water. This will turn into your stock, so make enough for your soup, and any extra you may want (for rice and that sort of thing). I usually use a huge stock pot. Must hold enough to cover the carcass. Be sure you also have a container large enough to receive the strained stock when you are done (two large pots are the best things to use for the process, but you can improvise)

Put water on high heat on stove. Put in a large pinch or two of salt, a large pinch of sage, a large pinch of thyme. bay leaves. Toss in all the veggies.

Pull all the edible meat off the carcass, and set aside (refrigerate). Get our hands dirty doing this, you can get a lot of meat off! This will go into the soup in the end, yum.

Discard skin, or toss into stock. Toss all bones into stock and stir it up.

Bring to rolling boil. Reduce heat to med-low. Cover and allow to simmer for several hours (apx 3 - 4 hours) stirring every once in a while.

Strain into a large pot or other container(s). You can seal and refrigerate stock for about a week, or freeze. Use in rice, soups, etc. I like to make soup right away, so I strain into a big pot. (See below)

Chicken soup (with many options)

Note: Use as much or as little stock as you wish. If you want to cut the fat, you can cool it, and scoop off the congealed fat from the top of the stock since it rises and hardens. If you like very soupy soup, use more stock. Use more if you are adding pasta or white rice. If you are adding brown rice, use A LOT of extra stock.

Standard soup:
Chicken stock
chopped carrots
chopped celery
chopped onions
chopped garlic - four cloves
chopped potatoes (optional)
lentils (option)
rice (option)
pasta (option)
ripped kale, without the middle veins (in small pieces) (optional)
chicken in bite-sized pieces
rubbed sage
thyme
sea salt and pepper to taste
(for funky soup: sweet potatoes, potatoes, fresh dill, tomato paste)

Put a large pot of stock on the stove, at medium-high heat. Chop the veggies, using as many or as few as you need to fit the pot. Generally for a large pot, you will use about three medium carrots, three stalks of celery, one large onion. Put chopped veggies into pot, with herbs and seasonings, cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, or med-low, and allow to simmer, covered, for about an hour, stirring occasionally.

If adding kale, add first to allow more cooking time. Use about two cups of ripped up kale.

If adding potatoes, add early to allow more cooking time. Cut into bite-sized pieces.

If adding rice, only add about half a cup of dry rice, and be sure to have plenty of extra stock since the rice will soak up lots of liquid. Brown rice will soak up about twice as much liquid. You can add about a cup of pasta since it doesn't grow as much.

Add one or two bay leaves if desired. Add about one tablespoon of rubbed sage and one tablespoon of dried thyme. Either can be left out if desired. Add sea salt to taste (less salty is good to start, add more at the end)

Funky options for soup:

Add oil to large pot, fry up onion, garlic, herbs. Add other veggies, but not potatoes. Add stock and bring to boil. Add several cubed sweet potatoes and/or potatoes, and one tablespoon tomato paste, and simmer at low boil for 20 minutes, until potatoes cooked through. With immersion blender, blend until about half potatoes are creamed, leaving several for texture. Chop up fresh fill and add a small handful about two minutes before end of cooking. Delightfully different soup!

So you have my playbook now. Go forth and conquer a few meals a week!

Just Sayin'

2012-01-08T13:40:00.000-05:00

You know, I'm always learning and trying and trying to write about it, but Miss Erica over at Home Ec Homeschool is actually learning and trying and writing about it. In fact, she's learning and trying and writing about a lot of neato stuff I want to be trying myself if I had the time today, so check it out why dontcha. I'll be jealous.

I've got to go do lots of incredibly dull paperwork this afternoon. Dang kids and their IEP meetings and dentist appointment paperwork! Back eventually...

2012-01-05T21:18:00.002-05:00

Well, here we are in 2012, listening to hateful white men talk about hating gay men and keeping contraception away from people. What a rad start to the new year (I deleted the news apps from my phone. It's better that way, at least during the election cycle, I promise.)

In mama news, Henry is solidly potty trained. It's a hot-damn miracle. Toby, not so much. But to have just one kid pooping himself is so awesome, I can't adequately express the joy it brings. Henry has also progressed in his ability to play in a group, interact with peers, and socialize generally with many different kids in many different situations. It's Phenomenal. He's phenomenal. He is building wacky Rube Goldberg machines everywhere he can, or at least setting up marble runs and dominoes to be knocked down. He will school you on the periodic table, but he will also come give you snuggles and love you like no other.

Toby is a maniac. He is doing great with his eyes - good pressure, good reflexes - but he has a thing about wearing contacts. He's gotten touchy about it since we switched to the RGP lenses, and his glasses are starting to fall apart. We have to check in about all of that and make sure everything is cool, and find out if strapping him down to get contacts in is a worthwhile endeavor...

Bret has been working hard at getting everything together for our home renovation, and it's awesome. He has done a lot of hard work clearing things out and getting things together, and now we begin the nitty gritty process of whittling down a number so we can sign a contract, and commit to the months of work that are to come.

I've been off again, on again sick. At the moment, I feel OK, but have absolutely no voice. And a nice cough to boot. Crimping my resolution style - no yoga for me while breathing and head down mean extreme discomfort, but thanks. Soooooon. I have managed to organize projects so that one thing gets my attention at a time, and a million projects aren't in progress or sitting in the box ready to pop out, since really only one at a time is a reasonable thing.I will make Bret his cardigan by the end of the year.

I've decided to grow my hair out for Locks of Love, since it's long (accidentally) already and I might as well have a purpose for just being lazy about the mane. Ans a reason not to on the fly go in and get it hacked off.

I'm making plans to run a 5k in July. Making plans to clean the hell out of this house and Waldorf-ize it asap. I'm going to learn more stitching, and get freaky good at that. I am going to make felt and wool toys for my kids, and for the Morning Meadow store. I a, going to create a fantasy gnome village in my playroom for Toby to enjoy, and hope Henry gets on board. I am going to make the underside of the bunk bed into a adorably stitched Solar System, and male the Alphabet for their walls. Eventually, I will get to making Henry the periodic table I promised last year.

I also plan to teach Henry how to play more games - like chess - that his Aspie friends like to play. I think it would be a great tool for him to learn to think strategically in that way, and also a good way for him to experience losing (the other kid is WAY good) and being a good sport.

So for now, we are reassessing. We are rearranging. We are prioritizing.

For me, canning jam and pickles and tomatoes and other things is way at the top of the list. But so is being present for our kids, creating things for them that are special, and engaging them on a level that is impossible when the dreaded TV is on. We are working on it. Working hard. It always feel like I'm a few steps behind my aspirations, which should be an impetus to keep moving, but has become, of late, an easy way to say, whatever. Getting past that whatever, getting into life fully, embracing my inner hippy, and finding the beauty and love that is in this community we are so lucky to have - those are my resolutions.

I also resolve to get back here more - I will revamp the schedule, but I believe that there will be a minimum of three posts a week - a homey/crafty/yummy one, a simple moment captured, and a post reflecting on motherhood, for me , and all that means. This I have to tweak as I am still setting up our family rhythm chart, and my work here has to fit into that rhythm as well. I'll be talking more about that, possibly here, possibly on a new blog chronicling our implementation of KJP Simplicity Parenting into our home and lives - have to decide what I can handle in terms of upkeep. But it will be a journey, nonetheless.

So, Happy New Year. Blessed Epiphany (how does one say that?). Welcome to the slow introduction of 2012, where things in my life and community are awesome, and where I have decided to shun all news of the nonsense playing out in crazy towns across America right now.

Love and peace, V

Reset.

2011-12-29T14:30:00.001-05:00

Before the ball drops, I will have resolutions. I tried a mid-year start, but that was a bit of a flop in the end. I'm going to get these things up here, update, and be creative. Maybe?

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Sent from my iPhone.

http://hamstocks.blogspot.com/
http://radicalmamalaw.blogspot.com/

Sample

2011-12-08T18:23:00.001-05:00

I've been stitching like crazy. These are a small sample of the magic wand toppers and a magic pillow I've made for Henry's school. Waldorf crafts are fun. But this is why I haven't been posting. I'll be back, this was a sample from the last batch I made for the season. I think I made about forty things by the end, which is awesome. Love.

Open letter to myself

2011-11-21T00:36:00.001-05:00

Dear Virginia,

Honey, you have a problem. You need to gather yourself and your books and your projects together and make a plan. You need to stop trolling craftgawker and Pinterest, stop perusing the recommendations on Amazon, stop reading newsletters and culling book titles, stop searching Ravelry for new patterns... Stop. Etsy will keep on without you.

The pile of books, both digital and physical, that you have queued up to read is staggering. The puke of projects, with and without materials, with and without looming deadlines for completion, with and without intended recipients... It's a train wreck.

So pause. Get to work. Read. Enjoy the nourishing bounty of the season with the CSA share and try some of those Nourishing Traditions recipes with the ingredients you possess.

But for Goodness' sake, chill out on the stacking or you will never get through anything currently in line. And that would be tragic, because some of it is AWESOME!!

Love, V

Bookish-ish

2011-11-08T22:52:00.001-05:00

I've been reading, and making things, but have been wretched about getting things written. Tonight I'm planning on deciding on a new book to start, and reading!! before bed, which must be soon, so this is an "-ish" post.

For whatever reason, I've been in this apocalyptic zombie zone lately; I just finished _Zone One_ by Colson Whitehead. It wasn't a revelation, but it was entertaining and well-written as far as zombie novels go. And short, so that was nice for me. I totally didn't plan to write tonight, so I have nothing planned in terms of a proper review, but I will say that it's left this odd literary nonsense rattling around my head - the last paragraph calls to mind immediately the end of _The Great Gatsby_, "The Dead," and _Little Dorrit_. A lot actually reflects "The Dead" by Joyce, tossing it up and playing with it in bizarre ways. So I have to think about all that more, perhaps reread Joyce, and write something sensible.

So there, an ish Tuesday. Let's hope it's the beginning of many more together days.

My Fall Begins Tonight!

2011-11-02T17:46:00.001-04:00

Tonight Bret picked up our first CSA share of the season. I love getting the weekly surprise of delicious local veggies and discovering new ways to cook seasonally. The summer dry spell is a sad time in Florida, with nothing but watermelon to hold us over. So hooray for fall! And welcome weekly deliveries from beautiful Swallowtail Farm.

Stumbled Upon

2011-11-01T20:32:00.000-04:00

Things have been crazy. I have ideas about genuine posts brewing, and will get back eventually, when I have a few minutes to rub together. I am creating things, though, which is important because it's awesome and because the holidays approach... And we are forever busy shuttling from one place to another, doing laundry, and trying to become experts in, well, Holland.

I found this today, and it so encapsulated things I've been thinking I wanted to share it. Mostly because it's more clear than I can be, but also because it's a little meaty at this moment when I just don't have the time and energy to bring the writing A-game myself.

Love.

WELCOME TO HOLLAND

by
Emily Perl Kingsley.
c1987
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

All Too Typical

2011-10-29T13:37:00.001-04:00

This morning:

While walking by Henry's room to go make breakfast, I glance in, see Henry in underpants and a shirt reading a book on the floor. I also think I see poop squished in the carpet.

Me: Oh my God! Is that poop on the floor behind you?!?

Henry: (not even looking up) What? Where?

Me: (walking into the room, looking closer) There, behind you, in the rug...(sigh of relief) Oh, never mind, it's just a letter.

Henry: (turning around, looking at the floor, searching) What letter is it?

Me: (still just relieved it's not poop) I think it's the letter J.

Henry: oooh! OK. (goes back to reading, because J is not a favorite letter)

As I walk out, I hear Bret laughing, and only then realize that this scenario is kind of crazy. Well, crazy anywhere but our house.

Loving This Today

2011-10-24T11:08:00.001-04:00

My grandmother Thea made this for my mom when I was born, and I've had it in my laundry room since Henry was born. I love it. I wish I'd spent even less time stressing out and more time just rocking my babies. Yes, even more.

I'm learning (well, teaching myself) how to embroider right now, so at the moment I am smitten with the beautiful stitching my grandmother did here. I'm wishing I spent more of my younger days hanging out in her craft room learning needlework, because she is so talented. She taught me to knit, and it's taken years to get respectable. Now that I'm doing needlework, her first love, I'm really wishing I had the time in Vero to learn from her - all the time, not just visits!

So, today I am loving this. For everything.

Toby

2011-10-22T16:49:00.001-04:00

Celebrating Autumn

2011-10-15T23:07:00.001-04:00

The weather has gotten marginally cooler. The humidity has dropped below 80%. Early morning bike rides call for a light sweater. Welcome autumn! Here's a little celebration ring just for you.

I don't even have a photo.

2011-10-05T23:45:00.001-04:00

Trying to get back on track posting, but being thwarted by craziness. Updates soon. We are all OK. Crazy, but OK. Bed, I'm here.

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Sent from my iPhone.

http://hamstocks.blogspot.com/
http://radicalmamalaw.blogspot.com/

I made something, on Friday.

2011-09-30T22:58:00.001-04:00

These are custom magic pillows for two magic little ladies. Can't wait to deliver to the person who ordered them! Love.

Week in Review (crafts)

2011-09-30T16:23:00.000-04:00

I finished knitting 2 dishtowels/washcloths, three magic pillows, a celebration ring, and got Toby excited about knitting. All in all, a win for the week. Now on to the weekend, for jam-making, more magic pillows, experimenting with knitting socks, and dinner party with Henry's bestie and family. And welcoming fall weather, finally! Score.

Celebration! Celebration Ring, that is...

2011-09-29T18:33:00.001-04:00

Magic Pillows

2011-09-29T16:23:00.000-04:00

I made these in a couple of nights. Hand-sewing is awesomesauce. These little pillows cure all aches, because they are filled with magic beans. Henry's symbol at school is the owl, and Toby requested a gnome. I'm pleased as punch with the outcomes!

At what age do I have a moral obligation to make sure he's wearing pants when we go out? Because I don't, kind of a lot.

2011-09-21T16:33:00.000-04:00

Schedules and more!

2011-09-19T12:09:00.002-04:00

I've been neglecting thoughtful blog posts lately, mostly because I have hardly had the time to breathe, what with boys, lunches, therapies, cleaning, trips, getting sick, knitting, and sleep. (Don't knock those last two, they make all the others possible I tell you). Today I'm writing for real, juggling two topics, and hoping I manage to get to everything in a moderately coherent few paragraphs.

Topic #1: The Second Child Syndrome
I realize that every second child gets a little less attention that their older counterpart, just by virtue of the math involved. Twenty-four hours in a day can only be divided so many times, and every child has to take a bit, so siblings get just a bit less than than eldest did when s/he was solo. In our house, Toby gets probably a little less attention than most second kids, since Henry requires a lot of time and energy. Aspergers is a tough nut, especially before age five, so while mommy and papa work very hard on making sure Henry keeps it together, Toby gets to fight for attention.

This fight he's learning might be a good thing, except that he is really working for the attention hard, all the time, and it's affecting him at school. Today he went back to try to do naptime again, since he has been doing really well with lying still for naptime at home. We are fully bribing with Oreos, but I need the kid to nap, and I really really need him to nap at school because otherwise my schedule becomes this completely unruly beast that might well be the end of me.

With Henry, we had to focus on ten million things all at once, and were working on getting him to learn about talking and having a conversation, and also trying to teach him self-control. His melt-downs were just not the same beast as Toby's very typical two-year-old tantrums, and Henry was simply not the little demand-machine that Toby is most of the time. We are novice parents again, but novice parents who are stretched absurdly thin trying to manage getting a four year old with Aspergers ready for life. Toby's missing out a bit, and I'm not sure how we fix that. We need to. He needs us to fix it, because he needs to learn things from us. And we need to be teaching him and feeling good about that, rather than feeling guilty, exhausted, and frustrated - especially when he gets sent home from school for disrupting naptime. (Fingers crossed, today is his magic turn around day. We need your vibes!)

And all that brings me to... Topic #2: The Schedule Dilemma

Striving for a simple schedule is a fundamental element of the parenting philosophy that I want desperately to embrace. After seeing Kim John Payne talk, listening to his CDs, reading his books, I feel him. I do. I'm having a rough-as-hell time integrating simplicity into our home life, in large part because I have this conflicted feeling about scheduling.

Everyone says that kids with autism and Aspergers need to get as much intervention as possible before age five - that this window is crucial to their development, their chances for success now and in the future - this is the make-it-or-break-it period. So we are getting Henry as much therapy as we can. We are also encouraging peer interactions by having him in his Waldorf school five days a week, which gives him space for free play with peers, a rhythm for the day and week, a community for friends, and space for mama to get some things done when she can focus on them fully. Henry's schedule is nuts, though.

Here, you be the judge - sample week:
Monday: Speech therapy 8:30-9, Hyperbaric 9:15-10:15, School 10:30-1:45, ABA therapy 2-5, Social Skills Group 5-6. Dinner, bath, bed at 7:30.
Tuesday: OT 9-10, School 10:15-3
Wednesday: OT 9-10, School 10:15-2:45, ABA 3-5
Thursday: Speech 8:30-9, Hyperbaric 9:15-10:15, School 10:30-3:00
Friday: School 8:30-1:45, ABA 2-5
Saturday: Speech Language Pathologist student meeting, Therapy Center Kids Fun night
Sunday: School Michaelmas Celebration

I'd love it if we could have a simple schedule, but I'm genuinely not sure how to make that happen without sacrificing some of the therapeutic opportunities for Henry. Oh, and this schedule ignores the fact that he and his brother get sick, his brother has to see the eye specialist about every month or so, and we inevitably have to rearrange things to accommodate things like the school district evaluation he has tomorrow (all day? I have no idea) because they want to judge for themselves, not trust all of his therapists about how he is doing.

Also playing into this dilemma - Toby and the naptime... I drop Toby at school at 8:40, and if he doesn't stay for naptime, I have to pick him up at 11:45, before lunch. Then I have to feed him and figure out how to make a nap work, and ALSO figure out how to manage driving Henry around in the afternoon when Toby is sleeping. You see, kid needs to nap at school, so I can pick him up at 2:40, making every day but Wednesday completely manageable. For me.

I have knitting in Mondays most weeks, and Bret has work many Wednesday nights. We juggle all of this but it's getting a bit absurd. Oh, and trying to potty train kids with this schedule - honestly, just thinking about it is making me want to stab a fork in my eye. Especially because Toby wants attention, so he'll tell you he has to go potty, ALL THE TIME. But still pee his pants. It's rad.

If I was trying to work right now, I would completely lose it. I know that millions of parents do juggle all this crap, four other kids, and also two full time jobs, and MY GOD THEY ARE AWESOME. They are not me.

So, superhumans, or regular humans with brains that can figure out these things: thoughts on getting Toby in line? Thoughts on getting our schedule into a more manageable state? Thoughts on finding joy in this chaos? I'll take it all.

Now, looking back over this, I'm feeling like this is more of a rant than a post that is meaningful and helpful in any way, and I feel badly about that. I'm not going to change it, however, because I really don't have any answers here. I'm feeling my way through blind, so a little complaining is about what I've got. For now. I do see things getting better. I have a feeling I'm getting better at managing things, even though it seems like I am not better at it most days. It's the rare occasion that someone asks me a question, and I have an answer, or Henry initiates a peer interaction that is totally normal, or Toby and Henry get wrapped up in giggles chatting across the dinner table that I think, wow, this is OK. And because I have those moments, I do know it's all OK, even when I moan about it.

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Totally unrelated to my ramblings, my sister-in-law has a lovely blog, and a lovely giveaway running until Wednesday, and since she is lovely you should visit The Lovely Owl today. And every day.

Pinterested?

2011-09-13T20:34:00.000-04:00

While it's doubtful that I am ahead of the curve on these sorts of things, I have found and LOVE Pinterest. Mostly I love it because I can save all my "to do" and "i love that!" links in a place that is not my bookmark bar, but I also love that I can SHARE these little gems with others. Not that I am finding gold from places others have not looked; I assure you, I'm getting most of my pins from craftgawker and that sort of thing. But it's great fun, nonetheless.

I only have one "follower," so it's not as if I am trend-setting; however, I like to think that with time I will stop having five zillion bookmarks in my "craft projects" and "inspiration" Firefox folders, and will use the handy thumbnails and descriptions on my personal, virtual Pinboard for good. And perhaps, should you wind up on the Pinterest, you'll follow me and get some inspiration too.

Just a thought.

Mama Monday

2011-09-12T15:23:00.001-04:00

I was going to write a really meaty post about balancing parenting children with special needs, and attempting to simplify schedules and life while also getting kidlets all the therapy they can possibly need... But then Toby got kicked out of naptime at school (awesome phone call) and I can barely keep thoughts in my head. Sleepy two ear olds are a challenge. Oh, and two little kids were mean to Henry at school (creeps) and I miscalculated my knitting night so I don't get to do that until next week. I also didn't manage to get dinner started on time (soup from scratch is easy but takes time) so what are we eating for dinner? You tell me.

Good things: tomorrow I have a date with my knitting basket and the new Helen Mirren thriller, Henry and I have hyperbaric, my sitter is here all day, including cleaning hours, and we are headed to Vero Beach for the weekend on Thursday morning.

So, now I just need to do laundry and pack, make a cleaning checklist, figure out how to make my 2 year old not a terror (and also make him a child who naps!), and figure out dinner. Seriously, what's for dinner?

Open Letter to People Who Talk to My Kids

2011-09-10T11:17:00.000-04:00

Dear anyone who might ever talk to my kids,

There are a few things you should understand about my children, lest you have a conversation with one or both of them and start getting some deep concerns about our family.

1. Henry has Aspergers, and he can seriously, truly, I-kid-you-not read and remember details of everything you say and just about everything he reads. He will call you out on whatever he can, because it's fun for him. He will read something and ask you what words mean. He is genuinely asking you for a definition, in the abstract. If he's quizzing you and you mess up, he will tell you you are wrong. If he just wants to know what it means, he will try to make sure he gets the meaning by saying, "so it's like..." and making an analogy. These are often not quite right. Defining words is serious business, don't screw around. He will freak out on you, and he will not let it go. And yes, he can READ ANYTHING, so don't try to be tricky.

2. Henry sometimes makes associations that are off, and it can really screw you up if you don't follow him mentally. Sometimes you have to pretend you get it until you can figure it out. Oh, and his information on people, places, and things is not always accurate, or not exactly. For instance, today we had to pick Bret up after work because it was raining and he had ridden his bike. We couldn't drive in front of his office due to a downtown street festival, so we picked him up in front of Court Services under an awning on the next block. Henry says, "Hey Papa, so you're all done with Drug Court?" He read the sign on the window. Bret is not involved with drug court, promise.

3. Toby likes pretend play, and like most two year olds, he likes mimicking what he sees at home. Please don't freak out if he takes a baby doll, points at it's butt, and says "baby has to be brave. I have to put it in. Be brave baby." Remember, Henry has Aspergers! Part of his protocol is a small shot in the butt cheek every other night. I've gotten better at doing it, he's gotten braver, but it makes things sound totally sketchy. They aren't.

4. When out in public, Henry sometimes throws a fit and we have to physically pick him up and move him. He's usually screaming, and lately it's been screaming things like "you are hurting me! Stop hurting me!!" I assure you, even when frustrated, we are very gentle. In these situations we are even more gentle, because he's list in an Aspie world and we can't even be genuinely mad at him, just help him through to the other side. Toby mimics. We aren't hurting him either, I swear!

5. They make up words. I got nothing for you there.

6. They might ask you about your boobs. Toby especially. He was really into nursing, that's all I got. I apologize in advance. They mean no harm.

7. They like crashing. If conversation stops mid-sentence and one or both throws himself at you, be tough. Be prepared. They are both heavy, so don't engage in a throwing them in the air game after crashing begins, you'll wreck yourself, I swear.

There are seven million more things, but here's a start.

Oh, and thanks for being my platform to test the new Blogger app - it's not bad!

Love, V

Evil Witch of the East Coffee Cake

2011-09-09T05:30:00.000-04:00

Every now and then you crave something sweet, absurdly easy, terrible for you, but really delightfully delicious. This cake is great warm from the oven, and keeps beautifully, for days in the fridge. It's great for a completely unhealthy breakfast, tea and coffee treat, or as full-on dessert. It's a little trashy though. I stole the recipe from my ex-boyfriend's mother, who was a wretched witch, trust me.

I was going to make this coffee cake when we were visiting my brother and his wife last weekend, but due to those little "sugar free" pudding packets, my plans were thwarted. No, this recipe requires full sugar, instant pudding, so don't go trying to be healthy. This is EVIL cake. Be careful shopping - the sugar free and "cook to serve" packets will try to trick you. I made it this week after spending spending an inordinate amount of time looking at the pudding shelf in the grocery store.

Evil Witch of the East Coffee Cake*

Cake:
1 box yellow cake mix (go with whatever is the cheapest)
1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 small box instant butterscotch pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup oil
1 cup water

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1.5 cups chopped walnuts
1-3 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Mix topping, using more or less of the three ingredients to taste (it's just supposed to be a yummy mix, use lots of what you like). Set aside topping.

Mix up all cake ingredients until well-combined. Pour half the batter into an ungreased 9x13" pan. Crumble half the topping mix over the top. Pour the rest of the batter out on top, as evenly as you can (it will clump, that's OK - just try to get some mostly all over). Crumble remaining topping over the top.

Pop that evil beast into the oven for 10 minutes, then turn down the heat to 325 and let her cook another 35 minutes more.

*To make it Evil Witch of the West Cake, like I did for the photo below, substitute pistachio pudding for butterscotch. Green and deliciously evil.

Summer Vacation

2011-08-23T21:16:00.000-04:00

Remember that aspirational blog schedule? Yeah, me either.

I'm on summer vacation. Of course, by summer vacation I mean frantic driving about town to an absurd number of appointments, juggling kid schedules that keep changing, and trying to do all of this in the air conditioning because we live in a Florida swamp.

But seriously, I have actually been meeting up with mamas for knitting, and doing things like canning and baking and yogurt making. We are making fresh peach vodka (hello!) and some fun and fancy meals that I have pleased me. We've made pickles and jam and bread galore, and I am shopping as much as possible for whole foods and raw foods at the co-op, or bartering with friends, and things are kind of awesome. We are finally (finally!) moving into some real, actual, working progress in the remodel arena, and planning a yard sale this weekend. Seriously, I think we are getting life together, bit by bit, so the blog has been neglected.

But here are some fun pictures of my canning escapades last weekend. We got some new equipment, which is lovely, and I salvaged some old equipment from my mother's days of canning madness. This year I got started late, so I'm making jam from fresh-frozen berries we picked, hulled, and froze months ago. Fortunately, things are working OK. Henry. Maya, and Lantz have all, so far, given it seals of approval, and that's a tough crowd.

I'll be back on the blogging track after Labor Day. We head out to Alabama for Labor Day weekend to visit my brother and his lovely wife in Birmingham, and when we return, both boys will be in preschool. So, even though the whole construction thing will be stressing me out and all that, I have a feeling I will finally have some time to sit, and think, and write a few things down. Possibly even not-kid-related things. Jeezey creezey.

So canning fun - strawberry jam - let me know if you want some, I need to share and keep rolling it out, we have lots of frozen berries!

Open Letter to my label maker

2011-08-14T21:02:00.000-04:00

Dear Label Maker,
When I rescued you from the trash at my mom's house I never imagined the live affair we would have. You had me at "this is a test" and I can't imagine life without you.
I have to warn you, Bret knows. But I suspect he will let it slide and we can continue to make beautiful informational stickers together (presuming I can still find replacement tape and toner, but I can't even begin to contemplate a world without you, so let's put that aside!)
Love, v

Weekend plans

2011-08-13T23:39:00.000-04:00

Saturday:
Movies and dinner with kids (check!)
Cleaning around the house
Mall shopping and returning and playing and lunching
Mad Men (three episodes, oh my)

Sunday:
Canning (jam)
Cooking (soup)
Brewing (beer)
Kombucha (tasty and healthy grossness)
Baking bread
Installing shelves
Setting up new printer
Planning for first day of school for Toby
Oh, and mama gets to sleep in (ROCK!!!!!!)

Yeah, it's a good weekend. We will also do plenty of playing and creating and running and sweating, but you know, goals serve lists far better than fun.

Love, V

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Sent from my iPhone.

http://hamstocks.blogspot.com/
http://radicalmamalaw.blogspot.com/

I want to go there. Now.

2011-08-10T19:58:00.000-04:00

Diagnosis: Tendonitis. Boo.

2011-08-03T09:36:00.001-04:00

No good excuse

2011-08-02T22:49:00.002-04:00

I know, I owe you. I know.

Henry is finally mending, and things here are settling down. Got terribly unexpected and sad news today about the death of a friend's husband, processing.

Bed early. No catch ups, no reviews. That's ok sometimes, right?

------
Sent from my iPhone.

http://hamstocks.blogspot.com/
http://radicalmamalaw.blogspot.com/

Benefits to moving boys into one room...

2011-07-31T22:44:00.000-04:00

Open Letter to My Super-Secret Raw Milk Source

2011-07-31T19:36:00.000-04:00

Dear SSRMS,

You rock my world, and your cow makes some damn fine milk. If (as a collective) we weren't so silly about food rules in this country, I would be way more blabby about this fresh milk thing, because good gracious, it's divine. As it is, I suppose I'm OK. I kind of like feeling a little scandalous when I'm eating yogurt.

A thousand times, thank you!!

Love, Virginia

No Knead Bread

2011-07-30T14:48:00.000-04:00

Now that it's out of the oven and taste-tested, I can give my thumbs up to The Steamy Kitchen blog for this fantastic tutorial on No Knead Bread. While it really is quite easy, my four year old wasn't that into making it. He did, however, proclaim, joyfully, "It tastes like bread!" a few minutes ago, which is high praise from Henry.

So, you can get all the nitty gritty steps from the tutorial (it's very good), but I will just tell you that I used her whole wheat flour secret, but not her salt secret (kosher was not on hand, table was; this was weird but there it is). I let it sleep overnight for about 15-16 hours, and it's nap was a little long (2 and a half hours) because I forgot to pop the pot in to preheat, and then couldn't hear the timer going off for like five minutes because Henry and I were deep into a YouTube exploration in the bathroom (another story for another time). I swear all of that will make more sense if you read the tutorial.

Delicious, and easy enough that I just might become the bread baker around here... Check out the lovely steps I remembered to photograph!

Here is the dough after it slept overnight:

These are of the dough getting tucked in and taking its nap before growing again:

Ooooh, pretty new pot ready to get dough plopped into it for the baking!

And, the final product:

Now, go make this because you totally can. Seriously, it is crazy easy and so delicious. Yum!

Make Something Friday: Well, it got started!

2011-07-30T10:23:00.000-04:00

I'm making no-knead bread this weekend. It got started last night (counts for Friday!) and I will post photos and a link to the tutorial I used as soon as it's done later today. Mmmmm, bread. Oh, and I'm using my new Le Creuset. Woot!

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Sent from my iPhone.

http://hamstocks.blogspot.com/
http://radicalmamalaw.blogspot.com/

Wordless Wednesday: From-scratch (less magic pasta) soup, Co-op and homemade goodness, Poor Henry of the bum eye

2011-07-27T17:16:00.001-04:00

I know, three things. It's not been an interesting enough day to warrant one moment, in photos anyway. Henry has been a hoot.

Raincheck

2011-07-26T16:07:00.001-04:00

Well, unless something miraculous happens before I pass out early tonight, Take Three of Bookish Tuesday is postponed at least a few days. Here, we have pouring rain and Henry with pink eye. Poor, contagious wee one stuck in the house! And poor mama trying to follow him around with anti-bacterial wipes to keep Toby and his contacts from getting infected!!

So, as soon as I can. Or next week. Alan Bradley. I'm on it.

Mama Monday: I love these kids. So. Much.

2011-07-25T22:43:00.002-04:00

Open Letter to Toby, on this stormy night

2011-07-24T19:43:00.002-04:00

Dear Toby,

I know that the sudden thunderstorm that had lasted through the late afternoon into the evening has been different. We don't usually get them for so long, so I can tell you are a little shaken. You are sleeping in a new bed, and you are learning all these new words, and your imagination is running wild. But here's the thing:

Tonight is not the night to spontaneously decide that the sound of thunder is really the sound of a monster coming, and therefore terrifying. It's also not the night to start screaming this at your brother, and freaking him out a little bit (even though he really doesn't think it's a monster coming. He just doesn't like unpredictable, loud sounds, and once he's a little on edge, the sound itself freaks him out. You aren't helping).

Last night you woke us up at midnight, and got papa and Henry up for the day around 4:00am, so while YOU got a nap, no one else did and everyone else could really use a peaceful night. Of sleep. Seriously, sleep. This monster business just will not do.

So, sweet darling, enjoy the slushy sound of the rain, and the cars driving on wet roads, let the thunder rumble through you, relax and go to sleep. Please. Please. Please.

Love and kisses,
Mama

Make Something Friday: Celebration Ring

2011-07-22T21:23:00.000-04:00

In these dog days of summer, our little family unit doesn't have any birthdays to celebrate for a good long while, so why I am planning this Celebration Ring project above others is not something that makes a tiny bit of logical sense.

I am just completely in love with it, have all the necessary materials, and can do it in my lap on the couch - WINNER!

I found it on a lovely and inspiring blog - Rhythm & Rhyme - which has given me yet another reason to want to move to Australia.

If you are not familiar with Waldorf education, and Waldorf-style birthday celebrations for small children, you won't say "be still my heart!" just looking at this piece. But, if you have ever had the distinct joy of celebrating your child's birthday with his or her Waldorf class, you might be crying already.

I knew there was a magical birthday tradition at Henry's preschool, and I knew everyone loved it, but I was fully unprepared for how amazing, beautiful, moving - good lord, who even has the words? I sat in a room of silent two, three and four year olds, next to Henry, wearing his crown and rainbow cape, while his teacher told the most amazing story about a little boy choosing his family and coming through the clouds and across the rainbow bridge to join them. He knew exactly what to do, and crossed the little bridge, and did the candles, and it was magic. I sat there and cried, and smiled, and cried. And not a kid in the room looked at me funny, because I am guessing that I am not the first parent to sit there sobbing filled with love and joy and pride, but also humbling, pure, raw emotion. (Full disclosure, thinking back on it now and typing the overview is making me sit here and cry. It was so moving.) After the tradition was finished, we shared lovely special snack, and felt so lucky to have him in this world with me.

So with the rainbow bridge, there is this deep and beautiful meaning for me, and I hope for the boys since they are (or will be) getting Waldorf education. Gnomes are a central part of Henry's school and the Waldorf tradition and folklore embodied in so many of the stories, and the natural light of candles can be so calming. It's a simple little project, but one that I am really looking forward to making.

Oh, and I'm hoping to get shelves installed, the boys' bedroom together for sharing, the baby furniture sold on craigslist, and the nursery turned into an office. Before Monday. Happy weekend!

Wordless Wednesday: Summertime Swim Lessons

2011-07-20T16:18:00.000-04:00

Bookish Tuesday: The Passage

2011-07-19T11:31:00.000-04:00

The Passage
by Justin Cronin

I haven't seen an actual copy of this book, but have read elsewhere that it's huge. It took a good long time to read, given my general free-time constraints, but managed to get through the lots of dots on my Kindle. Finishing it made me feel accomplished, in part because it's a big book, and in part because I wasn't really that into it toward the end. The second half really. It picked up, but not a lot, right at the end. Just to preemptively tell you my rating, it's kind of an "eh" three stars.

Let me explain a bit about what drew me to the book, because I genuinely don't read this sort of thing with any regularity. I heard the author interviewed on NPR by Neal Conan, a couple of times, and the book sounded interesting if only because it was inspired by the author's conversations with his daughter, who told him his other work (award-winning modern fiction with which I am not familiar) was boring. She wanted him to write a book about a girl who saves the world. So, together they mapped an outline for this story, and he began writing the first of what he envisioned as three books. He submitted the first 400 pages under a pseudonym to his publisher (details about that I don't know, so don't ask me) and they picked it up and paid him big bucks to finish it. Oh, and he also sold movie rights before the book was finished.

What the heck is this book anyway? It's a story about militarily-engineered viral vampires/zombies, who are super-fast, glow in the dark, don't die unless shot down the throat or decapitated, and very specifically keep some of their prey alive, to facilitate the continuation of their new "species." There is also a girl, infected similarly but not bloodthirsty, who we know will save the world that has fallen into a strange, post-apocalyptic chaos with small colonies in the hundred years after the vamps have escaped, multiplied, and destroyed at least the United States (who knows about the rest of the world that tried to quarantine the outbreak). Oh, and these vampire-zombies are ugly, really disgusting, do not hang out looking cute, and are adept at ESP, mind control, and communication through telepathy.

Elements of zombies, elements, of vampires, elements of the modern take on both (think 28 Days Later), elements of epic clan-based books that envision a different human existence... All totally out of the box for my general pile of books. I'm not even into Twilight and that crap.

I did really like the first half of the book. Oddly, the whole storyline leading up to the creation of the contagion, the creation of the creatures, their escape, and the existence of the world in which everything was frightening and falling apart was compelling reading. Sure, we are talking pulp. This is not fantastic literature or anything, but there were some interesting characters, interesting stories, and compelling plot lines to pull things along. And the world of the novel's opening sequences is also in the future, so while it felt a bit clumsy at times, there was a certain element of fantasy even in what was recognizable and mundane, so it was not just a story about the military (with the help of private contractors) making vampire-zombies.

The huge jump that happens at a certain point draws you about a hundred years into the future, into a world where a small colony of people has cobbled out an existence that relies on light for life - daylight and huge lights on barricades surrounding the compound at night to keep the vamps away. The new society has created strange rules, and has created some strange idioms that I never really bought, as they were reminiscent of what seemed like an attempt to create slang in Star Wars: Episode 1 when Anniken wouldn't shut up about "wizard!" and it fell flat.

It was hard to immediately connect with all of these new characters, because everyone you had come to know in the first half of the book was dead or disappeared. what I find interesting looking back is that by the time I did get through the last 400 pages or so, I had come to at least moderately care about the new characters, or at least be interested in their journey. And while there were plot points that were, well, cheesy or contrived, it did regain my interest in the final pages. I was curious at the very least, about where things were going and how they would get there. And I do want to know how this girl will save the world.

If I didn't know the basis for the book, I'd be done with it. But there is something really interesting to me about a story that was functionally co-imagined by a father and daughter, and which has a powerful girl as savior at the center. I also heard in the NPR interview that the subsequent books won't just pick up where this book left off, but rather take us back to the moment the world falls apart and pick up a thread, adding to the world we have come to know through the second part of this first book. Which sounds more interesting than just finding out how the girl saves the world in another 1600 pages. So in a couple of years when the next book arrives, I'll probably read it. OK, I will definitely read it, I am curious. While it's genuinely crap, it's engaging enough for bedtime or beach blanket reading.

I should note that I have a crazy love/hate relationship with both vampires and zombies. I get completely freaked out by them, to the point of panic attacks in the middle of the night, and terrible nightmares, but I also kind of love them. Not the sexy ones, the really scary ones. I don't really get that. I am terrified of spiders, but if you asked me to get near one or to watch a movie about them, I'd freak out, run away, and flip you the bird from across the room. For some reason, I'm finding these creepy guys compelling, and I'm even slightly interested in what happens with this movie they a making, because the book kind of reads like it was planned as the bones for a screenplay. It could be terrifying or awful; it all depends on how they handle it, but I guess I will have to wait and see about that too.

In terms of the meanings behind this book, you could read a lot of things into the subtext, but none of it is hidden, subtle, or interesting. I would say that maybe it could end up in a more interesting place, but I'm not holding my breath. This is the type of book that is aware of it's genre placement, the political implications of it's placement, and tries to have subtext, but it's all floating right on top. It's no The Road, which is actually a deeply felt meditation on the human condition, the environment, the world and how we live. It's just all right there. It won't move you, or even really make you think, but that's OK right?

Next week, more pulp, but fun pulp. I'm thinking I will reveal my love for British mystery in all it's glory, and revel in my love for the new-ish Flavia deLuce series by Alan Bradley, starting with The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie.

Mama Monday, Take One

2011-07-18T20:52:00.000-04:00

Sometimes getting it together to do the things that would make me super-mama is a way bigger challenge than finding the initial inspiration. Take, for example, me desire to simplify our lives, our house, our schedule, and be more present with my kids. Has it happened in the magical way I envisioned it? Oh, hell no. Has it happened, really, at all? Maybe a tiny bit. A teeny tiny bit.

I have a list of craft projects that I *really* want to do hanging out bookmarked on my new computer, but I also have a list of books to read, things to clean, projects around the house, and other crafty projects that are not bookmarked to attend to - and that is if I have the motivation to anything other than eat ice cream and pie and watch TV. (OK, so that's just what I will probably do tonight, because I did bake a kickin' blueberry pie past night, so you know...)

I have been getting some knitting done. I have also been getting a little bit of research and organizing done to help me navigate Henry and his Aspergers. Of course, Toby has been in full time daycare the past week, and will be for the next month, and Henry has not been in school at all, so honestly scheduling has been so much easier for me. Whether it's all less stressful for the kids, eh?

I need tips from mamas or others on a few fronts, because I have these aspirations and I would really like to accomplish, and would love a little advice on making it come together:

1. Whole foods. While I would love to say that we never eat anything packaged, or take out, or crappy, we do. I am probably worse than the kids or Bret, but the reality is that our goals of not purchasing things we can make has not really worked out so well. We were doing better when we had the share from the CSA, but even then, I would hit the end of the day and not feel like cooking, and either cobble together something fast and dirty (and not generally something that Jamie Oliver would look kindly upon) or grab take out. Blech. We want to be baking bread, making cheese and yogurt, making crackers (maybe, that seems like it could be crazy-talk with my little nutters), making bagels... BUT, cooking with our crazy children around is next to impossible. By the time we hit the weekend, if Bret's inspired to make things, I've just gotten desperate for a break from being touched and whined at all the time, and hate letting him take off into the kitchen for hours. I don't really want to be in the kitchen for hours on end, in part because I am lacking in inspiration and confidence, and in part because I long for pre-kid weekends of sloth. Help me people. I need tips to inspire, and tips on freezer-ready foods! We do have a huge chest freezer, and having one cooking day a week and a few frozen-dinner-we-made-ourselves meals a week would be completely acceptable. Now if I could just get Henry to eat these things...

2. Crafting. I love knitting, handwork, needlework, blah blah - I need more time and more space for all of this craziness. I am getting better about keeping the stash manageable, and also getting better about not stockpiling too many projects because I am always finding new ones, but how do you crafty mamas do it? I see these amazing blogs, and I think to myself, "Self, these mamas cook from scratch, nourish their children's souls, look cute, make everything, and also take fashionably adorable photos of their cooking, houses, crafts, and clean children all the time. What gives?" Oh, and they have like five kids under seven to boot. Beyond the question of Who the hell are these people?, I want to know how they have the time to even create the image that they are making all this happen, and blogging about it?!?! It means that on some level the level of craftiness I want in my life must be possible, because I don't feel the need to be many of those other kinds of together, but I would like to be able to make a damn quilt once in a while.

3. Playdates. Where are you people and how can I find you? And how does anyone with children hang out with other people ever, because even with our more mellow schedule, I don't know that I could coordinate a playdate if I was getting paid to do it right now. Henry could use some more playdates, so holla!

4. General house maintenance. I feel like as we prep to do these renovations, everything is kind of falling apart. But I still need to call a plumber, possibly the alarm company, just had the phone company here, just got the AC fixed... Looking around, there are things that need painting, everything needs dusting, the exterior needs a good pressure-washing at minimum, every room could be cleaned out and reorganized. I don't have the time for any of this, let alone all of it so that we can have a nice house that's all put together. Or even a yard sale that would clear things out and also make us some money. It's like even these seemingly smaller-scale projects get swallowed in this overarching whole that is just, well, overwhelming. Not overwhelming in an end-of-the-world, or Hoarders kind of way, but just a little overwhelming. Enough to make me say a swear word under my breath and then opt to eat a piece of pie (I still need to go do that...)

So, send me your tips on whole foods (from scratch) cooking, baking, and canning, creating space for crafting, paying well with others, and generally getting my house in order. I know these are some of the ever-present mama issues, but whatever. I have to ask.

On another note, Toby and Henry are sharing "their" room for the first time tonight, so think happy thoughts for good bunk bed sleepers, with pleasant pixie dreams!

Open letter to sleep

2011-07-18T00:02:00.001-04:00

Dear sleep,

Good friend, let's hang out more. I'm talking quality time, k?

Hugs and kisses,
V

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Sent from my iPhone.

http://hamstocks.blogspot.com/
http://radicalmamalaw.blogspot.com/

Make Something Friday, Take One: Easy peasy cotton knit baby blanket pattern

2011-07-15T21:34:00.001-04:00

This weekend I have the daunting task of finishing two baby blankets for newborns that I need to visit (read, cuddle) next week. One is just a few short rows of seed stitch away, the other has a bit more to go,, but all in garter, so easy going.

Here is the simple pattern for an easy baby blanket, perfect for summer babes:

Four fat skeins cotton yarn
Size 9 circular needles
Scissors and tapestry needle

Using long-tail cast-on, cast on about 150 stitches. (You are going for about 30-36")
Knit one, purl one, to the end of the row. If you end on a knit stitch, on the second row start on a knit stitch (start on a purl if you end on a purl). do this seed stitch for about twelve rows.

For the next row, you can decide if you want the edges down he sides to be in garter stitch (flexible) or seed stitch. If you are doing the garter option, knit across one row. On the next row, knit nine stitches, then purl across, knitting the last nine stitches. Repeat those two rows until you have your blanket, then repeat the seed stitch patterfor twelve rows and cast off. if you opt for seed stitch edging, knit one, purl one alternating for nine stitches on the ends. Stockinette the middle. Seed the bottom edge.

Easy peasy.

I'll post some pictures when I get them together, and baby Cooperr has gotten his little present!

Guilty Summer Pleasure

2011-07-13T15:39:00.001-04:00

Aspirational Blog Schedule

2011-07-12T21:19:00.000-04:00

I'm crazy, CRAZY, but I am planning to attempt to post here at least five days a week. Five (5). Nuts. This is in addition to the other two blogs I am attempting to get going, but those are actual projects so they really have to be going before I can commit, so no links yet.

Here is my grand plan:
Mama Mondays - Musings on parenting, motherhood, blah blah blah. Hopefully fun, and relevant to anyone other than just myself, But quite possibly pure rant space from time to time. Or pure gush space - I know people that really impress me a LOT, so you might hear about them too.

Bookish Tuesdays - Book reviews. These will cover both the quality and the crap I have been reading. I keep it light, don't look here for anything of genuine substance or you will be disappointed, sorry.

Wordless Wednesdays - Goal will be ONE photo, that is just capturing something, and no words. I have a hard time with those parameters, so I'm going to crack the whip a little here.

Make Something (even plans) Fridays - Project for the weekend, recipe, playdate or outing plans or photos. Crafty or kitchen-y much of the time, but I am determined to have a life and therefore get out as well, so fun times will count too.

Open Letter Weekends - You know, the usual.

So there is my grand plan. It's in my calendar, and I am setting aside evening time for blogging. Truth be told, if there are any good shows on it will be harder to accomplish these feats of writing, but that's why Wednesday and Thursday are light. It's summer, and I like So You Think You Can Dance, OK? (Shush, it's amazing.)

Bookish Tuesdays: The Anti-Romantic Child

2011-07-12T20:59:00.003-04:00

This is the first of what I hope will be a regular addition to the weekly lineup on this blog. I'm not actually reading a book a week, yet anyway, but I have been reading and can do some catching up while my "pile" of books also starts to get smaller...

The Anti-Romantic Child: A Story of Unexpected Joy

by Priscilla Gilman

Just because I am way out of practice, here is the blurb to give you a sense of what I was walking into reading this book:

"The daughter of literary agent Lynn Nesbit and the late theater drama critic Richard Gilman crafts a beautifully sinuous and intensely literary celebration of the exceptional, unconventional child. Her son, Benjamin, was born when she and her academic husband, Richard, were in graduate school at Yale, where she was still working on her dissertation on the Romantic English poet William Wordsworth. As "Benj" grew older and failed to hit the usual milestones of children his age, exhibiting brilliant but "odd" behavior such as an obsession with numbers, aversion to physical affection, fastidiousness, inability to feed himself, and echolalia, Gilman realized these were "uncontrollable manifestations of a disorder," namely hyperlexia. Falsely reassured by their well-intentioned pediatrician, the couple finally sought professional therapists, and after they relocated to Poughkeepsie, N.Y., where both got teaching jobs at Vassar, Benj made marvelous progress in school. Throughout her narrative, Gilman extracts from many of Wordsworth's poems, which comment on innocence and loss and gave Gilman tremendous succor during Benjamin's early development, making for both charming and studious reading. Her thoughtful memoir involves the breakup of her marriage, rejection of an academic career, and move to New York City to work in her mother's literary agency as much as it delves lyrically into the rare, complex mind of the unusual child."

When I read the description of this book, I immediately downloaded it on my Kindle and started reading with abandon. I "liked" the author on Facebook, I read her blog. Her son sounded more like Henry than any other child I have read about in the countless books I have read and half-read about Asperger's and hyperlexia. To be honest, as I raced through the text, her son reminded me eerily of Henry in many ways. Her reaction to noticing his differences was so familiar, and I could relate in many ways to being caught off-guard by this completely alternate parenting universe that had opened up and swallowed our family.

I can't say that I really liked the book, or that I could recommend the book, however. To be fair, my aversion came over time, and it was near the end of the fast and furious reading I was doing that I realized a few things:

1. I was, quite literally, skipping over all her chatter about Wordsworth, romantic poetry, allusions to literature, meaningful metaphor, etc., because they seemed, frankly, contrived. It had begun to remind me of something that seemed like a great idea, one you hatch in those moments of academic passion and work over and over in your head to the point that the brilliance of that tiny spark has been lost. Not because that spark wasn't brilliant, but because you have just taken it too far, and have stretched it too thin. It reminded me, in many ways, of my Master's thesis, or many of the "brilliant-at-the-time" papers and projects from college.

2. I like to think of myself as a potential writer. This book was precisely the kind of thing I'd write. Starkly, it demonstrated to me all the reasons it's not the best idea for a mama, who is very smart and well-read, but who doesn't have anything genuinely insightful and fresh to say, to write a book. It got kind of boring. I'll explain why below.

3. It was absolutely a memoir. Full stop. I think on some level I was expecting a memoir that also had genuinely valuable and insightful information for me as a parent of a similarly situated child, or something universal and profound. Maybe that was in there and I missed it since I didn't connect with the Wordsworth, but it was most certainly a memoir. Maybe I'm too close to the feelings to see how they are universal, or to feel touched in more than a "dear lord, that's us" sort of way. I wanted it to be more than a memoir, and it wasn't. The author seems like an incredibly lovely person, but it's really just a cut above what I write in my head as I fall asleep at night (with more literary allusions, which do make it far more intelligent than what happens in my head, but not necessarily more interesting).

4. My complex relationship with social media has really complicated my relationship with this book. I think I liked the book better right when I finished it, in part because I had not gotten daily updates, quotes, gushing reviews, and media clips posted by the author to her Facebook page. Again, she seems like a genuinely lovely person (she personally responded to me when I sent her a note saying that I related to her experience because our sons were so similar), but there is something about having daily updates, quotes, book tour updates, and even personal contact that makes me feel even more like this was just like the book that I had rolling around in my head, but she had the mom who is a literary agent so she got to write it. I've said on many occasions that even though I feel like all the stuff in my head is brilliant, the reality of it is that no one needs to hear all that, and I kind of feel like the filter would be a benefit here, but her mom got her a book deal.

5. (For the record, I get the hypocrisy of blogging about my feelings about this book, and I really get the hypocrisy that is what follows.) My own wish to have the book have some kind of resolution for her son, or for her, made me feel stressed out when it never came. She found peace in not having a solid diagnosis, and accepting his differences, and modifying her life in ways she never expected; but I couldn't get there with her. I was looking for some peace for myself, through her experience, but I wanted it to be reassurance that her son is OK, that he is doing great, and that Henry will do great too. It was like the book wasn't romantic enough for me in the end, and like I wanted reassurances or tips that would somehow get my family to a place of peace. I felt her when she wrote about the fear and the bitterness, and the frustration and confusion early on in her journey with her son, but it's as though she lost me somewhere around my own real-time experience. And now, with the updates and whatnot, I have no interest in her real-time experience, because I don't want that to be my destination.

In may ways, refusing to give solid definitions and diagnoses to her son, or to the challenges he has, Gilman does contribute a genuinely helpful (if maddening) portrait of the "spectrum" of autism, and all it's related disorders, syndromes, "-isms," "-ias." Definitions are crude tools, and it is a continuum that defies easy labels, even when your child seems to be displaying textbook symptoms. Give it a couple of days, and something will fall out of place. It is a puzzle, a spectrum, it's complex and annoying all at once.

Like I said, I didn't really like the book, and I can't really recommend it because I didn't really like it, but at the same time... it's stuck in my head, and I can relate more than I want to. Maybe that means it's good, and i am just cranky. Certainly possible with this one.

Next week: Lighter fare reviewed! I'm deciding between the apocolyptic vampire-zombie book and delightfully cheesy British murder mystery... Or possibly Cormac McCarthy. We'll see what inspires.

Back from ASA...

2011-07-10T23:03:00.001-04:00

...updates, book reviews, musings, ranting, knitting, and more to come soon. It was a long, long four days, but awesome. Toby starts "school" tomorrow, and Henry and I will be hanging out a lot, trying to be mellow and productive, all at once. It should be interesting. But now, sleeeeeep!! Hooray!

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http://hamstocks.blogspot.com/
http://radicalmamalaw.blogspot.com/

Wordless Wednesday: ASA Conference, Day One.

2011-07-06T23:20:00.001-04:00

Pre-Conference workshop (awesome) and bizarr-o Gaylord Palms Hotel. Home for next three days is weird, but filled with interesting information. And monkeys.

Something to come... BOOK REVIEWS!

2011-07-04T22:17:00.000-04:00

I've been reading more lately, thanks to my Kindle, iPad, and rediscovered nighttime ritual of climbing into bed every night with some words to read. I like to keep the pre-bed reading on the lighter side (not educational materials or conference planning guides for upcoming trips - thrillers are fine, just nothing I might genuinely have to remember).

I have been trying not to read complete crap, but sometimes I do read complete crap. You are getting reviews of all of it. I'm ditching the "secret" part of my guilty reading pleasures, and you will get to read about what I am reading, even if I'm kind of embarrassed to admit I'm reading it because it's pulp.

You can, in the near-future, look forward to reviews of: The Anti-Romantic Child, No Country for Old Men, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, The Passage, and more! Woo, books!

This is what my life looks like.

2011-06-30T15:02:00.000-04:00

Bret has been helping me keep Toby still while do his contacts every morning and evening. The new hard lenses are great, but it's taken a while for little one to get used to the new procedures and sensations. Bret took these while I was removing lenses the other night, and as you can see, Toby survived. But this is what my life looks like.

Wordless Wednesday: Last CSA share of the season

2011-06-29T18:30:00.002-04:00

So many fresh veggies, and homemade strawberry sorbet. Oh Swallowtail Farm, we will miss you until fall!

Wordless Wednesday: Hyperbaric Therapy with Henry

2011-06-22T09:22:00.002-04:00

Ah, the bounty!

2011-06-18T07:58:00.001-04:00

Our CSA is amazing, and we are swimming in the fruits of summer. This bounty, however, signals that the end of the season is drawing near, and those dog days of summer are ahead. In Florida, July and August are our resting months, when we casual gardeners and farmers surrender to the heat. We might be able to keep a few plants going with lots of irrigation, but it's about time to let it go. And wait for our lovely fall gardens to arrive!

Some projects, in progress...

2011-06-17T23:54:00.001-04:00

The gnome family grows...

Open Letter to Kim John Payne

2011-06-17T10:14:00.001-04:00

Dear Kim,

Please come to my house and simplify my stuff and my schedule. My attempts have been genuine, but genuinely epic fails. I love you, please come. Anytime. I'll bake you pie.

Love, V

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http://radicalmamalaw.blogspot.com/

Wordless Wednesday: Nayla settles in for the long haul

2011-06-15T18:56:00.001-04:00

Open Letter to East-Coast Travel

2011-06-12T22:43:00.001-04:00

Dear East Coast Travel:

To be honest, what with all the delays, long drives to the airport, hassle of lugging around 2 car seats, and stress of packing in one suitcase to save $50, I'm not convinced that airplanes are the way to go. I know I said that twelve hours in the car would stress out the kids, but both of our travel days were 12+ hours, door to door. And we didn't get to stop and eat, and pee, and stretch. Next time, I'm totally driving.

(will someone please remind me of this when the time comes?)

Mwah, V

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http://radicalmamalaw.blogspot.com/

Wednesday

2011-06-08T15:31:00.000-04:00

It's silent in our house right now. 3:30, we are ALL home, all in different rooms, all cashed out in one way or another. Bret is out with the tummy bug, Toby and I are fighting off the end of the head cold/flu bug, and Henry is feeling much better, but taking some quiet time to himself with his iPad. We leave for four days tomorrow... Oh dear me. Send us lively thoughts and pixie dust please. We could use some.

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http://radicalmamalaw.blogspot.com/

And even more tiny gnomes!

2011-06-08T09:09:00.000-04:00

More Gnomes. And a gnome home.

2011-06-07T20:15:00.000-04:00

Baby gnome, #2

2011-06-05T14:36:00.001-04:00

Toby's baby gnome. He picked out all the colors. I'm getting more elaborate with my stitching, and this little guy has more stuffing. Up next... Log cabin quilt for Baby Capobianco-Dandorf and gnome for Henry, possibly with hair and a beard. And more flower faeries. Ahhh, I'm loving this craftiness.

Nevermind, for now.

2011-06-02T11:54:00.002-04:00

Last night Henry turned into the girl from the Excorcist, at least in terms of vomit. He was much sweeter. This morning, instead of stressing about all that packing I was stressing about last night pre-midnight, I got to run around in a sleepless haze gathering BRATS foods and canceling flights, rental cars, nannies, appointments.... Now we are in bed, trying to keep down fluids. Yes universe, I hear you laughing. Ha ha, I had plans. Phhhhfffft on you too.

Wordless Wednesday: Oh crap, I have to actually pack this stiff tomorrow morning.

2011-06-01T22:03:00.000-04:00

Baby Ida's Blanket

2011-05-30T21:59:00.002-04:00

Organic cotton, cool and tough for summer! Brooklyn, here it comes!

Baby Gnome

2011-05-30T21:53:00.001-04:00

I've been learning about Waldorf-inspired handcrafts through Henry's awesome preschool, and tonight I finished my first solo project. Beyond solo project - I improvised a pattern and design, and even materials, woot!

This baby gnome will head up to Brooklyn tomorrow to meet her new mama, Miss Ryah Dashti, who has a new baby sister named Ida. Ida is getting a pretty pink and white knit blanket, so it only seemed fair that big sister got a beautiful gift made by hand with love as well. Love.

Honestly?

2011-05-28T09:04:00.002-04:00

I didn't think it was possible to F* up pie, but I managed it. I mean, it's deliciously sweet blueberry soup in a tasty crusty shell, but definitely not pie proper. Oh hubris, I feel your sting.

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http://radicalmamalaw.blogspot.com/

Friday, shorts.

2011-05-27T19:08:00.001-04:00

1. Contractors being late, rescheduling, coming back five times, making me reschedule my life and Bret's life and stay home with bored boys and rain gives me panic attacks. I just want my whole house and yard remodeled, not the stress, sheesh.

2. Our fish died today. We noticed because Toby was demanding that she was hungry (as has been his practice every day for a while now, and she has always been alive...).

3. First blueberry pie of the season is out of the oven just now, looking divine. It's way too easy to male blueberry pie. We need to pick way more blueberries in a hurry, we have a chest freezer now and there is no excuse not to stockpile.

4. My kids are obsessed with knock knock jokes, which all stink, especially when a kid hasn't really "gotten" how a joke works. It was cute the first hundred times, but now... Headaches.

5. Kids discovered YouTube on the TV. Now the crashing dominoes can be enjoyed really large, and I can monitor better than on the iPad. But even I stumbled upon a boner video. Who makes this stuff? Weirdos.

6. I'm so tired I'm thinking of skipping craft time (and hot pie time) after boys are in bed and going to sleep at like 8. Trust me, big time exhaustion.

7. I'm starting a couple of other blogs that will have specific topics, do rather than being scatterbrained here all the time, I'll just be a little scatterbrained here (focusing on crafts, baking, cooking, and my thoughts on things related to those and political things, and other random crap). I'll try to be together in the other places, but they are so not ready yet. I'll keep you posted, in like a month...

Off to convince my children to mellow out as bedtime nears. *sigh*

Eugene wins the Contest.

2011-05-27T00:00:00.006-04:00

Sorry ladies, a papa won the contest for finding the dress that most closely matches the final purchase. To be fair, I should look up and post the photos he sent me while I was shopping, and if only I had a transcript of the phone call during which he discussed several dress style options, and the women who had made them currently fashionable... I have to admit, he knows his ladies' couture. So, while he was off on the final color, he scored on the style, and thus has won a handmade goody of some sort to be determined through what I can only expect will be lengthy negotiations. Also, I am assuming that his wife and daughter might have some input into the winnings, but then I never guessed he'd come up with the winner, so maybe that will be all him too.

When I manage to get myself to a real computer rather than this iPad which is acting all funky tonight, I will post side by side pictures of the dresses proposed, and the final purchase (that is the red one below since they were truly unable to get the black one for me, bastards!). You'll agree, he gets the prize for the closest hit.

Now if I could only stop myself from gorging on carbs (it's like I have something against staying on a diet before I go visit people I haven't seen in many years, what's my issue?), I'd feel like maybe I will look respectable at this wedding. But crap, i still need shoes. Oh dear, if you can find me something cute in a size 11... I'll do something nice for you, promise!

Wordless Wednesday: Toby's big birthday present. I made it. From scratch. Snap!

2011-05-18T19:09:00.001-04:00

(I would be remiss if i neglected to add a super-big thanks to mama Amy for helping me with the sewing!)

Ok folks, QUICK!

2011-05-17T15:23:00.001-04:00

This comes in red or black. It has great reviews, and while not my favorite thing ever, it's OK. I'm thinking red. Am I living in crazytown?

I was supposed to be getting this dress...

2011-05-17T14:15:00.001-04:00

...but got an email from Nordstroms today apologizing for their inability to complete my order and canceling it. Awesome. Back to the horribly atrocious drawing board, t-minus 17 days to departure.

Open Letter to Clothing Retailers in Orlando Florida

2011-05-15T16:43:00.001-04:00

Dear Clothiers:

Your wares are overwhelmingly unattractive. Oh, and whole prom is around this time of year, so are a ton of fancy weddings, so you need to stock some black tie dresses that are not bedazzled.

I'm off to shop online now, and thus gives me no pleasure.

Poo on you,
Virginia

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http://radicalmamalaw.blogspot.com/

Wordless Wednesday: Waiting for OT, peacefully for a change

2011-05-11T14:01:00.001-04:00

Flower Child: Bluebell - my Waldorf handcraft project

2011-05-10T22:17:00.002-04:00

Waiting around = no fun

2011-05-10T11:40:00.001-04:00

This morning Toby and I have had a hectic schedule. Took Henry to OT, went to the car wash, went to the park, then took H to school, then ran home to beat the AC guy to our house since he was supposed to come at 10:30.

We need (and I'm not overstating by using "need" here) to go to the grocery store, but instead we are waiting around for said AC guy to come since technically he could get here anytime between 10-12... I was told he'd call first, and that he'd not be here before 10:30, since I told them I would not be here.

I just saw the company's van drive by my house. Now, we are hoping this means that there is another job down the road and I'll get a call at any moment (it's 11:33 as I type right now). I'm a little afraid they are going to say that they tried to come and I was not here, thus forfeiting my Groupon-purchased inspection. This is also why we arent playing outside; if boyfriend comes and I don't hear him, same worry. Im not convinced he will call. Grrrrr.

Bret has to work through lunch, so Toby has to stay awake until after we puck Henry up at school and take him to ABA therapy for the afternoon. He will also have to wait for more milk because we are out (see, we NEED to be at the grocery right now!), and he's a tired, grumpy, annoyed that we aren't outside little boy.

Today is one of those crazy-busy days that also has weird down time that ends up being totally unproductive. I hate these days. Given that we are about to start home improvements, however, I think I had best get used to this!

Open Letter to My Friend

2011-05-08T16:23:00.003-04:00

Today I visited you for the first time in three years. I haven't been able to manage it before today, but there was something urgent about finding you today, Mothers' Day, May 8, three years after you moved on.

I miss you so much. I find myself thinking of you more than I ever imagined I might. Sometimes it feels peaceful, and other times I'm terribly sad. Today was a mix. Visiting, in the shade of a beautiful tree, whispering to you all the things I've wanted to say, I was so sad, but so at peace.

I like to think you'd be proud of me for how I'm handling these mama-challenges I never expected. It's in the moments of most intense challenge that I find myself wishing I could talk to you, seek your advice, hold onto your calm. But it's also in the moments of bliss that I wish you were here to share them with me.

I don't know what step I'm on in terms if grieving you. I don't think I've fully accepted that you are gone, and I don't know how to get to a place if peace about losing you just at the moment that our lives were really coming together. I'm hoping that visiting today, marking today with rosemary on your grave, and thinking of you with a mix of joy and mourning will help me move forward.

Steckley is having her baby any time now. We are all visualizing her birthing her today (at her request), wishing for a peaceful birth. I'm hoping she will come today. Somehow, the thought of a life coming into the world today feels like salve for losing such a beautiful life on this day three years ago. Perhaps Steckley's daughter will possess some of your beauty, calm, and deep wisdom. And perhaps you will be with Steckley, and give her strength, as she brings more life into this world.

You were one of the most amazing mamas I have ever known. You helped shape my conception of motherhood, and I am so grateful to have had you in my life, even though it was for far too short a time.

I miss you, love you, and today I honor you.

Wordless Wednesday: Productive, Peaceful, Yummy Naptime

2011-05-04T15:16:00.001-04:00

Baby Hat #1, 2011

2011-04-30T22:59:00.001-04:00

This was my first project of 2011, being modeled by the sweet sweet boy who received it. Soft bamboo, simple circular design. Love him!

Oh, heck yeah!!

2011-04-27T22:49:00.003-04:00

Contest!

2011-04-26T14:59:00.006-04:00

I have a black tie wedding to attend in about a month. I have next to no time to shop, and am in a quandary because I'm in the process of slimming and am not sure what size I will need in a month. And yet, I need a dress.

I have no idea what a lady wears to a black tie wedding when only a cousin and not in the wedding party. Oh, and it is definitely black tie, not an option to spare.

Throw me ideas people - and, much like Crime Stoppers, whoever makes a suggestion that leads to a purchase wins a reward!

I will knit a custom toy/blanket/hat and scarf/messenger bag/etc. for you or your kid or your partner or whoever. Honest to god fancy knitting to order.

This is big time people. Dress me!

And, go!!

Addendum: See how little I know! Here is more info on the event to help you with your search:
My cousin is marrying a lovely gal who is from the fancy part of Charleston, WV. South Charleston, technically. Wedding is at 6, cocktails are 730-830 with dinner and reception following. Reception is at her family's farm I think - it seems like a very large estate. The invites were completely simple, engraved, traditional, ultra-fancy. Cloth-lined envelopes, hand-caligraphied address and inner envelope, tissues, etc. It's not black tie optional, which my brother's ultra-fancy NYC wedding was, it's just black tie. Fancy. Oh, they have a website! www.laurenandwill.com

For the record, Will is my first cousin, and I adore him. Babysat him all the time, the little terror. His fiancé is incredibly sweet and lovely, so I couldn't be happier to be celebrating with them!

Fantastic; I couldn't have said it better, so I steal (with credit)

2011-04-25T23:28:00.002-04:00

"I would like to establish a few things about myself: I am not a saint, nor am I unusually patient. In fact, on most days, I would argue that I am decidedly impatient. I have not been "blessed" with my boys because I am in some way more worthy or special than you, and you probably could imagine how I do it every day, you just don't because it makes you uncomfortable."

Heather Newman, in an essay from _My Baby Rides the Short Bus_, an anthology everyone should read because it is awesome.

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http://radicalmamalaw.blogspot.com/

Henry said it!

2011-04-24T13:38:00.001-04:00

Wordless Wednesday: my big boys, in the morning

2011-04-20T09:07:00.002-04:00

Baby blanket, almost done

2011-04-20T09:06:00.002-04:00

This project is killing my wrist. I think I have given myself tendinitis or something. Just started in the past few days, and I'm not sure why it's come up suddenly. Thankfully, this guy is a few rows from finished, so I can take a little break soon. I'm not sure where it's headed just yet, but I'm in love with the colors!

I Love...

2011-04-16T23:28:00.003-04:00

... that we can go strawberry picking on a Saturday afternoon with almost no plans just twenty minutes from our house. I love that the farm accepts food stamps for the fresh fruits and veggies that they sell, because getting fresh foods to folks in need is important. I love the crazy pink smiles my kids make when they are in berry heaven. I love that we flew kites after picking berries, and that we are making time and space to freeze those suckers right this year! I love Gainesville, early summer, my family, and fun weekends. Love.

Baby hat and bib, newborn-ish

2011-04-14T18:43:00.002-04:00

Baby hat and bib, newborn-ish
Originally uploaded by Hamstocks

Working right along, here is my second project recently completed. Given at a shower last weekend, for a dear little one to be who they are "98%" sure is a boy, this set is super soft organic cotton, which I found on super-sale at Michael's a few weeks ago. While I definitely prefer supporting the local yarn shop, I couldn't pass up clearance organic cotton, so you will see the colors I found in this in use in several upcoming projects.

I should note that I failed to take a photo of the first baby project I did this year, which was, after some truly miserable failures around Christmas, a minor success. It was a slightly-too-large hat; very sweet, tan, organic bamboo, and warmly received by the mama of sweet kittle Elliot, who I have not seen in way too long now!

Baby blanket #1, 2011

2011-04-14T18:37:00.002-04:00

Baby blanket #1, 2011
Originally uploaded by Hamstocks

This is the first completed baby blanket for 2011. I have a lot of babies to go... This particular blanket was called "folksy" by my sweet huhsband, but I disagree. I think it's kind of hip, and I love it. I hope it's hip, because it is on it's way north to Chicago, where it will hopefully become a good summer accessory for a little city girl whose papa I love dearly and whose mama I still need to meet!

I think we accidentally stole this today...

2011-04-14T12:14:00.000-04:00

Oops.

Open Letter to Mamas of Summer Babies

2011-04-03T18:49:00.003-04:00

Dear Mamas of Summer Babies,

OK, so here is my situation: I birthed one winter baby and technically one almost-summer baby, but we had a freak cold snap that May and I was spending most of my time completely stressed out with a baby getting eye surgeries, so, well... I implore you for some advice here.

I know several mamas who are about to have babies, or have recently had babies. I like making gifts, and I can basically ONLY knit. I mean, I have a sewing machine and theoretically could sew and/or quilt, but really, I knit. Not crochet (I have tried and failed for now), knit. Knitting plus summer babes.... Yeah, not immediately the best combination right?

I have finished one blanket which I really like. It's bright, it's a nice cotton that will wash well and wear like iron, and it will also breathe! It's about 3' x 3' and I think it's good for a boy or a girl, but as it's a bit of a bright rainbow it might be better for one of my less traditional friends.

As an aside: I don't expect anyone to pamper a gift I give. I hope it will get used and used hard! I try to pick materials and knitting techniques that will hold up to everything a baby and a washer can dish out. (I have no illusions about some idyllic baby cuddly world that smells like powder and is always soft and clean, trust me.)

So, the dilemma: I could make more cotton blankets. I could make cotton hats. I could make cotton toys. I have a lot of organic cotton ready to knit, I just need some input on what would be the best summer baby gift. I mean, do people use knit blankets in the summer, ever? Does it matter if they are breathable cotton? And hats, what's the scoop? My kids wore them, but one was born in early February and the other was always in freezing hospitals or in the A/C until he was like five months old and the summer heat was wearing off. What kinds of toys would babies like? I did an pretty rad Muno doll, and have done some others, so it is possible.

And really, on colors: do people really still care about this pink/blue thing? My boys wore lots of green and brown and red and navy. The sale organic were a purple-blue and pink, and the sale was great, so I do have these things to think about this time.

One other point: some of the mamas are really good friends. One is the wife of a really good friend (I have never actually met mama, but the papa and I go way back to age six or so). One is family, but not close. And another is a far-off friend who was once very close, but not really close anymore. I still want to shower these mamas one and all with some special love and care, and hey, I also really love excuses to knit like a nut!

So, mamas of summer babies, what would you most want to get if I were knitting for you? And if you aren't a mama of a summer baby, or even a mama, and you still want to share, feel free. I need the inspiration!

With love and care, V

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Sent from my iPhone.

http://hamstocks.blogspot.com/
http://radicalmamalaw.blogspot.com/

Wordless Wednesday: Old Florida

2011-03-31T08:14:00.001-04:00

Yeehaw Junction, Buck Hammock Ranch