A Waterfall of Giggles

No one else makes this little guy laugh as much as his brother does.

Road Trip

We'll be headed on a road trip to the east coast in a few days. Roundtrip = 42 hours in the minivan. Pray for us, friends. I'm a bit nervous about how this is going to go.

Oliver asked, "Mom, if we travel at night, which one of you is going to act nocturnal and drive the car?"

Nocturnal is apparently our word of the week.

Later in the week I was driving Oliver to my sister's house. We were going to help her pack suitcases for a flight to Ethiopia to bring her beautiful new son home. It was pouring rain and I noticed the side-vent windows of our minivan were open. "Oh geez," I said. "That wasn't my brightest move."

"What's a brightest move, Mom?" he asked.

"Your best idea."

"Do you know what is the best idea I ever had?"

"What?"

"Being with you."

And just when I didn't think I could hold an ounce more love for this beautiful boy, my sweet son, my heart grew three sizes larger. Just like that.

While my sister and her husband raced around doing last minute packing, Oliver said, "We know just how you feel. We made this trip before, right Mom? I know how my cousin feels: a little bit nervous and a lot excited. I will be able to help him when he gets home." On so many levels, this new little person in our family is going to be so good for us. We can't wait to welcome him home.

But not until we return from the aforementioned 42 hour roadtrip. Did I mention I'm hoping you'll PRAY FOR US? Yes? Thank you.

Alphabet

How can you tell when your five year-old boy is spending much of his free time with a nine year-old neighbor girl?

"Mom, could you give me another 'F' alphabet cookie?"

"Sure, why?"

"I want to spell 'BFF.'"

"Best friends forever?"

"Yeah, Mom. (whispers 'forever... forever...') That means you'll never be separated again doesn't it, Mom?

"That's right, my darling."

Nocturnal

"Mom, how do the drivers of airplanes stay up all night? Are they nocturnal?"

"No. But your brother seems to be."

Itchy

"Mom, could you please scratch that spot on my leg? Now, I might laugh - because I have a very itchy place on one of my tickle spots - but that's okay."

Fruits of the Garden

We spent almost all weekend cleaning, organizing, rearranging furniture and, well, cooking green leafy vegetables. This morning, I finally cleared all the board games, stereo cords & broken toys off the shelf on our white hutch & created a little ode to spring. Oliver helped me cut fresh flowers from the garden and put spring family photos in some frames.

We also picked lilies of the valley for our red hutch. Lilies of the valley remind me of my Grandma Joyce, who always grew them. And they remind me of my wedding day, when I wore Crabtree & Evelyn's Lilies of the Valley perfume.

The house is still in disarray from half-finished organizing projects & our attempts to switch the office to the dining room & vice versa. But amidst the chaos, we have these lovely spring flowers to cheer our happy home.

I went through an all-lace, all-the-time phase in high school, college & post-college decorating. Doilies, valances, pseudo-Victorian splendor. I collected vintage hats & hat pins, old radios & sheet music for framing. I sort of left all that behind for awhile, but lately I've been yearning for lace curtains again. And even a couple doilies. I'm not sure why. They just feel glowy & light & airy & spring-like. It's been a dark & gloomy winter & I'm so ready to take down our heavy red curtains & plain white sheers.

But I'm not sure how to incorporate lace into our home without a) freaking Matt out - Mr. Former Mohawk Man who used to drive a car with his head stuck out the window because he had varnished his 'fro: although he says it looks great, I do wonder if he's just placating me. And b) not making it look like I'm stuck in the 80's.

There's a fine line between elegant vintage Victorian & chintzy heart & ribbon decor. I'm going for a wild English countryside garden look. Or a house that could step out from "Meet Me in St. Louis." I may be skating dangerously close to 3787 Willow Heights Drive SW, Rochester, MN, when I used to curl my bangs both under and over with a curling iron & a squirt of super hold hair spray. I just got bangs again. They, too, could either be seen as a hip Keira Knightly fringe or a misguided attempt to return to the claw of my youth.

We also have curtains in the upstairs office alcove for the first time ever. Courtesy of IKEA & Unique Thrift Store of Burnsville. The floral design reminds me of my childhood bedroom, which is both sweetly comforting and a little too 1980's for me. But, in the words of the farmer from the film Babe: "That'll do, pig. That'll do."

I'm good with sweet comfort & 1980's kitsch for now.

Green Leafy Vegetables

Oliver says, "I don't want to eat any more leafs, Mom."

Boy is he in trouble.

We have green leafy vegetables coming out the ears. I've always wondered what vegetables people were talking about when they said "be sure to eat your green leafy vegetables." Then I scoffed at the list. Bok choy? Who eats bok choy?

We do.

Well, we will soon. For now its arugula, spinach, hon tsai tai, pea vine, spring salad mix. I sneak green "leafs" into everything. Cold pasta salad, hot pasta dishes, stir fry & rice, on top of veggie burgers, on pizza. Everything. I'm also sneaking shredded radish into things, too. No one seems to notice or complain.

What's on the Plate?

Photo #1
Morningstar Griller veggie burger covered in organic muenster, spring salad mix, pickles and ketchup (natch.) The best veggie burger I think I've ever made.

Pasta with Asparagus & Spring Greens (substituted in green garlic, arugula, spinach)

Photos #2-4
Boboli Pizza with muenster, basil, green garlic, spinach & steamed asparagus

(Our 9-pack of herbs from the farm is at the top of the picture. I picked the basil from the plants and popped them right onto the pizza. It was fabulous, if I do say so myself.)

What's on the Platter? (i.e. what were we listening to while cooking?)

"Walk Tall" by John Mellencamp

Everyone ate their green leafy vegetables at our house this weekend. And I didn't hear one little complaint.