Do you ever think it's not if, but when, you will go crazy? A friend recently said this to me, and I laughed but agreed. This week, it feels like the end of my sanity is truly drawing near.
Last night, I suggested to my husband that we do a humanitarian trip to the place we last visited on our honeymoon (Playa del Carmen, Mexico). As that city is ravaged by Hurricane Dean today, I think of the days ahead. The sun will return, and the people will come back to survey the damage and try to move forward. Many, undoubtedly, will need help.
As altruistic as my idea sounds, this idea is not utterly selfless. See, I'm a weather girl - finding ways to integrate it in ways like here and here. Not that I predict weather (though I've been known to do that). It's just that... I'm affected by weather. I try not to be, but I am. I like sunshine - no, I really, really, really love sunshine. I love hot, sunny days of summer, but even in the winter I love the glitter of sun reflecting off snow.
This is a problem because I live in the veritable rain forest, also known as northwestern US. Yes, it's lush and beautiful here. It's like that because of the abundant months (9-10 each year) of rain we get. It's also green because of the relatively mild temperatures, cool enough to keep from scorching plants, but warm enough to avoid freezing their roots. It's also green because usually we get a few months where the sun shines and photosynthesis reigns.
This year is different. We have not yet had more than seven - ! - consecutive days of sunshine. We've had some sunshine, and we've even had heat, but no summer (by my definition). We've had many days where the sun "burnt off" the morning cloud cover around 3 pm. That is not a sunny day, folks, even if you want to argue that sunset wasn't until 8 pm. Mostly, we've had a few days of sun, followed by a few more days of clouds and "scattered rain" (different, in some weird twist of comedy, from "patches of rain." Don't ask my why. Someday I'll write a TT on all of the odd meteorology terms used in this area!) The clouds will clear, we'll get a few days where it gets hot - like, over 80 degrees - and then back comes another system of clouds.
I'm seriously creeping into crazy. What makes this most unbearable is the sheer volume of people who have loved this weather. Many of them don't think there's anything wrong - perhaps it's even one of their favorite summers in memory. These people, though I love them, think I am the odd duck. Some have very unsympathetically retorted, "but that's why we choose to live here. We love this weather." Maybe true. Maybe it's delusional. Maybe this is just an incredibly well-populated area of water-logged brains. Or perhaps, as they've implied (or said directly), I'm in the wrong place. I hope not, because Mr. Kenobi loves his work here and is very unlikely to move, and I'm not interested in living several states away from him.
If you are thinking, "buck up, little camper," or "sheesh, she's an ungrateful little gal," or "wow - that sounds like paradise," please keep your comments tucked away for a while. I need sympathy. I need prayers. I need a sun dance. I need some real, honest-to-goodness, sun-drenched heat.
So I look at the destruction of this hurricane, the despair facing those whose lives have been completely uprooted and blown across their city, the water everywhere, and I think it would be good to go help. Perhaps, in the midst of that service, I'd even get some much-needed solar therapy.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
the phone rings
...and the craziness begins.
Does this happen at your house, too?
We can be having a nice, quiet, fun afternoon. The boys can be enjoying each other's friendship. They can be eating their favorite pita-hummus lunch concoctions, or playing happily with their train set. Everyone can have everything they need or want.
It does not matter, as they will think of Something Urgent about .0538 seconds after I pick up a ringing phone and say, "hello?" No matter how calm and satisfied we were, life will turn upside down at that moment.
Obi-2 will need to go potty. Right. Now. He will shout loudly, "I need Mama help me!!!" though normally, he doesn't want my help (yippee). Obi-1 will decide he no longer wants to share with his brother. Water (or juice, or milk) will be spilled. Somebody will whack his brother, and both boys will need to report the incident to the proper authority. These things may happen individually, but more likely it's all at once.
I can respond to the boys' pressing needs, giving my caller the pleasure of hearing flushing toilets, "Tell him you're sorry," or "just a minute," intermingled with our conversation. Or, I try to do enough pantomime and sign language to handle their needs silently. These options leave my discussion distracted, at best. The other option is to leave the room, but they follow me. I'm a regular Pied Piper, traveling around the house with a phone at ear and a trail of children behind me.
Do you want to know why you don't receive phone calls from me? Are you curious about why you get my voice mail when you call my cell phone AND my home number? Do you think to yourself, "isn't she a stay-at-home mom? What could be keeping her from the phone?"
Sometimes I avoid phone calls because I enjoy those moments of peace in my home. Oh I like to be able to carry on a conversation with you, but that is difficult while I'm wiping bums, washing hands, pouring milk, retrieving the lost Lego, or reminding two boys in bunk beds that they are Supposed To Be Napping. If you want a real conversation on the phone, we should schedule it in advance or talk after 8 PM PST.
A few months back, I instituted a new rule here: "When Mama is on the phone, the answer is no." It worked really well for a while, but I lost ground when I failed to enforce it. It only takes one time of pulling out more snacks by the handful or retrieving Larry the Cucumber from toy jail to let everyone know that "when Mama is on the phone, the answer is whatever-makes-you-quiet."
Does this happen at your house, too?
We can be having a nice, quiet, fun afternoon. The boys can be enjoying each other's friendship. They can be eating their favorite pita-hummus lunch concoctions, or playing happily with their train set. Everyone can have everything they need or want.
It does not matter, as they will think of Something Urgent about .0538 seconds after I pick up a ringing phone and say, "hello?" No matter how calm and satisfied we were, life will turn upside down at that moment.
Obi-2 will need to go potty. Right. Now. He will shout loudly, "I need Mama help me!!!" though normally, he doesn't want my help (yippee). Obi-1 will decide he no longer wants to share with his brother. Water (or juice, or milk) will be spilled. Somebody will whack his brother, and both boys will need to report the incident to the proper authority. These things may happen individually, but more likely it's all at once.
I can respond to the boys' pressing needs, giving my caller the pleasure of hearing flushing toilets, "Tell him you're sorry," or "just a minute," intermingled with our conversation. Or, I try to do enough pantomime and sign language to handle their needs silently. These options leave my discussion distracted, at best. The other option is to leave the room, but they follow me. I'm a regular Pied Piper, traveling around the house with a phone at ear and a trail of children behind me.
Do you want to know why you don't receive phone calls from me? Are you curious about why you get my voice mail when you call my cell phone AND my home number? Do you think to yourself, "isn't she a stay-at-home mom? What could be keeping her from the phone?"
Sometimes I avoid phone calls because I enjoy those moments of peace in my home. Oh I like to be able to carry on a conversation with you, but that is difficult while I'm wiping bums, washing hands, pouring milk, retrieving the lost Lego, or reminding two boys in bunk beds that they are Supposed To Be Napping. If you want a real conversation on the phone, we should schedule it in advance or talk after 8 PM PST.
A few months back, I instituted a new rule here: "When Mama is on the phone, the answer is no." It worked really well for a while, but I lost ground when I failed to enforce it. It only takes one time of pulling out more snacks by the handful or retrieving Larry the Cucumber from toy jail to let everyone know that "when Mama is on the phone, the answer is whatever-makes-you-quiet."
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
chocolate zucchini cake (health food)
Presenting one of my favorite ways to use summer produce... :)
Nani’s Chocolate Zucchini Cake
½ C butter
½ C oil (canola or vegetable)
1 ¾ C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
½ C buttermilk (you can make this qty from powdered buttermilk if needed)
2 ½ C all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
4 Tblsp cocoa powder
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon (or less, depend on taste)
2 C grated & drained zucchini
1 C chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x13 cake pan.
Cream together butter, oil, and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix well.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together.
Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix well. Add zucchini and mix to combine.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Bake for 40-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs on it. Let cool before serving.
enjoy!
- MamaToo
Nani’s Chocolate Zucchini Cake
½ C butter
½ C oil (canola or vegetable)
1 ¾ C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
½ C buttermilk (you can make this qty from powdered buttermilk if needed)
2 ½ C all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
4 Tblsp cocoa powder
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon (or less, depend on taste)
2 C grated & drained zucchini
1 C chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x13 cake pan.
Cream together butter, oil, and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix well.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together.
Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix well. Add zucchini and mix to combine.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Bake for 40-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs on it. Let cool before serving.
enjoy!
- MamaToo
Monday, August 13, 2007
summer travels and memories
Hi again! We're back - and I'm nearly recovered. When I say "back," I mean we're back from a long-weekend family reunion of sorts, and a week of guests. When I say "recovered," I mean I've finished unpacking & doing laundry. At least for this moment. :)
We went to California to meet up with Mr. Kenobi's family. His parents, 2 of his brothers, their girlfriends, and 4 cousins all convened on the sunny state for a weekend of fun. Just before we arrived, his oldest brother had proposed to afore-mentioned girlfriend, and she said yes. So, there was lots to celebrate upon arrival. It looks like there will be ample wedding preparations for the Kenobi family: 2 of the boys are en route to wedded bliss in the next year, and the youngest appears pretty serious. So, maybe I won't be the only daughter-in-law for much longer... HOORAY!!!!!
Yes, if you were able to keep up with that last paragraph, there are FOUR boys in Mr. Kenobi's family. And they all share a wise-cracking, laid-back approach to life, along with their parents. I sometimes imagine their childhood home being much like a really cool clubhouse, with ample treats supplied by Mrs. Cleaver and NO GIRLS ALLOWED posted on their door frame. It's probably far-fetched, but who knows. To spend a weekend hearing the litany of stories from antics of those guys, I wouldn't be surprised.
With that level of testosterone present, it shouldn't surprise anyone that a highlight of the weekend was a baseball game. The Oakland A's played the Anaheim Angels, and won. I must preface this portion of the update with a disclaimer: I have never been a big baseball fan. Having grown up nearly 10 hours (by car, not horse-drawn carriage!) from a MLB team, I had only sort-of followed the Twins.
However, when we first moved to sunny Seattle years ago, we were given tickets to a Mariners' game. We went to the game and loved it, so we went back as often as we could while we lived there. The game of baseball? Fine. The experience of an outdoor game with 35,000 people? Really cool. Having a team in your new city setting records for most wins in a season (2001 in Seattle)? Priceless.
We loosely followed the Mariners while we lived there, though they haven't always been that successful. I tell you this to take the most time possible to explain that this time, when we went to the game, we were rooting for Oakland to win, simply because that would put the Mariners a notch closer to 1st place in their division. See? Not a big fan, but I can enjoy the sport.
So... the really incredible highlight was that Grandpa Kenobi got to throw out the first pitch! At a real, live, nationally-televised, big league baseball game! Am I the only one impressed? Come on - this was cool!! Comment, folks - how often has your grandpa thrown out a first pitch. (Okay, yes, I don't want to initiate a "my father-in-law is better discussion. Take this in humor!)
My sons did not understand how rarely this opportunity will fall on their grandpa. To Obi-1, Grandpa got "the first peach." Yes, the first peach. My boys were mildly disappointed that there was no fruit shared after the ceremonial start to the game. Hee hee...
The first, eh, peach, was good. Grandpa Kenobi should be proud. The rest of the game was fun, too. And, come to think of it, so was the weekend.
Happy summer vacating!
We went to California to meet up with Mr. Kenobi's family. His parents, 2 of his brothers, their girlfriends, and 4 cousins all convened on the sunny state for a weekend of fun. Just before we arrived, his oldest brother had proposed to afore-mentioned girlfriend, and she said yes. So, there was lots to celebrate upon arrival. It looks like there will be ample wedding preparations for the Kenobi family: 2 of the boys are en route to wedded bliss in the next year, and the youngest appears pretty serious. So, maybe I won't be the only daughter-in-law for much longer... HOORAY!!!!!
Yes, if you were able to keep up with that last paragraph, there are FOUR boys in Mr. Kenobi's family. And they all share a wise-cracking, laid-back approach to life, along with their parents. I sometimes imagine their childhood home being much like a really cool clubhouse, with ample treats supplied by Mrs. Cleaver and NO GIRLS ALLOWED posted on their door frame. It's probably far-fetched, but who knows. To spend a weekend hearing the litany of stories from antics of those guys, I wouldn't be surprised.
With that level of testosterone present, it shouldn't surprise anyone that a highlight of the weekend was a baseball game. The Oakland A's played the Anaheim Angels, and won. I must preface this portion of the update with a disclaimer: I have never been a big baseball fan. Having grown up nearly 10 hours (by car, not horse-drawn carriage!) from a MLB team, I had only sort-of followed the Twins.
However, when we first moved to sunny Seattle years ago, we were given tickets to a Mariners' game. We went to the game and loved it, so we went back as often as we could while we lived there. The game of baseball? Fine. The experience of an outdoor game with 35,000 people? Really cool. Having a team in your new city setting records for most wins in a season (2001 in Seattle)? Priceless.
We loosely followed the Mariners while we lived there, though they haven't always been that successful. I tell you this to take the most time possible to explain that this time, when we went to the game, we were rooting for Oakland to win, simply because that would put the Mariners a notch closer to 1st place in their division. See? Not a big fan, but I can enjoy the sport.
So... the really incredible highlight was that Grandpa Kenobi got to throw out the first pitch! At a real, live, nationally-televised, big league baseball game! Am I the only one impressed? Come on - this was cool!! Comment, folks - how often has your grandpa thrown out a first pitch. (Okay, yes, I don't want to initiate a "my father-in-law is better discussion. Take this in humor!)
My sons did not understand how rarely this opportunity will fall on their grandpa. To Obi-1, Grandpa got "the first peach." Yes, the first peach. My boys were mildly disappointed that there was no fruit shared after the ceremonial start to the game. Hee hee...
The first, eh, peach, was good. Grandpa Kenobi should be proud. The rest of the game was fun, too. And, come to think of it, so was the weekend.
Happy summer vacating!
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
and they say we live in the city
When I was a kid, my grandpa had a very large garden, and grew just about every vegetable imaginable. The work started in the spring, with tilling the ground, planting seeds, watering, weeding, mulching, staking, and everything else that goes along with gardening. As soon as we were old enough to walk around, we were helping in the garden. Mom would lather us up in sunscreen and bug spray and we learned the difference between a weed and a baby zucchini sprout. A bit older, and we could help Bampa (my grandpa) form the tomato cages and place them carefully around the young plants. We'd help tow the irrigation pipes across the rows, carefully placing them to make sure no water was wasted.
As the summer wore on, we'd harvest - fun (tasty!) but difficult work. Most plants require bending over them for hours on end while you search for the perfectly ripe produce. My mother's seven siblings would visit in late July or August. Most of them lived in large, urban areas where gardens like ours weren't an option. However, they loved fresh produce, and so they'd happily show up and eat it.
Seriously.
We would do all of that work, often even picking everything, and they would eat and relax on their vacation. Often, I was scolded for having 2nds at dinner by somebody saying, "Aunt La-ti-da and Uncle Yoo-hoo are only here for a week. Let them enjoy the tomatoes!" Certainly, we ate plenty of fresh produce, but it was frustrating to watch other people gobble up what they hadn't worked to produce.
Ah, how times have changed.
We have now picked over 30 pounds of blueberries at local farms. We are hoping to reach a total of 50 lbs before the season is over. We've also harvested 27 pounds of peaches, a dozen or so ears of corn, and some broccoli and cauliflower. Next week, we hope to get cucumbers and green beans. As summer progresses, we'll aim to get a bunch of tomatoes.
We're eating fresh, that's for sure, and stocking up for the year ahead. We've frozen most of the blueberries, and drying or canning peaches. Of course, we're having fruit on our cereal and enjoying snacks and desserts and salsas in the meantime. I'm planning to make this cobbler, too. We'll try pickling next week if we get enough cucumbers, and we'll freeze beans. I'm most excited about tomato season, as that's probably my favorite food. I'm going to try canning some sauce, and making lots of fresh salsa and BLTs on our menu!
It sounds like I'm back home in South Dakota, doesn't it? Perhaps that's why I'm amazed at how cheerful the folks are at the u-pick farms. They've worked so hard to grow these crops, and strangers like us gather them up without a second thought, gladly dropping some change for a chance to enjoy fresh produce. I suppose that's why I tell the boys to say "thank you" to the farmers, even after we've paid for our portion. It's a gift to harvest where we have not sown.
As the summer wore on, we'd harvest - fun (tasty!) but difficult work. Most plants require bending over them for hours on end while you search for the perfectly ripe produce. My mother's seven siblings would visit in late July or August. Most of them lived in large, urban areas where gardens like ours weren't an option. However, they loved fresh produce, and so they'd happily show up and eat it.
Seriously.
We would do all of that work, often even picking everything, and they would eat and relax on their vacation. Often, I was scolded for having 2nds at dinner by somebody saying, "Aunt La-ti-da and Uncle Yoo-hoo are only here for a week. Let them enjoy the tomatoes!" Certainly, we ate plenty of fresh produce, but it was frustrating to watch other people gobble up what they hadn't worked to produce.
Ah, how times have changed.
We have now picked over 30 pounds of blueberries at local farms. We are hoping to reach a total of 50 lbs before the season is over. We've also harvested 27 pounds of peaches, a dozen or so ears of corn, and some broccoli and cauliflower. Next week, we hope to get cucumbers and green beans. As summer progresses, we'll aim to get a bunch of tomatoes.
We're eating fresh, that's for sure, and stocking up for the year ahead. We've frozen most of the blueberries, and drying or canning peaches. Of course, we're having fruit on our cereal and enjoying snacks and desserts and salsas in the meantime. I'm planning to make this cobbler, too. We'll try pickling next week if we get enough cucumbers, and we'll freeze beans. I'm most excited about tomato season, as that's probably my favorite food. I'm going to try canning some sauce, and making lots of fresh salsa and BLTs on our menu!
It sounds like I'm back home in South Dakota, doesn't it? Perhaps that's why I'm amazed at how cheerful the folks are at the u-pick farms. They've worked so hard to grow these crops, and strangers like us gather them up without a second thought, gladly dropping some change for a chance to enjoy fresh produce. I suppose that's why I tell the boys to say "thank you" to the farmers, even after we've paid for our portion. It's a gift to harvest where we have not sown.
Monday, July 30, 2007
big and tall news
The Kenobi house had a great weekend, filled with big highlights. I'm typing quickly to get a few things done during nap time, including dinner for friends who had a baby last week. Hopefully this can give you an update without too many typos. :)
First, the biggest, tallest news of all: Mr. Kenobi, bless his wonderful and endearing heart, decided it was time to let the boys have their bunk beds. Never mind that the CPSC recommends children under 6 not be permitted to sleep in such contraptions. Anecdotally, lots of kids we know enjoy their bunk beds at younger ages. Mr. Kenobi & his brothers had them when he was little, and our setup is, admittedly, pretty safe. Nonetheless, my fear of heights came into play, and I staged an only-other-mamas-will-understand protest about the idea. It was quickly subdued, as so many northwestern protests are these days.
"Mama, we have really big and tall beds!" (Obi-1)
The twin beds we got for them last summer convert easily to bunk beds, which is an obvious plus. A few bolts and assembly procedures after the protest-turned-joint decision, and the boys had a veritable castle in their room. Obi-1 is thrilled to be able to touch the ceiling from bed. Obi-2 loves being "in the middle," which of course is the most accurate description of where he sleeps: between his mattress and his brother's bed. :)
The amazing part is how large their room really is! When we moved here, we left a 752-square foot home. As you know if you've visited, this house is quite a bit more spacious. (If you haven't visited, perhaps you're still worried about losing your socks?) Anyway, the boys' room is much, much, much more spacious than the little Ballard nursery we had a year ago. What a blessing! We have a little chair for story-time, and the books & puzzles have a home upstairs, rather than in the basement playroom. Once "Narnia" is finished they'll have even more space to hang out and play ("Narnia" is a small closet-like space off the bedroom).
I feel like we've moved to the suburbs. Well, except, you know, without all of the drawbacks of urban sprawl. (Sorry for the jab, my many many many dear friends who are suburbanites! :) )
In other news, the boys have grown. Obi-2 announced Saturday, "I'm bigger today." Sure enough, he is! Our little guy is now 35 7/8 inches tall - almost two inches taller than his 2nd birthday three months ago. Not to be outdone, Obi-1 has grown an 1 & 1/4 inches in the same time.
"What are you feeding those boys?" you ask. Blueberries. Lots and lots of fresh-picked blueberries. But that will have to wait for another story, because the boys have woken from nap time & we're off to fun adventures!
First, the biggest, tallest news of all: Mr. Kenobi, bless his wonderful and endearing heart, decided it was time to let the boys have their bunk beds. Never mind that the CPSC recommends children under 6 not be permitted to sleep in such contraptions. Anecdotally, lots of kids we know enjoy their bunk beds at younger ages. Mr. Kenobi & his brothers had them when he was little, and our setup is, admittedly, pretty safe. Nonetheless, my fear of heights came into play, and I staged an only-other-mamas-will-understand protest about the idea. It was quickly subdued, as so many northwestern protests are these days.
"Mama, we have really big and tall beds!" (Obi-1)
The twin beds we got for them last summer convert easily to bunk beds, which is an obvious plus. A few bolts and assembly procedures after the protest-turned-joint decision, and the boys had a veritable castle in their room. Obi-1 is thrilled to be able to touch the ceiling from bed. Obi-2 loves being "in the middle," which of course is the most accurate description of where he sleeps: between his mattress and his brother's bed. :)
The amazing part is how large their room really is! When we moved here, we left a 752-square foot home. As you know if you've visited, this house is quite a bit more spacious. (If you haven't visited, perhaps you're still worried about losing your socks?) Anyway, the boys' room is much, much, much more spacious than the little Ballard nursery we had a year ago. What a blessing! We have a little chair for story-time, and the books & puzzles have a home upstairs, rather than in the basement playroom. Once "Narnia" is finished they'll have even more space to hang out and play ("Narnia" is a small closet-like space off the bedroom).
I feel like we've moved to the suburbs. Well, except, you know, without all of the drawbacks of urban sprawl. (Sorry for the jab, my many many many dear friends who are suburbanites! :) )
In other news, the boys have grown. Obi-2 announced Saturday, "I'm bigger today." Sure enough, he is! Our little guy is now 35 7/8 inches tall - almost two inches taller than his 2nd birthday three months ago. Not to be outdone, Obi-1 has grown an 1 & 1/4 inches in the same time.
"What are you feeding those boys?" you ask. Blueberries. Lots and lots of fresh-picked blueberries. But that will have to wait for another story, because the boys have woken from nap time & we're off to fun adventures!
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