Magodai Mama

I've Moved!

2009-02-05T13:21:00.000-08:00

Sorry for not posting earlier on this site as I did on my others...I'm now blogging only at one blog over here. I decided to merge my family blog with my professional one. Come visit me there!!!

new blog: www.youpictureme.wordpress.com

old school dryer

2008-11-20T08:07:00.000-08:00

Our dryer is busted, so this weekend we went old school and hung our clothes in the backyard. We had Santa Ana winds on our side, and amazingly, 6 loads of wash were clean, dry and folded in two hours...energy efficient, time efficient...hmmm.

morning with little ones

2008-11-14T12:11:00.000-08:00

For all of you who wonder what I/we do with our days here at the Brown home, here's a peak into a couple of hours in a morning. (Please notice the baking and subsequent eating of cookies...I'm making good on my new-found realization that baked goods are called "goods" for a reason.)

Check out the sweetness from the cookies seeping directly into the little ones...

Holding On

2008-11-06T11:50:00.000-08:00

The summer just keeps on holding on here. Just last week the kids were swimming in the front yard again. The next day they were snuggled together watching the amazing rain in the backyard. They are both fascinated by rain. This was the first rain Naya really seems to have acknowledged...and Curren knows immediately rain means puddles.

I'm looking forward to the change in the weather...to the change in our eating. I'm making a vow to bake more in this chilly season. I came to the earth shattering conclusion the other day that cookies and sweet breads, (i.e. banana, pumpkin -- not brains), are not bad for my little ones. Is this weird that I thought this? What do you all think about yummy baked things like these? I'm realizing slowly that if I make it here, in our home, with whole, fresh ingredients than what could be bad? I'd be leaving out a piece if I didn't mention that I've been inspired by the cold-weather baking habits of other blog moms.

I'll be posting some of the goodies we make. Stay tuned for yumminess...

hand holding

2008-11-06T03:32:00.000-08:00

I'm totally magodai for my little ones right now. Last week they started holding hands. I can't get enough of it so I find myself suggesting that they hold hands all the time. We were coming back in the car from Mema's the other day and Naya was having a rough time--crying and wanting to get out of the car. Normally there wouldn't be much Curren could do because in our usual car the seats are too far apart, but due to a glitch in the system we were flossing in the other car and the kiddos could hold hands. Curren took Naya's hand and held it for the remaining 30 minutes home. They stared at each other. Smiled. Laughed. Shared something between them that I realized sweetly, I will never be a part of. Being an only child, I'm watching every move these siblings make...and I love these moves they made on Halloween. (The boots totally made Cur's costume...and Miss Alisabeth couldn't get over how much Naya's bat teeth on her costume looked like Naya's real-life choppers.)

A first for all of us...

2008-10-27T18:50:00.000-07:00

Curren's first fieldtrip.
Naya's first pumpkin patch.
Rob's first outing as a 33 year old.
Roon's first realization that Curren has a life outside of us.

Fall here

2008-10-20T09:34:00.000-07:00

We are all loving Fall in the Brown household. Our first pumpkin harvest happened this weekend. We have to give thanks to our amazing friends and next door neighbors, Denise and Bill for growing our pumpkins on their side of the fence. The roots were on our side, and the pumpkins on theirs. Rob chose an interesting mix of seeds to plant so we harvested a gorgeous orangey gourd-like pumpkin which Curren immediately carved, and the most beautiful, smooth, green pumpkin.

I also decided it was time to bust out our old friend Josie's, (whom we miss), dutch apple pancake recipe. I can't decide what I'm missing in it, though. It never tastes as good as when she would make it for the two of us in her tiny kitchen in North Park when our two boys were tiny and we were tired and new at being moms and so thankful for the warmth and confusion of another new mom. So I try to bake the pancake as per her recipe and the kids love it, but I remember what it's supposed to taste like and I think maybe the recipe is just missing her.

New Big Brother

2008-10-09T12:55:00.000-07:00

Elijah is a new big brother! One of Curren's oldest and best friends is now a big brother to Ezra (a whopping 3 weeks old now). Cur and I got to visit with them yesterday. Life is so sweet. Watching my girlfriends and their families growing is complete happiness. Andrea is so soothing to watch with her newest little one. I remember with a slight cringe our first few months as new mothers to Elijah and Curren. We were on alert constantly and really working hard at trying to figure out not only our little ones, but our roles as moms and wives and as friends to our other friends. How uncomfortable, wonderful, awkward, crazy, exciting, and intense that time was.

And now, the second babies...it's just joy...to be able to relax and enjoy and be calm and be sure.

The joy also spreads to watching our older boys. They are fascinating and so fun. They have never known a life without knowing each other.

After these last 3 1/2 years as true friends with Andrea, I can't wait to see what the future holds for our families, our little ones, and our lives together.

Mushy mushy...

Photos of the newest Loyko...

Summer

2008-10-03T07:47:00.000-07:00

Silly in LOVE

2008-09-03T21:39:00.000-07:00

I'm so silly in love with this girl. I know, I know, it's almost too much, but she is too much for me to handle without sharing...

For more Naya painting photos check out my photo blog...

**school update: Curren had a total freak out/melt down on his second day of school. I thought everything was cool until I went to leave, all cocky, like, "my su-un is the be-est..." and then Curren said, "I'm coming with you." I was sure I hadn't heard correctly, but after picking up the tricycle! he had just ridden to school and throwing it across the welcome patio I realized he was serious. He calmed down eventually (without me there) and came home loving school. Hope tomorrow goes a little smoother. sigh.**

First Day

2008-08-28T14:11:00.001-07:00

Curren was off to his first day of preschool this morning. My next door neighbor, and one of my favorite people, Denise suggested I just book it out of the classroom when Curren started to cry...but I had a feeling he wouldn't cry. I thought he may be really shy and reserved as he can tend to be in a new or overwhelming situation, but he surprised me so significantly that I ended up being the one who cried.

I wasn't crying for his childhood lost, or because he was beginning such a long journey, but because he was so amazing to watch. He totally worked the room, introducing himself: "Hi. I'm Curren. I'm three." and volunteering to help the teacher when she asked if anyone would. He totally took risks which seriously is all I can hope for as a mom.

My good friend Cara's daughter McKenna started preschool this week as well. She told me that when she went to say goodbye to McKenna, her daughter just kept right on playing not even turning around to say goodbye, and that's exactly what Curren did too. I was so stoked and relieved and proud and excited for him.

His little school is so lovely and tiny and gentle. It's a small Montessori school where he'll learn through playing at "life skills" like washing dishes, transferring items with a spoon from one bowl to the next and pouring water from one vessel to another with a little pitcher. (One of my favorite blogs describes more of this and one of my favorite "toy" companies is here."

When I asked him about his day today, he was excited to tell me that they'd read a book about an old lady who'd swallowed a fly. He also told me that the silliest thing happened to him on the playground when he fell down in the sand when he was "just standing there". He told me that some little girl peed her pants and that another little girl laid down in the middle of circle time which was absolutely not allowed. He told me the same girl just screamed and screamed which was also not allowed. I asked him why he thought she was screaming and he said, "because she just wanted to get out of there right away."

I'm thrilled for him and his new adventure. There are only 3 boys and maybe 7 or so girls. I hope he finds a few good friends and enjoys himself. I'll be posting more photos of the classroom if they let me take some. And hopefully I'll have time to share some more classroom adventures too!

ohhh, girlfriend...

2008-08-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm totally magodai for Naya right now. She is seriously all that and a bag of chips (which she will eat all of and then some). Her favorite words to say right now are: apple, no (at any question posed to her), hi, strawberry (for any kind of fruit), pool, this (actually said "theeeessss").

She also gets totally magodai for kittens and cats (Magodai Baby in the future?). Especially photos of the furry little creatures. She gets all scrunched up in the face and makes a little point with all of her fingers touching and then tickles the photo of the cat saying, "minya,minya,minya,minya" all juicy with her lips and little tongue.

I want to eat her up in a cup.

You Picture Me Photography

2008-08-20T21:01:00.000-07:00

It's official-- I'm official.

Check it out here.

The views

2008-08-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

What is it about our fascination with vistas? We go as high up as we can on land -- and then for some of us that's not enough and we head to the skies. (I Love hot air balloon rides.)

This condo we were invited to offered both thrills. Firmly planted on the land, held up by a massive foundation, floating in the sky with a view the clouds are lucky enough to see. I mean, WOW! My littlest couldn't stop teetering over to one of the many vast floor-to-ceiling windows, putting her slimy hands up, fingers spread, and exclaiming, "whoa...", remarkably, just to herself, not caring if we gave her praise for her perfect imitation. She would stand there looking at the people below, filing in what looked like choreographed dances.

Curren, with the baseball game laid out in front of him, complete with a stomping crowd and smacking fireworks, was hooked on watching the trolleys come and go. We live next door to the train tracks, a great, honking train passing our home every 20 minutes. Curren can name which type of train it will be before it passes by our windows, but rarely pays attention or even acknowleges the mammoth interruptions. But there, sitting in the sky, Curren watched the red trollies pick up passengers and let them off over and over again. Then his commitment paid off. The freight train that passes by our house, (the loudest train in the world), showed up at Curren's little trolley station. From 22 floors above the ground, he watched the freight train slowly curve towards it's final destination. I'm sure in his mind filled with leprechauns and magic, Curren couldn't really grasp that the train was really dropping it's goods at the ugly, crowded, crane-filled shipyard that could be seen from where he was standing.

I never expected the visit to this high rise to be as monumental and lovely as it was. Serendipity, 22 floors up doesn't come along very often.

(photo by Joe Stein, my illustrious boss & the condo owner)

Gorgeous couple

2008-08-01T08:21:00.000-07:00

I had an opportunity to photograph this amazing couple 6 weeks before their first child is to be born. Caroline took my breath away each time I looked through my camera--she is intelligent, glowing and easygoing. Her husband Justin is sweet and funny and kind...and passionate about his upcoming son, surfboards, didgeridoos (they eloped! who does that? I was totally magodai over them both when I heard their story of love that just couldn't be held back any longer...)

Check out more of their photos at my other blog, you picture me.

***This is the name of my new photography business and upcoming website. You will find more photos of everyone whom I preview on the -you picture me blog- on my new website. Can't wait to share with all of you!!!! Keep checking back to hear about the launch which should be happening early next week.***

Baseball Fever

2008-07-30T05:40:00.000-07:00

Are you Kidding ME with this girl?!!!

Baseball fever has hit the Brown home. I got Curren the book "The Baseball Hour" and since then both itty bitties have been all about baseball. Naya now says "baseball" and insisted on wearing her brother's helmet. Once I gave her the bat and had her look in the mirror she was thrilled to no end. Ahhh....I can't believe she's really mine!

Creating

2008-07-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

I'm creating right now. I'm finding a new life, revisiting my old one and blending the two, creating an explosion of stress, excitement, fun, twisty, never ending thrilly days for myself and my family. The greatest project right now is a new website - a new business. I will share this with you the moment it launches. I'm nervous, but more than anything, more than ever, sure of what I'm creating.

Thanks for bearing with me as I swim through the bubbling, colorful jungle that is my mind/life right now.

Fast Life Recipes

2008-07-01T22:42:00.000-07:00

Our food life consists, these days, of meals/snacks I can make super fast. Things are just happening fast in our lives these days. (I would say things were happening "quickly" to be grammatically correct, but that doesn't sound "fast" enough.) Just thought I'd post a few of our top "Fast" recipes.

Marinated Sauteed Tofu
I realized the other day that many of my friends (and my husband) do not know how to cook tofu. I only know one way...and I only know because my friend Josie taught me last year. This is by far the fastest, easiest, and CHEAP CHEAP cheapest thing to make for our family...not to mention, really yummy and versatile.

1 package Extra Firm Tofu (with the words "Good source of calcium" on the package)
1 tbsp or so Soy Sauce or Braggs Amino Acids
Dash or two Olive Oil
Small zip sandwich bag
Cooking Spray
*optional: garlic powder, or minced ginger, or minced fresh garlic, or anything that goes well with Soy Sauce

1. Cut the brick of tofu into quarters. Take out a quarter and put it on a cutting board, put the rest in it's packaging, inside a Ziploc--keep the liquid or add fresh water to the portion you're saving in the fridge.

2. Cut your quarter of tofu into little bite-sized cubes (I find this cutting very satisfying---weird?)

3. Put all of the little cubes in the Ziploc bag. Pour the Soy Sauce and Olive Oil over the cubes (add garlic powder or other extras now.) Close up the bag and shake gently, but well enough to cover everything. Let the bag sit flat on the counter for the time it takes for your pan (next step) to get hot.

4. Turn on a medium skillet (pan) to Medium Hot. When the pan is hot, spray well with cooking spray.

5. Pour bag contents into skillet being careful because it may splatter a bit.

6. Shake pan or use a wooden spoon, or whatever you have, to move tofu around a bit...then let it sit and get crispy, shaking the pan every minute or so until it's as crispy and brown as you think looks yummy. (For us, we make it really brown and crispy--it stays soft on the inside and is great for dipping in stuff or putting in noodles.)

7. Empty cubes in skillet onto paper towels and let sit for a minute or so or however long you wish...

Quick Review

Cut Tofu into Cubes
Marinate in Soy and Olive Oil in a bag and shake
Cook tofu in Med Hot pan sprayed with oil
Let 'em get as crispy as you like
Eat.

YUM!

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Super Yummy Hide-away Whammo Smoothie
This is a cost-effective nutrition slam dunk that is soooooo yummy your kids (and you) will not even notice the green stuff!

For 2 generous servings

1 cup frozen strawberries (almost thawed)
1/2 cup frozen blueberries (almost thawed)
1 whole banana (frozen or not, broken into thirds)
1/4 cup plain low fat (or nonfat) yogurt
1/4 cup flavored yogurt (we use Trader Joe's Vanana)
1 tbsp flax seed oil
1 slightly packed cup fresh baby spinach
*optional: apricot apple sauce, peaches, frozen mango (we almost always add this), carrot puree
*for dairy free: substitute rice milk, soy milk, or hazelnut milk for yogurt
Put everything in a blender a zap it for about a minute or until all large chunks are broken up and the spinach is little flaky dots. Note- The flax seed oil (Trader Joe's) gives this smoothie an extra sweetness and nutty flavor--try not to leave it out...it just doesn't taste as yummy.

If you need to, put the spinach in when your kid is not looking and put the smoothie in an opaque cup (like a restaurant/zoo straw cup). We just pump Curren up about the spinach and now he tells his friends when they are about to make the smoothie with us that we're going to put in a "secret ingredient: SPINACH!!!!!!"

I was going to post another recipe---but I'll save it for another day. Enjoy these--I want to hear how you like them! Coming soon: recipes made from everything Trader Joe's...

++++Check out the nutritional info for this smoothie (except the flax seed oil which I had to enter as flax seeds) at this amazing website I found. It's easy to sign up and really easy to use.

Happy Birthday Little Charlie

2008-06-27T21:27:00.001-07:00

Just a sweet, gentle little shout out to a new itty bitty who's parents Debbie and Chuck are thrilled to have him here after what was the most gorgeous, stylish and naturally perfect pregnancy I've ever seen.

Here is the happy couple before Charlie made his entrance. They let me try my hand at maternity photography and have said I could bring my lens over to click a few precious photos of the newest Elliot! So stay tuned and check out more of Chuck and Debbie at my other blog. (Can't wait to meet him!!!)

Congratulations...

Cut

2008-06-23T19:54:00.000-07:00

I know--I know--I'm lagging BIG time on these posts, but things should start to get better as I learn how to use my new technology and begin to organize my ridiculous mass of photographs. Bear with me and know that I think of all of you ALL the time and want to share our lives with you each time I look through the lens of my camera, planning on sharing our moments--and that I will get better as time goes on!

Now, on to the show....

Curren has started to become afraid of things. He used to be our fearless little dude--taking fantastic risks and never afraid to try things or to fail. Now, today, even the slight movement of the berry part of his creamsicle slipping slightly over the ice cream part towards his sticky fingers sent him into a tearful frenzy. This is how it went:

Curren- "I'm SCARED!!!"

Rob and Roon at the same time - "Of WHAT!!!????"

Curren - "The POPSICLE IS GOING TO FALL!!!!!! IT"S.GOING.TO.FALL!!!!!" (Seriously screaming and shedding fat tears.)

R+R - "Curren, you are on the grass--it's NO big deal if the popsicle falls...you can still eat it...eat it fast...look--no big deal....just eat it...if it falls, it will be okay..."

Curren - "NO! No! NO! I'm SCARED!!!! It's going to FALL!!!"

R+R - looking bewildered at one another and at the 7 other people staring at Curren on the grass...what could be so scary?

Needless to say, the popsicle fell. Curren crumpled. I ran inside for another popsicle (which, by the way, also fell and created the same sort of hysteria). Rob ate the rest of the fallen pop. We all tried to figure out what went wrong. What went wrong...hmmm.

So this is kind of how things have been going. Each day there is a new "fear". Oh, and a new high pitched scream from our deep, raspy voiced little one when confronted with certain bugs.

The following photos illustrate a surprising twist on the new fear factor. This day was insane--Curren went to the dentist for the first time. Not afraid in the least. Told Rob the dentist was "fun". Following the dentist's office, I realized Curren had lice. Lice. Yes. Lice.

We shaved his head. With the loud, buzzing clippers descending on his little hairy, lice-y head, he was not afraid in the least. Our little wave jumper, scooter rider extraordinaire, who would not move a tiny toe when asked to take a stroll on the big pier for fear of falling through, even though he'd walked on the peer fearless before, had no worries as he watched his long hair fall to the garage floor.

After the clip job, Curren was pretending he was a monkey, (a favorite pastime), on our sandbox, and ended up slicing his back open on his metal cement mixer. He was not afraid of the slice and was quite excited to get a "real" paramedic's bandage.

I love this boy.

Daddy

2008-06-15T06:19:00.000-07:00

New Stuff

2008-05-26T21:54:00.000-07:00

Friends, family, random thrill seekers--thanks for sticking with me, with this blog, and checking back oh-so-many-times to see if I've posted anything new...

I'm having major computer problems---well, not problems, just my computer is full and doesn't like me messing with my photos. This results in a very frustrated me, and therefore a blank page on this poor, lonely blog.

ANYhoo--here's a little preview of 2 new posts on my other blog. Check it out when you have a chance--and see what I'm working on. Many of you have sat through my gesture-filled, passionate freak out sessions about my newest endeavour---a photography business. Some of my friends and family have been gracious enough to let me photograph them. I will begin posting the fruits of this fantastically juicy labor over the next week (computer willing) at the other blog.

Monet, Tyler and Terje

***********Shameless advertising section***********

If you or anyone you know is looking for an inexpensive, reliable, creative, fresh, and above all, chatty, photographer, please let me know. I have a new e-mail address for my budding business: youpictureme@gmail.com .

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New posts of the little ones coming up.

Mother's Day - better late than...

2008-05-23T21:01:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Tia, for being our both of our babys' go-to Mama to be calmed and comforted, just as you were to Rob...

Thank you Zooma for bringing adventure, life, energy and verve to our family.

Thank you Mema for your being steadfast and loyal..and seeming to always have an ear open for what we need or want.

We all love you all so very very much...

Happy Birthday, Little One

2008-05-14T20:50:00.000-07:00

Our friend, (and avid Naya admirer), Sebastian, giving Naya her first present of the day...

Today was a beautiful day for all of us Brownies...Naya said, "Ball" today for the first time. She's also clearly saying "banana", "brother", "hat" and "Naaaaayaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!". In sign language she is very clear when she's "all done" or wants to eat, when she sees a bird she has a coronary with her little fingers signing a beak opening and closing (though sometimes she actually snaps her fingers instead--on purpose--like a tiny little beatnik digging the birds), and she is ferocious about the "more" sign...not quite understanding it's significance yet, but liking our reaction each time she does it.

Naya is walking, by the way...in case I didn't share that with some of you. And Naya is an avid reader--something we were prepared for with Curren, who was not at this age, but were not expecting with Naya. She'll grab a book and come find my lap wherever I am. She talks to the photos of animals or people in her chosen book. And she does do animal sounds...well...animal sound. Every animal apparently says "baa baa".

We are all mad over this little girl, who has rocked our world since she came to us a year ago today. She was really crazy the first few months, but kind of like groupies who admire a rock star who throw tantrums, drinks, food, and anything else around while exhibiting a deeper soul, a glimmer of a depth one yearns to be a part of, we are waaaaay into our little Naya. She is cool. She totally knows what's up...and we are really looking forward to being on her tour bus this year.

Famous

2008-04-29T08:35:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to send another shout out to our good friends Andrea and Ryan (and their sweet son Elijah and the little one on the way). They have the coolest baby announcement business, rattle-n-roll. Andrea sent me a little e-mail this morning directing me to the latest post over at Daily Candy, Chicago. Looks like our little guy is a star today...

Beach Hikes

2008-04-25T14:05:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Soule Mama's springtime walk at the beach, I decided to finally post some photos of one of our family beach walks. Living so close and loving the ocean as deeply as Rob and I do, we're still surprised and mortified that we don't go as a family each day. When we do go though,(still pretty frequently), it never fails to be magical. Never. And Curren never comes home dry. Never.

She eats burritos

2008-04-17T11:38:00.000-07:00

I just updated my Fotografia albums to the right. The Brown's Marchy March album is now available to view, my friends...

What we learned this week

2008-04-16T16:21:00.000-07:00

*If you leave strawberry plants in the ground through the winter they will produce a ridiculous amount of strawberries in the spring. (Does everyone know this?)

* Human children really can grow 1 1/2 inches in one month.

* Naya does actually have teeth under all those gums.

* Rob is a carpenter and a very good furniture designer.

* The entire family does not combust when I leave in excess of 6 hours. (whew!...duh.)

* An 11 month old can fit 5 prunes in her mouth at once.

*Our neighbor, Daze (12 years old), is the Leader of Magic World, according to Curren. (See this for a photo of His Excellency.)

* There are still adults out there who yell (yell!) out, "Oh my gosh! It's all over my door!!!!" when discovering the throw-up that an 11 year old girl left on the car as the girl is still throwing up on the street next to the adult. No, the adult didn't say, "Are you okay, sweetie," or "You poor thing," while rubbing the girl's back. She did ask for another wipe for the car door, though.

* The weeds in the nasty lot on the corner are magnificent this year!

Blood

2008-04-09T20:41:00.001-07:00

Mrs. Flores, (Veronica to us), showing her stuff

Our neighbors across the street are an amazing family. They look out for each other, nurture each other and are very generous with one another. But that's not what makes them such an inspiring family. It's the fact that they do all of this and more for all of us too. We knew we had friends for life when Curren had a seizure in the middle night just a month after moving into our home. We couldn't get 911 on the either of our cell phones and we didn't have a land line. Rob ran across the street, banged on the Flores' door, and before he could ask they were calling for help. They were there when we got home from the hospital in the wee hours as well...making sure we were all alright.

The other day the itty bitties and I were walking home from the park and saw the whole crew from across the street outside on the front lawn and spilling out into the road. This is certainly not unusual either on their side of the street or ours---it's a very active neighborhood. Lots of kids and people walking their dogs and skating---a beach community. But something was different. There was an energy in the air. Celebration. One of the Flores sons and his dad had caught fish on their day at the lagoon. Not just a fish four fish. Four Halibut. They could be eaten. This was huge. These guys fish all day for many of their days. This was a big deal.

I saw the bucket as I was about to turn the stroller into the driveway. Someone yelled to us, "They caught fish!" I called to Curren who was careening up our walkway on his scooter. Curren loves those buckets of fish. Down at the ocean, a big white bucket of flopping fish and a smiling fisherman can turn an alright day into a story-worthy day for that little guy. Curren came speeding down the driveway and joined Naya and me crossing the street. Before I could stop Curren from peering into the bucket, someone says, "They've already been gutted." Whoops.

So my brain races. Save Curren from ugliness. Save him from shock. Save him from blood. Save him from confusion. Save him from wonder? Save him from life?

Of course, it was already too late to save him from anything immediately. He was staring at the bloody fish carcasses, the bones perfectly intact and the heads still on as if a cartoon cat had slurped them down his throat and thrown them into the tin trash cans in the alley. Curren was just sitting there for a second. Before he could say anything I explained that all of the yummy part of the fish, the fillet that we love to eat, had already been taken off. That was why all that was left were the bones and the head. (I also explained that many people around the world would probably pay good money for the head...but mama wasn't one of them.)

Curren accepted my explanation and kept staring, moving around the bucket. What was I so scared of? Nightmares of rolley polley fish heads? That he wouldn't eat fish again? That the blood would freak him out? I was uncomfortable...until Curren showed me that he wasn't.

So we walked across the street to our yard, kids following us to play with Curren and Naya. I love those nights when it feels like a summer block party. Everyone of the children is one of our kids. Our family. Curren was showing off on his skateboard. Boy bravado to the max. At one point he fell hard enough that he skinned his leg pretty badly. When we went inside to get him a band-aid he told me, "I have blood, Mama. Just like the fish. Blood just like the FISH, Mama!"

Curren continues to talk about blood whenever the opportunity arises. ("Look what I painted! It looks like blood!) And he went back to look at the fish that same night when Rob came home. He just stood there and stared while all the adults talked about the catch and the future barbecue.

I'm thrilled and scared, but life is moving forward. Curren is learning about things greater than himself...and I'm on that ride with him.

**Bike and Curren photos taken by Olivia, (11 year old Libby to us), with my camera**

The Letter "Um"

2008-03-19T21:15:00.000-07:00

Inspired by this photo at Childhood Interiors, a UK company highlighted at Made By Girl, I started sewing a pillow of my own Tuesday night. I decided this would make a perfect gift for one of the many babies yet to be born this year...but that I should practice with one of my own kid's names first. So I printed out a font I liked, measured out an "N" on the back side of some cute fabric, (it took me waaaay too long), cut it out, and realized I had a backwards N...aka a "Z", when I flipped the fabric to the right side. (Many of you are probably saying "duh...", but to me these moments are coming fast and furious to due extreme lack of sleep.) I don't think I know anyone with a kid whose name starts with Z, so maybe I'll sell it, or it will be the start of a huge pillow alphabet for the itty bitties...

***Update...so, I show the pillow to Rob tonight, proud of my first slipcover pillowcase and announce that we will have to figure out someone to give the "Z" pillow to. Rob looks at me like I'm crazy:

Rob: Uh, why?

Me: Cause I messed up the 'n', remember?! So now it's a 'z'.

Rob: Um...no it's not. It's not any letter. You made up your own letter!

Me: What?! Oh. Yeah. Whoa. Crap. Oh well.

Anyway, here it is. I finished it tonight after trying to figure out how I was going to make a zipper closure with no zipper foot for my machine...a detail I didn't know existed until I found myself researching last night.

Then while researching zippers I came across the simplest closure of all--slipcovering. I started to explain how to do it--and it is super easy--(swear, Mrs. Pickles)--but my explination got all convoluted--so insead, here's the photo. If anyone is interested in having one of my one of a kind letter pillows with crazy/fantastic fabric in their very own letter (made up or otherwise), let me know!

My favorite representation of the alphabet...by Tauba Auerbach (She'll need to add an "um" somewhere between the "n' and the "z".)

Green Day

2008-03-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

In honor of our greenest day, here are just a few of my favorite green things. (I tried to include a leprechaun in this shot, but the little buggers always elude me. Humph!) :

-Cool plant that I bought at Boney's for .99 cents. (Actually, I bought 3 of them to give as gifts, but I can't seem to part with them.)

-Simple Green (Sitll my favorite all around cleaner..and it smells so yummy. Yes, Mrs. Pickles...YUMMY!)

-My all time fav go-to sweatshirt with the sweetest fat-yarn bird embroidery and whip stiching around the pockets.

-Green baskets--they carry and hold all of my itty bitties' clothing, food, and toys (well not all of their toys).

-Curren's green step stool. I got it in the dollar bin at Target and I can't imagine our life without it.

-The green chopsticks I got in a package of 24 at the Vietnamese grocery by our old house. They're slippery to eat with, but their uses have proven to be vast. Most recently they have been used as coffee stirrers and playdough punchers--oh and drumsticks, of course.

Happy St. Patty's Day.

Girl Day

2008-03-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

I'm getting totally magodai over Naya lately. Her little face...her curly-ish, wavy-ish, growing hair...her crazy pointing obsession...her football tackle any time I'm remotely prone on the floor...all of it made for a very sweet 24 hours with just the two of us.

Naya has been here...

2 Minute Bag

2008-03-15T20:39:00.000-07:00

I can't seem to finish anything these days, so when I came across this T-shirt Bag idea in an older Martha Stewart Magazine, I started gathering t-shirts on my sewing table. It kind of seemed like a "duh" project. Like, "Duh, why don't all of us do this all the time?" This week I made my first bag. I had, literally, 2 minutes in which to cut the shirt and sew it...and it worked--and it's cute...and it has started a new obsession.
I've included some photos to show you the process...they're not the best, but they'll do the trick. (You can also watch the video on Martha's site, but her way requires measuring, a pen, and other strange, making-an-easy-project-a-bit-uptight stuff.)

Grab a favorite T-Shirt and cut off the sleeves

and neck (trying to match up as well as you can).

Find a little baby to inspect your work, making sure he/she crawls and then sucks on the shirt.Turn the shirt inside out (my favorite part) and sew the bottom of the shirt together, matching the front and the back as well as you can. I did use pins...so sue me. Now show off your cool bag or stuff it in your purse for an always ready shopping/poopy kid clothes bag.

I'm making a goal for myself to do more art with the itty bitties this week. Curren has been really into drawing lately:

I'm going to try this:

The Artful Parent's Puffy Paint entry.

And this Bubble Painting.

You Picture Me

2008-03-06T14:42:00.000-08:00

You all have been so supportive and receptive of this blog. Thank you.

I've just started a second blog. With it I will focus on my current passion...photography. Check it out if you have a moment. I'll continue to post writing and start posting more crafts, I think...hmmm

Japonica

2008-02-23T21:30:00.000-08:00

Sometimes life is so nice about putting goodness right on your plate, without you ever suspecting the mind blowing tastiness of the meal you're about to have.

We have a farmer's market in our neighborhood, just a few blocks away, twice a week. We don't go that often, even though we can walk there, and we always leave feeling very much a part of our community. It tends to be very expensive and lacks variety--especially the Saturday market. Also, we always seem to go for the basket of strawberries and the head of bok choy and come back munching on potato samosas and kettle corn, $10 the poorer.

One day I'd gone to the market by myself--yes, it's true. I have no idea how I came to be by myself--I'm not sure how old the kids were, (that is, after all, how I measure time these days, i.e., "Oh, that was when Naya's colic was subsiding, so she must have been about 3 1/2 months, so that means it must have been the end of August, last year.) So, somehow I'd snuck out of the house and was aimlessly wandering the market, when I noticed a new stall, (there are only about 12 total), and under a large banner that read, "Thai Food", was the largest, darkest Somalian man maneuvering the steaming food containers. Enticed by the newness, the incongruities of the cultural statement, and the ridiculously alluring scent of garlic, I immediately checked the cash in my back pocket and made a beeline.

The smiling gentleman, (who was the cook...the tiny Thai woman whose recipes he cooked was sitting in a beach chair behind their white van that was parked in the stall), offered me a taste of the garlic pumpkin with egg. This may not sound like the most delightful combination, but let me assure you that I shouted about the yumminess of this dish all over the place to friends, family, and neighbors for weeks to come. Yum. But that's not what left the lasting impression on me that compelled the need to write this entry. Along with the pumpkin dish, I ordered Tom Yum soup and was offered the option of having "red rice" put in the bottom of the soup container.

Red Rice? Of course. Yes...put a lot in.

When I got home and started chowing down, I freaked out about the rice too. Oh my goodness it was good--nutty and chewy and sweet and robust and really, really good. I'd never heard of red rice before and searched for it all over the place following the red rice day.

I was shopping at Boney's Market, a store that is as close to a perfect store that there could be. Where else can you find all of the freshest baked goods, spelt bread, homeopathic stuff, organic popcorn in bulk, all of the crispest, sweetest, dew droppy-good produce, AND grab a bag of Flamin' Hot Cheetos to go with your Oreos and Spinach Paneer. I challenge you. Anyway, I was there and in the rice isle, searching. I found an interesting blend of wild rice--black and yellow and white-ish rice. It was called Japonica and suggested storing it dry in the fridge.

That night I cooked it...(Cooking rice is one of those magic, feel like I'm in on a little secret-things that I love (see right sides). I mean, add water, turn on the heat, boil, let it sit, simmering untouched--don't stir!- and then poof--a delicious pot of fluffy rice waiting for me...) and so after an hour I lifted the lid expecting to see a lovely plain of black wild rice waiting for me. By now, I know you know what it was...and it was...my Red Rice. and it tasted like my Red Rice too...and it makes everything taste good, I swear.

Here's a recipe I made the other night to go with the Japonica because I had all the ingredients on hand...all of us loved it, even the littlest one ate it blended up--and cried a wailing, demanding cry when I told her she was cut off. Happy cooking, and happy finding the Japonica, whatever that may be for you...such a good life it is when tiny discoveries of goodness land on our plates.

Love to You

2008-02-14T06:30:00.000-08:00

Quail Botannical Gardens Yesterday with Zooma:

Happy Valentine's Day!

Electric Boogaloo Alive and 2 1/2

2008-02-13T21:18:00.000-08:00

Curren surprised us (again) with a full-on breakdancing show Saturday at Baby Loves Disco. Our good friends Andrea and Ryan, (and their uber-rad son Elijah), from the coolest invitation/announcement/anything you can think of shop, Rattle-n-Roll were hosting the event, (and also did all of the posters, nation-wide for BBLD), and we were not about to miss the opportunity to get down in a club with a bunch of itty bitties and yummy snacks. More about Andrea (super mom) another day--she deserves her own day.

picking oranges at Mema's the following day...

Sick and La Suegra

2008-02-06T20:17:00.000-08:00

We were both sick. Rob, my husband, and I woke up afflicted by the same gnarly stomach thing. It was one of those can't-quite-deal-with-walking-or-moving-things. Luckily Rob's mom, who we call Mema, (aka: La Suegra which means mother-in-law, but deservedly sounds much nicer in Spanish), was here for her weekly overnight and was armed and ready to deal-I mean play--with the itty bitties all day.

Curren, the big brother, must have gotten that memo that instructs him to have a total meltdown by 7am just in case mommy's day hadn't gotten off to the right start (which I assure you, it hadn't). He had one of those moments, as I was sliding through the kitchen about to throw up at any moment, where having asked for toast with butter and honey only moments before, he realized that he must have been mistaken. In fact, toast with butter and honey was suddenly possibly one of the most vile and horrific combination of things on the planet. He wondered, (crying and wiping snot while yelling, pleading), how he was going to survive, telling me that he was, "Super, super hungry. So, SO hungry." Do those words slice a nauseous mother's heart right to the core? Yes. and No.

Enter Mema.

Mema (aka- genius): Oh...Curren, look what I'm going to do. I'm going to build something out of these blocks. Hmmm...I wonder what I'm going to build...Oh! Look what I made!!!! Wow!!!Come see what I made!!!!!

Simple. Devious. Calm. Calculated. Curren didn't take the bait right away, but it was inevitable. Who could resist a building building Mema? Curren went over for a look, I switched out the toast, (turned out he didn't want the "toast" toasted), buttered the bread "toast" and joined him at the table. There was still a little incident when the bread crumbled as he was eating it, sending up a wail that all the other sick, head throbbing home-stayers in America heard, but the major crisis was over.

I don't mean to say that this was all Mema did for us in these two days of stomach blah, I'm sure you can imagine her greatness. So as I'm healing and as our household is now Mema-less again, I just want to tell her: Thank you.

Chocolate Puffcake Brownies

2008-01-26T21:49:00.000-08:00

The goal was chewy, chocolaty brownies. The chewy part was my desire. The brownie, chocolaty part was Curren's request.

(He's doing this thing lately where he'll see something or smell something and will immediately insist on making food. Yesterday: Curren- "Mommy! Mommy! We must have boiled eggs." Me- "What? Why? Boiled Eggs?!" We were in the middle of doing his floor-sized firetruck puzzle for the 4th time that morning... Curren- "Yes! Yes! Ahh-Let's go now. To the kitchen." Apparently there was a painting of eggs on the side of a Museum of Art box he'd seen lying on the floor next to the puzzle. So we made hard boiled eggs...which he has never and still doesn't like.)

I have no idea what prompted his brownie appeal, but since receiving my first real mixer from Zooma (my mom) for Christmas, he's thought up many ways to use it. Brownies are generally in the forefront of my mind while idling through life anyway, so I thought it was a capital idea.

After looking at many recipes on our usual e-recipe stomping grounds (epicurious, allrecipes, foodtv, cooks.com), we decided on one called Chewy Brownies. Yum. I apologize if I offend right now by saying this, but all who like their brownies cakey should just make chocolate cake because I believe brownies were meant to be chewy -- and without powdered sugar on top -- and even without (gasp) nuts. There, I said it.

So Curren and I (with Rob and Naya looking on) whipped up our brownies in the mixer and poured it into our awaiting, pre-greased baking dish. That's, (I think), where we made our fatal mistake. It called for a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan...but I only saw the 9 in part and, in our dinner time confusion and my lack of baking experience, I figured an 8 x 8 x 2 would do the trick.

Ha.

After 45 minutes at 350 degrees, the brownies hadn't firmed a bit, (the recipe called for 27 minutes), so I turned up the heat and did some other stuff for a while. Rob called me into the kitchen to behold the miracle. Though the photo above does not come close to doing it justice due to the deflation after sitting out of the oven for a bit, my pan of brownies had risen and puffed and developed what looked to be a lava-like center. It was like a giant souffle. Rob pulled out the rack and demonstrated the tell-tale jiggle of an unbaked delight. (At this point they had been in the oven for well over an hour.)

My chewy brownies would not be chewy. I had never understood the frustration of a baker. Cookies not rising, bread too dry--that sort of thing. Now I felt as defeated as my soon to be deflated pan of brownies. I whad been looking forward to eating most of them by evening's end, slipping into bed with a full, nauseous, delighted belly. Oh dang.

Well, we pulled the cake out after an hour and 45 minutes so Curren could have a dime-sized bite right before bed. How he savoured that little piece. It made me look at the brownies in a whole new light. In the dark after I'd sung Curren his bedtime songs, (he'd asked for a special song called, "Yeah." about his friend Grisman), he stopped me at the door before I'd left by saying quietly, "Mmmmm. That chocolate brownie was sooooooooooooooooo good. yum."

And he was right. And now I'm full and sick. Yum.

Taking the plunge

2008-01-23T21:22:00.000-08:00

I started a taking new class yesterday...my first in 3 years. I'm trying to improve my skills in digital photography. I'm so passionate about photography and am seeking guidance, critique, a path, a focus. The class was awesome. First day can be brutal, uncomfortable, silent (that's the worst part), but this class was positively raucous. People were joking around, taking risks, and were so welcoming and supportive of one another--strangers--at a community college--dang!

So we had to introduce one another, the classic icebreaker. We needed only to report our partner's name and their life's passion. My life's passion? Just one?! That's like asking me to identify a favorite color, or my favorite book. Are we really that simple? I mean, I know we were just giving a peak into our lives for the purpose of understanding a little something about one another in the class, but I have a hard time being flippant about such a deep and glorious subject. Would I be judged, ideas formed about me based on my answer? I love hearing the varied and interesting passions people have...and I certainly gather a picture in my head of who I think they might be.

The first thing that came to mind was photography. Duh. I mean, weren't we all there for photography. The next thing I thought about was my itty bitties, Cur and Naya. I am definitely passionate about them--raising them, watching them, learning from them, photographing them. Hmmm. I guess I'm a mom. Sometimes this doesn't really click. So as I heard myself being introduced, I couldn't help being a little startled when my partner, (Michael, graphic design--logos, that type of thing), said my passion was my 2 kids.

2 kids! How the hell did that happen. I was sitting in a place where I am very comfortable-a college classroom--I did it for over 10 years, and I suddenly I didn't know who I was there. What my role was. I'm not cute student girl, or passionately driven teacher wannabe, or even wandering young seeker--looking to discover herself. I am a married woman with a degree, and 2 children.

Wow.

*******************

I'm really looking forward to growing throughout the next 16 weeks and will be sharing my newly educated photos here. Here's one I'm sharing with the class tomorrow--a piece of my previous "work"--well, well... (And if you want to see the other photos that I'm sharing tomorrow check them out here.)

Right Sides Together

2008-01-21T19:47:00.000-08:00

I started sewing again this week. I guess you could call me a born again sewer. I always feel like a beginner because I never stay with it long enough to go to the next level, yet, I always end up busting out more skills than I initially think I have.

I was thinking about what my favorite part of sewing was---what makes my heart beat faster when I think about a new project. What popped in my mind first was the pincushion. Almost any pincushion...I know many other sewers get magodai over pincushions because I've seen the vast array of amazing pincushions made and shared online. What is it? It's small, cute, can be expressive in endless ways, and the kicker is...it's totally useful too! Ah, pincushion...I love my new .99 blue one. I suppose some day I too will be inspired to make my own, but for now I'll admire others' creations and enjoy my little blue tomato.

While the pincushion was the first thing to come to mind, the thing that sent me into overdrive, when thinking about sewing, was the first time (and each successive time) I sewed fabric, two right sides together, turned my project right-side out, and saw a beautiful, finished product. I didn't trust my mother when she told me to sew the two prettily printed sides together. Thinking spatially has never been my strong point and I couldn't envision the result of putting the right sides on the inside. It required a leap of faith. It was scary and exhilarating all at once. It was scary because I had to blindly trust that what I was doing to the inside would ultimately look good on the outside, and it was fantastic because almost instantly, when I turned my fabric right side out, I had created something from nothing! Sewing the two right sides together always feels like a little bit of a trick to me, like I'm getting away with something, or know a secret that not too many folks know. And I like that in a craft...

So I finished my first big project. I made a sweet highchair cover for little Naya. The old one was brown and plaid and not at all fit for such a young lady. I didn't have the forethought to share my process with you, but will try to do that with my next project. I don't have the patience to follow a pattern yet, so this was free form and challenging and came out almost as I'd envisioned--whoa--that rarely happens in my world.

Cheers.

Original Magodai

2008-01-18T21:47:00.000-08:00

My itty bitties are Curren, who is 2 1/2, and Naya, who is 8 months old. They (as do all little people) invite magodai from all who enter their world. Our home is backed by a senior living condo complex and we border a walking trail, which means many of the older people walk by our house in the mornings when the kids and I are out in the sandbox, garden, yard, etc. They love to come up and talk at/to Curren and Naya-- or sometimes, they get a little magodai. For example: Zoya - "Oh look at YOU, little CUTIE. (pokes Naya in the gut) You. are. so. CUTE. Look. at. those. cheeks!" She snaps up Naya's cheeks in her fingers and bites her lip. This is Grandma Magodai.

I love to watch the two of them...I get magodai all the time when sitting back and letting them do their magic. My favorite thing right now is when Curren is a fireman. He is very serious. He lays down on the floor and pretends he is sleeping. Then he yells, "Ding Ding Ding!!! Fire Alarm, Fire Alarm!!!" He jumps up, muttering all the steps he needs to complete in order to hop on the fire truck (put on boots, jacket, oxygen tank, hat...). Then he chooses the location of the fire, usually the TV (hmmmm...), or the wall, fighting with the imaginary fire hose and, ultimately putting out the fire. I watch him, like the neighborhood cat, Rufus...waiting, tail twitching, anxious, overly excited...he. is. so. RAD! I grab him when I can reach him and squeeze him--but it is never satisfying. Do other people have this with their kids too? This is Mama Magodai.

And Naya. Ahhh...Naya Papaya. She's now into experimenting with moving her body...hand clapping, lap patting, pincher fingers, and, my favorite that makes me get so magodai---shaking her little head "no". Oh. I. can't. stand. it. She'll do it when I do it--so I have her shaking that little head so much, I worry she'll begin to get dizzy...but she seems to freak on it as much as I do. This is Mama-so-stoked-her-littlest-doesn't-have-colic-anymore- Magodai!
Life is good right now--so there are a lot of magodai moments--can't wait to share more...and hear some magodai stories from all of you!