Thoughts...

...on the vegan thing. Going vegan is not that hard. Actually, it's a lot of fun. But it does involve a lot of thought. I am cooking more than I ever have in my life. I don't love cooking, but I'm doing it. And, dare I say, often enjoying it. I really had to pinch myself one day when I found myself driving home quickly for lunch rather than go out to lunch (something I used to LOVE doing!!) I still eat out, of course, but as a family we seldom do now, and it's OK! Some things are tougher.

• Eggs. Mae eats 1-2 eggs every day at breakfast. She had a steamed egg every morning in China and I just kept it up. Lately she has been asking for "mo eggy peeze?" If I can convince her that Scrambled Tofu is a worthy substitute, then we're all set. The rest of us can take or leave eggs and replacer powder or applesauce work fine for replacements.
• Milk. Mae loves soy milk. Paul loves rice milk. The boys and I are the hold outs. For me, the key is breakfast. I am usually rushed in the mornings and have a quick bowl of Kashi Go Lean Crunch with skim milk and a banana. If I can just deal with the extra minute it takes to microwave my oatmeal, there would be no problem. Then there is my coffee addiction. I've experimented with Soy Chai and it's OK. I think I could handle it. And perhaps I wouldn't get coffee as often and save some pennies! Ted is a vegan waiting to hatch. He doesn't want to drink cow's milk but has yet to find a milk alternative that he likes. We're working on it and he is very willing to try new milks. So far, we've tried Oat and Almond. Luckily he likes Calcium Fortified OJ. Sam drinks 1-2 cans of Pediasure a day. I seem to recall that he was OK with rice milk when he was younger, though, so once he is able to get off the Pediasure I think he will be easy to convert.
  
• Fish. This is only my problem. I love sushi. LOVE it. I may cheat and never cook fish at home but splurge a few times a year when dining out with friends (i.e. when it's my choice, don't choose a sushi place.)
• Cheese. No problem. We all like it but none of us love it to death or anything. Ted is a big cream cheese eater so we need to try vegan cream cheese out on him. Other than that, no problem. Plus, Nutritional Yeast + sesame seeds, ground together, make for a fabulous "Parmesan." Mmm.

Note: Everyone worries about vegans lacking nutrients. It is true that without dairy, eggs and fish, it is harder to get some vitamins. But there are TONS of specially formulated "Vegan Dietary Supplements" out there that fill the gap. We eat a lot of greens (calcium) and tofu/beans/nuts (protein) so we're not worried there. There are even many different kinds of non fish source Omega-3 supplements out there (did you know fish do not produce Omega-3, but rather obtain it from the algae they eat? Why not just get it from the algae and leave the fish alone?!) But I will admit that finding a good supplement is important. The end. ;-)

a year ago today...

We got our first glimpse.
Remember?

Spicy Peanut Soba Noodles + OT

Tonight I was feeling lazy and fixed a dish I'd been meaning to try, from 3 different sources, no less. A recipe for soba noodles with peanut sauce, found here, is a pretty standard vegan 'simple meal' and it was delicious, if heavier than I expected. Yum. Next time I'll add more broccoli.

Ted's first OT appointment was so interesting. They started with 'brushing' and Joint Compression. Ted LOVED it and has let me do it at home too. We're supposed to do it 3 times a day. Then they moved on to "Superman," while he threw beanbags through a hole (because he was having WAY too much fun on the swing alone!) "You need to calm your engine down, my friend," was the OT's comment to him. They did some work on a Hippity Hop (remember these?!) including hopping sideways and backwards. Fun stuff. Then they did some mouth work, with the little nubby NUK thingee, with applesauce and Lemonade powder. I'm not sure that he really needs that; I think his enunciation is fine, but whatever; it was a change of pace for him anyway. Then they did a thing where he lay with his tummy on a skateboard-like thing and used his hands to roll himself around the room, picking up various puzzle pieces (up to 3 at one time, so he had to remember the 3rd one after getting the first two-not easy for him). 45 minutes of hard work-he was pretty tired. But he had a fabulous day and was a superstar in soccer today...great listening and being cooperative. I'm glad he likes the brushing-I've heard that this can really do wonders. And she agreed with me about the food sensativity testing. She said so many of her patients end up cutting out those foods and seeing such a difference. In that light, while we wait for our bloodtest (which we'll probably do at his 5yr appt next week to avoid double needles!) I've bought some spelt bread (which he likes) and am trying to find a nut milk he'll drink. He's very understanding about trying to enjoy a different milk and will make an excellent vegan someday, that's for sure.
In the meantime, Paul is worse today than he was yesterday and I am tired. Off to bed!! After I fix their lunches, run the dishwasher, fold the laundry and clean up the house. Aw, fo-geddabout-it!

he's nuts!

I quote: "The skeleton can see higher with his head up high like that." Umm...yes, I'm sure he can. Nutball!!!

Paul had the flu which made for a rough Sunday afternoon/evening and Monday morning. I managed to do all the things Paul always does (kitty litter, dishes, recycleables & garbage-because pickup is on Mondays) plus make the kids' lunches, get them all to bed and then get them all dressed, fed and to school this morning. Paul does a lot around here. Sometimes I need him to be absent for me to realize it! He slept most of today and is on the mend. Whew. Let's just hope none of us get it!

Tomorrow is Ted's first OT appointment. Should be interesting. His 5th birthday is next Monday. Whoa, Daddy!

Mae's 18-month Portraits

This morning Mae had her portrait session at our friend Wendy's. She slept great last night so I was sure it was going to go well. And it did! She was more interested in the toys rather than cooperating in the studio, but Wendy made it work (by switching to close ups, I think.) ALL of the pics are so cute I can hardly stand it. I love this collage because it shows such different sides of her personality (click for a larger view). Thank you Wendy! You ROCK!!

FFFF-Gimme!

This week's challenge was an assigned letter; I got R. Here are the 10 things I love that begin with R. As always, click on the picture for a larger view.


1. Running - being alone, outside, and FREE is heavenly.
2. Referral - what a life changing event, to see her little face for the first time.
3. Religion - I'm not a religious freak, but being Jewish does define me and our family.
4. Ring - I love my engagement ring; simple but beautiful.
5. Roses - specifically yellow ones because I think they are the most cheerful.
6. Red Thread - the fact that Mae and her namesake (my MIL) share a birthday still amazes me.
7. Rum - my newest favorite Rum concoction is this delicious Chocolate Rum Cake. Mmm.
8. Rosa - my best friend who I've known since Kindergarten.
9. Reading - I love reading and I love my bookclub...although it's lapsed I hope we start up again soon!
10. Restaurants - my favorite cuisine is Indian and I just can't replicate it at home. I LOVE eating in Indian restaurants...yum!

Finally, a swim video of Sam

Sam started swim lessons at 6 months old. He has cried every single time he's had his little swim class...until 3 weeks ago. Now, he LOVES it! Here he is having a bit of goggle-withdrawal and closing his eyes in the water, but you can tell how much fun he is having. Hooray!!

Eco-friendly Bday Party

While mindlessly browsing birthdayexpress.com for Bionicles plates etc., it occured to me that if V.G.Burgers had found compostable disposable flatware & dishes etc, maybe they would be available to a lowly person like me. So I checked. And lo and behold, it is possible. Kudos to greenfeet and Biodegradable for their products. Plates, napkins, cups and sporks (I thought those would be really fun for the kids) will make their debut at Ted's bday party. I figure pizza, fruit salad and cake are easily eaten with the spork. And cups for the lemonade. Sigh of relief. I thought bringing in 'real' dishware would be a pain, so this is a great compromise.

Week 4 - use it up *Update*

I tweaked our order this week so I could prepare foods that had ingredients we already have (our grocery bill has been a bit *ahem* pricey lately). Here's what's in our box:

Broccoli (1.00 - ea.)
Baby Carrots (1.00 - ea.)
Bananas (4.00 - ea.)
Spinach (1.00 - ea.)
Spinach (1.00 - ea.)
Haas Avocado (1.00 - ea.)
Kiwi (4.00 - ea.)
Navel Oranges (6.00 - ea.)
Cameo Apples (6.00 - ea.)
Carrots (1.00 - lb)
Cauliflower (1.00 - ea.)
Garlic (0.33 - lb)
Jewel Yams (2.50 - lb)
Kiwi (3.00 - ea.)

Kiwi is on there twice; Mae LOVES kiwi. And I have fallen in love with a simple steamed spinach side dish, with golden raisons and pine nuts....mmm. Not a lot of meals this week because we have so many leftovers.

• Veggie Stirfry w/Spicy Almond Sauce p108 Vive!
  
• Sweet Potato Curry p162 Veg Fam Favs

Sides

* Sweet Potato Fries p129 Veg Fam Favs
* Braised Carrot w/ Capers p151 Veg Slow Cooker
* Chipotle Yam Wedges p61 Vive!
* Steamed Spinach w/Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts

Oh, and I created a new blog to review recipes from VwaV, my new favorite cookbook. It's linked on the right or you can click here. Again, only for you foodies! (Paul thinks the food part of the blog is deadly dull.)

*Update*

• Sweet Potato Curry was easy, quick to prepare and yummy. With all the sweet potatoes that are available all winter, this one will go into the 'quick and yum' rotation. 4 stars.
• Braised Carrots was a LOT of work. Peeling and 'slicing thinly' 12 carrots is a pain. It was quite good, but I won't do it again unless I want a fancy side dish. It served its purpose anyway. 2 stars.
• Sweet Potato Fries were again a bit limp but still good. Next time I'm going to raise the heat a bit. Maybe they aren't 'roasting' as much as they should. Still yummy though. 2 stars.
• Steamed Spinach is officially on the menu a few times a week. It's so easy and so good. 5 stars.
• I didn't get around to the other dishes and must have used the ingredients in something else. Hmm.
  

We did it!!!

REAL pigtails!

18 months old

Mae is acting so old for an 18-month old.

• She doesn't ever stop talking. Already.
  
• She is firmly in the Terrible Two's when she doesn't get her way.
• She's sleeping through the night!!!!! (we think this might be because she no longer has an 8oz bottle of whole cow's milk before bed....hmmm...)
• She likes PALs even though I follow her around saying "Be nice" the whole time.
• She's still a great eater, thank goodness.
• She has radar for another Chinese girl...she can spot 'em a mile away and will stare intently, to the point of walking backwards to keep her in view. Interesting how early that started.
• Her giggle is contagious; her screams are deafening.
• She gets about 2 time-outs a day, for hitting, biting or scratching (in her booster chair).
• She hates the car and screams 90% of the time she is in it. Hoping the winter coat is part of this problem...
• She is smart as a whip (what does that mean? that a whip smarts when it hits you?) and can follow complex directions (when she chooses, of course).
• She picks her clothes out in the morning when I let her and always has to have the final word on the shoes.
• She knows 2 colors (yellow & blue) and 2 shapes (circle & triangle).
  
• She is FUN!

(And she'll get her official 18-month portraits done this weekend, by my friend Wendy (Alex's mom, Ted's Bionicles buddy.)

Here's Penguin!

At the park on a gorgeous 60-degree, sunny day with Penguin.

Sam's Turn!

Today Sam got to take home a stuffed Penguin, complete with overnight bag, Sandra Boynton's book, and of course, the obligatory notebook. Too funny! The other classes are starting to do this too-I guess the Wolves liked it so much it was decided that all the classes needed something similar. My favorite part is Davey Jones singing the song! Love it. Look for Adventures with Penguin posts in the future! (Anyone have a suggestion for a name? After the song, I'm leaning towards "Peetey the Penguin," not sure why...)

In Kindergarten news, registration materials arrived in the mail today and they are all completed and ready to be mailed back. There is also a form for a teacher to fill out, so I'll ask Caroline, since her kids go to Horizons and she knows what they're looking for! Fun fun fun!

Holocaust records video

I'm not sure how long this link will last, so go quickly. It's pretty moving, so be prepared.

This story was aired on Sunday, Dec. 17 (7PM ET/PT on CBS) on "60 MINUTES" about a long-secret German archive that houses a treasure trove of information on 17.5 million victims of the Holocaust. The archive, located in the German town of Bad Arolsen, is massive (there are 16 miles of shelving containing 50 million pages of documents) and until recently, was off-limits to the public. But after the German government agreed earlier this year to open the archives, CBS News' Scott Pelley traveled there with three Jewish survivors who were able to see their own Holocaust records. It's an incredibly moving piece, all the more poignant in the wake of this week's meeting of Holocaust deniers in Iran.

Zevvie plays soccer

There was no school today for President's Day, so Ted had a soccer clinic in the morning. Zevvie came along and learned some tricks of the trade. Tomorrow might be bath day for the wolfie...all his activities are making him a little bit...dusty. Thanks to Stacy (Jack's mom) for taking pics of Zevvie & Ted today!!

hope I don't get sued!

I found this on a vegan food blog I frequent. I wish I knew someone in Portland! I think that's so funny...I named this blog after the coffee shop at UCD and have been noting how many things are falling into place regarding our return to veganism (we were vegan for a brief period before having kids). VG Burgers, stumbling on amazing food blogs completely by accident, suddenly becoming interested in cooking again...all sort of things have just happened at the same time. The result has been a new hobby and some delicious meals!

Mmmmmm

VwaV's Chocolate Rum Pudding Cake was...to put it mildly, out of this world. I didn't have the requisite springform pan, so just baked it in a square Pyrex, and I'm glad I did, because there was a lot of pudding in this cake...and of course we couldn't wait for it to cool completely so it was ever so gooey. Seriously, if you like RICH chocolate-y desserts, this one is IT. It's amazing. I am tempted to tinker with it to remove the sweetness and serve it with the powdered sugar/milk glaze my mom uses on Chocolate Souffle. In the meantime, a scoop of vanilla ice cream would suffice. Mom, when you come out, I'm baking this again for our "better late than never" birthday chocolate souffle tradition. FABULOUS! (This is not my pic, borrowed from another blog. Mine isn't as pretty!)

aww

Zevvie even sat with Ted during a time out today (his only one of the day, not bad!). What a good friend. ;->

More fun with Zevvie

Today Zevvie got to come to Apex with us. Z wanted to go swimming, but since he hasn't taken Infant Aquatics yet, he had to watch instead.

I'm feeling very guilty about our lack of Chinese New Year celebration. Originally we were going to a large party at a friend's from our TG that got cancelled because she got sick. Plan B was to get together with another family from our TG and get take-out. But they backed out too. So it's just us, no decorations, no party, and no Chinese food on the menu. Actually, I could fix the Tofu Lettuce Wraps...maybe I'll do that. Luckily Mae doesn't know or care yet, but I need to plan better. This is a major holiday and to just skip it completely is a shame. Mea cupla, Mae!

Adventures with Zevvie

Zevvie (from the Hebrew "Ze'ev" for Wolf) is the Pre-K Wolves' class mascott. Every school day, he goes home with another 'wolf' for an adventure, which the child (with some parental assistance) describes with pictures and stories in an "Adventures with Zevvie" Journal. The Journal, Zevvie's favorite book and Zevvie himself are all tucked away in "Zevvie's Overnight Bag" for the occasion. So cute. Ted was the very last one in his class to get Zevvie and we are extra lucky because there is no school on Monday! Zevvie's fun started Friday afternoon when Jacob came to play with Ted after school. Today, Ted took him to lunch and then to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. He's a kid who is not all that into carrying things around with him, so it's sweet to see him with a little stuffed animal in every picture. Way cute. More pics on moeltini.

Bad Photos

Donna's Challenge this week is a great one. Post the pic where someone looks good, or you like the outfit, or SOMETHING about it keeps you from deleting it. Here's ours. This one killed me!

Week 3 of Door to Door *Update*

Wow, something new to try this week! Here's what's in the box next Wednesday:

Broccoli (1.00ea.)
Kiwi (3.00 - ea.)
Spinach (1.00 - ea.)
Bananas (3.00 - ea.)
Grapefruit (3.00 - ea.)
Navel Oranges (6.00 - ea.)
Red Delicious Apples (6.00 - ea.)
Carrots (1.00 - lb)
Mizuna (1.00 - ea.)
Mango (2.00 - ea.)
Tomatoes (3.00 - ea.)
Yukon Gold Potatoes (3.00 - lb)
Jewel Yams (2.00 - lb)

I subbed in Kiwi, Bananas and Yams for Lettuce, Parsley and Butternut Squash. OK, have you heard of Mizuna? Well. I hadn't.

From foodreference.com (I love the internet):
Mizuna is a Japanese mustard green with dandelion-like jagged edge green leaves with a mild, sweet earthy flavor. It has been culitaved in Japan since ancient times, but most likely originated in China. Mizuna makes an excellent salad green, and is frequently found in Mesclun. It is also used in stir-frys and soups.

Then I had to look up Mesclun because I hadn't heard of that either. The same site yielded this definition:
Mesclun, also called Field Greens or Spring Mix, is a classic green salad mix originating in the South of France. It consists of a mixture of very young leaves and shoots of wild and cultivated plants, including endive, dandelion, arugula, lamb's lettuce, oak leaf, mache, radicchio, chervil, sorrel, frissee, purslane, etc. Sometimes edible flowers are included.

So I suppose I should put it in a salad but we really aren't salad folks, so I was happy to find this recipe instead. Yum.

Here are the recipes for next Wed-Wed.

Main Meals:

* Chickpea Broccoli Casserole p96 VWAV
* Chickpea & Spinach Curry p170 VWAV
* Marinated Tofu w/ Mizuna
* Aloo Gobi (from Bend It Like Beckham)

I thought I would put *Updates* on these posts to say which recipes were really worth noting. Some of them have been truly amazing (5 stars) and others only so-so. To make that easier, I'm going to create an "Eating Seasonally" section, on the right under Videos, with each week's post (with Update) to refer to. Hope this helps! (A friend told me today that my blog is turning into a food blog, so I guess I better start treating it as such!) I've also decided to start freezing one (if not more) meal per week, for the day when this starts getting old and I don't want to cook every night. It will be easy to downgrade to a Small Box to get less produce and I bet I'll appreciate having some meals stashed away! I had some extra potatoes and completely forgot all about the leeks from last week, so yesterday I made an easy Potato Leek Soup that I'll freeze. This week I think I'll freeze the Tomato Dal w/ Spinach.

*Update*

• Chickpea Broccoli Casserole-very easy and good. As she says in the book, it's a little bland, but comforting. Doctoring it up with spices (I'm thinking sage) would work, but it is really good as is. I should have sliced the onion thinner. I love easy dishes and this one is simple. Yum. 4 stars.
• Chickpea & Spinach Curry-DELICIOUS! I even messed up the recipe, adding way too much tomato juice and subbing lentils for chickpeas. It was fabulous. The smell of it cooking was just as wonderful as eating it. YUM. This one ranks highly and will be in the rotation for sure! 5 stars!
• Marinated Tofu w/ Mizuna-interesting. When I went to start the marinade, I realized that there are no measurements. So I winged it, and it was good, but something to be tweaked. Again I need to remember to do the 'press and squish' for the tofu. Now that I've had it that way, to not yields a squishy, too-soft texture that I no longer like as well. The mizuna was weird but good. It had the stringy texture of seaweed once it had wilted, but it was very good. Mizuna would be good in any Asian recipe I think. Yum. Glad to have tried it. I served it over couscous but I think brown rice would have been a sturdier choice. 2 stars for the meal, 3 stars for mizuna itself.
• The Aloo Gobi was a last minute switch because I just wasn't excited about potato soup. I found the recipe and put it on for next week's menu, but when I saw the cauliflower in the box I just couldn't wait. It was FABULOUS, even though I doubled the recipe (because I had a ton of potatoes) but didn't have double the cauliflower. It was still stupendous. A bit of work with the prep chopping, but nothing crazy. A definate keeper. YUM. 5 stars.
  

Final Swim Test

I turned the sound off only because Judy (the director) was talking to me the entire time about Sam and Ted...completely irrelevant to Mae's lesson! But I did switch it back on at the end, for Kyla's summation of her skills. Woo hoo! Now we start a weekly swim class, MUCH easier than an every morning lesson. We are so proud of her. What a fabulous summer we are going to have with 3 SAFE swimmers in the family!

Swim Test

Bionicle Buddies

Ted and Alex have known each other since they were 2.5 and both in Elsa's Kindermusik class. When Alex started coming to the JCC Preschool, they were in different classes and on different days. This year, they are in the same class and it has taken them awhile to rediscover each other. They have very similar interests (space and Bionicles mostly!) but also very different personalities. They play together really well, so it's awesome! Alex's little brother Adam might be in Sam's class next year and their cousin Ariel is just 3 months younger than Mae. Doesn't hurt that their mom is nice too! Win-win. Check moeltini for a funny pic of the boys too.

18 month checkup

Mae had her 18m checkup today. She is in pretty amazing health. Here are the stats:
Height: 33" (80%)
Weight: 25#2oz (75%)
Head: 18.5" (50%)

She only had to have 2 shots today. 2 more at age 2 and then the HepA booster at 2.5 and she will be all caught up. Phew! This was a nice visit. We seldom get to see the doctor when someone isn't sick, so it was nice to just chat. She is at or above where she needs to be verbally and physically and in general, just seems to be adapting well. We certainly have our moments, but in the scheme of things, I think we are AOK. Sam was 1 day old when Ted was 18 months old. That is nuts. Mae is fascinated with babies and the idea that I could have a newborn right now seems mind-boggling. Good thing I was young and stupid at the time! Mae's newest thing is following 2 to 3 word directions (Go get the pirate, find his hat, and bring it to me. -no problem...) and talking up a storm. Most talking seems to include the words "Help," "Mama," and "cookie." Hmm.

Not bad!

Per Ted's OT's recommendation, we are having a blood test done to test Ted for sensativities to gluten, dairy and soy. She will also look over his overall health and wants a sampling of what he eats for 3 days. Not bad.

Ted’s Food Diary
Wed Feb 6
Breakfast:
1/2 c Mighty Bites cereal,
8oz organic 2% milk w/ 1 tbsp strawberry Quik,
vitamins*
Lunch:
Soy butter & sugar-free grape jelly sandwich on light whole wheat (no crusts),
1/4 c Mighty Bites,
8oz organic 2% milk w/ 1tbsp strawberry Quik,
1/4c organic vanilla yogurt,
½c organic grapes,
chocolate Jello pudding cup
Snack (at school) :
1 thick slice homemade banana chocolate chip bread w/ sunflower seeds & wheat germ,
1 clementine,
water
Snack (at enrichment) :
Cinnamon graham crackers, applesauce, water
Dinner:
1 slice pizza, 1 small brownie, small scoop vanilla ice cream, water (we were at a friend's!)

Sat Feb 10
Breakfast:
1/4 c Mighty Bites cereal,
1 gnu bar,
1 pear,
8oz organic 2% milk w/ 1 tbsp strawberry Quik,
vitamins*
Lunch:
Grilled cheese sandwich,
8oz organic choc milk,
strawberry yogurt tube
Snack (bday party) :
1 small slice cake, 2 Capri Sun, lots of candy!
Dinner:
1 Morningstar Corndog,
½ orange,
Blackberry applesauce,
water

Sun Feb 11
Breakfast:
1/4 c Mighty Bites cereal,
1 gnu bar,
8oz organic 2% milk w/ 1 tbsp strawberry Quik,
vitamins*
Lunch:
Almond butter & sugar free jelly sandwich on wheat bread,
8oz organic 2% milk w/ 1 tbsp strawberry Quik,
grapes & pineapple (about 1 cup),
Snacks:
Handful of pretzels,
6oz Red Machine (Naked juice),
1 quarter’s worth of Bones candy
Dinner:
1 Boca Chix Nugget,
½ mango

*Daily Supplements*
2 L’il Critters Gummy Vites Multivitamin,
2 L’il Critters Fruit & Veggie Bears Supplement,
1 Yummi Bears Fiber,
½ tsp strawberry-flavored cod liver oil (in milk)

I wonder if he is lacking in anything. We'll find out. I don't think I talked much about our Acupressure appointment. I will soon, but I noticed that there were some physical attributes that the teacher said were 'typical for an asthmatic.' These included his pale, almost transparent skin, the dark circles under his eyes and his dry, coarse hair. I thought those were just heriditary characteristics from my Mom's British side of the family, but now I'm curious if there is a nutritional link. I'm looking forward to the visit.

more fun with Bionicles

Ted gets a Lego magazine now because I ordered him a Bionicles Tshirt from their on-line store for his birthday. He is beyond thrilled when his Turtle magazine comes ("It says TED Mom!") and this magazine about sent him over the edge. In it, a 10 year old boy had created a new Bionicle from his others. According to Paul, this is the point; after all, they are Legos. I didn't realize this and now like Bionicles a lot better. Whenever it involves creating something original rather than copying, I am for it! (Which is funny in a way, coming from a classical music background...anyway) so here is Ted's newest creation. You can't really tell what he did, but this one has ALL the ammo from all 3 guys, and maybe some of Sam's little one too. This dude is tough. So is Ted, in case you hadn't noticed.

Week 2 of Door to Door Organics *Update*

Here is what is coming on Wednesday:

Item/Quantity
Collards 1.00 ea.
Green Butter Lettuce 1.00 ea.
Spinach 1.00 ea.
Bananas 5.00 ea.
Danjou Pears 6.00 ea.
Haas Avocado 1.00 ea.
Navel Oranges 6.00 ea.
Gala Apples 6.00 ea.
Loose Beets 1.00 lb
Carrots 1.00 lb
Kiwi 2.00 - ea.
Roma Tomatoes 1.00 lb
Eggplant 1.00 ea.
Red Potatoes 3.00 lb

I was able to substitute Gala apples for Granny Smith, Kiwis for the Radishes and Beets for the Butternut squash (only because we've had a lot of butternut this winter.) I appreciate being able to substitute things. It's been interesting, really taking the time to plan and prepare (really yummy) meals when I'm used to tossing together a quick stir-fry or, worse, a 'breakfast for dinner' meal (that happened a LOT!)

Sam and Mae are at Shabbat Mispacha this morning (at the WOW Museum no less!) and Ted is doing a wonderful job playing quietly by himself til it's time to go to Rachel's birthday party at the ice rink. Here are the meals for next Wed-Wed.

1. Grilled Pizza with Pesto and Roma Tomatoes
2. Tomato Dal w/Spinach p129 Veg Slow Cooker
3. Eggplant Parmesan Burgers p54 VFF
4. Asian Tofu p145 VWAV
5. Tofu Lettuce Wraps
Braised Collard Greens p134 VFF
Garlic Mashed Potatoes p110 VWAV
Orange Glazed Beets p117 VWAV
Sweet Potato Fries p114 VWAV

I noticed that planning a meal for every day left us with waaaay too many leftovers (although lunches have been spectacular, I've only had ONE BLT!) So for next week, I planned 5 main meals and 3 side dishes (plus salad whenever the mood strikes. The Green Butter Lettuce is sooo good.) This way we can enjoy leftovers for dinner too. Also, I need to remember to sub extra carrots in sometimes...a pound of carrots is only enough for 1 main or 2 side dishes, and they are called for a LOT. The fruit has been excellent too. I'm waiting for the avacado to ripen so I can try a recipe for Avacado and Mango salad, a sort of guacomole. Mmm.

*Update* (Updates will be posted as they are tasted!)

• The grilled pizza was fabulous, but I need to fiddle with my pizza dough recipe. It turned out delicious, but it was way too dry and hard at the beginning. Luckily Paul thought to add water. We ended up with 2 adult sized and 4 child sized mini pizzas. They were really good though and we will make this again for sure. 5 stars.
• The Tomato Dal was disappointing. There was a significant amount of prep work to do before even putting it in the cooker. Plus I had to transfer it into a larger saucepan at the end to fit the spinach in. I know I have a small crockpot but all the other recipes fit without a problem. It tasted good, but dull...or should I say, mild. I'm sure I could kick the spices up a notch, but with that amount of work, I probably won't do it again for a while. On the bright side, it made a TON so I'll freeze the rest for another cold night. 1 star. **ANOTHER UPDATE** I defrosted this and we had it on April 8. It was delicious. I think there is something about letting it really sit and soak up the flavors. Really yummy and I'm planning to do it again just to freeze it!!
  
• The Eggplant Parmesan Burgers were very good, but the texture was a little weird for me. They were soft and mushy, rather than firm and crispy. They tasted great, but felt funny! 1 star.
  
• The Asian Tofu was YUMMY. It was a little too time sensative (1hr to press + 1 hr to marinate, then the 30 min to bake) but it was really good. 4 stars.
• Tofu Lettuce Wraps: These were surprisingly good! I didn't expect the marinade to be so spot-on with my favorite wraps at Spice China. My tofu didn't hold up, so next time I'll try the press method and see if it's hardier. Very yummy. Needs more veggies though-maybe some broccoli or snow peas. 5 stars.
  
• Collard Greens: YUM. A meal in itself. I didn't really need a meal, just a side, so next time I may omit the chickpeas. Very tasy! 4 stars.
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes: Delicious and a refreshing change from boxed flakes. I left the skins on and used a significant amount of garlic. Very good. And easy. 4 stars.
• Orange Glazed Beets: I love beets so I couldn't NOT like these, but they were disappointing. They didn't 'glaze' like they were supposed to and they were a little too crunchy at the end for my liking. Still, the 'sauce' was yummy and I'll enjoy them on the side this week (since no one else is a beets fan.) Only 2 stars for the lack-o-glaze.
• Sweet Potato Fries: YUM. Easy and delicious. Not as crispy as I had hoped, but still great. 4 stars.
  

fun at PALs

We had lots of fun at PALs today. Mae is really coming into her own and is comfortable with the other kids as well as Leah, the teacher. She usually flips out at challah time, but this week we did it before circle time, so everyone was happier. Lunch at the Buff was tougher for her; I think she was really tired. She did great at Shabbat Sing and Ted was happy that Jack was coming over to play, although he didn't understand why his friend Alex couldn't come too (umm, I don't have enough car seats!) so we all went out for ice cream to let the boys play together a bit. The challah I baked for PALs was really really yummy. It looked kind of funny, but tasty. And that's what matters! Tomorrow is Rachel's birthday party at the ice rink-here we go. Rach is only 2 weeks older than Ted. Yikes!! More pics from PALs on moeltini.

the equal point

These pictures were taken on MAE DAY. The first is about 2 minutes after she was handed to me. The 2nd is from that afternoon, after her first bottle and nap with me. This anniversary, even more than the one year anniversary coming up in May, is a huge milestone, from the adoption standpoint. Beginning today, we have had Mae as long as she was in the orphanage. From this day forward, everything we do will continue to have more and more security for her. Perhaps this is too much psychological babble, but I have looked forward to this day for months. And we are here! Phew.
Yesterday in the car, she was having one of her "I want something right now even though you're driving" screaming fits. I was so annoyed. And it occured to me that I was annoyed at her because she was being annoying...I would have been annoyed at any of the kids in that same situation. Realizing that she is simply my (annoying in the car) daughter now, adopted or not, reflects that it has taken me this long to fully accept her, too. Sometimes I think I am frustrated with her because I 'must not have bonded to her well enough yet"...but yesterday I realized that I'm frustrated with her sometimes because she can be maddening! But the bonding has happened, and continues to happen every day. She's my daughter. She pushes buttons I didn't know I had, day in and day out. But maybe that's not because we haven't bonded; it's probably because we are so much alike. As mothers and daughters usually are.

Challah & Veggies!

When I checked the cooler today after bringing the kids home from preschool, it was such a beautiful sight I had to take a picture! And then when uploading the picture I came across the picture I took last Friday of my first homemade challah in years. Woo hoo!

are you chilly?

We keep our house at 65 from 6am-9pm and 60 while we are sleeping. This seems reasonable to me, but I think we are outnumbered. I have vivid memories of my heat-seeking father constantly fiddling with the thermostat...ah, memories. What temps do you have in your home? Just curious...

Menus! *Update*

Feel free to skip this post if food bores you! Since we get our first delivery tomorrow from Door to Door Organics, I made sure to plan an easy menu for the week that would use up all those veggies. Fruit never stays long in this house with Ted around! All of these recipes are really easy to prepare and 2 of them are CrockPot ones to boot. I made our first challah in years in my bread machine last week and it was pretty good! I'm going to bake a loaf or two this week to go with all the soups on the menu. Here's our week-sounds pretty darn yummy to me.

• Massur Dal & Carrot Soup (VLB)
  
• White Bean Soup w/ Winter Greens (Farmers Market)
  
• Spaghetti Squash w/ Tomato Sauce & (not)MeatBalls
  
• Sweet Potato Barley Risotto (Veg Slow Cooker)
• Sweet Potatoes & Carrots w/ Chickpea Topping (Veg Slow Cooker)
• BLT's & Creamy Sweet Potatoes (VLB) for leftovers, lunches etc.

*Update*

• The Massur Dal & Carrot Soup was AWESOME. This was our 2nd time having it in 2 weeks; it is that delicious; and it's easy to fix. 5 stars.
• The White Bean Soup was good, but I wanted more greens and it was a bit dull for my tastes. Comforting, but not amazing. 2 stars.
• Spaghetti Squash is always a fun alternative to pasta. I served it with vegetarian meatballs and a simple tomato sauce, with a sprinkle of Nutritional Yeast on top for a cheesy flavor. A standard winter dish. 3 stars.
• The Sweet Potato Barley Risotto was GOOD! It had a very Thanksgiving feel to it, like stuffing somehow. Delicious. It even got overcooked and was still good, if a bit dry. Yum. 4 stars.
  
• The Sweet Potatoes & Carrots w/ Chickpea Topping also was Thanksgiving-ish. The addition of brown sugar and pineapples gave it a yummy, dessert-y flavor. We both loved it and I'll add it to my T-day and seder menus for sure. 5 stars.
• BLT's-yum. More of a summer lunch but still good. The tomatoes aren't that amazing so I'm not sure why they're included in the box. We didn't have any leftover sweet potatoes to try the Creamy recipe.
• Extra! I didn't end up doing any spinach salads, so used it up with this recipe...mmm. Too much onion for me so next time I will half the onion. I used golden raisins. I love this recipe. 5 stars.
  

Sam's Cords

We had a scoping done today (murder!) and Sam's cords look good and healthy, as do his tonsils. So, we will go the OT route with him as well. I may have him re-evaluated by Child Find. If they think he needs services, they will be FREE. Ted has been denied by ChildFind, so hopefully they will deem Sam worthy. My poor kids! Sam was a trooper although he really hated it. I've been scoped before and it's not at all painful, but a little freaky for a child probably. He got some M&Ms for a reward (which he ate ONE BY ONE over the course of the next 2 hours.) I'll be going out for more Pediasure tonight.

Ted's OT Follow Up

Well this was interesting. My mind is spinning so here come the bullets!

• The OT thinks he would benefit from some OT, so we are going to try and get it past insurance.
• She will write up a plan for his teachers to follow; i.e., if you want Ted to sit for 20min at 10am, have him move heavy chairs and tables around at 9:45 to get him primed for sitting.
• She recommended physical activities like swimming and rock climbing over soccer because they demand heavy work but also intense concentration (sort of like the yoga he is doing now and loving so much.)
• She wants him tested for 'food sensativities.' Dairy, soy and wheat gluten are hard to digest and are often linked to hyperactivity (because the undigested enzymes enter the bloodstream and go to the brain) and asthma (because those foods produce a thicker mucus in the lungs).
  
• She thinks he has 'migrating' tic-like behavior. Meaning, while he was ticking badly in the early fall, those have faded and a new behavior seems to have taken its place (don't really want to go there on the blog...). Rather than an emotional issue, she thinks it is simply a new way to express his physical sensations, which is what ticking is, apparently.
  
• Bonus: she thinks Horizons will be an excellent school for him. Because the class size is so small, the teachers have more time to focus on each individual child without taking away from the rest of the class. I was thrilled to hear her say it was a good fit.
  

There is probably more, but that is all I can muster at this point. It has been a really long day but ended nicely with the boys making up silly words to their bedtime stories. And Mae is now into 'eskimo kisses' which is just the cutest thing. She is so funny. Tomorrow is Sam's scoping-yikes! Hope he is cooperative.

Fabulous Recipe Site

How cool!!! Thanks to my friend Lisa H. for recommending this site. With all the pounds of produce coming my way on Wednesday, I wanted to find a way to search just on ingredients. RecipeZaar to the rescue! This site is fantastic!!!

just an fyi...

I turned on "Comment Verification" to the blog. I've been getting some spam on random posts, so this will help elimate 'robots.' I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but it's easier than going to a password protected blog. Comment Verification is case-sensative. Look for a post tonight all about my follow-up with Ted's OT. Very interesting stuff!

Act Locally

I have been looking into joining a local co-op for many reasons. It would be wonderful to support local farmers as well as learn to 'eat seasonally.' I also want my children to really know where their food comes from. I think I've found an excellent compromise. From November through May, we will subscribe to Door to Door Organics which will deliver a box of seasonal produce to our doorstep every Wednesday. Then we can put our subscription on hold from June through October, to reap the benefits of a share in the Abbondanza CSA. There are lots of volunteer opportunities here and I think we will have a good 20 weeks, learning about life on the farm from the food point of view (we love the animal point of view at Sunflower Farm, our favorite summer camp and weekend spot in the warmer months.) I am excited for this Wednesday's delivery, and also happy to not have to shop for produce at the grocery store! They tell you exactly what you'll get each week so it will be easy to plan meals. Here's what's in our "Medium Box" this week:

Item/Quantity
Green Leaf Lettuce 1.00 ea.
Kale 1.00 ea.
Spinach 1.00 ea.
Carrots 1.00 lb
Jewel Yams 3.00 lb
Leeks 1.00 lb
Roma Tomatoes 1.00 lb
Spaghetti Squash 1.00 ea.
Red Onions 1.00 lb
Bananas 5.00 ea.
Bosc Pears 6.00 ea.
Haas Avocado 1.00 ea.
Mango 2.00 ea.
Valencia Oranges 6.00 ea.

Good stuff! Anyone want to come over for dinner this week?

WOO HOO!

The beautiful text of our letter from Boulder Valley School District:

We are pleased to notify you that your open enrollment application has been accepted at Horizons K-8, your 1st Choice, for the 2007-2008 school year. This enrollment confirmation form must be signed and received in the District's Open Enrollment office by Wednesday, February 14, 2007, at 4:00pm.

To say we are thrilled is an understatement. Life is good!

Sleepyheads

Family FotoFun Friday Challenge #17 is Sleepyheads. I am guilty of snapping shots of the kids when they are asleep...they are just so precious. My only problem with this challenge is that I want to make a really cool layout with pics of all 3 kids...so that will be my project tonight. In the meantime, here is my favorite sleeping pic of Mae...

Mae Swimming-Week 4

Here is a video of Mae at the end of Week 4 of lessons. She is doing so well. She has the swim and the float down; now she is learning the roll, which is tough for her because she has a very strong left side but a really weak right side, which makes rolling tough if she's not positioned to the left...and really, you have to be able to do both! She is no longer crying and actually smiles during the lesson now. She says "Kyla" whenever we are at swimming for the boys and really seems to like her. She has 2 more weeks and then she'll 'graduate' to a weekly swim class on Wednesdays. We are so proud of her!