A Few Things...

Let's catch up on what I've read lately...

How to Raise a Boy. As always, and now more than ever, I'm conscious of the way we are raising our boys. This is a great article, and this passage particularly resonated:  "... the lessening power of men (straight and white particularly) is an unquestioned societal good. ... The only thing is: There are two future white men who live in my house, and I love them very much." 

Wait Until 8th—A Pledge to Delay Smartphone Usage in Kids. I hate the never-ending battle over technology. I think we're doing okay so far. We go through phases, but in general, our kids are still the "play outside until the sun goes down" types. Aaron has a gizmo gadget, which enables us to keep in touch when necessary. It's not perfect, but it gets the job done, and it's helping us fill the gap for now.

The most reasonable article about nutrition I've ever read. 

It's Hard to Delete Facebook Without an Alternative. After the news about Cambridge Analytica, I watched the whole #deletefacebook movement happen, but I still haven't deleted my account. Because it fills a need - it helps me keep in touch with my far-away family and friends.

Americans Love Seeing Swedish Dads Out With Their Kids. And This is a Problem. I loved this article. What's "normal" here is not normal everywhere. It'd be nice if we could learn from and be influenced by other countries and cultures.

Belly is Back! Fun to hear new music from one of my all-time favorites. Also fun to read about how they decided to get back together.

‘Exile In Guyville’ Decodes Feminism’s Generational Divide. Cool article about Liz Phair and feminism.

The Professor on a Mission to Make Math Lovable. This article is about my nephew-in-law, a ridiculously smart and sweet guy. "...there is so much poetry and philosophy in math, it is really more of a humanities discipline anyway."

NBC News asked men and women in different professions across the U.S. how the #MeToo movement has changed the way they interact with people at work - if at all. This is a sampling of their responses. Many of them are not surprising, but some sure did make me sad. I'm grateful I've worked in open and accepting environments and with really good guys throughout my career, although the culture has definitely changed over the years (and that's a good thing).

In the #MeToo Era, Raising Boys to Be Good Guys. Yep, I read this stuff every day. I am hyper aware of the influences in their lives, from seeing cheerleaders on the sidelines of football and basketball games (I'm grateful that they prefer baseball and soccer), to the types of books they read and movies they watch. It is getting harder, though. But I will make them do their chores (yes lawn mowing, but also dishes and scrubbing toilets and dusting), and I will keep talking to them.

Curiosity and What Equality Really Means, by Atul Gawande. I love reading anything by him, and this commencement speech to the UCLA medical school is no exception.

Talking to Boys the Way We Talk to Girls. As always, I'm intrigued by the differences in how we raise boys vs. girls. As a mother of boys, I want to be conscious of the biases and stereotypes that exist, so I can ensure we aren't demonstrating them at home. And when we do fall into those stereotypical traps, I want to recognize it and talk about it.

To end on a light note, here are a few recipes I want to bookmark. The Best Lemon Bars. I'd also like to try some new veggie burger recipes this summer. I'm going to start with either this, or this, or this. And I made this Watermelon, Feta, and Arugula Salad last week, and it's great. So light and refreshing - perfect for a cookout. Aaron enjoyed it and requested that I make it again.

A Few Things...

I haven't been keeping up the blog, but I've still been reading, and it has become a habit to save links that I find interesting. I thought I'd clear out my history a bit and share some of the articles and posts I've enjoyed (somewhat) recently. Enjoy!

The Busier You Are, the More You Need Quiet Time. Yes to this. But why is it so hard to do?

Why Social Media is Not Smart for Middle School Kids. Aaron is off to middle school next year, and I've found myself drawn to articles like these. I want to be prepared for what's to come. After school orientation, a mom I know sent an email out to a huge distribution to let everyone know that her son would not be getting a phone next year - she was seeking support and solidarity. Maybe if we all agreed, we could keep them away for a while longer. She mostly received positive feedback, but a few disagreed, and it also seemed that quite a few parents are planning on giving them phones in 6th grade. 11 years old! Sigh. No judgment, truly - every family is different - but we do plan to hold out a bit longer than that.

Not Leadership Material? Good. The World Needs Followers. As I said, we're entering middle school next year, so college admissions is quite a ways off. But it's never too early to think about this, especially as they are still figuring out what their interests are.

Check This Box if You’re a Good Person. "..in the chaos of SAT scores, extracurriculars and recommendations, one quality is always irresistible in a candidate:  kindness."  I don't want my kids to be kind in order to get into college - I just want my kids to be kind.

Not Naughty: 10 Ways Kids Appear to Be Acting Bad But Aren't. I told my husband about this one. A reminder that so many of the ways our kids drive us crazy are completely normal. Sometimes we just have to let them be.

Politics of Professions. Not surprising, but fascinating. Most librarians are Democrats, most farmers are Republicans. As a group, doctors are in the middle, though pediatricians lean left and urologists right.

What Biracial People Know. Interesting article about the power of diversity in individuals as well as groups.

The Guilty Secret of Distracted Parenting. Oh my, I was definitely that mom on the playground reading a book or staring at her phone. Sitting at a playground while your kids play is boring! So is sitting outside the room while they practice piano. Or take their swim lesson. I'm grateful for Instagram and Twitter during those times. I am careful during games, and I typically only use my phone to text score updates to my husband, but I've realized that this looks the same to my kids - they only see me looking down. And dinnertime? Never - that's an absolute rule that I am careful to keep. No phones near the dinner table. All of it is a challenge and something to keep in mind, as we are modeling our kids' future behavior.

10 things that surprised me about early retirement. If we are far away from college, we are definitely far away from retirement. And yet I found this article intriguing. I wonder how long I will want to continue working. I wonder how Kevin will enjoy retirement.

How to Raise a Feminist Son. I think we're doing okay so far, but not in all these areas. I let them cry, they have lots of role models and exposure to different types of families, they have chores, and I'm teaching them to cook and clean. I encourage them to be themselves, although it's discouraging to see the pressure put on them from their peers. Nathan loved the pink stroller he got (at his request) for his 4th birthday, and he used to love princesses; but it all changed once he started school. We play with girls and read books where girls are the main character/hero. (Aaron is digging Nancy Drew right now.) Probably the area where we could improve the most is that we mostly adhere to traditional roles around the house. "If the mother cooks the food and cleans the house and the father mows the lawn and is often gone from home, lessons are learned." I worry about this, but we do the best we can.

Update:  You Should've Asked. THIS.

Going For a Bike Ride...

When we went to Amsterdam a couple years ago, I had so much fun riding bikes around the city, and I vowed to come home and buy myself a bike. I haven't owned a bike since college. Well, it took a while, but I finally did it!  Kevin and I both bought ourselves bikes, and we went for our first family ride this past weekend. My legs feel great, and I'm excited to discover more local bike trails as we explore as a family. 

I LOVE my bike!  She has a big comfy seat, a handy basket, and she's bright orange!  

A Few Things...

via Simple Lovely

Just wanted to share a few interesting reads...

What you learn in your 40s.  I loved this. I am absolutely loving my 40s so far.  Perspective is a beautiful thing.

The Definitive Guide to Healthy Eating.  Brilliant.  Exactly what I think whenever I read a new article about some particular food I'm eating that is supposedly going to ruin my life.

Sarah Silverman Gets Serious at Sundance.  I mostly loved reading this because I hate when people get pigeon-holed.  "People are not all one thing."  Amen.

Teenage Kicks.  My talented friend Lou writes about being a mom of a teen and reminds me of the phases still in front of us.

8 Reasons Why You Should Marry the Complicated Girl.  Here's to speaking your mind and being your own woman, and to the men who decide we're worth it.

Seth Avett and Jessica Lea Mayfield put together an album of Elliott Smith covers.  There is so much to love about that sentence.

The Mother 'Hood Official Video.  So funny and so true.  We all judge each other, even though we try (some of us harder than others) not to.  Ultimately, though, it is (or it certainly should be) all about the kids.

You're a Mom, You Know.  And this one sums it up. No matter what kind of mom we choose to be, we all get it, because we're Moms.

A Few Things...

I just love this picture posted to UNC's instagram.

Beyond Work/Life Balance - Living the Life You Want.  I think this post speaks to my thoughts about the word "balance".  There is no such thing.  There's no right amount of time you're supposed to spend at home versus at work.  No set time guidelines on playing with your kids or achieving a personal goal.  I don't want to think about it that way any more.  I just spent two years at home, and it was wonderful and great for us as a family.  I'm back at work, and even though I'm spending less time with my boys, I believe it's good for us as a family too.  And I'm working to make sure that the time I do spend with my boys is quality time, that they still know that I will always be there.

Bill Murray is doing a Christmas special.  This news just made me smile.

I've always been a little conflicted about GMOs.  I mean, since the beginning of farming, humans have cross-bred species and come up with ways of making crops stronger.  I remember learning about the guy who won a Nobel Prize for coming up with a new species of wheat - it was shorter, so they could grow more of it in a smaller space and therefore feed more people.  Brilliant!  So when all the uproar began about GMOs, I didn't understand at first. I get it now. I found this report to be especially interesting.  Bill Nye the Science Guy summed it up very reasonably in this short video.

25 Feminist Lessons for My Sons.  Yes, yes, yes. I work so hard at this. I know that I am not the only influences in my boys' lives, but I do want to stay the loudest for as long as possible. At least until some of these lessons are firmly ingrained in who they are. They are already influenced by so much at school, and I have to push back. I remind them that girls can like legos and superheroes, and boys can wear purple. And I am certainly making sure they know how to do laundry, cook, and put the toilet seat down.

I saw Gone Girl last weekend.  It was just as good as the book - creepy, twisted, strangely captivating, and ultimately disappointing.  I do adore Ben Affleck, and this clip on The Ellen Show made me laugh.  Oh and speaking of Ben, did you see Jennifer Garner confirm her baby bump on Ellen?  I have had a huge girl crush on Jennifer since she was Sydney Bristow on Alias.  This just made it stronger. 

I loved hearing Ryan Adams' cover of Alice in Chains. Such a great song.

A Cure For Hyper Parenting.  Another good article reminding all us parents to calm down. Let's just do the best we can. It's all good.

Weekend Accomplishments

I ran a 5K.  Yes, we must start with this one, because who would believe it?  I have long professed my hatred of running, and I'm still not exactly sure how I got talked into doing this.  A friend of mine was running a Mother's Day race with a few other girlfriends and invited me to join them.  What compelled me to say yes, I do not know.  I think I just wanted to see if I could do it.  It was not easy, especially since I did nothing to prepare for it and stayed up too late the night before drinking wine.  But despite this, I jogged the entire time and finished the dang thing.  Slowly, of course, but I did it.  Maybe there's a little runner in me after all.

I planted the garden.  It was a gorgeous weekend, and we spent the entire time outside, loving every second of it.  This year, I planted tomatoes, kale, broccoli, lettuce, green beans, zucchini, butternut squash, and cucumbers.  In addition to our usual herb barrel containing cilantro, rosemary, scallions, and basil.

We worked in the yard.  Besides preparing the garden, I weeded and planted some flowers.  Kevin mowed and seeded and watered and cleaned the shed and edged and did what he does.

We stopped working to play catch and soccer with the boys.  The boys had a great time playing outside together, but sometimes they wanted us to join in.  We played two-on-two soccer and had fun trying to see how long we could keep a catching streak going.

We entertained friends.  Some friends and their two boys came over to hang out in our yard with us.  The boys ran around playing while we got to talk and catch up.  They live about two miles away in the same town, and yet we only see each other every few months.  It was fun to get together.  We let the boys stay up way too late so we could extend our visit, and I hope we get to do it again soon.

I prepared myself a Mother's Day brunch.  Pancakes, fruit, bacon, and mimosas, enjoyed on our patio in the warm sunshine.  Me and my boys.  Does it get any better than that?  No, no it doesn't.

A Few Things...

Don't wait...

Happy Friday!  We had a smooth week.  Parent/teacher conferences, baking cookies, budgeting fun, and some extra cleaning that makes me feel like I'm actually getting ahead.  I had an especially good yoga session this morning, and we're headed back to the slopes tomorrow - I feel great!  Hope you all have a great weekend.

Here are a few interesting things that I've run across this week:

Five Pete Seeger songs to sing together.  We lost a good one this week.

Parenting Behaviors That Keep Children From Growing Into Leaders.  It's so easy to do some of these things, but it's so important to remind ourselves what is best for our children in the long term.

Extremely Long But Fascinating Article About President Obama.  Seriously long, but a worthy read.

Mindful Drinking.  I've been doing the same thing, not reaching for that glass of wine even when I really want it.  That said, it's Friday night and I'm making something of the Mexican variety.  There will be beer.

Solar System Tour.  I'm a space geek.  I just love this stuff.

Two posts from Momastery:  This one, about the questions we ask in a relationship.  And this one, that you should read and share. And then go thank a teacher.

Four Ways to Hear More in Music.  Read this and then listen to a song you love.

Marriage Advice From a Divorce Lawyer.  Written by my cousin, this contains a lot of great advice.

Have you read the post on Design*Sponge about the changing face of blogging?  It's genuine and thoughtful.  I think one thing she neglects to discuss is that there are different segments of bloggers.  At least two - one that's trying to build a business/brand and potentially make a little money, and one that blogs for themselves, a creative outlet, communication with family/friends...  It's thought-provoking, though.

Garden Update

Tomatoes and kale

If you've followed me for a while (or if you know me), you know that I am not a skilled gardener.  Previous attempts at gardening were met with mixed results.  Sometimes the rabbits won.  We got a couple good years of blueberries before the bushes stopped producing.  We had one really great year of pumpkins followed by a couple bad ones.   We figured out what worked in pots.  

Slowly but surely, I've gained a little knowledge and experience.  My herb barrel is a summer necessity, filled with basil, cilantro, rosemary, and scallions.  I've given up on the blueberries, and I've given up trying to plant things without adequate protection from the critters.  My next-door neighbor has been gracious enough to allow us to use some of her raised beds.  Last year we had two, and we grew mostly tomatoes, which are my highest priority garden vegetable.  (Store-bought tomatoes are mostly just gross.)  We still had problems with the rabbits and deer, so we had to wrap the plants in netting to save them.  

This year, my neighbor said we could use all of the raised beds.  I got proactive and built fencing around each of them, and thankfully and for the first time ever, the animals have not been an issue.  I got seedlings from our community organic farm, so everything is organic and GMO-free.  It's been so much fun!  The kids love checking the garden every day to see the progress and picking anything that's ripe.  It's exciting when something new appears.  And with so much extra space, I branched out to vegetables I had never grown before.  So cool!

I got this eggplant later in the spring at the spur of the moment, since I had more space left.  We've already eaten one big one, and we have three more growing!  So easy and super fun.

The green beans were started in a paper cup by Aaron in his kindergarten class.  He brought his seedlings home at the end of the year, and we planted them in the garden.  It has grown like crazy!  We've had enough green beans for dinner several times already, and they're still coming!

Zucchini!  I've always wanted to grow zucchini but never had the space.  We have already had at least a dozen, and again, they keep coming!  We've had them grilled, sauteed, baked in bread, cooked in chowder...  So awesome.

We only have one butternut squash so far, but it's a beauty.  I'm not wishing Summer away, but Fall will be wonderful too.

Tomatoes!  We are getting about 15-20 cherry tomatoes a day, plus a regular-sized tomato every few days.  I think the varieties I chose are a little later, so I'm expecting and hoping that August will be full of tomatoes.  Until then, I'm happy to watch Aaron eat cherry tomatoes right off the vine.

We've also enjoyed a good amount of kale, a couple heads of lettuce (we lost a couple more to heavy rain), quite a few cucumbers (they've been overtaken by the zucchini at this point I think), and we have four big broccoli plants that I hope we get to enjoy in the Fall.  Hooray!

Smoothies

source unknown - sorry!

I mentioned how much fun I've had with homemade popsicles this summer.  I was a little worried that the big boy would be upset when they ended, but he's transitioned nicely back into the nights where fruit is the only dessert.  I haven't stopped making smoothies yet, though.

A few times a week, I have enjoyed making smoothies as a part of our breakfast routine.  Besides being yummy, it's yet another way to sneak things into his diet.  The big boy now refers to flax seed as his "special ingredient".  I had never made a smoothie before, and now that I know how easy they are, I will continue to do it quite often in the warmer months.

I basically wing it, but the general outline goes something like this:

1/2 cup of plain organic yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp honey
1-2 tbsp flax seed
1 cup or so of fresh/frozen fruit

If you use fresh fruit, you'll need to add ice cubes to give the smoothie the consistency you want.  I prefer using frozen fruit, or a mix.  Freeze those brown bananas - if you use 1/2 a banana, you really don't need to add the honey, because it helps sweeten it up.  My favorite is undoubtedly strawberry/pineapple, although this morning's mango/pineapple/banana was pretty awesome.  The big boy claims that every single one is his favorite, although I think he likes the purple varieties (berries!).  If you use blueberries, you can also sneak in some spinach or other greens without the little ones noticing.

Now I need to start thinking about what my cold-weather breakfast/dessert go-to items will be.   I'm thinking I need a yummy recipe to get the big boy to request oatmeal more often.  Any ideas?

Pins of the Week

Here are a few things I've spotted and loved this week (clockwise from top left):

*Cucumber-Feta Toasts - Saving this for next weekend, when we can pick up the necessary baguette and cucumber at the farmer's market to make this yummy-looking side.
*Rain - This is what it has looked like all week here in Boston.  We needed the rain, but now I'm ready for those blue September skies!
*Daydreaming - I plan to do some of this at the lake this weekend.  Sitting on a dock, dangling my feet in the water.  Bliss. 
*Dudes - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid came on the other night.  I didn't have the time to watch it then, but I recorded it.  Such a classic. 
*Music Makes the World a Better Place - The big guy asked me to play a song for him on my guitar the other night.  I was able to pound out enough chords for some easy kid classics, and we had a good time singing and dancing.  Music definitely does make my world a better place.
*More Kitchen Inspiration - I love this little shelf.  When I get my new kitchen, I am looking forward to putting some pretty cookbooks and pots on display. 

These are just a few of the photos I've recently pinned on my pinboards at Pinterest:  Mary Loves

Our Attempts at Gardening

Since moving into a house, I've been trying to learn a little about gardening.  With moderate success.  I definitely know more than I did a few years ago.  I also know that our neighborhood supports plenty of wildlife that loves to eat almost all the things I've learned how to grow.  Deer, wild turkeys, squirrels, chipmunks, and especially rabbits.  Who knows what else?  So until we commit to building a raised bed with a fence around it, we're going to have to keep our garden activities pretty small.  That doesn't mean we have to stop completely, though.

This year, we planted quite a few things, most of which were devoured.  The animals even got greedy and dug up all of my tulip and daffodil bulbs!  Sigh.  But what survived....a few gorgeous zinnia plants, with lots of bright pink and yellow flowers.  I adore zinnias and am happy that even I can grow them.  I will probably plant them every year from now on.  We also had a couple pumpkin plants that survived and seem to be thriving.  The pumpkins are still pretty small, so we'll have to see if we get any that are big and orange enough for Halloween, but we'll keep our fingers crossed.  An herb barrel, which has provided a nice supply of basil and cilantro all summer.  And a couple pots of carrots.  The animals ate all the ones we planted in the ground, so I planted some in pots, and they've done pretty well.  Relatively small, but I got impatient.  Baby carrots are yummy too!  The big boy and I decided we were tired of waiting, so we picked most of them last weekend and dipped them in ranch dressing for dinner. 

Although my gardening attempts have met some challenges along the way, I still think it's a worthwhile endeavor.  The boys love helping me plant and water, and I love that they know what a carrot looks like when it comes straight from the ground. 

Looking Past the Children's Menu

I read this article in the NY Times yesterday.  It's essentially an interview with a restaurant owner, but he talks about how important the family time associated with having dinner is to him.  He has vowed never to have a kid's menu at his restaurant, and he has always made his kids try new things.  The article struck close to home. 

I have always complained about children's menus.  Although they can be convenient and less expensive, can't they come up with something a bit more imaginative than chicken fingers?  I don't like to be wasteful, but they could also at least offer some real fruit or vegetable.  Some kids actually do eat fruits and veggies.  Or perhaps offer a smaller version of regular menu items. 

When we went on vacation to Puerto Rico, it was a challenge to find decent food for the big boy, but the best meals he had were at restaurants without a children's menu.  We went to Morton's, and he split a lobster tail, broccoli, and mashed potatoes with me.  Now that's a meal!  As my husband and I like to say, the presence of a children's menu is not what makes a restaurant kid-friendly.  Any restaurant can be kid-friendly at 5:30.  Morton's didn't have crayons or plastic cups or even small plates, but they had no problem serving us, and we enjoyed a nice meal. 

It's interesting how everyone has a different philosophy about food.  I am sure it goes back to the way we were raised.  I very clearly remember holding my nose while taking my required "just one bite" of beets.  Man, I hated beets!  But now I'm happy my mom made me try them.  I am determined to avoid having super picky kids, and of course I want them to be healthy, so I work really hard to provide a good variety of foods.  Sometimes the big boy gobbles it up; sometimes he crosses his arms and looks at me like I'm crazy.  Usually it's somewhere in-between.  My rule is that he just has to try everything on his plate.  If he doesn't like it, he doesn't have to finish it.  Every night is different, but I just keep trying.  It's not easy, but we've made a ton of progress, and now my three-year-old is eating a pretty wide variety of foods.  I am confident that he'll grow up to enjoy different tastes and textures; and even if he doesn't appreciate it now, I am also confident he'll grow up to thank me for having him try.

All of these pictures are from last Summer.  It was a vacation week at home with my sister and brother-in-law visiting, and we were particularly adventurous in our cooking.  We had lots of really great meals.  In the second picture, the big boy is excited about mussels!  That one surprised me.  He was fascinated by the lobster, as we all were.  I've found that involving him in the preparation really helps, too.  He's so much more likely to want to try something after he's helped prepare it.  

I'm Hungry

Are there certain food combinations that call out to you any time you look at a menu?  I can look at a menu and know what my husband will order.  He's a meat guy, though, so it's easy.  I am probably pretty predictable, too.  I tend to be drawn towards particular flavor combinations.  Here's a glimpse of the flavor combinations that make my mouth water...

What flavor combinations are your favorites?

Tomatoes and Basil

(only in the summertime, though - nothing beats fresh tomatoes and basil!  That's why my mom's Summer Ziti is one of my favorite meals ever.)

Fig and Proscuitto and Blue Cheese

Goat Cheese and Lemon and Asparagus

(Goat Cheese and anything, really!)

Raspberry and Almond

Raspberry and Dark Chocolate

Raspberry and Almond and Dark Chocolate!

Banana and Caramel

Have Fun in the Kitchen with your Kids

*He really loves helping me bake!

*Shucking corn is one of Aaron's summertime favorites!

As I've mentioned before, I enjoy having the big boy help me in the kitchen. It keeps him happily entertained, and I believe he learns from it as well. Here are some of my thoughts about how to get your toddler involved in the kitchen.

1. Start at the grocery store. The big boy loves going to the store with me. Ever since he could point, he's loved going and learning the names of everything that goes into our cart. The produce section is the favorite, of course. At 2 1/2, he knows the names of everything from avocado to zucchini.

2. Ask for his input to meal planning. When it comes to dinnertime, it is what it is. But I will often allow him some choices when planning ahead. Such as, "should we have zucchini or peas with our pasta?" (It's almost always peas, but sometimes he surprises me.) And although I'm more strict with dinner, I do offer choices for breakfast and lunch. ("Oatmeal or waffles", "turkey sandwich or grilled cheese") I don't want him to be able to demand what he wants, but giving him a choice sometimes can help him get more excited about getting to the table and eating his meal.

3. Establish kitchen rules. And be consistent. The big boy knows that "only Mommy touches knives", and "never touch the oven/stove".

4. Have kid-friendly cooking supplies. There are some things they won't be able to use - anything breakable, the blender, etc, but there are lots of items in the kitchen that they can use. Cookie sheets, baking pans, spatulas, mixing spoons, salad spinner (one of A's favorites!)... I don't think "toy" supplies are necessary at all, and they want to use the real thing anyway.

5. Find ways to get your child involved in the cooking process. Start small, with tasks such as pushing the top of the salad spinner to help dry the lettuce. But very quickly, you'll be able to dole out more tasks, with your supervision of course. These include:
- Tearing lettuce
- Shucking corn or preparing other vegetables (de-stemming, etc.)
- Rinsing fruits/vegetables
- Measuring ingredients (with close supervision - A scoops, I smooth out the top with a knife, and he pours it in the bowl)
- Cracking and beating eggs (a current favorite)
- Opening packages
- Stirring

6. Don't forget clean-up. Aaron has loved washing dishes since he could stand on the chair in front of the sink. It's not exactly environmentally-friendly, having the faucet run while he rinses dishes for me, but we've both gotten better about getting it done more quickly. He rinses the dishes, I load into the dishwasher. And speaking of, he also likes helping me unload the dishwasher - he can put the silverware away and stack his (plastic) bowls and plates for me.

7. Have fun! I have a lot of fun when the big boy is engaged in the process with me. You obviously have to have patience. Provide a lot of praise along the way. Talk about everything you're doing. It's amazing how quickly they absorb information. And be silly - sing songs and make it fun!

I hope that by doing these things, he will continue to learn, he'll appreciate the effort that goes into his meals, and he'll eventually enjoy cooking himself!

*He was definitely interested in our preparation of a lobster dinner. He stayed hands-off on that one, though.

Raising Foodies

*Meals like this help me forget about the nights when he eats potato chips for a snack and skips dinner.

Aaron has entered the somewhat picky toddler years, but he's pretty good about trying new things. I just want him to try things. If he doesn't like it, he doesn't have to eat it. I am usually not surprised by the things that are spit back out - asparagus, green beans, etc - but I have been surprised by some of the foods that he ends up liking. For example, we tried a few new things last week, including mussels and lobster. Aaron showed no hesitation in popping a mussel into his mouth, and then declared, "Mm, that's yummy Mommy!", and then grabbed some more. I love it when that happens. Other successes during the week include lobster, sweet potatoes, and swordfish.

Food, Inc.

I haven't seen this movie yet, but I'd like to. It's an important topic. If you have an opportunity to watch it, please do. Emily recently watched it and posted about it. From what I've read and seen so far, the basic message is that we can all influence the food industry by the choices we make. Buy from your local farms and farmer's markets when you can. Plant a garden. When you shop at the grocery store, try to buy in season produce and organic when you can. It's more expensive, but it's worth it.

I'll admit that I could do better. I do try to buy primarily organic products when they're available, but I still often buy vegetables and fruits shipped from thousands of miles away. I go meatless several days a week, but I do still eat meat and don't always buy organic. I try to buy products without high-fructose corn syrup (my god it's in everything!), but there are a few things I haven't found good alternatives for (my horseradish for example, oddly enough, and I can be tempted by a good sale on ice cream, cereal bars, etc.). I can do better. And I'm sure you can too. So let's educate ourselves and identify a few ways we can influence the food industry for the better. All-natural food is healthier and tastes better, and it should really be what we all demand.

39 Weeks

Babycenter says my baby is about the size of the small watermelon now. Although....at 39 weeks, can't we just say that he's the size of an average newborn and he's ready to come out now?

Izze

I know, I know. I'm probably very slow to jump on this bandwagon. I just discovered Izze. I went to Whole Foods last week, and I had planned on buying some Limonata, which is my usual refreshing beverage of choice for a hot day. Well, they were out, so I decided to try something else. I picked up a pack of Lime Izze, and I could say with the first sip that I was hooked. It's nothing but fruit juice and sparkling water, so it's refreshing without being too sweet.

Then I went to Costco this past weekend and discovered that they sell cases of Izze (for significantly cheaper than buying individual four-packs at the grocery store). The flavors sadly did not include Lime, which I've already determined is my favorite (after trying 3 others), so I'll probably still occasionally splurge on Lime. Lime is apparently pretty new, so if you already love Izze but haven't tried it, please do. It's yummy.

Taking Care

Here I am relaxing on my sister's terrace in Barcelona. I did a good job of relaxing while I was there.

I'm exhausted. And I'm tired of being exhausted. I know I'm not unique. A lot of us - moms in particular - struggle to find balance in our everyday lives. I've reached a point where I wanted to spend a few minutes to create some goals for myself to help alleviate this problem. I know it's always important for me to take care of myself, and it's particularly important now, being pregnant.

All these goals are focused on now through the end of June, when my schedule will go away for a while. Thank goodness for summer babies!

1. Breakfast. I typically eat breakfast with my son in the morning, and in order to get out of the house in a reasonable timeframe, I stick to easy options: oatmeal, waffles, cereal. I do often add fruit, but I'm thinking I need to increase my non-carb consumption in the morning. I may not be able to change my first breakfast, but I can update my second breakfast, which occurs after I arrive at work. My current latte and bagel/croissant is not the right answer. Yogurt and fruit should be easy enough.

2. Exercise. I am currently not getting much, and I really struggle with the best way to fit it into my schedule. I get much more in the warmer months when I can take walks and there's more daylight to work with. My goal: 3 yoga/exercise videos per week. On nights when I've planned leftovers, I'm hoping I can squeeze one in after work. (That's of course dependent on the little boy's mood. I get up at 5:30AM as it is, so early morning doesn't seem feasible.) On weekends, I'll take advantage of naptime.

3. Bedtime. 5:30 comes fast. I need to be in bed by 9:30. Period. I'm going to focus on making that happen more often, allowing some time to read as well. That means watching less TV, and that's okay too.

4. Music. I know I need to inject some fun into my everyday life as well. Not much improves my mood like a really good song. I am on a mission to fill my car CD player with new music. Any suggestions?

5. Books. It's such a great thing when you find a book that you can immerse yourself in. I've read a lot of great books this year, but I have now run out and have nothing on my nightstand at the moment. Again, any suggestions? I'm actually thinking of going back and re-reading (or in some cases, reading for the first time) some classics. I read Wuthering Heights in the 7th grade but can't remember it at all. I remember adoring Gone with the Wind in the 8th grade. I bet I would still adore it now. What are your favorites?

Dirt Don't Hurt

I keep reading articles about how our ultra-clean society has led to an increase in asthma and other diseases. These articles make me feel better about my not-so-clean house. It certainly makes me feel better when I see the little boy eat something off the floor. Between my kitchen floor and day care, he's going to have the strongest immune system ever!

Here's another interesting article on the topic, from the NY Times