Our Big Event

On Saturday evening we had a party. There was no real occasion, so we blamed it on the fact that our house turned 100 this year. I guess it was more like a housewarming, since we never had one and wanted to just have everyone over all at once. We had a really nice turnout-- 30 adults and about 25 kids! The weather was perfect, so that we could spend most of the evening outside (in jackets) as planned.

Although there were plenty of people to feed, this was the most stress-free party I've ever hosted! I was determined from the beginning to not feel the compulsion to have anything perfect, and to make the goal to be FUN (for us especially,) nothing else. I made two huge batches of soup, lots of popcorn and hot cider. Guests brought beer, wine and desserts, and there was more than enough of everything for everyone. I took the plunge and rented the plates, bowls and glasses, then borrowed forks and spoons. I cannot tell you how nice it was to rent the dishes-- all I had to do was give the bowls and plates a quick rinse, and I am returning them today!

The nicest part of the event was having Jeff, his dad, and a couple of friends play music for everyone. We have a firepit in our yard, and we picked up some hay bales for extra seating (to be used for bunnies and chickens later.) Everyone gathered around the fire, chatted and listened to the music. So fun, so fall. I'll share some pictures that Jeff's parents took.

We're Glad You're Here!
Now, Have Some Soup:
Curried Pumpkin with Coconut Milk
Potato Cheese

It's official, this house will soon get a paint job, thanks to the city of Portland!

Putting this patio in was our biggest summer project. And it was free-- we took stepping stone pavers from all over the yard, got some free pea gravel on CL, and went for it, thinking of the potential for a fall party!

It was a lot of fun to have so many kids over and to watch them get to know each other...

Of course, Amelia had a blast. She's been telling strangers about our party for weeks-- "We having a party at our house. Be kids there. Be music there. Be lots of fun!" Here she is with her cousin Piper. She kept bursting into groups waving and shouting "Hi everybody!!!"

This was the first time in about ten years that Jeff and his dad got a chance to play music together again-- what a treat for everyone!

This was so much fun, we're thinking we will do it again next year. It was also a nice moment to look around and see that we have some very lovely people in our lives.

Feeling Quite Conscious of my Subconscious....

I have a pretty active dreamlife. Most nights, I have a dream (or several) that I can remember in the morning. While this is sometimes something I dislike-- my in-sleep episodes can be extremely stressful-- I sometimes gain insight about myself through these visions. For example, I may be "playing nice" with a difficult person in real life, but in my dreams I'll really let them have it. Or I will act out in my dreams in other ways that betray the way I'm really feeling deep down-- good information! It can be really useful.

Last night my dream was not necessarily helpful in terms of information, but extremely pleasant and telling. I dreamt that I met these two really nice ladies who were massage therapists. They were very caring and one of them gave me a long massage (this took up most of the dream) while they both chatted with me in a really kind manner. Afterward, the other one told me that we should trade massage services each week, although some weeks she would like to just give me a massage and I didn't need to reciprocate. Then, the funniest and best part of the dream was that I would have to walk a ways to get back to my car, but they said, "Oh, Honey, we don't want you to have to walk all that way. You need rest-- we'd like to wheel you back to your car on a gurney!"

I woke up feeling good and encouraged, but also kind of embarassed that this is what I'm dreaming about. Last week, I also dreamt that someone came over and cleaned for me-- of particular note was the thorough mopping of my floors! I'm kind of hoping that tonight I may be prepared a fancy meal...

Let's Get This Party Started!

So, everything with the massage space went through this weekend, and I am in high- gear in terms of moving in, setting up, marketing, etc. I will technically have office hours this coming week.

A little info about the place. It is in a pilates studio called Imago Dei in a nice neighborhood (Sellwood) near us. A friend of mine who is a movement therapist works there, and made the connection for me. In addition to pilates, they offer body reconciliation sessions (think psychotherapy using movement, related to issues of our experience with our bodies) and there is another massage therapist and an esthetician working independently as well.

The owner opened the studio with the intention of having a ministry to women who are survivors of childhood sexual abuse, and there is an understanding that this is the most important part of what goes on in the studio. I think it's so wonderful to find a place that is more committed to helping with body issues and whole person health than strictly making someone look good or feel pampered.I also think this is a really good fit for my practice, since the type of bodywork I do is more orthopedically oriented versus relaxing/ soothing massage. The fact that the demographic is interested in growing and changing and addressing problems on a physical level is perfect, and I hope to be a good match for them.

The room I am renting is very small, but still bigger than the room I'd been squeezing some people into at home, and I think it will turn out nicely. It has been stressful to be buying things for a business that has yet to make any money. I wish I could just go shopping and have fun with it, but this is REAL money, I still have to pay for everything! Hopefully it won't take too long to get a reliable amount of work, and we can start enjoying making money on this! I am really excited to finally have my own practice, it seems too good to be real. I will try to put up some photos soon.

General Updates...

Amelia is sick again, although at least there is no fever or blisters, so far. Just a chest cold. Fortunately, I have a big pot of chicken stock ready for action, and she's been drinking tea with herbal elixirs and raw honey all day. I'll do anything to try to make this quick!

Things are going full-bore for Jeff at work, and this will be a very busy year for him. He works at two different locations each day M- W, with a total of 5 work places, not including home visits. We are SO glad for the truck, which has also bumped up Jeff's testosterone levels a bit. (Don't hate me for writing that, Baby!) We never call each other 'baby'.

I am in the very final phase of negotiating on a space for my massage practice. I'll wait until I actually move in to tell you about it. We're supposed to get the key tomorrow and paint, but I have hit a very big bump in the road as of yesterday, and this one IS a "deal breaker." So either we'll get it all taken care of and be open for business in a week, or we'll be starting at square one again. If I don't get the space, the greatest loss will be all of the stress it has caused for me-- I really hope it goes through! Also, I just got a box full of marketing materials in the mail today, and I hope I get to use them-- they have the studio's name and address printed on them.

We're throwing a big party in a couple of weeks, and we're so excited! We only wish that all of our 'old' friends and family could come-- only I can't complain, since it's looking like 40+ people will be squeezing into our yard. I am praying hard for no rain that day!

Our house didn't get painted this summer, but there is a good reason for that. There is a grant for lower income (that's us!) homeowners with small children in Portland that have lead paint on their old houses. We applied and qualified, and it looks like we are going to get up to $10,000 of "lead abatement" done on our house by the city this year in the form of stripping and painting and anything else that needs to happen-- our old windows have already been replaced, so they don't need to do that one. We are SO THRILLED! I don't know when the painting will be done, especially since we're entering the rainy season that lasts most of the year, but we are having an inspection done this week and will be able to find out more then.

My health is about the same although made a bit worse by additional stress, and we're still trying to solve some mysteries related to Jeff's odd medical issues. Prayers in that department would be great. That's all of our not-so-big news for now...

How did she get so big?

It's Been a LOOONG Week!

I don't think I have it in me to spin a good story, so I'll give you the bare bones facts-- also known as an outline. [I would like to note that I meticulously formatted this outline with all of the proper indentations and such --twice-- but it only comes out in one straight line once published. What a shame.]

Thesis Statement: This week was super lame.
I. Last Friday Amelia got very sick with hand, foot and mouth disease (for the 2nd time in 3 months)
A. High fever
B. Sores in mouth, on hands and on feet
C. Misery
1. terrible sleep for everyone
2. serious and constant neediness and whining for days
D. Very contagious
1. my sister couldn't baby sit her, as offered and which I had perceived as a desperate need
2. we couldn't see anyone all week, there were many canceled plans
II. Jeff got sick on Thursday
A. Fever
B. Misery
1. general family downer
2. more canceled plans
C. Crazy, unusual swelling over a series of days
1. way more misery than before
2. more canceled plans and resultant cabin fever
3. serious impairment of the legs
4. disturbing distortion of face due to swelling
5. concerns about swelling moving to airway
D. Trip to the ER
1. who wouldn't want to spend their Sunday at the ER? Especially with this gorgeous weather?
2. Amelia was there, too!
a. five trips to the bathroom in two hours
b. two incidences of pee all over the floor
c. one busted lip from falling out of a chair
E. Steroids and benadryl
1. Jeff was out of commission for most of the day
2. we were forced to watch dumb shows online like "High School Musical-- Get in the Picture"
3. a week full of meds and their side effects ahead of us

Ugh! I'm not sure where this fits in, but our washing machine is also broken so we spent the better part of our most functional day doing laundry at the "mat." So, we're glad the week is over and are hoping for better luck next time. It wasn't all bad, though. On Saturday night we got out and went the movies. For $13.50, we got two tickets and two hours of babysitting-- exactly what we needed. We watched Get Smart, which was even funnier than we were hoping-- I love Steve Carell. We also spent a good amount of time this evening laughing about our super lame week and coming up with nicknames for Jeff's distorted visage-- "Dog Face" seemed to win the most laughs. We took pictures as soon as we got home from the hospital, which we will share for your sympathy and amusement.

As a point of reference, this is what my handsome husband USUALLY looks like.

I think this is the best one!

Where would we be if we had no sense of humor?

Well, well, well. Look who decided to show up and join the party! Go on over and give him a warm welcome to the blogging world.

Almost there...

So, potty training is almost officially over! I am so thrilled to be done with cloth diapers, and can't wait to not have to buy pullups for bedtime anymore either. So far, apart from pooping her pants at extremely inopportune moments, Amelia has done really well in public. Sure, I had to take her to the bathroom three times at breakfast this week, but no accidents on long drives or in the stroller... anywhere but home (and my sister's house, when she saw the tap running into the sink.) I am really looking forward to not having those moments where I'm thinking, "Am I really having a conversation about potty training with another adult? This is SO not what I'd like to be talking about in this rare moment of peer interaction...."

This one's mostly for the ladies...

I found an article that I really want to pass on. I hope you ladies will read it through. It talks about the current healthcare system and how to navigate through areas of corruption (and, I think, intimidation) to really receive quality care. I especially appreciated the section entitled "Good medicine requires patience" that addressed the widespread use of the HPV vaccine. I really like the website Women to Women. They are "Western" doctors that are very holistic and practical, and also address social/cultural issues related to our health. I could say SO much more on this topic, but it's written much more eloquently there already, so I'll hold off for now.

Trying to Hold on to Summer-- and cope with what lies ahead

Portland does a really nice job of making the most of summer, and bringing everyone out to do the same. There are so many free events and fun family programs planned in all of the different neighborhoods. We missed out on a lot of it during the beginning of the season-- we didn't need any help enjoying the warm weather and sunshine, I guess! But we have realized it's almost over, and in the last week we have attended: a performance by the Portland Philharmonic Orchestra at a park near us, an "open to the public" rehearsal of the the Oregon Ballet Theatre in the park blocks downtown, a Cuban band performance, and a sing-a-long screening of The Sound of Music in a couple of other parks. Thank you, Portland!

The weather is changing. Last week after a few days of rain (it was a welcome relief from some 100' weather) I went outside and it hit me that it was turning into fall. The air was different, the light was gorgeous. I usually feel euphoric when this happens in Southern California, and it was exciting last year, too. But my heart sank. It seems like we just barely got the sunshine and good outdoor weather, and I don't think I've had enough to make it through another loooong season of rain and cold and dreariness. They SAY that last year was unusually cold and rainy and the winter was much longer than usual. All I know is that it was my first year here, and it was HARD. I keep reminding myself that we have some good things going for us to make this year very different from last year.

First of all, we took the plunge this week and got a second car. We bought an old pickup truck for a surprisingly small sum of money. This will make a world of difference for us, especially since Jeff needs the car for work four days a week. Once I got out of "I think I can handle this" mode, I realized that there was no way that the one car would really work for our family anymore, and it was unnecessary torture. Especially for a toddler who literally wakes up from her sleep in the morning or after a nap wailing "GO!?"

Secondly, I have a few friends. With kids. Who also get bored. Then there's the OMSI pass, plus enough birthday money for me to sign Amelia up for a couple of community center classes. There is also the winter garden we've planted. I think we'll have a better time finding something to do!

And lastly, I got my massage license in the mail on Friday. Whew! I am looking at a couple of different spaces today and tomorrow, and feeling hopeful about having that outlet and reducing our financial stress a bit.

So, maybe it is 45 degrees right now at 6:30 in the morning. At least our furnace works this time around!

Jonah Song-- You didn't know there was one, did you?

Amelia loves music and singing, and expects me a to have a song ready to sing her for any given topic. Jeff was telling her that we needed to get her a kid Bible, and mentioned some names of Bible stories to her. She kept asking me for a song about Jonah and the whale, so I came up with something on the spot that has turned out to be a favorite. Although I'm not really into cautionary tales.

Her other favorite song is the one in Mary Poppins where Jane and Michael come up with an ad for a nanny-- she can sing several complete lines from that. You'll have to ask her for that one yourself.

Toddler Self- Talk

We've recently come across our biggest two year old behavior issue we've had yet. While she's monkeying around (there really couldn't be a more appropriate expression!) in bed when it's time for her nap, she's been taking her diaper off and peeing in bed. (!!) I was so perplexed about what to do, but we've been giving her feedback based on her choices, particularly praising her for leaving it on. Yesterday during naptime this is what I heard coming from her room:

"Diaper off? No. NOOO. Not OK.
Diaper on? Yeah! Mhmmm. Yep. Good job!
....OK!"

She went back and forth on this a couple more times, so I thought maybe I should go see what her status was. She'd taken the rest of her clothes off, but the diaper was ON! Good job working through the issue, kiddo!

Well, how about some good news?

At long last I got my congratulatory passing notification from the Oregon Board of Massage Therapists. I actually got a rather high score, so that was extra gratifying. My licensing application will be in the mail today, so I think I'll be holding a license by the end of the month. Yahoo! Next step? Finding a space to practice in, and passing out my card like crazy. And shelling out a lot of money before I can make any for the license, malpractice insurance, and space rental. But no need to rain on my own parade, this is great news!

It's Official: I'm Unwell.

For quite some time now, I've been feeling bad. I've had some good weeks where I had more energy and fewer headaches, some relief from a small host of complaints and seemed to be able to handle the stresses of life just fine. But those weeks have not been the norm. I found a good naturopathic doctor who took my complaints seriously and has been very aggressive about figuring out what's wrong, and trying to help me get better. I had some extensive blood work done, and that came out relatively normal, with just some B vitamin deficiency and a little anemia. I was feeling better, but took a plunge after I started exercising again (because I was feeling better!) She suggested an adrenal test, so I did that a couple of weeks ago. I totally flunked. It's complicated to explain exactly what it going on, but I am in the throes of adrenal exhaustion.

If you do a little reading about it, adrenal fatigue is pretty common, and many people have elevated levels of cortisol in their system. Cortisol is sometimes seen negatively because it is associated with stress, but it is really essential. After a long period of elevated cortisol levels, the body simply can't keep up its supply and runs out. My cortisol levels are very low. Apart from not having much, the building block for making more (pregnenolone) is the same thing that is needed for many other important hormones, like DHEA and progesterone. My DHEA levels are seriously low, and though this test didn't measure progesterone, it's kind of a no-brainer that this important sex hormone will be very depleted.

The other part of my problems have been related to my reproductive system, and I don't have a definitive diagnosis yet, but let's just say something's wrong there too. Not only have I had some clear signs of hormonal imbalance, but we have been trying to conceive for about a year now, with no luck. Add to the equation a very unhappy digestive tract that just immediately gets rid of everything I try to nourish my body with, and I am left feeling very, very BAD.

So, what to do? Well, the treatment, in order of importance is: to erradicate sources of stress, SLEEP, REST, nutritional support, avoiding stimulation and having a daily routine. In addition, the test showed an intolerance to gluten, so I am taking that out of our family's already rather complicated and limited diet. Sleep, rest, and some of the other recommendations are rather tricky for me, especially with a toddler who's sleep is very unreliable. But we're all trying our best to make it happen.

I asked my ND how, in her opinion, I got here. I already knew, though. My pregnancy with Amelia was really difficult, stressful and draining. I'm type 1 diabetic, and although I was able to manage my condition through pregnancy, it was an enormous source of stress and was very hard on my body. As many of you know, we had so many struggles as new parents. Amelia cried constantly and slept very, very little. I ate my meals while bouncing her on an exercise ball for months, exercised too much in order to lose the huge amount of pregnancy weight I'd gained, then ran out of breastmilk and had to make it from scratch every day, hardly ever slept, never rested. The sleeping problems went on for a full 18 months, in a addition to a number of other little issues we have sought help for. We had little to no help or support her entire first year, and then we moved out of state, bought our first home and have been trying to settle in here for a year now. Her sleep improved significantly around 18 months, but we still have some bad weeks, and I have some of my own issues with insomnia.

I know many may be wondering at this point about why, exactly, we've been trying to get pregnant! In short, I want to have my kids and move on to enjoy them. Our family is not complete with only one child, and although I have felt at times like it would kill me, I want to have another baby (or two) and feel like I want to have a "do over" with my pregnancy and birth experiences. I don't want that to be all I ever experienced in that department. When my doctor gently told me that I should really reconsider having another pregnancy since she didn't think my body could actually handle it, I knew she was right-- as much as I haven't wanted to acknowledge it. I feel sad. But I also feel some relief from the pressure to take on something I don't believe I should right now. So, we're talking about adoption and looking into other possibilities. But not much, since I'm supposed to avoid stressful situations!

The trickiest thing about this whole situation is that I don't seem sick to most people. I have this ridiculous personality that fools everyone. If I feel terrible, I put on nicer clothes, a little more makeup, and go do something productive or fun to take my mind off of it. I clean when I'm overwhelmed. Only people who know me well realize that something is really wrong when I say I don't feel that great, since I don't go on and on about how awful I feel, and I'm probably still smiling when I say it. No one likes to be around a moaner, right? Also, I am terrible at acting sick, even when I should (lying around, being unproductive.) The other aspect of my personality is similar-- I rarely believe that I can't handle what is thrown my way. This has changed in the last couple of years, but it has been a difficult learning process. During my worst times of exhaustion and despair with Amelia, I thought that I was telling people that I couldn't handle what was coming my way, and that I needed help. Either I wasn't very convincing, I looked like I really had it all under control, or I couldn't tell that anyone actually wanted to help. I have continued coping with anything that has come my way, but it has all come at a price, and I have used up all of my body's resources.

I am particularly discouraged about my health crisis because, quite frankly, I don't know anyone who works as hard as I do to take care of their body! My family's diet is excellent, I have always loved to exercise (although I have to stop now for a while-- extra bummer,) and I just plain CARE so much about my health. They say it takes six months to two years to heal in this type of situation. We're trying to figure out all of our options for allowing more space for me to heal so I can actually feel good and have energy on a daily basis-- that sounds pretty amazing, but I'm not quite sure yet how it will all play out. On a positive note, I am incredibly thankful to at least KNOW what the official problem is, so we can start addressing it!

Hi everyone, thanks for all the well wishes, prayers and good vibes. It went better today than last time. They changed the exam, and some of the instructions were incredibly vague-- hopefully I did what they wanted me to, but time will tell. I think I'll know within two weeks. In the meantime, I am all done studying and get to spend some time with Jeff and Amelia-- reward enough for now!

Big Day Tomorrow.

So, I am taking the massage boards again. Tomorrow at 1:15, I'll give it another go. I'd like to say that I have been very even keeled about the whole affair, just studying regularly and not stressing out about it. But the truth is that I've been been going for broke with preparation, cashing in all babysitting favors and using every spare hour to hit the books. I have been ridiculously anxious about the exam, mostly because so much of my and my family's future hinges on whether or not I can practice massage in Oregon. I really need to be able to work. There is the very important (maybe dire?) financial aspect, but beyond that, it is for me personally. I love being a massage therapist, and I love being able to do that type of work. I am really looking forward to starting my own practice, having the opportunity to meet and work with people and switch gears from being at home all week.

Anyway, I have been so high-strung and stressed out. I can't wait for it to be over. Jeff went on a backpack with his dad last weekend, and his mom took Amelia for a couple of days so I could study. It was just the ticket, I was able to be alone and purposefully relax between study sessions. She also took me shopping and bought me a great pair of shoes, so that really helped too!
I call them my "lady shoes." They somehow miraculously make me feel a little more composed. Composure is something I seem to be a little short on lately...

Anyway, think of me tomorrow! Hopefully I will have some very good news soon!

Milestone: Mimi's First Wipeout

I was at a neighbor friend's house doing laundry yesterday (our washer broke,) whilst cleaning up her house to thank her. I was taking the compost out in the back yard, and Amelia found a very flimsy chair to climb on. She fell pretty badly, and beyond scraping her nose and nostrils, she has a big bump on her head, a cut inside her mouth and two skinned knees. She actually handled it pretty well. She thinks her scabs are funny when she looks in the mirror, but whenever I mention going back to my friend's house, she goes through a verbal inventory of what happened. It could have been so much worse, and I am frankly surprised she lasted this long! Surely more to come, but I still feel bad for her.

I just put my other blog to bed for a while, as I would rather just work on one, and would like to do more posting about my garden and other sustainability projects right here anyway.

On that note, we are finally enjoying some of the fruits of our labor!  I had a lot of fun the other night pulling up our potato bed.  Digging deep and sifting through the dirt was so addictive that I stayed out till almost 10 p.m, and got completely filthy.  I could have let them go a little longer, but I was ready to use the bed for something else.

From a very small patch and with very minimal dirt mounding, this was our harvest.

I used the grape-sized potatoes in a nicoise-esque salad, along with our first cucumber, the last of our french green beans and plenty of home- grown salad mixed with fresh herbs.  Very satisfying, in many ways!

I've been a bit disappointed with some of the results from other plantings-- it seems like I should be getting quite a bit more produce!  Oh, well.  We'll learn which plants will grow and produce well for us as we go.

As if I Needed Help Embarrassing Myself...

I think I can safely say that I have more Most Embarrassing Moments than the average person. Partly because I waitressed for four years, with lots of potential for spilling wine on people or flipping trays over completely to shower my guests with salad (unfortunately already dressed.) There was also that time when I was doing marketing for our PT clinic, and had arranged lunch with a prestigious doctor in a swanky Newport Beach office. I had brought fajitas, and we were all sitting around eating and the owner of our clinic was chatting up the MD, when I somehow managed to flip my styrofoam plate into the air, flinging peppers and sauce all over the room, including all over the doctor himself! The worst part is that no one burst out laughing-- it was all very serious and quite the inconvenience. Or how about working in a hospital and casually referring to conjoined twins as "Siamese twins." Nice! I still blush and curse my 3rd world upbringing when I think of that one! Oh, there's more, so much more, but you'll have to ask me yourself.

Anyway, having a child pretty much triples the opportunities for public humiliation. Amelia had her two year old checkup with her pediatrician, Dr. Ed, last week. I really like this doctor, he is a naturopath and is very holistic in his approach. He is really into parenting techniques, and while I appreciate this and have valued his input, I feel rather self-conscious whenever I'm in his office, being observed so closely. Amelia also seems to reserve her clingiest, whiniest behavior for this very occasion, so that doesn't help. We're going through potty training right now, and Amelia is doing very well. She's really good about telling us when she needs to go, but she literally says she needs to go about 20 times a day. I suspect that it's out of boredom sometimes, but she can usually eke something out.

When we got to the office, I took her to the bathroom so that she would be ready for 30 minutes of continence when the time came. While we were with the doctor, she was asking to go potty again, but I asked her to wait a couple of times, since we were deep in conversation about her peculiarities. So she pooped her pants. We stepped out to address the matter, and I discovered that I didn't have any more diapers... Or wipes. I did my best, dumping the poop in the toilet and wiping her and her diaper with TP, thankful that it wasn't as bad as it could have been, texture-wise, and thinking that the visit would be over soon and I could search the car for another diaper. When we got back to the exam room, much to my dismay, Dr. Ed asked me to take off her clothes, INCLUDING her diaper, so she could be weighed! I casually asked if I could borrow some wipes, since it seemed that I had forgotten mine, and tried to take her diaper off as discreetly as possible, praying that he would go look at a chart or something and miss the poop streaks on her diaper. No such luck. But he didn't say anything, so I just died inside quietly. I'm sure there's plenty more of this to come, so I continue my practice of shrugging off these little mortifications.

Ebay Travels

We had been wanting to switch out our living room's old home depot-esque lighting fixtures since we moved in, but weren't quite sure what we wanted. I went to look for some Moroccan tea glasses on ebay a while back, and was completely taken by the lanterns being sold there. We snatched a couple up for a bargain, and have been loving the new ambience.

The Official Daily Summertime Ritual

Afternoon homemade popsicles, always eaten on the back steps. Today's were watermelon and mint-- the fate of a mushy melon. And there's always the welcome frozen-lipped kiss.

It's Kind of Like "Stone Soup," but Prettier!

Yesterday I realized I needed to make something for dinner, but our larder was literally just about empty.
What we did have: six eggs, cream, onions, a big yam, and a fledgling garden out back.
What we ate: a tasty omelet made with sauteed onions and broccoli greens, sweet potato fries, and a great salad with baby greens, fresh herbs and nasturtiums, dressed with the juice from a jar of marinated artichoke hearts.
The verdict: De-licious! I love these cooking challenges, it's always a pleasant surprise to see how well you can eat with little to nothing.

Stop What You're Doing and Watch This Show!

We don't own a TV, but that's not as saintly/ deprived as it sounds, since we can watch shows online now. Tonight Jeff and I watched one of the funniest shows we've seen in a long, long time. "I Survived a Japanese Gameshow" is a show in which a bunch of Americans who agreed to be on a reality show are completely surprised by being flown to Japan and being put through humiliating shenanigans to amuse the Japanese audience. Have you ever seen a Japanese gameshow? CRAZY. CR-AZY!!

Let's Talk About the Birthday Girl

For the last few days, Jeff and I have really been trying to just indulge Amelia in all the things she loves most. It has been really sweet to realize that she has become this little person with distinct interests and loves. Last year, she was pretty much oblivious to everything we did to celebrate her birthday, and this year was so gratifying! Things she loves most: going to the park, especially the one with the ducks, but the number one "must have" is swings; going out to eat, mostly being in public, able to interact with and charm other diners; books (she would literally sit in my lap being read to all day if she could. In fact, Jeff and I recently discovered that she has memorized all of her books, and can fill in the blank at most pauses!) food: bacon, fish, butter, strawberries, onions, greens, and soup of any kind (it seems that we have matching palates...) She LOVES people, and talks about friends and family all the time.

The best word to describe her would be "friendly." She says hi to everyone and everything. If I tell her we're going to the park, she says "Hi Park... See you! (nice to see you.)" Then she'll start thinking about Aunt Joy: "Hi A. Joy. See you. Hell-o A. Joy. Hey A. Joy!" The funniest thing is that she says all of her many greetings with a little southern drawl, so it's extra sweet.

She is a really affectionate, kind little girl. She loves to "get cozy" with me, gives the best, longest hugs, and recently started saying "I love you," all the time. Also "I like you," which is very reassuring. She is cooperative, is easily amused, and never slows down all day. She also recently started saying "Thank you Mama" (or Papa) and that really feels good to hear! We're still working on "excuse me" after making bodily sounds that she finds hilarious, but she did say it today, so we're getting there...

The most interesting thing about Amelia is that she is so devoted to figuring her world out. If she could read and write, I know she'd be carrying around a notebook and taking notes on everything so she could go back, memorize and make connections. She literally hears every word we say, and is always surprising us with the things she remembers or pieces she puts together. She speaks very clearly, and it has been fascinating to watch her learn to speak. She really uses techniques that adult language learners would use, and quickly picks up new phrases and tones and puts them to appropriate use. She also has a very acute sense of smell, and always surprises me by accurately identifying even the faintest scents, including those of her cousins bodies (on clothes, blankets, etc.) She stops and smells all food before trying it, and knows what I've been eating even if I intentionally only breathe through my nose, keeping my mouth shut to keep her from suspecting something I don't want to share (she loves very dark chocolate!)


We are constantly pleasantly surprised by who she is, and how she is growing up. She has only gotten easier and more wonderful over the past year, and we truly and thoroughly enjoy her. I am loving being able to have real conversations with her about her interests (bacon, dogs, peacocks, cousins, parks...) Today we took her out to breakfast, and plan to go to OMSI today, with a family membership we received for her birthday, which is going to make this year of her life so much nicer! We're having a blast. Happy Birthday Amelia!

Wish You Were Here...
But Amelia had a great party anyhow! It included many of her favorite things: the park (bonus is that it has an area for dogs to play and us to watch,) strawberries, bubbles, friends and cousins.
What I love about park birthday parties is that it's a like a big playdate, and you don't really have to entertain anyone. I just made sure that we grownups had plenty of coffee, and that everyone had something to eat. Really fun! I was surprised to realize that we had 15 kids and 12 adults there-- it was nice to realize that we have that many people close by in our lives (with kids) to celebrate Amelia.



Amelia has been talking about her birthday party for weeks now, and I hope she realized that it was really happening. She noticed every single person that was there, and asked after anyone that left. She also completely gorged herself on strawberries and grapes, had orange juice for the first time, and even ate a muffin and cake (things she never eats!) so she was pretty much having a sugar trip the entire time. This picture above shows her as she looked most of the time! And the super cute birthday girl apron was a gift Jeff's mom made for her-- I love it!

We are going to do more celebrating tomorrow, on her actual birthday.

Family Photos

Well, it's been about 1 1/2 years since we've had a family photo taken-- a big no-no for people with little kids! Oh, well. My mother-in-law took these of us yesterday afternoon when we went to visit them. I can't decide which of these two are better, so I'm just putting them both up! Let me know if you'd like me to email you a file to print, since I know most family members don't have an up-to-date picture of us.

What, that's not how YOU mop your floors?

We do own a mop, but I have always been partial to scooting around on a nubby towel, spray bottle in hand, to get those tough spots. The best part of the experience is the spray, made of water, castille soap, tea tree oil and lemongrass essential oil-- nice! Cheap! I don't like filling up the sink and pushing dirty water around very much. Unfortunately, no matter what I do, our kitchen floor still looks filthy, thanks to weird pock-marked linoleum that would like to look like filthy tile instead. Do you have any quirky but effective cleaning methods?

General Family Updates

Things have been busy around here, and there is more to come, so I thought I'd stop by and give a quick rundown.

Amelia
Her 2nd birthday is in two weeks! Sleep has been up and down, but generally pretty good. We have some pretty bad nights, and they are usually several at a time, but she usually sleeps relatively well, and we are so glad! Right now she is getting some molars in, and has been feverish and miserable for the last four days. We feel pretty bad for her, and hope they come through soon. She has a real thing for her cousins on both sides and asks to see them every day. When I tell her we are going to see them she says "excited!" and makes 'can't contain myself' sounds. I will do a longer post about her soon in honor of her b-day.

Jeff
The first year of his job is coming to a close, and he is so thankful for such wonderful co-workers and a great work environment. The district has had some serious funding problems, (how's $600,000 short for serious?) and he missed the "pink slip" cut by TWO people-- based on seniority. We are SO thankful he will still have his job next year!!!! We have had a couple of his coworkers and their families over in the last month, and hope to continue building friendships with them and others. He recently built a fence around our yard with his dad and bro-in-law, and he is going to be painting the exterior of the house with his dad in another week or so. Fun! He is on an anti- inflammatory diet right now, so that has made cooking a little more of an adventure for us both lately-- it's good to mix it up a little!

Moi
I can't believe we've been here for almost a year. I still definitely feel like a newcomer. I have put off retaking the massage board for June, and hope to take it again in July. I REALLY want to start working. I recently realized that days go by where Jeff is the only person I see who knows/recognizes me. This seems very sad (and can be devastating if he doesn't seem very enthusiastic about seeing me!) and I am wanting to get plugged in with the adult population in reliable ways. We do have some friends, though, and I am thankful that we have met some really quality people that we relate to well. It's time for me to start working on wool baby clothes projects to sell in the fall and winter, but I have been preoccupied with the garden and other house projects-- hopefully I'll get motivated soon! I have started working with a naturopath on some stress-related issues I've been having, and it has been exciting to get some help with constant headaches and fatigue. I am actually beginning to feel better and my sleep has really improved. Also my outlook on life. Hurray!

Church
We have continued to attend the Mennonite church here. We met with the pastor about two months ago, and chatted quite a bit. We also shared with him what our experience with the church community has been so far-- it was really hard for him to hear, but I am glad we spoke up. We are trying to get hooked up with a small group there soon. The one they recommended to us has several young families, but they all live very far apart. That's how our last small group in CA was, and we have since decided that we want our community to be IN OUR COMMUNITY, not a 45 minute drive away. So we will see what else is available to us.

Summer
Jeff has some good chunks of time off here and there this summer. We don't have any travel plans. We'll be around working on our house and yard. Something we have never done as a family yet is go camping, and I think Amelia is finally at a point where she might actually sleep at night if we went. So that's all I really want this summer-- the first family camping trip. We are soliciting companions (camp-anions?)

Well, I could probably keep going, but that should do it for now.

New Cousin in Town!

Jeff's sister very efficently birthed a baby boy yesterday! We went to go see him right away, and Amelia is still talking about him. He goes by Rhue and is so so sweet. About a month ago, Amelia saw me holding a newborn baby (and I couldn't hold her at the same time) and suddenly lost all interest in babies. But she did really well yesterday and didn't seem to mind me holding Rhue. She touched his velvety little head and keeps saying "Rhue... soft." I tried to get a picture of her kissing him, but she just kept looking at the camera with sad little pleading eyes saying "Hungry. Hungry." We had just eaten lunch, but it was still quite moving. I know it's past wool- wearing season here, but I couldn't resist making him this little hat.

Confession: I love, love, love making money.
Not for the sake of having money, really, but just the ability to profit in an unorthodox way, especially as someone without a job. This week, I have been selling lilac starts on Craigslist. I dig them up from around our many many lilac hedges, put them in a leftover nursery pot, and get paid five bucks each. There has been so much interest, and on Saturday I made $50 from just two people. I have more orders for this weekend, and of course there is that large margin of flaky orders that I dug up for people that just didn't show. I expect to be able to make at least $100 more dollars in the next couple of weeks, and we'll pour that money back into our yard. So far, we have been able to buy a whole lot of starts for our late-to-start garden, plus some landscaping plants. I think that this will be an annual fund raiser for our yard! I love the feeling of taking money for something that is really of no value to me, and it's even better when the buyer feels like it's their lucky day too!

Thank you, everyone, for all of your encouraging comments about our house.  Sometimes I feel sad that there are few people to share this exciting home-owning event with us in person, but putting up pictures for people to see and enjoy and comment on makes me feel supported and less far away from dear ones we'd love to have over for dinner.  Thank you for that!

I celebrated motherhood be evading my motherly responsibilities-- it was bliss!

This morning I came down the stairs and was greeted by my "relaxation kit" that Jeff put together: wine, Moonstruck chocolate truffles, a fashion magazine and a gorgeous bouquet.

 (This reminds me of the event that sealed the deal for my future with him:  he put together an evening for my benefit that entailed him setting me up with a nice dinner and wine at my house watching a DVD of a TV series I was hooked on, while he CLEANED MY APARTMENT for me.  No talking-- me just eating, drinking and watching while my environment was repaired, and then he drew me a bath before he left.  Sold.)  Anyway, back to today.  We had breakfast at a neighborhood place that does all the local, seasonal, organic etc. stuff and it was very nice, even though for some out-of-touch-with-the-demographic reason they don't have highchairs.  We made a huge effort to get to church, since we'd been unable to attend for about a month-- only to find that the church had gone on a retreat and no one was there.  So we walked around the neighborhood, found a guy selling some ceramics (we had a bought a couple of pieces from him before.) We bought another piece that I had seen a couple of months ago when it hadn't been fired yet, and had been hoping I'd be the lucky owner!  The picture doesn't really do it justice, but I love that it's an acorn squash.

 When we got home, Jeff and Amelia took naps while I put lots of plants in the garden and yard.  Other than that, I have done very little today.  In particular, I have not cooked, cleaned or changed any diapers!  I thoroughly enjoyed Amelia who was in rare, manic, form all day.  I don't know if she could sense there was something special about the day, but she was happy, exuberant, loud and hilarious all day long.  Most notable phrases: "Home, James!" and "Oh, YEAH!" repeated over and over again.

Right now she is in bed and Jeff is out picking up a free BBQ Grill I found on CL.  Very nice.  I feel appreciated, taken care of and happy that I get to be a mother.

Sewing Room/ Amelia's Playroom

Sorry the picture quality isn't great. I am so excited about all the chromotherapy this room provides. It used to be a really drab pinkish- brown color, and felt so small and dreary. I am keeping most of Amelia's stuff in here, and it's nice to have a little station to park it all. I probably make a sweep through the house about six times a day, putting everything back in there, since our small living space can be overwhelmed with clutter so quickly.

Hurray! I finally have a space to sew in that I don't have to pack up and shove into a closet with in a few hours of starting on a project (I used to work at our dining room table.) I have so much fabric that I haven't unpacked yet, so I am still working those logisitics out.

Here is Amelia's little corner. I have several layers of paper on the table so I can just remove one every week and not have to re- cover it more than once a month, hopefully! On the left is one of the only two closets in the whole house, mostly taken up by the water heater... and the vacuum cleaner. Maybe if we can get rid of the carpet in this room and upstairs, we can also get rid of the vacuum cleaner! As a side note, we will probably take the carpet up in this room pretty soon, since it looks like it's pretty straight forward hardwoods under there!
We now have all of our books shelved and don't need bulky bookcases taking up precious floorspace! The bottom shelf is Amelia's, and she can't reach the other ones (another big "hurray!") You can also see all of the light flooding into the kitchen from the glass back door here-- such an improvement and definitely a mood lifter.

Dining Room Work Space

I'm still looking for a the right desk chair, but in the meantime there is a whole table full I can borrow from two feet away! I'd like to add a hanging light right over the desk since it is pretty dark in the evening. This calligraphy desk was an item that was being stored for us. I was looking all over for a desk, and when I found out the measurements were PERFECT for this small space I was doubly glad, since we would have had to let the desk go otherwise.

Living Room

Yahoo! Our new glass door lets in so much light!


Our fireplace is the first thing you see when you come in. The cow is pretty much in there all the time, since it looks so empty otherwise. We're still trying to figure out something a bit more interesting and grown up for its "off season."


Our little living room area, finally complete (for now.) You may have noticed that we have LOTS of mirrors-- trust me, it's not so much about vanity as it is about maximizing the little light we have!


We have a really nice, big maple tree to look at out this window, and the lilacs that hedge the yard are such a gift!

Well, I guess it's about time I put up a new post. I don't have exciting pictures or video clips or anything... but I guess I could put together a LIST(!) of recent projects, since that's mainly what we've been doing for the past three weeks.
-- We replaced both exterior doors (front and back) with salvaged glass doors from the rebuilding center! It is SUCH a huge improvement, we get so much more light in the living room and kitchen. It was quite an undertaking, but also a big educational opportunity, and the next time we have to do it will no doubt go more smoothly...
-- We got the perfect rug for our living room, and now we're done with the room indefinitely, until we decide to attack the walls-- but we're in no hurry.
-- Jeff's parents moved to a smaller house, so we had to take back the things they'd been storing for us. It was exciting to realize that some things we had needed to find for a specific purpose were already ours, once we figured out how to make them work. We also had to do some more serious purging, but made some substantial dough on Craigslist-- not to mention meeting the interesting people that wanted our stuff.
-- I now have TWO work spaces! I have started doing billing for my brother's business, and will soon be managing the booking for my parents vacation rental, and needed a niche where I could keep that stuff organized and available. Now there is a desk/ paperwork area in a corner of the dining room! Our spare room was a mess where guests could stay and Amelia could keep her books and toys. With CL funds, we gave it an overhaul, painted it a super- cheerful color, and made it a sewing room for me-- hurray! Amelia also has a little table and chair and shelf for her things in there, so the hope is that she can play there while I get something done (we'll see...)
-- We've been working out in the yard as the weather has permitted, but are still not technically gardening... There has been snow and hail in April, and I have been rather disgruntled. But the weather is beautiful today, and I planted several mammoth sunflowers in a row along the back fence. Our lilac trees are just about to bloom, too!
-- In the next few weeks we are going to enclose our yard with a fence. I am really excited, because right now working outside is pretty inefficient, since I am constantly getting up and checking on Amelia as soon as she is out of my sight. Also in the plans this summer is painting the outside of our house! I can't wait, since our paint outside looks really terrible, and the color is just awful, and our whole yard will look so nice with a freshly painted house.

There is nothing like fixing up your own house. It is so rewarding to see the differences. We've never had the freedom before to change our home environment so much to our liking, and are at the point now that we feel really good when we come home to our house, and just enjoy looking around. We know we won't be here for more than 2- 3 more years, but it is all more than worth it, and we are always happy to find that we can do a lot with very little money. Of course, my list of projects is never-ending. And our bathroom is just plain embarrassing. We'll get there... Sometimes I fantasize about hiring a contractor to come in and just transform a certain space, but when it comes down to it, I like knowing that we have our fingerprints all over this place, and it is very satisfying!

But don't just take my word for it...
(Really sorry it's sideways again.)