Everyday Reading

Raiding My Sister's Closet: Trying Out a Trend (Hat Edition)

2013-06-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

I think all three of us would agree that I'm the most conservative dresser of the sisters. So when we agreed to periodically do posts where we try out a trend, I resigned myself to probably having to buy something for most of the posts.

But then! I actually already OWNED a hat. I felt pretty awesome.

Last summer, I bought my first non-pool hat when I was at Old Navy with Ella and she found an adult hat sitting in the kid's clearance section. She said, "You should buy this." And so I did.

This one, I bought a few months ago for the sole reason that I felt just a teeny bit like Neal Cafferty when I put it on. And that's enough reason for me.

Shirt: Old Navy // Shorts: Old Navy

Shoes: Old Navy (ooooold) // Fedora: Old Navy (similar)

I like hats because they step up a very, very basic outfit (my favorite kind) to something a little more put together. Perfect for a Saturday running errands and a BBQ with friends.

Check out how Merrick and Landen styled their hats:

DIY Constellation Cards

2013-06-17T06:11:00.000-05:00

When I shared our confetti balloons earlier in the year, I mentioned that Bart had a goal to send something physical in the mail every month this year.

I'm sure you are really impressed that this is the second thing we've sent off this year (wait, June isn't the second month of the year?). Underachievers or not, I think this was a really cool project.

I loved putting these together and they were really super easy. I made a whole set in about 15 minutes. And they fit easily into an envelope (which is now sitting on my kitchen counter because for some reason looking up addresses and putting a stamp on an envelope is pretty much the most difficult thing ever for me).

Supplies needed:

Black cardstock
Giant hole punch (or scissors if you want to freehand the cutting)
A mini hole punch (I use this all the time, which means I should probably stop borrowing Ralphie's on a monthly basis and just buy my own).
Pencil or silver pen
Flashlight (after I photographed this, I discovered that this flashlight was so old that the batteries were rusted into the tube and I couldn't get them out. So. . . iPhone flashlight app to the rescue).

Punch (or cut out) your circles. My punch is 2 inches across.

On each card, draw the dots that make up the constellation. I used this guide from Art Love Light.

Using the dots you just drew, punch out the dots.

With your pencil or silver pen, write the name of the constellation on the card.

Done! Repeat with as many constellations as you'd like.

Then take them in a dark room, and use a flashlight to project the constellation on to the wall.

A Whirlwind Weekend in DC

2013-06-15T06:27:00.000-05:00

1. I'd take you out for burgers at Ray’s Hell Burger. Bring your appetite because these burgers are big!

2. It's famous for a reason! You shouldn't miss Library of Congress; it's the most beautiful building in DC. You also can't miss seeing the monuments at night. I especially love the play of shadows and light at the Lincoln and WWII Memorials.

3. Calories don't count on vacation, so we'll stop in and grab a cupcake at Baked and Wired. TV might have brought fame to Georgetown Cupcake, but those of us who know better will skip the line and head to Baked and Wired for a bigger, denser treat.

4. The weather is perfect and getting outdoors is a must. My very favorite spot in DC is the Bishop’s Garden at the National Cathedral. Grab some pizza from 2Amys or bring your own picnic to snack on while you relax in the garden.

5. You're so fortunate to have a DC insider showing you around. For an off-the-beaten path experience, take a free tour of the beautiful Anderson House or explore the gorgeous gardens and antique collections at the Hillwood Mansion.

6. You didn't ask, but I'll tell you anyway that a trip to the nation's capital wouldn't be complete without visiting the museums on the National Mall. You really can't go wrong, but my favorites are the National Gallery of Art and the National Archives. After your museum visits you'll be hungry, so take a walk past the White House to Founding Farmers, a local favorite.

Want to share your city? Email Me!

Out for a Spin: Google Reader Replacements

2013-06-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! Today, Kayla and I are launching a new series where, each month, we'll test-drive something (a product, an app, a system, etc) to find stuff that will make our lives and yours a little bit (or a lot!) easier and prettier.

This month, it's Google Reader replacements.

I know. . . .who even wants to think about Google Reader going away forever in just a couple of weeks?

Since Kayla and I are both serious blog readers and also true lovers of Google Reader, we tried out a couple of different options each and chose our favorite.

I tried four: BlogLovin', News Blur, Flipboard, and Feedly.

Before I tell you what I did and didn't like about each one, let me share a little secret: I thought Google Reader was the best, but now I know better. I was just USED to Google Reader, but looking back I can see that they'd stopped adding functionality a long time ago - it wasn't particularly fun to use, it didn't have a great way for me to track different kinds of blogs (aka, ones I wanted to read EVERY POST from and ones that I wanted to browse when I had ten minutes before bed to just surf a bit), and it wasn't great at interacting with my other social media.

So. . . actually, I'm not that sad to see Google Reader go away. Even if it wasn't, I'd be switching.

Anyway, on to the four I tried:

I know a lot of people love BlogLovin', and many of you recommended it back when I asked for suggestions. But, and I say this with love, how can you even stand it? I find it almost completely unusable.

Two major reasons I hate it?

When you use it on a computer, it turns every feed into a partial feed. I know! EVERY FEED! I have zero tolerance for partial feeds, so this makes it a complete deal killer right here.
No keyboard shortcuts. After nearly a decade of using Google Reader's keyboard shortcuts, I cannot function with a reader that doesn't allow them.

I will say that the app version for use on a mobile device is quite a bit better, but still not as good as the alternatives - it's very very basic, with not a lot of great functionality, and also kind of bland and ugly. If you love BlogLovin', I'm very sorry to be so rude about it. And also, you are a much more patient and good person than I am.

NewsBlur is actually quite excellent (it reminds me a lot of Google Reader) and has some great features. If there was no Feedly, I would choose this one. It's still kind of not that lovely looking

One cool feature I haven't seen elsewhere, you can train your feeds to only pick up posts tagged certain ways or written by certain authors - so you like my recipe posts but don't want to read all my boring book reviews? Done! You subscribe to a big blog with many contributors but only like three of them? Done!

Flipboard is really gorgeous to use, but if you read more than about a dozen blogs, I think it is just too unwieldy. Also, I only found it very usable on my iPad. On a phone, it was just too teeny and small.

Which brings us to Feedly (cue the angels singing, etc):

This is the reader. It is practically perfect. (And it's pretty. Which matters to me).

You can mark blogs as "Must-Reads" so that if you only want to see your very favorite blog posts, there they are. If you only want to see things that are new today, you can to that too.

Want the posts to open up directly on the blog itself, rather than just a white screen (meaning you can comment from right inside the reader)? Sure thing. You can pin things right to Pinterest from the reader (if you're on a computer).

The app versions are terrific too. Seriously, I love Feedly. It's made blog reading fun again for me.

I think I might have to do a separate post on all the features I love about it (would anyone actually read that post?).

But this post is not meant to be a love song to Feedly. It's just to tell you that if you're looking for a new RSS reader, Feedly's the one.

Go find out which one Kayla picked, and then go export all your Google Reader subscriptions to Feedly.

Ani: Six Months

2013-06-13T06:53:00.000-05:00

Hello, pretty girl.

If there are six things to know about Ani at six months:

The laughing? It never stops. And nothing makes her laugh like Ella's antics. If baby laughs don't make your heart burst into a million pieces, you probably don't actually have a heart. Might want to get that looked into.
Her hair has pretty much all fallen out but is starting to come back in again. And it's still looking fairly red.
She does that baby thing where she grabs her feet and tries to put them in her own mouth. And I seriously think that's the cutest thing babies do.
She's rolling all over the place now and starting to sit up with some degree of balance.
She weighs 3 pounds more and is an inch longer than Ella was at six months. But their heads are exactly the same circumference.
She's a cuddler. You guys, I die. A baby who puts her head down on my shoulder and just lets me snuggle her? That's a baby I'm going to keep (although, Ella never did that and I kept her . . .).

(But you also might want to know that when you come to get her up from a nap or in the morning, she goes wild in her crib, grinning this huge silly grin and kicking her legs and arms with excitement. It is a highlight of my day).

Cashew Chicken with Snow Peas

2013-06-12T06:21:00.000-05:00

I used to make this recipe a lot and then, last summer, I made a modified version during our (failed) week of trying to eat vegan.

After that, I just couldn't even think about it for a while without feeling like I immediately wanted to eat a gigantic hunk of cheese. Possibly two hunks.

A year later, I'm finally over it, and when I made the (non-vegan) version last week, we ate the entire thing in one sitting.

Cashew Chicken with Snow Peas
(adapted from The Bitten Word)

Serves 3-4

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped into 1-inch cubes.
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoons cornstarch
salt

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 teaspoons sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2/3 cup cashews (chopped, unchopped, roasted, raw - doesn't matter)
2 green onions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced

1/2 lb snow peas, trimmed and halved

In a tupperware, mix together the vinegar, ginger, and cornstarch. Toss with diced chicken and season with salt. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes (you guys know I don't plan this far ahead. I just let it refrigerate for as many minutes as there is until it's ready to be added to the pan. Never seems to be a problem).

In a large glass measuring cup, combine broth, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch. Whisk and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken (and if there is any leftover juices in the tupperware, pour that in too) and cook until outside is browned, about 2 minutes.

Add garlic, cashews, and green onion whites. Cook, stirring frequently, about 30 seconds.

Whisk the sauce to recombine and pour it into the skillet. Add the snow peas. Cook, stirring occasionally and being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan, until sauce thickens and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Top with green onion greens and serve over rice.

Admitting Bart was Right

2013-06-11T06:55:00.000-05:00

For YEARS, Bart has been telling me I look better in bright colors, and I've been insisting that I prefer to wear neutral colors.

And then after 31 for 31, when I could look at an entire month of outfits all together, I sheepishly said, "Okay, I think you're right. I like myself in bright colors better too."

He was nice enough not to gloat.

(You'd better believe that if I'D been trying to convince Bart of something for nearly a decade and he finally admitted I was in the right, I'd be gloating. But that's just proof that Bart is a much nicer person than I am).

Shirt: Old Navy, Jeans: Target, Sandals: Old Navy

The Best Father's Day Dinner

2013-06-10T06:20:00.000-05:00

We have a dilemma in our family on holidays like Mother's Day. I don't particularly want to cook myself a gigantic feast on Mother's Day.

Bart, perhaps even more so, does not want to cook a gigantic feast (he can cook, but he does not like to. In fact, a few weeks ago when we were having pancakes for dinner, he was flipping them and Ella said to me in the most astonished voice, "Did you ever know that Daddy knew how to cook?").

Frankly, I don't want him to cook dinner for me either, because having him spend hours in the kitchen while I entertain the children on my own is not my idea of a great time either. Also, we have a pretty nice dinner most nights of the week. And if I really want something for dinner, I can make it any night I want.

Then, this year, Bart hit on the world's best idea ever.

He said, "What if we start a new tradition for Mother's and Father's Day? Why don't we go to the grocery store and you can pick out all the foods you like most and never buy for yourself, and we'll just have a big spread of delicious foods for dinner?"

I was instantly the biggest fan ever of this idea.

Not only do I love no-prep food, I love traditions. I especially love traditions that don't require a lot of effort to maintain.

We bought dried mangos, a big loaf of french bread, some ridiculously pricy cheese with dried cranberries in it, spinach dip and Ritz crackers, salami from the deli counter, fruit snacks (yes, I am five) and Simply Limeade. We picked out three different containers of Ben & Jerry's ice cream (Cinnamon Buns is, possibly, my favorite ice cream of all time). I resisted the urge to get PopTarts too, but now I'm wondering why. I should have bought them (but then I would have had to make the killer decision of which of my favorite flavors to get - cinnamon & brown sugar, s'mores, or frosted strawberry).

It took all of five minutes to get dinner ready, and it was one of my favorite meals of my life.

Ella was also an enormous fan. Since then, she's been asking on an almost daily basis, "Are you so excited to see what Daddy picks for his Father's Day dinner?"

Actually I am. I hope he picks some PopTarts.

This post is part of a promotion with FamilySearch.

A Whirlwind Weekend in Detroit

2013-06-08T06:21:00.000-05:00

1. I'd take you out for the best tacos of your life at Lupita's Taqueria in Mexicantown. You can order whatever you want, but I'd strongly recommend the tacos al pastor, their signature dish. After lunch we'll walk around the corner to a Pepto Bismol pink bakery with sombrero-donned churros painted on the walls. La Gloria's crisp, sugar-rolled churros are the perfect way to fuel up for the afternoon ahead.

2. It's famous for a reason! You shouldn't miss Michigan Central Station in all its beautiful and dilapidated glory. This Beaux-Arts building was designed by the team behind New York City's Central Station. Once the hub for Detroit's train and streetcar traffic, the station sunk into obsolescence with the rise of the automobile. The station is now on the National Historic Registry and efforts to save the building are in the works.

3. Calories don't count on vacation, so we'll hop on the People Mover--a monorail-esque train that circles Detroit's downtown loop that your kids will adore--and grab another treat at Astoria Bakery, a charming pastry shop in Greektown. On the way, we'll catch a lovely panoramic of Windsor, Canada, and pass Detroit landmarks such as The Spirit of Detroit, the city's mascot, and the Joe Lewis Monument, which is basically a 24-foot-long fist bump.

4. The weather is perfect and getting outdoors is a must. We'll take advantage of the gorgeous day by strolling through Eastern Market, the go-to place for homegrown Detroit produce and goods. With the fleet of BBQs roaring and the open air karaoke blasting (with a dead ringer for Tina Turner belting it out for the crowd), you will fall head over heels for this vibrant Detroit farmer's market.

5. You're so fortunate to have an art lover showing you around. The locals would stone me if I didn't show you The Heidelberg Project, an outdoor art project created by Tyree Guyton. While it certainly is one of the stranger things you'll see, it is on an incredible community-building mission that uses "art to provoke thought, promote discussion, inspire action and heal communities." Precisely what Detroit needs. It is especially big on helping local children. Plus, it's just plain fun to explore.

6. You didn't ask, but I'll tell you anyway that a trip to Detroit wouldn't be complete without visiting John King's Used and Rare Bookstore, a paradise for book lovers like ourselves. We'll roam the four floors of books and get lost in its maze-like sections. We'll probably find an old favorite and settle down in one of the shop's cozy reading corners to spend the rest of the afternoon. We'll round out our Detroit experience at the Redford Theater, a restored old timey movie theater with an absolutely stunning Barton Theatre Pipe Organ. We'll transport back to Detroit's Golden Age by watching a silent film with a live organ soundtrack played by an expert member of the Detroit Organ Society.

Want to share your city? Email Me!

Your Teeth are Not a Tool

2013-06-07T13:31:00.000-05:00

My dad is a dentist, so I grew up in a family that cared a lot about taking care of your teeth. One popular saying in my family is, "Your teeth are not a tool."

It makes my dad a little crazy when people are using their teeth to tear open wrappers or bite off tags (my mom was the worst offender, and she would usually say something like, "actually my teeth are great tools. Plus I know a good dentist if I need them fixed").

But then I started dating Bart, and I realized my family paled in comparison to his serious love of clean teeth. We were in college when we met, and he always had a toothbrush and toothpaste in his backpack. Now he carries them in his work bag.

(Which reminds me that when Bart started his first professional full-time job, and I asked him what he did and didn't like, he said "The thing I hate most is that everyone has coffee breath every morning."

I now have a low-tolerance for coffee breath or for going more than thirty minutes after eating without brushing my teeth.)

We were at Sam's Club a couple of weeks ago and there was an end cap with toothpaste and Bart said, "We should probably just buy that whole stack." It was approximately 150 boxes of toothpaste (we compromised and bought none (do I not understand correctly how compromising works?)).

All of this is to say, I'm pretty sure Bart would be thrilled to get a toothbrush for Father's Day. In fact, as I've been the big electric toothbrush user in our relationship (thanks to my dad who always had a ready supply of them from his dental office) and since they are $25 off at Target right now, I might buy myself the ProfessionalCare 3D White 1000 (those names - it's like you're purchasing a space shuttle, not a toothbrush).

Ani wonders how useful a toothbrush is when you have exactly zero teeth

It'd be just like me to buy myself a Father's Day gift. Or, I can tell Bart I'm giving him the gift of good breath for Father's Day. I think he'll be delighted.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Tell Me What to Read: Summer Reading Choices

2013-06-06T06:39:00.000-05:00

I'm just going to call this my own personal summer book club.

You guys left such GOOD suggestions - I'm so appreciative! I had a great time yesterday afternoon reading through all the suggestions at once, picking a bunch that sounded good, reading reviews on Amazon, and seeing which ones my library had available.

So here are my picks for the summer. I'll be reviewing each one here at the end of the appropriate month. I'd love it if you read along!

P.S. Moonwalking with Einstein suggested by Suzanne and Heidikins // Ruby Red suggested by Deanna H // The Secret Keeper suggested by Lady Susan, Susanne, and Katie (and my mom who has been encouraging me to try out Kate Morton for over a year)

Creamy Pesto Dip

2013-06-05T06:37:00.000-05:00

When we had our little Valentines Exchange party, I planned to make my standby jalapeno popper dip. But then, whoops, I realized I was completely out of green chiles, so there was some quick rifling through my Pinterest appetizer board to see what else I might be able to conjure out of my pantry/fridge.

This pesto dip was the winner.

I had frozen pesto cubes leftover from last summer's non-stop CSA basil, and having this dip in the middle of February made me anxious for summer.

And people really gobbled it up. So, I felt awesome. And it was ridiculously easy, so I felt doubly awesome.

Creamy Pesto Dip
(Adapted from Healthy Food for Living)

2 ounces cream cheese, slightly softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup pesto (homemade or purchased)
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 a green onion (green parts only)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Put all ingredients into a food processor. Blend until smooth. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Raiding My Sister's Closet: Swimsuits

2013-06-04T07:00:00.000-05:00

We've done a little reboot of Sisters Share It All. We've renamed it "Raiding My Sister's Closet" and we'll be focusing on clothing, style, and virtual shopping. Get excited.

I've discovered that I much prefer buying swimsuits for my little girls than for myself. I mean, really, there are so many darling options.

When it comes to adult swimsuits, though, I am ludicrously picky. There are so many styles I don't like and so many ridiculous requirements I have for a swimsuit of my own. After putting together this list, I find it kind of amazing that I currently own any swimsuits at all. And also why I'm not surprised that it's been more than 2 years since I bought a new swimsuit.

But, I have prevailed! Here are five swimsuits I quite like:

I can't decide which one I like best . I'm thinking #1 or #3.

P.S. If you are buying a swimsuit, make sure to use Ebates for Gap or J.Crew or Boden.

Now I'm off to see what Merrick and Landen picked and then I might pull myself together and buy one. We ARE going to the pool multiple times a week right now, so I think I can justify it.

Ten Years

2013-06-03T06:21:00.000-05:00

It seems like everyone is finishing up school this week (except in Massachusetts where the snow days are going to keep every one in school for another month - I won't pretend I'm sad to be missing this).

I finished high school ten years ago, which is sort of blowing my mind.

I actually didn't graduate from high school, thanks to doing a combination of home school and public school, and I remember some of my friends saying, "You don't get to walk at graduation? Don't you. . .want to walk?"

Frankly, walking at graduation wasn't at all high on my list of things to do, and it didn't bother me at all not to get to participate. (I didn't even walk when I graduated from BYU because I'd already moved to Texas). I didn't regret it then and I certainly am not looking back on my life thus far and thinking, "If only I'd gotten to walk across a little pop-up podium at the Thomas & Mack."

Sometimes it seems like your high school experience has to fall into one of two categories. You either hated every minute of it and couldn't wait to escape or you loved high school and it was the peak of your life, happiness-wise. Mine was much more average - I really liked high school a lot most of the time. I had a great time, but I was also excited to move on to college and a new phase of life.

Part of me looks at these pictures from my senior year and thinks, "I'm still about this same age, no?" and in other ways, this feels a million lifetimes ago.

I got my braces off at the end of my junior year and thus I have more picture I don't hate from my senior year than the rest of my high school experience combined. Someday when I'm feeling not-vain (aka never) I'll share some of the more unfortunate ones.

Giant Speech and Debate nerd right here. My mom convinced me to do it my senior year and it was pretty much the most terrifying prospect of my life. And then I ended up loving it (you were right, Mom!).

Goofing around with Merrick.

More Speech and Debate. What, you didn't wear a suit in high school? I'm sad for you.

Christmas morning. My parents sold this house and moved to a new one a couple of miles away just six weeks or so before I graduated from high school. The majority of my childhood memories are in this house and it's so weird to me that Bart's never even been inside. Also, I'm looking at this picture and realizing how small it was for the first time in my life. It always seemed pretty good-sized to me. Also, that little guy in glasses? Graduates as valedictorian this week. I am old.

A Whirlwind Weekend in Wichita, Kansas

2013-06-01T06:53:00.000-05:00

I'd take you out for lunch at The Flying Stove. We’ll have to track them down though because this isn’t your average restaurant - it’s a traveling food truck that serves gourmet street cuisine. You can order whatever you want, but I'd strongly recommend the chef’s special that day. They serve everything from Cajun style food to Mexican burgers. We’ll have to check their Facebook page to find out where they. Luckily it’s usually some place pretty cool!
It's famous for a reason! You shouldn't miss the Keeper of the Plains, one of the symbols of Wichita. This giant sculpture stands right where the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers meet. After we snap some photos in front of it, we’ll have to be sure to check out all of the fantastic museums on the river like the Old Cowtown Museum and the Wichita Art Museum.
Calories don't count on vacation, so we'll stop in and grab a treat at the Farris Wheel. It’s like walking through Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory! We’ll fill our bags with chocolates and trail mixes before we head back out on our sightseeing adventure!
The weather is perfect and getting outdoors is a must. We'll take advantage of the gorgeous day at the Tanganyika Wildlife Park. This hands-on zoo adventure will be fun for the whole family! Not only will we learn about some cool animals, but we’ll get to interact with them too! Afterwards we should stop by Botanica Gardens to see their latest exhibit or to take a walk through their butterfly garden.
You're so fortunate to have a Wichita insider showing you around. The locals would stone me if I didn't show you Exploration Place. Even though this museum is aimed at kids, I promise that you’ll have a blast as well! We can test our flying skills in the flight simulator, get the windblown look in the tornado tunnel, and then check out one of the live science shows or see a movie in the giant dome theatre!
You didn't ask, but I'll tell you anyway that a trip to Wichita wouldn't be complete without visiting Musical Theatre of Wichita. I’ve heard that their production of Les Misérables is going to be a real treat! Doesn't that sound like a perfect way to end the night?

Want to share your city? Email Me!

Stuck On Summer

2013-05-31T06:05:00.000-05:00

Have I mentioned how excited I am for summer to be here? I have big plans (thank you for all the book suggestions yesterday! I can't wait to pick a few this weekend).

Also, I'm super happy that today is finally the last day of 31 for 31. I am very tired of it. Bring on the other clothing.

Here are some things that are making me extra happy about summer.

Wee Sing Silly Songs. Hello, I am a mom. We check out a lot of Wee Sing CDs from the library but this one has been by far the most popular. I find that I really like the songs myself and it's saved me from having to make up (completely inane) stories to entertain Ella in the car for many weeks now. Maybe it will last all summer?
My friend Amber brought this Super Skinny Serum to a favorite things party several months ago, and I've loved it - definitely helps keep my hair from going nuts in the summer heat and humidity.
Sonic Summer Shakes. For some reason, it makes me deliriously happy just to know I can a half price shake any night of the summer. We went a couple of times last year and it was delightful. Sonic makes me feel like a kid again (my friends and I were such fans we even went on prom night before going out for a real dinner). They have a bunch of new flavors this year, including peanut butter cookie. Sign me up.
Once Upon a Time. Okay, the summer hiatus is not making me happy, but this show. . . I love it. We just watched the last episode of Season 2 last night and I think it keeps getting better and better. Can't wait for it to come back at the end of summer. I love fractured fairy tales and this one just fulfills all my wildest dreams.
Salads. I do not eat salads for dinner in the winter. But in the summer? I'd happily have one every night. This week, I have this BLT Chopped Salad with Corn, Feta, and Avocado on the menu. A side of scones (of course) and it's pretty much a perfect dinner.
I'm kicking off my summer reading early - I picked up Sophie Kinsella's newest book at the library yesterday and plan to read the whole thing this weekend. Please let it be good. (Update - It was horrible. My least favorite of all her books - skip it).

Tell Me What to Read: Beach Reading Edition

2013-05-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

I am ridiculously excited for summer to be here this year.

I've dubbed this the summer of the homemade popsicle (we made our first on Tuesday), we've broken out the sunscreen and swim diapers, and with both of Ella's preschools finished up, we are keeping things pretty calm and lazy around here. I'm loving it.

And summer calls for summer reading. Here's where you come in - a beach version of Tell Me What to Read. This is not the time to suggest War and Peace (sorry, Sherry).

Suggest something fun (although that doesn't have to mean chick-lit - I'm up for fascinating non-fiction, memoirs, YA, middle grade, AND chick-lit), and I'll pick three from the comments to read over the next three months of summer.

This summer, for the first time in many moons, we actually are making a trip to the beach. I think your book would like to come along too.

In review:

Comment with the title of one fun book you think I should read. One title only, please, lest my brain explode.
I'll choose three from the list and announce them next week.
I'll read one a month - June, July, and August. Feel free to read along.
I'll write a review of each one here. Even if I hate the book, I will not hate you.

And. . .go!

Fire-Roasted Mac & Cheese with Feta

2013-05-29T06:46:00.000-05:00

When Bart saw the pictures of this, he said, "I ate this and really loved it. But these pictures wouldn't make me want to eat that."

I have a hard time photographing casserole-type dishes. What can I say?

I promise, this was really, really, really, super good. Seriously. Ignore my lousy photo and make this.

Fire-Roasted Mac & Cheese with Feta
(adapted from Eat Live Run)

Serves 4

1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo pasta

1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
10 ounces shredded white cheddar cheese
3/4 cup + 1/2 cup feta cheese
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 14-ounce can canned fire roasted diced tomatoes
3 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook orzo in a pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour until smooth and let cook for thirty seconds.

Add 1 1/2 cups of milk, 1/2 a cup at a time, whisking between additions until smooth. Cook for five minutes, whisking frequently. It will thicken up a lot.

Add the cheddar and 3/4 cup feta, and stir until the cheese is melted.

Add salt, pepper and oregano followed by the last 1/2 cup of milk, the diced tomatoes (don't drain them!) and chopped spinach. Stir well (the spinach will wilt down), then add the orzo.

Stir to combine, then pour into a baking dish and top with remaining feta cheese. Bake for 15 minutes, until cheese is slightly bubbly and brown on top.

Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Screen Time for Our Children

2013-05-28T06:09:00.000-05:00

I like media. Bart and I watch a fair amount of television shows together, I love my smartphone, and I use the computer a lot. A lot, a lot, actually.

When it comes to my children, though, I'm pretty serious about keeping a tight rein on their media exposure. I certainly recognize that digital skills are pretty vital to keeping up in today's world, and I want them to have those skills, but I also am determined to make sure they are not reliant on passive media to keep them entertained.

From the beginning, I was pretty set on keeping it low because I didn't want to keep Ella away from screens diligently until she was two and then set her loose, because we always planned on having more children and I didn't want THEM to be exposed to them really early.

Also, it makes me crazy when people say, "just wait until you have children!" because, yes, your opinions may change when you have children, but just because you have children doesn't mean you can't stick to your guns on topics that are important to you. And exposure to television and other digital entertainment is an important topic to me.

I don't know that there is a perfect solution, and I certainly don't think the way our family handles it is the best way ever, but I thought I'd share where we're at currently.

Remember how screen time used to just mean television?

The iPhone. I have three folders full of apps for kids (Emily Kate often posts about free apps and I usually download anything she recommends). I like having these as options to keep her occupied when needed, but I also try really hard not to rely on it too much. When we go out on a Saturday family outing that involves any large amount of driving, we almost always let her play while we drive (otherwise, she asks for stories the entire time, and Bart and I would rather talk to each other). She also occasionally will ask to play on my phone in the morning while I shower. Perhaps once or twice a week, I let her, and sometimes I offer a different activity, like assembling her puzzles or coloring instead. During the first trimester of my pregnancy, Ella definitely played with my phone a little more frequently, but I tried to make up for it by keeping it for the moments where I just desperately needed to lay on the bed and try not to throw up, and I was more strict about it not being used at other times, so overall, she probably didn't use it too much more than normal. I do not let her use it while we run errands or are waiting at an appointment.
The iPad. Bart suggested that we not let Ella use the iPad and we've stuck to that pretty well. She has never used it on her own, and the only child app we have on there is Bookboard (which she can't really do on her own anyway, because she needs me to read the books to her). We occasionally will watch a few YouTube videos together, but that's it.
Movies. We own about twenty Disney movies, all on VHS, because every time we go to a garage sale, and the seller discovers we own a VHS player, they let us pay for one (usually at about fifty cents) and then press us to take every other one we're interested in. Ella will watch about 20 minutes of a video but then she is done. I believe the only ones she's watched are The Lion King and Tarzan (she likes animals more than princesses). This goes in spurts - she might watch something two days in a row and then not again for a month or two. I think it's been at least six weeks since we watched any movies. And one or both of us always watches with her.
Television. She basically never watches television shows, either on our television or on another digital device. She's seen a five minute clip of a Sesame Street episode on the iPad once, and yesterday, for the first time, we watched an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse as a family while Ani was taking a nap. I grew up in a television-free home, and I just generally dislike most children's programming. I cannot stand the background noise of television, and so it's just not something we've ever done, and I have no plans to introduce it to her.
The Computer. This is where she gets the most screen time. Once or twice a week, she'll play for thirty or forty minutes in the morning while I do other things (read, do laundry, cook, shower) and occasionally, she'll play while I work on dinner, although generally she prefers to help me cook. She loves the Jacquie Lawson advent calendars (we have two Christmas ones from my in-laws, and a circus one from my parents). She also really likes the Curious George Busy Day games on PBS.com and Starfall and Tumblebooks (which is free through our library). I like computer games the most because our computer is not portable (so she's not asking for it when we're out of the house) and because it's more interactive than watching a television show or movie.

I think it's a moving target as our children grow older, the needs of our family changes, and school and work situations adjust. But for now, this is working pretty well.

A Memorial Monday

2013-05-27T06:56:00.000-05:00

Happy Memorial Day!

We're lucky to live just a few blocks away from a very quiet cemetery that not only has a covered area where we can eat a nice breakfast before walking through the headstones, but ALSO has a shaded playground at the back.

We discovered it last year (look how tiny Ella was!), and are glad to revisit it today.

And then, this afternoon, we will BBQ and swim.

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

Elsewhere:

Time to buy new baby swimsuits (no boy swimsuits in my shopping cart, but I rounded some of those up too)
When the Toddler wants to be a Baby
A couple of Glow in the Dark DIY projects
Happier at Home review, part 2
10 main dishes that use canned coconut milk
Ella is a complete shoe addict. I ordered her some flip flops last week and she won't stop asking when they are going to arrive. Here are 7 cute little pairs (nothing is more heartbreakingly adorable than baby shoes).

A Whirlwind Weekend on Cape Cod (Sandwich)

2013-05-25T06:25:00.000-05:00

1. Sandwich is the oldest town on Cape Cod, established in 1637. A visit to the oldest house, the Hoxie House built circa 1675, is a must if history is your thing. You could also tour the Nye Homestead built in 1678 by ancestors of Bill Nye the Science Guy.

2. It's famous for a reason! Sandwich is famous for its glass and the Sandwich Glass Museum features a working glass kiln in addition to collections of colorful glass. There are still several working glassblowers in town.

3. Calories don't count on vacation, and a summer visit wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Ice Cream Sandwich. They have wonderful homemade ice cream as well as ice cream sandwiches on homemade chocolate chip cookies. Speaking of sandwiches, the annual Sandwich Fest, held in mid July, determines the best sandwich in town

4. The weather is perfect and getting outdoors is a must. You just couldn’t spend a weekend here without a walk on the Boardwalk. Bicycling along Cape Cod Canal is another popular activity. Heritage Museums and Gardens is gorgeous around Memorial Day with 100 acres of rhododendrons in full bloom. Other notable gardens include hydrangeas and day lilies as the summer progresses.

5. You're so fortunate to have a Sandwich insider showing you around. There is an antique car museum as well as a folk art museum and other changing exhibits. The highlight of the trip for the kids would be a ride on their 1912 carousel. In addition, there is the Green Briar Nature Center and Jam Kitchen.

6. You didn't ask, but I'll tell you anyway that the Christmas season is kicked off on the first weekend of December with the Holly Days Festival, including the annual Carol Sing on the front steps of the First Church of Christ, a classic white church built in 1848 and featured on Elvis Presley’s album, How Great Thou Art. A special feature of the holidays is the new Giants, light sculptures created for local businesses. This year Sandwich held its first annual First Night Celebration.

Want to share your city? Email Me!

A Little Summer Shopping List

2013-05-24T06:38:00.000-05:00

This post is sponsored by ShoeDazzle. This holiday weekend, sale items are an additional 30% off (and full-priced shoes are 20% off!).

One great thing about doing 31 for 31 is that I feel like I don't need nearly as many items of clothing as I've thought in the past that I do.

The other great thing is that it's helped me identify more clearly what I'm really missing in my closet. Instead of just randomly shopping, I can say, "I really need more than one pair of shorts, what with living on the surface of the sun for 5 months of the year. Also more bottles of sunscreen."

Here are a couple of the things I'm looking for to finish off my closet for the summer.

1) A pair of tennis shoes that don't look like I'm coming from the gym. I've loved every pair of sparkly, metallic shoes I've ever owned, but it had never occurred to me to buy a pair of metallic tennis shoes (or tennies, as we always called them when I was growing up), until I saw this pair on Shoe Dazzle.

via Shoe Dazzle

2) A sun hat. Bart bought me one for Mother's Day a few years ago and I wore it until it was the saddest looking thing you've ever seen in your life. It finally had to be retired this year. Ella has become a pool nut this summer, so I'm definitely going to need one.

via Target

3) A simple, long-ish necklace. Having anything heavy around my neck in the summer makes me so uncomfortable. I love these simple sets. Plus, they are inexpensive enough that if one of my darling daughters breaks it, I will only be mildly annoyed (lies. I'll be really annoyed).

via VeryJane

4) A pair of white jeans. I've ordered a bunch of pairs from Old Navy in every conceivable size, but so far have struck out. Any suggestions?

via Old Navy

5) A chambray shirt. I know I'm the last person on the face of the earth to buy one. Someone has to be the very final person to pick up on a trend. (I will also happily take this girl's hair, thank you).

via Forever 21

6) A pair of colored shorts. I've been so taken with colored pants in the last year or so (and they are so easy to wear with my endless supply of boring shirts), that I'm pretty sure I need a summer version. I'm thinking I might just hem the bright blue pair of jeans I own that are kind of an awkward length at the moment.

via KUT

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg

2013-05-23T06:01:00.000-05:00

One thing I've come to realize recently about non-fiction is that I don't have to agree with everything the author says to really find a book interesting and worthwhile.

When I read Zero Waste Home, for instance, I wasn't suddenly about to shoot for one quart jar of trash per year. But I did find a lot of the ideas worthwhile and I loved seeing how one person lives their life.

Like Gretchen Rubin says, it's sometimes more useful to learn from one person's very specific experiences than broad generalizations.

Anyway, all that aside, you've probably heard of Sheryl Sandberg and Lean In long before this review of it. If you haven't, she is the Chief Operating Officer at Facebook (and made a whopping $845 million last year), and now become something of a spokesperson for equality for women in the workplace.

You won't be surprised to know that I sit on the boards of exactly no companies (billion dollar ones or otherwise), I haven't dressed up for work in three years, and my coworkers are more likely to spit chewed raisins into my hand than to offer me stock options (my mother is wondering why I even have raisins in my house. Okay, okay, I'm lying about the raisins. It's probably chewed cranberries).

And yet, I found this book totally fascinating and useful, both as a work-at-home mom and as a parent of two daughters.

The book is part memoir, part business advice. She talks about her own path, attending Harvard as an undergrad and realizing she was in WAY over her head, later getting an MBA and then landing in Silicon Valley, first with Google and then with Facebook.

There is also a lot of discussion about women in business, balancing responsibilities between spouses, finding mentors, and some of the differences between men and women that manifest themselves in the workplace. It is full of practical advice and inspiring ways of making the worlds of work and family better for men and women alike. I told Bart after I finished that anyone with any interest in business, male or female, ought to read this.

The chapter that I found perhaps the most fascinating was titled, "Don't Leave Before You Leave." She talks about how many women, assuming they will have children in the future, dial back on their careers from the beginning. They don't shoot for big projects, assignments, or promotions, worrying that they won't be able to manage it once they have children, even if they are still years away from having children. By the time they do have children, their jobs and careers are much less lucrative, interesting, and engaging than they might have been otherwise, and so the choice is not between staying home with children or a really great job, but between staying home and a somewhat mediocre career path.

Of course, you can't predict how your life is going to play out - if and when you'll get married or have children or what your financial situation will be - and so sometimes a job you assumed might only be for a year or two, ends up being something you do for a decade or more. It seems to me that the more serious and ambitious you are about your career path, the more options will be available to you down the road.

I am really grateful that my parents were always very serious about encouraging us to pick degrees, careers, and jobs that we liked, that could support us financially, and that had some sort of upward trajectory and various options.

I also thought about if you choose a typically "family-friendly" job like teaching (which, after having worked in a school myself, I have my doubts about, but that's neither here nor there), you have intense competition from other people in similar situations. If you pursued, say, engineering and were as ambitious as possible during your full-time career, you're likely to be in a much smaller pool of people who have your skills and are interested in working part-time or on a contract basis if you decided you wanted to stay home with your children.

Hmm, four long paragraphs later. . .

I really could write at length about every chapter in this book - I have lots to say about being equal partners in parenting and household responsibilities, about balancing work and motherhood (if you happen to have interest in that topic, I have loved reading Joanna Goddard's series of interviews with 15 different moms about how they make the two work - half of them work from home and half of them work outside the home), and the differences between how women view themselves and how men view themselves (the scenario she describes at Harvard's graduation speeches describes the difference between Bart and me to a T).

I think there are so many different ways to make your life work for you, regardless of your circumstances, and even though my life is just about as different from hers as you can imagine, I found section after section to relate directly to things I'm working on in my own life. If any of you have read this, I'd love to hear what you thought.

I like to read books that are getting huge amounts of publicity and it was fun to read this one after hearing her name and book mentioned so frequently in the last couple of months. Even better that I enjoyed it so much.

Copy checked out from my local library

Homemade Thin Mints

2013-05-22T06:23:00.000-05:00

If someone had asked me two weeks ago to do a recipe on my blog using Ritz crackers, I would probably have responded with something totally snobby like, "Um, actually, I mainly focus on whole and unprocessed foods."

(You can see where this is going, right?).

Have a non-whole, processed recipe of happiness.

The night before Mother's Day, after a grocery store run, I found myself in possession of a box of Ritz crackers (I blame Bart). Also a bag of chocolate chips (I can only blame myself).

We threw the babies in bed, and ten minutes later, I was sticking two pans of knock-off Thin Mint cookies in the freezer to harden up.

This is why children think all the fun happens after they go to bed. Because it does.

We shared a few with Ella the next day. Just a very few.

Also, now that Ella has tasted Ritz crackers, I'm not sure there will be any going back (who am I kidding. Since I tasted them again, there will be no going back).

Homemade Thin Mints
(from Averie Cooks)

Makes about 2 dozen

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
optional 1 Tablespoon shortening or coconut oil
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 dozen Ritz crackers

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a reusable liner.

In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate chips (and the shortening or oil if you're using it - I think it just makes it a bit smoother, but you'll be fine if you leave it out too) over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.

When it's completely smooth, remove from heat, and add the peppermint extract 1/4 teaspoon at a time, tasting between additions to make sure it isn't too strong. My chocolate got all bubbly when I added each teaspoon, but a quick stir brought it back to normal.

Drop a Ritz cracker in the chocolate, then use a fork or spoon to flip it over to coat the other side. Lift it out the chocolate, shake slightly to remove excess chocolate, and place on the baking sheet.

When all of your crackers are chocolate covered, put the pans in the fridge or freezer to harden up the chocolate. After about 15 minutes or so, they'll be ready to eat!

(I like the taste of them out of the freezer better, but they look a little nicer out of the fridge the next day because the chocolate condensates in the freezer. You choose).

Note: After worrying endlessly about it, I made a second trip to the store to buy peppermint extract. I already had mint extract, but the more I smelled the bottle, the more I felt like it was going to give me a toothpaste taste, which wasn't exactly what I was going for. Play it safe and go with peppermint extract.

Sisters Share It All: One Store, Day and Night

2013-05-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

I love Old Navy for many many reasons (it's close to me. It's inexpensive. There is a fake dog at the entrance which means Ella will happily go any time I want). When Landen suggested we do a little virtual shopping there, I was more than happy to oblige.

I've found that doing the 31 for 31 challenge has made me pretty picky about shopping, even when it's pretend shopping like this. I want items that work by themselves (so no sweaters as the weather gets ridiculously warm here), and also things I can comfortably wear during my daily life which mainly involves sitting at a computer, doing laundry and dishes, and reading stacks of picture books. It took me a while to pick out things that 1) had good reviews 2) were mostly on sale and 3) were things I'd actually wear in my real life.

Also, you might think, "That is a mighty casual date night outfit." Well, I'm a mighty casual girl. And also I live in Austin, where there is virtually no place you can't go in jeans. And I really love pants.

[Casual Outfit: Plaid shirt, white shorts, sandals]

[Date Night: Striped top, skinny gray zip pants, wedge sandals]

I had no intentions of actually buying anything, but then I saw these flat sandals and I've been looking for a pair like crazy. And. . .so I ordered them. My willpower is nothing if not astounding. (Shoes? Always my weakness).

(By the way, are you familiar with Ebates? If you sign up for a free account, and then go to a store's website through the Ebates site, you get a percentage of your purchase total back. They have tons and tons of stores that participate, and I've been using it for years. It is one of my favorite things in the world. Right now, you get 14% back from Old Navy (plus $5, if you're new to Ebates), so if you decide you absolutely must purchase something from Old Navy today, it'd definitely be in your best interest to sign up. Totally helped me justify my sandal purchase. And thus ends my public service announcement for the day).

Merrick and Landen probably picked out much more awesome outfits. Check out their posts: