Exotic Eating

Sesame Seaweed Rice Balls

2009-11-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

The girl spotted these at Trader Joe's and asked if we could buy them. Can't say that I'm crazy about seaweed (and probably would be if I was) - but we went ahead and bought them anyway.

They were DELICIOUS! They remind me of popcorn twists...but they taste a bit sweet when you first bite into them and then you taste salty goodness. I sure didn't notice any odd flavors. Both kids liked them and we quickly gobbled them up.

They cost $1.49.

Thick Ankles

2009-11-03T18:53:00.000-08:00

This is one of my all-time favorite greeting cards...and with my ankle still swelling - I can relate to the thick ankles. I found a batch of them about 4 years ago at a used electronics store (??) . As I was paying for them the cashier told me that they were found in a dumpster behind a store...hmmm

Regardless - I did send some out (though hopefully I remembered to moisten the envelope with something other than my tongue) but kept one b/c I liked it so much. Sometimes I just have it sitting out on my desk.

I was not blessed with large hair like Nancy - though my husband might look similar to that if he let his hair go a few months without a cut...it grows up and out rather than down.

Treasure Exhibit - Missouri History Museum

2009-11-03T05:20:00.000-08:00

Last week we visited the new exhibit "Treasure" at the Missouri History Museum.

It sounded like it was going to be pretty exciting...I envisioned an exhibit filled with unearthed (unsea-ed) treasures and pirate artifacts (Bluebeard's beard perhaps?).

I was disappointed.

The exhibit is more of an inter-active play area for children...which of course my kids enjoyed.

We went on Tuesday when the exhibit is free for St. Louis City and County residents...and free is about the price I'd expect to pay for what I saw.

The boy loved the "video game" where you shoot a cannon at a passing pirate ship and try to sink the ship. But I'm not sure I like the idea of taking my kids to the museum only to have them be sidetracked by playing a video game (which really had no educational value).

The girl enjoyed panning for gold and other precious stones (they are allowed to keep one rock).

The exhibit room was almost empty when we were there - Tuesday around 3:00 PM - so that was great. Being that there are not that many activities I cannot imagine how unpleasant it would have been with a group of 30 or so children in there at the same time...all trying to do the same thing.

There are a lot of write-ups on pirates and treasure hunting posted on the walls...my theory is that kids will rarely read those things, rather they'll race to the cannon shoot or the medal detecting area (problem the large items that set off the metal detector are not really hidden).

This exhibit seemed better suited for the Magic House than the History Museum...at least from an adult perspective.

After visiting "Treasure" - we checked out the World's Fair Exhibit and Seeking St. Louis Exhibit...both are worth seeing.

Boston Market (almost) Free Meal!

2009-10-28T03:37:00.000-07:00

Last night was my first visit ever to Boston Market Restaurant.

My impetus being an online coupon for a $1.00 meal.

Go to the Boston Market website and click on "online coupons".

Our family of four was able to print off and use four coupons. The only "glitch" was that each order had to be rung up separately and paid for separately. The deal is one coupon per person per VISIT and the promotion is running until November 1st.

So looks like if one lived handily close to Boston Market and liked that kind of food, they could eat 2 meals a day there for a few days at a small cost of $1 per meal :) We do not live handily close to a Boston Market - though looks like we may be in that vicinity again on Friday - and so I'll have some coupons with me just in case.

The food was great! I think the dinner we received generally costs $7.00. Beverages are not included in the price - a soda is almost an extra $2.00 - yikes!

The Zoo

2009-10-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

The girl had been wanting to take a trip to the zoo for some time. Being that we have been there numerous times over the past years - the parents were not too enthused to go again.

But she asked again on Saturday and the afternoon weather was so GLORIOUS - that we let her have her trip to the zoo.

Unfortunately we did not check the zoo website before going and found the place to be packed. No doubt in part due to the beautiful weather - but also because they were having a Halloween event "Boo at the Zoo" that day.

The hub dropped us off at one of the entrances and went looking for a place to park. He eventually found one :)

The kids had a great time. We usually find out ahead of time what exhibits they mostly want to see so we don't end up running out of time and the kids end up being disappointed b/c they didn't see such and such.

Hippos, elephants, and snake house were on the "to see" list. We saw all of those minus the elephants that were not out. We also made sure to check out the penguins & puffins, the primates, the bears and the bird house.

After taking the bear photo the boy asked if he could have a copy for his bedroom :) I didn't know he was so fond of bears...I think it's for the same reason he likes dinosaurs (though ONLY the meat-eating variety!).

The girl thought it would be fun to pose alongside the photo wall of her ancestors :)

Yet Another Ankle Update

2009-10-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had my appointment with my orthopedic surgeon...he took a look at my ankle and said looks good. I pointed out that actually it was still swollen when compared to my other ankle (which I showed him).

I told him that two weeks ago when I tried running it was instant pain - but I tried again yesterday and it seemed mostly fine. "You need to walk fast first" he admonished...which I definitely have already been doing for weeks.

Soooo he wants me back on the Meloxicam (anti-inflammatory) for another month. He said that if I continued stressing my ankle while it's inflamed - it would stay inflamed.

He ended with "Call me in a month to let me know how it's doing."

My plan is to take the Meloxicam for another month and never see the doctor again - unless things get worse or stop improving. I feel like things have improved slowly - but continuously...so we shall see.

Frank Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park

2009-10-19T04:18:00.000-07:00

On Saturday my dh and I went for a tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park (which is located in Kirkwood, MO).

We've been interested in FLW architecture for some time now and this is the second FLW house we have toured (the other being the Dana-Thomas House in Springfield, MO) in the past year.

The unique feature in the FLW Ebsworth Park house is that there are no right angles (or only a very few) - the house is built based on the equilateral parallelogram - there is even a bed shaped like one (how would you like to have to find sheets to fit that bed?)! No indoor photos were allowed otherwise I would enjoy showing the interesting furniture.

This house was built in the 1950s and all the furniture is original (designed by Frank). There is no basement and no attic but lots of beautiful wooden shelves.

We enjoyed the tour of the house...it made me want to own one just like it - minus the furniture which I thought was actually quite unattractive.

Conundrum

2009-10-17T20:44:00.000-07:00

My sister and I are the same age but we are not twins. Neither of us were adopted (pas à ma connaissance). We have the same mother and the same father. How can it be??

Root Canal Fun Continues...

2009-10-06T14:33:00.000-07:00

Today was my second endodontic appointment...the filling of the canals.

The appointment took about 1 hour and again no pain except for the extreme pain of keeping my jaw open wide for so long. I have a small mouth (contrary to my elementary teachers' thinking) and I think I have TMJ (my jaw is constantly popping) and so it is very hard to force open my jaw for such a long time.

The doctor thought my tooth looked great "endodontically speaking"...he's still not sure that my crown fits properly so he'll make a note of that for my regular dentist that is supposed to permanently attach the crown in a week or so, if my tooth is feeling back to normal by then.

The doctor didn't think I should have any pain tonight b/c nothing was done that would cause irritation. Hmmm then why did my mouth need to be numbed up?

I'm hoping and praying that this truly is the last endodontic appointment and treatment necessary for this tooth...

I certainly have learned one thing - actually two things from this whole ordeal... 1. Do not have a root canal until the pain is close to unbearable 2. Have the work done by an expert. There is a reason there are dentists that specialize in root canals and in the long run it may save you thousands of dollars.
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And tomorrow I go and see the orthopedic surgeon for my ankle. I was on an anti-inflammatory for about 2 weeks and I noticed that my ankle was less swollen at the end of the day. I stopped taking the pills a couple of days ago to see how my ankle would look - and disappointingly - it's been more swollen. It's also seemed to hurt more (not that it ever hurts much).

Long Live (the) King!

2009-10-02T12:02:00.001-07:00

The girl took a picture of this little friend named King (so named due to his/her monarch status). King lived with us for a few days and then disappeared.

King only had one antenna so he was not able to fly very well...but if the girl held him in the palm of her hand, ran and then let go of him - he would glide for awhile.

The girl mixed up a little bowl of butterfly nectar for King and placed it in the garden with him.

One day the girl went to check on her little friend and found that he was gone...hopefully off migrating with his companions.

Piano Lessons

2009-09-25T12:59:00.000-07:00

The other day we received a beginners' piano book for the boy. He's gonna follow in his father and sister's footsteps and learn to play - hopefully. He does have an ear for it - he enjoys grading his sister and father on their piano playing "B+" he might say after a song, or "Only 5 mistakes"...

I've always wanted to play the piano - but can't read music and have no inclination to learn - so my piano playing will be vicariously. Next best thing to playing the piano yourself, is having everyone else in your family playing it.

While in the basement I heard a lot of piano playing and foot pounding...turns out the boy asked the girl to teach him to play and the past couple of days she's been teaching him. The foot pounding is the boy's frustration when he messes up...

The girl has learned a lot in the past year...it was about a yr ago at this time that we bought a keyboard and she learned to read music. I think it was in December when we bought the piano. She can play (select) hymns well enough for our family to sing along to and has been working on "Think of Me" from "Phantom of the Opera".

More Root Canal Fun

2009-09-22T14:46:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I had my February root canal redone by an endodontist.

I've had problems with the tooth since the root canal was done - but it's taken me this long to have it redone (well redone by someone other than the original dr. who actually "redid" it a couple of times)...b/c I hate having dental work done and I was hoping it would just clear up. I also didn't know if I wanted to have it redone since online sources say a redo isn't very successful (though this endo. said 99.9 % successful if "he" did it)...so I didn't know if I wanted to put another $1200 into something that might end up needing to be pulled (hmmm no wonder the grave robbers would sometimes pull teeth out...my tooth, is probably worth about $3000...unfortunately it's only worth that to me).

I was in the chair for a long 2 hours - but unlike my February root canal I did not feel any pain (unless you count the pain/discomfort of having your mouth open wide for approx. 1 1/2 hours).

I think things are still numb b/c I have not yet experienced the "more pain before it gets better" that the dr. said would probably happen, over the next couple of days.

I'm on antibiotics (again!)...the dr. said he'd give me a RX for narcotics if need be - but I'm hoping it won't be needed. I can't take ibuprofen (my painkiller of choice) b/c of the RX I am on for my ankle - so we'll see how it goes with Tylenol.

Boy with all these RX and pain pills I'm starting to sound like an old granny!

Airshow

2009-09-21T05:52:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we attended the airshow at Scott Airforce Base.

The show was great, the weather wonderful and the noise - LOUD!

This was our first year attending the event and we had underestimated how BIG it would be.

There were all types of aircraft that you could get up close to and in some cases, climb around inside. It is amazing to see how ginormous some of the aircraft are and to think that they are able to fly. A great educational event - especially for our military fanatic son.

Then there was the air show itself...my favorite was probably the Tora, Tora, Tora - ""Tora, Tora, Tora" is the Commemorative Air Force's recreation of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that signaled the beginning of the American involvement in World War II. Designed as a living history lesson, "Tora, Tora, Tora" is intended as a memorial to all the soldiers on both sides who gave their lives for their countries."

We brought earplugs along as recommended - but they sure didn't work for the kids. I think the earplugs we had were just too large and kept falling out - so there was some diminished interest for the kids, once the noise level drastically increased.

Gjetost Cheese - Norway

2009-09-18T15:30:00.000-07:00

The girl wanted to run into the global food store when we were out and about today...she was having a craving for some Tapioca Pearls and Red Beans in Coconut Milk - a treat we tried back in February.

We found her treat, which was right across from the cheese section - and as the girl and I both love cheese - I found something for us to try.

Ski Queen Gjetost Cheese from Norway.

When I unwrapped the cheese I was somewhat surprised to see that it looked like a big hunk of fudge. The cheese was soft and sweet!

I like sweet stuff and I like cheese - but I don't like them combined.

The girl liked the cheese.

Later I read about the process for making this cheese and it said "... made by boiling a mixture of milk, cream, and whey carefully for several hours so that the water evaporates. The heat turns the milk sugar into caramel which gives the cheese its characteristic taste."

A One Track Mind...

2009-09-17T07:56:00.000-07:00

I was doing language studies with the boy this morning and used the word "chaff" as an example of a word with a double consonant.

"Ha!" Says the boy gleefully. "I bet you don't even know what that word means."

He proceeds to explain about chaff and airplanes and blocking heat seeking missiles.

I of course was thinking of chaff in regards to grain and mentioned that to the boy...but the boy and I obviously think differently.

So we went to look up chaff on the internet - "I know that's what it is and that's how it is spelled!" the boy insists.

So we typed in - "chaff" "airplanes" and "heat seeking".

And the boy was correct.

Maybe if I read the stack of books below, that the boy checked out of the library a couple of days ago and finished the next day - I might be a little more "up" on how to avoid a heat-seeking missile.

I'm glad the boy is diversifying his interests to include airplanes (albeit military airplanes)...and that he is learning something...

Cranberry Cornbread

2009-09-15T09:49:00.001-07:00

Yesterday the girl made this recipe for Cranberry Cornbread.

It was wonderful!

No pictures because we were too busy eating to stop and fetch the camera...

It was sweeter and more cake-like than the cornbread we normally make - but that didn't stop us from eating almost all of it last night. We were happy to finish off the left-overs for breakfast.

So if you like cornbread and you like cranberries - you need to try this recipe!

The only alterations were fat-free milk with some vinegar added, in place of buttermilk and we used a 9x13 casserole dish instead of the 9-in square pan recommended (on the website there was a complaint that the 9-in sq pan made the bread too tall). Though the recipe didn't specify yellow or white cornmeal - we used white (b/c that's all I had on hand).

Putting the CLAY into CLAYton

2009-09-14T05:11:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we spend a bit of time out in Clayton, MO at the St. Louis Art Fair.

We enjoyed just walking around the booths and seeing all the art...and the kids enjoyed the childrens' activities such as decorating a giant paper bag hat and filling a container with colored sand to make some "sand art".

The girl got to have a "hands-on" try at the pottery wheel which she really enjoyed.

We parked near the Brown Shoe Company so we had to take a photo of the kids in front of the giant shoe sculpture :)

How would you like to walk around in that shoe all day? Youch!

Speaking of walking around - my ankle/foot has been hurting a lot more the past couple of days - but I have been walking more too...

Yesterday I began the journey back into a daily (hopefully) exercise routine...I walked for approx. 30 min - and it hurt with every step... This morning I tried the Nordic Trak and quite painful as well. I started lifting weights again (minus the squat) and that went OK. Just moving back into things pretty slowly...

Ankle Update

2009-09-11T20:22:00.000-07:00

Saw the orthopedic surgeon yesterday.

He didn't like how swollen my ankle was/is.

Got a RX for Meloxicam - generally used for people with arthritis.

I haven't started taking it yet - thought I'd give it a couple of days to see if there is any change, as I hate taking RX drugs...especially after I read all the potential side effects etc. Hmmm would I rather have a swollen ankle or a bleeding ulcer, or a heart attack...

First "official" Day of School

2009-09-08T13:30:00.000-07:00

Today marks the official start of the new school year - 6th grade for the girl and 2nd grade for the boy.

School began promptly at 8:01 AM... Most of the schoolwork was finished by noon this first day, so after lunch - a trip to the library and then off for an afternoon swim made the day seem to go by quickly...

Driving, Swimming & Swelling

2009-09-04T12:30:00.000-07:00

This morning my ankle felt a bit more flexible and the kids asked about going swimming. I didn't think I could walk to the park (though before the accident I could easily walk there in 10 min or less) and wasn't so sure I could drive.

Called my dr. to make sure I could go swimming - I hadn't thought to ask yesterday because I thought I was far from doing anything like that yet - and he said "yes - but be careful"...

So then I tried my hand at driving - more accurately tried my FOOT at driving and it was possible. My main concern was switching quickly between the gas and break if need be - but it worked out fine - at least just driving around town. If I was at a long light - I'd just move my left foot onto the break pedal.

The kids and I ate lunch at the park and then went swimming. It felt good to finally be able to take the kids somewhere during these beautiful summer days we've been having for the past month.

As a result of all the above, my ankle has been quite swollen - but mostly pain-free. I've iced and elevated it a couple of times and will continue on.

My Own Two Feet

2009-09-03T14:30:00.001-07:00

Just got back from the orthopedic surgeon and he said my ankle looks GREAT -"you can't even tell it was ever broken" he said.

He said I could get out of the boot and into my shoes - and begin driving - hooray!

Twice a day for 30 min I need to do some "physical therapy" - flexing my foot up and down and side ways - also need to soak it in warm water with epsom salt. I go back to see the doc in one week.

Felt totally bizarre when I started walking - not hurting but odd...kind of like I was dizzy too. I think it will take awhile to learn to walk "normally" again. Trying to walk down the stairs caused a little scream of pain to come forth - I think that will be harder than just walking.

I'm thankful to God for this healing - and that I'm out of the boot even sooner than I thought.

Announcing the Safe Arrival of Tarquin et Pindar

2009-08-31T07:26:00.000-07:00

The girl bought two hermit crabs on Saturday...Tarquin and Pindar...named for a couple of characters in the book "Gone Away Lake" (which incidentally is one of my - and the girl's - all-time favorite books for children).

The girl regularly tries to bring "pets" home from the "wild" - so now she has some legitimate pets (from PetSmart) that hopefully will live for nigh on 10 yrs (according to the literature we read).

They live in a "crabitat" - a dry aquarium...incidentally "crabitat" is one of my new favorite words - and I dare say it could sometimes refer to my own domicile.

101 Uses For A White Kitchen Trash Bag

2009-08-27T17:51:00.001-07:00

#43 - use it to cover up your fracture boot.

It was raining one day at the farm and I was planning on going to town. I didn't want my boot getting soaked so I came up with a lovely cover. Perhaps a black trash bag would have looked more fashionable...but the white matched my white tennis shoe better (though if you are wandering around with a trash bag tied onto your leg no one is going to notice whether or not it matches your shoe)...

As it turns out I just wore it walking over the wet grass getting to the car - and by the time we got to town it had stopped raining. I would have had a smidge of shame walking into stores with it on - but better than a soggy boot...and wouldn't people just be dying of curiosity to know what is hidden by the trash bag...perhaps just a stump...

The Birthday Girl - 10 at last!

2009-08-26T13:26:00.000-07:00

We celebrated the girl's 10th birthday with her grandparents out on the farm. A trip to the Missouri State Fair was the highlight of the trip.

The candles were on the pizza as I was worried about setting fire to the cupcake stand.

100 Years - Poem By GroovyGirl

2009-08-23T17:55:00.001-07:00

My Grandparents' Old Yellow Farm House

Who had it a hundred years ago?
Was there the shade of the tulip tree?
Did roses and morning glories grow?
What was in the woods,
Or the fields where cows now feed?
For a century this house has stood,
A hundred years gone by.
But though the paint may chip away,
Our memories shall never die.
GroovyGirl (Aug '09)

Our week at the farm coincided with the 100th Anniversary of the building of the old farm house.

Grandma decided to have a little celebration and asked the girl to write a poem. The above poem is exactly as she wrote it.