Little Life On The Prairie

At The Zoo

2012-04-26T11:17:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago we made the insanely smart decision to take the kids to the Kansas City Zoo. Now that we've been, I'm kicking myself for not going sooner - we had a great experience. Granted, the weather was perfect (warm and overcast) and a storm that never struck kept the crowds away so I'm not sure what its like on a normal weekend, but its a safe bet that we will visit again several times this summer. Thanks to our friends Michael and Trisha for putting the bee in our bonnet!

Then There Was Dancing And It Was Good

2012-04-25T11:55:00.000-05:00

Sorry for my silence this week. I came down with strep throat over the weekend and have, until today, been recovering. Last week, before I got sick obviously, my camera and I took a little field trip to a block party downtown that followed the opening event of the Kansas Relays. The evening was perfect for outdoor entertainment and there was quite a crowd gathered round.

I stayed in the background, acting like a total creepster with my camera but also feeling pretty badass. Why would having a camera make a person feel badass? I. Don't. Know.
One thing I need to work on is breaking out of my shell, approaching people and asking if I can take their picture. Lets just say there were missed opportunities on this particular evening that are deeply regretted.

My Mission Is: To Climb This Tree!

2012-04-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

Eli has officially reached the tree-climbing stage of life. Our magnolia has gone from being beautiful decoration to pirate ship/chair/hide out/monkey perch, depending on his mood. When he's in Mike the Knight mode, I have to get caught in it and be rescued. Sometimes he gets caught and I have to rescue him.
Little boys are so much fun - as frustratingly stubborn and maddeningly particular as he can be, he is my treasure trove of giggles, funny stories and backyard (or, in this case, front yard) adventures.

After reading books like Last Child in the Woods (which is an amazing book, by the way) I was scared that modern life may ruin my kids. The older Eli gets the more I realize that they aren't ruined by a dose of modern technology. I see him act out his favorite shows, sure, but the key is that he's acting them out. He's moving, running, jumping, climbing, thinking, talking, playing imaginatively and asking his friends to become a part of those worlds. His favorite story lines shift and evolve to include things that are in our world: ants who need help finding their way home (bless their hearts), evil bunnies who want to steal our spinach, and more! (I can't stand the suspense - will the bunny eat our spinach or will Eli the Knight protect us?!)

So in the end, not much has changed since we were kids. Trees still need to be climbed, neighbors' yards beg to be explored and the dirt in the garden still has to be excavated for dinosaur bones. I just have to make sure that the TV or computer is turned off and the back door is open; my little ones take it from there.

Edit: This was scheduled to publish last week and, for some crazy Blogger reason, didn't. Sorry about that. =(

Drip, Drop, Drip-drip, Drop

2012-04-18T10:47:00.000-05:00

What Disney movie has a song that starts out that way? Is it Bambi? I have no idea, but its stuck in my head. I snapped these during a rainy day a few weeks ago. Lena was sleeping and Eli and I had the best time playing in the rain together. Then we came inside, hung our jeans to dry and cuddled on the bed, leaving only to cuddle on the couch and watch Word Girl. It was a rare few hours of perfection with Eli and I cherish the memory.

"I love you because no two snowflakes are alike, and it is possible, if you stand on tippy-toe, to walk between the raindrops."

-Nikki Giovanni

Happy Easter

2012-04-08T06:47:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter to all of you and may you find many eggs with treasure inside.

Flash Your Pass

2012-04-03T08:47:00.000-05:00

We have a problem in our house: Eli is obsessed with screens. Whether it be the T.V. or the iPad, he wants it to be on and in his control. As most parents do, we have a tiny problem with this, but its so hard to continue saying "No" when the adversary is a passionate, cut-throat three-year old determined to get his Fireman Sam fix.

Then Pinterest came along and in the early days I stumbled on the fabulous idea of a Technology Pass from Laurel at Ducks in a Row. I repinned it, intending to make my own but the idea languished for months before our battles with Eli and his screen habits got so out of control that something had to be done. At our last craft night, I started my family's version of the Technology Pass (with a little help from my friends).

Each of our kids gets two passes a day, worth 30 minutes each and can be used for either a TV show or time on the computer or iPad. (Lena doesn't use hers yet, of course.) Later we'll add in other things like gaming systems, but right now that doesn't come into play. When the passes are gone, that's it until the next day.

We are so happy to say that this idea has been a huge success at our house. Eli loves his screen passes and we only had two fits, on the first two days we used them, after they were gone. It seems to help him to have a tangible reminder, something to attach the "one more" we verbally give him.

If you, like my husband, are confused by the "More Is More", stick with me. It makes sense, I promise. My son - probably a lot like your kids - will always ask for "one more show, Mom" or "one more game" after he's turned in that last screen pass. When he does, I point to the sign and say "One more is still more and I said 'no more'." See? It totally makes sense!

This idea has been a lifesaver at our house. We've been breaking out the paints, puzzles, games and books. We spend more time in conversation, more time playing outside and and, as parents, have been taking the time to make our kids, especially Eli, part of what we're doing. The great thing about this system is that it can change as the kids grow older, to include, really, anything we want it to. It gives us control of the environment and Eli enough power to feel like he is making his own decisions.

Such a simple concept, but such amazing results. If you all are having technology power struggles at your house, I would highly recommend giving this idea a try.

Also, check out Ducks in a Row when you have the chance. Laurel DIYs some of the cutest things, like this Rainbow Ruffle Headband, and blogs about life with four kids.

Our Weekend At A Glance

2012-04-02T09:01:00.002-05:00

Our weekend was perfect, if I ignore the kids being little sickies. Sad face, but they were both in really good spirits. We ate great food, including Cadbury Cream eggs and my favorite salad in the entire world, watched way too many cartoons for our own good and put a path around the vegetable garden. We were all busy and happy in that slow, lazy weekend way. I hope your weekend was as fabulous and jubilant (Rock Chalk Jayhawk!) as ours, minus the sick.
Tomorrow I have something I'm really pretty proud of to share, so check back. Cheers to you all and here's to the wonderful week ahead!

Dreamy Days Ahead

2012-03-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

With the weather being so warm here lately, we've really been enjoying being outside together. Winter may be cozy, but my family is much happier running around on the lawn than curling up on the couch. Warm weather, in allowing us to spread out, brings us together.

This was the first time we've all been out this spring and it has me hoping for more such evenings soon.

The Brave Little Guest

2012-03-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

We have a very special guest right now. The kids love him; Eli wants to take him to school and Lena...well, Lena usually wants to slobber on those she loves. I like him, too - we have a sort of "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours relationship". I let him live in our north garden bed and he eats all the bugs. Guys, I'd like you to meet Bushrod:

I was thrilled when Eli ~~scared the crap out of~~ found him last week. Toads are really beneficial in a garden since they eat bugs and insects of all sorts. Plus, they're cute, in a slimy, ugly sort of way and Bushrod is a pretty serious, steadfast guy. Eli was "tickling" him with a leaf the other day and he took it like a champ - didn't even move. So I named him after the nephew of George Washington and 11th Supreme Court Justice of the United States, Bushrod Washington. It fits him perfectly.

I'm going to make him a little house to entice him to stay forever.

In My Kitchen: Pappardelle with Asparagus and Leeks

2012-03-28T06:00:00.001-05:00

This week I found myself inspired by this month's issue of Martha Steward Living, particularly the article "Rethink Your Pasta Routine". Yes, I know: Mrs. Susie Homemaker, over here, right? But this article really did make me think again about the dishes I make and how I can switch things up in an easy, (mostly) healthy way. Using one of her recipes as a starting point, we ended up eating this tasty dish for dinner. (Is it just me or does that sound vaguely lewd, in a 1940's way?)

Pappardelle with Asparagus and Leeks

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1/2 stick unsalted butter

2 medium leeks, white and pale-green parts quartered and cut into 1/2-inch slices

1 lb asparagus, woody bits cast into outer darkness

1 lb dried pappardelle or other flat noodles

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

Parmesan, shredded

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, cook pasta according to package directions. About two minutes before pasta is done, add asparagus. Drain pasta and asparagus, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leaks and salt to taste; cook until leaks are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Transfer leaks to large pot. Add cream cheese and a bit of the pasta water, stirring until combined. Continue adding water until the sauce is creamy. (I used about 1/4 cup.) Add pepper to taste.

3. Return pasta and asparagus to the pot. Toss gently to coat and transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle some Parm on that son and serve!

This dish is good on its own - and really good reheated the next day - but I would love to try it with either mushrooms, bacon or grilled chicken added in.

With A Little Patience

2012-03-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

My daughter loves our front door. More specifically, she loves to open it and nosily stare at the neighbors. When my mom was here for Lena's birthday, at one point she attempted to sneak around the house to get a picture of Lena's front door antics. Of course, by the time Mom got to the front yard, Lena had lost interest in looking and just wanted out.
However, as my husband reminds me frequently, patience is a virtue. I'm not sure that these are quite the sweetie-pie pictures my mom was hoping for, but they are pure Lena.

Spring Break! Yeah!

2012-03-22T06:30:00.000-05:00

Or not. Spring Break is not what it used to be. In fact, I'm typing this while watching Conan O'Brian (oh, my gosh, I love Conan O'Brian) and sipping an excellent glass of red wine and thinking, "Oh, I'm pushing it tonight."
Its actually funny, because this time last year I had a brand new baby and didn't think twice about having both of my kids home with me all day, every day. Now, though, I'm used to Eli being at school part time and he's used to it as well. Being home has been hard for both of us to get used to. One of the things he's not sure about is having my camera in his face 12 hours a day. Is he picking his nose? Yes. I took a picture.

Is he in his own, fun little world and just happen to be posing like the Silhouette Lady featured on the back of 5 million pickup trucks across the nation? Yup. Took a picture.

He's actually started running away from the camera. Today I got this grudgingly perfect shot:

I'm gonna frame it.

Hooray for Spring!

2012-03-21T06:30:00.000-05:00

The calendar finally caught up with Mother Nature yesterday and declared it to be Spring. Here, though, Spring has been underway for a few weeks. My magnolia is actually done blooming, the petals have fallen and green leaves have taken their place, but I always remember it best the way it looks in early Spring.

I've loved magnolias ever since my first trip to Atlanta as a 15-year old girl: the huge blooms, the fragrance they send through the air, the easy romance they inspire. What isn't to love about a magnolia?

When we bought our house in the dead of winter, we had no idea the tree in our front yard was my dream tree. Maybe it sounds funny to have a dream tree, but I come by it naturally: my mother is in horticulture. Anyway, when we were finally told about our magnolia, it was like a giant, neon sign flashing "This Was Meant To Be" above our house.

Knowing that the few days my magnolia blooms makes each flower that much more beautiful doesn't keep me from wishing the tree flowered longer. Not a lot longer, just a little bit. But until next spring, I have these images to keep me company.

Photos: my own.

Happy Birthday, Miss L

2012-03-20T06:30:00.000-05:00

My baby turned one this weekend. Its normal and weird, fun and funny...completely believable and, as is usual when your children transition from one age to another, mind boggling. How can it possibly have been a year since she was born? On the other hand, how in the world has it managed to only be one year and not twenty?
We had a little brunch on Saturday to celebrate and, keeping it simple, chose to invite only family. Two of Miss L's great-grandmothers were able to be with us, which made the event extra-special.
Instead of going over every little detail with words, I thought I'd do a little photo recap.

It was the quintessential spring day, perfect for a birthday party.

Make Me Laugh, Baby

2012-03-15T10:53:00.001-05:00

People so often talk about "Mom" being the glue that holds the family together. While its great (and sometimes even true) and I love hearing people give my job some props, for our family that's not quite the case. In our family, the person holding everything together is Hubs. Mainly because I'm a complete nutcase.
While I'm busy spazzing out, he's holding the baby, talking Eli down from his lofty perch on the back of the sofa and reassuring me that it will be ok, he's not upset that dinner burned and, yes, we can get pizza. This man is my rock. His support and excellent sense of humor keep me from being a total Drama Queen
For example, the other day he forgot to say "goodbye", just hung up on me (!) and it put me out. So we had this conversation:

Who thinks to use a picture of their sad baby in response to that? Who thinks that fast? My husband. He makes me laugh every day, which is the reason I fell in love with him in the first place.

Out My Window...Again

2012-03-14T11:20:00.001-05:00

I promise one day to stop posting pictures of my magnolia. But today is not the day. Isn't it beautiful?

And here's one of the (not as pretty) plum tree in the backyard. But, you know, its still pretty. Just not as pretty as my baby in the front yard.

Cauliflower Yumminess

2012-03-14T11:11:00.000-05:00

I posted a picture of the prep-work for this dish on my personal facebook a few days ago and had several people express interest in the recipe based on that alone. Let me tell you - this dish is beautiful in all ways, from the way it looks on the plate (or bowl) to how it tastes in the mouth. It is simple, yet comforting; I will admit to being completely, pleasantly surprised. The turning point, in my opinion, is the anchovies; they add that salty tang that really is incomparable.

Pasta with Cauliflower, Anchovies and Pine Nuts
2 T olive oil
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
2 salt-packed anchovy filets, ground
2 cloves (or 1 large clove) garlic, minced
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 lb curly pasta
3 T pine nuts, toasted
Parmesan, grated

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook til al dente. Drain. Give your baby some after its cooled down.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add 1 T of the olive oil and, when hot, add the cauliflower florets. Cook, stirring, until golden brown and just tender when pierced with a knife, 6-8 minutes. Taste, because its really good. Remove cauliflower from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining olive oil and reduce heat to medium. (Make sure your pan's temperature has reduced before this next step. Its very important - otherwise your garlic, anchovies and pepper flakes will burn and smell disgusting. I know from experience.) Add the anchovies, garlic and pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Return the cauliflower to the pan, stir to combine and remove from heat.

Add pasta and pine nuts to the cauliflower mixture and stir to combine. Drizzle with a little olive oil, if desired and ~~dump~~ gently sprinkle some Parmesan on top of that sucker!

I do need to state that this recipe was based on one from Williams-Sonoma's "Cooking from the Farmer's Market". (I changed some of the amounts, but left everything else as is. Please don't sue me, Williams-Sonoma.) The book is - or was when I bought it - $35; I would highly recommend it. We have had a lot of luck with the recipes and its so nice to have a cookbook that tells you what is in season when if you, like me, are clueless in such matters.

Out My Window

2012-03-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

The magnolia continues to bloom. Dishes don't seem like quite the horrible chore they were before spring arrived, except I have to remember to wipe the soap and water off my hands before grabbing the camera. Usually, by the time I get it, the cheeky little robin I had hoped to snap a picture of has flown off in hot pursuit of one of his fellows. One of these days, one of these days...

Read To Me

2012-03-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

A few days ago we received a special postcard in the mail from my parents. Eli was beside himself - he's never seen a postcard before. He couldn't believe that the picture on the front was where Nana and Gampy were when they sent us the card - "We need to call them and tell them they're there...". I think he was afraid they were lost.

When the excitement of the postcard died down, I caught him looking very sadly at it. He told me he needed Nana and Gampy, and asked if we could go to their house. (Were they not coming here next weekend, I would have loaded the kids up and made the seven hour trip; I can't stand it when Eli misses my family.) Luckily, I knew just what to do: we busted out the recordable books.
When I was pregnant with Eli, my mom had a really hard time handling the idea of her grandchild growing up so far away from her. My then-boss, herself a far, far away grandma, gave her some invaluable advice: record yourself reading books to them, so they'll know your voice.

Then Mom discovered that Hallmark makes it really easy to do that. She has recorded one for each of the kids: The Night Before Christmas for Eli and Under The Same Moon for Lena. In each she's snuck a personalized message.
I am so grateful for these books. Whenever Eli is feeling down or needs a Nana-&-Gampy fix, they do the trick. Its such a wonderful reminder of the deep love he's blessed with.

They even shared nicely: the miracle of Nana's voice, I guess.

Just FYI, Hallmark did not compensate me at all for this. Should they decide to (C'mon, Hallmark! My sister keeps you in business and you know I'm not joking!), Good Night, Moon and Guess How Much I Love You would make excellent additions to our recordable library.

Spring Awakening

2012-03-08T07:05:00.000-06:00

The magnolia tree in the front yard is getting so close to bursting into bloom. I took this picture from my kitchen window two days ago; if you look close you can see one bud (the closest to the center) displaying a bit of pink petal. Now there are at least eight. In the side garden, all my bulbs are coming up; its so exciting to watch their growth and look for little buds, even though I haven't found even one yet. And everyone knows that my spinach has sprouted; I can't keep my mouth shut about it - I'm a first time gardener! Slugs would excite me at this point. It seems like everywhere we turn, there's a new little bit of green to encourage us on to the end of winter.

To celebrate, I finally removed the evergreen and pine-cones from my front planters; now they're bare and unsightly and must be filled with something else. Mounds of purple and white violets would be beautiful way to welcome our family for Lena's first birthday party next week.

What is your favorite spring flower?

Totin'

2012-03-07T07:58:00.000-06:00

I hope the title comes off as lazy-speak for "toting", like "I'm toting my 3-year old around and he is way to big for this" and not "totting", which isn't a word.
Anyway, at the last craft night with my girls, through a variety of hurdles (craft stores being out of certain items, forgetting the twenty ideas in my mind the day before), what I planned to work on didn't happen, so I grabbed some cheap linen totes and a fabric dye pen. Some wonderful dragon-fruit cocktails and delish dessert dips later, this is what I had:

I did not craft these lemons or the tea towel, just so you know. I bought them at the grocery store.

I'd love to have another go at these - just to perfect my technique - but if I never get around to it, that will be ok. These will do.

Oh, and I totes (wink*wink) ripped these off Pinterest, you guys. Here and here. But I'm putting this in small text so maybe you won't see it and will think I thought them up on my own, because I'm witty and creative.

You Handsome Devil

2012-03-06T06:30:00.000-06:00

Because he is handsome and devilish. Because I love him so completely. Because sometimes he's an angel. Because he helps me unload the dishwasher and thinks its fun. Because tossing a salad is, to him, a true art requiring loads of concentration.

I Put Myself In This Corner

2012-03-05T06:30:00.000-06:00

Ages and ages ago, when we first moved into this house (last year), Hubs and I had a little ongoing argument about where my "office" would be. For a while I entertained the idea of having it sort of disguised in the living room, but Hubs won with his logical ways and I found myself in the upstairs hallway.
Here I can be near the kids while they play, be well away from the TV during "insert-current-sport-here" season and it happens to have excellent light for viewing pictures. While I'm still looking for the perfect bookend to keep my copies of Vogue upright, everything else is...just about perfect.

Wendy's and I have a once-a-year date. I'm not proud of it, but the need for spicy chicken outweighs the shame.

This guy once belonged to my great-grandmother. No one loves him but me and Eli. (You know who you are, haters.)

Ethelbert here was a gift from a friend. She painted him sitting at my table one night and he's been near ever since.

My "just-in-case" necklace. You know, just in case.

A postcard sent from my great-uncle to his mother in the 1940's. He was living in Colorado at the time.

And there it is. My office. My little slice of sanity. And by sanity, of course, I mean Heaven. Dear Lord. I'm completely sane and I have my entire life together. Little slice of sanity.

Where's my martini?

Happy new week, guys!

My Weekend, via Instagram

2012-02-27T07:49:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone had lovely weekends. I know I did - and it felt like it lasted for five years, which was the best part. Weekends like that are few and far between. So lets toast our coffees and Greek yogurt cups to a great week and get on with it!

Its My Party

2012-02-24T12:10:00.000-06:00

♥♥♥

Today is a beautiful day. Its Friday, number one, and, numbers two through four, the sun is shining, robins are singing in the trees, the crocus are opening their early blooms. Its also my birthday: I'm 27.
Because its my birthday, and because all my pictures lately have been definite practice shots, the Weekly Round-Up will be a bit different. This week I want to share with you a few links to people, artists and shops that have been making me tick lately.

Kaye Blegvad is an amazing artist I discovered through Miss Moss. She is such a multi-faceted artist and designer, as well as being a sweet and gracious person with a really fun take on life. I just purchased a print of her Girl With Lantern And Doe and can't wait until her Tiny Hands jewelry is available.
With all the Downton Abbey time I've been clocking in recently, to say I'm in over my head in vintage femininity for spring would be a huge understatement. Ruche is a new-to-me online boutique filled with enough frills and dresses to satisfy my need for ladylike silhouettes without breaking my bank account. I particularly like the Escapade Pocket Skirt.
Andrea over at Fly has been inspiring me for almost a year now. Through her I've discovered so many artists, designers, musicians and Fly Girls and awakened my love for art and color. This little list can't possibly exclude her inspirational, energizing work.
Lianne La Havas, whom I found via I ART U, has been a constant on my playlist recently, especially 'Age' from The Black Cab Session:

Lianne La Havas from Black Cab Sessions on Vimeo.

I hope you all like my little birthday list. Here's to a wonderful weekend!