currently... unagi!

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The deal: Use our themes or use your own - just let us know what is 'currently' going on with you. Be sure to stop by and say hello to the other bloggers linking up - especially to my amazing co-host Randalin of Kale & Beans.

This week's themes: 

tasting, wearing, working, checking, playing

Today is my birthday you guys and I am 37 and OMG I AM 37. You know what I'm thinking right? 37 is a prime number! No that's not what I'm thinking. I'm thinking 37 is a weird one to wrap your head around and also that I'd like some new boyfriend jeans... So in honor of THAT, tonight we will be Tasting sushi and that actually makes up for everything. A little sushi restaurant date with my whole little crew and I'm getting a sake bomb (gosh dammit)! ps. Loretta has already been telling me, "My no want shoosheee." That is why sushi restaurants invented udon noodles, child. Duh.

The kids have started Wearing their summer uniforms even though it's only been in the 60s. I always feel like a terrible parent when I'm all in layers and we're out at the store and Otto's rocking a tank top and cutoff sweatpants but who am I to stop a kid from wearing that awesome outfit whenever it's not snowing? In summary: whatever. At least Loretta's "pants ban" will finally be seasonally appropriate soon.

Miss Loretta has been Working on her Blank Space rendition. It's pretty amazing to be doing the dishes and hear in the background, "Don say dint say dint WARN YA!"

We are about to start Checking summer bucket list items off the list. Disney, the coast, Portland, some sort of waterfall hike, the fair... In summer!

I slept in a bit (it's my bday, yo) and so better stop Playing around on the blog. Time to go get ready for work. If I can get out the door quick enough I'll have time to swing by Starbucks on the way!

That was this week & here are next week's theme's:
watching, dealing, losing, dreaming, committing 

three

Last night Loretta went to sleep a 2-year old and this morning she will wake up 3. I think because yesterday was such a busy one for her, and she didn't nap (thank you very much), and daylight savings (ugh), she's still sleeping away this morning when most days by 6am she's been up and at 'em and had three breakfasts by this hour. 

Oh my little girl. I just love you. You love pink and purple and extremely tacky jewelry. You insist on squishing your pants and shirts up to your knees and elbows. You question me about what's for dinner every afternoon and weigh judgement, "Oh that sounds really yummy!" or "My not want that." You sleep in princess dresses and tutus and love to read books and play duplos. You can color and draw like nobody's business and lately you love to draw monsters. Really impressive monsters. Your motto is, "My do it." and I believe that you will do whatever you set out to in life, little fierce one. You're tough and beautiful and smart and amazing. You make us laugh so much. You're a huge pain in the ass. Welcome to three, my darling darling girl. 

Currently {link up} we are bad at selfies

The deal: Use our themes or use your own - just let us know what is 'currently' going on with you! Be sure to stop by and say hello to the other bloggers linking up - especially to my amazing co-host at Harvesting Kale.

This week's themes: hoping, wondering, working, wearing, eating

This week we have been... Hoping that Rob would pass his orals AND HE DID. Hoping that the sun would come out a little AND IT HAS. Hoping that Loretta would enjoy her quiet little birthday picnic and she did (she loved blowing out candles so much we re-lit the candles like 10 times). Hoping that this might be the beginning of a trend where if you hope for reasonable things and only have mild breakdowns of impatience a few of the hopes pan out.

Otto has been Wondering what characters and scenes he should put into the video game he is designing. I am in awe of his awesomeness and there are no words that can convey the depth of my awe. Anyways, so far this game has a name: Aquabots and a setting: Water and an enormous cast of good & bad characters each with their own power/weapon including: Fire Hat, The Man, and Henchman.

I need to get back to Working on good daily/weekly habits. Like blogging more, for one. And get back to serious meal planning, for two. And paying bills on time, haha, but not hahaha, for three. I kind of let all the good habits slide lately and it doesn't feel great. It just feels messy. So some spring cleaning of my habits is in order.

Last weekend Rob and I were Wearing cool date clothes and Eating the olives out of a dirty martini at a barcade because we went on our first date night in ages. My parents were in town so they stayed with the kiddos while we went out to toast Rob's epic test success. We took a selfie! And realized we are bad at selfies.

That was this week and here are next week's themes:
battling, surfing, jumping, taking, making 

two in two weeks

My Loretta Cecille, the fiercest woman I've ever met, will be two in two weeks. This isn't going to be a bittersweet post. I don't have it in me (after touring a KINDERGARTEN for Otto last night I'm all emotionally dried up right about now, let's not even talk about milestones, blargh). But I am thinking about how to ring in her third year. Last year we did a simple birthday picnic, just us and my mom who was visiting, and it was perfect. If the weather allows I'd love to make that a tradition, until she's old enough to start demanding birthday party details, that is.

Here are some sweet things I've seen that would make for an awesome 2nd Birthday Picnic...

Images from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

She's been pouring herself into old tutus lately and so I think some less snug dress up clothes would make a perfect second birthday gift. I'm hoping to find some at the consignment shop this weekend, otherwise may have to get out my sewing machine and make a few things.

And that's it. Plus hopefully a little sunshine and music and lots of big smiles from my baby girl. Two is still so small. But up to so much! I'm excited for her, for all the new things she will get up to this year. She's such a little pisspot, so adventurous and bold, she keeps us exasperated but with smiles on our faces. And I just seriously can't believe she's about to turn two.

I mean, come on, where does the time go?

I know a guy who is five...

Sometimes you find yourself with so many words for how you're feeling and sometimes you don't. I am so proud of this little man. I'm a little numb with wonder that he's five. But I haven't found tears in ringing in Otto's sixth year, just peace. He's been a baby for a long time and he's ready to graduate to being a full fledged school-aged kid. A great little kid. I may not be ready to let go, but we'll find our way (haha). This little sweetheart is so smart and caring and fun and funny, he's wild, he's tenacious, and he's just totally and completely ready to take on all the things that 5 will bring: kindergarten, karate classes, reading, earning allowance, having chores, being more thoughtful in his actions (this is a gentle way of saying Less Whining, More Please and Thank Yous) learning guitar, tying his shoes (already mastered, what a champ!) and deciding if it's time for a haircut (which he is adamant it is NOT because he wants to look like Mick Jagger and because, in his words, "I want the girls to like me.")

I love you my little man. You gave me my greatest gift: motherhood. You taught me to find joy in the best and most trying of moments. You gave me a reason to better myself. You inspire me. You make me belly laugh. You are nothing but the best kind of potential and I won't let you down, I'll do everything I can to help you along, paving the way and helping you pave your own way, as you grow into an amazing adolescent, teenager, and adult. My little man. Ok, now I'm crying.

a surprise cake

The afternoon before my birthday Otto found out they would be making me a surprise cake. It was all he could think about for the next 24 hours, but he knew he needed to keep the cake a secret.

That night, when we were talking about his day, I asked him what his favorite part of the day was. "Well, when we got off the bus we didn't go anywhere. We didn't go to the store." Then he looked at me with the most excited face and rolled away from me, burying that poker face in a pillow. Then, to himself, mumbling in this excited run-on kind of way, "and it's a mix and I don't know what it is except you can make WHATEVER YOU WANT with it like maybe you can make cake, but not cake, but maybe you make pizza and you don't put anything on it, or cupcakes, or whatever you want, and it's going to be so yummy, hahahahaha!"

He had me fooled, I suspected Rob and Otto were plotting to surprise me with homemade pizza. Until the next afternoon...

Otto had an early afternoon appointment at the audiologist and afterwards we had about an hour to spare. It was my birthday and I was off work early, so I decided to take him to a local bakery for a treat. Try as he might, he gave me some clues about the cake that was waiting at home...

"We can go to the bakery, but I don't want cake how about a cookie or anything but cake."

"Too bad THIS will be our last sugar of the day!"

I was beginning to suspect. After we'd picked up Etta she was a little grumbly on the drive home.

Otto: Oh I think Etta is feeling bad because she wants to see Daddy and have cake!

Me: Cake?

Otto: What?! Oh there's no cake. Etta doesn't know that there isn't any cake ::nervous laugh::

While we waited for Rob to come home for dinner (and there was a mysterious item, covered in a cloth, on the kitchen counter) Ot mentioned, "Mommy, we'll have some more sugar soon! But nothing. We're not having anything."

Keeping the secret was burning him up. Once Rob got home the winking started. Otto and Rob winking and winking to each other, hilarious. We went out to dinner and then came home. "Just lay down on the couch Mommy and go to sleep. Your birthday is over, that's the end. Stay right there, don't come in the kitchen." He and Rob ran off to the kitchen...

My surprise cake. The best cake I've ever seen. Kept completely secret by the sweetest boy in all the world. We all gobbled cake and ice cream. The end.

thirty-five

So many blessings. Whenever a birthday rolls around it's impossible not to take stock, look back, look forward, do all the emo things...

Favorite things right now? Well, my kids. And my family. Our front walk. And this blog. And cookie butter on thick toast, twice a day. In that order.

This song, this song so much:


Growing out my hair. Window shopping for expensive baby clothes. Meal planning. Sleeping with the windows open. Cherries in season. Otto waking up early to say happy birthday and to paint blocks. Loretta giggling and rolling around in bed, letting loose for just a handful of minutes every evening. Watching Mad Men with Rob and having an apricot ale. Scouring the yard for flowers and having flowers around the house. Remembering to smile and have fun. That is not the easiest sometimes, honestly. Catching Terms of Endearment on tv.

Just feeling all around thankful for the blessings. I can sweat the little things day and night (and I do; I am the sweatiest). Yeah yeah, I am a little freaked out at the milestone-y-ness of a number like thirty-five. That's true. Thirty-four felt like thirty-one... Thirty-five feels like thirty-five. I have arrived here. Oh hey there, thirty-five, you sort-of-a-bitch of a number, you're gonna be awesome ♥

wordless | Loretta's 1st birthday morning to night

a birthday cake picnic

Loretta's birthday yesterday was a day of many sweet firsts. First birthday. First unassisted steps (yes, really!). First taste of cake. My mom flew from Arizona to be here for the weekend (thank you, Nana Lee) and we kept the day sweet and simple. A quiet present opening in the morning. A trip to Target and then to a local dessert bakery to find just the right cake (confetti semi-sweet cream with real strawberry mousse filling - so pretty and honestly my favorite cake I have ever, ever tasted). Naps all around! A picnic in the yard with lots of chalk drawing and walking up and down the sidewalk with a new walky toy (she ruined her socks, it was the sweetest). Soup and toast dinner for the kids and then Rob and I took a mini date out for a beer while Ot and his Nana watched Curious George and snuck potato chips. A lovely end to Loretta's first amazing year and a sweet way to Spring forward into the next with our little one year old ♥

a boy and his papa

My dad's 60th birthday was yesterday. Otto was so excited for his Papa Mike and said (yup he really said this) "I will look in the night sky for a sparkly star and if I see it I will wish that I could wake up in Arizona to see Papa Mike."

And then I dropped dead.

Because this kid's heart is the sweetest thing I've ever known. And I LOVE how much he loves his Papa. These two are the best of buds whenever they get together. They go on wheelbarrow rides, dig in the dirt, read stories, watch cartoons, and the THING they love most of all in the whole world is eating ice cream. They are ice cream buds!

So, for Papa Mike's birthday gift we went to a local pottery painting place and Otto made him his very own "Papa Mike" ice cream bowl. Ot was so proud. He worked with intensity to make sure every square centimeter of the bowl was covered in paint. It turned out pretty epic and we sent it to arrive on Papa Mike's big day.

My dad called Otto last night and told him the bowl was the nicest gift he's ever gotten in his whole life. Otto beamed and then corrected him, "Ice cream bowl". These details are important; they make up my 4 year old's world. Him and Papa Mike are ice cream buds ♥ and even though sugar makes my sweet hearted child do a little wild rumpus... well I don't even care about that when it comes to him and his ice cream bud. A boy and his papa, that's about the sweetest thing in the world.

currently {link up} a miasma of incandescent plasma

We do weird things for our children, don't we? I am asking you, society! What a weird trippy world it is for kids... Otto had the BEST time at his party so the fact that I could go my whole life without stepping inside a themed restaurant again doesn't even matter. Kid = overjoyed = my work here is done. Check out his rhythm and moves. I wonder if my dreams of Otto becoming a professional ballerina (not kidding, those guys are in amazing shape and what a job!) will ever come true? Ok, sooooo, since this is like the fiftieth post that mentions it, I solemnly swear that I will shut up about Otto's birthday now. But WHAT?! My kid turned 4. Four! Four. Omg four. Ok, I think I'm done now. Four. Egad four. 4. Foooooour. Four.

Currently is a weekly link-up hosted by the lovely Randalin of Harvesting Kale and I am super excited to be co-hosting the series with her. I hope that you can participate by writing your own Currently post (using the provided themes or your own) and please join us by linking up. This week, around these parts, we have been...

Growing my hair out. I had super-long, messy hair this time last year and honestly that, and wearing that in a topknot, is pretty much my comfort zone in the hair department, but just about the second Loretta was born my body revolted on my hair and I felt panic --> I HAD to cut it all off. Had to! Well I am over that now and cannot wait for it to grow back out to its happy rat's nest place.

Making new recipes. This meal planning thing has me trying all sorts of new recipes out and so far they have all been pretty fantastic. We did this easy baked salmon recipe last night and Otto said (in an impressed dinosaur voice, if you can imagine), "whoa, I think salmon is my favorite food!" Mind you he's had salmon before, but now he wants it at every meal!

Worrying less than usual and that is awesome! I start a new job in a week and a half (Yay!) and I have such a light heart and feel so much energy when I think about it. Otto is doing great in school. Loretta is growing like a weed and learning new things every day. We're finally settling into this old house. And Rob's schedule this semester is really not as bad as it's been since we moved here, so he's around for dinners and to help evenings and weekends. What's to worry about? Things are on the up!

Dancing daily with these kids of mine. We dance party while we cook dinner. Rob's the DJ because he has much cooler taste than the rest of us. Me? I like everything, from super indie and Skrillex to whatever's on the radio. My favorite song this week is just a radio song but I really am loving it "This Girl is on Fire" by Alicia Keys.

Laughing at with my kids. Loretta's balls out personality never fails to bring a smile. Do NOT get between that girl and a teething biscuit. She will cut you. Otto is just a dream of sweetness and creativity and indignation. He's obsessed with learning all the planets, in order, and their physical properties. This is trouble for Mom because, ummmmm, not my area of expertise! When I found out Jupiter was made of all gas I was like, "well then it probably shouldn't be a planet! You have to be able to land on a planet!" and then Otto and his dad side-eyed me super hard and took their planet book in the other room where I would stop interrupting. Anyways, if your kids are super into the planets AND you like dance partying like we do, try out this song by They Might Be Giants, it's super rad.

That was this week. Here are next week's themes:

watching, instagramming, tasting, listening, learning

currently {link up} happy anniversaries

This week we are all about the anniversaries. Otto turned !!4!! on Tuesday ♥ Today, Rob and I are celebrating our !!15!! year wedding anniversary ♥ And then next Wednesday Loretta will be !!10!! months old ♥ Such a week of happy milestones.

Currently is a weekly link-up hosted by the lovely Randalin of Harvesting Kale and I am super excited to be co-hosting the series with her. I hope that you can participate by writing your own Currently post (using the provided themes or your own) and please join us by linking up. This week, around these parts, we have been...

Wishing for my same old wish and yet it never comes true. Sun (yeah, you, in the sky) why can't you please just extend the day by a couple of hours? 26 sounds about perfect. No? Whatever, fine. (jerk)

Thinking about the coming year and all of the great things it will bring. I think 2013 is going to be stellar.

Cooking just what I'm supposed to be cooking each night as per our new meal plan system that I mentioned in my previous post. What a relief it is to know you have all the ingredients for your meals of the week and know ahead of the last minute just what's for dinner! This week our meal plan went like this...

Sunday: homemade broccoli cheddar soup
Monday: baked potatoes topped with leftover soup
Tuesday: Otto turns 4! Out to dinner
Wednesday: taco night
Thursday: 15 year anniversary! Fiesta bowl and pasta at home
Friday: homemade pizza
Saturday: homemade vegetable pot pie

I made sure to mention the "homemade" stuff above because it's important to pat yourself on the back a little about these things! Even though most of my homemade stuff is more like half-homemade. Like for our pot pie I will use frozen pie crusts, but still!

Drinking peppermint tea and lots of soda pop. Our whole house caught this headcold thing that is going around and even though it's been a few weeks, I cannot seem to shake the raspy throat part of it. Peppermint tea is my old friend and always a favorite when I'm sick and then nothing sounds better when your throat is acting punk than a little fizzy soda! Coke Zero is my go-to.

Working on that true crime novel I was commissioned to copy edit as well as being back to my regular job as-of Wednesday (goodbye Christmas holidays, until we meet again). It's taking me longer than I'd anticipated to finish the book, but what an awesome project. I'm totally fascinated by the story and a little frustrated with myself and Miss Loretta because right around 9pm each evening she wakes up to nurse herself back to sleep and I can't seem to stay awake beyond that point. I love cuddling, but I am also a sucker for dozing off early so trying to stay up to edit the book has been a challenge. I expect to finish the editing tonight, though, so that I can send it off to the author tomorrow.

That was this week. Here are next week's themes:

missing, thinking, considering, moving, playing

point a to point b

well we have finally moved everything from point a to point b! our new home is so pretty, sunlit, and spacious. i cannot WAIT to share some home tour photos soon, once everything is in its place. for now, though, it is an unsettled hot mess. here is my view tonight, even with everything all around us in piles, i just love it here already...

nope, that's no mystery ghost in the reflection. it's just Rob doing his math-ing in the other room. the babies are asleep upstairs. my parents are in town this week and we have all kinds of fun planned for this weekend. mellow fun like watching tomorrow night's Oregon Ducks game on cable, going to the farmer's market, hiking to an easily hiked if you're baby-wearing waterfall, hoping to find an excellent used washer and dryer for pennies at St. Vinnie's, and Voodoo Donuts. that plus getting all unpacked and settled into this old house should keep us pretty busy for the next few days.

also Rob's birthday is on Monday. happy 34th to my sweetheart! we don't really give each other traditional presents, but i do think Otto and i will have to make a cake with lots of decorations and ice cream on the side.

moving is the best and the worst. it's so nice to audit every single thing you own and get rid of so much! down with clutter! and it's so nice to be somewhere new that suits your life better (or you'd hope so anyways). but it's also exhausting. i'm pooped. my poor, weak mama hips are barking from all the heavy-thing-lifting. also i'm sleepy. wishing you all well rested, enjoyable, waterfall and donut-filled Labor Day weekends as well. may your days not be filled with overflowing moving boxes and your nights be filled with Pyramid Apricot Ale. xo

Buddies ♥

My best friend's little boy is 3! (I'm gonna hit ya with a recurring theme around here and say for like the zillionth time "where DOES the time go???). It truly seems like just yesterday that Mr. Elliot, at that time known as my squishy little chicken-monkey, was a newborn bundle of sweet-smelling snuggles. I was just barely pregnant with Mr. Otto back then, looking forward to my own little snuggle ball. Three short short short years ago Elliot was brand new. Now he can ride a half pipe at the BMX park with no training wheels (seriously this kid's a phenom).

But did I mention how small and snuggly and cuddly he was? And the sweet smell?

Wooshy goo goo.

Ahem.

Baby fever anyone? Moving on...

We had so much fun at Elliot's birthday party at the Scottsdale Railroad Park this past weekend. Seriously Arizona peeps, if you haven't been, this place is a win! Bonus: lots of shade. Bring a pic-a-nic basket and like $20 for train and merry-go-round rides and you're set for the day.

Buddies ♥ This party was the first time Elliot and Otto have played *together* running around, laughing with each other, showing each other things, playing Red Rover, really interracting like kids. Saying, "cheeeeeese!" into each other's darling little eyes...

Melts my heart to see one of my favorite people (Megan) reflected in that little boy. And to see our children playing together, like US in so many ways, and yet their own amazing selves. Fuggedaboudit. I'm a puddle of goo.

Goo mama signing off,
Lindsey

Update! It's my blog I can update minutes later if I want to. Here is a pic of us all on a train. Call it the Multi-Generational Friendship Train (if you wanna, or don't, but I am).

I drew friendship handcuffs on all of us because I am really good at using Paint. Anyone else mind blown seeing their kids become friends with their friends' kids? It's so awesome and trippy, right? That was rhetorical, of course it is. :)

The 2nd Birthday Party - A Frugal-by-way-of-Awesome Affair

Otto's 2nd Birthday Party was this past Saturday! Whoot shaka boom! I say that while clicking my heels and twirling a fireworks baton because: a) I survived it and b) I survived its cake drama. Seriously, I survived the terror of making and transporting (i.e., carrying in my lap) this cake over 100 miles...

Cute, eh? Charlie Brown, Lucy and Linus are handcrafted from donut (doughnut if you're proper) holes dipped in colored, warmed frosting. Their faces are drawn with a food marker by an insanely talented artist (ahem). Accessories (Lucy's hair, Charlie's stripe, Linus' blanket) were created from re-sculpted licorice and laffy taffy. Each one has a toothpick holding head to bottom and anchoring them to the cake. FTW!

In the spirit of my "Nothing New in 2011" resolution, I resolved to spend $0 on party decorations and gifts and to make the cake myself. A problem arose immediately, the first cake I baked & frosted = this...

Hello piece of shit garbage cake. I had attempted something WAY above my cake-ing abilities with warmed frosting. Eff me! This was 3 hours before we had to hit the road Friday night because the party was going to be at my parents' house in Phoenix the next morning. So I adjusted my game plan to "buy a cake as fast as you can at the grocery and decorate it yourself". 

I spent the 2 hour drive to Phoenix dedicating myself to Pure Cake Stability... No sharp turn or slam on the brakes was going to undo my 8 hours of donut/cake decorating efforts!

 But because the universe hates me, this happened at a stoplight about 1/2 mile from my parents' house...

Yes, Linus hung in there.

Luckily for me when one shows up at my mom's house yowling and bawling and running in circles carrying a cake travesty she pushes one out of the way, takes charge and fixes things, by heck! So the cake was salvaged but OMG. So next year I'm either going back to buying Otto's cake or I'll be serving birthday chocolate chip cookies.

Free party decorations, on the other hand, were a 100% success...

Leftover balloons from a craft project, decorated with cut-out craft paper 2s and stars and loose sequins. So festive!

"Happy Birthday Otto" sign hand-made from craft paper & string. I totally saved this for future birthdays. It's insanely cute. Cute City, USA!

This left so much budget for party food. We did croissants, bagels, sunbutter, organic jellies, cream cheese, a HUGE amazing fruit salad, organic greek yogurt, a veggie platter, and a selection of organic juices and natural sodas. Quel brunch extraordinaire!

Most importantly, Otto had a blast. He played with his cousin and our friends' little kids. He hammed it up for the crowd. He dance partied (of course he did) and was spoiled rotten with so many toys and gifts. Rob and I managed to use Kohl's cash & a Target gift card we'd received during the holidays in order to gift Otto at no out-of-pocket cost with an acoustic guitar (like father, like son, and hopefully some day like mama), Mr. Potato Head accessories, and a Mickey Mouse seek-and-find book.

Not that this day was all about the Nothing New challenge. Not at all. If I thought it would take away from the joy, or Otto's joy, I wouldn't have done it. But I knew it was a manageable goal and word to your mother, it was!

ps. My baby boy is 2. How did that happen?

xo,
Lindsey