Franchesca the Giraffe

She's a bit sleazy... but then, she was special ordered that way.



And, no, I will not make you one. I not sewing any more puppets. They are not particularly easy. I nearly took the end of one of my fingers off making her.

First Blood

Jack decided it was time for his first bloody nose last night. He crawled up onto the couch and did a frontward full flip into the toy box and onto the floor over the side arm. We both jumped sky high, he was MAD and bleeding from the nose... but perfectly fine. *sigh* And it begins. I have pics of his pseudo busted upper lip, I'll post them when I get them downloaded.

My very first Caption Contest

Life is fun when you have a toddler.
Have at it, but keep it clean. That includes you, Andy and Ted.
'Gear Head' is taken.

Thanksgiving Pie

So, what do you do with a tiny bit of turkey, carrots, celery, some left over bread and a ton of mashed potatoes? You make the Thanksgiving version of Shepherd's/Cottage Pie. John and I picked the turkey clean, added shallots, carrots, celery, rosemary, sage and thyme... toasted some bread cubes and giblets then layered it all in a pan with gravy over the top. Sealed with the purple mashed potatoes and piped on white mashed potatoes and covered in shredded cheddar cheese we do believe we have lit upon the perfect after Thanksgiving meal.



I know it doesn't LOOK like much, but neither does Cottage pie... but it's super comfort food, and the side of cranberry chutney was perfect.
Let me just say... we have a winner. This will become a yearly dish now.

An 'Art Show'

Dory misunderstood 'art project', meaning 'holiday craft' for leaving to go to an 'Art Show'. But that said, once Grand started poking holes in the orange for her, those cloves went in easy. Her cloved orange was a wonderful centerpiece along with Patty's leaf placemat and we didn't even go anywhere. She recovered from the sad fact that art project did not involve a gallery.

Thanksgiving Day

On the menu:
the wonderful Turkey that John cooks outside on his Dad's grill
NC Blue Potatoes, mashed
Carrots Vichy
Supersweet Corn done simple with butter
Cranberry Chutney
Gluten Free 'Stuffing' cooked in the oven
Lentil Artichoke Soup
Fresh, homemade Butter

For desert:
Gluten Free Bread...  since John forgot to bake it and let it rise for an hour too long.
Apple 'Crisp' with Vanilla Ice Cream



Jack just ate an apple slice, he was very pleased.



This is what John had to say for himself about forgetting the bread.

Andy didn't make it, we missed you... John and Patty seemed to have a great time and my family held off until tomorrow. We get to have Thanksgiving twice this year; because, of course, we are doubly thankful.

Splat

A bird committed suicide in our yard today... on the kitchen window. Oddly enough there is no body, just feathers. The light spot on the window impression of the pigeon is indeed a stuck feather from the impact. There are no less than 3 feather piles around the yard, if the bird made if off, it was at least nekked.

Turkey Adventures

We all headed up to the mountains today to pick up our Thanksgiving Turkey, a Blue Slate (heritage breed) pastured hen. We had a wonderful time. Dory had a blast. She saw rabbits, guinea hens, pigs, pigmy goats, turkeys, different chicken breeds and a 30 year old horse. She called the Mrs Farmer and Mr. Farmer and they seemed to get a kick out of that since they only just barely see themselves that way. They are more than just growing for their family, but not big enough to be full time... they have not found their niche yet. I hope they do, we spent nearly one and a half hours with them and really enjoyed it. I know they have a heart for what they are doing and it would be wonderful to see them flourish. Thank you Linda and Joe!

Mousie Love

John has lost it. His beloved computer mouse. He can't even get it out without it immediately being commandeered by Jack who really, truly, earnestly, believes it belongs to him and is the greatest long lost toy every time he sees it. It is really quite humorous to see John just hand it away with the roll or his eyes since his son will take to screaming if he doesn't. This has been going on for some time now. I might just have to get John a new one for Christmas.

Standing up

Dory did it when she started walking. Just stood right up in the park. Jack slid it in on the sly. Yesterday he was playing in the morning and out of the blue didn't crawl to something to stand up, he just stood up after touching the rockers on the chair. This evening as he and Dory played a rough game of get the ball he did it several more times. So, somewhere in the past few days, he snuck that milestone it. He is free standing it now. Quite the accomplishment ya' know. His sister took a whole 1 month more to do that! LOL

Love

Just Like Grandma Patty

in the fuzzy bunny slippers. :)

The Carpet

Our day started off innocently enough. Dory and I did some clean up while we waited for LJ to come over and play with us. Then, after playing super nice, no fighting, sharing all toys well, eating a snack, watching a bit of TV I called my FIL for a minute or two (literally about 3, I think). When I hung up, I turned around to see LJ walking in to the kitchen toting a previously full pint of laytex Chalk Board paint. Upside down. Without a lid. Oh. No.

It was everywhere as you can see.

It cleaned up pretty well. I got almost all of it out of his shoes and off my wool pillow covers. His shirt still has a few spots and the rocking sheep has a new name: Freckles.

John is my hero, he cleaned up a ton of it while I dealt with the bank on other timed things. The we found Brian, who was the only guy around the week before Thanksgiving with an unscheduled carpet cleaning truck and was there within the hour.

The only thing I can say is that it was one great, although very expensive, playdate.


See the pics in the post title link! It deserved it's own entire devoted webpage.

The Business of Being Born

I went to my first ever advanced screening this evening. I was so excited about his movie, on natural and home births and how our culture has lost the understanding of the woman's body and how amazing it truly is.

The movie was phenomenal. Seriously. I hope it gets a wide run and that people go see it. I left the theatre exhilarated, and like I wasn't alone.

We had a panel discussion afterwards that was great. I was able to reconnect with both of my midwives and see them again.

It was an exhilarating evening that left me with a loss of words. I still feel that way. Netflix is set to carry it in early 2008, and you can already add it to your queue. I suggest you do!

Good Morning Jack

Good morning, good morning, the sun is shining brightly. Good morning, good morning, my son is brightly shining.

Quote of the day

One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries. ~ A.A. Milne

Veggies are here

Let's just say he likes the fruits and veggies home delivery. He was in the end, attempting to make grape juice.

(We get biweekly home delivery from www.theabsoluteorganics.com )

Dory's Famous!

We have been, early in the morning the past few days, logging onto PBS Sprout online and submitting the weather report for The Good Morning Show. We watch, well, I do, carefully for her name.... I even recorded a few shows... until this morning. And. We. MIssed. It. I watched lazily this morning as the ruckus here hit high proportions due to our colds. Nothing, I didn't even see the weather covered.

Well, my mistake for not taping. This evening on CharlotteMommies I saw a post titled "anyone's Dory on Sprout this AM?" that read "she sent in a weather report! "chilly"" That was us!!!! She was on!!!!

Arghhh! We missed it.

Maybe they will run her another day again if we are persistent.

Colds with the cold

The weather has changed, it rained a few days and the frosts have set in overnight. It has wrecked havoc with my immune system and I wasn't proactive enough. I fought gallantly all weekend... but lost the fight. I have a cold, Dory has a cold and Jack is hanging on with only a slight touch thanks to the wonders of miracle milk. John is also down a bit. *sigh* Ug. Lot of doctoring to get us through it, and so far I've not ben knocked flat, but it still stinks and I know my temper is a bit short. Poor kids. :( Poor John. :(

Dory seemed to be doing well until she woke up yesterday from her nap with a fever and looking very flushed. From there she is super whiney. It got worse today, starting before she even got downstairs.

Jack has only had a crusty nose, and that only lasted for a day. Whew.

My Cup

Doreen had a blogging friend ask about favorite coffee cups. I have been intending to post one for awhile, a very small blue crystalline glazed thrown piece of beautiful pottery I bought once when out at a pottery show with Gail a few years back. I use it all the time and think about how I have 3 handmade pottery coffee/tea cups and would love more, all different.

Yesterday I went to the American Craft Council's Charlotte 2007 show with Gail. We had a wonderful time, and I set out looking for a new mug. I found one, a beautiful earthy one, that has an incredible texture and is unique. One side is more reddish, coppery in color, the other side is more grey blue like slate. There is even a hint of green where they meet. The lip flares out nicely, and I don't dribble. The handle is very comfortable, thick on top and melts away between my pinky and ring finger. Best of all, it's large; it's nearly 2xs the size of my other regular mugs.

I've used it for 24 hours now, and it rightfully holds a place among my favorites. It reminds me of a great time out with Gail, reminds me to be creative and unique, and always reminds me of the 'Great Potter' and that I am His clay.

The potter:
http://www.allamakeewoodfiredpottery.com/

Poor Jack

Right after Daddy walked out the door to meet up with his buddy for the football game; Tricia, Gail and I were talking while Dory and Jack played in the kitchen....
Then it happened.
After being REPEATEDLY told NOT to play with her brother's balloon, that it was not for her... by us AND Jack (via screams and other angry babbling noises...) she didn't listen one more time... and SAT ON IT.
It popped.
She cried.
She had a time out and had to talk to Daddy when he got back from hanging out with friends. She *reeeaaaallllly* didn't want to do that! LOL
Poor Jack he lost his most prized possession.

Balloon Love

For his birthday this morning I went out and bought him a balloon.
He would not even let it go to sleep.

It was over 4 hours later when he let it go for the very first time.

And even then he only let it go for a few minutes before grabbing it again... LOL

A Mean Mom's Halloween Revenge

The link from the title is an eBay auction from a fellow Charlotte Mommy. She's shocked at the response, everyone is cheering her on and at the moment, I was the 2125th view. Go Momma!!!!! I think it is wonderful.

Quote of the week.

"Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power."
- Benito Mussolini

Okay- so this is just funny...

Halloween 2007

A Gardener and her Gnome



LJ (aka Monkey ), Jack and Dory out for a ride.

We were the first ones out and about I think, but we had a blast. Uncle John, Ba, Baby Bailey and Monkey along with Monkeys MawMaw came to join us we walked up and down the street until it started to get dark and headed back. The kids did so very well. Bailey slept all the way through her first Halloween... she went out as a newborn! What a good costume it was, so very believable.
After dropping Daddy and the guests back off at the house we 3 headed back out for a few more houses. We ended up with the majority of the neighborhood. But come on, it's only once a year and the poor kid missed it last year. We met some new neighbors and even a few CharoltteMommies! We might just have some new playmates.
Originally Dory was going to be a Midwife/Doctor, but I never did manage to get her costume made. We have just been too busy. It wasn't hard to convince her to dress up as a ballerina instead. I even pulled out her skirt from her first ever Halloween when she was a fairy. She had not seen it since we don't play with it. She was really happy about it and I was glad it got a bit more use.
Once back out, Dory had a few issues with understanding the 'it's rude to take more than 2' thing, but she was so excited. She would yell at everyone "Trick or Treating!" At Kim's house she decided she wanted one of the pita breads with hummus rather than candy. (Poor kid didn't get dinner! We were in a hurry to get out the door.) I wanted to ToT for the wine she and her guests were drinking. We traded out most of Dory's candy for money (Daddy took the candy to the office to gorge on), she earned 10$, and tonight she gets to go spend her Halloween spoils on a new toy of her choosing at Target or Toys'R'Us on a special trip with just Mommy. She did get several pieces of candy last night and a few Yummy Earth lollypops.
Jack also had a great time. By the time we had made it one way down the sidewalk he had learned to toddle up to the door... by the end of the next street he was diving into the bowls. No "Trick or Treat!" of course, but it was cute. He even did the appropriate tantrum for a piece of candy when we would drop them in his watering can 'basket'. He had a great time pruning dead mums for people too, really played the part of a garden gnome great. Pulled up weeds, collected leaves and pruned flowers. We let him chew on a package of starburst. LOL
All in all, a great night. Bed time was a bit difficult, but hey, it's Halloween- it's supposed to be.

Fingers and Doors

About one a week Dory gets in trouble for playing with doors, especially when her little brother is around. She loves to open shut open shut open slam... I just knew it was a matter of time before someone's fingers got caught.

Imagine my surprise this morning as I go and shut the door... with Jack's fingers in the crack. :( It was Mommy.

He's fine, the finger recovered quickly. He squalled only for a minute and then was off playing. But, the Mommy guilt persists.