Cousins, Peas, and Crisp White Sheets

This past week we took a trip out east to visit Marc's family. It was a week full of splashing in the kiddy pool and sprinkler with the cousins, playing with Amish neighbors, and snacking on fresh peas from the garden. I mean, need we say more? Let's just say that Marc had it good growing up.

We also took a mini trip to visit our old stomping grounds in Washington, DC. It was great to connect with my school kids who affectionately greeted me and soaked in Ben's smiles and high fives. We escaped the 100 degree heat (no joke!) by checking in early to our SH-MAN-CY hotel with crisp white sheets and marble table/countertops and bathroom flooring. Ahhhh. Promptly, Ben hopped on one of the beds and fell into the mountain of pillows. Marc and I took turns going out with friends while Ben could stay happily playing in the pool. Not a bad plan, eh?


Our time in DC felt like coming back home. So much of how I view education and real life is based on what I experienced in DC. There's a tug to go back and be a part of all that again. It was very special to me that the class that I taught the last year I was there, wanted to spend so much time with me and remembered the fun things we did their year in second grade. They remembered Marc coming on field trips and we called him "Mr. Hot Dog." They talked about the songs we sang and the books we read. After being home with Ben and having my teaching career at a standstill, it just about brought me to tears to know that I really did touch these kids and they remember our year together with fondness.

Anyway, we're back after surviving a few long flights and experiencing a cooler 20 degree difference. It's back to packing up our house and rocking our world this next week once again.

Saving Moments

When life gets overly tiring and stressful, there are also those moments that make me stop and laugh a bit. This child of mine is at an age where just about anything he does is worth recording.

Here are just a few:

I discovered Ben in this moving box singing to himself with giggles every so often. He was feeling mighty clever to have hidden himself so well!

Apparently when I lifted the flaps, I made the party stop. Oops!

Ben will make a tower out of anything that is stackable--blocks, bulky books, play-doh containers, tupperware, etc. Banana slices apparently fall into that category as well!

The Guts to Ask

Why is it so hard to ask for help? I don't mean to sound like a self-pity party, here, but I've been stuck in pretty difficult conditions these past 6 days.

Here's the scoop:
1. Marc is working his 6th day in a row of a 7-day work shift.
2. We leave for PA/DC on Thursday until the following Friday.
3. Tagged to #2, we close on our new house and move on the Wednesday after getting back and Marc will go back to work until the day of closing. I've been packing up our house while Ben takes his naps.
4. Ben's been taking 30-minute naps.
5. Ben's sick with one of those change-in-weather colds and can't sleep at night, because he's coughing, poor thing!
6. As a result of Ben coughing, he wakes himself up and stays up at 4:30am and I'm the lucky one to get up every time since Marc has to work with people and be alert as possible. This has been 3 mornings in a row.
7. Oh, and our neighbors upstairs decided to place their kiddy pool right outside our windows, so Ben can hear and see the kids playing while he's suppose to go down for a nap. I kindly asked if they could move it (before they even filled it) since Ben will be sleeping and the reply was, "I put it here so it could be in the shade." Ummm... sunscreen and a hat??? I'm not getting into it.

A couple days ago, I was in tears on the phone with my mom, because I'm so overly tired, stressed and upset with my supposedly-really-compassionate-and-thoughtful neighbors. She said she would drop what she was doing to come down and help, but I told her to stay home. WHY DID I DO THAT?!?!??!?! Is it admitting self-defeat? Do I not want to inconvenience someone else for my needs?

I start rationalizing, "ah, it's not THAT bad" and then I'm still miserable. No one is benefitting from this.

Now that it's a few days later, Ben is getting better slowly, we're getting a little more sleep, and my mom is coming tomorrow for the day.

Does anyone else have this hard of a time asking for help?

Water Play

We actually got a few days of weather that's warm enough to play with water outside and not worry about getting drenched. This brings Ben (and myself) great joy!

While growing up, my parents built a deck in our backyard with a little garden sink with a brass duck on the faucet. That duck faucet with a slow drip has made every toddler that has come to visit through those 20-something years of living there, joyfully occupied for HOURS. No exaggeration. My parents have moved to a different house and I miss that duck more than ever right now.

Anyway, we're moving in a few weeks, so I wasn't about to drag out our kiddo inflatable pool for just a few days. I also know that these few days of 80 degrees are rare and won't stick around for long. Instead, I filled up our cooler and made some soapy water. Between that, a few balls and buckets, and the hose, we had one happy little boy for a few hours.

Now it's a few days later, the cool(er) air has returned to the lower 60's and Ben is wondering why he can't play in the water like he did before. Sigh. Welcome to springtime in Wisconsin, my love. Summer will be back again soon.

Roasted Rhubarb

I just made this over the weekend and put it over vanilla ice cream. It was SO tasty and INCREDIBLY easy. I happened to have all the ingredients, surprisingly enough. This recipe comes from "Simply in Season" (sorry for all you literary folk out there... I can't seem to figure out underlining or italicizing publications), which for those who are not familiar, is a fantastic Mennonite-published cookbook of recipes geared towards the foods that are grown in each season. This is also an effort for us to think more about where we buy fresh food (including dairy and meat) and support our local farms. For the past few years, I've been making a real effort in buying what I can from local farms, which is actually pretty simple living in Madison. The amount of this awareness in Madison is encouraging and makes me feel hopeful with being on the brink of a food crisis and all. We have one of the largest farmer's markets in the country that surrounds the capital building every Saturday morning. It's very refreshing (literally)! I just got this book for Christmas and it is becoming a favorite.

Here are the goods for the recipe:

4 c rhubarb (chopped)
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c orange or lemon juice
2 TBL candied or fresh ginger root (I used fresh)
1 tsp orange or lemon peel

Combine in a baking pan. Spread evenly and bake in preheated 450 degrees until rhubarb is soft, but retains its shape, about 25 minutes. Stir, cool slightly, and serve over ice cream or yogurt. (We at this after it was completely cooled and it was fine)

I hope you enjoy this!

Spontaneous Visit with My Grandma

We took a spontaneous trip to a suburb of Chicago to do some snooping around the Crate and Barrel Outlet (talk about some serious self-control in action!) and to pop in on my grandma for an afternoon/evening visit.

She is such a dear! I love my grandma. She's a loving mother of 6, has stories of growing up during the Depression, will beat anyone at Boggle and Scrabble by leaps and bounds, she's hilarious, is gracious and non-judgmental, humble, giving, has been the strength for my grandpa who died of a long battle with cancer 11 years ago, etc, etc, ... the list goes on. I often think of her as such a role model for what I want to be when I grow up. She has faced some very difficult situations in her life and has handled them dignity, grace, and love.

She is amazing.

We had a great time with her yesterday. Ben was a little shy at first, but he was rubbing noses, getting cozy in her chair, and showing off in no time. I hope, hope, hope Ben is old enough to remember these moments.

I'm thinking we'll go back to rub noses and cuddle in chairs again soon. This was so much fun.

Three Pals

These three boys see each other almost every morning (or just about). The parents enjoy swapping toddler stories/advice, sip coffee and have pleasant adult conversation. These three boys don't really interact with each other yet unless someone wants the same toy or wants to give a hug (or should I say headlock?). They observe each other's whereabouts and copycat sometimes. They want to eat the same snack, even if they don't normally like it. Of course, this is extremely entertaining for the parent spectators!

We have been very fortunate to have found these friends after moving to Madison. Ben and I spent a good chunk of time last year in Wausau searching for little friends/parents that we could connect with at library programs, arranged play groups, churches, neighborhood parks, etc, etc, etc, ... and nothing! Nothing clicked. I've never been able to NOT connect with anyone before. It was strange. It was a lonely, lonely year.

Now we're in Madison, bike paths connect our houses, parks with people who are looking for friendship, and we love it! This year compared to last year is like night and day and we are very. very. thankful.