Joy at Christmas:: a birthday

I'm so happy to have the cake 

and the plate

 and the kiddo who wants to decorate

 even when she's called out of bed

as we celebrate 

one we love so very dearly

before and through the Christmas holiday

 

We continue to celebrate the day you were born my Dear.

All I really want

is for my kids to know that each of them is, in fact, my favorite.
And they are.

February 20 - I Love:: The Kid & The Cuddle

At the end of a day that started badly but turned out to be both fun and wonderful, my big girl and I tucked into my bed for a cuddle. I knew we were going to read, but she was against it. That is until I turned the second page in MEET THE AUSTINS by Madeline L'Engle*. Then she was hooked and snuggled very close to listen until she could listen no more and off she went, to whereever the preteen girl with all the friend struggles and new desire for dresses, goes.

It's an awfully sweet time of night and life.

If I could, I'd hold this moment in time forever.

I love my girl and her brilliant, lovely cuddles.



*Highly recommend, great series for this age.

Traditions & a French Dip Sandwich

My kids are getting old. The handwriting is on the wall. They may not be leaving tomorrow, but every moment today has to do with their tomorrows. I'm noticing how important family traditions are to both of my two. We have plenty of traditions around holidays, Sundays, birthdays, late mornings, etc., (and a discussion of them will make another post).

I've also noticed that the traditions I don't legislate, but that evolve over time are very important.

A year or so ago we went to Philippe's for French Dip Sandwiches a couple of times after Christmas. We saw lots of families with college aged kids, likely home for the holidays, eating and chatting for long stretches of time. I thought, "I love this - a cool, not-so-blatantly Christmassy traditional visit to a great LA institution - we can do this!"

However, we didn't go at Christmas this year. At least I didn't go. My Dear took the kids into LA for some errand or another and ended up stopping at Philippe's without me. And then I got this laryngitis business and didn't feel like going anywhere for a couple of weeks. My tradition was canceled, put off, done for the season.

So Monday, with the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, we decided to go up to LA's great camera store - Samy's -  to explore each of our digital photo/video needs. And on the way we stopped, along with the rest of the city, for a French Dipped Sandwich.

While we stood in line, my daughter starting singing Christmas songs. And my son reminded me that the Beef Dip is better with a pickled egg.

My timing may be off a bit, but my traditions are thankfully, embraced and intact.

Belated credit where due.

My son made this.
In Middle School English, you get to do the Dream Project. Some of the kids made board games, one wrote a song, etc. It's a kind of communication to the English teacher about what you learned from her.

Well, in true "apple doesn't fall far from the pastry chef" form, my guy baked a cake and decorated it with words. He also learned that decorating ain't quite as simple as it looks. He worked for quite a while and I have to say: I'm keen and not at all aghast at those who veer toward the gnarled folk filled with ample, vital glee and definitely not fickle!

Belated joy from me.

The Happy Mother's Day Mom ~ The Name is Mom

Here she is in the midst of an art show at my daughter's school. The one who defined the word, Mom, for me. For those of you who, like me, enjoy a list, here are her astounding accomplishments:

• Taught me, from the first skin on skin touch of my life, the meaning of faithful love
• Raised two girls, in the face of the unpredictable, inconceivable event of her husband leaving her when her second daughter was just days old
• Walked, whistling in the dark, with a desperate need for her heavenly Father, seeking and trusting Him for everything
• Made ball gowns for grown up ladies
• Made school and play clothes for not-so-grown-up young ladies
• Taught that "young and lady" were inextricably linked words which did not exclude fun, but did require discernment
• Worked, when many moms stayed at home
• Cooked endless meals when the kitchen was her least favorite room
• Responded to every little peep, tear, wail, story, action, need, desire, requirement coming from either my sister or me and often with the word, "no"
• Gave up things I can't imagine or haven't considered to provide a home and those previously mentioned "needs"
• Repaired endless tears, rips, breaks to toys, clothes and bears
• Scolded
• Cajoled
• Loved
• Encouraged
• Never (NEVER!) missed a concert from the time I picked up my violin in 7th grade until I graduated college and there were many orchestras 
• Typed term papers that were started waaay too late
• Let go when I moved for my career, but was never really too far
• Moved in for weeks when the babies came
• "Reminded" me of all the mommie techniques required for those babies
• Hosts endless overnights and after school meals for my kiddos
• Loves at every corner
• Tells good secrets 
• Shares every experience
• Houses old secrets
• Giggles in cahoots
• Listens

Mom is somewhat ageless. My cousin Pam told me yesterday about my mom's secret plan to focus on herself over summer so she can take on 4th graders three days a week after school and 6th graders every Wednesday morning. After the recent passing of our next door neighbor, Mom announced she's also decided not to make friends with anyone over 40. They can't be relied upon to be around when she wants to play.
I love her like crazy and I'm very aware, very aware of how blessed I am to have her for all that has been and all that is in front of us.

Someone else's son & Cheesy Potatoes ~ The Name is Mom

Somewhere in this mass of football men is my sweet friend Rene's middle boy. His name is Tanner and he"s a fabulous kid. Smart, sweet, athletic, musical and rather random in his choice of conversational subject matter. I adore him. My kiddos look up to him. And he has two brothers, equally cool in their own styles.
This weekend Tanner really tickled me. His mom is going through a rather rough patch and it includes tending to her dad as he faces a terminal illness. Rene's a giving gal and her dad is with her at their home. Sunday she was MIA at church and just after the music started, T, as we love to call him, came and sat with us. I asked where his mom was and he let me know she was taking care of Grandpa. Somewhere in the middle of the service, I put my arm around him, rubbed his back and  asked him which night this week would be good to fix dinner for his family. (This would include his taller, younger, angel brother Kabee.) We negotiated the date and just before we headed out for the morning I began to suggest what I'd make. He cut me off swiftly and asked for Cheesy Potatoes and asparagus. I said sure and off we went. Cheesy Potatoes?  I immediately texted Rene in a slight panic. What are these potatoes and can I have the recipe? It turns out, they're a favorite from our other friend, Lori's mom. Note well all the mom connections.  These are the comfort food of comfort foods shared between families who love each other well. (I'll post the recipe below.)
Tanner went home and let his mom know I'd bring dinner over on Wednesday and that I was making Cheesy Potatoes. A very happy guy indeed. He needed a favorite food and found a mom who'd take care of it.
I'm thrilled to have the recipe - the favorite of big boys I love and I"m quite sure that when I make it for my kiddos, they'll become an adopted family tradition.
Yet another reason to love being a mom: I'm surrounded by other women whose name is Mom. 'Moms with wonderful kids, wonderful traditions and wonderful love.

Kids Color Week:: Orange

My young photographer referred me to some of her previous work for ORANGE day.

There are butterfly mobiles we oogled at the California Sciencenter.

And this is our world famous Monkey Bread on an orange and blue plate (ok, it's salmon again!).

Here's a link to the step by step recipe for this famous-at-our-house and truly yummy delight.

The first day of Kid's Color Week, hosted by Kerry at Young Ones, is RED. Here's my girlie's contribution: a rather salmony red S.

It happens that today is also a big birthday at our house. The young missy turned eleven which shocks me just a little. It seems moments ago we were on our way to the hospital for the whole two and a half hours of labor this little one afforded us. Now she's singing to Justin Bieber songs and excited about a family gathering to celebrate her special day at the California Pizza Kitchen.

We make a spectacle of birthdays at our house. Stars are hung in the bedroom hallway door and have been since the big boy man turned one.

The birthday sign goes up and you start the morning wearing the birthday hat as you open cards. Tradition. Fun.

There will be cupcakes at school and that promised dinner with our friends, who really are our family. Her big bro has tucked a pair of earrings in a box and put them on the front seat of my car. This means she'll find them after school. I think he's an awesome big brother and even though they can fight with great passion and a tone that shakes me to the core, they have the shape of best of friends in their thoughtful hearts. Evidence? He went into Justice for Girls to shop with his dad. He never mentioned how mortified he'd have been if any of the girls from school came in. He just soaked it up when she squealed over the JB T-shirt.

So our red day is also a pink and green happy day. As we celebrate the birthday of the baby.

The Group Event & The Name is Mom

Ok then, it was a week ago that the Topanga, Westlake, West LA and LB moms and kids converged on the Broadway Deli. Traffic got to some of us and we ate in hilarious shifts. First Joan and L. Then my kiddos, Dad and me. In comes Jem with M and H and finally, Michelle and the boys arrived. We talked and walked and talked and walked along the Santa Monica Promenade until Joan made us stop for gelato.
I can't tell you how much I love these women. They are individual and familiar and beautiful and so magnificently magical. Joan with a bit of Ireland in her voice and lyrical laugh. Jemma with the outright guffaw,  and the zest to just keep going until we can't. And Michelle, who laughs with her (still short) men while she stares down life's dragons and offers them her happy flash of a smile.

I'll tell you more about these moms in a few days.

I'm inviting them and you to participate in a fun Blog Event for the month of May (or before, it's your pleasure) called:

The Name is Mom.

Share your stories of your walk in momhood. What do you love? What surprised you? Share the ups and the downs. Share a moment. Share many moments. Pose a question. Talk about your favorite mom. Your mom. Your grandma. Tell how a mom changed you or how being a mom changed you. We can likely fill a whole month with wonderful stories. Write once or write every day. It's up to you.

Mary has designed a beautiful button which I'll make available.
Email me if you're in and off we go!
We'd love to have you.
Happy Mom Musings to you.

A sign of spring? Crafty Coffee Jackets

My girlie and her friend sat at the dining room table with me making coffee jackets.

Ooohh, a theme. And felt and beads. 

 

What scrumptious fun.

And now for a trip to that coffee store!

I Love: 17 ~ Silliness. Seriously.

A contribution courtesy of my girlie:

 (Bugsy)

Bugsy says:

 

I Love::  Silliness.

I Love:: Twelve ~ a perfect sugar cookie

Why yes, I do bake. Lots of really interesting things. Plenty of kinda fancy cakes. Lots of cookies. But I've never really gotten far with sugar cookies. Finally! A great recipe. So last night we got the class cookies made. One each for my missy's class. (We tasted cookie dough, they are yummy.) And up before the dawn to decorate. (Which was really quite fun for my lovely and me.) Perhaps a bit last minute. But Alex and Annie, the J kid and Brandon and Zac don't really need to know. Do they?

I Love:: Eight -- Monkey Bread

Monkey bread came into our family in the 70's when my grandma found a recipe and began serving it with dinner on occasion. Edith's version was made like a dinner roll, completely savory (and buttery) and built in bites like the one in the picture. But ours today, the one in the picture, is a cinnamony-sweet breakfast treat - something we love to make, especially with friends or the cousins.

This particular version came from our fabulous friend, Bonnie, who introduced it as a breakfast treat for kids on mornings when she drove them to school. Her big boys (her trees!) love it - it was sure to be a hit. So, on those early, yummy, cozy mornings, when she wasn't delighting them with crepes or breakfast burritos, she made Monkey Bread. My kids wanted, desperately, for me to make it too.So with

This particular recipeis calls for frozen bread dough, butter, sugar, cinnamon and a knife. I learned in my first tries that you must let the dough not just thaw, but rise and that bigger pieces are better than smaller pieces.

Here's our super simple recipe.

1) Thaw a loaf of frozen bread dough. We like Bridgeford.

2) Heat your oven to 350 degrees.
3) Spray a bundt or angel food pan with Pam.
4) Melt a stick of butter, place it in a shallow dish or bowl.
5) Place about 1/4 cinnamon sugar in a shallow dish or bowl.
6) Cut the risen dough into bite sized pieces (we cut the loaf in width-wise strips and then  into thirds).
7) Assemble by dipping cut bread into first butter then sugar and bulid in the pan.
8) Save left over butter or c/s for next time!
8) Bake in 350 over for about 35 minutes. (The dough at the top of the pan will be lighter than that pictured.)
9) Cool a few minutes, then turn the ring of yumminess over on a pan and serve.
There are several recipes for monkey bread. Erin's has ice cream in the mix! And there's even kit you can buy. I'll post more in recipes a little later.

What I love the most about monkey bread is how it makes my monkeys jump for joy!