the color yellow, from my birthday

Around my birthday I asked my mother if I could have this yellow enamelware vase that was my grandmother's. She kindly gave it to me! I love this--it is so sunny and cheery for summer flowers and it is special having a few of my grandmother's things around the house that I use and enjoy. This will perk-up my mantel the entire season.
Not only did I get the vase but also this sweet butter warmer. My mom says she stopped using it when microwaves came on the scene. I use my micro too, but prefer the old-school ways for certain things. I can see myself heating milk in here for cocoa or the boys' warm milk with honey. In the last year or so I have started to love yellow. I guess it's a color whose time has come. Thank you mom for these lovelies! I will use them happily and with a full heart.

pants!

I made myself some rumply wide-legged pants from this pattern. The fabric is linen that I've had in my stash for quite some time. I love to buy linen at Joann when it goes on sale or when I have my coupon. Generally I use it for crafts like bags and fabric buckets and such, but I've had in mind making linen pants for quite some time. I remember reading Angry Chicken one time where she had just given birth and whipped up two pairs of linen elastic-waist pants for postpartum wear. I thought that was fairly awesome. Then, when I made pajama pants one time, I thought "how much harder would it be to put a waistband on and have some actual pants?"
It was very fun creating some little pockets for these pants. They're not entirely practical, though--I made the tops a bit too narrow. I like the waistband on these. They close with a side zipper which went fairly well--not perfect though. The two sides of the tops of the waistband don't quite match up. I'm not at all worried about that, though--I'll always wear a top over it.
Here they are in all their rumply goodness. Very wrinkly, but I think you just have to go with that when it comes to linen. These are very casual pants for around the house and general summer living. I think I am going to like these and hope to make pants again sometime. Next time I'd love to try the pair from this book.

summery meal

I snapped an un-planned picture in the middle of this because it was so very good--a meal of fresh berries from farmer's market (thanks to Ken for braving the market), fried zucchini (from a zucchini just picked from our yard), and the last of a watermelon. Loved this. The recipe for zucchini fries is here. I'm a huge fan of fried zucchini and these were especially fresh and yummy and zucc-heavy.

another awesome kid performance

Dieter had the idea yesterday that he would like to put on a performance of "The Three Little Pigs" for the family. He searched around the house, searching for pigs to use, but we only have one pig (the wooden one from the farm). I was super proud of him when he decided to be resourceful and make his own pigs. He did so with very little help and direction from me. It is so important to me that he learn to make and do for himself and that he be happy with what he creates. I admit that I made a few adult suggestions (making felt pig ears, using a bead or button to make a little pig snout) but he stuck to his own vision of what he wanted to do. Hooray! In my parenting I feel so strongly, more and more, that I want my children to do their own work. Having had two older ones go through school, I was always amazed at the level of adult intervention in the children's projects and reports. Not my kids (they always turned in projects that were distinctly kid-made), and I think they benefited from that. I want to do the same with these little ones.
Here is a scene from the play. The big bad wolf is approaching the first pig, who built his house from straw.
Here is the last scene. The three pigs have retreated to the house of the third pig (built from brick). They are boiling up a pot of hot water for when the wolf comes down the chimney. You can see the wolf on the left destroying the house of the second pig. A big congratulations to Dieter for putting on such an awesome play! Looking forward to many performances throughout the summer.

it's clothesline time again

I hung out my first load of laundry of the summer on Tuesday and no kidding--it felt fantastic. The summer weather here has been very mild so far, and I truly enjoyed the fresh air and ritual of it. The clothes smell wonderful when they come off the line, and it is so much more inspiring to fold things in the out-of-doors as I take them off the line rather than indoors after they have (frankly) sat in the laundry basket for several days, cluttering up our couch. I still have to be conscious to close the loop by putting the freshly folded clothes away asap, even with the outdoor-dried clothes.
Do you remember this little fabric bucket? It was the first one I attempted. I'm happy to report it's still in full service, now as a clothespin holder. It gives me great satisfaction to see that the things I make are actually useful and serviceable in the family. I just pin it to the line and pull out or return clothespins as needed.
The clothesline is situated adjacent to the sandbox so I can watch Rainer playing while I hang out the clothes. I love that.
Laundry--freshly dried and folded, ready to be put away. A summer simple pleasure.

scenes from my birthday

{packed: Rainer's quilt and clothes, hot coffee, purse, shopping bags for later thrifting}

It was a lovely birthday that started quite early in the morning as we gathered everything together for a trip to Santa Barbara. My birthday happened to coincide with Rainer's regularly scheduled chemo, so we started the day with chemo.
He grabbed his teddy bear on the way out the door.
Once every three months he has a lumbar puncture, which was today. He was brave and did great. By this time we practically take it in stride. It is certainly nice to have it over with each time, though. His nurse is one we love: Paralee. She used to come to the house to give him chemo too. She's wonderful.
After, we had breakfast at Crushcakes. It's not just cupcakes, they have healthy food too . . .
And after Crushcakes we had fun at the park. As you can see, he recovers very fast!
There was some thrifting after the park and I found this vintage-y suitcase. Love it! I have been wanting one of these and they don't show up that commonly around here.
I also got a vintage-y sheet and some striped shirts for the boys.

Ken made me dinner and we had cake and presents. Thank you to my sweet family for making the day so fun!

sometimes the simplest things . . .

are the best. This morning the boys had a ton of fun with a plain block of ice. Ken likes to freeze ice in empty milk cartons just to have on hand, but today I needed extra room in the freezer for all those cookies I made yesterday. So I peeled back the carton on one of the ice blocks and put it outside on the patio for the boys to enjoy. And did they ever enjoy it! They took turns sending it down the slide to break it up. Dieter said "it's like a pinata because first you break it and then you get food!" Loved that.

They also enjoyed drawing with it,
. . . and feeling the coldness on their toes.
I'm convinced more and more that the homemade toys are the best!

happy solstice!

Yesterday we had a little tea to celebrate the solstice and the longest day of the year. It was lovely, sunny and cool once again! The tea was a little different this year because the teens are all out of town and we included another family for the first time. Entertaining is a huge challenge for me because I am such a strong introvert, but on the other hand I really do want to make meaningful connections here locally, and this is a super sweet family, with three lovely girls and a nice, down-to-earth mama. So it's good for me to push myself. Nonetheless, I got far fewer photos than I would have liked because everyone piled around the table much sooner than I was expecting and I had to work around them, explaining awkwardly that I needed some photos for my blog (I'm sure taking close-up photos of our food seems very silly to most!).
I was trying to go for a theme of yellow on the table and the boys and I had fun picking nasturtiums to pile in the center of the egg plate. Oh, and this time I remembered how many eggs to cook. Linking back to the photo of our last tea reminds me of how repetitive these little teas really are, but I honestly think that's what makes them sweet and memorable for the children. I was so happy Dieter was genuinely excited about the solstice this year and wanted to share to occasion with his friends.
Rainer and I made the "monster cookies" from this book. We had been wanting to try them based on the picture in the cookbook--so delicious looking! The tea was a good opportunity to use one of my cookbooks and of course to have some baking time with the little guy. These cookies are interesting because the are full of oats and only have a teensy bit of flour binding them all together. They're a cross between oatmeal cookie, chocolate chip cookie, and peanut butter cookie. The description in the book says they are less sweet than the monster cookies the authors remember from their childhoods, and they are. We love our collection of healthy recipes but sometimes it's fun to break out and try something else for a change. Now I have a ton of cookies as they make a huge batch. Must send some to Jacob in college.

Now I need to figure out how to structure my "stay at home mama" day with the children. Huge challenge for me, but I am thinking chores in the morning, maybe an outing in the afternoon, especially since the weather is holding cool so far. What are you up to today?

daybook

{Dieter loved playing with this neighborhood kitty at my parents' house}

Outside: summery and cool. Right now I'm up early and there's a little bit of a fog/mist thing going on. I love that. It will burn off quickly here then get bright and sunny. It hasn't been hot yet, really. The trees are super full--green and lovely. Plums are starting to turn color, just a little bit. Before we know it we'll have more than we know what to do with. Many will become jam. The squash are going crazy.
Inside: dealing with clutter issues again and feeling discouraged by the lack of space here for our large family. Trying to keep my chin up and focus on the positive. The positive is that I'm surrounded by people I love.
Today: is the summer solstice! Our little tea is this afternoon and Rainer and I will be baking and getting ready all morning. (We're trying something knew this summer--twice a week Ken and I will have a special day hanging out with one boy, then switch. Today I have Rainer more, and on Fridays it will be a Dieter and mama day). So for the tea we're trying something really different--inviting people over! Dieter has a sweet and good friend, Sofia, who he wants to invite, along with Sofia's two sisters and her parents too, of course. We've had the girls and the mom over a few times before--such a sweet family. This also works well to motivate me to get the house into shape too.
Working on: having super fun organizing and going through my recipes. My goal is to totally eliminate my giant, ugly, heavy binder of recipes and I'm well on my way. One fun thing has been to sort through my stack of "recipes to try" that I still want to try. Getting all kinds of inspiration from that.
Reading: I just read (most of) The Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn. I had to do an inter-library loan to get it. It was very interesting. I think she is a smart lady who put all her energy into being super thrifty to the extreme. The book is a little dated. One thing she emphasizes is food-thrift, which I know is still popular today but seems kind of dated to me. I wonder if she has changed her thoughts at all in light of the local/seasonal/organic movement? It's not cheap to eat that way (or at least not as cheap) but I believe in it. Also reading some blogs that Faith reads and has recommended to me. This one is one of her favorites. Also this one because it's written by a school nurse. Currently Faith is gone though, to Colorado, then Oklahoma and Kansas to visit relatives. I miss that girl and all her youthful energy!

Idea for the "daybook" type of post comes from here, a blog which no longer is being published but which I highly recommend for the archives. There's a ton in there about unschooling and raw food.

The boys and I had a great time at the beach. We stayed with my parents. After Faith and my parents all left for Colorado, the boys and I stayed on and enjoyed their lovely house and beachy location. The best day was when Ken drove down and joined us for a beach morning. So fun! And because there were two adults I got to enjoy lots of time with Dieter by the water's edge (which Rainer doesn't like so much). I plan to take Dieter on more beachy outings on our Dieter and mama days.

Happy summer solstice everyone!

The boys and I are off to the beach for a week while Ken and Ben stay behind to work on some projects. I'll be taking a blog break for a week or so--see you then!

lovely things about today

The first day of summer vacation was awesome. I can hardly believe summer is here again already! Some of what I loved about today:
:: I was the first one up and got to putter about drinking coffee and checking my Google Reader while everyone else slept. It felt super decadent.
:: banana chocolate chip nut bread for breakfast
:: the temperature in the morning was absolutely perfect. I played with the boys and Dieter asked me, "Mama, when you were a little girl, did you enjoy your childhood?" Heart meltingly cute. Then we lay in our our "redwood forest" and looked up at the trees and sky and saw the squirrels playing in the oaks.
:: sewing! I'm suddenly so enthused about sewing and have so many ideas of what I want to make.
:: spent time with Faith looking at bags on Etsy for her birthday. She and I have such a similar feeling about gifts--we'd rather forgo the surprise and get something we really want. She is so like me in this and other ways. It was fun browsing for the bag she wants. We ended up selecting one from this darling shop. She won't get it till her birthday though. She's also getting this suit--she'll look darling in it.
:: coffee date with Ken (although I admit I ended the date a little early because I was freezing sitting outside and it was even colder inside).
:: mailing a package to the Netherlands
:: wearing summer clothes and shoes.
:: the first zucchini soup of the season and broccoli strudel from The Moosewood Cookbook (very good but I hated working with that filo dough!)

What are some of your summer pleasures right now?

a friday evening walk around the garden

{plums}

School's out. Hooray! It's nice to have time off and time for family. In the evening I had a little walk around the garden with the camera and then I picked some vegetables. Ken does all of this--I just reap the benefits.

{baby orange}

{Valencia oranges, for summer}

{apple tree}

{apricots}

{blueberries}

{tomatoes}

{zucchini}

{summer squash}

{pumpkins}

Happy start of summer to all!

the winner is #22!

Thanks to all who entered my giveaway and left such nice comments! Giveaways are fun in general and it's so nice to hear from you all. I wish I had packages for more of you, but alas, only one winner this time. It is Het Kabinet from Holland! Please e-mail me, Het, and I will send you your book. Congratulations! I used random.org to generate a random number. And in case anyone was wondering, I did go through and delete any duplicate comments (I know some of you were having trouble commenting and ended up posting extra comments inadvertently).
Dieter set up a little "show" for us tonight, all on his own, which I love. I love that he is so sweet and innocent right now and unscarred by public life. He's going to kindergarten in the fall, and although I am happy that he is growing up I sort of dread that whole public school scene. Anyway, here is the plot of his little show. The two peg people were brother and sister. They went on an outing and their mother packed a lunch in their backpacks. First they stopped and the stone area, then the raging waters, and finally they crossed the rainbow bridge. Then they ate their lunch. The end.

let the summer squash season begin

We ate the first of our summer squash Sunday evening--chunked, sauteed in a little butter, then steamed with some water and the lid on. Season with salt and pepper and some more butter. I am on the lookout for new uses for zucchini this season. Our all-time favorite zucchini recipe (well, at least for Rainer and me) is zucchini soup. Zucchini bread is a close second. Please feel free to link to your favorite zucchini recipes (and for yellow summer squash too--we have a lot of that).
Dinner also included pasta with zucchini strands (based on this recipe). Oh, and those tomatoes? Not ours (our tomatoes aren't in yet)--they're from a box of Trader Joe's tomatoes that needed to be finished. Ken has planted us a gorgeous vegetable garden once again. Soon I will show you. Meanwhile, I am so excited to ponder an entire summer of eating very very "locally."

may happiness project update

I know, I know--it's June already and I'm only just now reporting on my May happiness project. In truth, May really kicked my butt! The happiness project fell to the wayside. Ken suggested that maybe I am trying to do too much, and I mostly agree. When I think about it, there is only so much time and energy left in a day or in a week when you work full time and commute, as I do. Sometimes I wonder how I manage to hold it all together as well as I do! (actually, I know the answer to this--the secret is Ken--awesome husband and father and all around excellent and wise person). So . . . the happiness resolutions really took a backseat to work, life, busyness, and stress. Resolutions that pretty well got abandoned were:
:: not eating sugar except for Sundays. This is hard for me! I honestly did much much better eating no sugar at all during all of lent.
:: checking my planner twice a day. I have a huge mental block against doing this. I guess it's just not that important. I do update it every morning.
:: Mealplan Tuesdays. Ack! Total failure . . . I just cannot seem to do this. Mostly I've been flying by the seat of my pants when it comes to grocery shopping and menu planning. What helps is that we've been eating really simply.
:: stretch everyday. This one totally got abandoned and forgotten. I think I stretched maybe once for about 30 seconds.
:: going to bed between 9:30 and 10 every night. I did not accomplish this. Instead I vacillated wildly between either going to bed early with the little boys or staying up well past 10pm making lunches, folding laundry, and going online.

However, despite all these failed resolutions, I have made some large and, to me, significant changes since the start of my happiness project that I am proud of.
:: despite my sugar struggles, I am eating a lot less sugar and have given up certain bad habits once and for all (I hope), like keeping a chocolate bar in my desk drawer at work or packing something sweet in my lunch every day. I am so so happy to be free of those habits!
:: the evening tidy-up seems to have "stuck" and it is simply wonderful to wake up to a house that is neat and tidy.
:: I have hugely reduced my Diet Coke consumption. I am actually drinking healthy water at work as a daily habit. That is a wonderful change for me. Now the only time I drink a Diet Coke is if we go for a burger or something--not very often. I am super happy about this change.
:: the spending freeze is going quite well and it is freeing to know that I don't have to decide if it's "okay" to order a book or a new pair of pants. I know that for 2 years I just won't be. I allotted myself a small thrifting allowance and that is enough shopping thrill for now.
:: I am walking more, with Ken's encouragement and support. It feels good and I know I will be healthier for it.
:: one of my resolutions has been to stand up straight. I have been surprised at how much my posture has improved over a relatively short time. It's something that I will have to continue to remind myself about. The check-off list helps.

Whew! Sorry for the long post. Can you believe it is June already? Work feels wonderful right now. I enjoy wrapping up the school year and starting to get organized for next year. Friday is the last day and then I get to play "stay at home mama" for 11 weeks. I can't wait!

I'm giving away a Nigella cookbook. There is still time to enter if you want. Scroll down to yesterday's post.