Saturday, July 12, 2008

Phoenix digs

Justin's trip to Phoenix was succesful! We have rented a nice (big, at least for us) house in Phoenix that we both really like. I won't go posting our new address for all the world to see online, but rest assured I will be sending it out by email when Russell and I move out there in a few months.

There is a joy in the end of our apartment days. And an even bigger joy to the end of our long Island days.

Oh yeah, and we will have a small guest room for anyone who wants to visit sunny Phoenix.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Yummy!

If you happen to have an overrun of zucchini (which is common this time of year) have I got the dessert recipe for you! Don't knock it until you've tried them - they are SUPER yummy. I would have posted a picture of them, but I just finished off the batch I made a few days ago. Of course, I do have more zucchini. hmmmm.....

Zucchini Brownies

1/2 c. oil
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 t. vanilla
2c. flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
2 c. shredded zucchini
1/2 c. walnuts or chocolate chips (optional)

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Grease and Flour 9x13 pan
*Mix oil, sugar, and vanilla until well blended.
*In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
*Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture until the well incorporated
*Fold in zucchini and nuts(or chips).
*Spread in prepared pan.
*Bake 25-30 minutes, or until springy and the edges just start to dry.

These, unlike most other brownies known to mankind, are better completely cooled. They start to form a crunchy sugary crust which makes them even tastier.

And, for the record, they are even vegan (so long as you use vegan chocolate chips) in case you find yourself needing a dessert for a vegan.

First family portrait

We finally got around to taking a picture of all three of us...



...or is that all four of us?


Needless to say, there was a certain lack of success in getting us all to look at the camera at the same time. I think these are about the most accurate family representation we are gonna get. Chaos. But lovable chaos.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Infant carriers

I LOVE my Moby wraps (I have two - thanks mom and Becky!) they make it possible to carry a cranky baby around and still have my hands free, they mean that I can go out without having to lug the carseat with the babe in it, and I am sure in the next few months I will find a hundred more things that they are good for.

Surprisingly, this is the only picture I have with the baby in the wrap - it's from "my point of view" - the green is the wrap. One of these days I'll have to get a picture of the wrap from the view of the rest of the world.

So imagine my joy when I found a contest with a prize of FIVE (count 'em 5) baby carriers of various types. A baby carrier for all occasions! Anyway, if you have any use for baby carriers - or five friends who have infants perhaps - or you want to enter just to send them all to me (I mean, hey, it can't hurt to ask) Go on over to this site:

Win the Essential Babywearing Stash from Along for the Ride (one Beco Butterfly, one Hotsling baby pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Zolowear Ring Sling, and one Gypsy Mama Wrap)

Good luck to you - and me

What it means to be content.

One of the things I have really been working towards in the last few years is being content. Content with what I have accomplished, content with what I have, content with who I am, etc. Somewhere along the line I got it in my head that I needed to have more, do more, be more...and it was starting to eat at my soul.

I can say that I have successfully kicked the need for more stuff. Things just matter less to me now - which I believe is a great thing. I spend significantly less time thinking about what I "am too poor to own" and anything we purchase these days is carefully thought out and definitely a need. Or at the very least a 'want' that will get real use and not just sit on a shelf somewhere taking up space in our home.

I have still, however, been having to battle the 'accomplishment' monster. Have I done enough? What am I doing next? Is it what I want or is it what I think others want me to do? Will it make me happy? Hard questions, indeed.

Having a very special little boy has really helped me a lot towards answers. I find I need very little but to snuggle with my baby to make me happy. I have what we need to survive and thrive from day to day. I also have a yardstick to measure whether or not something I am doing is really important to me: "Is it more important that spending time with my little boy?" It's not the only question I need to be asking myself (since, "Do I need to do it to support us?" is kind of important too). But it is a significant question that will allow me to measure what is important to me.

...What brought this to the blog? I read a really moving blog post the other day that made me think about what it means to be content. The author, Emily, has been trying to tame the "stuff monster" too, and seems to be close to succeeding. But the post spoke to me, and made me realize how much closer I am to just plain being content with my life.

Who wouldn't be, with this guy to hold onto every day?

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Fits and Starts Part III: Family Resemblance

I had never seen a baby picture of Justin before, I guess the classic 'show the girlfriend the embarrassing naked baby pic' trick never appealed to Justin's folks. Maybe they realized he just wouldn't be embarrassed. After they came down to visit, Geoff asked for some copies of their baby pics. The resemblance between Justin, his brother Geoff, and Russell is frightening - to say the least. I submit for your inspection:


(As always, you can click on the image for a larger view.) I'd make you guess who was who, but Russell's photo is so much more clear (and there is a nearly identical picture several posts back) that it wouldn't be fair. But for the record Geoff (at one week) is on the left, Russell (at 3 days) is in the middle and Justin (date unknown) is on the right.

Unbelievable. Makes me wonder if there are any of my genes in this kid.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Fits and Starts Part II: Visit from the Nasons

This weekend Russell's grandmother (Sandi) and Aunt Becca came down to see him. We had a good time just hanging around and catching up. And of course holding the baby.


Grammie Sandi holding her cutest grandson.


Auntie Becca holding Russell.

All were charmed...he'll be smiling any day now, and then he'll be really dangerously cute.

Fits and Starts Part I: Cute baby pics

Turns out, it's hard to find enough time to do everything you want to do when you have a newborn(duh!) and sometimes I get to this blog and sometimes I don't, but I am constantly taking pictures and thinking about the blog even if I am not posting regularly. I assure you that postings will happen, even if they aren't particularly timely.

So, today is one of those 'catch up days', I expect to pop out 3 or 4 posts in the next 24 hours, things I have been meaning to post, and just haven't gotten to.

For instance, some random cute baby photos from the last week:



Thanks Grammie Sue for the blue blanket!



Mommy says "look cute for the photo!"



"I swear, it just fell from the sky!"

More to come...