yogurt & granola

Why I don't watch "Parenthood"

2012-01-17T08:09:00.002-06:00

(cross-posted from ilovemyaspie.blogspot.com)

I just figured out why I still have not watched the NBC show "Parenthood," despite being implored to watch it by countless friends and family members. Apparently, one of the characters on the show so greatly resembles my son that everyone feels that I really need to watch it. Though I never have.

It's not because I don't like getting into a TV series. It's not because I don't have a TV (I don't, but that doesn't stop me from watching shows in this modern era of the Internet).

But I think it is because I am already living this life with a challenging, bright, frustrating, awesome, difficult, and totally lovable Aspie boy in the flesh and I don't feel that I need to spend hours each week watching a fictional show of a family going through the same thing.

Some would say that that is exactly why I should watch it--because the family on the show supposedly knows how we feel--and I can feel that we're not alone while watching it. My response to that is that we already feel that we're not alone because of the support system we have in place made up of real people with Aspie kids in our area and real professionals here who help us daily. And on the days when I do feel alone, I can promise you that watching a piece of fiction wouldn't change that. Those are the days when I need to have coffee with a friend--parent of an Aspie or not--to ground myself again.

But what I do think is cool about the "Parenthood" show, and what I am grateful for that is a result of all of these incredibly well-meaning suggestions that I watch it, is that it has helped EVERYONE ELSE understand what we're going through a little bit more, without us having to school everyone personally. Each person who makes the connection that the little boy on the show is a lot like Jackson, and then watches a difficult situation on the screen or sees the family's joy in his intense abilities in another area, also makes the connection that our days in this family, in this house, with this child, are a lot like that show. (For better or for worse, since I've never seen it.) They might be realizing why play dates are not always graceful for us, why we hover and give a lot more input than normal when Jackson's having a conversation with someone, and why we are so intensely proud of our son for his intelligence. It normalizes Asperger's for everyone else.

Given that the main reason I don't watch "Parenthood" is because I am already living that life and don't need to see it on the screen again, the secondary reason is that I'd rather watch a completely different "life" on the screen when I do find some time on the couch to watch TV. "Downton Abbey," (the new) "Sherlock Holmes," and "Battlestar Galactica," to name a few. Take me away to a completely different world (perhaps without Asperger's?) and I'm a happy clam. TV time is off-duty time when the kids are in bed, after all. Let me forget and relax a little bit while you watch and learn about us. Then let's meet for coffee to connect and keep it real!

Jackson's Story (cross-posted)

2011-12-22T14:52:00.000-06:00

This is a presentation that was given to a graduate course on special education at the University of St. Thomas on 12/1/11. I am posting it here for the sake of posterity.

INTRODUCTION

My name is Catherine and I was asked to talk about my son, focusing on our journey through diagnosis and experiences with special education. Not specifically noted here but not at all insignificant is the support we received from Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) throughout Jackson's early years (and continuing today). When things got extremely rough and we were pulling out of other programs right and left, we continued with ECFE both for continuity for Jackson and for sanity for me. The unconditional support we received from ECFE served as a pillar of strength for our family when we didn't have very much strength of our own to draw upon.

BEGINNINGS: EXTREMES

Jackson is a person of extremes, which will all start to make sense in a few minutes, but it did not make sense to us at all when he was first born. We didn't even realize the extremes until they had long since passed.

(Click here to read the rest of this story. It was originally posted on my Aspie blog.)

Hiking and Apples: A Perfect Fall Day (in pictures)

2011-09-24T18:36:00.000-05:00

FIRST DAY

2011-08-31T15:38:00.000-05:00

Passing off his new R2D2 toy for his sister to watch over it while he was at school. My teary-eyed moment on the first day of Kindergarten wasn't dropping him off, it was THIS moment!

Not all that interested in being photographed (surprise).

Squinty eyes looking into the sun, pictured here with new team of teachers.

Being silly with little sis.

The closest thing I could get for a "real" smile. I'll take it!

Nobody could have predicted this

2011-08-10T22:59:00.000-05:00

I have earned three A's over the course of the summer, so I hope that will suffice as a pretty good excuse for not being present here on this blog (two of the courses were taken concurrently during one summer session which equates to full-time student status, something I had not realized and lamented--nay, outright bitched and moaned about--daily). Two of the A's are for math.* That's right, M-A-T-H. I promised to explain why I had to catch an algebra train in a previous post, but then didn't have time to explain.

To sum up, the prerequisites that I need for the graduate program to which I am applying have prerequisites and I got bumped pretty far down the math and science ladder. (Turns out having two degrees in social sciences and cultural studies isn't enough to get into grad school.) Rather than complain about the math component, however, I just jumped in (okay, fine, I complained too).

Elementary algebra and intermediate algebra were first up on the docket to make me eligible to re-take statistics (only because my last stats grade on record--an A--is 15 years old and they want it no less than 5 years ago). I was nervous going in, but I quickly picked up on the rhythm and maneuvered my way through the courses with fairly smooth sailing.**

...and I just need to highlight this here...

I PRETTY MUCH TAUGHT MYSELF ALGEBRA OVER A 10-WEEK PERIOD AFTER IT HAD PLAGUED ME AS A BLEMISH ON MY PRETTY-DARN-NEAR-PERFECT RECORD FOR 20 YEARS.

(Taught myself = they were self-directed courses with tutors for assistance, no lectures; history = I got a D in algebra in high school and that was my last math class, despite A's in nearly every class that I liked in high school and college since then)

How happy was I to realize that I not only CAN do math, but also that I can do pretty well in it? Fly me to the moon, baby. Chemistry is next. (And stats, of course...)

*The other class was Medical Terminology, another online course. I actually read an entire textbook, cover to cover, in 5 weeks. Easy A, but a lot of work.

**"fairly smooth sailing" = totally panicking before each test, freaking out over each homework assignment to get them perfect and not missing a moment of study/math center time so I could maximize the opportunity to ask questions in person. Dan probably wouldn't call it "smooth sailing" from his vantage point of supportive spouse.

Mancala

2011-07-12T18:17:00.002-05:00

I found Jackson teaching Amelia how to play Mancala today and captured the end in this short film. I had nothing to do with it (I was in the kitchen making dinner) and am so impressed with both of them. I'm trying to incorporate more turn-taking board games during the day now that Amelia is old enough to understand some of them. She LOVES playing with her big brother. And I love that he is such a patient teacher with her here. This is not always the case!

(My favorite part is the end though it's almost too soft to hear, J to A: "Do you like it?" A: smiles and nods...)

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

2011-07-04T23:44:00.000-05:00

I use this recipe for crust and this recipe for the filling. DEE-LISH-US.

Strawberry Picking

2011-07-04T23:39:00.000-05:00

He was a good helper at first...

...but then he got bored.

The perfect strawberry

Helping Dad

The strawberry of my eye.

"Picking strawberries is dumb."

"I'm still pouting."

15 pounds of berries!


My Strawberry Girl

"Picking strawberries is dumb."

"Ooh, look! A grasshopper!"

Amelia Learns to Jump In the Pool

2011-07-04T23:28:00.001-05:00

Then and Now: Canning Report

2011-06-26T21:06:00.003-05:00


My pantry last summer, half-way through canning season (pre-tomatoes).

My pantry tonight.

I am so sad to see just two jars of tomatoes left on my shelves, but so, so, SO proud of our family for

1.) deciding that we didn't want anything to do with commercial tomato cans containing BPA* and,

2.) acting on that choice by growing and preserving our own to last through the year. (We didn't quite make it through the year, since these two quarts won't last until tomato harvest this year, but I think we came pretty darn close.)

Growing/Canning/Preserving 2010 Review:

• I spent WAY too much time processing a bunch of our tomatoes into sauce for the freezer. We don't use sauce nearly as much as we use whole/diced/chopped tomatoes and I'm struggling now to find ways to use it up (we're not big pasta people). I did find this great use for sauce though--it's even more super awesome if you add oven-dried cherry tomatoes from the garden/freezer.

--> This year, all tomatoes will be preserved water-pack style for "the sky is the limit cooking" throughout the year. (Those that aren't eaten immediately off the vine, that is.)

• We invested too much time/space/energy growing things that we either didn't care very much about or that just didn't produce last year. (What's up, carrots? Don't like our awesomesauce compost-full raised beds? p-sha...)

-->We belong to an awesome CSA again this year and we're going to let them do the work regarding vegetable varieties. We, on the other hand, are growing tomatoes.

• Way too many pickles.

--> Less pickles this year. (Though we still planted some cucumber seeds because they are fun to grow!)

• It was fun to experiment with some canning recipes like Spiced Red Cabbage and Corn Relish, but the cabbage tasted terrible (in fairness, I did forget the cinnamon...), and how many jars of relish does a family need?

--> There won't be as much time for experimentation this year anyway, so that's solved. (I have always wanted to try making Watermelon Rind Pickles though...does that go against my "less pickles" rule above?)

• We ROCKED it on the jam production and are pleased with the remainders. The cherry jam bombed texture-wise since it didn't set up, but it's delightful as a sauce on yogurt or ice cream.

--> If only I had the time this year to create another year's supply... Guess we'll have to spread a little less on each piece of toast to make it last longer!

Photos from my Facebook page

Summary:

Being back to school has definitely made me refine my domestic diva activities a lot this year, so growing/preserving will take a hit too. My goal is to focus on the tomatoes since that experiment worked SO well last year and just be happy with whatever other few jars I can put by here and there between exams.

"Exams in the summer?" you ask? Yes, my "summer" doesn't begin until August 5 when summer session II ends and lasts until August 22 when fall semester begins. I'm REALLY hoping that my toms will cooperate with my schedule and ripen in time to be canned during those two weeks!

In the meantime, I'm still cooking and baking as often as I can because our CSA really is awesome and I refuse to waste good food. This weekend alone I made:

• Mediterranean Macaroni & Cheese--I doubled the amount of tomatoes (I REALLY love tomatoes) and added artichokes.

• Quiche--family recipe, added oven-dried cherry toms from last year (freezer) plus basil and chives fresh from the garden

• Vegan Banana Bread--a staple around here

• Salad, salad and more salad, since the CSA provided three glorious heads of lettuce this week (plus French breakfast radishes, cucumbers and garlic shoots...)

• Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp--warning, link opens a PDF, but it's well worth it

• Chana Saag--I added potatoes, so I think that changes the name of this dish, but a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet (taste as good).

...and lastly:

• Cherry Rhubarb Pie--My first ever fruit pie and for the life of me I don't know why I've waited this long to try making them. I used Earth Balance Buttery Sticks for the crust instead of real butter since the Mister is watching his cholesterol these days, but the first taste test (the one where you nab a bite of the crust fresh out of the oven) confirms that the substitution didn't affect the quality. YUM! Flakey! I need to finish this post pronto so I can go slice it up.

Oh, right. I also need to close here because this is calling me:

-->More on why I'm taking algebra another time. Right now, I have a train to catch.

____________________________________

*There are too many links regarding the issue of BPA in cans from which to choose. Google it yourself. Some reports indicate that some companies are no longer using BPA in their tomato cans, but it still feels awesome to grow our own!

Jackson The Bug Guy

2011-06-21T23:47:00.001-05:00

We went to see a show by Bruce The Bug Guy at a local rec center today and Jackson had a fantastic time. His interest in insects in skyrocketing this summer and I wouldn't be surprised if it became his Aspie obsession.

Amelia also had a great time at the show. She happily and willingly touched all of the same insects that her brother did (though she's not in as many photos as him because she spent a lot more time running around the gym during the program). I am proud that neither of my kids are squeamish! Their mama did work in a natural history museum for 10 years, after all. It would be sad if they couldn't even handle a hissing cockroach. :)

Stick insects

Beetles

Cecropia moth

Amelia giving it a go too!

Moving on to the hissing cockroach


Amelia checks out the cockroaches

Examining the scorpion in its cage

He REALLY wanted to take it out...

Rosie the Tarantula

Getting ready to eat a Cheddar-flavored mealworm...

...eating it...

...not bad!

The best part of the day? During the show, I received a phone call saying that Jackson was moved off of a waiting list for a bug summer camp at a nature center and he has a spot in the camp. He.Was.Ecstatic.

Well, that was a wash...

2011-05-28T20:21:00.003-05:00

Our first camping trip of 2011 wasn't a total flop, but we can't exactly call it a success either. The culprits:

Wow. The state park was crawling in ticks and we were picking them off of us and the dog every minute (it seemed). Way too many ticks. Way too creepy, crawly feeling.

"Who, me?" Yes, you, Daisy Dog. She may be the perfect family dog, but she is a timid camper which results in her having stage fright when it comes to elimination. We have a dog that won't pee in the woods. WTH? We feared secret packages in the tent corner by night, but we were finally able to convince her that the campsite was "home" by taking numerous walks in and out of the site. Neurotic.

Oh, don't let these adorable faces fool you. You're not looking at angels here, but pure Camping Monsters through and through. We have a curly-mop almost 3yo who shouts, runs away, and eggs her brother on and a 5.5yo almost Kindergartener who used to be a good camper but is still a loose cannon who is easily affected by a rebellious 3yo. "She used to be so sweet..." "He got awesome reports at the end of preschool..." Scrap it. They are pure evil together.

Click to enlarge to see them in action mode

(Okay, fine. Maybe not pure evil, since they did do a lot of hiking on our own personal campsite path together. But I still think this is where they made their plans for campsite domination.)

The rain was the last culprit, and possibly the biggest. We're happy to report that our new McMansion tent held up beautifully with not a drop of water inside the tent. But it was a wet, soggy camping experience with two small kids and a dog. Fun.

Some parts were indeed fun though and it was a gorgeous campsite with a super soft tent pad. Very secluded too (good thing, given all of the parental shouting towards the end--i.e. "STOP SITTING ON THE DOG'S HEAD!!").

Spirits still high upon arrival

"Naked" tent

It extends quite a bit with the rain fly and add-on vestibule--
two extra "rooms" outside the tent

We started camping in teeny backpacking tents so we were
all "wow..." at the space in this baby.

Silly in the tent

Dinner in the Trail Center the first (and only!) night due to rain

Spoiled dog--she nestled INTO my sleeping bag
and wound up at my feet

Chilly morning

Walk-in site--this was our private path to our campsite

"Are we having fun yet?"

"Cheers?"

Despite the annoyances, we ARE raising little campers
(who like to waste their flashlight batteries by using them
when the sun comes out, but, whatever...).

Working on the State Parks Junior Naturalist Badge workbook

Spoiled dog again


At the interpretive center--Jackson's got the wing-span of a red-tailed hawk

Verdict: We are NOT camping with these small creatures again until they're a little older. The combination of Aspie-oppositional-defiant boy and 3yo crazy, rebellious, whiny girl is just not a good idea for camping. (The State Parks thank us for this, we know.) But we do want to keep these urban kids used to being in the woods, so we're going to go with calculated, planned out day trips to the State Parks this year instead. Same gear except the tent and the sleeping bags. We'll leave at 6 or 7am and return late. Eat all of our meals outside and plan to use the picnic areas near the playground at the parks for grilling (WAY easier to keep kids occupied around a fire at a playground than a boring old campsite). We'll hike, swim, shower off and then return home. Easy. Right?

Maybe we'll wait til after tick season has passed...

P.S. Dan and I have a camping trip for the two of us planned in two weeks that we are NOT canceling and that we are looking forward to with great anticipation. To us, camping means long hikes, good food cooked over a fire and plenty of time to read. Without the kids along, we will be much more likely to achieve this simple goal.

P.P.S. I would still entertain the notion of camping with just Jackson, as I did last year. Just not with his short partner-in-crime disguised as Shirley Temple.

Daisy the Doggie-Woggie

2011-04-10T21:46:00.002-05:00

Our family got a new puppy this week and it has rocked all of our worlds (for the better). She is the sweetest, most gentle dog we could have found and we are happy to welcome her into our home! Meet Daisy:

• Fox Terrier/Beagle mix (the vet says "light on the Beagle for sure, mainly Fox Terrier")

• 9 months old; rescue/shelter dog, no previous family life, she came from Oklahoma

• loves the kids, loves the cat, loves Dan and me, loves the house, loves the fenced backyard...

• the cat reciprocates her love, they're both sleeping in the dog's kennel in the dining room right now

• "barkless" (she barks about twice a day and it's a low "woof" vs. a yap--score!)

• about 16 pounds now and may only grow another pound or two more, small dog

• Dan loves her despite the last bullet point (my "big dog guy")

• LOVES running fast in our yard and has the build of a Greyhound when she really gets going

• has claimed me and follows me around the house, always at my heels

• will only play fetch in the yard with me :)

• loves going on walks in the neighborhood or for nature hikes; freaks out if we attempt to leave the house for some fun without her; loves the car

• came to us housebroken; chose "her spot" in the yard to do her business immediately and consistently goes there (and it's a woodchipped corner, so yay!)

• willingly goes in her kennel at night and when we leave the house

• eats well but is not motivated by treats; she prefers us fawning over her with praise instead and politely declines the treats while her butt is wagging from the excitement of a job well done (I gave her a treat to go into her kennel one night and she took it, walked into her kennel, dropped it in the corner and laid down to sleep. Like, "Thank you, but no thanks.")

See for yourself!

Serious buds. Instant friends.

See caption above.

Hiking at Minnehaha Falls.

Who's a sweet little doggie-woggie??

The cat was trying to intimidate the dog when it was time for dinner by not moving away from her bowl the entire time she ate.

Amelia was NOT sure about Daisy at first, but she has warmed up to the dog now. Another budding friendship. (Daisy just ran up and cuddled with Amelia in this shot. Amelia was shocked, to say the least!)

Her yard. For sure.

The first time they sat together. Now the cat rubs on the dog and the dog licks the cat.


Daisy SuperDog Cake! (Because the kids want to dress her as a super hero for Halloween and they think she smelled like cake when we got her home from the groomer.)

Regarding her name, I wanted to name her "Cedar," thinking that I could appeal to my Nature Boy Jackson by saying "But Sweetie, Cedar is a name connected to nature--it's a tree!" He replied, "Mom, so is Daisy. It's a flower." Jackson won. :)

Thanks for the socks, Gigi!

2011-04-02T20:58:00.002-05:00

Ellen! Ellen!

2011-03-14T16:06:00.000-05:00

Did you all see this BBC clip with animals doing funny things with human words/thoughts?

SO funny! It made the rounds on FB and my kids just adored it too. We watched it a few times (okay, maybe a hundred times) a couple of weeks ago, but not since.

Imagine my surprise when I hear my 2.5yo shouting from upstairs, "Ellen! Ellen!" (which sounded more like "Ewwen! Ewwen!"), just like this cute little groundhog in the movie. When I went upstairs (laughing), I asked her what she was doing.

Amelia: "I have a poopy diaper and I was calling you to come." (she was laughing too)

me: "Why are you calling me 'Ellen'?" (still laughing)

Amelia: "Because it's funny!" (bursting out laughing now)

We had a good laugh fest over that one (I've never had so much fun changing a diaper before!)

Patterns of Progress

2011-03-08T21:41:00.001-06:00

Jackson's preschool conference was today and I am pleased to share that the overall report was good. Very good, actually. We all know that there are some very definite challenges preventing Jackson from completely engaging in every activity, but he is making progress on all of his goals and is learning what he should be learning during this transitional year just before Kindergarten.

Two things stood out for me:

Most kids his age can cut this curvy line within 1/8" without difficulty and Jackson is no different. I love this example of his work though because it shows a unique discrepancy in his fine motor skills: while he still struggles with pencil grasp (tripod), he can cut on lines normally. It's a completely different type of grasp to use scissors versus a pencil, of course, but it's fine motor and he's got it.

I also like it because he is so obviously bored with cutting due to his occupational therapy assessments and other tests of his skills. The last time someone asked him to cut something on a line (when I was present, at least), he blew out air and said in the most disgusted 16yo boy voice, "I already know how to cut." I don't love the attitude, but I love the mastery and "can we move on already?" ambition on his part.

(The tripod grasp is coming along nicely too, though Be Damned! the person who attempts to help or even happens to be in the room when Mr. I Don't Want Anyone Watching Me And I Want To Do It Perfectly The First Time Or Not At All is writing something...)

I love this next one even more though because it shows his brain power:

This was a pattern project and the kids were supposed to demonstrate an "A-B" pattern (pink, yellow, pink, yellow, etc.). Most preschoolers can do the A-B, but the A-B-C pattern starts to stump them. Jackson blew by these patterns and demonstrated an A-B-B pattern on his own. That's beyond where he's "supposed" to be, and yet another example of the strength of his mental abilities.

As his mom, I am not the least bit surprised at his patterning skills because I've seen him do patterns since age 3 or so. And it makes sense given that he is a boy who craves routine so much that he has been known to breakdown when the routine changes. Routine = pattern. It's how he thinks.

I think he's pretty neat.

My babies

2011-03-06T23:09:00.000-06:00

"The love of learning, the sequestered nooks and all the sweet serenity of books."

2011-03-06T22:58:00.004-06:00

As I mentioned in this post, I received a Kindle for my birthday from my sweet husband. I always said I didn't want to go electronic with my reading because 1.) I like the feel of BOOKS (I know, it's cliché), and 2.) I didn't want to get roped into having to BUY my books again (I'm a proud library user). But Dan decided to override me on this one because he always hears me complain about wanting to knit and read at the same time (it's awfully hard to find a good way to keep the book open and flat while using both hands for knitting...) and thought the Kindle would prove to be a nice hands-free compromise.

< < ding, ding, ding!! > >

Major points to Dan for 1.) listening well (I guess I did complain about that a lot), and 2.) making the executive decision that truly revolutionized my reading life.

Kindle, oh Kindle, how did I ever live without you??

Real paper books? Over-rated. They get dusty and then you loan them out and forget about them.

Library? Still grappling with that one, but at least I didn't have to wait in line behind 760 other people to read The Help.

I just looked at the list of books on my Kindle that I've read since my birthday and was astonished at the number. Ten. I've read 10 books since December 17, 2010. That's pretty much a book a week. I always thought those people who do the 52-book challenges over the course of a year must do nothing but read, but I guess I could totally do it. (And I do way more than just read...)

So, it's time for a running tally of these books. Because, well, I'm like that.

• The Help, by Kathryn Stockett

• The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins

• Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins

• Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins

• The Guernsey Literary Society and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer

• The Explosive Child: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children, by Ross W. Greene

• Friend Like Henry: The Remarkable True Story of an Autistic Boy and the Dog That Unlocked His World, by Nuala Gardner

• The Curious Incident of the Dog at Night-Time, by Mark Haddon

• The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: A Flavia de Luce Mystery, by Alan Bradley

• The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag: A Flavia de Luce Mystery, by Alan Bradley

Currently reading:

• A Red Herring Without Mustard: A Flavia de Luce Mystery, by Alan Bradley

• The Feminine Mystique, by Betty Friedan

Next up and already awaiting me on my Kindle:

• The Lacuna, by Barbara Kingsolver

I would love to describe what I thought about each and every one of these titles, (Oh! The Mockingjay! And can I have just a little more Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society, please?), but that would go on and on and would, frankly, take me away from my reading. Because this is when I read these days: late at night. I am a college student again, after all, and remain a more-than-full-time parent which keeps me quite busy. But the studying shuts down at 10pm, and while the parenting does not shut down, it's at least semi-quiet in the late hours. So this is my time. And it's way more logistically satisfying to read a slim, no-pages-to-turn Kindle in bed than have a bulky hardcover (textbook) balanced precariously on your chest.

Now, off to see what Flavia is up to tonight...

*Quote in title from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, of course.

P.S. It is SO TOTALLY AWESOME to be behind in the times enough that when you read the first book of a trilogy and fall majorly in love, the second and third books are already published and just waiting for you to download them via wifi directly to your Kindle. The removal of the need to actually locate the paper book (at the store or library, which means having to WAIT for them to open for business the next day) is the super awesomest part. Finish one at 11:30 p.m., download the next at 11:31 p.m., continue reading.

Trilobites and Ammonites

2011-01-24T23:59:00.002-06:00

A friend told me that the Science Museum of Minnesota has a Preschool Playdate program on Mondays and I decided this week that it was time to visit. Being a former museum professional myself, I had visited the Science Museum many times previously, but never with my own kids (I assumed that the content was too old for them still).

Amelia is still too young to really "get" the exhibits, though she absolutely adored being there and experiencing it with her brother.

But her brother, the big five-year-old, LOVED it.

Jackson spent the summer collecting anything and everything he could find in nature that was interesting: shells of bugs, seed pods, agates and rocks and even an entire, intact monarch butterfly (dead). He became Nature Boy and declared that he was put on this earth to collect things.

People would ask him "what do you collect" after he finished telling them that he is a collector, and he would reply "everything." It's sort of true too, though we're trying to hone his collecting skills a bit to make sure that his bedroom doesn't end up resembling a junkyard.

The same friend who told me about the Preschool Playdates at the Science Museum mentioned their Collector's Corner trading post program where kids can bring in an object they found in nature and trade it in for another item at the museum. They have to share their knowledge about the item and it is assessed by the staff who then determine its point value for trading. I knew at once that Jackson would love this, so that was the big push behind our visit this morning.

Given that Jackson has Asperger's, I did a lot to prep him for the visit. We talked about how Collector's Corner works, which item would be appropriate to share (no, sweetie, they don't want a button or bottlecap from your collection), and what it might be like to give it up and leave the museum without it. I presented the option to him of just visiting today and not taking part in the trading, so he could check it out first. We could go back another time to trade if he wanted, I said.

He just did an "uh huh, uh huh, uh huh" routine with me during our prep so I wasn't sure what to expect.

We got to the museum early and were the first ones to the Collector's Corner (probably the biggest key element of our success) and after I said the pleasantries and greetings, he dove in:

"Hi, I brought something to show you, it's a trilobite. It's also an arthropod. It's a fossil and it lived millions of years ago. It's related to a horseshoe crab."

(exchange of information ensued with the impressed staff member, he earned 3,000 points for his trilobite and an extra 500 "for knowledge")

< < < excuse me while I beam > > >

He then proceeded to explore each of the trays of items within his point range for an item that he could take home. Quietly, carefully and purposefully, he selected a large piece of quartz. He decided he liked it because it was a crystal. (I thought the fossilized sea urchin was cooler, but it was his trade.)

Then, (this is where it gets good), he went on to tell the staff members what else he saw in the case. Some things were obvious (sea horse, starfish, sea urchin) but here's where he surprised me: "Oh, there's an ammonite. It's a fossil."

To quote his father's text message to me later in the day, "Ammonite? WTH is an ammonite??"

My reply to him "I don't know, I thought you taught him that!"

Turns out that neither of us taught Jackson about ammonites so we assumed that he learned it at school. (Preschool though? I was still skeptical.) At home, I turned to his new Kingfisher First Encyclopedia that his dad has been reading to him every night before bed and found the page on fossils. This is what I saw:

Jackson then came over and said, "Yeah, mom! That's the page about ammonites! See? They were sea creatures and then became fossils. Pretty cool, huh?"

Yes, totally cool. Even more cool is the fact that Dan breezed by that page almost a month ago and hasn't re-read it to Jackson since.*

One gloss-over of one part of one page in one book almost one month ago, and the kid pulls it out of his memory the second he sees a real specimen in the museum and shares his knowledge of it as if he were a nerdy 9yo.

Jackson has been known to stutter and get ahead of himself when he gets excited or nervous about sharing his knowledge. But today, in the Collector's Corner, he acted, well, like a nerdy 9yo who had absolutely no qualms about talking science with museum people. He made eye contact, had a patient exchange of information (a.k.a. a conversation), learned new things and shared what he knew.

It was amazing. Especially because he's not a nerdy 9yo (though he will be nerdy when he's 9, I'm sure). He's 5.

Five. Tomorrow is his official birthday and he's just five. Or, sometimes I feel like saying "how can he already be five??" But mostly, I'm amazed that his age and his mental abilities are so disparate. That's Asperger's for you though.

The other super cool thing about this though, is the discovery that JACKSON LOVES SCIENCE. (duh) He loves it in a way that makes all of the other negative parts of his behavior or interactions with other people (temporarily) go away. His teachers have noted that his best days recently have been the days where they've done science experiments at school. He becomes a "normal" kid and just is really on fire in an appropriate way when engaged with science. He talks to kids, waits for replies, shares information and stays focused on the activity at hand.

That's what I saw at the Science Museum this morning. He tuned in, exchanged information, learned a lot and was regulated (in terms of body movement and sensory stuff) during our whole visit. Which is saying a lot, considering that the museum was packed with both people and potential overstimulation at each turn.**

Needless to say, he crashed in the car on the way home. This was my solid reminder that he IS still "just" five and can still get pretty worn out from a lot of learning and activity.

But the surprises continued when we got home:

Mom to a groggy Jackson coming in the house: "Are you ready for a piece of chocolate birthday cake, Sweetie?"

Jackson: "No, thanks. I'm going to go upstairs and sort my science collections like the museum. I have a lot to do."

:o

I am happy to report that he did emerge for chocolate cake about ten minutes later, so despite unique traits showing up here and there, he is, in fact, a "regular" boy.

*We're starting to wonder if he can read, even a little, but doesn't want to share this until he's perfected it. That might explain the recognition of the tag "ammonite" next to the specimen at the museum.

**We bought a membership to the museum and consider it a very good investment.

Seat Drop

2011-01-14T14:30:00.000-06:00

The kids and I spent the morning at a local gymnastics gym during preschool open gym. Jackson has been many times before, but this was Amelia's first official visit (where she wasn't carried around watching the action from the comfort of a sling on mom's back). To say they both L-O-V-E-D it would be an understatement. Their sibling relationship is really blossoming lately and Jackson even taught Amelia how to walk on the balance beam (very well too! both of them were scooting back and forth on the low beam like it was the regular sidewalk). We bought a family season pass. :)

Self-Titled

2011-01-13T11:47:00.001-06:00

I don't really need to say anything about this girl. I mean, the pictures speak for themselves, right? (I will note, however, that I find it interesting that both of my kids got the flexible tongue gene while I still can't do more with mine than merely stick it out of my mouth. The next generation is infinitely more talented! And cute.)

(I will also note that these successive photos were not the photographer's idea, but the subject's. She kept coming closer and stopping for me to snap the next one. Ham.)

Hair

2011-01-10T07:34:00.000-06:00

Normal Sick?

2011-01-09T13:54:00.000-06:00

Jackson was sick again this weekend, but I'm pleased to report that he was finally "normally" sick, instead of his usual routine of ending up in the hospital due to dehydration and lethargy. Here he is last night getting ready for movie night with his dad, after a full day of rest, non-stop talking and playing Legos. (Note: the cat does NOT normally sit with Jackson and Jackson was VERY happy about it, despite the intense face.)

Book Report: A Thorn in My Pocket by Eustacia Cutler

2011-01-09T13:50:00.000-06:00

(This report was submitted for my General Psychology course last semester.)

Eustacia Cutler is the mother of Temple Grandin, probably the world’s best known "autism celebrity" today. In her memoir A Thorn in my Pocket: Temple Grandin’s Mother Tells the Family Story, Cutler explores the difficulties and challenges she faced raising an autistic child in the years immediately following WWII. She tells the story of Temple's life from birth, chronicles the misinformation they received and diagnosis they struggled to grasp, how the family coped (or didn't cope) and what pathways opened up for them all as a result.

When Temple's parents first sought assistance for their daughter, they were shuffled amongst skeptical doctors. Mental retardation and brain damage were the first terms used to describe Temple; autism and infant schizophrenia were eventually used to diagnosis her at the age of 3 (Cutler, pg. 30). The gravity of these words was enough to send Temple's father reeling and he firmly dug his trench in his war to have Temple institutionalized from the very beginning. Eustacia never allowed it and their marriage suffered for it, ultimately ending in divorce when Temple was a teenager.

Despite little societal support, Eustacia was adamant about Temple's therapies, social instruction and rigid behavioral rules. She sought all treatments on her own, worked them in to her family's life (Temple also has three younger siblings), and persisted in the notion that Temple could learn, all the while defending her first-born daughter from naysayers (including her own father) at every turn. And it worked. By all accounts, Temple succeeded (and is still succeeding) in her life against all early predictions. Today, Temple holds a Ph.D. in animal science, is a professor at Colorado State University, a world-renowned humane livestock facility designer and autism advocate/speaker.

Clearly, the intense conviction Eustacia demonstrated in her daughter's abilities is amazing. As a parent with a child on the autism spectrum, I can sympathize with her emotional reactions to Temple's diagnosis and commitment to "fix" her daughter, but I can’t even begin to imagine living in an era of such unbending social rules with a misunderstood child who doesn't match the norm.

What I find even more astounding is how the psychiatric institution as a whole dealt with autism. Eustacia's hindsight reveals that the experts she consulted didn't really know what they were doing after all, but needed to find a way to describe, catalog and deal with individuals displaying autistic traits. Some advanced doctors were willing to think outside of the box and acknowledge that they didn't understand the whole picture. One of Temple's earliest pediatricians ordered brain scans to rule out petit mal—absence seizures connected to epilepsy—and Eustacia later credited him for at least being willing to explore possible neurological differences in her daughter (pg. 209). But most were more than willing to institutionalize a child in the name of science (pg. 138). The pervasive belief that psychoanalysis was the only way to get to the root of autism held its grip on these professionals for decades, despite compelling early research showing a neurological basis for autism that couldn't be treated with "talk therapy" (pg. 208).

Temple was born in an era when most childhood afflictions were assumed to be the result of something the mother did wrong and autism was no exception. Bruno Bettelheim was an Austrian-born child psychologist whose theory—that autism originated from mothers withholding affection from their children—was just taking hold in popular culture during the time when the Grandins were exploring the nature of Temple's challenges (pg. 33-34). Bettelheim's ideas later faded from popularity, but they hovered as a dark shadow over Eustacia for decades. At one point, Eustacia believed that she might have caused her daughter's autism by creating some early psychosocial trauma in Temple (pg. 34). As a graduate of Harvard and lifelong learner herself, she kept doing her own research all the while. But she still succumbed to the popular notion of the times, at least a little.

What strikes me here is that Eustacia took on this misplaced blame yet persevered in championing her daughter as a valid human being and refrained from diving into the depths of depression herself (despite having a husband who tracked her every move in a handwritten notebook over a 3-year period in an attempt to have her proven insane in court [pg. 146]). Without a doubt, this represents strength of character that many of us can only hope to reach. Yet how many other families with autistic children did not fare so well during these experimental years of parental blame and institutionalization as a result of following "expert" advice?

Finally, in the 1980s, psychiatry started to come around as an institution and admit to the neurological basis for autism. In the last chapter of A Thorn in My Pocket, Eustacia states:

"When did the psychiatric world release autism from its psychosocial shackles and turn it over to the bioneurologists? And why, despite the 1964 research linking autism to epilepsy, did it take until 1985 for the neurological information to reach the family pediatricians who were examining autistic children and advising desperate parents?" (pg. 208)

Eustacia said she "would have liked an apology" for this erroneous oversight (pg. 209), but she would have to settle with this statement of appreciation from Temple's doctor regarding her commitment to her daughter’s therapies and education:

"…you have done a job that has put the entire staff of Children’s Hospital to shame. Do you realize that it is as rare as if Temple had recovered spontaneously from leukemia?" (pg. 147)

Eustacia's reflections on Temple's ancestors and the unique traits they displayed added more pieces to the puzzle of her daughter's autism. She was able to see autistic traits on both sides of Temple's family tree, despite these relatives never having been diagnosed with autism (pg. 191-205). Much later, after his death, she was even able to finally connect the dots that Temple's father may have had autism/Asperger's (pg. 217).

Eustacia is now lecturing nationally and internationally with her daughter at autism conferences, offering her support for families through retelling her experiences and sharing her own extensive research. She writes on the inside jacket of her book:

"Think of me as your future. I am where you will be many years from now, when you know how it all played out and 'what will be' turned into 'what was.' And you will have come to terms with it, not perhaps in the way you thought you would, but you'll no longer feel trapped in a morass of angst and guilt. You will have resolved your child's future and your own. You'll know you've given full measure and the measure you've given has never been pointless. I offer you my story as a promise of that…"

I am personally grateful for her words and in awe of her story.

FO Report: egg, bluebird and nest

2011-01-06T15:17:00.000-06:00

Yarn: KnitPicks Wool of the Andes

Pattern: "egg to bluebird and a little nest too" from itty bitty toys
Needles: US5

Date started: 1/3/11

Date finished: 1/5/11

Jackson has been begging me for this little egg-to-bluebird reversible toy since I first picked up this book last year. Given that his 5th birthday is just around the corner, I thought my little nature lover would enjoy this as a gift.

Super cute and super easy to knit. There's absolutely nothing difficult about the reversible aspect of this knit, so don't let that scare you away from casting on! I wish I had a photo to share of the actual reversing process, but I'm a bit limited with my old point-n-shoot on detailed photos. The egg gets tucked inside the bird and vice-versa though, a simple construction. The bird body and egg are the same pattern and they are whipstitched together along an opening on the underside.

I cannot wait to give this to him. He's going to flip!

Cancún 2010 Top 10

2011-01-05T09:14:00.001-06:00

10. Naps when you want ‘em. For the PARENTS, not the kids (we didn’t bring the kids). Sleep, sleep and more sleep!

9. Flea market vendors who treated us like famous people. Eerie and uncomfortable for this Minnesota couple, but oddly fantastic too.

8. Roberto, the most awesome Mexican waiter in all of Mexico. Dude tried to teach us Spanish AND didn’t laugh at us. The food was awesome too.

7. Reading on my new Kindle and knitting. AT THE SAME TIME (for pretty much the entire trip, except for #10 above).

6. Knitting half of a Citron shawl with my Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball in fantastically bright colors.

5. Waves, warm water, incredibly turquoise ocean, pool, white sand between my toes, lounge chairs everywhere you look…

4. No interruptions for a solid weekend. I almost wanted someone to bug me near the end…

3. Drinks: Margaritas, cerveza, sangria, mojitos, piña coladas… Hmm, no wonder we slept so much.

2. Guacamole. Hands down. You haven’t had guac until you’ve had it in Mexico and we ordered it as often as possible.

And the #1 item for Cancún 2010 Top 10: Being mistaken for young honeymooners with the accompanying statement, “You CAN’T be more than 30!”

Sleepy Fairy Bee

2011-01-03T16:46:00.000-06:00

Sometimes it's hard to be a 2.5yo who doesn't want to take a nap anymore, but instead wants to play all afternoon with her brother. It's hard to dress up like a fairy bee to play with the "witch" brother and it's hard to decide if you want to wear the wings from the costume or the cute owl backpack when the fairy bee and witch want to go "camping." It's hard to carry all of that pretend food in that cute owl backpack and not have any room for your favorite doggie and Taggie. So hard, that when Mom attempts a late afternoon storytime on the couch, the fairy bee conks out. (The witch, however, thinks it's hilarious and can't for the life of him figure out how she could be tired.)

Making Crayons

2011-01-01T12:24:00.000-06:00

I learned this from a friend on Facebook and had to try it for myself.

1. Take all of your old crayons (wrapping removed) and break them into small pieces (if not already there). Sprinkle them into a muffin tin. (I used a mini-muffin tin here.)

2. Bake at 350 until they get all liquidy and gooey. Remove from oven and let cool.

3. Once cool, place the pan in the freezer for a few minutes, then pop them out of the pan. Voila! New multi-colored circle crayons!

(We made sure to only use the washable kind of crayons and clean-up was a snap.)

Finished Objects 2010

2010-12-31T23:55:00.000-06:00

Oh, there's been knitting...

2010-12-31T23:50:00.006-06:00

To prove that this blog is still a knitting blog (and that I'm still knitting), here is a recap of my finished objects since The Great Blog Decline that started after the State Fair and left some of you sending me nagging emails and harassing me at family gatherings.

Jackson's State Fair Sweater

Yarn: Mission Falls 1824
Pattern: Stone's Sweater from The Natural Knitter
Needles: US7 + US8

This sweater was knit specifically for entry into the State Fair knitting competition this year and I scrambled to get it done. Yarn, pattern and inspiration fell into place (Jackson needed a new sweater for the winter and I just knew this pattern would be awesome on him) and it even won a 2nd place ribbon in its category. Every time I see Jackson wearing this sweater, I stop and stare a little. It's so, so, so perfect on him.

(Another) Turkish Hat

Yarn: Cascade 220
Pattern: Turkish Hat from Hats On!
Needles: US4

Also knit for the State Fair competition, but I don't love this one as much (and it didn't place, though it was featured in the display case on a creepy looking mannequin). I was intending to knit it for me (and hoping that it would fit) since the one I made before ended up so large that it went to my dad. But this one ended up so small that it's now my daughter's. Third time's a charm? Eh, I've got other things to knit...

Bias Scarf

Yarn: handspun, hand-dyed slubby cotton yarn from an art sale
Pattern: none
Needles: US4

I LOVE this yarn. Just wanted to knit something simple with it so the yarn could speak for itself. This simple little bias scarf has accompanied me to many events where "mindless knitting" was required. It's been languishing in the knitting basket for many moons now since wool took over in priority, but it will be an FO for 2011 in the spring for sure.

Late to the Party Clapotis

Yarn: Jojoland Rhythm
Pattern: Clapotis
Needles: US8

I finally made a Clapotis and can't believe that I waited so long to do it! What a great pattern and what an awesome scarf. I wear it all the time and totally get why everyone has loved this one. I made mine considerably longer too, so it's also a great shoulder wrap when my classroom is inevitably too chilly on Saturday mornings.

Tilted Duster

Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Tweed
Pattern: Tilted Duster from Interweave Knits Fall 2007
Needles: US8

I wanted to knit this sweater the moment I saw the cover of Interweave back in the fall of '07, but never got around to it until this year. Started it in March, finished in November, but didn't knit on it at all in those middle months. (The skirt portion was super boring.) It's pretty wonky size-wise, but I still love it and wear it often. (I bushwhacked the sleeves and they, therefore, ended up a little "puffed" in the shoulders. Not the best fit on me.) It's long and warm though. LOVE the collar.

Latvian Mittens

Yarn: Finulgarn 2ply
Pattern: three different patterns from Latvian Mittens
Needles: US1

I signed up for a Latvian Mittens class at Ingebretsen's this fall and had such a great time meeting the knitters/teacher and learning to knit these amazing mittens (not that mine are amazing, just Latvian mittens in general!). I'm hooked. There will be more. (Thanks to Dan for giving me the book for my birthday!)

Dan's Mitts

Yarn: Gale Woods Farm yarn
Pattern: used basic mitten pattern from Knitting for Peace with the glove details from Selbuvotter
Needles: US7

Poor Dan. His mittens are not nearly as exciting as mine. (Though I think he thinks that he's getting the better mittens.) He needed a new pair of fingerless mitts since the ones we bought together for him at a small shop in the Lake District in England (where his father's side originates) have finally started to deteriorate. I made him take those mitts home then because I didn't feel up to the challenge of knitting the fingers yet. I felt obliged to tackle it now, but not so much that I'll finish the second one immediately. Spring is a long ways off, after all.

Jackson's Lizard Mittens

Yarn: KnitPicks Wool of the Andes
Pattern: Lizard Mittens by torirot designs (Ravelry link)
Needles: US5 + US6

Jackson's hands are growing too fast! These are an attempt to stay on top of the growth and keep him wanting to put mittens on at the same time. Second one is on the needles now. He wore this one when we went out this morning with one of his snowflake mittens in a mismatched set because he was so excited to use them, so I think it's a good sign. (The thumb has the cutest little lizard on it too, love!)

Doll Clothing

Yarn: leftover Finulgarn (skirt), leftover Jojoland Rhythm (sweater)
Pattern: Fairytale Skirt (Ravelry link), forgot where the sweater pattern came from...
Needles: US1 (skirt), US5 (sweater)

I got on this kick before Christmas that Amelia's dolls needed some new outfits but I wasn't willing to pay store prices for them ($20 for a doll dress??). I'm not sure what made me knit this skirt on size 1s, but it did turn out pretty cute. A matching blouse is on the needles now. The goal was to have an outfit for Jackson's doll too, but I didn't get that far and, frankly, neither of the kids really cared about the clothing. I won't throw in the towel yet, but maybe I'll just wait until they ask for more...

Citron

Yarn: Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball
Pattern: Citron
Needles: US6

And lastly for 2010 knitting, I cast on for this Citron shawl before leaving for Mexico two weeks ago and have been knitting on it like crazy ever since. It turned out to be the perfect project for mindless knitting while simultaneously reading on my new Kindle propped up on my knee and I've read 4 books as I've knit this. It will forever hold exciting parts of these stories trapped in certain sections of the shawl and this makes me love it all the more. (It's unfinished and crammed on the needles now. The rich colors will give it away when I can finally show the blocked piece, but like any shawl, it doesn't even remotely look as beautiful as it will post-blocking yet.)

(I also knit an entire sock out of this yarn first, before realizing that it was way too skinny. When I made the further realization that Zauberball will never give you two remotely similar socks because of the extreme color variations, I decided to scrap it for the shawl. Very happy with my choice!)

Well, then! I had to cram half-a-year's worth of FOs into one post, but it's still another solid year of productivity in the knitting department. Here's to 2011 knitting! I already bought yarn for my first big project of the year and can't wait to get started.

The Year in Review

2010-12-26T21:47:00.002-06:00

I'm not one to read the "Year in Review" magazine issues that are blanketing the periodical racks currently, but 2010 has certainly been a big year for us so it seems fitting that we should get our own little review.

Everything seems to happen on the even years for us: we met in '02, were married in '04, first child in '06, second one in '08... I have to admit that I was a little curious as to what "big ticket" thing may happen for us in '10. By choice, there are no more kids filling our home, so perhaps we're off the hook with the big things (at least for now).

Though learning of our son's autism this year is definitely a big thing and it carries with it both sadness and joy. We're doing pretty good on the sadness front, though we are always learning of new things that we can't do as easily as other families can so it can feel like a barrier in a lot of ways. But the joy is abundant because we now understand our child so much more and can celebrate the uniqueness of him instead of worrying about why the pieces aren't falling into place. (And they are, actually, because he's rocking it at school!)

So to back up, 2010 in review:

January
• can't think of anything

February
• can't think of anything

March
• can't think of anything (Sorry, this isn't turning out to be much of a review! The truth is, we spent the first quarter of 2010 in a perpetual, frustrating holding pattern as we knew that things weren't going well with our son at school but we couldn't get in for evaluations for months.)
• And that's not true anyway, since how could I forget going to NYC with my dear friend, Kristina, in March?? What a time we had!

April
• We spent Easter in D.C. with Dan's brother and his wife and had a fantastic time. It was so fun to see their home and spend time together.

• Evaluations started, life got better.

May
• Jackson's diagnosis was received (Asperger's, on the high-functioning end of autism) and life got confusing, yet lighter. Things were starting to make a lot more sense.
• We immediately signed up for the autism 5K just two weeks after the diagnosis. My family and some of our friends joined us to show their support.
• Gardening, gardening, gardening. We were outside nonstop and had dirt under our nails every night.
• In addition to our own garden, we started to be up to our ears in veggies each week from our new CSA and the bounty didn't stop until Thanksgiving. We were homemade all the way this summer and it was soooooo tasty.

JuneJulyAugust
• These months blur together because we spent the time hiking, camping, hiking some more, and then camping again. Very, very, very happy with how much time we had in the great outdoors in the summer of 2010!
• Dan and I escaped to celebrate our 6-year wedding anniversary and had a wonderfully relaxing time.
• Dan and Amelia took a solo dad-daughter trip to visit Dan's folks (before she turned 2 and would no longer be free to fly!) and Jackson and I went on a solo mom-son camping trip at the same time. We invited another mom-son duo on our trip and new friendships were forged.
• Jackson attended various summer day camps and did amazingly well at all of them.

• Jackson also learned how to ride a bike this summer, completely independently. Not just the riding part, but the learning part. He didn't want help at all, but just decided one day to go out and do it. We had to run to catch up.
• We had to run to catch up with Amelia for much of the summer too as she burst on the scene as a bubbly, talkative, social little 2yo.

• Dan's D.C. brother and his wife became parents! We all welcomed little Fen into the world with love, though from afar. We have yet to meet him but it's high on the priority list for 2011! VERY thankful for Facebook so we can keep current with his adorable little face.

• I entered items into the State Fair knitting competition and scored two 2nd place wins.
• The canning pot filled up with water...

September
•...and didn't stop boiling until early fall. Lots and lots and lots of jars of food put up in the cellar. Jams and pickles and veggies, oh my!
• We spent Labor Day weekend on the North Shore of Lake Superior with my entire family (and we all survived!). I think my mom was in heaven with all of the little grandkids together at the same time. Super, super fun.

October
• I started back to school this fall and it really picked up speed in October. (Hence, my "let's take a break" letter to y'all early in the month.) I loved every minute of it and found myself intellectually engaged in a way that you just can't get staying home with the kids (big surprise there).
• Dan's mom came to visit due to another family obligation in the next state over. We didn't get to keep her all to ourselves for the weekend, but we did enjoy the fun-yet-brief Omi time.

November
• My dear cousin John died.
• We remembered and gave thanks for so many dear friends and family members in our lives.

December
• Snowstorms and blizzards and black ice, oh my! With two classes already canceled due to snow, my final was postponed when school was canceled due to the 17" of snow that fell here in 24 hours. I had to meet my instructor at a coffeeshop on the morning of my birthday to take the exam. I couldn't take it at the officially rescheduled date because...
•...I was in Mexico! Dan and I took a whirlwind break and went down to Cancun for a weekend before Christmas and had some well-deserved R&R. My new birthday present Kindle allowed me to read and knit concurrently for the first time ever and believe me, that's what I did.
• I aced my class.

The remainder of 2010 has us laying around, playing in the snow, reading (a lot) and eating really good food (some that was made in the summer and some special dishes reserved just for the winter holidays). More snow is in the forecast for New Year's Eve here, so we may spend the first part of 2011 digging out again. But I know that it will only be a matter of months until we've got dirt under our fingernails and are plucking weeds from the garden again.

Here's to 2011! May it be filled with friends, laughter, sunshine, dirt, and good wool.

Snowshoeing

2010-12-26T20:13:00.002-06:00

Years ago, before we were married, Dan and I went on a cross-country ski weekend with our favorite local community ed. group. We're not skiers, so we opted to snowshoe the weekend away. The remote resort in Northern Minnesota must have had 3 feet of powder; it was so beautiful. Snowshoeing, Scrabble, knitting and camaraderie all weekend long.

We vowed to purchase snowshoes for ourselves "one of these winters" but had a couple of very dry, snowless winters after that year. We got married, bought a house, had some kids and voila: the memory that we liked snowshoeing became just that, a memory.

Until today. We were planning a winter hike at the nature center this morning with the kids (now almost 5 and 2 1/2) when it hit me: didn't we used to like snowshoeing? Maybe Jackson is old enough to try a child-sized pair of snowshoes? Couldn't we carry Amelia along for the ride? So we switched gears, rented some snowshoes and tried it.

I was most nervous when Jackson first got his snowshoes strapped on because the first impression is all it takes to make something golden or horrid in his mind. All or nothing. If it doesn't work the first time, he's rarely willing to have a second go.

I was fidgeting and strapping/re-strapping his boots onto the snowshoe and getting ready to explain that 1.) his feet would feel funny, 2.) he shouldn't step on his snowshoes or he'll fall over, and 3.) taking wider steps is a good idea at first. But he took off as soon as they were strapped on and bounded onto a snowbank exclaiming "You were right, Mom! I'm not sinking!" (I had talked about how snowshoes work off and on, so apparently he just wanted to test this theory himself.)

With that "hurdle" out of the way, we happily headed out to the prairie with our rented snowshoes on a gloriously sunny and bright winter morning and really just had a great time.*

Seven years after our initial snowshoeing weekend where we first fell in love with the activity, we came home from our outing and ordered a family set of snowshoes. (Amelia was content to ride on her dad's back today, but we thought she might like to give it a go at some point, so we got the 3-6yo snowshoes for her. Jackson got the 6-10yo ones.) Given this snow pile that we've already received this year, we think it's a good investment.

*The morning was made even more fun with the warm, homemade cinnamon rolls that I had stashed in our backpack before leaving home. The hot rolls and the thermos of herbal tea as a treat in the nature center post-snowshoeing was enough to seal the deal for all of us!

So here's the thing...

2010-10-02T21:33:00.004-05:00

Sorry for the unintentional hiatus there, folks. September got really busy, really fast. Jackson wasn't the only one who had a first day of school around here as yours truly officially re-entered the adult world via the path to graduate school.

So, here's the thing (I'll explain about graduate school shortly). When I quit my job nearly five years ago to stay home with the kids (kid in the singular form then), I was asked all the time "so, are you just taking a break?" and "you're planning to go back, right?" and I never knew how to answer those questions. Here were my two opposing thoughts on the topic:

1.) Um, do I have to go back? Why isn't it okay for me to "just" stay home with my kids and give them the best damn family life that I can possibly create without the stress of an outside job if our personal preferences and financial situation would allow for it?

2.) Hmm...can I plead the fifth? It is totally possible that I may *hate* staying home with the kids and may want to run screaming back into an office setting--any office setting--just to get away, but I don't want to admit that now or commit myself to anything that I may not live up to. (Again, why do I *have* to want to go back?)

But I didn't say either of those things to the polite but nosey inquisitive types. I just said things like "oh, I don't know" and "I'll wait to see what happens when elementary school rolls around" to brush them off. (While I silently stewed about options #1 and #2 above. Seriously, why does a mother/woman have to report her intentions to "the feminism council of her neighborhood" just to still be in their good graces, depending on the answer?)

Now, as my oldest is nearing five (yes, dear and faithful readers who have been with me since that first post back in 2006 [hi mom], he's almost FIVE), I'm starting to see how this could get old. This stay at home mom gig, I mean. Not mothering in general. (Though I certainly have my days...)

I'm starting to see that--while I love making all of our bread from scratch and cloth diapering our wee babe (who is SO not a wee babe anymore, is potty-training herself before my eyes now and thinks SHE'S the one turning five soon...) and growing/canning our own vegetables and cooking 90% of our meals from scratch and handknitting anything wool that my family wears in a year and playing and connecting with other SAHMoms and going on long hikes in the middle of the week with my kids because I can--I might want to do something else too.

Not to say that I want to stop doing these things at all--I love trying to live a sustainable homegrown life--but maybe I just needed a five year break from the crazy train that is "a regular out of the home job" so I could figure out at which stop I'd like to board the train again, or what line I need to be on, or maybe if I should be on a train at all.

All this is to say that I'm going back to work, soonish, eventually, and after much hard work, preparation and study. I always said that I would NOT apply for graduate school unless it would give me specific job training for something and I had no frakking idea what that something would be so that was a moot point. I have two Bachelor of Arts degrees that didn't train me for anything (Anthropology and American Indian Studies) and while I am proud of them and the work I did to earn them, I do not wish to repeat a fun yet useless educational experience to the tune of thousands of dollars.

But somewhere over the summer, somewhere in between reading lots of books about autism, attending parent/child autism workshops and living with my Aspie son, it hit me: I think I'd like to be an occupational therapist. And I think I'd like to work with autistic kids (though I'm leaving the door open for working with old people too...I love old people).

I did the research and it confirmed what I thought about occupational therapy: it's a super cool, holistic therapy that is in high-demand and can benefit many populations. A little bit of science, a little bit of physical therapy, a little bit of psychology and a lot of intuition. Sociology comes into play and ANTHROPOLOGY is even listed as a good undergraduate major to have if pursuing occupational therapy (which is a really, really nice relief after all of these years of not being able to actually use my degree, though the connection between the two is merely theoretical, not practical).

Sold.

There are a couple of awesome occupational therapy graduate programs in my area (and I have my sights set on ONE, for sure...) but I won't be ready to apply for a few years. Seems there are a few prerequisite hoops that I have to jump through first (see? Anthropology didn't offer a practical connection coursework-wise...). So I am now enrolled in college again and am taking General Psychology for starters this fall. Abnormal Psychology and Lifespan Development Psychology are in the line-up too as are Human Anatomy and Physiology (which doesn't bother me in the slightest because I actually do find science interesting when coupled with a career goal like this...however, the organic chemistry and biochemistry prerequisites-to-my-prerequisites do make my stomach turn a little...). Apparently, I'll have to take Statistics again since my "A" from 15 years ago is considered too old, so I'll have to cross the bridge back into the math world at some point too (deep breath...).

All of this is totally do-able though. I loved school the first time (except for a very stupid and unprepared freshman year and a checked-out-way-too-early senior year) and spent several consecutive quarters on the Dean's List to prove it. So I know I can put on my super nerd hat and plow through these courses in order to apply for graduate school. But that's only one piece of the puzzle for application. Work or volunteer experience is required to get into graduate school, so I'm doing that too. I just landed a Therapy Assistant Volunteer position with a prominent children's hospital (thanks to my aunt and her awesome connections!) and I begin next week.

Whoa. Next week? Does that mean I'll be out of the house? Does that mean that this stay-at-home-mom will not be AT HOME (for at least a little bit)?

Yep.

So now I realize that my answer to those questions that bugged me so much was intentionally vague because I didn't want to commit and didn't know what my career goals would be. I didn't even know about occupational therapy then because it was my son who created an entry into that world for me and we didn't even learn of his diagnosis until so much later after his birth. I am thankful for the time I've had at home with my kids both for what I've been able to give them and what I've been able to give myself: a break. Don't get me wrong (DON'T GET ME WRONG), being a stay-at-home-mom is NOT a break from work by any stretch (quite the opposite), but it did allow me to jump off the crazy train of my previous work path to sit and think about redefinition for a while.

And I think I like this new path.

So, that's the thing. Sorry for the break. Don't worry, I'll still have lots of stories of homemade bread to share and lots of photos of the kids to show off and even a funny story or two to tell. But if you're wondering, "where did yogurt & granola go? wasn't she around just a little bit ago?," I'm still here. Just in a cocoon for a bit. My wing pattern will be revealed in due time.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-08T12:43:00.000-05:00

Red Ribbons on a First Try

2010-08-30T20:01:00.004-05:00

We all know how much I love the Minnesota State Fair, right? Love, love, love and love. Each year that I visit I excitedly explore the Creative Activities Building and oogle with awe and inspiration at the beautiful handmade creations. And, not surprisingly, the knitting gets 95% of my attention while there.

The first year that I visited after becoming a "real" knitter I said something like "Oh wow, I could never do that." Then another year I said things like "Hey, I've done that pattern on those award-winning mittens! Cool!" And then last year I said, "Seriously? Why haven't I entered yet?"

But by mid-July this year, I still hadn't done anything about entering. I think I was assuming that I must have missed a spring deadline or something and was--oops--going to let yet another year slide by.

Then I saw a tweet from the Minnesota State Fair on Twitter that stopped me in my tracks: "Just a reminder that some of the competition entry deadlines are about a month away!"

I am a great procrastinator. I used to always cram my college papers in at the last minute and it always drove me crazy, so one time I tested it by actually completing a big research paper two weeks ahead of deadline. I got a B on that paper but I always got As on the last-minute ones. It became (painfully) clear that I'm definitely one of those people who produces better work under pressure.

So, (to make a long story short) with one month to go, I decided to just do it this year and I cast-on for a sweater for Jackson, a hat for Amelia (a do-over of this one) and I rediscovered a shawl in my closet that I deemed Fair-worthy (it was unworn and in perfect condition). I submitted three entries in three different categories for my first-time out and got two 2nd place ribbons! The third item didn't place but was still displayed, so all of my items "made it."

Grandstand mini-donuts are divine, deep-fried pickles are a once-a-year treat to get excited about like a kid waiting for Christmas, and the roasted corn on the cob is out of this world. The Giant Slide is a thrill wrapped in a burlap sack that can make the older set laugh like kids. The Midway lights at night are surreal and dreamlike and loud and fun. The sights, the sounds, the smells, and everything about the State Fair is just totally awesome. It truly is the Great Minnesota Get-Together. But there is nothing like practically tiptoeing into the Creative Activities Building on the second day of the Fair, almost not sure if daring to peek at the winner's case is a good idea because you're so nervous about whether or not you were crazy to enter in the first place and having your eyes land on this:

then this:

(oh! the disappointment that it was displayed wrong-side out though! thrilled that it won--really, I am!--but it was obviously displayed by a non-knitter...)

and then finding this just a stone's throw away in another display case:

(and the hat was displayed with a first-place prize-winning handmade jacket, so it must have been a "winning" accessory, right? let's not even discuss the mannequins at the State Fair who are overdue for retirement...)

I'm now PART of the State Fair. My name is posted in a building as a #2 winner in two of the 16,000 categories of things that are judged at the State Fair annually. No more watching from the sidelines, I'm in! Dan wants me to submit my canning next year and possibly some baked goods too (I don't know if I gave him State Fair Fever or if he gave it to me, but either way, we've both drunk the Kool-Aid). But true to form from my academic days when an A- was never good enough, all I can think is "Blue. Next year, it's going to be a blue ribbon." :)

Jackson was really excited to see his sweater in the case too. I think he was proud of me and that was more amazing than the ribbon!

Yellow Pear Tomato Salsa

2010-08-29T12:35:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe the size of the yellow pear tomato plant in my garden. It's a good thing that I planted it at the end of the raised bed, since it promptly soaked up the sunshine, drank the abundant rainwater from the sky and grew above and beyond its little section of square foot garden. This plant has no personal space issues (with the other plants at least--everything else is leaning over and being pushed out of the way to make way for this monster). It grew over the side of the bed, down in the grass and started setting root and sending up new shoots. I'm not kidding. And each little arm--every single strong, upright branch of this plant--produces bundles of big, juicy yellow pear tomatoes, six at a time.

It's also a good thing that my dad would give his right arm for each and every tomato because there's no way I can stay on top of cooking with these. I've brought bags and bags of them over to my dad all summer and he's happily consuming them, calling me for more before I even get home from the tomato delivery sometimes.

I've had a recipe for yellow pear tomato salsa brewing in my head for about a week and today I just had to try it. I'm a little disappointed that I wasn't able to find a recipe for yellow pear tomato salsa for CANNING though, since salsa is usually a big batch to make and is perfect for canning. But I know that it's really risky to "make your own" canning recipes because of acidity levels in certain vegetables. It's great to make stuff up as you go along, but not when it comes to canning.

The verdict on my salsa though? EXCELLENT. Now I want to see if someone out there can help me convert it to BE a canning recipe. I may have to contact my local Extension Office to see if there is a way to add a little more of this or a little less of that and get the okay for a regular water bath processed recipe.

For today though, it's in a quart jar in the fridge plus a few other plastic storage containers. We've got a (large) family cabin adventure coming up this weekend so I'm thinking that it can't hurt to bring a quart of homemade salsa along, right?

Yellow Pear Tomato Salsa

• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 large clove of garlic, chopped
• 5 cups seeded, chopped yellow pear tomatoes*
• 1 cup peeled, seeded, chopped cucumber
• 1 cup seeded, chopped red pepper
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• ~ 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• ~ 1 teaspoon salt
• ~ 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
• ~ a lot of ground cumin

Boil vinegar, onion and garlic for a couple of minutes. Add tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers and return to a boil for a couple more minutes. Add parsley, sugar, salt, oregano and cumin and simmer a bit more, maybe 5 minutes? Remove from heat and let cool before refrigerating.

* Yes, I really did seed all of my yellow pear tomatoes for this recipe, but it wasn't really that hard. I just sliced the toms in half lengthwise and used the tip of the knife to slip the seed pouch out. It took about 2 second longer per tomato than if I hadn't removed the seeds and I think it improves the salsa (less watery overall, though it's still a liquid-y salsa).

* Sorry about the sugar, salt, oregano and cumin "measurements." Since I wasn't officially canning this recipe, I knew I could make it like I always do: a little of this, a dash of that... Use what smells/tastes good to you!

* I don't "do" hot peppers, so this is a mild salsa. You could certainly replace the bells with some jalapenos or even hotter peppers if you like.

Enjoy! And seriously, if anyone can help me fine tune this recipe for canning, I would be very grateful! Feel free to contact me in the comments or via email: yogurtandgranola AT gmail DOT com

Happy Camper

2010-08-19T21:13:00.003-05:00

Jackson attended three different sessions of (half-day) summer camps this year, with the last one ending today. I was pretty nervous sending him off to camp, though not because of the usual parent-child separation issues. His Asperger's definitely throws a curveball at any drop-off scenario, so we had a lot of questions and wrote a lot of notes/ideas on the health and general info forms at the outset.

All in all, the summer camp programs he attended get a big, fat, shiny A+ from our family! We were thrilled with how everything went and Jackson just had a lot of fun.

The first session was at a local nature center run by a county parks program. It took me awhile to pick my jaw up from the floor when they told me that they can bring in a paraprofessional to assist my special needs child throughout the camp at no extra cost. WOW. We signed on for this and were so, so happy with how it worked.

He attended two separate sessions at the nature center and both of the paraprofessionals were experienced with Asperger's, worked with small kids and and had a general (and obvious) love of nature which made it super easy for them to help Jackson at nature camp. This rocked. I drove away from drop-off each day with a huge grin on my face due to these people. The camp staff were excellent and the interns/volunteers were so, so cool too. But knowing that there was an extra person there to make sure that my kid 1.) understood the teacher's directions, 2.) didn't miss social cues from the other kids, 3.) stayed with the group instead of wandering off in the woods (he's a born hiker...) and 4.) didn't go into sensory overload without someone there to help him fix it was AWESOME.

The other camp he attended was a theater camp. The developmental pediatrician we saw back in the spring during our diagnosis phase recommended that Jackson try out a theater class since he loves to pretend that he's a different character each day. (This is one way that he deals with overwhelming social stuff--it's sometimes easier to be something else!) We heard about this awesome local theater offering camps for young ages from a friend and it didn't disappoint. (Well, it did, kind of, with logistical issues, but the programming was fantastic!)

The theater camp had a 10-minute performance at the end of the camp each day for the parents to attend. I was pretty sure that Jackson would not want to participate in these shows, but honestly, he surprised me. He listened to his teachers, he did the group movements, and generally was a part of the cast. There were a few times that he got overwhelmed with the sound in the room (he has superhuman ears), but instead of having a meltdown (very typical for kids with Asperger's/ASD), he withdrew to the back of the room and put his hands over his ears. Jackson has amazing coping power, so I'm really proud of him for how he handled this. But we're working on ways that he can put some of his sensitivities aside so he can feel able to join the group.

There were a couple of misunderstandings during the camps, like when Jackson wasn't participating in circle time at the nature center but was instead rolling around on the floor and starting to distract the other kids. The paraprofessional told me that she tried to get him to join (or at least stop rolling) but he wouldn't. He wasn't being loud, just not doing what he was supposed to be doing. Later that night, he told me that he was being a rolie polie bug by rolling around on the floor. I asked him if he told his teacher that. "Um, no," he replied. "Do you know that it's not okay to do that during circle time, Jackson? You can be a rolie polie bug and show your teachers and friends at a different time but not during circle time." He said "Oh, I guess that makes sense. I'll have to tell my teacher what I was doing when I go back."

So, lots of learning took place during summer camp this year, to be sure.

At the beginning of the summer, I still wasn't sure that my son would be able to handle summer camp, let alone a new year of preschool in a new place with new everything (including an IEP from the school system). But after a few sessions in these super cool places this summer, I know Jackson will succeed at school. He has a long way to go socially still, but we're on the right track. He is, quite simply, growing up. Some of the really, really difficult things we've had to deal with with him are fading a bit because he's growing up and finally taking in the explanations of why we have to do things certain ways. There's a really intricate locking system to get into Jackson's mind and I feel like we made another "click" or two towards success this summer.

Regardless of the difficulties that being an Aspie present for my son, he is still one happy camper. (Yes, he wore his cape to summer camp.) :)

FO Report: The Princess and The Pea

2010-07-24T20:31:00.002-05:00

Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes and Paton's Classic Wool
Pattern: The Princess and The Pea from itty-bitty toys by Susan B. Anderson
Needles: US5 + US6
Size: large mattresses are 5"x7"; doll is about 7" long

Other: 1" foam inserted for mattresses
Started: June 2010
Finished: July 2010

How could I resist making this adorable set for my adorable 2yo? So far, she loves the dolly more than the mattresses, but her brother is having fun stacking them up and knocking them over. We gave Amelia a sweet copy of the story, The Princess and The Pea, for her birthday too and she loved that. Success!

Dear Amelia,

2010-07-18T23:15:00.000-05:00

My sweet Big Girl, you are TWO! Happy Birthday!! It's so cliche to say this but it's really, really, really true: the time seems to have flown by.

You are an insanely bright, social, and adorable girl (all of these claims can be 100% backed up by friends, family and strangers, given that I'm not exactly objective here). New words are exploding from your mouth every day and you regularly say "Me-uh do it" (Amelia do it) when you want to try things on your own. You held back on talking a little bit but then just arrived on the scene with "I WAN GO DAT WAY!" when you were upset that I was taking you inside after riding our bikes one night. Guess you sort of decided to skip the whole one word at a time thing and just jump right into sentences? :)

I still call you my "fruitarian" daughter since you would probably live very happily on fruit alone if allowed, but thankfully you also enjoy jam toast (more fruit), peace noodles and grilled cheese sandwiches. I even lost a bowl of broccoli to you once when you took a bite of mine and wanted the rest all to yourself, so I'm holding out hope that your taste buds are more diverse than your brother's!

What else can I say about you, Honey Girl? You just LOVE EVERYTHING. You are always willing to try things, you laugh all day long and you are simply a joy to be around. Sure, you are a teeny bit bossy and yes, your scream is incredibly high-pitched, but we've been around this block before so you're not scaring us off with those things.

Some of your current favorite things:

• Taggie, your sweet little security blanket that you grab onto when you shove your thumb in your mouth and get tired or lay over your face when you sleep...it's incredibly adorable

• Mrs. Tiggywinkle by Beatrix Potter
• dolls, dolls and more dolls
• appa deuce (apple juice, all day, please...)
• whatever Jackson's doing
• Daddy in the morning, Mommy at night, no exceptions, thank you very much
• Joke, your Uncle Joe whom you visited recently and still talk about every day
• going for walks with your dolly stroller

• screaming (both happy and not so happy)
• chasing the bubbles your big brother blows
• going for bike rides with Mom & Dad
• our cat (and you're actually pretty gentle with him)
• being the center of attention with your adorable Shirley Temple ringlets, except for on your birthday when you didn't want anyone to look at you all day...

My sweet little girl. Thank you for the joy you bring into our family. We all love you very, very much!! Happy Birthday!!

Love, Mom
XOXO

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T19:28:00.000-05:00

Growing up

2010-07-01T18:39:00.002-05:00

It's super sweet that Dan gets sentimental about the kids' things. Like tonight, when he was putting away the laundry and attempted to hang up one of Amelia's dresses that I had in a pile on the dining room table.

Me: Honey, that's for Rebecca's daughter. It doesn't go back in Amelia's closet.

Dan: What?! I love this dress!

Me: Honey...it's a 12-18 month dress.

Dan: So?! She just wore it the other day and it looked perfect! (he's actually pretty good at dressing her in the morning...)

Me: Yeah, but it came to here on her. (motioning that it's as short as a shirt, not long enough for a dress) She's 2, Honey. She wears a 2T now.

Dan: (long pause and looking a little bewildered) When did THAT happen?

Indeed... (for both children!!)

P.S. Her birthday is in two weeks, so she's not quite 2 yet...

P.P.S. Yes, Jackson is still a witch. Though today he was also a Queen ("everyone HAS to do what a Queen says, so I'm a Queen!"), a Ghost, a Conductor and a Knight. Good thing we signed him up for a preschool theater camp for later this summer, right?

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-30T17:19:00.000-05:00

(Beet biscuits from "Vegetable Love" by Barbara Kafka -- yummy!)

catching up for the grandparents

2010-06-27T20:06:00.005-05:00

We eat jam around here. A lot.

He didn't get into the tree by himself,
but he sure loved sitting in it!

(Oh! That contemplative face...)

Oven-Braised Turnips with Garlic

2010-06-27T19:30:00.000-05:00

I know, I know. You probably think you don't like turnips. I think most people think that. But if you've never tasted oven-braised turnips with garlic, then you're just missing out. It's that simple.

Oven-Braised Turnips with Garlic
from Vegetable Love by Barbara Kafka

(If you don't own this incredible vegetable cookbook [not just vegetarian, either], then you're missing out too!!)

"This takes turnips from a boring slightly woody vegetable to a star."

2 1/4 lbs turnips, trimmed, peeled and cut into 1/2" wedges
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 heads garlic, separated into cloves, smashed and peeled
2 1/2 bay leaves, whole leaves broken in half
1 1/2 cups beef stock (I used vegetable stock)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp rubbed sage
1/4 tsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the turnips in roasting pan and slick with oil. Spread out in a single layer. Roast for 15 minutes.

Flip the turnips over and rotate the pan. Add the garlic. Roast for 5 minutes. Flip the turnips and garlic over and rotate the pan. Tuck the bay leaves under the turnips. Add the stock and herbs. Roast for 10 minutes.

Flip the turnips and garlic over and rotate the pan. Roast for 10 more minutes. The liquid will be mostly absorbed. Remove the bay leaves. Add the salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 3 3/4 cups.

(Also pictured: Cumin Carrots [divine, also from Vegetable Love] and CSA salad greens with last year's oven-dried cherry tomatoes from the garden. Yay summer eating!!)

World Cup Fever

2010-06-27T19:01:00.002-05:00

I don't care much about World Cup soccer overall, but I live with a soccer junkie so I have to admit that the bug is biting a bit. We dug out Jackson's old (official) German soccer jersey and shorts* for Amelia to wear today, in honor of the Germany-England match. Dan was rooting for England, Amelia was rooting for Germany (by being adorable in her gear). Here's what transpired when the news of the German win hit our household:

"Ha-ha! You lose!"

"Oh, it's okay, there will be another World Cup in four years..."

(Dad can't quite get over the loss, but can't NOT hug his adorable German cheerleader either!)

*The jersey set was given to Jackson by Dan's German relatives when he was a baby (6 months old in the photo below). It was personalized with "Jackson 06" on the back. And yes, Amelia is wearing an outfit at almost 2 years old that fit Jackson at age 1!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-16T21:21:00.000-05:00

Celebrating 6 Years

2010-06-13T21:51:00.003-05:00

For our sixth wedding anniversary, I surprised Dan with a weekend getaway to Nature's Nest Farm Bed & Breakfast. Grama and Grampa had the kids overnight and Dan and I relaxed and enjoyed being in a rustic cabin on the prairie. It was perfect.

Happy anniversary to my Sweet Dan!

P.S. Sugar and Iron are the symbols for the 6th anniversary and since I didn't want to get him anything cast- or wrought-iron, I settled on a fine bar of chocolate from this new local sugar shop instead. The Piura bar: a "nano-lot" of super special cacao from Peru, made right here in Minneapolis (and packaged in a letterpressed envelope!). Divine...

P.P.S. Dan really liked the wood-burning stove.

love, friday

2010-06-11T20:20:00.004-05:00

• Love my garden.

• Love going from this on May 17:

to this on June 1:

to this on June 11:

• Love that the pole bean seeds that Jackson and I planted

are this big now:

• Love my front stoop filled with lobelia, pulmonaria and coral bells. And peace.

• Absolutely cannot get over how much I love the smell of tomato leaves in the garden when I brush against them or help a newly grown branch reach up to the next level of the support.

• Love having too much lettuce for our family already and sharing with friends who are not afraid to come over and harvest it themselves.

• Love volunteer scallions and onions who show up in the garden wherever they please from last year's plants gone to seed.

• Love our first CSA box of veggies and herbs from Turnip Rock Farm. Love that Dan brought all of it home from work on his bike in honor of Bike Walk Week yesterday.

• Love this clip promoting Bike Walk Week. (Anyone recognize that hottie on the retro bike?)

• Love 10:30 a.m. tomorrow--the time that we get to drop off the kids at Grama & Grampa's for an overnighter. Love that it's been six years since our wedding and that we get to celebrate by...oops...can't say yet. The "bride" is surprising the "groom" with a 24-hour getaway!

• Love that I got to see Temple Grandin and Carol Gray at an Autism/Asperger's conference today.

• Still wondering when the other shoe is going to drop and someone is going to tell me that this is all actually a joke, but LOVE Jackson's new schedule boards. Are you kidding me? Is it seriously possible that all this visually-motivated kid needed to brush his teeth/go to the bathroom/willingly put shoes on and walk out the door for (XYZ) errand was a simple schedule with removable 2-inch cards showing pictures of what he needs to do, in the order that he needs to do them? Was it really my child who said "well, I guess we better start from the beginning and just dive in" (while shrugging) when faced with the prospect of the cards "clip fingernails" and "clip toenails" when we've NEVER been able to manage these tasks without extreme resistance--including, but not limited to tears--in his entire little life? Oh my god, love does not even begin to touch on how I feel about these schedule boards. I might actually love them more than I love my garden...

love, friday

P.S. Sorry for the unintended hiatus from the blog, folks. I've been in the garden.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-09T21:15:00.001-05:00

love, friday

2010-05-28T21:33:00.000-05:00

• Love that Dan took today off work so our Memorial Day weekend is really a 4-day weekend. Love that tonight feels like a Saturday night to me, but we still get three whole days together as a family.

• Love the new books on Autism that I'm reading: Not Even Wrong: A Father's Journey Into the Lost History of Autism (2004) by Paul Collins and Appreciating Asperger Syndrome (2009) by Brenda Boyd. So much to learn, so many light bulbs still lighting up in our family...

• Love that having Dad along on errands today (after we went out for a family lunch) meant that I could go to The Container Store, an art supply store, REI, a grocery store, and stop for coffee. Some of these stops didn't even require unbuckling two kids and lugging them along with me since they were snoozing and Dad stayed in the car reading his book. I felt almost naked without my kids and I had to go fast, but what a feeling!

• Love that I went to the art store to buy big portfolio pocket thingeys for keeping my kids' artwork and came out with a new sketchbook and some nice pencils just for me (and the portfolio thingeys too, though I did almost forget them after getting so excited to be in an art store again). I haven't drawn in years and I don't know why. Now I'm looking at my world differently (things to draw everywhere) and really need to get off the computer and go pick up a pencil.

• Love summer days in the backyard with the family. Kiddie pool out, sprinklers on, gardens growing, beers poured...it's all good.

love, friday

Shirley Temple and Jack Sprat Help Dad Plant a Tree

2010-05-23T20:37:00.001-05:00

(click on the photos to see "Shirley's" curls up close!)

Wordless Wednesday, Take 2

2010-05-19T20:20:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday, Take 1

2010-05-19T20:19:00.000-05:00

FO Report: Traveling Woman

2010-05-17T23:51:00.000-05:00

Yarn: Blackberry Ridge 100% Wool Hand-Painted Fingering Weight in "Sierra Madre" purchased at Shepherd's Harvest Festival
Pattern: Traveling Woman by Liz Abinante of feministy.com
Needles: US6--I used my Addis, for once, and actually liked them this time!
Size: shawlette, I forgot to measure but I think the wingspan was something like 50"?
Started: 4/10/10
Finished: a couple of weeks later

I knew this pattern was the perfect fit for my friend Kristina's birthday the moment I saw it. The story behind the pattern (click on the link above) was well-thought out and fun and the yarn was just a total match in my mind. As usual with a lot of knitting projects, I'd had the yarn for a couple of years just "simmering" in my stash. One day, I opened the box lid to find it jumping out at me and practically begging to be knit into something for K.

I didn't change a thing on the pattern (though I added a repeat or two as suggested) and thoroughly enjoyed knitting this wrap. I knit the bulk of it while attending a women's retreat with my church and it just fit so perfectly that the retreat's theme was "Our Journey Together." We're always traveling somewhere, right? Even if we never get off the couch.

Happy birthday, Kristina! Sending love and good wishes that this shawlette will help you "travel" to Minnesota soon! :)

Autism 5K

2010-05-15T18:19:00.002-05:00

(click on any of the photos to enlarge)

love, friday

2010-05-14T22:27:00.003-05:00

• Love the continued support from all of my friends, known and "unknown" (Internet friends!). Thank you for your kind words regarding Jackson's Asperger's diagnosis.

• Love my new blog. A place for me to keep track of all of the books and articles that I'm finding about Asperger's.

• Love Dairy Queen shakes at home on a Friday night after another long week.

• Love that Amelia LOVES playing animals with her Dad. Here they are acting as bunnies, then elephants (Jackson was already moving on to lions).

• Love my new wall colors in the living room and dining room that I painted during the long evaluation period for Jackson. I had to have something else to focus on! (Love my new living room rug too, don't you??)

• Love the anticipation of the Autism 5K tomorrow morning.

• Love that our shirts we ordered from CafePress arrived just in time.

• Love planting wildflower seeds in egg cartons with the kids this week.

• Love that the weather is looking like spring again for this weekend (after taking a nosedive back into the 30s for awhile) so we can start to plant outside. Tomatoes, basil and some ornamentals for the front yard plus Jackson's pumpkin plant and our new Fat Albert Spruce tree. Love the anticipation of having dirt under my fingernails again (instead of just all over my kitchen floor...).

• Love being five rows away from finishing a knitting project that I started two years ago. (Details later, it's still a surprise!)

• Love having the first visit from our school's Autism specialist at our home today. So many questions, so much to learn, so nice to have the devoted time to ask and learn at home.

• Love visiting Jackson's new preschool this week and watching him slowly warm up to the place. It's going to be a very good fit.

love, friday

Banana Cake

2010-05-13T20:28:00.000-05:00

Jackson watched a Blue's Clues episode a couple of weeks ago (No, we didn't get a TV. Yes, he gets to watch things now and again on the laptop thanks to Netflix. No, this does not bother me one bit...well, maybe a little, but I never signed up for the Perfect Mom job...) where they made a banana cake. He came to me and asked some questions about our kitchen supply at that moment, and it went a little something like this:

J: "Mom, do we have bananas?" (yes, we have bananas, why?)

J: "Do we have flour?" (yes, we have flour, why?)

J: "Do we have eggs?" (yes, we have eggs, why?)

J: (sort of thinking/talking to himself) "Oh, but I guess we can't make that banana cake then since it needs eggs and Amelia's allergic to eggs..."

Me: "I bet I could find another recipe for banana cake that doesn't need eggs if you want to try to bake a cake that we can share with everyone. Would you like that?"

J: (beaming) "Yeah! Can we?"

We made a banana cake that day, it turned out really awesome and we even got to share it with Jackson's grandma for her birthday (with whipped cream on top!) so he was thrilled. But he didn't love the raisins in it. So today he asks, rather out of the blue:

J: "Mom, do you have a banana cake recipe that doesn't need eggs OR raisins?"

Me: "Yes, Sweetie. I sure do." :)

Rose's No-Fail Banana Cake from Bakin' Without Eggs by Rosemarie Emro

Mom's Job*:

Mix 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 cup quick rolled oats, 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 teaspoons baking soda, and 2 tablespoons baking powder together in a medium bowl. Then, mix 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and 1/3 cup orange juice together in a small bowl. Don't mix together yet.

Jackson's Job:

Peel 5 bananas and place them in a big mixing bowl. "Smash" them gleefully with a potato masher.

Amelia's Job:

Carry the banana peels to the kitchen compost bucket bit by bit, giddy as only an almost 2yo can be with this type of task. Repeatedly open and close the compost bucket to see how it works.

Once the bananas are "smashed," it's Mom's job again to help Jackson mix the other two bowls into the large bowl (wet ingredients first, then dry). But in our kitchen today, alas, Amelia went to play with Jackson's trains and he didn't like that so I lost both of my kitchen helpers (whew!). I was then free to quickly mix the rest of the cake together, pour it into a sprayed 12-cup Bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Turn out onto a wire rack after baking and let the cake cool.

The kids came back to "help" again once it was time to eat it. Sounds a lot like "The Little Red Hen," but they do get credit for peeling, smashing and composting the bananas.

This cake is delicious AND free of a lot of allergens! No nuts! No eggs! No dairy!

The original recipe also called for 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel but I didn't have it on hand. Raisins (1/2 cup), poppy seeds (2 tablespoons), and walnuts (1/2 cup, chopped) can also be added.

*Yes, measuring ingredients should TOTALLY be a "Jackson Job" at this point too, since he has incredible focus, attention to detail and loves to count. But that really only works if the little sister isn't around and today, well, she was. :)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-12T15:06:00.001-05:00

(Dairy, Egg and Nut Free Chocolate Chip Strawberry Cake from Food Allergy Mama)

FO Report: Willow House Veggies (and a Long Story)

2010-05-10T20:38:00.003-05:00

Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes and Paton's Classic Wool
Pattern: Tomato, Garlic, Cucumber and Peas in a Pod from Amigurumi Knits by Hansi Singh
Needles: US5
Size: real-life vegetable size!
Started: April 2010
Finished: April 2010

Jackson's former preschool, Willow House, was such an important relationship for our family during this past school year. There were many ups and downs for Jackson during the school year--including a very sad 6-week adjustment period back in the fall which seemed normal at the time but now is looking more clear through the lens of Asperger's--and we are so grateful for the time that he spent there.

But it turns out that he was in the wrong school. (Wrong for Jackson, not wrong overall.) Willow House is a Waldorf-based preschool which incorporates a lot of free-play time and encourages imaginative play. They focus on oral storytelling and do lots of singing. These are all wonderful things, of course, and some of the reasons we were drawn to the school in the first place. But for a concrete thinker like Jackson who relies on patterns/routines, rigidity and words (even though he can't read yet*) to guide his day, he simply didn't know what to do there.

He did excel in some areas at Willow House and did indeed have a lot of fun at times. But I think he was continually confused about why I was bringing him there when he knew that it wasn't the right kind of place for him. Part of me wishes that we had known his learning style more deeply before enrollment so we would have made a better match for him school-wise, but at the same time I'm happy that he was there because the contrasting styles made the concerns about him stand out all the more, which allowed us to pursue assistance immediately. (If he had been in a more typical preschool, it's quite possible that he would have blended in more but been pegged as a naughty kid vs. a kid who needed some special help.)

They noticed the differences between Jackson and the other kids pretty early on and worked very hard to accommodate Jackson's learning style within the Waldorf program. We had a number of parent-teacher conferences and quick conversations/email exchanges to check-in on certain behaviors he was displaying and they were very much in tune to Jackson not being in tune throughout his time there.

It was one of these parent-teacher conferences that made us rethink the initial Kindergarten screening that Jackson had had back in the winter of '09 and wonder if maybe the evaluators were on to something when they passed him but noted a "social/emotional concern possibly requiring further evaluation." The Willow House teachers were enthusiastic about our restart of the evaluation process with the public school system and worked with us to assess, manage and guide Jackson throughout the next couple of months while we waited in line for our turn at the Early Childhood Special Education table.

Yet I felt incredibly helpless during this time. Things weren't going well for Jackson at school, his teachers had tried every tip and technique at their disposal, Jackson was noticeably unhappy and the situation wasn't much better at home. It was very hard to wait for the evaluations to begin.

It was the beginning of March when Dan and I realized that we didn't have to keep sending Jackson to preschool while we waited for his evaluation to formally begin if it wasn't going well. Preschool is not required schooling and we weren't using it as childcare since I'm home with the kids anyway. We loved his school and wanted to keep sending him there because we wanted it to work, but it just wasn't going to happen. Jackson didn't match the school's philosophy and the school didn't match Jackson's needs.

So we pulled him out of school. It was a decision that felt very rebellious and rogue in a way (Dan and I are not rule-breakers) but also was clearly the right decision because things started getting easier all around after that. Willow House itself was not the problem, but the process of continually sending Jackson to a school that didn't work for him was stressful for everyone involved: the teachers, the parents and most importantly, Jackson.

Jackson started coming to my Early Childhood Family Education class with Amelia and me and he loved it immediately and started to feel comfortable there. ECFE is a great stand-in for the remainder of this school year, and now we've got his evaluation completed with a plan of action for next year, so all's well that end's well.

Except we had a great relationship with Willow House that we didn't want to just cut off because our kid didn't match the style there! Happily, the teachers agreed and have maintained contact and even came to our home for an extended goodbye visit so Jackson could spend some time with them again and we could talk about our process, where it's all headed and thank them for bringing so many details to the light for us.

Willow House is a very "crunchy" school, which is a huge reason why we felt comfortable there. There isn't one piece of plastic in the place, the kids eat whole food snacks that they help cook there and their art projects regularly involve materials like wool, found objects from nature and paper-mâché. When I was trying to think of a simple thank you gift for a school that had done so much for us as a family, I knew that hand-knit toys would be a perfect match.

So, to make a very long story short, I knit these vegetables for our friends at Willow House (except the cucumber, which was knit for Jackson with a promise that I would make more of the other veggies for him too) to say thank you for the help with our son. Just a simple gesture of gratitude, but I know that Ann and Kristin feel it deeply like we do.

(These are fantastic little patterns and the book is filled with adorable little creations. Incredibly fidgety knits, but they go fast and are addicting. Highly recommended for knitters with small people in their lives!)

*Jackson was asked by one of his evaluators to rearrange four story cards in the right order and tell the story of what was going on in the photos. He replied, "Well, let me tell you something about stories. Stories have words and these pictures don't have words so I can't tell you their story." The boy can't read on his own yet, but his rigid way of thinking about stories is clearly already set. Indeed, his dad is upstairs reading The Hobbit to him for the third time right now...

Shepherd's Harvest-Mother's Day

2010-05-09T20:52:00.000-05:00

We made our annual trek to Shepherd's Harvest Festival today for Mother's Day and it was wonderful, again. Dan gets props for being the ultimate husband since he's the one who first found out about this fiber festival back in 2006 when Jackson was just a teeny babe. It's always held over Mother's Day weekend and Dan has always made sure that I not only get there over Mother's Day weekend, but that it's our main event for Mother's Day weekend. I'm truly blessed to have a husband who understands and appreciates my love of fiber and knitting.

He's turned it into a family event to go to this festival every year, to the point where he actually talked me into going this year, since I was on the fence (it's not like I need yarn, after all...). I think the live animals, music and kettle corn all have something to do with his motivation, but he genuinely shows an interest in the yarns that I ooh and aah over too.

Jackson even got on board with the yarn shopping this year, since we were on a mission to find the perfect green yarn for a new sweater for him. He chose neon green beaded mohair at first, so I had to gently steer him towards the more subdued worsted weight wool. I think he'll be pleased with the choices when cold weather returns in the fall. (And I'd rather buy a machine-made sweater from Gap Kids for him than knit with beaded mohair in any color!)

And as usual (which is another reason I'm so glad that Dan made me go), I ran into many fiber-y friends and was able to reconnect with a few people whom I haven't seen in way too long. Some talk about Jackson's Asperger's, but a lot of talk about yarn. It was a lovely way to spend Mother's Day, again.

Jackson spying on the felting demonstration going on in the Yurt.

Amelia learning to spy with her big brother.

"Um, maybe we shouldn't be doing this, Big Brother..."

A happy girl with her new doll. (And yes, that's Jackson's Hoodie from 2007 that she's wearing. I LOVE that this sweater has become a hand-me-down and is still getting use from my kids!)

Jackson got a new doll too; there's that kettle corn...

Jackson's yarn. He wanted green, I wanted blue (to show off his BLUE eyes!), so I compromised and bought both. Yeah, it was really a stretch for a Knitter to have to buy more yarn...

P.S. Click here to watch a video about Shepherd's Harvest. Maybe we'll see you there next year!

Temple Grandin on TED

2010-05-09T00:11:00.002-05:00

This is an amazing TED Talk given by Temple Grandin, "the most accomplished and well-known adult with autism in the world." If you don't know Temple yet, watch this 19-minute clip to be wowed. (If you don't know TED yet, you should check them out too!)

Temple Grandin's TED Talk: "The World Needs All Kinds of Minds"

Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

2010-05-08T15:08:00.001-05:00

I thought I better grab a picture of this, since Amelia seems to want to learn German before she (officially) learns English. Not a surprise that she chose this one off the bookshelf, since she is pretty much an exact replica of her German grandmother (in the looks department, anyway). :)

love, friday (aspergers edition)

2010-05-06T22:45:00.003-05:00

• Love finally coming to the end of a very long journey, even though we know it's actually just the beginning of a new one.

• Love having answers about our son's quirks, abnormalities and otherwise atypical behaviors.

• Love Willow House preschool for the gentle ways in which they worked with Jackson and first alerted us to some of the things that seemed unusual.

• Love our school system for the intense evaluation they provided and the loving embrace with which they delivered their findings.

• Love our pediatrician's office and the connection to a first-rate developmental/behavioral pediatric doc who concurred with a medical diagnosis after spending time with our boy and reviewing page after page of interview detail and school reports.

• Love that Jackson will receive placement in a private, mainstream preschool next year with our public school system footing the bill, since he qualifies for special services now. Love that there will be a special ed. teacher on staff to support him with his specific IEP to achieve his goals for the year for 20% of the time, but the other 80% of the time will be spent just acting like a preschool kid.

• Love that busing is included in this incredible gift for us so that Amelia will get her afternoon naps since I won't be shuffling her brother all around town.

• Love the spectrum.

• Love my son's brain and finding new ways to learn how it works.

• Love this blog post about toasters and hair dryers. (Read it. I'll wait. It's fascinating.)

• Love finally knowing that Jackson is an Asperger's kid. Asperger's cannot be cured, it isn't a disease and it's not even a defect. It's a brilliant gift that provides another way to see this world.

• Love that my boy isn't flawed, but rather, is enhanced. Love that his memory capacity is almost off the charts. Love that his cognitive ability is extremely high. Love that he's predicted to excel in academics. Love that his language is beyond his years, even if he does sound a little weird to his peers. Love that his capacity to love is deep, even if he has trouble finding ways to share it. Love that his hearing is so amazing that he notices the faintest songs playing in the background when people are talking and starts to sing along. Love that his intense focus (INTENSE FOCUS) on whatever he's doing suddenly makes sense.

• Love that we have such a huge network of friends and family who are already reaching out and showing their support for us in person, over the phone, via email and yes Dad, even on Facebook.

• Love that Jackson's future seems brighter now, not darker. He's the same exact boy now as before we received the diagnosis, but now we can better understand how he learns and help him grow and love and be happy and successful in this world.

love, friday (aspergers edition)

May Day

2010-05-02T21:01:00.001-05:00

Spring has sprung in the best way this year and we've been digging into our gardens a little earlier than normal. Still holding off on planting the things that don't like nights below 50 degrees, but the peas are loving this weather. The soil is so warm this year--it's hard to hold back!

Jackson planted a pumpkin seed in a Dixie cup at his church school class a few weeks ago and it completely took off. We transplanted it on Earth Day to a larger pot and the thing is reaching to our sunny windows like it's trying to fly! Needless to say, the Boy is excited. He's already working on designs for his homegrown Halloween jack-o-lantern. (No pressure for Mom and Dad to keep the thing alive or anything...)

Spring means May Day and May Day means the annual In the Heart of the Beast May Day Parade and Festival. We walked over to the parade today and reveled with fellow neighbors, friends, and our community-at-large at this awesome event. I love how completely May Day is embraced by our community. It's really a major holiday around these parts and it's so fun. Jackson was a little overwhelmed as he sat on his dad's shoulders and scrutinized the next parade marchers (dancers! singers! puppets! musicians!) coming around the corner, but he told us all about what he liked best and least later at home. (Loved = balloons and the larger-than-life jellyfish puppets, Hated = skeleton puppets on stilts and chicken puppets, for fear that they would peck him.) Amelia loved everything that she saw from the angled position on my back but then promptly fell asleep and missed most of the parade (it's hard to handle all of that excitement when you're 21mos old and should be napping).

FO Report: Another Poncho

2010-04-07T22:33:00.000-05:00

Yarn: Punta Yarns Merisoft Hand Paint in color HP53, 100% merino, 490 yards used (about 2 1/2 skeins)
Pattern: Knitting Pure and Simple Children's Poncho #243 by Diane Soucy
Needles: US6
Size: 2-4
Started: March 2010
Finished: March 2010

This yarn is soft and luscious just like Malabrigo, so it was the perfect choice for Amelia’s second poncho (to replace her baby-sized Malabrigo one from last year). This is a no-brainer pattern and SO awesome for kids. Jackson still wears his poncho too, so they look like Hansel and Gretel as they walk down the sidewalk together! So sweet. (Sorry for the not-so-great shot of her in the poncho. It seems that she's turning into her brother in the "Idontwannabephotographed" attitude.)

(The photo below is from last November and was taken by my awesome photographer friend, Tami, at a local nature center. Can you even get over the cuteness?)

FO Report: Mini-Estes Vest

2010-04-07T21:33:00.000-05:00

Yarn: Schaefer Yarn Esperanza in "Greenjeans," 70% lambswool/30% alpaca, 279 yards of a 280 skein used (whew...)
Pattern: Estes Vest by Hana Jason, Interweave Knits Fall 2008 (modified)
Needles: US10.5, US9
Size: about 18 months, for Dan's nephew due July '10
Started: March 2010
Finished: March 2010

I loved making my own Estes Vest for my Knitting Olympics project so much that I thought I’d just keep going while the stitch pattern was fresh in my head and make a small version. Sometime during knitting my vest, this yarn popped into my head screaming “this MUST be a mini-Estes Vest!” and I knew I’d finally found the right project-yarn match. (This yarn had been knit into at least two other things and frogged because they just weren’t right. Here's one, I didn't document the other attempts...)

I had less than one yard of yarn left on this project, so I was sweating a bit at the end hoping it would all work out. I absolutely adore how it turned out though and can’t wait to see Dan's new little nephew wearing it sometime next year! We visited the parents-to-be in D.C. last week and I, of course, couldn't wait until the kid was born to give it to them so it's already gifted. Fun!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-07T13:25:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-24T21:28:00.003-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-17T10:14:00.002-05:00

FO Report: French Press Felted Slippers

2010-03-13T09:16:00.000-06:00

Yarn: Cascade 220 100% wool, color 4148, used about 1 1/2 skeins (knit with 2 or 3 strands held together)

Pattern: French Press Felted Slippers by Melynda Bernadi of French Press Knits
Needles: US17
Size: aimed for a 9/10, came out with an 8
Started: 2/1/10
Finished: 2/7/10

I jumped on the French Press Felted Slippers bandwagon after Stephanie raved about the pattern around Christmastime. It wasn't exactly a 90-minute knit, as she and others promised, but it only took me a little longer overall and was a fast and easy pattern.

I do really love these slippers and plan to make them again and again. Starting with another pair for Ms. Eden, the recipient of this pair, since they're just a little bit too tight. (It's so hard to stop at just the perfect size when felting!) The finished pre-felting length was about 16" and I was aiming to felt to about 9 1/2" but it just went ever so slightly down towards 9" and that makes it more like a shoe size 8 1/2. They fit me perfectly, so I know they're not exactly perfect for her, since her feet have always been just a half-inch longer than mine! No matter what she says, I know.

At least she likes them though. How could anyone not like these adorable slippers? Too cute. Happy Birthday again, Eden!

In New York, I...

2010-03-11T22:18:00.001-06:00

I visited New York City with my good friend, Kristina, last weekend and really -- wow -- we had such a great time and I was so able to relax and we ate such great food and laughed so hard...

In New York, I:

• had an awesome lunch with my high school friend, Meilan, and her daughter at Alice's Tea Cup on the Upper West Side (before Kristina arrived, otherwise she would have joined us too!). I can still taste this meal--sandwich of roasted cumin carrots with olive tapenade, goat cheese and arugula with the tastiest cup of decaf Earl Gray I've had in a very long time--and it was so nice to catch up with Meilan in person (vs. FB).

• ate at Po Restaurant in the West Village with Kristina on our first night there. We felt a little sardined in the small space but the food was incredible, the atmosphere was awesome and we talked non-stop throughout the meal (taking turns telling stories so the other could eat, of course, this is a recurring thread of the weekend).

• confidently hopped on subways and figured out where everything was fairly well, only needing cabs when it was either too late to bother with the trains or if we were too hungry to think straight and likely to get lost in Brooklyn when meaning to go to Central Park.

• explored Chelsea Market Saturday morning and was pleasantly surprised by the offerings. If I lived there, I would go there every week. We had yummy iced coffees and ate delectable artisan cheese melted into crusty French breads. We also both bought a new cookbook (the same cookbook) at the Market and I can't stop drooling over it: The Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker: Simple and Sophisticated Meals from Around the World. I made the Japanese-Style Braised Tofu in my crockpot at home tonight and cannot believe how easy it was and how awesome it tasted. (Thank you, New York, for reminding me that I have a very alive and curious food palate!)

• hit six yarn stores over two days and was impressed by at least five. The sixth one was...interesting. I didn't feel the need to buy something at every store, but I'm thrilled with what I did buy.

• saw a truly amazing knit winged dragon/dinosaur thing at one of the yarn shops that Jackson would LOVE, but they didn't have the pattern. must.seek.out.

• had a bowl of THE BEST HOT CHOCOLATE ON EARTH at The City Bakery and even had to buy a "Hot Chocolatarian" t-shirt to prove it. We missed their Hot Chocolate and Knitting Festival by two weeks, but the place was still decked out in it's marshmallowy party clothes. So flippin' fun. They ask you "would you like a marshmallow with that?" when you order your hot chocolate because a.) it costs extra, b.) it's homemade and c.) it's huge. If you go, say "yes, please" to that question. You won't be sorry.

• walked, talked, laughed, and laughed some more. I'm sure we looked like tourists a few times with our big oohs and aahs and pointing fingers, but...we were. So.Much.Fun.

• stayed in a really awesome 3 1/2-star hotel in the middle of Times Square on the 26th floor overlooking The Lion King theater with a general awesome front row seat to the City That Never Sleeps (it really doesn't). I think I'll try to stay in the Village next time, since most of what I wanted to see/eat/buy was down there, but Times Square is nice and central. A bit crazy and touristy, but when in Rome...

• saw a really big button and needle in the Garment District.

• got tickets to Avenue Q off-Broadway show at the last minute at the tkts booth in Times Square. We ordered drinks to be delivered to us during intermission (how very New York) and laughed for two hours straight at this definitely-OMG-totally-not-for-kids-even-though-they're-Muppets show.

• had a late-night dinner at momofuku after Avenue Q where we didn't even place our order until almost 11:15pm, which is long after most kitchens close around here. The place was packed. We sat at the noodle bar so we could see the chefs make everything and it was like a symphony of food with the head chef as the conductor. Amazing coordination. Amazing food. There was a line out the door at midnight! (That's ginger scallion noodles with shitake mushrooms and a good porter beer. YUM.)

• had a really bad breakfast on Sunday morning at a quick chain place where we thought it would be safe to just grab a bite. Can't win them all, I guess...

• Recovered from the bad breakfast by attending church (I know, so not a New York weekend visit thing to do!) and really enjoyed the experience. We're both Unitarian-Universalists, so it was fun to see another UU church and connect together on that level too. And of course, since UUs are so cool and liberal and we're both knitting fanatics, we knit together all the way through church too.

• had an awesome flatbread pizza and ginormous homemade chocolate chip cookie for lunch at Birdbath back in the Village. Birdbath is the totally "green" arm of The City Bakery and while we were expecting a bit more in size and offerings, it was truly charming and delicious.

• took in yet another musical, this time on-Broadway. Kristina insisted that we see The Lion King after I raved about how awesome it is. If you know Kristina and her happy, fun-filled, don't-even-think-about-trying-to-say-no attitude, you know why I couldn't say no. It was my third time seeing this show over 15 years and WOW! it still floored me. I have chills just thinking about it now. If you ever have the chance, go. Don't hesitate. It's truly amazing.

• visited my very favorite Thai place in New York--Galanga-- for, oh, the fourth time in my life for dinner after the show. I felt kinda bad about going back since it seems silly to repeat a visit to any restaurant in a city so packed with amazing food, but...it's really good Thai and I know where it is. It didn't disappoint and we rolled all the way home, filled with Pad Thai, curries and green papaya salad (which I couldn't get off my brain and just recreated here at home tonight. It turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself!).

• was really, really good overall in my attempt to not use any disposable items while traveling (I even used my new bamboo utensils a couple of times!) but it somehow seemed right to get a Starbuck's in the middle of Times Square for a last walk around oohing and aahing at the lights, the people and the general hubbub on our last night. We both prefer non-corporate coffee and we both hate the waste, but... That caramel macchiato was good.

• had an amazing time with an amazing person in an amazing city. It's hard to believe that this whole thing was arranged by text message just a month prior for two friends to meet up in New York, coming from different states and completely different lives, but sometimes, things just work. It was perfect timing for both of us and we had such a perfect time together. I'm very thankful to have such a good friend like Kristina who says "YES!" to life!

Farewell, New York. I'll be back...

Then & Now

2010-03-11T11:52:00.000-06:00

Amelia LOVES playing with her dollies in the Moses basket from Kristina. She loves it so much, that she's taken to crawling into the basket to play with them (which is mildly annoying, since I don't want her to break it. But it is her old bed I guess...). The first photo was taken when she was a wee four days old (oh! be still my mommy heart!) and the second photo was taken just before naptime on Tuesday. She was tired, so she crawled into bed! The time for the big girl bed in her room is getting closer and closer... My baby's getting so big!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-10T08:05:00.000-06:00

(Taken @ Purl Soho in NYC while visiting last weekend.)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-03T08:55:00.001-06:00

FO Report: Knitting Olympics Gold-Medal Winner, Estes Vest

2010-02-27T14:40:00.001-06:00

Yarn: KnitPicks Swish Bulky in "Cypress," 100% superwash merino wool, approximately 6.5 137-yd skeins
Pattern: Estes Vest by Hana Jason, Interweave Knits Fall 2008
Needles: US10.5, US9
Size: aimed for a 44.5," came out with a 42" (guess I didn't have gauge after all!) but it's perfect
Started: 2/12/10
Finished: 2/27/10

I can't say that I can't believe that I finished this sweater in such a short amount of time because I chose it for my Knitting Olympics project knowing that I could do it. I'm just so flippin' crazy excited that I did do it and absolutely adore this sweater!

As per most of the notes on Ravelry about this project, I discovered that it is a very fast knit, but the finishing can really slow you down. I love a challenge and I love a mission so I set out to knit this thing with a schedule in mind, allowing for lots of extra finishing time at the end. I knit the back piece in about 4 or 5 days, the left front in a couple of days and then whipped out the right front all in one day last Saturday (starting very early and staying up way too late). The pockets were knit and assembled at one very long coffeeshop outing last Sunday and the pieces were blocking by Sunday night.

That allowed a day or two of rest before seaming, knitting the collar and finally tackling the attached I-cord edging. Sure enough, the I-cord edging proved a bit difficult and I had to undo 5 hours of work when I realized that I had picked up 50% less stitches than needed down the button bands, making the sweater pucker like a kid eating a sour lemon drop. Luckily (really?), my adorable 1yo daughter pulled that I-cord off the needles for me, so I could start over on the arduous process of picking up stitches down the left front, all around the bottom and up the right front for a do-over. At one point, I had three seperate circular needles (16," 24," and 32") all going at the same time. I don't even want to know how many stitches that was...

Modifications:
• I lengthened the sweater quite a bit. The pattern had it at 20" long, but I made mine 23" long and blocked it at 26" long. The extra 3" from blocking was a surprise (didn't know the yarn was so springy) but a welcome one. I prefer longer sweaters after having had two kids!

• I moved the pockets out closer to the side seams, so my whole hands could actually fit in them instead of just my fingertips. I'm thrilled with the pockets overall, just don't look too closely on the wrong side of the left one where I knit too much pocket trim and ended up stitching it to the backside. (Can't tell from the front!)

I could point out exactly which three hexagon pattern repeats are wonky, would have preferred a cleaner selvedge line going up the side seams and really should have proceeded with the cable pattern at the neckline during my bind-off row so it wouldn't just end in Stockinette stitch weirdness, but I am willing to ignore these minor errors and claim my gold medal in the Knitting Olympics anyway. As the Yarn Harlot says, there is no bronze or silver in this event and we're only competing against ourselves. I set out to knit a complicated (for me) cabled sweater vest in a 17-day period and I accomplished this. It's a major bonus that it fits me perfectly, is comfy and cute and that we're heading into vest season in the Northland! It will be worn often.

I didn't get to watch the Olympics on TV nearly as much as I'd hoped (don't even get me started on how annoying it is that NBC requires you to have a cable TV password to view the games online--I don't have a TV, I don't have a cable provider, therefore [!!] I want to watch the games on my computer!) but the "highlights" were inspiring and did definitely make me knit faster. I really picked up speed when Evan got his gold last Friday night (that must be why the right front was knit all in one day on Saturday! Thanks, Evan!).

Yay Olympics! And yay Knitting Olympics! Up next: a teeny-sized version of this sweater for that adorable 1yo who "assisted" me along the way with mine. This is gonna be so cute...

P.S. Yes, those are crocheted button toggles. Yes, I do hate crochet but it was part of the challenge/mission.

P.P.S. Yes, I am getting a haircut soon (today!).

(not) Wordless (not) Wednesday

2010-02-25T11:01:00.001-06:00

Her "purse" is filled with race cars and she has to wear the conductor cap when her brother is away at school. (19-months old already, in case anyone has forgotten. My Baby!)

love, friday (can't talk! knitting for the gold!)

2010-02-20T19:57:00.000-06:00

• Love this sweater. Love the speed knitting. Love the Olympics! (Back is done, left front is done and right front is on track for doneness tonight. That leaves pocket trims/linings, blocking, seaming and the 15-mile I-cord edging for completion during the last week of the Olympics.)

love, friday (on saturday)

(almost) Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-17T07:19:00.000-06:00

(Our response to neighbors whose dogs leave us daily "packages" on the sidewalk AND our response to falling off the February One Small Change wagon by ordering pizza in take-out containers. Those are pizza box signs!)

And the winner is...

2010-02-16T22:52:00.000-06:00

Rebecca! (Happy Birthday, Friend!) Since I'll be seeing you on your birthday this week, I'll deliver your prize in person. :)

Thanks for playing, everyone! And thanks for your great ideas for One Small Changes that we can all make to help the Earth!

We REALLY Love Frozen Blueberries and Knitting Olympics Progress

2010-02-14T10:47:00.000-06:00

love, friday

2010-02-12T11:05:00.000-06:00

• Love my handmade-in-preschool Valentine from my sweet, sweet boy.

• Love my best friend, Eden, and wishing her a very happy birthday today! (She loves sedums and succulents and they always make me think of her.)

• Love making brownies on a sunny but cold winter Friday morning with my kids. Love having to use two wooden spoons now, to share the "licking the spoon" love.

• Love that three weeks from today I will be wandering around NYC awaiting the arrival of my dear friend, Kristina, who is meeting me there for a girl's weekend. (Can I start the countdown yet?)

• Love the anticipation of starting on my Knitting Olympics project tonight.

• And, seriously, this week has felt about 5 weeks long, so this last one is really all I have left to say:

love, friday

Knitting Olympics

2010-02-11T22:43:00.004-06:00

I'm taking the plunge this Olympic season and signing on to be a Knitting Athlete. That's right, I'm participating in the Knitting Olympics. (U-S-A! U-S-A!) The concept and rules, straight from the Yarn Harlot's blog:
____________________________________

Concept: You must cast on a project during the Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympics, Friday, February 12, 2010 and finish before the Olympic flame goes out Sunday, February 28. That's 17 days.

Rules:
1. The project must be a challenge for you to complete in 17 days.
2. There are no rules about what a challenge would be. Like the real Olympics, there are many areas to compete in. If you are a new knitter, then a garter stitch baby sweater might do...If you are experienced, use your own conscience.
3. While this is intended to be somewhat difficult (like the Olympics) it is not intended to ruin your life. Don't set yourself up for failure. (Olympic athletes may cry, but they do not whine pitifully, sob and threaten members of their family with pointed sticks because they haven't slept in five days. ) This is intended to (like the Olympics) require some measure of sacrifice, and be difficult, but it should be possible to attain.
4. No casting on before the flame is lit. (The opening ceremonies run from 6-8 pst. If you can't watch, then I'd pick a time in there.)
5. Finish before the flame goes out.
6. You may swatch before the games. (I consider this "training.")

____________________________________

I am going for the gold with the Estes Vest from Interweave Knits, Fall 2008 and am pretty darn excited about it. I completed my "training" tonight and everything seems to be falling into place. I am re-purposing yarn from a failed attempt at a different sweater vest last December (aren't my little helpers adorable?), have the correct quantity of yarn from the same dye lot on hand and pre-wound into center-pull balls, and I have all other supplies (needles in various sizes and lengths, notions, pattern in a plastic sleeve) prepped and ready to go in one project bag. I don't, after all, want to risk pulling a Tonya Harding and whining for a do-over because my boot wasn't laced tight enough, er, I mean because I couldn't find my size 10 1/2 straights.

(For the judges who may be out there watching to make sure that there is no illegal casting-on before the Opening Ceremonies, the sweater pictured above is NOT my Knitting Olympics sweater. It's a failed attempt at another nameless sweater that sat in my closet for two months thinking about what it did.)

But the most important part of training--the part that will determine whether this sweater is bronze, silver or gold caliber, the part that will make this sweater fit me and allow me to stand on that gold medal pedestal singing the Star Spangled Banner with tears streaming down my face and my chin held high--is gauge.

I got gauge.

Bring it on, Vancouver! Let the games begin!

You Are My Sunshine

2010-02-11T12:41:00.001-06:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-10T09:47:00.000-06:00