Cluck and Tweet

Busy? Yes. Productive? Jury's Still Out.

School has begun and as soon as children were shooed into brick-lined buildings we've been blessed with a September of perfect summer weather (warm days, cool nights, the sun shining brightly but in that tired autumnal way that signals a change is in the air, and no tourists to wrestle for parking spots in front of the Post Office.  Perfection!).  Both kids are adjusting beautifully and have absolutely no complaints (okay, except for homework) and I have started a new job.

Yes.  That's what I said. 

Here's where you must know that I am certified to teach language arts and Spanish at the middle school and high school levels.  I crammed 4 years of college into 6 for that degree.  And I used it for 8 years. Then I had kids and was so, so lucky to be able to stay at home.  

I love being home.  I'm envious of Kate and her homeschooling rhythms.  Just check out The Blankie Chronicles and you will want her to adopt you.  I love not having to be somewhere at a certain time.  I love animals sleeping at my feet, tea and a cookie (okay, several cookies), Norah Jones wafting through the house (or if she's busy, her music on the stereo will do), a fire in the fireplace, a good book...you know, all of those things that signal peace and quiet and more of an exhale than an inhale.

I love that.  But it's so not productive.  

So it's time to start a new job.  There are very few teaching jobs in Michigan.  Okay, let's rephrase that. There are very few jobs in Michigan.  But I think I found a pretty good one.

Here's my office:

This is Paws and Claws Boarding and Bath where I sometimes walk dogs for 4 hours and clean up a lot of poop. And I look at a different version of this all day:

I can honestly say I have never seen Kooda roll his eyes at me.  And I have yet to ask him to spit out his gum.

When I'm not at Paws and Claws I've been filling up my waking hours tending to my Etsy shop.  If you've never had an Etsy shop, you might not believe the time and effort that goes in to making it successful. My Etsy shop isn't even successful and I put a ton of time into it.  The jewelry market is so saturated that you must find a niche.  So I've been working on these guys:

with the hope that they're unique enough to get my shop noticed.  But even with this, Etsy success means constant vigilance, exceptional photography, time in forums and on blogs and teams and virtual labs, cute boxes, great customer service, people who order things but don't pay, and terrifically supportive people who love handmade items (that's a shout out to you, KathiD!).

I also have two children.  I don't know how your children work, but my two require attention.  So, often I'm dropping off one here:

And another one here:

And hopefully they both don't have to be somewhere at the same time.  And hopefully I don't drop off the wrong child at the wrong place.  Anna would look funny trying to play soccer in riding boots.

And I have a pretty constant underlying sense of concern for parents who are getting older and one who has major health concerns. I don't have a picture of that.  I don't think there is a picture of that.

So, I've been busy.  I'm inhaling a lot more.  Sucking it up, moving forward.  Less Norah Jones, more caffeinated Kid Rock.  I'm getting things done.  Me, who could sit and read a book all day.  Because what else is there to do?  

And the blessing in all of this is that nothing is taken for granted.  The tea, the cookies, reading...I appreciate it more because it's no longer the usual, normal routine.  

And that's a good thing.  

Now if I could just get Norah Jones to stop wandering around my house...

...alison...

Pesto-Chango!

I know i posted a recipe for Edamame Pesto not all that long ago, and posting this leaves me running the risk of making you all think I can't actually cook anything else, but in my freezer-packing furry, pesto has become a major staple around here. Whew. That was such a poorly written run-on sentence. Sorry 'bout that.

In any case, my favorite pesto recipe of all time is so very simple::

1 cup of loosely packed basil leaves

1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nut/sunflower seed combo (or all sunflower seeds if you have folks with nut allergies) The picture is from a doubled or tripled recipe-- I really do know how to measure.

1/2 cup good olive oil

1/4 cup parm cheese.

1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced.

Mash all together the old fashioned way or through in a food processor and blend.

I leave the cheese out when doing this:

Freezing pesto in individual cubes makes for easy storage (you can fill a glass jar for the freezer and just pluck one or two out as needed or just leave them right in the trays.  I use the BPA free Fresh Baby ones, that I still had from making Lizzie's baby food.  They are really easy to get out-- I've found the cheap plastic trays crack with stuff like pesto frozen in them.

If you want to mix it up try adding some fresh tomatoes to the mix-- a BIG hit around here.  

You could also roast some of the last bits of summer squash and blend those in (sound yummy)....

Or maybe even scoop some butternut squash that has been cooked in...With pesto, the possibilities are endless. And did I mention, pesto takes about 6 minutes, start to finish, to make??? 

Ninja-nuity!

I haven't been posting lately, but I have SUCH a good reason:: I got kidnapped by a ninja.

Okay, obviously this little ninja is just about as cute as they come and not very good at tying shoes, let alone people, up for long periods of time. So the truth is, I've been bogged down in the reality of homeschooling (um, why did I not think I'd be busy??) and freelance work and that other blog (ahem. two timer.) Or, I've been glued to netflix watching Meerkat Manor like all the other people without tv do. You pick.

In any case, there is something to be said for the ninja get up.  Want some free fun and a way to get your preschooler involved in housework?  Join us for a rousing round of Max Kwon Doe!  Out of sheer boredom one sunny afternoon, Max decided he wanted me to help him complete some ninja training. We got right down to work, turning our backyard into an obstacle course of ninja-riffic skill builders.

About an hour later (seriously! this game is great!) we were tiring of the far-reaching ninja work, like "teach sister how to kick a ball in a very kind way, because ninja's are good leaders"

so I took a chance. Making a big production out of moving "to the next level" of his training, I took Max to the front yard, where I handed him a broom (ever so ceremoniously) and told him that ninjas need an eye for detail...which he could hone by sweeping the front porch.  And guess what? He did it! Gladly!

Justin came home in time to get in on the action, and before the training was done, all the recycling had been loaded into my car to go to the drop-off center, the outside toys were all put away-- where they belong--, and the dogs got a good game of catch in with our little ninja.

I'm thinking tomorrow, storm trooper training will include toilet bowls and dust bunnies.

Survivor?

We're Survivor fans here in the Alison side of this blog. Kate will tell you she doesn't have television. It's true. But like all people who don't have television, they do have computers and DVDs. And they watch them probably as much as I watch TV. Kate would admit to that, too. Anna pointed out this video to me. Preview it before showing it to anyone and everyone. There are racial stereotypes and a bleeped out word. I'm not sure what it says about me, but I found it funny.

I've Turned Into THAT Kind of Mother

Our son has the tightest back our chiropractor has ever seen on a child.

But what child at 10 years of age really wants to stretch out his back? 

For that matter, what adult really wants to stretch out his back?

But on Sunday afternoon, during an insanely great game of U-11 soccer, Jimmie hurt his back.

(This is not a picture of this game.  Just an inaccurate representation.)

We held our "We told you so"s to a minimum and talked about how he really needed to stretch.  How maybe running on off days would help his game.  Along with more stretching.  And I would run with him. And the Rocky theme song would play in the background.  And we would get stronger.  We would beat the Yankees just as the Bad News Bears did, except without all the smoking and swearing.  And we would be victorious!  

The word "scholarship" may have reverberated just a little through my brain.  The initials "MVP" may have entered my bloodstream.  This image may have inappropriately flashed through the space between my ears:

Not in light of my son, of course, just because...well, because it's David Beckham.  

Nuff said.

Anyway, after school today, even though I had walked dogs for 3-1/2 hours for my new job (which pays me to exercise, apparently), I was bound and determined that Jimmie and I would run, run, run like the wind.  On the sand so that we would improve our form.  Backwards uphill to strengthen our hamstrings. We would time ourselves in order to meet goals that we've set.  I'd buy him a special "Goals" notebook! Yes, that's what I said, a whole, special notebook devoted to our goals.  Now who wouldn't be motivated by that?  

Jimmie, that's who.  Jimmie who decided that he needed time to do his homework rather than go running with his mother.  So, do you know what I did?  

I told him not to make excuses.

If he didn't want to run and get better at soccer, that's fine, but call it what it is.  

I was going running and he was welcome to come, but if he didn't he would have to live with that decision and explain it to his father.

Other kids don't have his talent but work harder, and they will become better than he is.  

And then, as he was sitting at the counter and wiped away a tear on the sleeve of his U of M jersey, I left to go for a run (which turned into a fast walk, but who's really paying attention anyway).

Not my proudest mothering moment.

I thought that W.H. Auden once said, "Walking is the cadence of thought," but I can't find that quote anywhere.  So I said it.  

Walking is the cadence of thought.

Because it's a really good quote.  And it's so true.

I walked for 1/2 an hour, realized I never want to be THAT mom, the mom who doesn't totally appreciate her child as he is, because really I do.  I love that kid.  The one who reads more than he eats. The one who comes up with silly sayings like, "Never eat your socks."  The one who loves U of M even though I went to Michigan State.  The one who looks at me through the dashboard lights and belts out "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" like we're on stage singing a duet.  

I love that kid.

So I apologized.  And explained why I was sorry.  I that I don't want to be THAT mom.  

And he accepted my apology.

Consider this a friendly warning...

see more dog and puppy pictures

Crabby

I'm not in the best mood I've ever been in.  Just to warn you.  Sam keeps having to pull me out of the dark place I find myself, the place I go when what I want to happen isn't happening, and rather than embracing the new, exciting challenges facing us I just want to lie on the floor and kick and scream and cry.  And use a sharp tone of voice that makes me cringe when I hear it come out of my mouth.

I don't do change well.  And "challenge" doesn't quite go with "exciting" in my book. But even I have to admit that fighting it is not the most effective way of meeting life head-on. 

I'm not proud of my behavior.

One of Sam's pep talks consisted of a "grab life by the horns" kind of philosophy, a "take control of your future" type of talk.  Although he was much more eloquent.  And it was effective.  

On our trip in Alaska I grabbed life by the horns and caught a 35 pound halibut, a fish that would provide our family with some great, cheap protein.  

 

Just don't look in the bucket behind me at the fish that is twice the size than the little halibut I caught.  It was caught by a young woman half my size.  Just forget I told you that, too.

This little fishing expedition lit a fire under Sam to supply more food for our table.  He's thinking of going deer hunting this fall and there are probably some grubs we can unearth out in the yard.  For now, however, apparently Rusty Crayfish is a local, but not native, species that tastes like lobster.  So last weekend, in an effort to score some inexpensive, tasty food, and get me out of my funk on a day that was beautiful enough to lure Darth Vader from the dark side, we took some bacon, tied it to some lines that Sam put together,

 and set out to catch us some crayfish.  Because really... who can resist raw bacon?

Then we waded out to find dinner.  Or at least an hor d'oeurve.

The lake, often mercurial and temperamental, was unusually warm, almost inviting, as we dropped out bacon-laden lines.

I immediately pulled up one

and then another.  

And then we tried for another hour and were teased but didn't get any more.

Sam, being just a wee bit competitive, would probably be still down at the beach fishing.  The kids might, too, even though they had long given up on the crayfish and were busily scooping up minnows.

We walked back up the hill to our house.  Jimmie wanted to hold one up like I did with the halibut in Alaska.  

Anna followed:

By the time Sam cooked them up we each scored a piece of meat about the size of half of my pinkie fingernail.

It actually did taste just like lobster, but we would have had more of a meal if we'd just eaten the bacon.

Just not nearly as much fun.  

Back to School cool

We started school today. In our pajamas. At the kitchen table.  

Following a wonderful one-year stint back in public school, we've returned to the realm of homschooling, a rhythm that works well for our family.  While I won't miss the early mornings (we start at 9 now) what I do get a little longer for this time of year is the *excuse* to go school shopping. Here's a rundown of some of the coolest school supplies I've seen...please go buy them for me:)

Lunchboxes...Lunchboxes.com has some seriously sweet lunch boxes.

From the eco-friendly and cool two-tier tiffin

to the rocking retro tin boxes

 

I was wishing I had 10 kids-- all in school-- just so I could purchase 10 lunchboxes.  My boys, I think would have yelled for this one:

And if you have some earth-friendly, yet well-verse in manners eaters, etsy has a whole selection of colorful, funky, unique napkins-- reusable of course.

Etsy also boasts some pretty cute lunch notes...though I suppose you can make your own...

When it comes to backpacks, there are the classic staples, like LLBean

and the stylish (yet I'm not sure practical) like this one from Keen

or the very in and eco-friendly ones, like the 80-percent recycled Osprey

and the pricey yet urban-chic Simple

Off course, there is  a wide array of pretty notebooks to be purchased

Back on Etsy, if mom needs a new read while the kids are away, you can find some real treasures in the vintage section.

And etsy has some great deals on fall hats....It's nice to show up at school wearing something you know no one else will have on!

   

Speaking of wearing...there are the back-to-school clothes that I covet, like everything from mini boden

(sigh).

And one last thing...You cannot send your little girl off to school without the **perfect** accessory for her AND you....and for that, look no further than the GlassAli on Etsy.  I mean, what can be more perfect for a return to the classroom than one of these???

          

(Almost) Speechless Sunday

This is the blessing of shorter days.  Being fully aware of the detonation of color that appears whether someone is looking or not.

Thank God I was looking.

I swear, I'm not a bear

I just stockpile food like one.  

Fall is almost here, which means winter isn't all that far off (sorry, folks, don't shoot the messenger).  I go into this crazy mode of cooking and freezing frenzy this time of year, wanting to  make sure I have a freezer (okay, two) full of local goodness before the fields are covered in snow. This week alone, I've been blasting out batches of pesto (recipe next week!), blanching the heck out of beans, kale, corn, and more, and whipping up marina sauces (recipe soon!) and soups galore.  Here's a recipe for my favorite late summer veggie, the carrot (sorely overlooked, in my opinion).  You can eat it right away or, if you can keep your soup ladle out of the pot, freeze it.  I like to have at least 10 of these ready for a chilly night with a warm loaf of bread....and knowing I dug half the carrots out of the ground myself makes it that much better. 

Herbed Carrot Soup, ala Moosewood style

Can you just read the ingredients from there? No? Darn it.

You will need::

--four cups h2o

--2 lbs of carrots, chopped (I used about four bunches of garden carrots about this size...probably more than two pounds, but that's okay).

--three or four redskin or yukon gold potatoes from the garden, or one medium size regular ol' potato. Either way, skin it up and chop.

-- two cloves of garlic, chopped

-- 1 small onion, chopped fine

-- Some thyme, oregano, basil, etc. Whatever's in the herb pots or, if you are using dried herbs, go for the herbs de provence and a little extra basil.

Now, take the carrots and the potatoes and stick them in a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until cooked through.  

Meanwhile, toss some olive oil in a pan, heat it up and add the onion. Cook on medium-low until it's soft but not too brown.  Add the garlic, and cook a minute more, then add the herbs and cook another minute or two.

If you have a food processor, stick the carrots and potatoes in and pulse once, add in the water slowly and keep pulsing. Add the herbed onion mix, and blend up until smooth.  If you don't have a food processor, you can use an immersion blender. And if you don't have that, I guess you could using a potato masher and do the mixing by hand. But if that's the case, I suggest you put one of the above two modern conveniences on your holiday wish-list. Just sayin'.

Dinner? Again? I've got the answer!

Every day of my life, it seems, I have to make dinner.  I don't necessarily despise the making of the dinner, although it sometimes gets in the way of my doing something else equally as important as feeding my family...things that include Facebook and checking my Etsy shop stats or making beads or watching Ellen...but I do despise the planning of the dinner.  What to have.  Who will eat what.  What ingredients are already in my cupboard.  

Here's an easy solution.  Little Pizzas!  All you need are some English muffins (we prefer Bays, which you can order online through Amazon very affordably.  Who knew?)

Top with pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese:

sprinkle with some parmesan cheese and bake at 350 degrees:

until nice and crispy and melty and brown on top:

 I've made these since I was a kid.  For one of my birthday parties my mom had all the fixings set out...olives, pepperoni, different cheeses...and everyone got to make her own pizza.  It was simple yet really fun.  I've never forgotten it.

It's a River! It's a Forest! It's a Fairy town! Or, it's paint.

I've been in a bit of a crafting funk lately.  Maybe it's the preparations for homeschooling or the fact that I've been picking up too much freelance work, or that it is sunny outside and my brain has been checked at the beach.  Regardless of the reasoning, I can't quite seem to make myself get artsy with the kids.  So when Max asked if we could "spray paint" last week, my mind kicked into overdrive, and came up with a project that totally did NOT turn out as planned, but was so very fun anyway.

 We ran to the dollar store and grabbed some spray bottles (any sort of spritz bottle will do).  Then we headed to the woods and fields behind our house, gathering bits of natural treasures to spray around (the idea being the leaves, sticks, etc. would be the "white space" on the paper). We didn't get far before the spray bottles (which had to be filled with water for *testing*) became weapons of war. Go figure.

But still. We headed down the trail, stopping briefly when Max found an entire colony of beetles and exclaimed "Look! Bugs do piggy back rides!" 

Ahem.

In any case, we eventually got going on our collecting...

stopping to nosh on some wild raspberries....

and twirl stuff...

Eventually, we made it back home, where we promptly put out some brown and white paper on the drive, and filled our bottles with paint and way too much water (if you plan to try this at home, I think an 8:2 ratio of paint:water is best).  The spraying commenced-- completely forgetting about the sticks and stones and grasses we'd collected.

Instead, we made a huge, colorful, watery mess...

And the boys immediately began to make up fantastic stories to accompany said mess, and I let go of the original craft plan to sit back and enjoy their creativity at work.  Sometimes, the best art *and by best, I don't necessarily mean finished products;)* is the stuff that just happens.

In what ways is art just happening in your world??

Back to Reality

Honestly, I just happened to glance out my window today and this is the scene that filled my world; the world that is filled with trying to get an Etsy shop up and running , with taxiing kids who-knows-where (by the way, does anyone know where my kids are?), with thoughts of beginning a new part-time job and school starting and dinner, always dinner, and how I'm not paying enough attention to my family or calling my dad enough or spending too much time on my computer.  

And then sometimes something so beautiful, like a lone sailboat on a gasp of blue, makes you stop and remember.  

In this case, however, it makes me remember breaths of mist and whales:

Yeah, I'm still in Alaska. I'm still looking at the facets of Lake Michigan and waiting, wishing for a whale to appear.  Because that would make things perfect.  Weird, but perfect.

We have friends who lived in Alaska, moved back to Harbor Springs for a year, and then moved back to Dutch Harbor, Alaska.  Mandy said she missed it.  Missed a part of Alaska where the average temperature in July is around 60 degrees.  60 degrees, people.  In July.  She said she missed all you could see in the ocean.  She looked in the Lake once and said, "Oh, look!  A sea anemone!"  and then realized the bright spot in the lake was a piece of plastic.

I oh-so-get that.  Because I'm missing that part of Alaska, too.  And I know that it's temporary.  And I know that it's totally unrealistic to think that our 10 day trip was at all how I could perpetually live.  And I know that where I live is really where I want to live.  That the scenery here is scandalously flamboyant. That I should seriously appreciate all of it. 

But this part of the year is almost over, and actually, this year, it barely even showed up for us to take attendance.  And it's back to reality.  And I'm a big baby.

But can you really blame me for missing this?

(the wildlife was amazing!)

I'm going to stop my whining.  right.  now.

Except to say that someone made me dinner every night.  While I was on vacation.  In Alaska.

Now I'm stopping.