Mommy

Loved my day today - got to spend it with mommy. Buying flowers at the nursery (such childhood memories there) and then to a fancy lunch.

The lunch started off with chicken broth in a cute little cup and a giant popover with strawberry goodness (butter and jam and something else?) and then glorified tator tots topped with parmesan cheese.

Mandarin orange souffle, chicken salad - yes an interesting combo - but really good! The best part of the day was mommy saying "I want to get my ears pierced"

We walked over and did it and as I stood there I couldn't help but think back 20 years and remember her taking me to get my ears pierced and here I was taking her! Wow! How things circle round. I love Mommy!!!

Peas and Favas

I have a little friend - whom i adore - sitting contently next to me.

her name is pea olive and she is my youngest daughter - with a fever, content to be just next to me, leaning her head on me, sucking on her hospital pacifier -which she only uses in her crib but there are always exceptions - yes ;) - how blessed am I!!!

Usually I would be continuously pulling her off the table, off my desk, down from the couch - she would want to be typing - but not now, no -she is content.  It makes me think about my contentedness and where I find those places where I am pleased to just sit, sit with someone who I feel safe with, someone I can trust, somewhere I love - I am that for her right now and I love that I get to be.  Where or who is that for me - have many thoughts about that -something good for me to think on....

Speaking about P. olive and peas - Grace and I shelled fresh sugar snap peas and fava beans.  As we opened up their little home, there they lay, hanging out with their family, nestled close or surrounded by a soft sweater (you must feel the inside of a fava bean).  They are so cozy in their shell.  This is definitlely  their safe little place where they are content to just sit and be!

peanut butter quinoa cookie sweetened with honey and a lemonade with an orange slice seemed to make everything better all of sudden.  the chewy drippy taste of honey lingered after the soft peanuty dark brown rustic looking cookie.  going now to see if i can find a recipe for this amazing cookie.  here i go.

Is 2:30pm too early to put pajamas on and cozy up under my blankets?  - oh ya, I have 3 little ones - yes, it is too early.  I am dreaming of my down blanket and a warm sunny spot on the couch to warm my feet.  An episode of Murder She Wrote or continuing on in "A Homemade Life".  A large glass of water with lemon and orange and a tylenol.  An excitement for what the rest of the day holds rather than a dread of what activity I will come up with for afternoon witching hour entertainment.  I am wondering what it would be like to not feel so tired, what would that look like to my children who get 10% patient, kind me and 80% tired, irritable me these days - ok, not so hard on myself - maybe 11% patient, kind me and 79% tired one.

I have not gone to the my usual grocery store run but rather have been stopping daily stops here and there at markets to pick up whatever sounds good with 3 little mouths excitedly waiting and choosing and asking.  Yesterday it was 5:30pm driving home in traffic after another quite unenjoyable photo shoot at Target - why did I choose to do this again?  The drive thru at chic filet was so enticing (and I don't even like processed chicken!!!)  How EASY would that be....i fought the urge trying to imagine how much better I would feel feeding these precious ones a better meal.  So, I drove home and made orzo in chicken broth with spinach and parmesan cheese.  Then on pretty little white plates I placed 2 little fresh mozzarella balls, a chunk of perfectly ripe avocado, and a slice of prosciutto drizzled all in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. It looked really special and pretty - they deserve to feel special - they are!  I actually did find a decent dinner in my refrigerator that is quite empty and sad.  And yes, I felt satisfied that these 3 little bodies had good food in their tummies.

*this moment is ending as my activities coordinator job is about to begin - I hear the cries from the crib, footsteps emerging out of rooms - bring on the witching hour! ;)

Lemons, Blood Oranges and Fennel

This is day is a calm one - husband home from long Europe trip and the doors are all open, the weather is warm with a lovely breezy and I just could not help but use my lemons and blood orange and make a really pretty water - add in some basil inspired by Jules and this day is now even better!  Leo Kottke on guitar in the background, Grace playing "teachers" in back bedroom and I am cooking fennel on the stove  - Love this moment!  The outer leaves are pretty tough on the fennel bulb so I am cooking the outside parts of the bulb and I am going to chop them up, add olive oil, salt, pepper and a splash of apple cider vinegar - not too much - done!  I think Olive will love it!

*Chicken stock with pink peppercorns - another soothing food on a soothing day!

Renaissance Mamas

Inspiring day today with Jules in LA - renaissance mamas - she calls it - we talked about our kitchens, drank rooibos pineapple tea and created amazing meals with the local produce from the farmers market in Hollywood.  I feel like I want to clean out my cabinets and go to the farmers market as soon as one opens - saturday ;)  Fun to go on this adventure with Lara - we lauged a lot and enjoyed our few hours in a world we don't get to visit often - freedom to play, relax and create without our responsibilities pounding on the door!

"Rainy days and Mondays always get me down" - Karen Carpentar ;) Not me -  I love rainy days and yesterday was one of them.  I wrote this to a friend yesterday and thought this was a good synopsis of my day ;) "we are inside today - grace and hudson were playing in the puddles and now they are making their own lunch (which was actually decent for a 3 and 5 year old to make). Love it!! Penelope is making a mess and my dog ate my whole loaf of bread - this is all after a morning at the urgent care when allen needed 11 staples in his head after hitting it really hard on the cabinet ;) onward we press on - have a great day!" 

 Even through this chaos I loved this day.  I made a huge bowl of popcorn and my kids climbed into my bed and watched Mary Poppins, I got to bake some granola I have been wanting to try - delicious - and some of the softest molasses cookies I have ever had - amazing!!!  The sun came out for a brief time - may I add at the perfect time for me to get everyone outside and feed the horses, play some kickball and play outside just before coming in for warm cookies and a lovely spaghetti dinner.

* A great day I am thankful for.  Here comes little footsteps - love the sound of those - here goes a new day!