Sagetribe- Adventures From Our Village

TWO!

All this girl said she wanted for her birthday was CAKE! Thanks to the local bakery (this mama is being better about SIMPLE), she had just that-

 a lovely little cup of cake, but what made it even more sweet 

was the fact that loved ones from Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware sang to her and watched her eat and open her presents via Google +'s hangout (pretty amazing!)

Presents- oh yes- there were, for CAKE is lovely, but so are Talking Abby dolls, princess castles, Legos, Tinkerbells, and Tea Sets!

Then, just tonight, we celebrated again with our wonderful co-op. This time this mama made a version of these super easy, super cute- Magic Wand Cookies. 

Then we headed over to KH, decorated, and made the place "so magic".

Guests began to arrive with fun things

We ate pizza and veggie sticks (ordered and from the bag- I mean SIMPLE- I used to try to cook a feast...never a good idea) 

Then came the sugary goodness,

(She's already like "My mom is such a dork!")

which was LOVED, loved, loved by our girl.

After cookies, balloon throwing, running, and yelling (this is why I don't have two year old's bday parties at our house) began (no idea why!).

Then S opened presents

with help from the Big Bro (who always has a hard time when it's someone else's party) and the gifts were so thoughtful and so Sophie, making me thankful there are so many families who KNOW and LOVE her, and are helping us raise our girl. 

It's been a wonderful start to TWO for all of us!

This Girl

This beautiful, smart, silly, LOUD, chatty, temper tantrum throwing, biting only her brother, will not eat vegetables regardless of what tricks I use girl...

This singing ABCs and Itsy Spider, "Happy to You," "I am FIVE," "Where Clark Go?" "6, 7, 8, 9, 10," "I snuggle with you" girl...

This girl who tests us more than daily, makes us laugh and laugh, hugs and kisses and "lubs you," must high five one more time, and yells out to me each day as I walk out the door to "dribe safe!"

This girl is TWO (or Five) and WE ARE SO DAMN LUCKY TO HAVE HER!

Happy, happy birthday to our littlest love!

These days...

have been about still getting back into routine after busy holidays, sick kids, poetry performances, lots of extended family time, and a beautiful wedding.

These days have been about preparing for something BIG

 

Waiting for something so so wanted

(this time tomorrow the entire Batman lair will be built by this kid)

And some good ole fashion before bed dancing

(she has her father's moves)

(and her mother's grace)

These days are slowing down again  

and they are good. 

Calling All Real Food Foodies!!

I'M SO EXCITED!!!

Begins February 6th!

Wanta join me??

Two (almost)

My girl 

will be

two

in ONE week!!

We can't believe it! 

Deep Breaths Needed...

Goodbye baby years, hello

Big Girl!

Roasted Veggie Sandwiches

I love to ask people what they are making for dinner- I love food- and I love getting new ideas because eating the same thing each week equates to me not wanting to cook and us therefore going out, which I usually regret after we spend a lot of money on food that isn't usually that great, SO.. 

Each week I make a menu with six or seven meals on it- ranging in complexity- so each night we have a number of choices. Except for Friday, of course, because we've eaten everything, and we're tired and we're DONE, so our Friday choice is always homemade pizza. 

This week, after talking to a best bud, KH, I ended our chat with, "So, what are you making for dinner?"

She, who like me loves to cook, and who is always making something healthy and wonderful that is always COVERED in cheese (why I love this woman) of course was making something wonderful- Roasted Veggie Sandwiches. 

I was intrigued. 

I never thought of putting roasted veggies on a sandwich. 

Brilliant!

OH YES, they were!

So here is my version- totally stolen from my wonderful friend- Enjoy!

Roasted Veggie Sandwiches

Roast whatever veggies are in season or you like or you think you might be able to get into your kids. We used broccoli, cauliflower, onion, and carrots. I think KH used squash as well. 

(By roasting I mean cut veggies up, cover them in olive oil, some kosher salt, and put in oven @400 for 1 1/2 hours or until they are mushy and crispy and wonderful. Just keep an eye on them after the first hour.)

Once the veggies are done, slice some fresh bread. KH used Chabatta. I used Sourdough. Place them on a cookie sheet. 

Brush olive oil on the bread and put it under the broiler for about 5 mins- just to get it toasted. 

Smear hummus or goat cheese or something lovely on it, then pile on the veggies, then add more cheese! You can also put another piece of bread on top. We ate our open faced allowing for more veggies and cheese. 

Put sandwiches under the broiler for another minute or two to melt cheese. 

LOVELY!! BC ate two, I ate mine plus all the veggies S pulled off (ugg..at least she licked all the hummus off afterwards), and LC, well, LC is going through something right now so he wasn't a fan, but we big people loved them, and the little ones will learn. These might even replace pizza night! 

Eat and Enjoy!!

We've Been

Heading out for brief moments to slide down little patches of white and crispy green, because too many days inside bring out the grump and whine.

Sadly, sometimes grump and whine can be found outside...sometimes it lingers when a virus kept us inside A LOT last week, or we have teeth coming in, or we are bundled to the point of not being able to move, or we're practically TWO, which from this mama's experience equates to a lot of grump and whine regardless of who you are- cause you kind of define grump at this age. 

I mean can't you just hear the whine!

But wait, nothing has changed,

and yet the grump has been put on hold (it will be back- right around 5:30 when I'm trying to finish up dinner) and we are laughing and running, and all is well in the world.

We've been OUT to sled and tromp and be anywhere but IN where disposals, garage doors, and shredders are suddenly broken- where there is a pile of grading, laundry, and other yucky things that need to be tended to.

And while I am usually not a huge fan of the cold, as it melts today, I'm eager for more snowy days to rid us of our winter woes. 

Hip Mountain Mama Earring Review

I'm over at Hip Mountain Mama today talking about some pretty awesome earrings! 

Happy Weekend! 

Our Year

is going out with some good ole

from our most favorite winery. The kids are ringing in New Year's eve with 

goofiness!

"The Ham," I mean big kid, wasn't sure he should drink his vanilla, chocolate milk since I put our homemade vanilla in it. "I mean there is VOCA in it, Mom!" 

And along side our "voca" milk and Blue Dog, the girl and I made Elmo's Sweet Potato Bisquits from a Sesame Street Cookbook Clark found at the library yesterday. They were awesome and it might be my new fav. cookbook! I made little brussel sprouts for the first time ever, and along with roasted chicken, and some homemade strawberry sorbet (thank you Magic Bullet) it was a feast!

2011- feels like it's been a decade since it was 2010 or maybe only a couple months or maybe just a year- really it depends on the moment I'm in, and really it's never long enough because when I look back at pictures of 

who was just so very wee this time last year, and back then I thought- she is going to be ONE! And now I'm like- she's going to be TWO! And she's like, "I have a party. I have a party with cake. I like cake. Happy to me," and then calls out, "Lub You," and "I carry you," and "I don't want sketi. I want crackers and humus," and I think, TWO!! She'll be doing geometry and driving by three...She might, this one. She might. And all the while I'll be begging for her to just sit and snuggle for "one more minute," because some days that's all I feel we have...which to be frank, just sucks. 

And then there is this KID

who this time last year was FOUR and now in 2012 he'll be SIX! This kid who is reading- like really reading, reading, and who also learned to swim and ride a bike, but who thankfully still snuggles and wants our attention- a lot of our attention- which isn't always easy to give and which again, quite frankly, sucks when there isn't time. TIME! Oh how you plague me. 

This year, this 2011 year, we have earned a masters, planned a move, got into grad school, unplanned a move, declined grad school, researched/traveled 2x in SD, presented papers with fellows from the Smithsonian in Canada, began year eight of teaching, been married nine years, started kindergarten, learned to talk, adopted fish, started growing more of our own food, stopped buying bread and started making our own, brought CSA boxes into our home each week, started an etsy site, realized we can't do it all and must wait to restart said etsy site, lost a loved one, gained a new cousin (like just yesterday!), and of course the list of what was could go on and on, but the point is...the point is...

It's been a good year. A good year. Despite too much to do and too little time, it works. It all works out and it's all good. That is why I am on this site. I have to remember that. 

I thank you so much for being a part of our lives. Those of you who comment to me on this site, facebook, and in person- it means a lot. And those of you who just read- that means a lot too! 

We wish you all a VERY happy new year filled with my new year's guiding word for the year- balance! May your days be filled with joy to keep you smiling, challenges to keep you young, strength to keep you moving, and relaxation to keep you sane- BALANCE!

Happy New Year,

Kelly

This Moment

 {this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual from Soulemama. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.