Snow Frisbee and Snowdrops

After our errands today, we stayed outside for a bit, enjoying the warm weather (40F), the sound of melting snow. The kids danced around the various puddles and little snow caps which made our backyard resemble the thawing tundra. Bud and I even played snow frisbee (i.e. just tossing a frisbee around amidst the little glaciers and ice floes), that is, until it hit him square in the face. Sis, of course, was "cooking." And then as we headed inside we spotted the first green hint of spring emerging in clumps around our rock wall: our snowdrops were growing! (Though, not as many or as fully blossomed as the beautiful ones in the pics you sent, Lambeth. And don't you and Mrs. Lambeth look sweet amid the flowers!). And even though I really like snow and winter, I got a little excited about the possibilities of warmer weather.

Playtime

We had friends over yesterday, who brought along a wonderful treat to which Bud and Sis gave their seal of approval: Chocolate Chip Banana Bread! It's based on Starbucks's recipe, but with less sugar, and a handful or two of chocolate chips. Thanks, Miss B!

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Miss B's Chocolate Chip Banana Bread a la Starbucks

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 ⁄4 tsp salt

1 egg

1 1 ⁄8 c sugar--about 1 cup

1 ⁄2 c vegetable oil

2 Tbsp buttermilk

1 ⁄2 tsp vanilla extract

3 ripe medium-large bananas (mashed)

1 ⁄2 c + 1 ⁄3 cchopped walnuts--she used chocolate chips

Pre-heat the oven to 325. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 loaf pan. Blend together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside. Mix together the egg,add the buttermilk, vanilla and mashed bananas and mix until combined. Add the flour mixture and, when blended, add the buttermilk, vanilla, and mashed bananas and mix until well combined. Fold in 1 ⁄2 c chopped walnuts and pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Top batter with remaining 1 ⁄3 c chopped walnuts. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rackbefore removing from pan.

Starbucks

Turning Japanese*

We went for Japanese food on Monday, trying to expand our restaurant choices beyond Chinese, Italian, and Mexican. And the kids loved it! Sis dipped everything in yakitori sauce, ate the edges of the scallion pancakes, and ate most of the rice of her katsu don, while Bud inhaled gyoza, shumai, miso soup, and yaki udon. They both coveted my bento box, though neither, bizarrely, really wanted to try tempura vegetables (even the sweet potato, of which Sis picked off all the crunchy coating!). The only thing we didn't try, beyond sushi, was the mochi, but only because they were out. All through lunch, we kept explaining that, while there are similarities--the characters (writing), chopsticks, dumplings--it wasn't Chinese. And so we kept telling them things about Japan that they would recognize and understand, like origami, Pokemon, Hello Kitty, hibachi, our Honda Odyssey, the very fast bullet train (which is in one of our books), samurai swords (that we saw at the Met). It was a start, a good one, because Bud is already planning our next trip for Japanese, thinking Gommie will like it. But, mind you, not "herbachi," which is too scary because of the fire.

*All sexual references aside.

Clean Bill of Health

We were at the ped's today, checking up on our recent round of antibiotics: the kids are both fine.

For the first time since the beginning of 2010!

YAY!

Except that means all the gretchiness and crying and such is just the way they are right now.

But I can live with that.

The doctor did have one bit of advice. Upon asking the kids what Olympic sports they were watching, to which they responded Snowboard Cross and Halfpipe (Sis and Bud, respectively), the ped said, a second before I did: "How about curling?"

The Next Food Network Stars

Yesterday, out in the snow, Sis stood in the window of her little house, making a chocolate dessert with dirt, snow, berries, water, and sand. As she made each addition, she narrated her activities--"and now I'll add the cocoa." In the end, she presented a chocolate-berry pie.

Later that day, after watching her favorite "All Star Chocolate" tv show, she asked a question, "Is Nutella Lawson a real person?" I think Nigella would be tickled.

Earlier this week, as we started to make cookies (and since I always make it a "teachable moment"), I asked what we usually do first when making cookies. And Bud answered without missing a beat, "Cream the butter and sugar."

Watch out, Spatulatta sisters, here come the Kitchen Twins!

Thoughts for Austin

. . . as it suffers a domestic terrorism attack today at the IRS building.

Thinking of you, Aunt Banana and Uncle Soccer--it can be stressful, unsettling, upsetting, even if you are miles and miles away.

Bon Voyage, Mama Teacher!

A recent study, highlighted in the NYTimes Well blog today, notes a connection between happiness and vacations. Except it isn't exactly what you'd expect--there was more happiness before the vacation, with happiness returning to base levels quickly after the vacation, even if it was a particularly "relaxing" vacation.

The only vacationers who experienced a boost in happiness after the trip were those who reported feeling “very relaxed” on their vacation. Among those people, the vacation happiness effect lasted for just two weeks after the trip before returning to baseline levels.

“Vacations do make people happy,” Mr. Nawijn said. “But we found people who are anticipating holiday trips show signs of increased happiness, and afterward there is hardly an effect.”

One reason vacations don’t boost happiness after the trip may have to do with the stress of returning to work. And for some travelers, the holiday itself was stressful. . . .

The study didn’t find any relationship between the length of the vacation and overall happiness. Since most of the happiness boost comes from planning and anticipating a vacation, the study suggests that people may get more out of several small trips a year than one big vacation, Mr. Nawijn said.

Have a great mini-vacation, Mama Teacher! Studies say you're doing the right thing . . .

Valuing the Kidddos

One of my favorite authors, Karen Maezen Miller, of Momma Zen, has launched a new website, timed for the release of her (much-anticipated in my house) new book, Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life. Today's blogpost, titled "Valuing the Child," culminated a trend I have sensed here at home.

It began about a week ago, with Sis repeatedly urging Mama and I to "come on." That phrase drives me nuts. Especially from a kid. When I'm trying my best. And I heard Mama, who is equally frustrated by it, "Sis, I bet we say that to you a lot and you don't like it much." "No, I don't." Touché.

And then, the other night, as we were getting ready for bed--the clock was green and counting down to the end of the bedtime ritual--Sis cried, "He always gets more books!" Mama told her that was because he gets dressed first. "But I like to take my time," she protested.

Yesterday, we were hoping to go outside, at the kids' request, but they were dragging their feet about getting all the snow gear on. So I told them I was going to set the timer and if we weren't ready or at least making progress, we weren't going out. Immediate tears from both kids. "Mom, I can't get dressed fast," Bud cried.

And I remembered Miller's post:

"Not to expect.

Not to push.
Not to accelerate. . . .

To value a child is to value them as they are. To support them where they are.
To show them the immeasurable and eternal value of love."

Sure, I had been using all my good NVC giraffe language much of the time, explaining to them what I wanted (fun, play, connection, cooperation) and how it made me feel when they didn't share this need (anger, sad, frustrated, annoyed). But I have been forgetting the point of both NVC and "valuing the child" this last week or so: it's not about nice strategies to get what I want, but about respecting the kids and connecting with them to meet both of our needs, to acknowledge and then value them as they are (I should add, in hopes that one day, they can do the same for me and everyone around them). And all the rush and pushing and "come ons" haven't been effective strategies for meeting anyone's needs. Especially because I don't really want to rush this part of their lives, of my life--I want to value our time together. And so I start again, because as Miller notes, we are always growing.

Olympic Glory

We watched Women's Snowboard Cross this morning and the kids are now great fans of Lindsey Jacobellis. Regardless of her DQ this year or her fall in Torino 2006. They've been bouncing around the house, pretending to be snowboarders, saying she's coming over to play. I think they like the sound of her name. And couldn't care less about whether she won or not. Perhaps, the ideal fans.

Though, they also really like the sound of Maellle Ricker, the gold medalist's name, too.

Snow Falling on Maples

I watched the sky darken from my bright, active kitchen, as we baked chocolate cookies. It really is my favorite room in the house--we cook here, makes arts and crafts, share meals, and, at night, Mama and I sit and share a cup of tea and our days. Today, the sky had stayed light much longer than I expected, throwing off my sense of time--despite the snow, this is a clear sign that spring is on its way. It was well after 5 p.m. as the kids sampled their fresh, hot cookies. Oh, well. So much for dinner. And so, with snow still falling on a once-cleared, now covered landscape, I've got meatloaf reheating, corn steaming, rice waiting, and beans at the ready. It's not New Orleans weather, but the good times have rolled here all day.

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Cocoa Crinkles

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease two cookie sheets.

Stir together the flours, cocoa, salt, and soda in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and white and brown sugars in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla; beat until well blended. Add the flour mixture; beat just until blended.

Place the powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll heaping teaspoonfuls of the dough into balls or spheres. Roll the balls in powdered sugar until they are all coated. Place 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets.

Bake for about 11 minutes or until the cookies are set and no longer shiny. Cool the cookies on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen (my note: no way!)

Sesame Street Yummy Cookies Baking with Kids

Tidbits

Sis's new exclamation of frustration or impatience is "O, bama!" to rhyme with "Oh, Mama." At first I couldn't believe that's what she was saying, but it is. Odd, considering we like the President. But clever too. And doesn't she know it.

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The report from school one day last week was that Bud pushed another student, after that student had pushed him three times while they were standing in line. The school director's take: "Good for Bud." Watch out, Sis.

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Bud now asks about almost every meat they eat, "is this a dead animal?" or "did they kill this _____." Pleasant dinner conversation, especially for a vegetarian.

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Having heard Sarah McLachlan during the Opening Ceremonies, we started playing some of her albums, including the song "Ice Cream." You know the song: "Your love is better than ice cream." Well, Sis objects everytime she hears the chocolate part--"my love is NOT better than chocolate!" And so I just had to write that I loved her more than chocolate in her valentine. And she said she loved me more than . . . something, but not chocolate!

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'

We've been out in the snow, rolling more snow rocks. One is taller than Sis and took all of us to push the length of the yard and back. It now sits, unadorned, in the front yard--Sis's sitting rock--despite my suggestions to make it a giant snow head, kinda like the Moai on Easter Island. Oh, well. Artistry thwarted.

But we did make maple syrup candy, our treat before we finished cleaning off my car and detailing the driveway (getting spots Mama missed or the snow from the car). It's warming up outside, so the candy started melting almost as soon as we made it. I've put the remnants in the freezer for later, though truth be told, they ate most of it.

It's kinda raining, kinda snowing, just spluttering enough to force us inside. We'll see what the rest of the day brings.

Bean Day

It's Mardi Gras, or as I understand they've been calling it in NOLA, "Lombardi Gras!"

So, I've put on a pot of Camellia red beans for dinner and we're listening to Zydeco music.

Let the good times roll!

Good Morning

There is snow, thick and clumpy on every outdoor surface. Beautiful, except to Mama who has to shovel and then drive to work. But for what we have been calling the "twin trio"--me and the kids--it's a snow day because there is no school this week for most of Connecticut. It's winter break (get this Texans, they have spring break, too! But then they go to school here until almost the end of June!)

Anyway, Sis is still sound asleep, which is good. And Bud and I are watching Men's Snowboard Cross, from last night--he likes how fast they go, how high they fly. He also liked watching Bode Miller's downhill run--"Mommy, can I do that?" Only with a helmet and padding, I'd say, and a safety net. Have I told you I can't ski or skate and don't really like mountains? And I usually prefer my snow from inside the house, like today, or in small forays into the backyard.

So, we'll see what today brings, playdates or home time. Baking and arts and crafts. Maybe an indoor obstacle course and some Olympic races.

Because it's winter. And it's a break.

It's Personal

Check out this great article in the NYTimes on Victorian personal ads and the blog of the Ph.D. candidate studying them. Fun reading and gives me a great avenue of research (albeit, she does American) for that long-considered article on museums as a place of courtship in Victorian England.

Double Happiness

Happy New Year! Welcome the Year of the Tiger!

and

Happy Valentine's Day!

Closing Words on the Opening Ceremonies

Mama and I didn't watch the ceremonies as closely after the speeches started. In fact, we missed k.d. lang completely, brushing our teeth, I think. But we managed to see the technical glitch that delayed the torch lighting and could only say how sorry we were for Canada--with the luger's death, rain instead of snow, thousands of protesters, and a missing cauldron support--it just wasn't the hoped-for beginning. Still, it was a moving opening day, one that we shared with the kids this morning.

While Mama packed us and the car, I entertained Sis and Bud with the Opening Ceremonies on speed, skipping all but the USA and Canada parts of the parade of nations, focusing instead on the glorious cultural bits. Predictably, they loved the welcome of the First Nations and then the theatrical tour across the Canadian landscape: Bud liked the acrobat over the prairie, the kayak floating in the sky, the "GrungeDance" (that's Goo-ese for Riverdance and Grunge) of the Scottish-attired punk fiddlers, the whales, the snowboarders and skiiers on the side of the mountain, the trees accompanied by Sarah Mclachlan's song, really, pretty much all of it, which he has already asked repeatedly to watch again. Sis liked the "star bear."

But soon the Olympics lost their star power as the time for our Chinese New Year celebrations approached. But we listened to k.d. lang and Sarah Mclachlan in the car all the way to NYC, trying to extend a little bit of the morning's "ordinary miracle."

More on our New Year's activities later on. It's time for bed.

Still Watching

Can't quite stop . . .

Fiddlers and something like Irish Step Dancing. Except the kilts are Scottish.

Okay, loving the bloggers at the NYTimes, who joked about taking the stage-snow to the downhill venues. And now they write:

For Americans viewing at home, the opening ceremony is doubling as a game of “Who’s a Canadian?” So far: Nelly Furtado, Donald Sutherland, and Sarah McLaughlin. — Katie Thomas

But it's Mclachlan, people. (And it looks like there might be more Lilith Fair this summer).

And now Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" and those wonderful prairie acrobatics.

I love the mountains and clouds (which were the aurora borealis and the trees before that). Plus the aerial snowboarders and skiers. And now the illuminated inline skaters.

Some slam poetry on Canadian identity . . . from a YouTube guy.

Now for the speeches, but first a memorial to the Georgian athlete.

More Olympics Opening Ceremonies

I liked the ad, with the kids doing all the winter sports, and the tag that to their moms they'll always be kids. Sure, it made me tear up.

But I'm still not going to be buying any Proctor and Gamble products. Too much animal testing.

Ah, cheers for the U.S. All things considered these days, that sounds good.

Here come the Canadians . . . . I can't wait to see the rest of the show.

I love the snow globe effect for the cultural part of the show. And that big bear! The aurora borealis! The whales! The totem poles!

And now it's Sarah Mclachlan--I like her song about ordinary miracles. And those trees!

I have a bazillion things I should be doing, but I'm liking watching this much more.

Olympics: First Peoples

Sis and Bud would love the part of the Opening Ceremonies where the four nations of the First Peoples around Vancouver, then joined by representatives of many of the First Nations of Canada, danced around the stage and then welcomed the athletes in the parade of nations.

And then the Georgian delegation, bereft of one of its members. What is there to say?