Prost!

Nothing like Germany in Connecticut for Oktoberfest the last weekend of September.

For my German relatives in Texas, you must understand that Connecticut is Italian the way Texas has Germans.  Maybe even more so.  I've never seen so many Italians, even in Chicago or in NYC--every second person has an Italian surname or maiden name, or both.  And they all make homemade gravy, or sauce (the name depending on the region their grandmother came from!)  Perhaps that explains the 25 pizza restaurants in our town!  And only 1 or 2 German restaurants--and they count bars that sell Brats--in the whole state.  The delis here are Italian, not German or even Jewish, for the most part.  Which means no kraut or German potato salad or kolaches or rugelach or matzoh ball soup, really.  But lots of pickled peppers and prosciutto and tortellini salad.

Still, they like beer.  And beer and Oktoberfest go hand in hand and so I went to one this weekend.  And had a wonderful time.  Sure, the German band didn't know what a schottische was (I remember we danced the schottische at every dance in jr and high school), but there was sauerbraten, roasted pork, German potato salad (well, sort of), noodles (not spaetzle), sauerkraut, beets and cabbage, apple strudel, and Black Forest cake.  Yum!  I miss German food sometimes, having had access to it in Chicago (Berghoff) and in NYC.  There were also lots of German drinking songs, including the schnitzlebank led by lederhosen-clad guitar and accordion players.

Now if we could just get an Oma's Haus and Nagelin's Bakery up here!

Making Mistakes

We've had our first Rainbow Loom crisis.  First, there were troubles getting some of the loops off the pegs without popping them off.  Then, even when we thought it was all okay, one of the fancy Starburst bracelets must have been incompletely looped because it came off the loom and fell apart.  Oh, the tears over these looms.

But I know that mistakes and failure lead to learning and so I try to be calm and help them fix it.  We talked about practice and mistakes being part of learning a skill and how doing things at the end of the day or in a rush can lead to mistakes.  Sis, who cried last night over the loom and actually ripped an unfinished bracelet off it in despair, woke up early and started all over.  "I was too sleepy last night," she admitted.  It's not always that easy.

And then there's the math homework.  The worksheet last night confused Bud and then we found a mistake in it.  But he couldn't quite believe the worksheet would have an error and there was some anxiety.  And then there was a math worksheet a week ago--the question asked for factors, which I always think of as numerals, so when Bud became confused by the question (which was confusing, to both Mama and me--and I had college calculus!), I tried to help and we came up with what we thought was the best answer together.  But the teachers corrected the answer with an equation or "multiplication sentence."  And I wrote and she said we were right.

So, as much as I know that mistakes are a great teachable moment, sometimes I want to be right.  Which is not a great lesson.

Open House

New building.  New staff and teachers.

Same PTA.  Same parents.

Last night was our first Open House at the new building, where we talked and listened for two hours with various teachers and friends.  The auditorium presentation was a pep rally, laughable really as the principal and assistant principal said more than once that there were no problems with the buses.  Well, the bus company and I would disagree since my kids are getting home 25 minutes later than last year, on the same route.  And while I appreciated the intro to the Common Core, there couldn't be much substance (I'm studying the Common Core and its issues and am not ready to weigh in with an opinion yet.)

The grade-level meeting was good, with the teachers laying out the different curricula and goals.  Connecticut has signed onto the Core, but we don't know if the kids we'll be taking the test in our town this spring.  New spelling program--which they're slowing down on some because it's harder on the kids than they expected (I was surprised both of mine got them all right, truthfully; they were  hard words.)  The writing program is the same and thus familiar from last year.  And math.  Oh, math.  That's new. I forget what else, except Sis's teacher was talking about the advanced words the kids know and mentioned one student who used forlorn, and she looked right at me.  Yep, checked with Sis today--she'd used forlorn to answer how a person in a story would feel.  Good for her!  Proud mom moment.

I did have a question about what the kids miss when they're pulled for strings practice.  And basically it can be anything . . . and the child is responsible for what she misses.  "How can a third grader learn what he's missed?" I asked.  Not much of an answer besides it's challenging to schedule pull-out times.  Oh, well.  I'm sure it works out.

Then we went to the classrooms, with Mama going to Sis's first and me to Bud's, as per their requests.  There were unnamed descriptors on the desks for us to guess where our child was.  Pretty easy with sushi, kung fu, and Percy Jackson as well as bunny, vet, and Harry Potter!  Both teachers were upbeat and kind, taking a moment with us.

We also met the specials teachers--both strings teachers, both music teachers, the art teacher, and the PE teacher.  With the music teachers who will be teaching recorder we talked about how Bud loves musicals.  One of the teachers promised to see if he can write "Music of the Night" for recorder.  And I told them I could still play "Star Wars" on the recorder 35 years later!  With the art teacher, we discussed Kandinsky and my museum career--and apparently today she called Sis "Sis Kandinsky!"  He's the first artist they're studying.  And I asked the PE teacher why they don't go outside--it's a time issue to corral them outside--"and we can do everything inside."  I guess.  We only had PE inside when it rained.

And that was the night.  Two hours of school.  Should be a good year.

Of Health and Hormones

TMI warning.

So, we thought it was perimenopause, with all the symptoms on the list.  I went off the pill so we could test to see if it were true.

I LOVE being off the pill--all the symptoms we thought was perimenopause, and I mean all, have gone away.  No insomnia, no irritability, and none of the more private symptoms.

But for the first time since starting the pill, I'm having a period.

And I'm remembering these days why I went on it in the first place--oh, the tight back and cramps.  I'm in bed today with my hot water bottle and television.  And since I'm on this cleanse, I can't blame the discomfort on sugar or caffeine or wheat or soy or whatever.

Just hormones.

So, I guess at least it's nice to know that my hormones are still active and things still work.  And while I doubt I'll go back on the pill because I hated the side effects, I don't like this discomfort much.

It's a Small World

Ever since I saw the NPR bit on Texas homecoming mums, I've been nostalgic for high school and college and my days in Chicago.  And, with the help of FB, I actually located some of the friends I've been most curious about.  They all said they'd been looking for me years ago but gave up with no luck.  Well, one friend connection led to another, and I found several of them:

• the boy who sat at my table in kindergarten and was in class with me through senior year;
• the boy who was good friends with the boy from kindergarten and whose mom threw great New Year's parties; I went with him to homecoming--and wore one of those big mums (though, they were smaller then);
• the girl who sat behind me in English seminar, who liked theater and football;
• my fraternity (APO, the service org) sister and college roommate in sophomore year;
• a fellow officer in said APO who was an education major;
• a few other APO members;
• my boss at the museum in Chicago;
• and five or six other Chicago museum colleagues.

It's been fun connecting with them all, catching up.  Many are married; many of them have kids, but not all.  Most look pretty much the same--more grey, less hair.  

And then Gommie called me from Austin.  Someone had called out to her at the farmer's market.  And it was that boy from kindergarten through high school, who recognized her, saying she hadn't changed at all.  

The very same week we became friends on FB after 25+ years.  

Morning Glory

Okay, still doing the cleanse thing.   No . .. , well, not eating a lot of things.  Though I'm taking a break from the vegetarian thing now and have been eating some chicken.  Odd to do a cleanse and start eating meat.  I don't feel changed and my skin is still sensitive and itching, so no discernible inflammation change.  But I'm about halfway, so we'll see what three weeks does.  If I make it.  (And then I'll go back to being a vegetarian, though I marvel at how easy and flexible it is to eat chicken.)  Wheat is my biggest question mark so even if I add back some dairy, I'm trying to stay clear of wheat for the cleanse.

And this is how I'm starting each day:

Mommy Hungry's Strawberry-Almond Smoothie
1 1/2 cup almond milk or milk of your choosing
1 to 1 1/2  cup strawberries
1 heaping tablespoon almond butter

Blend and serve.

Mommy Hungry

Books, Interrupted

"Never interrupt a reading child," the corollary to the famous axiom about sleeping babies.

Well, I tried to follow the latter, but if I obeyed the former, nothing would get done.  My kiddos wouldn't get out of bed, brush teeth, go to school, do homework, finish chores, leave the house, ride in the car, or go to bed.

Yes, I'm definitely proud of both their reading prowess and enthusiasm.

But I'm tired of being the mean mom who says things like "Stop reading and do your homework."

Yes, it's true, I said that last week.

And every night after SQUIRT (sustained uninterrupted reading time), kisses, and lights out, I find Bud reading by hidden flashlight.  Most of the time he is so enthralled by his book that he doesn't notice my entering his room (and he isn't yet savvy enough to shut off his light at my footsteps.)  And each time, I have to take the light and book out of his room (yes, I give it back--I try each night to trust him and give him another chance.)   Some mornings, he tells me he's read in the middle of the night.  No wonder he's crying over homework.  In the mornings, both of them have to be told not to read in order to get dressed and brush their teeth. They whine anytime they're interrupted.  And I either feel guilty or harassed.  I mean, I love to read and understand the power of delving into a good book. Who wants to be the mom who took away Harry Potter?

AGGGHHHH.

I never thought books would be my on-again/off-again nemesis (even if I know it's a good problem to have.)

Music Notes

Violin: $$
Cello: $$
Stuff to go with them: $$$
A pizzicato (plucking) concert after just one lesson: priceless!

The kids hauled their instruments to school today--one giant though half-sized cello and one half-sized violin, safely tucked in their cases (I didn't get a picture because the bus was very early.)  They were so proud and so excited.

And came off the bus dragging those huge cases, still proud and excited (but still no picture.)  And tonight after dinner, they played a concert for me.  And wanted me to record it, from the moment they opened their cases to the when they bowed.  They had their music stands and strings books out so it would look "professional" and then played a concert by plucking and later by bowing their own songs, as solos and duets.  And rest and play position were key.  Bud also sang a "Phantom of the Opera" solo.  

When I showed them the videos, they laughed and loved it--especially the commercial they made for the Rainbow Loom--and said the music was awful.  "It sounded better in person."  

But I thought the whole thing was beautiful.

Cooking Up a Storm

Perhaps that should be "cooked," because it happened last week.  I had a cooking marathon.  It started with roasting some butternut squash for a Pumpkin Curry Soup.  The kids wouldn't like the soup, so I made them macaroni and cheese to go with their ham.  And then Mama made it home in time for dinner, which was a wonderful treat (she's working 12 hour days on a big project through Thanksgiving at least, maybe December.)  Sis loved the squash (there was extra for munching)--it was just like sweet potato fries.  Both liked the homemade mac and cheese.  And Mama and I liked the soup (we're hanging in with the cleanse, though a few things have crept in once or twice.)

It was a great fall meal, even though it was a very warm September day.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Pumpkin Curry Soup

2 cups peeled and diced butternut squash

2-4 tablespoons olive oil

sea salt

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1-15 oz. can pumpkin puree

2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 cup coconut milk

1 heaping tablespoon curry powder

pinch of cayenne

juice of 1 lime, or to taste

optional:  chopped scallions or cilantro leaves

Preheat oven to 450F.

In roasting pan, toss butternut squash with olive oil and salt to taste. Roast until tender and dark brown, about 30 minutes.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a soup pot, heat oil over medium-low.  Saute onion and garlic, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes.

Add the ginger and continue sauteing until everything is tender and golden.  

Stir in pumpkin puree, broth, coconut milk, curry powder, and cayenne.  Stir a few times, then let simmer on low for 20 minutes.

Add the squash and lime juice (to taste.)  Serve.

Clean Gut

Lots to Read

That's three posts and counting this morning.  And I still have things to write.

Poker Faces

"I know Sis has a good poker face," I said last night over dinner, in reference to something I've forgotten.  They know the song by Lady Gaga but didn't really know what the reference was.  Soon Mama and I were explaining deal, ante-up, bet, hold, raise, fold, call, bluff, tell, and poker face.  And mind you, I probably haven't played poker since I was Sis's age.

Before you know it, we had found a full deck of cards and distributed some M&Ms in place of money or chips.  And a kids' book of games which laid out all the hands and how they compared.  Then Mama pulled up some country music on the player and, of course, we listened to Kenny Rogers's "Gambler."

We played for 45 minutes or so, practicing our bluffing and figuring out all the hands.  We mostly had pairs.  But once, Mama dealt me, right off the bat, a straight.  And I won lots of M&Ms. That hand.  Bud enjoyed bluffing, every hand.  At the end, I shared my candy with him.  Sure, we didn't know exactly who starts the betting or how many times you raise.  But we knew when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.  No need to walk away.

And it's hard to not count your M&Ms when you're sitting at the table, even though there'll be time enough for counting when the dealing's done.

Arts and Crafts Movement

We had quite the arts and crafts weekend.  Sis earned her Rainbow Loom, a plastic peg set used to create colorful rubberband bracelets, which is the hot item among kids, mostly girls, these days.  I thought it was just an elementary school thing, but our freshman babysitter says high schoolers have them, too.  Sis was thrilled and spent Saturday making bracelets for everyone.  I got the first one, a rainbow fish tail, which is actually made using only two pegs.  Soon Sis mastered the simple bracelet pattern on the full loom, the first one of which in green and yellow she gave to Mama.  I like that she is making things and making them for other people.

I was making things for other people, too.  I finished Mama Teacher's variegated pink striped afghan with green trim, which was for her big birthday.

And then I started a prayer shawl for Miss Sunny's birthday.  Still a long way to go yet, with a very thick and chunky anniversary yarn from Lion Brand in graystone stripe colors, but it's off to a good start.

Bud and the Olympians

Bud tore through the Percy Jackson series of books about the children of Greek gods in modern New York. I think he read all five in a week or two; Sis has started the first one.  And then Saturday at the library, he picked up the DVD of the first movie.  We spent the rest of the day watching the movie, which we all enjoyed, and talking about Greek mythology--the Minotaur, Medusa, the Hydra, Scylla and Charybdis, the 12 Olympians, and the labors of Hercules.  Which is what prompted Bud's question, "Mom, is Hercules in the Bible?"

The Bible happens to be the focus of all the Religious Education (RE) classes at our UU church this year so that our kids are versed in and can learn from the stories that are shared by their Jewish, Christian, and Muslim peers.  In Sis and Bud's class, they're doing the Bible Heroes.  And in my little Pre-K/K/1 class (combined because of lack of enrollment, with four co-teachers), we're doing "Picture Book Bible Tales," namely Biblical stories told in big, colorful, more liberal/less literal storybooks.  Yep, I'm teaching the Bible.  Which means I'll learn a lot, too, 'cos if it's not in a Charlton Heston movie or in the major Italian Renaissance paintings, I don't know it.

But thanks to my classical studies degree, I did already know that Hercules was not in the Bible.  

A Teaser

Lots to post about later, but a teaser for now:  over lunch today, Bud asked, "Mom, is Hercules in the Bible."  Call it, "you know you're a Unitarian Universalist parent when."

Milestone

Milestones.

They're not just for kids.

I had one tonight:  I took a bath!

Four years after my initial back injury and all I could manage safely and comfortably were showers.  Meh. Sure, some of that (most of it?) was fear, but the mechanics of getting in and out of a tub, even lying there in the water, are tricky for someone with back/pelvis/tailbone issues.

But tonight, after weeks of experimenting with getting up and down off the ground/floor (most notably during our reading picnics or stargazing), I figured what the hell and so I did it.

Yep, nice hot luxurious reclining bath!

No problems.

CELEBRATE!

ARGH!

Aye, me mateys, it's International Talk Like a Pirate Day!  And so, I spent my morning talking to Matey and Lassie with a pirate voice that is oddly Scottish in inflection.

Arrrrgh.

It was probably just what we needed after 12 tense hours.  Anger, disappointment, tears, fear, upset.  And these were just some minor childhood issues.

But I can tell that third grade is going to kick all of our butts.  Between the homework (of which there is more and harder, just like the classwork), increased expectations and responsibilities (and this whole sophisticated behavioral reward/consequences system), shorter playtime, stricter bedtime.  It's just not as fun anymore.  And that's a hard realization and adjustment.  For all of us.  Isn't one of the definitions of growing up accepting that you have to do things that you don't like to do?  I've been saying for a long time that I can see how eight-years old is closer to ten than five; third grade--especially in a new bigger building with their own lockers--compounds that.  And there's attitude and stress and confusion to go along with all of it.

Still, they laughed hysterically over my pirate act (though begged me not to talk to the bus driver like that, so we have entered the embarrassing-mom phase), which means they're still pretty much kids.

Yo-ho-ho!

Sampling

One of the kids' highlights of going to Whole Foods (and Trader Joe's) is the samples.  Not just the free treats at the Customer Service desk (granola bars, fruit things, Pirate Booty, which Sis almost never likes but still looks forward to retrieving--"and one for my brother, please"), but all the goodies throughout the store.

Sure, I'm a pushover (or something else) and often buy anything they like, just because I'm always looking to expand their repertoire and palate.  Like the other day, we bought Bud a Gruyere cheese wedge and Sis an aged cheddar after they devoured the samples.  Same with Sesame Ginger dressing, chicken stir fry, and a vegetable medley with dressing.

Of course, oftentimes, they don't like it as much at home as they do in the stores.  Trial and error.

But Sis really liked this Mac n' Cheese, so I'm sure I'll be making it soon.

-=-=-=-=-

Whole Food's "Mom's Homemade" Mac n' Cheese
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Dash hot sauce (optional)
grated nutmeg to taste
cooked pasta and/or vegetables

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour and whisk thoroughly to incorporate into a roux.  Cook roux briefly till it is bubbling,then slowly add the milk, whisking constantly till all the ingredients are incorporated.  Add remaining ingredients and cook a few minutes til sauce is thickened and all ingredients are incorporated.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary (salt and nutmeg.)  Serve with  your favorite pasta or vegetables.

Mooning

There's nothing like lying in the grass of your own backyard looking up at the rising Harvest Moon and all the stars and singing with your kids, while also dispelling worries about werewolves.  Which, by the way, all live in England, with Harry Potter.  

Sis even spotted the Rabbit in the moon, the Chinese version of the Man in the Moon.

And Bud and I danced while I sang "Blue Moon" and Sis half-mooned me.  Right out of Grease.

Perfect.

(Of course, I also managed a short lecture on some of the history of nighttime a la the book I'm reading by Ekirch, At Day's Close, especially about how it's called the Harvest Moon because farmers would stay up all night working by the light of it to get the crops in.  Also info about how people used to be more attuned to moon phases for navigation on land and sea.  We even managed to read a tiny bit in the moonlight.  To be fair, the kids then lectured me about different kinds of stars!)

-=-=-=-=-

Amazing how many songs about the Moon I can recall (I know several about the Sun, too):

Under the full moonlight, we dance
Spirits dance; we dance.
Joining hands, we dance.
Joining souls, rejoice!

Sister Moon, Sister Moon
You're out too soon
The sun is high in the sky
Go back to bed
Cover up your head
And wait for the day to go bye-bye-bye
Wait for the day to go bye

I see the Moon,

the Moon sees me,

I smile at the moon,

And she smiles at me.

The man in the moon,
Looked out of the moon
Looked out of the moon and said,
“It’s time for all the children on earth
To think about getting to bed!”

And the one I sang to the kids a lot, Laurie Berkner's "Moon, Moon, Moon":

Moon moon moon, shining bright
Moon moon moon, my nightlight
(Chick! Turn it on!)
Moon moon moon, I can see
Moon moon moon, you’re taking care of me

Moon moon moon, shining bright
Moon moon moon, my nightlight
(Chick!)
Moon moon moon, I can see
Moon moon moon, you’re taking care of me

Look up, it’s the moon
Look up, it’s the moon
Look up it’s the moon up in the sky
It’s big and round and I have found
That it looks just like a pizza pie 

Moon moon moon, shining bright
Moon moon moon, my nightlight
(Chick!)
Moon moon moon, I can see
Moon moon moon, you’re taking care of me

Look up, it’s the moon
Look up, it’s the moon
Look up it’s the moon up in the sky
It’s big and round and I have found
That it looks just like a lemon pie

Plus "Blue Moon,"  "Moon River," "Bad Moon Rising," Blue Moon of Kentucky," "By the Light of the Silvery Moon," "Can't Fight the Moonlight," "Aikendrum," "Claire du Lune," Moonlight Sonata, and, of course, "Arthur's Theme" ("If you get caught between the moon and New York City . . . "  (See here and here--this one from NASA!--for many more.)

I'm Free!

That's gluten-, dairy-, soy-, sugar-, caffeine-, alcohol-, starch-(rice and potatoes), any-fruit-but-berries-, and all-beans-but-lentils-FREE!

Yep, elimination diet.  My PT and I had been talking about inflammation, which I have a lot of between my dermatagraphism and chronic back issues; she noticed that I'm generally puffy--not in a fat way, but in a water retention/inflammation way.

So I'm doing a cleanse, ostensibly for 3 weeks, but really as long as I can manage, which will probably be shorter than that.  And then I'll reintroduce everything, concentrating on the wheat and dairy, which are common troublemakers.  I didn't react to either on an allergy skin test, so who knows.  But from all my reading, I'm guessing all the anti-inflammatories I took four years ago have unbalanced everything.  We'll see.

And at the very least, it'll be a week or two of really healthy eating.

Spell This!

Yep, it's spelling-list time again.  And I just can't believe the words that are on the lists--maintained, debate, misbehave, acquainted.

Mercy, I still spell that last one incorrectly.

But during a dinnertime verbal quiz last night, they spelled them all correctly.

"Wow," I exclaimed.

"W-O-W!" they answered in unison.