School Lunch Overhaul At Last

I have seen the school lunch issue from so many different angles.  I remember being an elementary school kid when Reagan had ketchup and pickles declared vegetables.  Even then it seemed like a pretty shocking concept.  Then there were the years and years of teacher site council meetings where we heard the million and one reasons why we couldn't have decent food in our cafeteria.  Now I'm a mom facing the prospect of feeding those meals to my perfect little girl for twelve years.  When it comes to American school lunches, it's not a pretty scene. It's been that way for far too long.

 For the first time in fifteen years, we have some new regulations from the government.  It seems that what is served in school cafeterias is determined almost entirely by this top level of leadership, so it is possible that these changes might mean real improvements for kids.  The guidelines call for less salt, fat, and sugar, and attempt to increase the amount of fresh produce and whole grains allowed.  Of course it's not all good news.  After heavy lobbying, the tomato sauce on pizza is still counted as  a veggie. 

Nevertheless, the news could mean some very positive changes.  It will take a while to trickle down to the cafeteria level, and it is still possible that the lunchroom realities might not be as pretty as we would like.  Will there ever be a day when a parent can send their child with lunch money and feel confident that they will be well fed?  I will be watching my nieces' lunch menus with great interest and crossed fingers.

Babies Babies Everywhere

The new crop of babies for 2012 is turning up tops! Thus far, three of Delphinium's friends have already gotten new little sisters, and it's not even the end of January! Add to those the ones expected in March, April, May, July, and September, and you've got quite an impressive set of additions. I know it is probably just my time of life and the people in my social circle, but it does seem like we're having our own little baby boom. Welcome babies!


Note: We are not currently expecting any new babies to come and live at OUR house.

I Love Meatless Monday

I know, I know this idea first came about to help reduce the amount of meat, and therefore pollution, produced by food production.  I think it's wonderful in that regard, but the reason I most love the Meatless Monday is a totally selfish one.  Suddenly vegetarian is cool.  Okay maybe not cool, but at least acceptable.  There are more vegetarian items on menus, and I find many more recipes in magazines and online.  Chow even came out with a little series of "real" vegetarian main dishes.  Yay!

Five Dollar Dinners: Greek Salad

Winter is the season for all sorts of warm and hearty foods.  You might have a steaming bowl of stew for dinner one day and then a plate of mac 'n' cheese the next.  It's a delicious and warming way to go, but it can also be very heavy and fatty.  When I'm feeling like a need a light, fresh pick-me-up, I like to make Greek salad either for lunch or for dinner.  The beans help make it more than just a simple salad:

Greek Salad (for four)
Lettuce ($1 for half a head)
Tomato ($.50 for one)
Cucumber ($.50 for half)
Garbanzo beans ($1 for a can)
Feta cheese ($1 for two or three ounces)
Olives ($.50 for five or six and then cut them)
Dressing ($.50 for a few tablespoons)

My Odd Little Reader

I just found the baby sitting on the floor with a huge pile of books arranged by her side.  This is not an unusual state for her because she likes to look at the pictures and pretend to read the words.  The odd part came with the fact that she was reading the big picture book TO a small pocket-sized book which was cradled in her arm.  It seems that Madeline is fascinated by the goofy pictures in Coco All Year Round.  Go figure.

Power Outage

Heavy snows (8-10 inches?) and ice came to our area in the last few days.  Sure it was beautiful outside our windows what with all the glittering ice, but it wasn't much fun to live through.  First we lost the ability to go for walks or play outside because tree branches (and sometimes whole trees) were cracking and falling all over the place.  Then the power went.  For an hour we had that odd glow from one phase power, and then it was gone completely. 

Normally when the power goes out (as it does about once or twice a year here) M and I just build a fire, cuddle up and try to appreciate the novelty of life without electricity.  We went five days after one storm, and while it wasn't exactly fun, we did very well.  Now, however, we have a toddler.  The thought of simultaneously keeping her warm and keeping her safe from our open fireplace was just too much for me.  We fled to Grandma's house.  Call me a coward, but I could start to feel my lower brain twitching at the thought of not having a heat source for my child. 

Luckily the lights came back on after only one night, so we were home again fairly quickly.  I am doing my best to appreciate every single time the furnace come on and every single load of laundry and dishes that are washed by a machine.  We really are terribly spoiled in our first world life.  It's a sobering reminder of how hard it must be for parents who are trying to raise their children without the benefit of "modern conveniences."

Book Review: This I Believe

You may have hear this segment on NPR in the last few years called "This I Believe." It features a wide variety of individuals try to condense their life philosophies into an essay that is only 500 words.  That means they have to be very succinct in telling you what makes them tick.  I love the chance to peek into someone else's mind, and take a moment to consider their perspective.  They do a wonderful job of choosing people who are from every possible part of life be they young, old, male, female, famous, humble, educated or not.  A bonus for the parent (or otherwise distracted) reader is that these are short, short little bits.  You can delve into this book in just the moment or two of quiet.

The Snowy Day(s)

Up here in the lowlands of the Pacific NW, we have no guaruntee of snow.  Each winter it is a guessing game to see if we will get any of the while stuff that season.  Some years in spit of the fact that we live at almost 500 feet above sea level, we don't even get much frost.  Then there are those frustrating times when they predict snow,l but it never comes.  This year we got snow.  Thus far it's only been a few inches in the foothills, but it's enough to get me all excited.  We are staying home today due to a crust of snow on the sideroads, and also because they are predicting 6-10 inches over night!  Squee!

We are spending the day playing outside, but in an on-and-off fashion.  When you're less than two years old it can be pretty tough to handle the cold for very long.  She loves, loves, loves to be out there, but she also needs to come inside and warm up fairly often.  We crunch around for a little while kicking the ball and admiring the way snow collects on the trees, and then we come inside and drink a little warm milk (her) and cocoa (me). 

In the off time, while she naps or plays, I will try to get some home chores done.  Enforced home time is great for convincing me that it's time to clean out the fridge or the linen closet.  This morning I finished the laundry and actually wrote those thank-you notes I've been putting off for many weeks.  I know, I know this may sound boring, but my point is that there are lots of useful and important things you can be doing instead of getting cabin fever.  As far as I'm concerned let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Snow '12

Wheeeeee! I know, I know I say it every time, but I just can't help myself. I LOVE the snow. I get giddy as soon as the flakes start to fall. I think it's because we never know for sure if we're going to get any, so when it does happen many of us get all delirious. Now it is snowing quite hard, and I keep running over to the window to have yet another look. The new and wonderful part is that Delphinium often joins me at the window. She loves the snow too, and we get to go in the back yard together to crunch around and make a few angels.

Five Dollar Dinners: Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese is the perfect example of a respectable $5 dinner that will actually please the family.  I have never met a person (except maybe those who avoid cheese?) who didn't like the gooy goodness of a grilled cheese sandwich.  Be sure to use decent bread, but other than that, they're wholly customizable.  Go simple with just cheese or dress things up with kraut, onions, tomatoes, or even a fried egg!  Prices listed are based on those found at our local market.  If you shop for sales you may well be able to make this meal for less:

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (for four)

Bread ($1.25 for eight slices)
Cheese ($1.50 for six ounces)
Butter or Margerine ($.25 for two tbs)
Salad greens and veggies ($2 )

Returning to Work?

Finally the day has come. I've recieved my paper from the school district. It is yellow, and it sits on the counter and glares at me. I glare back. Next to the top box it says "return" and next to the bottom box it says "resign." It just sits there and looks at me because I can't seem to just check on of those boxes and be done. Some mornings I wake up and feel all prepared to vote one way, but then when I actually get down to marking my choice I just can't seem to do it. I've talked to everyone and there brother about what I should do, but no conclusion comes. You know that old Frost poem about the two roads in the yellow wood? I have 14 days left.

Restaurant Review: Cuoco

I hate to be too much of a fangirl, but it's just that Tom Douglas hardly ever misses.  Lola looms large on my food landscape due to it's comfortable setting and creative use of flavor.  I sometimes dream about date and haloumi skewers and tagines with green tomato pickle.  Of course there have been misses, but that's usually when there's nothing vegetarian on offer (I'm looking at you Palace Kitchen!).  Now I have a new passion.  We had the chance to visit Cuocu the other night, and it did not disappoint.

Once again we have a very elegant, but  not stuffy ambiance.  We brought our toddler to an early reservation, and the staff were incredibly nice to us offering crayons and special sides of beets (one of her favorites).  Then there was the food.  Bread from Dalia was delicious as was the vegetarian misti they made up for us on the spot.  Then came the cappelletti.   Oh the cappelletti!  Little pockets made of perfectly delicate pasta filled with some sort of rich cheesy goodness.  When the plates came to the table, they were not exactly impressive to look at, yet a hundred plates of "modern" mac and cheese could never compete with this.  Now every time I go to dinner in Seattle I'll have a terrible time choosing the venue.  Perhaps I'll have to carry an emergency coin to help me decide.

Five Dollar Dinners

Gah!  I just watched a cooking segment on a TV show where the celebrity chef was all excited to share some low cost recipes.  "After all!" said the incredibly chipper host "we can all use a little help with our purse strings!" The chef then went on to explain that we don't have to give up fancy tastes just because we are trying to save money.  He demonstrated a few recipes, and then, at the very end, they asked him to estimate how much each meal cost.  The least expesive was $16!  The priciest option?  More than $25! 

I'm sorry, but that is not "cheap eats" in my book.  If you spent even $16 on dinner (for two) every night your monthy grocery bill just for dinner food would be nearly $500!  And that's for eating in!  Sorry to be shouting so much, but can you believe this?  Nobody needs to be spending that kind of money, and that is especially true for a person trying to be thrifty.  Cooking from scratch and using sesnible ingredients are all that is required to be economical, healthy, and TASTY!  More on this later.

Laundry Tip #1

Whenever I open the door to our linen closet, I feel as though the avalanche might just bury me.  I try, I really try, to keep things organized, but it always seems to jumble in the night.  I'm determined to try a great tip I just heard from a friend.  She rolls her sheets instead of folding them (to prevent wrinkles?).  Then she tucks the sheets and one pillowcase into the other pillow case.  That way she has on neat and tidy little bundle and the pieces never get separated.  Very sneaky.

Getting Really Old

It has finally happened! My baby brother has turned thirty! thirty! Can you believe? I think this is a much greater shock than when it happened to me. Now all of us kids are officially not kids anymore. Of course there are all sorts of "marks of adulthood" on us already what with the real jobs and cars and bank accounts and such, but him turning thirty tilts my perspective of our place in the whole line-up. Suddenly we are not the "kids" but the parents (some of us anyway)! Suddenly they are not the "parents" but the grandparents. Everybody moves up one space. Insert many aging clichés here. Oh yeah and happy birthday to The Professor!

Bib Care

It seems like babies are suddenly cropping up all over the place as one friend after another greets their new addition.  Today I was shopping for a gift and found the cutest little lamb bib you will ever see.  It's one of those fancy ones that's meant to catch drool and not pureed squash.  When my baby was born, I didn't understand that distinction, so my poor child went around in stained bibs all the time. 

You'd think I would have been able to keep to seperate stores of bibs, but that's harder than you'd think.  Here's my mommy tip: when the baby is using the bib for a meal, put it on backwards.  That way the stains stay confined, and can still use the "cute" side for wearing out of the house.  Also snappy bibs are much better than velcro which is a pain to wash.    Oh yes, one more thing.  When they have mouth full of peas try to stay out of the line of fire.  Good luck.

Neighbor Noise

Please, please, please I'm begging you to be quiet.  As a special favor to me, make it a New Year's Resolution to be respectful with the noise you make.  It's easy to forget just how far sound carries, and people can be seriously impacted by your casual use of music, loud talking, or other noises.  It can ruin concetration, study time, relaxation, and, of course, sleep.  One does not have to have a napping baby in order to appreciate quiet, but it certainly gives you a new perspective on the matter.  Come on, say it with me SSSHHHHHHHHHH!

January Clean Sweep

It's time to face facts.  The holidays are over, school is back in session, the relatives are gone, and your beloved husband is back to work.  Perhaps you are too.  Now there are some who love this time because it allows them the peace and quiet they love.  For the rest of us it can be a sad let-down.  I love Christmas because it pushes back the winter with all it's fun, color, and togetherness.  However, when January 2nd rolls around, there you are in the darkest part of the year.  Do not give in to the "blah's"! 

I'm getting up immediately after this post.  I'm turning on all the lights in my downstairs (this is not the time to be green) and I'm burning a lemon-scented candle (not something remotely Christmas-y).  Next I'll line up the music:  Barenaked Ladies, Dresden Dolls, and then The Squirrel Nut Zippers (yes I am old how about you?)  I will also be making a huge cup of coffee (I normally stick with tea), and I will drink the whole thing BLACK!  Once I am suitably energized, I will begin.

Out with Christmas!  Down come the ornaments (we already did the tree) down come the lights, down come the cards and other reminders of the holiday.  Once they are packed neatly in a box and headed out to the garage, I can begin on the rest.  Beds are stripped, laundry begun, counters spritzed, bathrooms too, and all the clutter is put away.  I think perhaps this is the most important part.  When I'm finished I want things to look very clean and orderly.  It feels good to get a fresh start, and this clean up job is the first real step into the new year. 

By the time I'm finished, my mental cobwebs will be gone with the physical ones.  I'll be ready to seek out some new excitements in January, and maybe find a few creative ways to get in some socializing too.  Perhaps my freshly scrubbed house will host a wine tasting or a movie night?  The possibilities are limitless.

Post Vacation R & R

Whew!  The last of the family visitors just rolled out of the driveway.  We waved like mad, and we will miss them very much.  Now it's time to turn back into the house and take stock of all that's left behind.  The toys are everywhere, the laundry is mountainous, and there are crumbs and dishes strewn from heck to breakfast.  The combination of the messy house and after-holiday let down can be a little demoralizing.  Or a lot. 

That is why I'm giving you official permission to take the day off.  Don't deal with the chaos and clutter right now.  Instead give yourself some time to sit back, relax, and gather your equalibrium.  Drink a cup of tea, read a crappy magazine, and take a walk with your kids or your dog.  Later today, gather the food messes into the kitchen, and make sure nothing too terrible is brewing.  Otherwise, just let it all sit until tomorrow.  Nothing terrible will happen I promise.   

Resolutions for the New Year 2012

Amazingly, I seem to have actually completed most of the resolutions I wrote for 2011.  Okay maybe not the exercise part, but that one seems to be perennial.  I think it's because I had a tiny baby, so I felt safe in keeping things small.  M made a resolution last night that he would floss at least once in 2012, so that maybe carrying the low bar thing a bit far.  Anyway, here's my list:

1. Exercise at least 3 to 4 times per week
2. Send cards or letters every month
3. Judge less
4. Garden more
5. Read "serious" books
6. Organize house and get rid of stuff
7. Eat less sugar and fat
8. Be more grateful
9. Go on at least one date with M per month
10.Play Nicely wit the other children