..city fun..

I do love the quiet rural life that we have embraced, but it is fun to venture out and travel to more populated cities, too.

A week or so ago, Rich and I took a weekend trip to Chicago with our neighbors. We were without kids for the first time in a long time, and it was a wonderful break from our otherwise busy life.

We left Friday afternoon, with a minivan full of 4 adults, 3 kids, and a yellow lab. We were packed in. Our pit stop in Rockford relieved us of the children and dog, we said our goodbyes and good lucks, and promptly got back on the road to head to the big city. My sister is a saint for taking responsibility of our kids and the beast, although much fun was had by all during our 44 hour mini-break.

I cannot speak for my children and the dog, but I can say that from Friday to Sunday, I enjoyed:

~ Chicago-style deep dish pizza

~ French greyhounds, mochas, lattes, and red wine

~ a couple of simple, yet relaxing, spa treatments (hello, scalp massage..)

~ Millennium park

~ Chinatown

~ Ubering, for the first time

~ the Chicago Art Institute

~ seeing an old friend, and making some new ones

~ safely returning to the ground floor from the 96th floor  (geez, I seriously hate heights)

~ an unseasonably warm January day, which made walking almost 6 miles around the city delightful, albeit tiring.

It was a fun trip. It's nice to get away, expose yourself to people and places that are different and unfamiliar. Chicago holds many memories for me, and I was glad to add to them.

Thank you for your hospitality, Chicago...see you again soon!

..knitting, for him..

I am a procrastinator. It's no secret, really, that I have an abundance of ideas, and then will abandon them mid-stream, as more ideas come to pass. More times than I can count I have tried to "work" on completing things left unfinished. I have come to the conclusion, however, that not everything (for me) is meant to be finished.

 Like I said before, I am idea person. I enjoy thinking up ideas. Committing to finishing them is a whole different story -- but one that I am trying to change, one project at a time.

I have been knitting now for a number of years. I started off small, with scarves and simple blankets. As a rhythm developed with my knitting, so did a need to challenge myself, little by little. I have been terrible at documenting my progress, but to date, I have knit a small cardigan for both of my girls, a couple of cowls for myself, a couple of blankets, hand warmers, bibs, and some scarves for my sisters. Knitting for girls is easy, really, and I feel bad about that. Mainly because I have a son and husband who I am leaving out, but not intentionally.

Right before Christmas, I finally finished a sweater for Isaac. It's the pattern Tea for Jam and Bread, and it appeared to be an easy sweater. I knew Isaac would like it because of the pockets. Mothers doing laundry? Not so much.  I did not follow the colors exactly, as I tried to use up some leftover yarns in my stash. But I am quite pleased with how it turned out.

Shall I tell you how long it took me to finish this guy up? Oh, only 10 months.

Now, we had a lot going on in the beginning of the year, and certainly that could be my excuse, but, really, it was just the p-word. I put things down, walk away, and get distracted by other things. I didn't forget about this little guy, though, and it did cause me some anxiety. Picking up stitches? The mere mention of that is enough for me to put down the project and leave it to collect dust for a few days, or weeks. Funny thing is, it is never as difficult as I make it out to be in my mind. And I am getting better at it, one sweater at a time.

All in all, it was a fun project to work on. I am quite happy it is now done, and I am on to the next male in the household, so that everyone in the family has their own mama-knit creation.

Hopefully it won't take another 10 months...

..resolve..

Yikes. 2015.

I've abandoned this little blog for awhile, and really I haven't gone anywhere....it's just that life has zoomed by so fast and I haven't taken the time to write about it. That's all.

The second half of 2014 brought  2 birthdays, some small trips around Wisconsin, visits with numerous family and friends, the start of 5th, 3rd, and kindergarten, the death of my father-in-law, tennis, dance, a new graduating class, numerous holiday celebrations, and now here we are starting a brand new year.

Like opening a crisp, new notebook, 2015 is a relative blank slate. It will fill up quickly. Our first adventure will be to drive home attempting, at all costs, to avoid winter storm Frona (as we drive back home from Florida, where we have been visiting family for the last week).

The frigid days of winter lay before us. It is my hope that I will take the time to document my little adventures -- big, small, happy, sad -- through each of the seasons that 2015 brings.

May your 2015 bring an abundance of happiness and health!

..a birthday and an anniversary..

Ten years.

 That is how old this boy is. An entire decade spent keeping us on our toes. This child, being our firstborn, came with no instructions, and has thrived despite many parental missteps.  All new parents think this, I am certain. 

 He is, without a doubt, an embodiment of what his name means -- laughter.  I loved his name from the get-go, before I ever laid eyes on him. Isaac.

On his birthday, we were making a trip north to LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Neither Rich nor myself had thought much about what we would do -- this day he hit the double digits. We wanted to make it special, but not the kind of special that breaks the bank. All Isaac wanted for his birthday was an Xbox....something neither of us were willing to give.

We came upon a perfect compromise, however, in the form of Shenanigan's. Thank goodness for friend recommendations and happy hour. For one full hour, all three of our babes enjoyed a semi-deserted warehouse of fun: high ropes course, bouncy house, bumper cars, hamster ball, mini bowling, climbing wall and arcade games galore.

At the end of the hour, they had tickets to redeem for prizes. 2,200 of them. Most of those points allowed Isaac to choose a mini pool table, which was a wonderful present that made him and us happy. Birthday crisis averted.

3 days later came the anniversary. 11 years.

I can happily say that it doesn't feel that long. It only seems long when I start to think about all that has happened in those 11 years. Amazing.

For our anniversary, we did make a point to go out -- Wisconsin style.

We went to a campground bar to listen to a dixieland band, The Basin Street Boys. Rich knew the percussionist -- he was a former student. As crazy as the date sounds, experiencing it in real life was even better. The band was fantastic. I was smitten with the loud, casual nature of a bar riddled with deer antlers, deer heads, and even a black bear. It was Mardi Gras night too, so people were bedecked in purple, yellow, and green, and beads galore. $4 Hurricanes. $8 Shrimp Etoufee. I was completely in awe, and loved every moment of this eleventh year celebration.

Our summer continues, and while our anniversary marks the end of "celebrations" for now,  we still have a lot of summer fun to soak in. It's all good.  Yes, this first Wisconsin summer is very good, indeed.



 

 

..good libations..

Here we sit, poised to start another summer. The kids have a couple more days of school, Rich has wrapped up his 4th year as a professor, and there are graduation parties, end of year parties, and barbeques galore.

With planned celebrations and impromptu meals alike, a special drink (or drinks) always adds a nice (and sometimes necessary) touch.

Enter: basil sugar.

I created this on a whim. I had purchased some basil at the market, and used it to make a pesto. This pesto, however, did not call for all of the basil, so I had a bit left over. What to do? Rich loves to give me a hard time about having left over odds and ends in the fridge that get overlooked, so I wasn't about to give him the satisfaction.

Fancy drinks on the brain, I wondered what a basil sugar might be like. So I, quite literally, mixed the basil leaves with sugar in the food processor. That's it. So simple. Utterly divine.

Having a mason jar full of these beautiful green-flecked crystals, I started to think of all the ways I could put this jar to work -- immediately. I bordered on obsessive, really.

Some ways that have worked:

basil sugar, lemon juice, lime juice, hendrick's gin, sparkling water

Rimming a glass for lemonade, or a variation on lemonade-adult style. 

Topping blueberry muffins. Kids were not a fan of the green on top of their muffins, but it was delicious.

Filling for a homemade pop-tart. Ricotta + basil sugar = mmmmm.

As I continue to look for other uses, this marvelous sugar is keeping just fine in the refrigerator.  I do believe my very favorite use, thus far, however, has been to rim my glass. Try adding some rhubarb syrup to a little St. Germaine, sparkling water, and a glass rimmed with basil sugar ... divine.

I urge you to give this a try, I really do. You won't be sorry.

*hiccup*

..on the mend..

It was a tough winter, but I hadn't any idea what lay in store for us this spring.

About a week before spring officially arrived, Rich was diagnosed with colon cancer. It was a shock to us all--something we were not expecting. Thankfully, his prognosis is the best we can hope for, as surgery removed the tumor and should be enough to be curative. There will be rigorous testing for the next couple of years, to make sure there are no changes. It's a small price to pay for peace of mind. And to have peace of mind is a wondrous thing.

I suppose we are fortunate. Our situation is one in which we can look forward and leave these moments behind. We will be cautious going forward, but we can go forward with hope -- with the knowledge that the odds are in our favor.

Oh, I have been on the other side of that fence too, though. I remember the weight of finding out my mother suffered from progressive dementia. There was no cure, there was only the knowledge that things would get worse, and then she would die. I know that pain and fear, and the dark cloud that seemingly follows you everywhere you go. From that experience (which I have the benefit of having some distance from now), I learned that sometimes, maybe most times, in order to endure the pain, you must find the good.

Strangely, this whole ordeal illustrated that good in many ways: the devoted and caring family and friends we have, and the wonderful community in which we have chosen to make our home. Rich's care while in the hospital (and even before, when we were still figuring things out) was better and more honest than I could've expected. I appreciate those people that know their limits, and are not afraid to voice them.

Even in times of panic, when I wasn't sure how to function, it was the people closest to us that offered us prayers, encouragement, meals, comradery, and enough humor to forget for a moment that darkness we found ourselves in. It's marvelous, isn't it? Sometimes I think these things happen to serve as that very reminder...we are not alone. We do not need to, and sometimes cannot, do things alone.

I am thankful for and humbled by each and every person who lifted us up. Your kindnesses continue to be felt by all of us, and someday, those kindnesses will most certainly be returned.

Rich has since recovered from surgery, he is back to work, and life is back to (semi)normal. We're now in the midst of a school year winding down, with lots of grading, field trips, and school functions. The kids spend a larger proportion of the day outside, and later sunsets mean later bedtimes. Our yard-full of mud and dirt beckons, with plans being made for concrete and *eventually* some gardening boxes. I am back to unpacking boxes, slowly and methodically, trying to make sense of how everything will fit together -- for now.

Spring is normally a time for renewal, refreshment, an opportunity to start over. I suppose in some ways our spring has been just that. We can look forward, continue onward, and enjoy what lays ahead.

..special week..

This week is Margot's special week at school.

She came home on Friday with a poster to complete, and a twinkle in her eyes. She wanted to complete the poster Right. That. Instant. She couldn't contain the excitement about being the center of attention at school for the whole week, and had been waiting for this week all year.

On the poster she had to include her name, some pictures, her age, favorite food, favorite color, and favorite activity. Filling these out, I was surprised at the decisive nature of her responses.

Name:  Margot Scot Dhyanchand

Age:   5

Favorite food:  Lasagna

Favorite color:  Orange, but later it will be something different, like Silver (she likes all colors)

Favorite activity:  coloring

This little girl of ours is both outgoing (at home) and shy (outside of home). She is dramatic and playful, knowing when to take the lead and when to hang back. She wants nothing more than to do everything her brother and sister do. She plays football with Isaac, she plays dolls with Evy. She has a love of shoes and accessories that has been with her since birth...truly, the first thing she has ever noticed on someone new is their shoes and purse. She adores music and I love to see her sing along to songs in the car for no other reason than the expressions on her face. A whirlwind of emotion, is our little Margot.

We poured over old pictures, trying to pick out the perfect ones for her poster.

"Mommy, I want a picture of you kissing me and Daddy kissing me," she stated with authority.

Done, and done.

I cannot believe that this little peanut is going into kindergarten next year. I remember all too well --  the early morning "shift changes" that Rich and I used to have with her...Rich taking the night until about 2 or 3am, then me taking over until morning. How she used to scoot like a pirate across the floor, with one elbow and one hand, and at 10 months (!) how she started walking. Her belly laughs as Isaac and Evy used to fawn all over her, and her shrieks when it got to be too much. This little girl who used to become a nightmare during the witching hour, and remembering the exact moment when I was able to prepare dinner with no crying toddler at my feet.

This little girl is quite the blessing, and I thought I'd share some of these memories with you.

 Happy special week, Margot.

**The pictures of Margot as a wee babe and Margot at her current age were taken by GoochToo Photo. A fantastically talented friend of mine, Renee, who has such a great eye and a wonderful way with children. If you're in the Chicago area, I highly recommend her.**