Talking Points

There are certain talking points that I gravitate toward when in social situations, and I do my best to insert them into the conversation whenever possible. They are:

1. "Vernon had to give a pelvic exam when he was in chiropractic college. Isn't that weird?"

2. "I met Michael Moore at a church in New York City once. He's Catholic, you know."

3. "My wrist bones are so big." (Show person my wrist.) "See... look."

4. "I got these jeans for only $1 at the thrift store."

I guess they really aren't talking points though, because the conversation tends to end after I say them.

Hot Drinks

I don't understand how people can order a hot drink at a coffee shop and NOT drink it within the first five minutes. Don't they realize that it's getting cold?

Potato Leek Soup

I've been posting a lot of recipes lately because I've been making a lot of new things that are super-delicious. Here's another one that my family LOVED!

1 lb leeks (4-5 medium), dark green sections removed
3 Yukon gold potatoes
1 qt chicken broth
1 cup cream
1 cup milk (or buttermilk)
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Cook leeks (in some butter or coconut oil) for 25 minutes. Add the potatoes and the broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 45 minutes. Puree. Add everything else and heat through.

(I apologize for the picture. It's more appetizing and delectable than this boring picture shows.)

Couscous Spinach Casserole

Another great recipe that I got from a friend. This time it was from Laura. I altered it a little bit, so she might not want her name associated with the changes. She's picky like that. (No offense, Laura.)

1 cup couscous
1-1/2 cup boiling water (or chicken stock)
1 tsp salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, diced
3 tomatoes, diced
1 tsp basil
1/3 cup pine nuts (or leave them out)
5 cups loosely packed spinach, torn into small pieces
1 cup grated cheese, your choice (Laura says Muenster, I say whatever, or leave it out. I've made it both with and without the cheese and it is good either way.)

Combine couscous, boiling water and salt. Cover for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, saute garlic and onion for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, and cook for 10 minutes more.

Add tomato mixture to couscous. Mix in the rest of the ingredients.

Put in a 2-1/2 quart baking dish, top with cheese, and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

Note: I think I should probably double this recipe next time. Or at least the couscous.

Pasta with Broccoli and Potatoes

I got this recipe from my friend Kristine, and it is so yummy! The whole family LOVED it. Here is how I made it, but you can click on the link to see the original.

2 medium potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large bunch of broccoli
16 oz. of some type of pasta (I used fuscilli)
2 leeks (don't use the dark green parts), sliced
1-1/2 tsp salt
Pepper, to taste
1 head of lettuce
4 oz Fontina cheese
16 oz turkey bacon

Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook for 10 minutes, then add the broccoli and pasta and cook for 8-10 more minutes.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook the leeks in some butter. Add salt and pepper. Cook about 7 minutes.

Another meanwhile, fry the bacon, and chop it up.

Put the lettuce in a colander. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta/broccoli/potatoes over the lettuce to wilt it. Return to the pot.

Add the leeks and stir in the reserved water. Stir in the cheese and bacon and season with salt and pepper.

Vernon made this meal, and he said: "The key is to salt and pepper it to taste." (In other words, don't skimp on the seasonings. It's good with a lot of pepper.)

Outside Societal Norms

So, as you have probably learned by now, there are several things I do (or have done) that are outside the norms for our society. For instance...

1) Elimination communication.
2) Extended breastfeeding.
3) Unassisted birth.
4) Homemade toothpaste, laundry detergent, and deoderant.
5) Lotus births.
6) Co-sleeping.
7) Not vaccinating.
8) Cloth menstrual pads.
9) Unschooling.

And now, just for the heck of it, I have added this to the list (on occasion):

10) Perching on the toilet to poop.

Oh, it's an interesting life I have, I tell you. An interesting life.

How Ezra Got His Name

I was just talking about this with some ladies this week, so I figured it was time for the rest of you to know how Ezra got his name.

But let's start this story with how Ocean and Peace got their names. When I was newly pregnant with Ocean, I could feel that she was a girl. And then I felt that she should be named Ocean. End of story. Before I got pregnant with Peace, I could feel that she was a girl. And I felt that she should be named Peace. End of story.

Okay, so, now, with Ezra, when I was pregnant with him, for the majority of the pregnancy, I didn't know what gender he was. It wasn't until about the seventh month when I could feel that he was a boy. And then I felt that he should be named... Yes.

That's right. I wanted him to be named Yes.

It's inspired by the story of how John Lennon met Yoko Ono... They were at this art exhibition where Ono had a piece of art where you had to climb a ladder and look through a spyglass to read this word printed in tiny letters on the ceiling. And the word was... YES.

And I thought that was beautiful and lovely and full of possibilities and imagination. I loved it.

But, as this story goes, Vernon said "NO". (This is the part where everybody who hears this story starts cheering for Vernon.)

And, ultimately, (unlike with Peace and Ocean), I wasn't 100% sold on the name anyway (even though I did love it), so I was open to other suggestions.

So, when Ezra was born, he didn't have a name.

Vern and I started talking about it and Vern had mentioned the name of a little boy we had seen playing around at this Natural Health gathering two weeks prior: Ezra. We both liked the name, and even though I peripherally knew this other Ezra and his family, at the time we weren't living in the Twin Cities (where they lived), and I figured that I would never see them again anyway, so they would never know that I copied her son's name.

But, fast forward to 8 months later when we DO end up moving back to the Twin Cities (because Vern decided he wants to become a chiropractor), and I eventually get to know the other Ezra and his family pretty well. I tell the mom straight-out that I stole her son's name because I thought I'd never see them again. And she's okay with it. I think.

So, that's how our Ezra got his name.

On a sidenote: Remember on that season of Road Rules where there was someone named Yes and his mom named him after the band Yes? (Those people on Road Rules and The Real World always have the coolest names.)

On another sidenote: Our next child is going to be a boy (and, no, we're not pregnant now). And I told Vern that he can pick out the name.

On the Day Peace Was Born

Peace really enjoys reading this book we got from the library called On the Day You Were Born. It led me to ask her what it was like when she was born. She said, "I ran out of mommy and then I came back."

Around age 2 or 2-1/2 is a good time to ask a child about their birth. They're still close to it and are starting to get verbal. It helps to do it in that golden hour of the subconscious, either right before falling asleep or right after waking up. Kind of neat to hear how they respond.

I had one friend who's child said they heard, "Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh." (Presumably the sound of the heartbeat in utero.)

When I asked Ezra at that age, he said something about a tunnel (and didn't elaborate much beyond that).

Kind of a neat thing to do.

The Noah Wyle narrated movie, What Babies Want, has an interview with a birth psychologist who talks about a young girl she was working with who re-created her birth scene (a c-section, the psychologist had the toy-like props available) down to the last detail of where everybody was in the room, what was happening, etc.

Birth is important and babies feel things and our souls remember things and I just love all that stuff.

A Christmas Present

This is what Vernon got me for Christmas. A print of this:

Isn't it great? The artist is named Katie M. Berggren. Check out her Etsy site. She has all sorts of great mother / child stuff in all sorts of combinations.

Creation

I am not super passionate about photography. I like doing it and everything, but I can take two years off from it professionally (which I tend to do after I have a child) and not even miss it.

And here is why I think that is... for me, what I like about photography is creating. And I can do that in other ways besides photography. I can create a child. I can create our living space. Christmas cards. Meals. Blog posts. The possibilities are endless.

What is fascinating me most lately is the creation of moments. I want to create beautiful moments. Moments with my kids. Moments with my husband. Moments with my friends.

And moments are easy to create because all you really have to do is acknowledge them once they occur:

My youngest daughter running down a hill... this is a moment.

Hanging out with my friends at playgroup... this a moment.

Watching the latest episode of "Supernatural" with my husband... this is a moment.

It's beautiful. Life IS beautiful.

Inspiration

There are some other blogs out there, like SouleMama and Walk Slowly, Live Wildly (which are FAR better than this blog, which makes me wonder why you are all even here in the first place), that are amazingly positive and inspiring.

In one of her posts, SouleMama talked about why she doesn't write about things in her life that are "challenging", and she said that writing her blog is...

..one of the ways in which I remind myself of the joys, the beauty and the blessings around me each and every day. Writing here helps me to remember. And it helps me to see and look for those things, people and moments which do bring me joy. Writing about them helps me hold onto those moments. And I find myself wanting and making more space and opportunity for these kinds of moments to enter our days...and my heart.

Nice, right?

So, that is what I want to do more of. I've been feeling pretty good lately (and I haven't even gotten a sunlamp!), so why not reflect on that more? No more soapboxes, or insults, or crabbiness for awhile. I'm going to give this inspirational stuff a shot.

I have a good life. I look at my life, and even though we don't have a place of our own and earn hardly any money right now, I still see it as a very, very good and happy life.

So, I would like to share with you some of our awesomeness. And hopefully this, in turn, will help you think of your own awesomeness and how good your own life is (and just think, you've probably got your own home, are earning lots more money than we are, and haven't been wearing ill-fitting bras up until two weeks ago, so just think about how happy YOU should be right now!).

Plus, everybody's life looks great when the highlights are captured in pictures or set to video with a delightful musical montage. Try it!

Let's start with our awesomeness for today. We started the day off going ice skating as the sun came up this morning...

 It was really nice. Aren't we awesome doing stuff like this and then writing about it? (I am only partly mocking myself here.)

Ocean was there too, but I didn't take any pictures of her that were blog-worthy. Sorry, Ocean. I have high standards.

And this was cute... Every time Peace would fall down (which she would do on purpose half the time), she would say, "Whoa, Tim Tibow fall down." It was my first time hearing that, but I suspect it's part of a game she plays with her father.

So, there you go. My first, of MANY, inspiring (did I inspire you to take your kids ice skating at 8:00 in the morning? I hope I did) and positive posts showcasing the awesomeness of my life. Enjoy the ride!

Caramelized Onion and Garlic Pasta

I can't even begin to tell you what a new and interesting and perfectly lovely flavor sensation this was. It was sooooo good! Seriously, so, so good. Such a unique and robust and sweet flavor. Everybody in my family loved it.

I got the recipe from a Taste of Home magazine that was at my mom's house. I didn't take a very good picture of it, so I'll probably take another one the next time I make it.

2 red onions, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp salt
8 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 - 16 oz pkg angel hair pasta
9 strips of turkey bacon, crumbled

Cook onions, pepper flakes, garlic and salt in some butter for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the grape tomatoes and vinegar.

During this time, cook the pasta, and fry the turkey bacon.

Then, drain pasta and toss with onion mixture. Sprinkle with bacon.

Note: The original recipe also called to be sprinkled with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, but I skipped that to save on money, because that's how I roll. (Also skipped the 1/4 cup olive oil that was added the same time as the vinegar and tomatoes.)

Ocean's Going to School?

Ocean is probably going to go to school next year.

I have mixed feelings about this, because I so love the idea of unschooling (or eclectic homeschooling or whatever the heck it is that I'm doing here). And I love the idea of being an unschooling parent, so I'm having an interesting time separating myself from that.

But, here's the deal... Ocean wants more to do. More ways to learn. More ways to grow. More ways to live. And, maybe if I were a different person, I could provide her with more resources and opportunities to do so. And maybe if Peace were a different person, I would have an easier time in providing her with resources and opportunities. And maybe if I wasn't going to have more kids, where infantdom and toddlerdom will take place all over again...

I don't know.

I think there are ways to hold onto the the unschooling mentality even with a child in school. Like, in a way, going to school is a part of unschooling because it is doing what Ocean wants to do. It is how she wants to learn. She wants to go to school.

A friend of mine, who has kids in school, said that maybe I'll find that values of mine will change. Because - despite the Hannah Montana t-shirts, Dora lunchboxes, and forced learning - there are good things to value about having a kid in school.

And I was thinking about how my values have already changed regarding the kids watching TV. No, no, they haven't changed that much, just hear me out here...

Ezra is starting to get REALLY into sports. Pro sports teams. College sports teams. Anything. (I'll post a picture of what he has going on in his room later.) And sports is something that Vernon enjoys as well. So, this past football season, almost every Sunday, Vernon and Ezra would watch part (or all) of the Vikings game on TV (with gentle pleas from me to "at least turn it off during the commercials"). My values had changed from wanting to have no TV for the kids, to valuing the fact that Vernon and Ezra were bonding over this common thing that they enjoy.

So, I'm sure my values will change on the school thing too. They probably already are.

We found this lovely little Montessori Home School Academy that she would be going to. She would still be registered as a homeschooler, but would go to classes there three days a week. We toured it, and it WAS lovely... providing all the sort of learning and environment that I haven't quite figured out how to master myself. It was great. (And with none of the Hannah Montana t-shirts, Dora lunchboxes, or forced learning aspects that I fear.)

We filled out a scholarship, and if they accept it, that is where she will be going next fall.

So, that's that.