jennanddave.com

The mail just came and nestled between a seed catalog and our credit card bill was a catalog from "H.R. Harmer, Global Philatelic Network". From what I've gathered, they're sellers of fine stamps. Philately is not my thing, it is, however, very much my dad's thing. The only reason I can come up with as to why I received this in the mail is that they've found out how amazing his french stamp collection is, and after unsuccessfully soliciting him directly, they're trying to get to him through his kid. During our last visit a couple of weekends ago, I was there when my mom found out how much one of the stamps she "got" my dad for Christmas a few years ago cost. Whoo boy! That was a good one to be around for! You know what stamp collecting is? Surprisingly expensive. I also think it's a bit dull, especially compared with a truly exciting hobby, like collecting Radio Orphan Annie paraphernalia, *ahem*, so my dad is holding out hope that either Henry or Holly will take up his collection someday. For now, though, they're not allowed anywhere near it.

Posted by Jenn at 01:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

...because I haven't been writing much here, have I? I'd like to say there's a reason for that, but there really isn't. Habits are formed, and habits are broken.

Holly officially transitioned this week from two naps a day to one. We tried going down to one nap a few weeks ago, but she was clearly not ready for it. It's funny, Henry was such an even-keeled baby/toddler that there was never any indication that he needed a nap, so his naps were strictly by the clock: if it was 10AM, down he went; if it was 2PM, down he went again. Holly, on the other hand, makes it very clear she needs a nap because she starts running around, trying to get into as much trouble as possible as quickly as possible. When I find myself tearing out my hair trying to keep after her, that's usually an indication that she's totally tuckered and is running on pure mischief. If I hadn't gone back to two naps a day for those few weeks, I'm fairly certain our house wouldn't be standing anymore.

Since it hasn't been a particularly sunny January, by about four o'clock in the afternoon, I have a hard time convincing myself I'm warm, despite what the thermostat says. That's what comes from either being out in, or gazing out at, a snowy landscape. My favorite moment each day is, after getting the kids in bed, going downstairs and putting on two presents I received for Christmas. One is a pair of very pink, very fuzzy Hello Kitty pajama pants courtesy of Dave's parents, and the other is an equally pink, equally fuzzy Hello Kitty bathrobe that my Aunt got me. Does my family know me, or what? There's one thing you can't be when blanketed in fuzzy, pink Hello Kitty anything, and that's cold. It's almost as good as being snuggled under the covers. I'm a very cozy girl right now.

Posted by Jenn at 09:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We had a great trip up to Boston, although we did leave our mark, as we usually do. Sunday night my mom came down with the stomach bug that we had had the weekend before. Whatever that bug is, it sure hangs around for a long time, laying in wait to jump on board the next unsuspecting victim. Fortunately, Saturday and Sunday were filled with lots of resting, relaxing, and eating.

Last week I knitted a pair of socks for Holly. Or maybe it was the week before. Time has no meaning. Anyway, while I was working on them, I asked Henry if he wanted me to make him a pair, to which he replied, rather adamantly, that no, he did not want a pair of socks. Then one day Holly was slipping and sliding all over the house in her new socks, when Henry pops up at my side and says he's changed his mind. I think he needed to see the finished product to make sure that they were indeed a pair of socks, and not just a lead-in to dreaded hugs and kisses or something along those lines. I'm only guessing; I have no idea what goes through that kid's mind. So I cast on a sock and diligently worked on it whenever I had a chance. It finally came off the needles on Saturday morning right after breakfast, and don't you know he whipped off his socks and put on the one that I had made him? He spent the rest of the day running around the house with only one sock on. It was very cute and sweet and gave me the warm fuzzies, until around 3 o'clock in the afternoon when he zipped up next to where I was zoning out watching TV, got right up next to my ear, and started chanting "Sock, sock, sock, sock, sock, sock, sock," etc., etc., ad infinitum until finally I asked him if he was suggesting that I get working on the other one. He said yes, he was hinting something along those lines, so I cast on the other sock. I didn't think I would finish it all that quickly, but there was a lot of down-time the rest of the afternoon, and after the kids were in bed, we watched "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World", so I got a lot of knitting done. In fact, I got a whole sock's worth of knitting done. Let's hear it for sort-of thick yarn and little kiddo feet. The next morning Henry put both of his socks on and didn't take them off until last night. They were the most satisfying thing I've ever made, mostly because of how much they were immediately appreciated.

The rest of the time in Boston was spent covertly passing the stomach bug on to my mom, making pomander balls, cutting up paper snowflakes, eating chinese food, talking about making cookies, going for a walk, staying in pajamas all day, drinking hot chocolate, listening to music, drinking wine, making nachos, and keeping Holly out of trouble. The other big development is that Holly has christened my dad "Paw-paw". It's adorable.

Henry wasn't happy we were only there for two days. He thinks four would have been nicer. I do, too.

Posted by Jenn at 01:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We're packing up the car and heading off to the wilds of 81 and 84, where we'll slowly but surely be making our way up to Boston. Well, hopefully not too slowly. And not too wild. There's a two-day shindig being held in honor of Dave's old advisor at MIT, so while he spends tomorrow listening to various talks and having a nice dinner out, Henry, Holly, and I will be hanging out with my parents and most likely driving them nuts. I'd say something about our current state of health and how maybe this time we won't leave them with unwanted guests, but I don't want to tempt the Fates, so, infer from that what you will.

We're all very excited to hit the road, but I think Henry's excitement has us all beat. Yesterday evening and this morning he was actively contributing to the "Pile of Things To Bring To Grammy and Grandpa's". He wants to share everything with them. I know he was putting some things into the suitcase on his own, so I'll be curious to see what we unpack.

Meanwhile, I appear to be getting more laid back about the packing aspect, because usually at this point I'd be throwing toys into bags, hauling stuff out to the car, getting our vanity case ready, packing snacks, etc., but instead, I'm posting here and working on a pair of socks for Henry. Personal growth or irresponsibility? Maybe I'm just getting better at doing it all in a much shorter amount of time, so I'm putting it off for as long as possible, until real panic sets in.

Since Jocelyn was so kind as to ask after it, I've taken pictures of the rag doll Henry and I made for Holly. I just need to download and post them, which I will do first thing after we get back.

Posted by Jenn at 01:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

You want some unsolicited advice? Don't read any version of those "There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A/Some _______" books the day after you've had the stomach flu. It's not pleasant. Henry picked out "There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves!" last night as his bedtime book and it was tough-going, especially since it came so quickly on the heels of my first real meal since Friday night. Clearly, the child hates me.

Last night Holly was hacking and coughing up a storm and had a runny nose, and this morning she woke up with more of the same. Poor girl. She's been too uncomfortable to nap today, so she's been whimpering and coughing and generally sounding sad.

Dave sent an email about forty minutes ago saying he's starting to feel funky and that he might be home a bit early today. Poor guy. I hope it's not what it most likely is.

Henry and I, thankfully, are feeling all right. We've been playing and running errands, making a doll for Holly, as well as baking up a batch of chocolate chip cookies. It's been a quiet day of convalescing. Or getting sicker. Depending on which one of the four of us you are.

Posted by Jenn at 03:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Saturday, at 1:16AM, Henry came into our room and told us he had just thrown up and that he hadn't made it to the bathroom. We stumbled out of bed and made our way upstairs. He had indeed gotten sick to his stomach all over his bed and bedroom floor. He had also gotten his towel from the bathroom and had tried to clean it up. It was very sweet. About twenty minutes later we had changed his sheets, started a wash, and had gotten Henry settled back into bed. Dave was in the upstairs bathroom inspecting Henry's myriad blankets to see which had escaped the onslaught when suddenly I was making a beeline for the bathroom. I was up for the rest of the night. Dave stayed with Henry for about an hour, keeping him company and changing out the trash bags that were next to his bed as they were used until Henry finally went to sleep. Around seven or eight, Henry joined me on the couch and Dave woke up and went upstairs to discover that Holly had also gotten sick during the night, she had just never bothered to make a fuss about it. Thus Dave's Saturday was born, taking care of a totally gross family, mopping up, doing laundry, and madly washing his hands, all while living in fear that he was going to get the bug as well. The kids were great yesterday, tossing cookies while carrying on with their playing like nothing at all in the world was wrong. Gatorade and Pedialyte were consumed, as well as toast, Rice Krispies, and chicken noodle soup. I stayed in bed and napped most of the day, finally emerging around noon? or one? or two? at which point Henry and I crashed on the couch and watched "The Princess Diaries" while Holly took a nap. Finally around 5 I asked Dave if he minded if I took a little nap. I held my breath, prayed it wouldn't make me sick, and downed a Tylenol for a raging headache and aching muscles. I didn't wake up again until 7 this morning.

The kids were begging for sausages for breakfast today. I'd say they're feeling better. So far Dave is doing well. Fingers are crossed that he's going to escape unscathed, although it still hardly seems probable. He was amazing yesterday. He was more than amazing. Stupendous? Fantastic? Astounding? "World's Best Dad/Husband"? Without a doubt.

Also, I can only imagine what the water bill is going to be this month.

Posted by Jenn at 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We invited some friends over for dinner last Saturday night. The night before, while we were happily digesting a meal of leftovers, Dave asked "So, what should we have for dinner tomorrow night?" I have no idea what came over him that he would pose such a question in the presence of a picky and stubborn five-year-old. The menu Henry quickly put together consisted of: chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, toast, and snow. We managed to convince Henry that homemade cheese buns would be a better option for guests than just toast, and fortunately there was hardly any snow on the ground so it was fairly easy to derail that particular train. So, we conceded the nuggets and the mac and cheese.

That evening I set about looking for a suitable chicken nugget recipe that wouldn't be so exotic that Henry wouldn't eat it, but that would still be somewhat acceptable to the over ten set. Enter this recipe. This recipe is pretty darned good. I only made one major change, which was that instead of dredging them through melted butter, I soaked the chicken in buttermilk for an hour and a half before coating and baking them. Henry loved them. So did I. So much so that I made them again tonight.

I also made a honey mustard sauce for dipping them in, mainly for my own personal edification because I love honey mustard sauce, especially with french fries. Anyway, the basic recipe was 1/4 cup of mayonnaise, 1 T mustard, 1 t honey, and a splash of key lime juice. (Or lemon juice. Key lime just happens to be all I have.) All of the amounts are approximate; I happily did a lot of taste-testing along the way.

Posted by Jenn at 08:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last night at dinner, the following two conversations took place:

me: So, did you go out for recess today?
henry: Yep.
me: Did you run around a lot to stay warm?
henry: Yep. I ran across the bridge!
me: You ran across the bridge?
henry: Uh-huh...I ran across the bridge to get to the other slide.
me: Dave, please tell me you heard that.

henry: Mom, did you know that there are two kidneys inside people's bodies?
me: I did know that!
henry: how did you know?!?
me: I learned it in school!
henry: ME TOO!
dave (hoisting up his knee): Hey Henry, you know what this is? It's called an "adult knee"!
henry (hoisting up his knee): And this is called a "kid kn-" *long pause* "kid knee"?
dave and me: hahahhahhahhahha!
dave: Make sure you tell that one to your teacher!

Posted by Jenn at 12:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

We're almost two weeks into the new year, so I may as well fess up to my New Year's Resolution: I'm going to try not to shop at any major chain or "Big Box" stores for the year; instead I'm going to focus on local stores and making items we need myself.

Lately I've found myself completely overwhelmed by too many options whenever I go shopping. There's too much of everything to choose from. If I need socks I have to sift through package after package, type after type, and when it's all said and done, I feel like I've just wasted an enormous amount of time. Same goes for the grocery store. It takes forever to find something, and when you do, you've got fourteen different options for basically the same product, not to mention no matter how well I plan a trip out, I always end up walking the width of the store at least three times, backtracking to find an item they've moved to a different area. It makes me, quite literally*, crazy. Just before Christmas, I found great satisfaction in going to the local butcher and seeing chicken quarters instead of: chicken legs, chicken thighs, chicken legs and thighs, each produced by three different companies.

So I've decided to take that bit of nuttiness out of my life and turn it into something a bit more positive, which is frequenting local shops and getting creative with what we already have. The hardest part will be replacing clothes. I've got two giant bags full of clothes handed down to Holly from friends, so she's pretty well set, but the young man is also growing like a weed, so I'll have to come up with some sort of plan of action for him.

Other than the clothing issue, I'm not thinking too far ahead, and am going to roll with things as they come. Wish me luck!

*I completely lost my cool during both of the trips I made to the grocery store for Thanksgiving. In fact, I haven't really been back for a major shopping trip since.

Posted by Jenn at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

A couple of months ago I came across these instructions for a peasant style dress for toddlers. I immediately fell in love with it and wanted to make one for Holly. The only problem was, my understanding of why you do things a certain way to have specific results are completely lacking, and while I can follow a detailed pattern if it's accompanied by detailed photos, if it doesn't, I'm completely lost. So all of the bits in the instructions having to do with, say measurements and sizing, were about five miles over my head. So I bookmarked the page and asked my mom if she'd help me out some time.

Enter a few days after Christmas. The week before we left for Boston, I headed out to a local and amazing fabric store I wish I'd known about five years ago in search of fabric. I came home, laundered it, then sprang it on my mom the day before we were going to leave to come home. She read the instructions, understood them because she's smart and talented, and we got to work. She explained the sizing, the measuring, the putting together, and the general "why" of it all. While she pinned and ironed, I worked the sewing machine, while Henry either sat next to me or sat under the table and worked the sewing machine pedal. In a couple of hours, Holly was toddling around in a brand-spanking new dress.

For this go-around, after much discussion we decided not to add the elastic, mainly because we thought it would be a bit irritating to Holly to have rubbing against her skin all day long. Next time I make one, my mom suggesting I wrap the elastic in casing before I sew it in so it's a bit softer.

I don't think anyone is more proud of being a part of putting the dress together than Henry. Holly came down in it a couple of days ago and Dave said "What a pretty dress, Holly!" Henry came over to check it out and when he saw what she was wearing, he said "That's the dress Mom, Grammy, and I made!"

Posted by Jenn at 02:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

...has been surprisingly busy. At least this week has been, anyway. It's only half over and the rest of week's calendar is filled up. Talk about starting the year off with a bang, if "bang" means lots of appointments with a few playdates (both kid and adult) mixed in.

Meanwhile, we're a few good solid weeks into winter now and I'm still very patiently waiting for it to start snowing. A nice snow, one that's good for snowmen, snowballs, snow volcanoes, and best of all, hot chocolate enjoyed while snuggled under a blanket in the comfort of a chair that's next to a window. Sounds nice, doesn't it? I'm ready for it.

Posted by Jenn at 08:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Henry's diet leaves much to be desired. Still. Last year I decided that I was going to, at the very least, make real food versions of the stuff he likes. Instead of instant Maple Syrup and Brown Sugar oatmeal, I'd make it for him from scratch with old-fashioned oats, real maple syrup, and brown sugar. Instead of Campbell's tomato soup, I'd make him real tomato soup. (For the record, even though Dave and I loved it, that one didn't go over so well, and Henry now refuses to eat any kind of tomato soup.) You get the general idea.

In October we joined a winter CSA. I love it. I'm much more a "winter" than a "summer" when it comes to vegetables. We've been using up everything we get (except for beets, blech) which is practically unheard of for us. One of the vegetables that's been frequently popping up is parsnips. Did you know parsnips aren't a member of the onion family? Because I didn't until I actually saw one. For my entire life up until October I assumed parsnip was some kind of onion simply because it sounded like the name of something that would be some kind of onion. Don't even ask me what I thought a leek was. Anyway, I asked a friend what she was doing with them and she said she was mashing them up with carrots and that it was really good. Operating as I do with the personal opinion that carrots are truly disgusting, I put them in mashed potatoes instead, and gosh-darned if they weren't the best mashed potatoes I've ever made. I haven't made them any other way since then. And you know what? Henry happily ate them because he couldn't tell there was a root vegetable lurking in his innocuous looking side dish. Dave and I have shared many a fist bump over this particular triumph.

Remember that part up there where I mentioned that carrots are disgusting, because they are? Well, we've also been getting a lot of carrots in our CSA and they've been piling up. I usually slice them up and put them in soup because they taste a lot less carroty when they've been bobbing around in chicken stock for a few hours, but there's only so far you can go with that on a weekly basis. On Saturday while perusing allrecipes.com for something, anything that uses up a significant quantity of carrots without actually tasting like carrot I came across this recipe for Golden Carrot Buns. A few of the commenters mentioned the fact that these buns do not, in fact, taste like carrot despite the large amount the recipe requires, and that was good enough for me. Sunday I made them, had Dave taste-test them while I prepared myself for disappointment, but then he said they were good, that they didn't taste like carrot at all. I tried one, and he was right. Then, the ultimate test, Henry nibbled one, declared he liked it, then gobbled it down. Of course he has no idea there are vast quantities of carrot in them, but he's on a need to know basis, and he doesn't need to know.

Posted by Jenn at 09:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Remember New Year's Eve? A few night's ago? That would be the night when I was ready to go to bed by 10 but Henry was determined to make it to midnight and really experience what it's like to start the new year off with a bang. How did he manage to stay awake that whole time? Why, by talking, of course! Non-stop. It was partly my fault. At 9PM we watched the movie "Deck the Halls" which is about a guy who decorates the heck out of his house with lights, and the neighbor who can't stand him. It's a cute movie. Knowing Henry's love of outdoor holiday illumination I thought he'd get a kick out of it. To say he was inspired would be putting it mildly. Once the movie was over, he talked until 11:30 about what we should do with our house and what music we should synchronize the lights to, etc. etc, ad infinitum until we finally told him he needed to rest his voice because he'd talked himself into coughing fits. Half an hour later we rang in the New Year, hustled Henry off to bed, and then went to sleep ourselves.

The next morning Henry was up around 7, thus proving that staying up late does not a late morning guarantee.

Yesterday morning, however, Henry slept until 9:30, and he would have gone longer if I hadn't stuck my head in his room to make sure he was still alive. I took a nice leisurely shower, got down the Christmas boxes, cleaned up a bit, got Holly out of bed, we had a nice, quiet breakfast, and played for a bit, all before Henry even cracked an eyelid. Too bad Dave had to get up at 5AM for a day trip to Ohio. He would've really enjoyed the morning, too.

Henry and I took down most of the Christmas decorations during Holly's morning nap yesterday. I was stuffing the last string of garland back into its tube when I happened to notice Henry watching most dejectedly. I asked him if he was sad the holidays were over and he nodded his head glumly. I have to say, I'm sad they're over, too, but I'm looking forward to seeing what's coming in the new year, just the same.

Posted by Jenn at 03:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)