Books, Bites and Indecision
It’s library day. Every other Thursday is library day. Why every other Thursday? Because it’s not Ballet Day (Wednesday) or Grocery Shopping Day (Friday) or Church Day (Sunday) or Stay in Your Workout Clothes And Simply Reapply Deodorant Day (Monday and Tuesday…and often every other day, too). Library books technically aren’t due until three weeks after we check them out, but after a week and a half, I’ve grown tired of the Junie... Read More
Monkey on My Back
Just when I thought I was over him. I’d shoved all the old photographs and letters in a box in the garage, wedged between the Christmas wrap and the Halloween decorations. I made his favorite dessert for Easter. I stopped changing the radio when our song came on. “Hollaback Girl.” I know. It’s bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S. I stopped thinking it was him, when in a crowded mall or restaurant, I got a whiff of polyester monkey. But then yesterday,... Read More
The Shape of Things
I’ll admit, it’s a little weird to feed my kids animal-shaped things, but I generally don’t think twice about it. Sure, we don’t eat actual animals, but it’s totally fine to bite the head off that gummy bear. To clip a fin from a Swedish fish. To munch a handful of Cheddar Bunnies. And more than one chocolate rabbit viciously lost his ear last Sunday. That was me. But my friend Brandi was thinking of these mixed messages when she gave... Read More
Lessons From Easter
1. Nothing soothes the disappointment of not getting a kitten for Easter like a few jelly beans at 6:30 a.m. Obviously. 2. No one has a problem spotting a jelly bean that the Easter Bunny dropped five feet beneath our couch, but no one can find Gigi’s tights that I laid out for her to wear to church. 3. God probably frowns upon yelling at your family unintelligibly about lost tights more than He frowns upon bare legs. Or being late for... Read More
Sunrise Service
Overheard on the stairway this morning. Before the sun had completely risen. Before a single plastic egg had been hunted. Before a single jelly bean had been eaten. Before a single chocolate bunny lost his left ear. A quiet little voice squeaked out in the silence. “Thank you, Jesus. For all you did for us.” –Gigi, Age 5 Amen. Read More
It’s the Little Things
Like waking up thinking you’ve forgotten to hide eggs and realizing it’s Saturday. And you don’t have any eggs. Pancake breakfasts. Getting to wear sundresses to the local Farmer’s Market. Kettle corn samples. Free balloons. Begging for homemade Barbie dresses for $3. And you don’t have any Barbies. Free bumper stickers. Garden sticks. Pea sticks. Gigi running around the market, proudly shouting, “I got a Pea Stick! I got... Read More
Wannabe Recipea: Chocolate Lava Cake
This Wannabe Recipea thing is turning out to have been a wonderful idea. If only it had been mine. You see, were it not for Scott’s request, I might never have made Mmmm Sauce. I know. Don’t even think such dark, horrible thoughts. And then came reader Kendall’s request for Chocolate Lava Cake. You’ve had Lava Cake, with its cakey, almost chewy edges and its hot liquid fudge center? I know. Without her, I might never have made this. ... Read More
Sandwiched In
I’d like to see how many things I can blame on Michael Pollan today. Because Homeboy is making my already busy life a little bit busier. But obviously not busy with hand lotion application or manicures. Yipes. It’s not his fault that I am now the backstage “Class Coordinator” for Gigi’s ballet class. And the “Snack Mom” for Lulu’s class. And in charge of supervising the Pre-Ballet classes at all-day, all-cast rehearsals for... Read More
Imaginary Soup
Let’s play pretend. Because I’m an expert. It’s pretty much my job. I pretend to be oblivious to the fact that I have a closet full of clean clothes and have just worn the same jeans, hoodie and flip flops several days this week. And it’s only Wednesday. I pretend that “Tire Rhea” is a perfectly fine name for Sleeping Beauty’s horse. I pretend to be Captain Hook chasing my little rapscallions around the kitchen with my potholder... Read More
Determined
In case you haven’t heard, Easter is Sunday. It can’t get here fast enough for us. I was determined to do Easter in a way this year that focuses more on the true meaning behind the holiday and focuses less on jelly beans, chocolate and eggs. My efforts first backfired when I decided Gigi was old enough to read the Easter story in her Children’s Bible. But there’s no easy way to sugar-coat crucifixion, and a horrified Gigi was in our bedroom... Read More
The Education of Mama Pea
This weekend, I went back to college. But this time, I returned without the fear of “what comes next,” the pressure to pick insignificant things that really didn’t end up mattering in the long run—the right dorm, the right major, the right guy. Because the right guy was somewhere else altogether. Last night, we had the opportunity to go back to Pea Daddy’s alma mater to hear New York Times food writer and best-selling author of Food... Read More
Planning a Veggie Easter
I cleaned out my email inbox last night. It was so very refreshing to delete the twenty Groupon deals Pea Daddy is strongly encouraging me to buy and the fifteen Living Social deals he thinks I “must have.” He has a slight problem. I think if Tommy Bahama ever offered a Groupon his head would explode. And then he’d send me a Living Social deal for 50% off head reconstruction surgery. Hidden in the hundreds of money-saving forwards were... Read More
A Controversial Post
There have been a couple of notable stories in the news this past week that have caused quite the buzz in the vegan community. I’ve written and rewritten my thoughts and opinions on the issues, wavered back and forth on what to say or even if I should say it, and then I just made up my mind. I don’t weigh in on problems. I solve them. Natalie Portman, if you are craving eggs, try this. And for the record, I’m still a fan and you can come... Read More
Build Your Own Wacky Wednesday (VIDEO)
We got out the video camera this afternoon. There was no script, no rehearsals, no second takes. After all was said and done, I just couldn’t decide which video to post. So today, the choice is yours. Do you want a salad building post with tips on how to get your kids to eat more vegetables and to learn the “recipea” for the dressing that I put on every salad I eat? Or do you want something that I’m not even sure Lulu can explain? Or you... Read More
Wannabe Recipea: Mmmm Sauce
At first glance, you’d think I have nothing in common with our friend, Scott. And that’s just how I like it. He wears Nike and I’m loyal to Adidas. He likes Alternative Rock and I can’t even load songs on my iPhone. He enjoys spending nine innings at the ball park, whereas I finish my bag of kettle corn and I’m out. It’s the perfect friendship. Scott can keep right on taking Pea Daddy to the Nike store, Slash concert and Mariners’ games,... Read More
New Recipage and Most Popular Recipea (GIVEAWAY)
Anyone who knows me can tell you that I am, always have been and will always be a perfectionist. But unlike anyone who knows me, I don’t think it’s a fault. Then again, I don’t have to live with me, share a bathroom with me or try to not leave a single fingerprint on the stainless steel refrigerator or otherwise bear the wrath of me. As the saying goes, “The day I stop learning is the day I start dying.” And therefore, I will always be... Read More
This Way or That Way
Life’s full of tough choices. Sleeping in or Sunday School? (Sorry, God) Yoga pants or skinny jeans? (Yoga pants. Or more accurately called “bake two kinds of cake, take pictures of cake and then sit on the couch and write about cake” pants.) Lowe’s or Home Depot? (I don’t know. I stayed home. I have cake on my pants.) Very Cherry Berry Snack Cake (TWO WAYS) Print this recipe! Makes 9 servings 1/2 c. non-dairy milk 3/4 c. unsweetened... Read More
Shopgirls
Best finds: My Costco card. After 20 minutes of digging in my purse. 10 pounds of organic carrots. Otherwise known as “self-tanner.” Brownie sample. Yum. Best finds: Under eye concealer. Now why would I need that? Emergen-C Kidz. Now why would they need that? Piece of popcorn in the seat of our cart. Trust me Lulu, you do not need that. Best finds: Gigi. Popcorn with nutritional yeast. Yum. A quiet 45-minute drive. Thank... Read More
Cooking in the Living Room
There’s no question that the concept of cooking being an act of love was taught to me by my mom. She was a much better housewife than I am. Laundry was put away after it was folded, not stashed in a basket in the corner of her bedroom for two weeks so everyone could just come hunt through the basket when they needed clean underwear. She was always an incredible cook too. It seems like every night she’d have a big spread of homemade food on... Read More
Wacky Wednesday: Shake it Like a Polaroid
I feel like every Wednesday, the day of our week that is overscheduled to its very limits, God is testing me. And every Wednesday, I fail. I failed at convincing Lulu that Gigi does not want to play with cat toys. Neither does Pea Kitty. Batting at a feather on a string has nowhere near the satisfaction of using her razor sharp claws to splinter our oak stair rail. Or my leg. Which is the closest thing to a shave my legs have gotten this... Read More
Tofu Love
Whenever anyone tells me they don’t like tofu, I simply say, “Yes, you do. You just don’t know how to cook it.” It’s okay. I don’t mean anything offensive by that. If it makes you feel better, I haven’t the slightest idea how to cook a pot roast. My grandmother is so ashamed. Soy allergies or sensitivities aside, I challenge anyone to make tofu this way and not like it. Gigi likes it (but then again, she eats spinach straight... Read More
Notes From a Monday
Pea Daddy and I had our first “date” in over a month tonight. We didn’t go out. We stayed home and ate our dinner of homemade veggie burgers in front of 60 Minutes. Because there is nothing sexier than Andy Rooney along side a healthy serving of beans. We couldn’t decide if we wanted to share a Werther’s or a bowl of prunes for dessert. I told him Pea Daddy he could choose if he’d volunteer to be the one to clap off the TV when... Read More
You’re In Trouble
Whoever called them the “Terrible Twos” doesn’t have a three-year old. I know I have the greatest kids in the world, but they still have their moments. Their moments that beg for discipline. Like when Pea Daddy tells Lulu to get back in bed and go to sleep, and she puts her hands on her hips, looks him straight in the eye and says, “Don’t YOU talk to me that way!” Can you injure yourself seriously from trying to hold a laugh in? ... Read More
Fool the Ones You Love
April Fools’ Day is a big deal when you are five. Although I think Gigi’s a little confused about the origin of the holiday. “It’s a day God invented for us to show people that we love them!” By lying to them. Or just plain ticking them off. I felt very loved when I found two huge wads of Scotch tape in my shoes this morning. I’m sure Lulu felt loved when her stuffed dog, Doug, was hidden in the freezer. I wish Gigi would have hidden... Read More
