Pie Update

Today I gave praise to God for the two strawberry pies in my ice box.
I really did.
You see…
My grocery store is in the same shopping center as the
Pennsylvania Dutch Farmer’s Market!!
My very own local Amish market
That
Sells
P I E S!
Fresh strawberry pies.
The nice man behind the counter gave a warm and knowing smile when I asked if the pies were the same as the ones at the Bird in Hand Bakery (they are!).
Delectable.
Now I don’t have to make strawberry pie. I can just pick one up for the bargain price of $7.99 a pie.

What is Worse?

Being out of:
A. Laundry Detergent?
B. Coffee Filters?
C. Dishwasher Detergent?

Answer: C

Why?
A: Oh, I’m real real super sad and torn up about not being able to do laundry. So sad about it that I almost cried myself to sleep. Not.

B: You can fashion a coffee filter out of a variety of household items.

C: I didn’t move to the bleeding middle of nowhere to wash dishes by hand! There are only two slightly attractive things about living in the suburbs/country, central air conditioning and dishwashers. In fact, I’m so intense about the dishwasher that I order my detergent online and have it brought directly to my door by a man in a brown suit. (Clearly I didn’t realize I was out so will pick some up at the store this morning.) Crisis averted.

Auto Wash

What is the little guy looking at?

Pssst...
Do you spy bottom teeth?











The car wash!

Right Back At You!

A Visit with Uncle JD

Baja Fresh to go + Uncle JD = A fun Wednesday afternoon
Press play and see for yourself.



How precious is that?!

Oh, and John-David had yummy Pom Tea for us to enjoy with lunch. Mine was white peach somethingorother and it was super satisfying.

Retirement & Literature

Congratulations to Aunt Diane on her retirement!

Appreciation of fine literature will

never be the same for the under 18 crowd in Gulfport.

About That Strawberry Pie...

It was so g o o d that I made my own strawberry pie yesterday.
I shall NOT confess how long I poured over fresh strawberry pie recipes.
Here it is.
All from scratch except the pie crust (I have a tiny human to care for, remember!).
It was ok.
Definitely NOT Bird in Hand material.
Of course I got local strawberries.
Because you know the modern grocery store
has ruined, yes, ruined(!)
the strawberry and tomato.
Do you even remember what a real strawberry or tomato taste like?
Anyway…
I called the bakery today in hopes of acquiring the recipe.
I got the machine.
I will try again tomorrow.
Do you think they will hand over the recipe?

Our Trip to Lancaster

Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Here we come!

During our trip:
1. I learned the word vacation does not apply to moms.
2. I realized that my home is anywhere my husband and son are, even a hotel room.
3. Lancaster is a great weekend jaunt. I’m wondering why I’ve never been there before.
4. I want to move to Strasburg, PA. Based on looks alone. (assuming Manhattan & Washington fall through)
5. I had a life changing experience with a slice of pie.

We stopped for lunch at Cracker Barrel. Yum.

Once we arrived in Lancaster we went directly to Bird in Hand, PA, where some of the Amish live.

We visited this bakery.

And had this strawberry pie (the shoefly pie is a Faris treat).

It c h a n g e d my life.
That slice of pie was the most delicious, unbelievable non-chocolate dessert of all time.
I promise it was that good.
I was so out of sorts about it that I didn’t march back in and buy an entire pie to share with my in-laws who were arriving that night. We went back on Saturday and they had sold out. I was reasonably devastated.

More on strawberry pie later.

Has anybody noticed that Faris and I both have on purple shirts? We didn’t plan that and when I insisted he change shirts he refused because he thought it was great. He was visibly excited about it. Because I love him I happily walked around looking uber dorky with my onetruelove.

Our weekend trip to Lancaster was for the annual May Camp sponsored by the church Faris grew up in. I’ve heard about this camp for years and this was my first time attending. It was amazing. I especially enjoyed the lecture by the man who was a Muslim but is now a born again Christian living in the Middle East. He is rich with the Spirit in the face of life threatening danger. It was humbling to listen to him.

First Time for Everything

Overheard:

"Camille, I'm putting my laptop in your suitcase."
A moment later...
"Why aren't there more clothes in here?"

P.S. This is my 100th post!

Packing Up

We are going on our first family weekend trip.
I’m mildly apprehensive about traveling with a baby.
Especially being in the same hotel room.
He goes to sleep at 7pm.
So maybe I’ll get a lot of sleep this weekend?
Wondering how much a suite would run us.
Packing for a baby is a hysterical endeavor.
Luke is packed.
Faris is packed.
I’m packed.
And it is 11:05pm.
Not bad by my standards.

Cheerio, Little Luke!

We have entered the Cheerios world.
All politely snapped in half.

Such concentration.

P.S. Nothing like a soggy cheerio stuck to the bottom of your foot.





P.P.S. Saying Cheerio makes me remember Nader & Carolyn across the pond on holiday! Is that even how you spell Cheerio when you mean it as a greeting?

Sea Foam Green

Black Beans, Mango and what is that sea foam green thingy?
Melted lime sherbet?
No.
It’s edamame thankyouverymuch.
Isn’t the color funny?
I was reminded of the sea foam green crayon.
Such an odd color in the box.

Toys

Eight months old on Friday,
Luke is in need of fresh toys to grow into.
How happy am I to have found Plan Toys?
Silly Giddy H A P P Y.
They are a green toy company.
They use things like non-formaldehyde glue, water based color and soy ink.
This cone sorter arrived today and Faris declared it the best toy I ever bought.


Luke takes it all apart before putting the parts in his mouth…
And I consider that gold star progress.

Shoes

I spied Luke staring at kids shoes in nursery so of course that means he wants shoes, right?

Yesterday we went to Nordstrom for our first Luke shoe shopping and it was so super amazing fun. We measured his little foot on the foot measurer thingy. That alone was worth the entire trip in the rain.

Another woman with a little boy kept telling me about the shoes she got for her son and blah blah blah. Shhhh, woman I don’t know, I’m doing MY OWN shoe shopping and don’t care about what you did but thanks for the advice/commentary I did not ask for. Not. Really, she talked for a long long long time.

We came home with one pair casual and one pair fancy:
Casual

Fancy

I’m going to order these for kicks.
They look like summer casual fun.
Remind me of Jack Tripper from Three’s Company.

(Should that be a red flag?)

We need these too.

Confession: I tried super hard not to stroll by the girl shoes which from afar looked so much more, um, playful and fun.

P.S. When I asked Faris how many pairs of shoes he thought Luke should have he said two. Of course, this was after I explained in great detail why Luke needed shoes. I was thinking four but I guess two is a good and reasonable start. Does anyone else see trouble on the horizon?

P.P.S. I’m probably going to put his feet in shoes almost never, bare feet are so much more fun. But at least I’ll have the option of shoes.

ISO: Pasta Sauce. Quick. Delicious.

Found: Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce

For years I’ve been looking for a go to tomato pasta sauce that didn’t require hours on the stovetop. I’ve found it in this month’s issue of Cook's Illustrated.

Yum
Yum
YUM.

The creamy tomato sauce is deep and complex and will have you licking your bowl clean…which I may or may not have done.
It is g o o d.
Try it. You won’t be disappointed.
Don’t worry it isn’t that much cream.

Sick+tooth+tooth=?

I’m flattered.
A few blog readers grumbled about my lack of posting.
About that lack of posting…
Started the week minus power
With sick seven month old
Who sprouted two teeth
Within eighteen hours of each other.
What does that equal?
Me.
Thursday night.
And my first chaos induced moment.
That was hysterical.
In retrospect.

I'm told it won't be my last.

Crush

I have a crush on all things Boon. For little boys I've decided modern and sleek is the only way to go.

Dear Elena

Word on the street is that today was your first day of school. Congratulations!! You look prepared with your stylish pink backpack and your fashion forward green dress. I bet you have everything just so in that pink backpack. If your student habits take after your mother I bet you were super well behaved and polite. And of course you secretly had the whole class in stitches with your hilarious shenanigans!
Love,
Camille

Confidential to Camille

I would trust you with my hair too.
In that same sphere, you are one of my top ten foxhole companions.

A Suction Tale

You know those droppers used to administer medicine to infants? Right.
Over the last few days life has necessitated the use of a medicine dropper. Much to my amusement Luke has figured out that if he puts his tongue on the dropper it will suction right on (sort of like you and I can do with a straw). Can you imagine my hysterical laughter this afternoon when he first did it and then Luke laughing at my laughing and putting out his tongue with the dropper attached?

Ok. I guess you had to be there.

That is what I’m doing today. What exactly are y o u doing?

Birthday Wish

Powered Up

We arrived to our power positive home about four this afternoon. We are none the worse for wear given the recent acts of God around the world (earthquake, cyclone, and tornados). There was a news van across the street reporting on the flooding in our town and the high waves. The high wind flipped the bike rack in our parking lot, leaving the bikes a mangled mess.

I was loving my plants on the balcony. I hope they survive the beating.

Notice the water in the pot.













Most of the plant this came from is intact.













See the walking path? Water was coming up that far last night.











Alice, thank you for your warm home and hospitality. What a fun surprise visit.

Earth, Wind & Rain

Last night it was so much fun to watch the h u g e waves crash against the rocks. F and I were amazed at how far the water came up on the grass, repeatedly. It was pretty awesome to watch. Alas, the wind and rain knocked the power out sometime during the 11pm hour. So early this morning we made a mad dash to the in-laws house where we remain warm, dry, and fed.

I brought my Economist…wouldn’t that be fun to finish reading it all on a Monday!!

Confidential to My Little Mom

Lindy & Luke, Thanksgiving 2007

Wow.
I had no idea what mothers do.
And all with a happy heart
joyful spirit
and
never a second thought.
Thank you.
So.
Very.
Much.
But now I get that you aren’t in the motherhood business for the thank you's.
I didn’t understand that until I became a mom.
What I understand now is that the best gift I can give you is
How I live my life and that I live it.
I’m trying.
Thanks for the encouragement and the swift kicks along the way.
I love you.

Two Kinds of Storms

Thursday night: Little Luke not feeling well.
Intense weather as we slept.
Friday morning: 103 degree temperature.
Our first baby sickness.
REMAIN CALM
(F is super handy in situations like this)
7:15am
I’m out the door in the rain
For the open cattle call at our pediatricians office.
(cattle call= patients can come without appt to see a doctor one hour prior to office opening, created for situations just like ours.)
I notice the rain is coming down fast & hard
Quick flip of the radio
Reveals we are under a tornado watch.
OF COURSE.
It is about now that I realize my footwear--
Cute strappy wedge heels…
In the pouring down rain at
7 something in the morning.
I’m amused because
Clearly
Even my subconscious is
Fighting the suburban ugly footwear pandemic.
Luke has his first virus.
How great that he made it through the winter
Sans sickness!!!
The sun came out this afternoon
and
Luke is on the mend.

Self Discovery

Can you see the slobber?

A Visit with Carla

Despite her busy morning, Carla joined us for lunch at Lebanese Taverna. Super convenient that Whole Foods and Lebanese Taverna are practically next door to each other.

Don’t Carla and Luke look great? It was Amazon-like conditions inside the restaurant. Hot! Humid! I would only endure such dining conditions for falafel.

Hum This To Yourself Birthday Girl

Happy Birthday to You

Happy Birthday to You

Happy Birthday to Camille

Happy Birthday to Y O U!!

Exhale

Can you see my smile?
I’m coming back from some Camille Time.
An after dinner walk to the end of the pier
with a splash of sunset
mixed with a few boats.
Ahhhh, refreshing.
P.S. AND F brought home dinner!! A great end to a tiresome day.

Couldn't Pin it Down

After Luke was born I forgot my ATM pin number.
I could only summon three of the numbers.
F had to be my dealer.
Not any more.
I finally remembered.

Wine Country

My beloved friend Camille went to California on holiday. One of her fun outings included a bike ride through Napa Valley. She snapped this picture. Don’t you want to jet to Napa for a spin?

Weekend Adventure # 1503628

Our weekend started with breakfast on the Chesapeake Bay.
Not bad.

And it ended with a bayside dinner.
In-between meals we attend our first wedding as a family and somehow I managed no pictures. On our Saturday afternoon stroll we came upon a boardwalk festival with music and festival stuff.
People were playing in the sand and a few crazy kids were even frolicking in the water (which had to be mighty c o l d).
On Sunday Luke and I traveled to Annapolis for an afternoon party. Our hostess was the daughter of one of the WINGS (Women In Need of Going Somewhere). We are shy on WING in this photo.

(A note to readers: my mom is one of the founding members of WINGS, ladies who taught/teach school together who are now adventurous dear friends.)

The Cocky Peacock

I have to answer a lot of important questions every day. I regularly have to answer the question “Is that a number two in your pants?” I also ask myself as I’m doing the laundry if my heart is folding with a glorifying spirit, a much harder question to answer. Today I changed my answer to a question I’ve been battling for a few months. To cut or not to cut? Yes, cut.

[I am certain my mother at this point has gasped and said oh, no!]

Look, it is ridiculous for a boy to have hair like this in his face!
Lukealicious has even started to bat it away.

A quick lunchtime call to F for agreement.
A prayer that I don’t take out an eye.

Snip.

My son, go forth and tackle the world without having to swish and flick your hair. I'm not raising a sissy.
Love,
Mom

Better Hold Your Breath