Dinner for You, and You, and You

Some Pyrex I picked up at the antiques store for dinner delivery.  Might as well look nice, eh?

How do I get so lucky?  A friend of mine asked if I wanted to be part of a dinner co-op.  Um.  YES!  Here's how it works.
-One person cooks enough food for all three families once a week.
-The dinners should be healthy.
-Dessert is optional.
-Dinner is delivered by 5:30.

I love it!  Once a week I get to spend hours planning and preparing.  Twice a week I get amazing meals delivered to my front door.

Our group is working really well for a couple of reasons.  We're all quasi vegetarians.  Our families are about the same size.  No one is afraid of quinoa, kale, arugula, etc.  My kids are by far the pickiest eaters of the bunch, but nothing has totally flopped.  I love that they are trying new foods.  I also love that if they don't love it, I'm not that put out because either I didn't make it or if I did, someone else will eat it.

Have you ever been part of a dinner co-op?  Would you try it with some friends?  What would you make for your day?

Shades, etc

Did I mention that the apples are gone? We made applesauce out of the last 50 lbs, (6 gallons) with our friends last weekend. I left most of it with them. The kids keep asking to bring more home, but refuse to eat what we have. Go figure.

We also went on a little walkie in SHADES OF DEATH State Park. Well, it's just called Shades these days...but with Halloween coming up, it's so fun to go somewhere with Death in the name.

Jesse is getting ready for his interview. I'm so supportive, I've actually offered to iron and starch his shirts. It's going to be a long six days with him gone. Hopefully, I can keep it all together. I bet the kids are hoping the same thing. I bet they're also banking on Mommy getting overwhelmed just enough to take them to McD's.

In other news, Mermaid has learned the joys of shopping online at Amahzon. Emphasis on the mah. She reads the reviews to let us know that "these dolls come highly recommended." She's been so computer illiterate, that it's good she's learning to navigate a little better online. But she wants a debit card.

Also, Monkey now takes books to "read" on the bus. She read Winnie the Pooh last week. Our discussion of the book was enlightening on my part. "I get confused with what's going on sometimes because I skip the words I don't know." That would be anything but three letter words, fyi. One of the kids next to her wanted her to prove that she can't read by reading out loud. She said, "I don't know how to read out loud, yet!" (with an implied "duh!") She finished Winne the Pooh and has moved onto another book. I'm afraid that I won't believe her when she does learn to read.

How's your week going?

Indiana, Au Naturale

Last weekend our friends showed us Natural Indiana. Which is a lot different from what you see traveling to and fro. That would be Farming Indiana (soybeans or corn, take your pick). Nature in Indiana has streams, rocks, neato fossils and crinoids, and pawpaws (just like Baloo. And they are scrumdidliumcious).

I like Nature Indiana. It's beautiful. It's close. It's not incredibly prolific, but it will have to do for now. And if we can find some more of those pawpaws, I shall like it even more.

Spring Break Part 2, Ellsworth

We spent Friday and Saturday in Ellsworth with the Barretts. They live in a most beautiful part of Maine. We LOVE going to their house. The kids can never remember Jason's name. It's all about Sunshine. Except when he teaches them how to fish.Jason caught this huge fish in the tiny river. Remember last time when he shot the duck? He's our go to guy for outdoor survival.

Good Changes

When we lived in California, most of my friends (98% ish) were from church. It was fun and almost necessary in order to feel a part of our mega ward. Here in Maine, our ward is super spread out and though I'm friendly with a lot of the folks there, we're just not that close geographically. I like it!

We still hang out with friends on Sundays, we have playdates, and book clubs, but now it feels more like the community at large, not just our Verano/church friends.

And the newest coolest folks I've met are a group of women who exercise 5x a week every morning. Sadie leads us in boxing, yoga, and pilates on alternating days. Between her and the gym at school I might lose some of this awful trying to get pregnant weight I gained while I was doing fertility treatments.

I'm trying to get in good enough shape that I can compete in some sort of 10k or mini triathlon. I've been encouraging Jesse to start training for an Iron Man. You know he could do it. He said that if he ran a marathon or participated in an Iron Man, I'd have to do something as well. I think I will!

Thanksgiving 2009

Our Thanksgiving was AWESOME!! It started with our drive down to New Haven. On the way we got a phone call from Jesse's adviser telling him that his dissertation passed! He's a doctor! A very unuseful doctor, but who cares! I'm still giddy when I think about it.
We had a super yummy lunch in New Haven, played and played, and slept a little.
I swear I talked non-stop the first 3 days of that vacation. Three months in Maine without my awesome friends and family will do that to me. Sorry Brooke. Sorry Amy.

J, E, and Ben took the kids on a long walk in Manhattan that included a few stray floats. Better luck next year, guys. E and A were kind enough to host a beautiful dinner. It was so fun to have so much family and so many friends in one house. It was also fun to see Ez and Miles playing, Ben sleeping on the couch, and Kaylynn reconnecting with her Brooklyn buddies.
Friday we went to the Botanical Gardens. FUN. Can't wait to go again!Saturday we went into the city and saw the Samurai exhibit at the Met. So cool. They are changing 1/3 of the exhibit on the 7th, so we're going to go again at Christmas. The preying mantis helmet was amazing(seriously, click on the link)! We saw Ben and Yuki's cool place on the water. Very cool. No pictures of course. Well, that was a pretty boring post, but hope the pictures make up for it!

Acadia National Park w/ Friends

Acadia Sunset

We took advantage of the 4 day weekend school offered and went north to Acadia National Park. It was gorgeous! And we were lucky enough to be able to spend time with the Barretts, friends from our first stint in college oh so many years ago. Their kids are awesome. One 4 year old is a joy. Three of them are absolutely delightful. Their accents, their inquisitiveness, their joi de vivre. It's why I love sunbeams so much. The baby is scrumptious. And Jason even gave the kids duck anatomy lessons after his successful duck hunt.Lighthouse on Desert Mountain Island

All of the kids in front of the enormous rock in the forest.

I Heart Roadside Assistance Almost As Much As I Heart My Friends

Today, I had plans. But of course the car conked and I spent my one child free morning sitting on a berm waiting for my car to be towed. I have fab friends who saved the day. One who lent Jesse her husband to help remove the faulty alternator and their car so he could get a new one, one who gave me a ride to pick up Monkey, one who volunteered to keep Monkey indefinitely and drive her home in case I wouldn't be able to pick Monkey up, one who listened to me complain about my day, and one who when I had to cancel babysitting her little one tomorrow because I won't have a car said "no problem. call me if you guys need to get more parts. or a ride anywhere." These are all separate people. Can you see why no one in this family is crying that we aren't moving?

Getty Villa

We spent MLK Day at the Getty Villa. I know it's been a week, but that's the way it goes sometimes. We went with Cookie Nut, Dangerboy, and their lovely parents. I couldn't help but admire the statuary and how realistic they looked, especially the busts of everyday people. They looked like someone you might know.


Mermaid was enamored with this statue of Hermes and his cute winged shoes. After the Getty, we went to the beach at Topanga Beach. Of course we should've brought the board. Duh. Instead we just watched. Monkey almost walked into some guy, and when he looked up, I realized it was Andy Garcia. It was kind of fun to have the full LA experience: museum, beach, movie star.

AAARGH!

You know when you meet people and have tons to talk about and think "these are awesome people and I love hanging out with them" and then you move across the ocean and won't see them for awhile, or at least until they come to Disneyland (which better be soon!), oh right, and your kids play together fabulously. ARRRGH! I hate that!Trust me. We miss you all! Hawaii, California, New York? When/Where should we meet?

Princess Reunion

When we were in Sacramento, we went by the Funny Farm and saw some friends from not so long ago. The Princesses were in Joy School together some 3 years ago. Now they're first graders, but they got along as if those 3 years were just a day or two.

Save The Date

Date: August 30, Saturday
Time: 5pm
Place: Our backyard
Bring: a picnic blanket, some sort of food to share
Why: We're throwing our own Welcome Back Party!! We want to see YOU!
RSVP in comments or an email to muchmorethankeepinghouse@gmail.com
Can't wait to see EVERYONE!

FPF

So most of you already know them, but those who don't, check out Faded Paper Figures. Love the sound, love that the Japanese love them, love that they are our friends. Go. Listen. NOW! Even you, Mom!

Q-T

Here's to CUTIE PIE. The girls couldn't get enough of her. Except when they did. For kids who really want a sibling, they've got a few things to learn about babies.

Mariko Wuz Here

Where do I start? We have LOVED having Mariko and Amaya here. We stayed up late talking, did an obscene amount of shopping, and an equally obscene amount of eating.

Last night, with her gone, Jesse and I read and hung out, but didn't really say much to each other. We are SO Boring.

And when people asked how we knew each other, it was too hard to explain. Our relationship isn't linear, more like a web. Friend to both of us. One time room mate. Wife of J's friend. Lives next to Pam. Hiking buddy. Confidante. Family.

Mariko willingly let me drag her around Tokyo. Which is no easy feat with a two year old. We went to museums, bakeries, sumo practice, Ginza, Shibuya, shrines and temples, and did I mention shopping?

For the rest of my loyal readers, you only have six weeks left to take advantage of our prime Tokyo location and subway/train expertise.

Kamakura

You just can't fake that kind of enthusiasm! G was amazing in the water. Ebullient. Her joy in the water only compares to Jesse's. I can't wait to see them surfing together (Jesse can thank the stars that she's a morning person).

Kamakura with Mariko and kids. Fun. Tiring. Dehydrating. A couple of shrines. (Is it just me or are they all looking the same?) My one regret: not liking ume boshi. One of the shrines had green plums in a bag picked from the trees on the grounds. They were only 300 yen, but I don't know how to pickle them. And I don't really like them, either. But they were beautiful.

Mim is always happy to see jizo. They're statues with red bibs and sometimes red caps on. Parents make offerings for their children's protection, or for their spirit if they've died. It's bitter sweet. I like how Mim relates to a god specifically for her and other children.

Thank you for Cutie Pie

From G's prayer last night.

Takao Weekend

Here's some shots from this weekend. Recognize these kids? When we first came to Japan we stayed with them for a week. Do you know how nice it is to move your family over the big blue and end up at one of your best friend's houses? I wish I could move an old friend with me everywhere I went. By the way, the kids get along as if they had never been separated. M has a bit of a crush on the big boy. Cutest thing ever, it's reciprocated.

Kanegawa Cabin

We stayed in a beautiful cabin in Kanegawa with our friends and their kids. The kids got along so well, hardly any disagreements. It was fun getting to know people a little better. We've been really blessed to be here with so many cool people. Here are some pics of the kiddies and their friends.

Playground

At the playground with Mina and Shaw. This is pretty classic footage of the kids. An oldie but goodie.