A Rock Star & Artist

Our new favorite

The beginning of a very fine weekend.

Ada's attempt to butter her own bread, unsupervised of course.


Here is a yummy, hearty, and delicious soup to add to your meal rotation. It's our new favorite, and very, very Southern. It calls for butter beans, baby.

Succotash, the healthier version:

1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup of water
2 cups butter beans (canned or fresh cooked)
2 cups corn (fresh, canned or frozen)
2 tbs. butter

Combine all ingredients, cover and simmer at least 20 minutes. Delicious with a pan of corn bread. I add a dollop of hot sauce and 1 bay leaf to this as well, borrowing from the recipe below.

Stacking vegetables. We're not sure what to think about this trait - everything must be "in order".

Succotash, the sinful version...but so, so good!

4 strips of bacon, fried, crispy and crumbled - reserve 2 tbs bacon dripping in the pan
Add to pan:
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
Cook until tender
Stir in 3 tbs flour, blend thoroughly
Slowly whisk in 3 cups of chicken broth, bring to boil while stirring.
Add bacon, 2 cups fresh/canned corn, 1 1/2 cups canned butter beans, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tsp. pepper. 1/2 tsp hot sauce optional (it really adds flavor, though).
Simmer 15 minutes on reduced heat.
Remove bay leaves and stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream.
Salt to taste.

Getting ready to help Dad plant seeds this morning, in preparation for our Summer garden.

Conversations with Ada

Yesterday:

Dad: What did you do today, Ada?
Ada: Grocery shopping
Mom: Did we go to the park, too?
Ada: Dad, very dirty
Mom, to Dad: The park was dirty and wet from the rain
Ada: Yeah, dirty
Mom: Did we go grocery shopping and get ketchup?
Ada: Yeah, tetchup
Mom: Did we get yogurt and cheese
Ada: Yeah, yogurt and cheese
(it goes on like this for a while, with lots of grocery items)
Mom: Did we stop and have tacos
Ada: Yeah, tacos
Mom: Did we go to the Latin Market for treats?
Ada: Yeah, Atin market
Mom: Was it called El Paraiso?
Ada: Yeah, Aiso (with other jumbled sounds)
Dad: Wow, you can speak Spanish
Ada: Yeah, Panish

Second conversation at 4:45 am this morning - Ada in our bed ready to chat (Dad made Gingersnap cookies before bed, by the way)

Ada: Mom, yuv you (translate, love you)
Mom: I love you too, bud
Ada: Dad, too-ties, very hot! (whispered and emphatic)
Mom: Yep, Dad made cookies and they are very hot. OK, it's time to go back to sleep
Ada: Thurston come over
Mom: Thurston will be here Friday
Ada: Otay (translate, OK)

Silent moment

Ada: Mom, tozy (translate, cozy - as she nestles down under the covers a bit further)
...and, back to sleep

To Ada, Love Dad

New art work donning Ada's bedroom walls - advice and life lessons from Dad.

2011 update

2011 is proving to be eventful already, and we haven't even completed a full month of it yet. Let's play catch-up, shall we?

Many of you may not be aware that for a minute, Sam and I thought I would have to return to work. I spent a good two weeks scouring the classifieds and Craigslist, and every non-profit website I could find to apply for a job. You see, this whole plan I had to care for children in our home to help support our family so I could remain a Stay-At-Home-Mom wasn't working out for us. We found a family who committed to us last Fall, but when it came down to it, it didn't happen. So, I submitted applications and a week later was called in by a counseling agency about 3o minutes away. I interviewed and they offered me a job providing in-home counseling to traumatized and at-risk children. Wouldn't you know it, the day they offered me a job was the day I got a slough of emails from parents asking about me providing childcare. Options are really nice. Let's just say that I get to stay home with my fabulous children thanks to Charlie A, Charlie B, Thurston, and Logan! No, I won't be watching all of them at the same time. Some are part-time, some are only for a few months, some don't even begin until March, but I am grateful for them because they will allow me what I want most dearly in life right now - to be home with my children. Needless to say, we will be overrun with boys and Ada is THRILLED about it. Well, that's not true - she is having some serious turf issues, but, she'll manage the adjustment.

Onto a more somber tone. Sam and I have been, along with the country, mourning the tragedy that took place in our former desert home on a day we will never forget. Having friends who are so close to the victims, and many that were first responders to the scene, not to mention that she was our Congresswoman, has made us grieve in ways that have been unexpected and jolting. Everything I attempt to write here seems not enough. I can only say that I hold on to these babes of mine a little harder and a little longer and am grateful everyday for them.


Sam began classes this week and is excited to get to teach a literature course in addition to the teaching load he had last Semester. This role reversal has taken some getting used to for both of us, but we like it!

Quentin is growing exponentially - 11lb, 11oz and 24 inches at his appointment last week. He is responding to us more, smiling and cooing during his waking moments. My heart hurts everytime I look at him, which is an incredible feeling. He makes all of us smile, Ada included.

Ada finally has enough hair for me to pull up into a mini-pony-tail. Her verbal and fine motor skills are also improving on a daily basis. She is very good at coloring, staying in the lines and drawing "faces" and "candy canes". She proudly displays them on the "prader" - that's Ada speak for "refrigerator". Just yesterday I asked her to "be careful" around Quentin and she swiftly told me to "settle down". What a kid.

We hope the remainder of 2011 is kind to us and all of you. Happy Belated New Year!

Quentin, 2 months

Growing pains

Somebody wriggled her entire body into one of my pant legs and then flopped around like a mermaid

Well, let me start off by saying that Ada popped the first letter of her brother's first name off of the laptop so I can't spell his name - which is rather fitting considering the purpose of this post is to share the growing pains we are experiencing under our roof. Things were going along wonderfully with Ada until we hit his 6 week birthday. Apparently the newness of a baby in the house has worn off. The past 2 weeks have been very difficult.

I will back up by saying that our "sweet boy" (a nice substitute for actually spelling his name) is allergic to dairy. I knew something was wrong, talked with the pediatrician and she suggested I remove all dairy (whey and casin, too) out of my diet. I'll live without cheese, chocolate and bread if it means a happy baby. Unhappy, miserable babies make you want to cry. Happy babies make you smile. He is happy now - or at least once he hit 6 weeks...enter the frustrated 2yo (it almost seems redundant putting "frustrated" and "2 year old" in the same sentence together, doesn't it?).

I won't go into the details, but it's everything you would expect from a very determined, "do it myself", growing toddler who is realizing that Mom and Dad have other responsibilities in the house that don't revolve around her.

In spite of it all, I am cherishing the moments that make Ada who she is. Funny, focused, tender hearted, determined (there is that word again) and my sweet little girl.

I thought you might enjoy the moments as well.

Enjoying our Christmas snow, her new boots and new hat/mittens (thanks Santa, thanks Mel & Eric).


With her new found sense of independence comes a need to dress and attempts to diaper herself. Today she insisted on picking out my socks and shoes and putting them on my feet. I was the talk of the town.



This was by far my favorite holiday activity with her, aside from making our holiday cards this year. Santa loved the cookies and milk we left for him.



Many thanks to our family and friends for helping make Christmas a very special day for us.


...and this post wouldn't be complete without our "sweet boy" who really doesn't need to go by any other name.