And So It Is

The last day of 2012. I won't be ending the year with any profound philosophical waxings. The year had its highs and it had its lows. I've learned a lot, but need to learn more. I started to focus more on myself, but yet aim to keep my boys (all three) of them at the center of my universe with a strong gravitational pull.

The new year will bring more joys, hopefully few sorrows and lots to keep us busy. I hope that you all have a fantastic New Year's Eve and a sparkly start to 2013. D and I are definitely starting 2013 with a focus on health and sticking around for a long time ... but more on that tomorrow :)

Happy New Year!

My Last Restaurant Meal of 2012

I've been hesitating to write this post. On one hand, it's because it cements the fact that the year is coming to a close. A year that has allowed me to enjoy some very fine dining experiences that I will replicate to the same scale in 2013 (Wine Club is going back to hosting at our homes for our sixth year.) And on the other hand, I don't want this little secret gem to get out too well-known.

D and I enjoyed a lovely evening with his sister and her husband at a quaint little place called Phil's Tara Hideaway. It's a tiny log cabin in Stillwater. We went there on a Thursday night - they don't take reservations - and when we arrived, it was crazy crowded. We put our names down and were told we had a 90-minute wait. So we headed over to the local Mexican restaurant for cocktails (the bar at Phil's was far too crowded for us just to wait there.)

We came back about an hour later and were promptly seated. The energy of the place was palpable, and you could tell that since it was the holidays, everyone was sharing this little gem with their own family members. I started my meal with a grilled octopus:

This was the most amazing appetizer I have ever eaten. It was truly grilled perfection - and then sprinkled with lemon juice. I could have just eaten five plates of this and been perfectly happy. I also enjoyed a light, dry Greed red wine with my meal. I ordered it because I've never had Greek wine before and it was delightful.

For the next course, I had a crispy skin and duck confit salad. Now, I will say that I think this is the one place where the waiter failed to listen to my request about being gluten-free, but I removed the battered fried item from the salad and enjoyed the rest of it.

I loved the duck confit and the crispy skin and mushrooms. Yummy. My mother-in-law says that this restaurant has the best duck she's ever tasted. Unfortunately it came on a bed of gnocchi ... and since I didn't want to get the dish as it was not intended, I instead went with the Tara Steak Gorgonzola. The steak was perfectly cooked ... it melted in my mouth like butter, it was so ridiculous. The Gorgonzola sauce added a nice complement, but what I really loved were the sauteed wild mushrooms and caramelized onions. The Parmesan potato puree was a nice complement as well ... but my full belly didn't allow me to consume it all.

D enjoyed bread pudding for dessert, and the other couple enjoyed a butterscotch budino. They both looked amazing. I was far too full to eat another morsel. But I did cap my night off with a bailey's Irish cream. (And yes, I was taking a risk with the alcohol since they don't claim to be gluten-free, but after reading such a diverse response to if it affects those with gluten intolerance, I decided to risk it and fortunately, no adverse reactions! Yay!)

So, again, I wasn't sure if I wanted to share this little gem, but if you happen to be in Stillwater and want to try some of the most amazing food out there ... then Phil's is where you should go!

The Calm After the Flurry

It's hard to believe Christmas as arrived and is now just a fond memory. There's only a few more days of 2012. And I am enjoying a week of blissful vacation. (For the most part, but we'll get to that in a bit.)

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were lovely. We spent time with both my family and D's family. I wish we had more time to just enjoy everyone's company and relax. Alas, with little kids you spend a lot of time just ensuring they aren't destroying someone else's house. But you gotta love 'em, because watching the holidays through their eyes ... that is what it is all about. (Now, of course, my boys definitely had their spoiled brat moments ... which meant brief but meaningful lectures on expectations and graciousness and generosity, but they are only three and six.)

I felt very lucky to be on the receiving end of some amazing gifts, but I always prefer to watch how others respond to the gifts I pick out for them. It's the anticipation of "did I do a good job?" "Do I really know the person?" It's fun, but it's agonizing, too.

However, my biggest mistake of this holiday season was the foolish idea to schedule O's three-year-check-up  the day after Christmas at 8:15 and then to schedule D and my dental check-ups for 11 a.m. (Due to the crowds in the respective waiting rooms, I'm not the only one who had this idea.) However, it meant we couldn't sleep in this morning ... and I would have loved nothing more than to have been able to sleep in.

And ... I don't like the dentist. I have horrible teeth. No matter how well I do my home care ... something is always awry with my teeth. I clench my jaw terribly during the day, and so I was waiting to hear that I've ground my teeth away ... close. I have a severely cracked tooth which means I  will need to get a crown (my third one.) Yikes. And the expense ... it's awful. So, D and I emphasize with our boys constantly how they just practice good dental hygiene. I'm hoping that  my diligence today can save them pain and money in the future.

A Roomful of First Graders

Friday I had the extreme pleasure of volunteering at K's holiday party. I arrived to a room full of energy, organized chaos and laughter. I recognized a few of the other moms (even only in the first grade, you quickly realize it's the same parents over and over again who show up for school events.)  And yes, it was only moms, slightly disappointing and I made sure I told D, so that next time he considers volunteering. (Of course, that means I couldn't volunteer, so we'll conquer that opportunity when it arrives.)

There were five stations kids were able to complete activities. I was over the Grinch-making station. The kids had to cut out pieces to make a Grinch and then assemble them. It's amazing the variation of skills and ... whining. Oh, the whining. I can't believe how much kids whined. I don't know how the teachers handle it. It would drive me crazy.

There were also definitely the bossy little kids, the know-it-alls. Everything I remember from elementary school game rushing back and I would look around for K and find him very focused at whatever station he was at doing his task and being polite. (Now, trust me, he had energy and was enjoying himself, but in general he was good at completing his task.)

K asked me to stay with him for lunch. As a treat, the kids got to eat picnic style and watch a movie in the cafeteria. Sitting on the floor was not my ideal lunch time situation, but I joined him and we talked about who he usually sits with and he told me what he did and didn't like about his lunch. And seeing how kids eat the hot lunch, it just reaffirmed that K won't be participating in hot lunch. (Even though they give the kids fruit and vegetables ... the kids don't eat them.)

I'm glad I got the opportunity to spend K's holiday party with him. And I admire the teachers even more for being able to handle all those kids every day.

How Time Flies

It is so hard to believe that O turned three today. Of course, we should have guessed based on his arrival, that he was going to be a stubborn little man who demands his way most of the time. He's lived up to that take-charge attitude since day one. Including his denial of turning three today. It wasn't until big bro K told him that turning three was a good thing that he actually accepted what he could not change. (Thank goodness for big brothers.)

O got to spend his special day hanging out with mommy and daddy all day (yes, we multi-tasked an adventure to Creative Kids for him to play with a bunch of toys with our need to cross those last few items off our lists. But we're officially done with shopping ... with four days to spare ... which means wine and relaxing for me.)

Now, the boys are nestled on the sofa with me under our favorite faux fur throw, with the wood stove on, playing a wii game like the best of pals. I love how my boys get along so well (they do fight ... I don't live in a cloud of haze ...) I hope as they grow older they will continue to be great friends who give each other random hugs and kisses.

I also look across the room at D, who's sitting on the other sofa, engrossed in a game of Words with Friends (most likely playing against his mom) and I have to feel very fortunate to have a strong, silly patriarch for this little family.

And with our stockings hung on the chimney with care, the stocking stuffers hidden away, and Christmas confections all ready to give ... I couldn't feel more fortunate.

Another Great Year of Wine

Today was the last wine event at my favorite little wine shop, where they host a tasting and all the wine is on sale. I went at the beginning and tried a few, including a $90 Cab that was like sipping perfection. I was able to select a bottle for a gift and then a really good bottle for Christmas Eve and a couple of other treats to sustain me for a bit.

Then it was off to wine club. This year we decided to do restaurants, but next year we are returning back to home hosting. I am a little sad, because I love going out to restaurants ... and D takes some convincing to eat out ... he always loves it when we do it ... but it's getting there that is the main obstacle. So, yes, I am a little sad that I won't have a monthly treat at the restaurant du jour ... but I'll still have the good company of my ladies and some good liquid treats to enjoy.

Tonight's venture had us at Eat Street Social. The original "social" is in Northeast and so when they decided to open a location on Eat Street, the local food critics were all abuzz, and the reviews were glowing. I knew we had to end our year here.

If you're not familiar with Eat Street, finding the spot can be a bit difficult. There's no glowing signs or large letters calling your attention to the restaurant. Fortunately, I drove with my sister and she is much more familiar with the area. Eat Street has a reputation for its cocktails, so while I usually don't imbibe, we all did start our meal with a fun little cocktail. Mine was called the Winter Cup and was made of gin, some cranberry and lime stuff and some other things. (See, I'm not a cocktail person.) The first two sips had me suck in my cheeks, I wasn't ready for the strength. But by the third sip (and a lot of melted ice) I was in good shape.

I decided to start my meal with their rutabaga soup:

First, it was a huge bowl of soup. Second, it was a huge bowl of divine creamy goodness. I love root vegetables, and this was pureed root vegetable utopia. I could have been satiated with about half the serving since it was a first course, but did that stop me ... no, I ate the whole darn bowl.

For the second course ... big surprise ... I had the duck:

Yes, I think I've ordered the duck at the majority of the places we've dined this year ... but this duck had butternut squash puree ... and there is no way I could pass that up. N-O W-A-Y.  It was also served with a chestnut, apple green hash that was sublime. Seriously, it was a plate of perfection from a flavor standpoint. I could combine anything on the plate and it tasted like a well-balanced marriage. Melt in your mouth goodness. The duck was crispy on the outside and tender and lush on the inside with just the right amount of fat layered in between. I also had a light Pinot to pair with the dinner, making it even more wonderful.

Alas, when it came time to order dessert ... I just couldn't. I was too full. (And of course, the only gluten-free dessert was a chocolate creme brulee ... good thing I like custard.) But, I just couldn't push myself to the brink this time. I ordered a cup of coffee while my companions selected their desserts. The looks on their faces with their first bits of dessert were evidence of the deliciousness they were experiencing, and so I enjoyed it vicariously through them. If I were to go again, I think I'd split a first course so that I could enjoy dessert.

It's with joy as I look back at a great year of wine club. It's amazing to thing we've gone five years strong ... and I look forward to another great year next year.

Precious Life

With the many recent shootings, everyone is being a little more reflective and appreciative of their loved ones. People are making public declarations about how they plan to squeeze their babies a little harder each day. The lesson is very clear: life can be taken at any moment.

Unfortunately, this lesson hit our house directly this weekend when D's grandpa passed away. At 89, GH lived a long good life. He raised amazing children, provided guidance to a number of grandchildren and got to play with his great-grandchildren. He embraced me as a part of the family and always had a good story to share.

I am glad that the last time I saw GH I was giving him and grandma a ride home and we were able to engage in a 45-minute conversation. Grandma fell asleep in the backseat. We talked a little about a lot, and I feel lucky that will be my last memory of him.

It will make the holiday season a little sadder this year, but I hope that we can all look back at the fond memories of a great man and smile and laugh, too. Life is precious, whether you're a small child or an old man. While the death of someone who got to live a long and fulfilling life is definitely much easier to understand than a child who had life ripped from them violently and unfairly, all life is so very, very precious.

Love you, GH!

The Power of a Two-Year-Old

First things, first. I can't believe it's already December 11 and I have not written once. I can attribute much to this delinquency.

Of course there's the constant search for the perfect gifts for my lovely family. I'm actually feeling pretty good about our gift purchasing status at this point. We only have a few gifts left to select and two weeks to do so. We still have to tackle the annual edible gift ... but I'm not going to stress out about it ... at least, not yet anyway.

There's this crazy project at work that I've been dedicating a lot of time to. It's sort of one of those things that by the grace of all the powers that be ... you're able to pull off. Then again, I'm an eternal optimist (because I like to keep things in perspective) so even with the craziest of timelines I always feel like you can do anything you put your mind to. (However, my warning to others is this is not a universal mindset and not everyone has the ebb and flow, course-correct mentality to handle these types of projects.)

There was this little 15-inches of snow on the ground storm (which resulted in my unbelievable sore body for the next two days ... because I decided to use it as an excuse to exercise and did it all with a shovel ... yeah ... D kept telling me "at least it's the good pain.")

But on to the point of this whole post ... most importantly, there's me spending as much time as possible with my boys. The boys did excellent shopping with me this past weekend. In fact, O was in non-typical form. I actually wondered who I had with me they were so well-behaved.

Which takes me to the bedtime routine. Since D gets the joy of the morning routine, it's only fair that I take on the responsibility for bedtime each night. This means ... every night I get to hear O tell me he doesn't love me. You see ... he hates bedtime. He's afraid to miss out on any action ... so going to bed is an ultimate punishment to him ... and since I am the enforcer ... I am the bad, bad guy. So, yes, every night he tells me how he doesn't love me and he only loves daddy. After I read him his story, I tried to plant a kiss on his cheek, but he brushes it away and once again reinforces his non-love for me, stating how he wipes my kisses off ...

Then for the next hour, he stays awake reading books, singing and talking ... anything that is not sleeping. Until it's K's bedtime. Then, suddenly ... and almost magically ... he loves me. He wants hugs, kisses and professes his love ... it's the ultimate manipulation to delay him having to go to sleep. I am amazed at the strategic mind a toddler can possess. It frightens me for what the future can bring ... but at least it will keep me on my toes.

Nine Years and a Good Meal

D and I celebrated nine years of marriage this week. Hard to believe we've been married that long (seriously, where does the time go?) Of course, we have two beautiful boys and a solid partnership to show for those nine years. The boys alone are pretty darn amazing proof of why signing on the line nine years ago was the best decision we ever made. But of course, the wedding anniversary is about us, and our bond ... it's when we take time to appreciate each other. We can talk about the boys, but we give ourselves permission to go out and enjoy each other as a couple and celebrate each other. (I'll get to the meal in a minute.)

Eight years ago, we decided to follow the traditional wedding gifts ritual. I must say, it's been quite fun and I highly recommend it to any new couples. It's nice to have a challenge finding a gift that falls into a specific category (and there are some interesting categories) and D and I sometimes allow creative liberties. This year was the year of pottery. I started on D's gift back in September ... commissioning a custom cookie jar with our last name inscribed. The piece surpassed my expectations. D presented me with a lovely sculptural hand to hold some of my jewelry ... super excellent since now I will have it readily available and easy-to-remember so I can better accessorize. As per our usual, the gifting element was fun and rewarding to see each other's joy upon receipt of the gifts.

Now ... on to dinner. Back in July, I went to The Corner Table with wine club, and I mentioned how I wanted to get D to go their and do the tasting menu. So, that's where we went ... but alas, D was so enticed with the menu that he wanted to go ala carte versus the tasting menu. Which, was fine, as the menu offered plenty of treats.

I won't go into a long diatribe of my meal, but let's just say I was a very content, happy and full woman. First course: pork belly, and D and I shared a charcuterie platter:

This was followed by a lovely duck breast (yes, I know ... I had duck last time, too ... but I can't help myself!) D had beef brisket ... and it was absolutely amazing, so I am glad he gave me a bite. The two purees on my duck were scrumptious, and they did substitute the croquettes for me with potatoes ... so loved the accommodation.

We capped it off with an unbelievable sweet potato pots de creme that was topped with what I can only call caramel utopia. Fortunately D had ordered an additional side with his dinner, so he only had room for a little dessert and I was able to indulge a little more.

Of course, dinner paled in comparison to my company for the evening. D and I laughed (as we always do) and reminisced over the past nine years. We talked about the future and our wishes. And, most importantly, we just relished each other and our time together. It's pretty awesome to still feel very fortunate to have such an amazing partner after nine years (and add the three dating years before that.)

I can only hope that everyone finds someone special to relish and enjoy life with side-by-side.

A Feast

Thanksgiving graced us with it's lovely presence. D and I had another victory of teamwork in the kitchen. Our plan was to keep it simple with a few new culinary treats. Splitting duties about 50/50, everything came out as well as or better than expected. It started Wednesday evening, as I prepared the cranberry sauce:

It was a pomegranate cranberry sauce, and so it added a different flavor layer with the pomegranate juice. And while I could make the base of it Wednesday, it wasn't until Thursday that I was able to finish it by adding the pomegranate arils - which provided a nice pop of surprise. 

My other duty for dinner was a two-tone mashed potato dish. Blending Yukon gold potatoes with sweet potatoes and mashing them with leeks. Than they were topped with a buttermilk and sour cream sauce and a few chives (I kept the sauce and the chives on the side so that people could add to their taste preference. The sauce was definitely the perfect finishing touch, and I was glad to see the majority of guests tried it on their potatoes. 

D had responsibility for the bird. We decided since we were only serving nine that a simple turkey breast would be more than enough bird. D decided to just prepare it simply with olive oil, salt and pepper. It turned out very well, and we had enough for many to have seconds and for us to still be able to parse out some leftovers and keep some for ourselves, too. 

D also took on the roasted vegetables. Something he's been practicing for the last few weeks, which has been a sweet treat ... as I am a huge fan of roasted vegetables. And even though he's found a few other spice combinations, he stuck to the simple olive oil, salt, pepper combination for a delicious, caramelized bounty. 

To round out the meal, D's mom brought stuffing and wild rice. The stuffing smelled absolutely amazing (alas, this gluten-free lady didn't have any, but I did get to enjoy the aroma.) 

As you can see, it was a nice spread. Not too much food, but plenty to get an additional meal or two for everyone. To end the meal we had two desserts. We purchased a banana cream pie (I think because D was frightened the dessert I had planned on creating would be a failure.) However, my dessert turned out fabulous. It was a pumpkin chocolate torte with pumpkin whipped cream from Eating Well magazine and it was a piece of chocolate perfection (and let's be honest, the whipped cream was pumpkin delight!)

Definitely what I would consider a success, and what K would call a great feast. 

Thanksgiving Eve

It's the night before Thanksgiving. The cranberry pomegranate sauce is made. One pie is reserved, I'll make the gluten-free torte in the morning. The rest of the food is planned for ... and dinner isn't until 4 or 5, so I should have time to start my day off with a run before going into full prep mode. It should be a fantastic kick-off to the holiday season.

And now, I'm just relaxing sipping my first Beaujolais Nouveau of the Thanksgiving feast, doing a little pre-Black Friday browsing and planning, catching up on the DVR and finish Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness (it's a kick-arse book.) Yes, it's definitely moments like this that I realize how grateful I am for the many blessings in my life. I am so fortunate to have an amazing husband and two fabulous sons. They bring me so much joy and happiness. I am also lucky to have a job that keeps me challenged and usually gets me laughing at least once a day. I have great friends and a good family. I feel so blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

A Twist on Midwestern Cuisine

It's another adventure with the wine club! Tonight we went to Haute Dish. Their known for taking unexpected twists to what are considered standard Midwestern fare. The atmosphere of the restaurant was surprisingly dark, but definitely energetic and "happening."

Our meal started out with a parsnip soup shooter:

It was a yummy warm sip of comfort. I love parsnips, but only discovered them in the last year ... and I have to say it was one of those things where I wondered where they were all my life. Yum.

Next up was the salad course. I had the poached egg salad, served over watercress and accompanied by bacon-wrapped chicken livers. The savory flavor of the livers were balanced with the bacon and the creaminess of the egg helped pull out the herbaciousness of the watercress. It was a more filling salad than I anticipated - and delicious to the last salty bite.

For the main course, I went a bit surprising for fine cuisine. I ordered the burger and fries. I know, I know, not my typical choice, but I have been craving a good burger lately ... and let's just say this didn't disappoint. The cheese, the bacon, the amazing mushrooms, sweet pickle ... and the sauces. A lovely spicy, horseradish mustard and garlic aioli. It was really one of the best burgers I have ever had. I was so full that I didn't even finish all the fries. 

But that doesn't stop one from ordering dessert ... and when I saw a pumpkin creme brulee with salted caramel on the menu ... I couldn't not order it.

I ate every last drop of that bit of loveliness. It was so good. And a perfect way to end the meal. (By the way, I had a nice mild Malbec.) It was really a great meal overall, we had excellent service and of course, as always, great conversation and company. Which, frankly, always makes the meal even better.

Is It Friday Already?

Where did this week go? I mean that in both a good and bad way. On the work front, it was a pretty grueling adventure - it had it's ups and downs, but as in all adventures ended with a fairly rewarding outcome.  On the home front, O is fighting bedtime like it's the world's longest timeout. K is just persevering as a very serious, but fun-loving first grader. D, well, he's a saint who keeps everything going.

Yesterday was Beaujolais Nouveau day and I didn't even realize it until the wine shop was closed. Fortunately, they are having their big Thanksgiving Sale tomorrow, so if I can squeeze in a quick stop I'll be able to get my bottle for Thanksgiving (and on sale ... splendid.) D and I need to finalize the menu for the big Feast Day of Thanks. I want to try my hand at a scrumptious soup ... but not sure how my honey feels about that, I could tell he was a bit hesitant at the suggestion.

Would love to know what your favorite side dish is on Thanksgiving (or if you don't celebrate Thanksgiving any festive meal. So, what is it?

Thrilling Murder Mysteries

I never thought I would enjoy thrillers or murder mystery novels. It just was never my genre. Then, again, fantasy wasn't my genre either. In my old age, I am starting to love thrilling mysteries and am a huge fan of the Song of Fire and Ice series (That's Game of Thrones to those not familiar.)

I spent the last week reading Tana French's newest little gem Broken Harbour. It gripped me, pulled me a long and made my head spin. So delightful. And today was the perfect day to cuddle up in a blanket and finish it. I love yummy books. If I could just escape for a week and catch up on the books I want to read, that would be a dream vacation. That ... or catch up on my dvr or Netflix queue. Of course, just cuddling up with my boys would also be a pretty sweet vacation, too.

Alas, tomorrow's Monday and it's back to the working world I go.

The Journey for Shoes

Boys are rough on their shoes. Especially boys who like to run around and play rough. And they also grow constantly, which means we are almost constantly in the market for new shoes for K and O. Now, buying shoes for our sons tends to create a moment of severe tension between D and I. We both have strong opinions of what style we want our sons to where ... and of course, now K is old enough to have an opinion, too. Ultimately, we are now learning that K gets the final say ... so it's helping with the debates between the two parents. Unfortunately for me, K's style is tending to lean toward D's tastes. So after a good 45 minutes, we were finally able to walk out of the store (because, not only did K have to try on multiple pairs of shoes ... and run in each pair ...) we were able to walk out with these snazzy kicks:

Then we went off to see if I could find a pair of winter boots. First to REI and then to DSW. Both stores were crazy busy (hmm ... economy picking up? At least in the Grove it is.) Alas, there was nothing that quite suited my needs ... and with an impending 30 degree drop in the temperature this week, I needed to get some boots. So I took to the might internet and hope to have this fancies at my doorstep by the end of the week (because, I don't like to pay for shipping unless it is an absolute necessity.)

Looking forward to waiting at the bus stop with those fancies keeping my feet warm. 

Is it Beginning to Look Like Christmas?

Halloween has past, the scary ghouls and leftover treats are on clearance at the store (we scored a pair of awesome black feather wings for next year ... can't wait to convince one of the boys to wear them.) Yesterday, when the boys and I were out and about, there were just a few flurries dancing in the wind. All the magazines have tips and tricks for perfecting a Thanksgiving feast.

Music and Movies
I haven't braved it enough to turn it to the stations that play Christmas music 24-7 ... not quite there yet ... but I did look at ABC Family's countdown to Christmas schedule. And then there is their countdown to the countdown. It's a lot of Christmas, but there is something oddly pleasing about cheesy Christmas movies and cuddling with your loved ones.

Trimming the Tree
I commit to not bringing out the Christmas decor until after Thanksgiving (especially, since this year we will be hosting Thanksgiving here (eek!) but it doesn't stop my eyes from taking in all the snowflake and sparkling accouterments that I could sprinkle throughout my house. I've really been considering the large outdoor ornaments ... but haven't committed. Thing is the trees that they'd look the best in are the farthest from my house physically. And the tree closest to the house ... well it's the smallest tree, so I am afraid that it might be dwarfed by large ornaments.

Santa's Helper
And there's the gift-giving. I love to be on the search for the perfect gift, but that is hard to balance when you have two rambunctious boys who definitely don't want to go shopping ... and I feel guilty taking a day to myself when my husband hasn't gotten any alone time from them all week ... maybe this will be the year of all online gifting? Not a bad idea. But then will I miss out on the Christmas spirit? Or maybe it will be like gift-giving twice - once when it arrives on my doorstep and then a second time when I give it as a gift. Okay ... that might be pushing it a bit.

Let the festive season begin!

Peace and Quiet

Right now, D and K are playing Monopoly and O is quietly "reading" one of his big brother's books. It's fairly quiet and peaceful. It's moments like this that I just need to savor for all they are worth ... and what they are worth is a lot.

The Monopoly game is definitely being played as a teaching experience, but there's no complaints ... and not even sure if K realizes it.

O is so intently reading and looks more like his big brother that I just want to swallow him up in my arms.

Here's to a weekend cuddling up with my boys!

Leadership Qualities

Most of this week I am spending my time in a leadership development class. Now, I should properly set up that this is a big deal ... it's a class that only a very small group of "future leaders" ad the big Co. get to attend. In fact, you are told numerous times throughout the course what an honor it is to be there, that you are there because your have been identified as a leader with great potential. And it's true, people make a big deal out of it if they find out you are going ... and it's pretty secretive ... like flight club ... what happens at LEAD stays at LEAD and you aren't supposed to talk about the specifics of the experience.

What you are supposed to talk about is what you learn about yourself as a leader. There's a lot of role playing and group activities. For an introvert like me ... the role playing is an amazing energy suck. You have a coach guide you throughout the experience and then each day you have a new assessor who critical examines how you handled yourself during the role play and then gives you feedback. You get a lot of feedback. You also get a lot of ideas on different ways to lead your team differently and you get to hear from different leaders across the big Co.

It's pretty cool. I've learned that some things I thought I was decent at, I should take a whole different approach and I will be even better. Other things are just affirmation (guess you can't change who you are at the core :)) and it's funny how there are themes, even though your assessors are different and your coach is different. I also love that you get 360 feedback from a bunch of folks and I feel very honored that everyone I asked completed the survey. Of course my super-analytical self wants to know who says what ... but I'll just have to leave that be for now.

I can't wait until Friday at 4:30 though ... because for this introvert ... being "on" for three days straight with no break (and did I mention the abundance of role-playing???)  is seriously taking it's toll and I can only hope I make it through tomorrow as unscathed as possible.

Things that Go Bump in the Night

O keeps waking up at 4:30 every morning and creeping into our room. At first, I kept wondering why I was always waking up at 4:30. Every day this week. It was really concerning me, a sign of old age (like the zillion gray hairs that I am noticing.) Maybe an indicator of some health issue?

Then I realized, it was because at 4:30 every morning, light would wake me up. You see, D is convinced the boys need the hall light on because they can't sleep without it. So, we keep our bedroom door closed so that I can sleep. At 4:30 as O creeps in, the light suddenly explodes on me and disruption takes over.

O wraps himself up in his blanket and sleeps on the floor by D. He stays all snug like a bug in a rug long past when I leave in the morning. It takes all my will power in the morning to not scoop him up and just hold him. But if I really look at it, I'd rather he stay in his bed so I can sleep until my alarm buzzes.

But for now, it looks like I will have to deal with a little O that goes bump in the night.

Being a Farmer is Good

It's the third Saturday of the month ... so we all know what that means, right? Another Wine Club adventure!!!

Tonight's foray took us to a little known spot called The Bachelor Farmer. It's one of the "hottest" spots to eat at in the Minneapolis foodie scene. As in, getting a reservation was something I'd been trying to do since March for Wine Club and we finally got one in October! As in, when President Obama recently came to the state ... this is the restaurant he chose to dine at. I had heard mixed reviews about the place, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect.

It's in the Warehouse district and all signage is very subtle, so it's best to spot it by it's "farm-like" blue check awnings. Then you can't miss it.

Your meal starts off with what they call a snack. It's not your typical bread basket ...

It's a little bowl of radishes that you dip in some sea salt (and there is also some flatbread, that was on another plate for the rest of the group, since they all enjoy gluten.) They were so good, just a crisp, slightly peppery radish. I ate too many.

Before I get into the rest of the meal, I need to talk about wine. They have quite an extensive wine list, but the way they handle the wine is quite different than anything I had experienced. On their wine list, you could order any wine listed as a half bottle ... or if a bottle had already been opened, they had chalkboard that listed the wines available by the glass. (Or of course, you could always order a full bottle.) Half our table is white wine drinkers, so they ordered a bottle of white. Fortunately, my sister enjoys reds once the fall has arrived, so I had someone to order a half bottle of a light Italian red called St. Magdalener, from Alto Adige, Italy. It was a nice light, juicy red that would work with what we both planned to eat ... now on to what I ate!

One of the things everyone tells you to order at TBF is their toasts. They have a variety of toppings for their toasts. For me, they would offer it with cucumber slices if I wanted to try the toppings. I passed (but for the record, the rest of the ladies did say the toasts were phenomenal) and instead enjoyed beets roasted in duck fat, sprinkled with a dry-cured mullet roe and almonds, drizzled with lemon. 

At first, they sort of reminded me of the beet chips you buy from the grocery store. They were okay ... but not something that knocked my socks off. Then I bit into an almond. Okay, I know it's just an almond, but when I took a bite of the beet with the almond ... then it was something special. 

I followed the beets with grilled rabbit wrapped in bacon on top of vermouth-braised leeks and roasted cauliflower. 

If you have never had rabbit, it's a very sweet light meat. (I didn't learn until later that D absolutely loves rabbit, and he was jealous of my meal. The server also told me it was her favorite dish. So clearly a good choice.) Let's just get one thing out in the open ... if you wrap anything in bacon ... well, perfection is easy to find. The leeks were a tad bit overcooked, but the roasted cauliflower made up for it. (For that is perhaps my favorite vegetable and preparation. If you've never had roasted cauliflower, you are truly missing out on something wonderful.)

For dessert, I ordered the Riesling-poached pear with currant Bavarian cream and walnut cream cheese. This was the only major miss-step of the dining experience, because when she brought it out, I started eating the cream (pictured on the right) and then I put my spoon on the golden mound on the left ... and realized it was phyllo dough. so I had to have her take it back. She brought me a new gluten-free plate and was extremely apologetic. But it was kind of a bummer to get my dessert last.

I also enjoyed a cup of coffee with my dessert, which I think I may have to do always going forward! To send you off, and so that you have fond memories the next day, TBF provides you a parting gift:

These sweet little almond cookies. The boys ate mine this morning and they said they were delicious.

Overall, it was a lovely meal (I was quite full at the end) and of course, because the company was superb, I will have fond memories of the evening out.

My First Cooking Class at Kitchen Window

I cannot believe I have let almost five days go by without sharing an update about my cooking class! Seriously ... #epicfail from a blogging standpoint. Anyways, to the point.

Monday I took a demonstration class at a placed called Kitchen Window. It was called: Autumn Vegetarian Comfort Foods and the chef/instructor was Anna Dvorak.Anna is a big advocate for healthy living. I had heard about her classes through one of my friends who had taken a class and gave strong reviews. After they talked about Anna and her general views on healthy eating, I explored her website and signed up for her newsletter. So I was thrilled when I found out she had some classes available this fall and this one happened to be gluten-free cooking. So, I signed myself up.

Basically, I was getting a five-course meal, but with an education. Pretty novel and if you like to know about what you eat or what you should eat ... it's a great idea. The class started with a balsamic roasted pear salad. She provided some tips on how to make salads delightful without ever needing dressing. These were changes I've already implemented in my eating routine, but it was nice to know my food choice was being reinforced.

Next up was a lovely minestrone soup -- perhaps my favorite course of the evening. It had delicious fall vegetables, a wonderfully glorious stock (home made of course) and a brilliant kale pesto garnish. It was so good. I could have just eaten five bowls of the soup and lived a very content evening.

Third course was a gnocchi with a mushroom sauce. I loved listening to her talk about the mushrooms, and she showed us a few different varieties I'd never seen before. She also told us that you can boil gnocchi or pan fry it if it doesn't turn out the way you want. It was fun to watch gnocchi being made, and I'd love to show D how she did it (he's made a pretty good gnocchi on his own, but now I know which type of gluten-free flour he should use.)

The next course was a pot pie. Anna shared with us a basic gluten-free pie crust. So simple and easy, and you can use it for sweet or savory dishes. The pot pie was full of delicious flavor, bright herbs and lots of vegetables. However, this was the one dish from a timing perspective that was a little off and I think may have thrown Anna a little bit. She handled it gracefully, and we all devoured our piping hot individual pies.

The class ended with a rustic apple tart. And inspired me to make a pumpkin pie this weekend. It was a no-sugar apple tart (she uses maple sugar, never refined sugar) and it had just enough sweetness to round out the meal.

The class didn't end until about 10 p.m., so it was a four hour meal and lesson. A bit long for me since I usually go to bed at 10, but I really enjoyed it. Since I went solo, I befriended another solo attendee and enjoyed a glass of Pinot with the class. I will definitely repeat this experience again ... but maybe next time I'll bring D!

Just a Little Too Soon

I love the holidays - the hustle and bustle - the search for perfect gifts - the food - spending time with friends and family - decorating - snuggling by the fire - all of it. However, even I think that mid-October is too soon for Christmas commercials on television. Normally, I don't even notice commercials because the only t.v. I watch happens to be shows I've dvr'd. However, last Friday night I was having a major dvr catch-up session (alas, a major crying session, because I got up on all my dramas and was bawling most of the time) and as I was fast-forwarding ... I noticed Christmas commercials. I had to stop, rewind and make sure I wasn't seeing things. The worst part ... I am catching up on shows from three weeks ago, so some of the commercials may have been airing back then!!! I can't believe it. It's horrible. It's too soon. Let me savor the joy of cheesy Halloween movies and all that is October before we move on to the festivities of Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I even picked up a couple of my favorite magazines November issues ... and low and behold ... they already had gift-giving suggestion articles. (To be fair to one, it was a November/December issue.) While I may have already purchased my first gift (totally defined by treasure hunt, I just happened to see it, and it spoke to me for one person) and I love the whole idea of hunting for perfect gifts ... I don't know if I am quite ready to dive right into Christmas festivities yet. And I totally get putting up the outside lights now before it gets too cold (just not turning them on until after Thanksgiving.)

Oh, well ... I guess it speaks to the season and to spreading out the gift-purchasing. And maybe it will lead to folks acting with the Christmas spirit year-round.

The Day in a Life of a Mother

Today started out like any atypical day. I went for a run, since my normal Saturday run was not possible. As I ran the same path I normally due I looked over to my right and running slightly ahead of me across the corn field there was a fox running, too. (Okay, it is strangely bizarre that there is a corn field just outside of my neighborhood - because, yes, I live in a standard suburban development.)

Then just a quarter of a mile farther down the road ... I saw a family of quails. My first thought was that the fox must have detoured before finding the quail. (Not sure if I felt sorry for the fox or grateful for the quail.) I guess I was most grateful for the fact that all the animals kept their distance and I could just keep on going. Many of my friends were running much greater lengths today at the Twin Cities 10 Mile and Twin Cities Marathon, so my short half-hour jaunt was really nothing. But anything to get healthy is better than doing nothing.

...

In the afternoon, I decided to take the boys to this event called Storywalk. It is a joint event sponsored by the local library and park systems. It seemed like a fairly low key thing to do ... and it would give D some solo time to enjoy his football games.

We arrived at the park, and K did a superb job reading the story to me and Oliver. The boys enjoyed running along the path and loved the illustrations:

It was a nice picture book - and there was some great activity to get the kids to "live" some of the story. They also had a few activities down at the pavilion, including creating your own leaf and body poetry (also known as yoga - K did pretty good ... and so I told him he really needs to do yoga with me from now on.)
Here was horror moment number one: O threw a tantrum the size of Mount Vesuvius - it was ridiculous. If I hadn't had him by the shoulders, he would have thrown his head against the cement flooring of the pavilion. He screamed as a two-year-old does and so I had to put him back in the stroller and try to calm him down. (The reason for the tantrum, he wanted to make two leaves, not just the one he was allowed.)

After the activities, I let the boys play on the playground. It was a small playground, but just the right size that I didn't worry about O performing death-defying acts. K kept asking me if there was an older kids playground, so clearly he's starting to overcome his own fears of heights and slides.

We then decided to talk a stroll on the walking path around the park. It was a nice walk around the lake. There was a cute little bridge we walked over. And I enjoyed chatting with K. We got to the end of the walkway and then K started to run ahead. He was doing a pretty good jog (and now he never has an excuse for not keeping up while running at school or in sports, because I've seen proof he's a good runner today.) But he kept running farther and farther ahead of me. I yelled at him to wait, and he'd get to a bench and sit down and wait for us to catch up.

Horror moment number two:  He didn't want to keep waiting for long. So, the next time he started running, he got so far ahead of me I could barely see him. When we got back to the clearing, I saw him and yelled at him, but he kept running. As I ran (pushing a non-jogging stroller) to catch up, he turned around (I never saw him turn around) but then I turned around and saw him. It was eery, like a dream when you are trying to find someone and they appear in the distance too far away. Well ... he then went back down the path, but I couldn't see him. I became frantic and yelled his name. One of the ladies who had helped me before realized I was looking for him and one of the other helpers also tried to help me look for him.

I appreciated their help, but their fast pace just wasn't enough ... so then I ran like Usain Bolt down the pathway ... and I finally caught up to K. He knew he had done something wrong ... and he told me he was just trying to find a place to rest. I had to explain to him that he had three people looking for him. We got back to the other ladies and the younger one said to me, "Man, you run fast." I didn't want to tell her that it was the adrenaline surge because I thought my son was gone. I thanked them. Then K and I proceeded to continue to have a long chat about the danger of the situation.

While I think he understands why it was not a good day for mommy, I know that it doesn't mean it won't happen again. And goodness knows, this old body can't handle two runs in one day.

Ignorance Is Not Bliss

I know that I live in a conservative, Republican-slanting area of a liberal leaning state. And unfortunately, I tend to have a very different viewpoint than many of  my neighbors who have selected a certain, vocal (perhaps neurotic) U.S. congress member. However, I have never felt the disgust that I felt today. 

For those who may not be following Minnesota politics, this year's election presents Minnesotans with the decision to change one of our state amendments and how marriage is defined. This is a political issue that has been raging across the U.S. And, just like it has been in every other state addressing a similar issue, it is a very hot debate that stirs up lots of passion and emotion. In my own neighborhood, we have conflicting signs sprinkled throughout the neighborhood (and some are across the street from each other.) So yes, on my Saturday morning jog I see this in one breathe:

 And in the next breathe, I see this:

We live in the great U.S. of A - and one of the benefits of living in this country is our First Amendment right and the freedom of speech. We all have the right to have a different opinion, and even if we don't agree with those opinions we should respect the rights of others to voice their own opinion. 

Unfortunately, this was shattered in my own neighborhood today.

Vandals Hit 9 Blaine Properties

The very homes I drive by every day and run past each week ... someone chose to vandalize these homes and attack people for having the courage to share their opinion. It angers me to the highest degree ... In this day and age, people are so ignorant, so disrespectful that they have to lash out with immaturity and crime to get their own opinions across. I am disgusted that the police department is treating these as acts of vandalism and not hate crime ...seriously? These houses were Targeted because they had the orange signs in their yards and the vandalism was graphic and offensive (so much so, they didn't even show it on TV). HOW IS THIS NOT A HATE CRIME. If these were nooses or fire-burning crosses, would we say the same thing? Are we too embarrassed to own up to the fact that hate crime can still happen today because we know it shouldn't???

It's 2012 and I am heartbroken that society has clearly not evolved to the point that we treat all humans equally and with respect -- even when they are different than we are. I can only hope and pray that things evolve and change more quickly ... otherwise I may take my family and move to a remote island. I am truly devastated tonight. 

A Whirlwind Month

I cannot believe it is almost the end of September. I feel like I have so much left on my to-do list. So much to do, so much to enjoy. I am also afraid I am biting off more than I can chew in life. All these extra-curriculars for K's school. (I will be very active in my children's educations, there's just no excuse not to be.)

Trying to do the best I can at work ... trying to be the best wife ... trying to do things to enjoy myself. Yes, it's a lot to take on ... but you know what I realize ... the more you take on, the more time you make to take on those things. It's odd, it makes you wonder what you did with that time beforehand. I mean, when I actually get my butt out of bed at 5 a.m. to work out, I have to ask why I don't do it every day (other than the complete muscle fatigue that reminds me that I am not Jillian Michaels.)

Of course, with all these extras, I am having to grow up more and more. Do things on my own, and not hide behind a friend or someone else. I'm pushing my introverted self out into the world. Starting with a solo wine tasting event tomorrow (unless someone reads this and wants to join me ...) And later in October, I'll be flying solo at a cooking class. I'm excited, nervous ... all those feelings of having to make small talk and be social that exhaust me. But I just need to force myself to do it!

So, here's to the last weekend of September - I raise my glass of Cab to you all and hope everyone has a pleasant weekend.

The Mirror

I think I have reverse body dysmorphic syndrome, or reverse body image distortion. You know how anorexics look in the mirror and think they look like they are 100 lbs overweight. Well, apparently, I have the exact opposite problem. When I get dressed or look in the mirror, I clearly think I look better than I do. 

Seriously. How I've come to this conclusion is this ... I hate the way I look in photos or on video. Usually my inner monologue goes something like this, "OMG ... I did not think I looked like that?!!! Do I really look that fat?! and I better kick into gear my workout routing" and then I have a small internal cry for a few minutes. 

Is it possible to be under an illusion of how one looks in the reverse until you see photographic proof? This seriously devastates me. I used to look at other people when I was out and about and think that they were not dressed appropriately for their body type. And then, I would be all catty-like and say to myself, "wow, they must not have looked in the mirror, or ... don't they realize those muffin top rolls are not attractive." Now I totally understand that they probably also suffer from RBDS. 

How does one cure this - besides actually losing the 50lbs that I am goaling myself to lose? (And if you think that is an unrealistic amount ... according to my BMI research, it is still very much in the healthy weight range for my height.)  

I know for people with regular body dysmorphic syndrome, it can be almost life-threatening, but with rbds ... well, it can be mentally crippling once you find out the truth. Facing myself in the mirror every day just took on a whole new challenge ... now I know why she took Polaroids of herself in the movie Clueless. 

Seasonally Delicious

The September outing for my Wine Club took us to a little hidden gem called In Season. Tucked away in a small strip mall on a busy street, I almost missed it when I first drove by. We'd been saving this restaurant for this time of year because a lot of us are huge fall fans. While there was a small bit of disappointment when we realized it was still very much the definition of summer and their summer menu, the actual fare did more than make up for it being the "wrong" season.

My first course was Heirloom Tomato Carpaccio with Pickled Trout, Sweet Corn. (For those who eat gluten, it is usually garnished with a rye crouton.)

There is nothing more lovely than a tomato at the peak of freshness - and the pickled trout added an extra layer of depth with the fresh sweet corn. It really did capture summer on a plate - light, refreshing and bright. It was like eating a a plate of sunshine. I paired this delightful plate with a picpoul de pinet- a bright, crisp white (yes, I know, I thought I had put away the whites for the year, but the weather was clinging on to summer, and sitting on the patio ... it just was the perfect crowning jewel.)

For my main course, I had duck breast with quince and balsamic sauce, over a sweet potato souffle with pears. I realize that I order duck a lot ... I guess I never realized how much I like until it started to become the thing I always order. I could have married this duck it was so delicious. Cooked to perfection ... yum. I had a medium-bodied Spanish red. Which is where I have to side bar with my only surprise of the evening. I asked the server what would pair with the duck. She said it was a brand new dish, so she'd have ask, as she hadn't had it yet. One of the other diners also asked what would go with their dish. The next thing we knew, she was bringing all of us wines to go with our meals. I liked it, but was also surprising (what if I hadn't liked the wine?) She did ask the person who'd ordered pork if they preferred white or red. But I guess it was just another way of adding a nice personal touch to this beautiful plate:

For dessert, my options were sorbet or cheese. I'm not a huge fan of sorbet, but I am definitely a fan of cheese, so I got to end my evening with four little beauties.

They paired well with the Spanish red as well, so it was a good way to finish the evening. I may have to make it a point to try In Season every season!

From White to Red

I love red wine. I hadn't realized how much I really missed it until I decided to open up a bottle tonight. I am a pretty seasonal preference wine enjoyer - white or rose in the summer, red in the fall and winter. Of course, let's be completely candid ... if I open more than one bottle a month, it's an anomaly. Alas, tonight we were reacquainted, and a lovely reunion it was.

Ending a week of busy, crazy, innovation with a smooth glass of Italian red ... truly a piece of heaven. The icing on the cake, watching a little Downton Abbey. Yes, I couldn't ask for a more delightful Friday evening. Here's my toast to fall!

Putting Yourself Out There

For the last two and a half days, I've participated in an intense brainstorming "bootcamp" focused on creating innovative solutions to help with our company's future business model. (Sounds sexy, right?) For an introvert like me, it was beyond training ... simply put, it was hell. Alas, I stuck through it and forced myself to participate (granted I wasn't the most vocal person in the room, but I participated as much as I could push myself.)

Today, the bootcamp ended by presenting our recommendations to three executives ... via a skit. Yeah, it was different then anything we ever expected, and I put myself out there and said I would "play" one of the characters. Now, I am glad that it's just the end of the day, and I am done. My introverted self needs some me time to process :)

A Range of Emotion

If you want to feel every emotion humanly possible, become a parent. (Be it a parent of a child or pet.) There are moments when you will feel so much love you think your heart will burst, and there are times when you will feel such worry, concern and fear that you think your heart will break.

K had surgery this morning to remove a cyst from his wrist. I have to give D a lot of credit, I think he mentally helped prepare K so that he would be as at ease as possible. I've also learned that my son's defense mechanism is humor and silliness - because that is what exuded most of the time. There was only one moment where he let me know that he was scared, but then he quickly switched back to his silly ways.

The hardest part for me was watching him be put under general anesthesia ... I held it together while I was with him, but my heart was aching so severely I wanted to cry. It's so hard watching your baby be surrounded by medical professionals. And then, as his eyes closed, I kissed him on the check and then was quickly escorted out of the operating room. The next two hours were spent just sitting in the waiting room ... waiting ... I don't know if it could get more agonizing.

Of course, my story wouldn't be complete if I didn't take a short break to mention the very talkative, perhaps slightly crazy woman who chose to talk to me. She had just received reassuring news about their family member in the hospital, and apparently O flashed her a smile. She then went on and on about how he must have just seen the stress leave her body at the news and how he made her day. Then she looked at O, looked at D, looked at me and asked how it was possible that he looked like both of us. (I didn't feel it was appropriate to go into the whole when two people love each other spiel, so I just smiled and said he was a good blend of us both.) The women then proceeded to tell me how "blended" babies are always the prettiest and asked about D's ethnicity. (I'd like to point out this woman was African American, and I always find people who are not Caucasian much more willing to talk about ethnicity in general.) She then talked my ear off for another ten minutes. During these ten minutes, D had snuck O out and they went to a playroom. I texted my husband that I wasn't thrilled he left me, and he told me I needed to own my own behaviors and my willingness to talk to strangers.

Post-surgery K was good, it was hard to see him suffer with the pain that he initially felt coming out of the anesthesia ... he was suffering a bit. But as a family we have a high tolerance of pain, so D and I determined we actually think it was him seeing the bandage on his hand that hurt more than anything. The nurse offered us Tylenol or Codeine. We decided to try the Tylenol first -- it took a bit to affect K, and I think she thought we were cruel to make him suffer and not give him the stronger stuff. (However, now that it's been more than six hours and he's not complaining about any pain, I think we definitely made the right decision.)

And yes, now other than the big red bandage on his arm, the guy is acting like the K we know and love. He's got to sit out recess, gym and football for at least two weeks, which will be a bummer for him (and I kind of love that his football pictures will have him wearing the big bandage ...) but I am just glad that the cyst was a ganglion as the doctor thought. (Of course, I am also grateful that they automatically send them to pathology just to make sure, and will let us know if anything abnormal is found.)

I also want to make sure I give kudos to Gillette's Children's Speciality Hospital. The hospital was great from a communication standpoint, you can sit and watch the progress of the surgery via symbols on a screen in the waiting room, they page you during the surgery to give you progress reports. It's a children's hospital, so clearly they understand their patients are the most precious packages in the world. And I hope, other than K's post-op check-up that, God willing, we don't have to ever visit there again.

The Night Before

Now that I have a school-aged child, I have another special occasion to mark the passing of time: the first day of school. There is something so delightful about the excitement and energy that that fills the air. The joy of a new adventure. It's sort of unfortunate that we don't mark a new work year with this excitement, new pencils, crayons, a new outfit, new shoes (of course, I suppose we sprinkle those things throughout the year once we are an adult.)

Getting K ready for the first grade is all quite exciting. Perhaps the most exciting thing was when he woke up this morning and told me how he had a great dream about school. He proceeded to tell me all the details and his enthusiasm grew. I am hoping it's a sign of a great year ahead - a year where he is appropriately challenged and encouraged. (If not, D and I will need to determine what our new plan will be ... because we need our son to be challenged, otherwise, boredom takes over, and he just rushes so he can be done.

I took inventory of all his clothing last night and started my routine of picking out his clothes for the week. It's a nice routine, but one I didn't do during the summer. Of course, their school day doesn't start until 9:15, so it doesn't really help them in a rushed morning, but I figure if I can get him in the habit young, why not?

I decided to celebrate a new school year by cutting off five inches of my hair and getting some new bangs. I've been sporting long locks for a couple years now, and while my hair is still considered long, it definitely feels good to have a more stylish cut for the fall. I also treated my self to a genuine British tweed jacket.

Of course, we'll see how much I like it when it arrives and I can try it on in person.

O is in for an interesting year now that K won't be here every other day. Or maybe I should say D is in for an interesting year ... Last year, he had K around to entertain O so he could have a break ... this year, it will be just the two of him while K is at school ... yep, it's going to be an interesting year indeed.

And of course, football season is officially upon us ... not just the NFL or college ... but flag football. Every weekend will now be full of games. I'm looking forward to cheering my little man on and sitting with a warm cup of hot cocoa or cider as the season progresses. It's the small comforts that really make me love this time of year!!

The State of the State Fair

Leave it to us to pick the hottest day of the month to go to the State Fair ... but alas, it was the date we picked and we were on our way.

Most buildings don't open until 9 a.m., so we decided that our goal would be to leave around 8:30. Every year, we park at one of the free shuttles, so that we can take a bus to the fair - it saves us the parking fee ... and the hassle of having to maneuver with all the traffic. This year, we made the decision to rent a stroller at the fair for $15 instead of lugging our own stroller. So, getting on the bus was even easier this year.

We arrived a little after 9 and entered the gate right by the Dairy Building. So, our first mission, D wanted a caramel apple sundae. Once the boys were settled and sharing their Sunday, we walked around the building and then were off to get the stroller. Okay, so maybe coming on Senior Day and deciding to rent a stroller wasn't the wisest choice. Because everyone else was renting scooters. So, after about a half hour in line, we were finally on our way.

Next stop, D had to get this breakfast sandwich. The ultimate Elvis - a peanut butter, banana grilled sandwich coated in powder sugar. The sandwich was his demise, it was so sweet, it sort of made him off-kilter the rest of the day from an eating perspective. K enjoyed a chocolate sandwich. We then walked around many of the buildings. It was so hot, that I took samples from both win slushie booths. While not a huge fan of either (cheap wine, definitely too tanniny for me) they were refreshing.

While I won't give a long winding list of the variety of foods we tried, I did try the lamb fries. Also known as lamb testicles. I had the grilled version, as they were gluten-free. They were cooked in a variety of delicious spices from The Holy Land booth. I didn't know what to expect, especially from a textural standpoint. I sort of think it was all about the spices. But I figured, how often was I going to get to try something like this. So I went for it.

They were really good (again, it's the spices). No one else wanted to try them. (K did see a picture of the fried ones and wanted those ... but alas, I wasn't going to wait in line again.)

The other main food item worth calling out was the wine smoothie. It is made with a raspberry wine from St. Croix vineyards.

It was good, I wanted more. But I'm not sure if that was the heat talking or the smoothie. I've had the wine before, and it's a very sweet dessert wine. The smoothie definitely beat out the free wine slushie samples from the day. So, I'll give it to that. Not sure if it was worth the price though (then again, I can't remember how much it cost.)

Overall, it was a lovely day. The breeze kept the heat bearable, the boys had a fantastic time (even winning a prize at the midway.) The only disappointment was that there was a fitovers booth (y'know, my sexy sunglasses that fitover my regular glasses.) Even though I had a pair on my head, apparently the women didn't think I was their target market, they ignored me, when I asked for help, they were abrupt and rude. I walked away and they didn't get the sale ... which is too bad, because I definitely needed a new pair.

And now ... it's Labor Day weekend ... and the unofficial end of summer ... which means ... the unofficial start to FALL!!!

Vacation - One of Life's Luxuries

We just returned from a short vacation in Pennsylvania. D's sister lives in a small town about an hour outside of Harrisburg. Since it was our second trip there, I had some idea of what to expect, but what I was most looking forward to was spending some quality time with my guys. (In fact, I love that K is sitting next to me right now just chilling with his DS as I type away.)

Traveling to our destination was, for the most part, uneventful. K talked a lot, O fell asleep on the first lag of our flight. (I think I snuck in a nap on the second lag.) And then we arrived. I adore PA. There's all these great old brick houses, and the geography is so much more interesting than the great plains of the Midwest. It's fun just to sit and look outside the windows as we drive to our destination.

The thing I think we were most looking forward to was hanging out with D's sister and her family and just relaxing and being away from the regular routine of our lives. It's hard to believe K starts school again in two weeks. We want to savor every minute.

The first day of the trip, we hung out by their pool and just relaxed. It was perfect. K practiced his swimming skills, I did a few laps. O was quite tentative about the water, which was a bit surprising ... and makes me a little nervous when we enroll them in swimming lessons this winter. I'm hoping that he'll get over it. He did great last year during lessons, so I was so surprised.

The next day, we explored an underground cave at a placed called Indian Echo Caverns, and then we went to Hershey Gardens and walked around before going to Chocolate World. K loves chocolate world ... and I have to admit, it's one of my favorite stops. We did a chocolate tasting, watched a 4D movie and, of course, made our personalized chocolate bars. After a very busy day, we ate at a placed called the Bonefish Grill ... for a chain restaurant, it was quite tasty fare!

The next day we made our way down to Baltimore, Maryland to check out the National Aquarium. K has, unfortunately, inherited my irrational fear of escalators ... and the aquarium has a lot of them. But if you can get past that, it's a pretty cool haunt to check out. It was crazy busy, but then I realized for a lot of folks in the area, this was their weekend before school, so people were squeezing in end of the summer activities. O was not on his best behavior, so we ended up cutting the day a little shorter than I think we would have normally, but it was still a great time.

I haven't downloaded photos yet, (will wait until after this week's trip to the State Fair!!!) and then I'll post a few photos of our wild and crazy adventure. It was great, the kids already miss their cousins ... and keep asking when is the next time they'll see them ... so I think this PA trip will become a regular affair.

When 7 ate ...

Yes, it's that time of the month again where I share our latest Wine Club outing ... This month, we broke course a bit and instead of eating in a small Minneapolis neighborhood (where all of our restaurants have just happened to be ...) we were in downtown Minneapolis, dining at Seven Steakhouse and Sushi Ultralounge.

A few words about Seven (or 7even) ... it's sort of known as the "celebrity hangout" or the "spot to be seen." In other words, it's where the cool kids hang out. Which helps somewhat explain the food. The menu is definitely on the high end. And hey, I am a girl who happily pays for a good meal, so I am okay with a higher price tag ... if the meal warrants it. Due to Seven's reputation, I wasn't sure if the meal would warrant it, since I think the price was merely reflective of the reputation.

They were nicely accommodating with a gluten-free menu. Unfortunately, I think some of their raves have been pasta, so that was a little sad. What they are known for are these monstrous steaks, but alas, the smallest one was 8 oz, and I wasn't going to pay $40 for a steak that I would only eat half and then I would want the other half because I like my steak medium rare, so reheating it would just ruin it for me.

So ... first course. I went with the golden beet salad. Actually all of us went with the golden beet salad. We're beet ladies, we love them. We indulge.

I love arugula, and balsamic and goat cheese, so frankly, the only way the salad could have been bad is if the food wasn't fresh. The first course was off on a good start ... maybe Seven could deliver?

Next up the pan-seared Salmon:

It's salmon with a lobster sauce on a bed of spinach and mashed potatoes. I have decided I do not like lobster. Or at least lobster sauce or lobster bisque. It sort of tastes like throw-up back in your mouth. The salmon itself was cooked very nicely, but as you can see, it was drowning in the sauce. The sliver of lobster itself was good, if only it also hadn't been coated. The spinach was fine, nothing special. The mashed potatoes ... well there kind of a mound of too thick cement.

I thought dessert might be able to save the meal ... but the only gluten-free dessert was lemon sorbet with berries. I wasn't in the mood for lemon sorbet, so I passed on dessert. I think I've gotten to the stage where I want to enjoy my food, and not settle just to have dessert.

All in all, there are a lot of people I know who enjoy Seven and who've eaten there multiple times. I just don't think I'll be one of them.