Ooh, a huge deal at school today -- report card day! Woo-hoo. Yahdah yahdah. Whatever.
But, it is interesting seeing what the teachers have to say about our boys.
The school seems to have standardized on a 1-6 scale for all grades, though the criteria for kindergarten is different than 2nd grade, thank goodness. 4 is "meets the standard," and 3 just means it's an area to focus on. Gabriel's teachers told us that a 6 means major extra effort and that not getting a 6 is not a big deal.
I gather from the way Gabriel's teacher pulled me aside to "warn" me about the S- he got in art that many parents are pretty concerned about 2nd-grade grades. Really, not a biggie, unless there really is a serious area of deficiency that needs addressing. Julian's teacher never said anything about the numbers and probably thinks that numbering kindergartners is silly. I agree.
Overall they're both doing great!
The real surprise is in Gabriel's teachers' assessment of his writing and written expression. They actually gave him a 6 for "Written and Oral Language Conventions," and even an "M" in a spelling category (the proficiency levels are M for Mastery, '+' for Exceeds the standard, 'check' for Meets the standard, '-' for Beginning to meet the standard). In their notes, they emphasize that he organizes his thoughts well and edits his writing well. He apparently is a natural speller like me, a skill I know well takes you nowhere.
Gabriel didn't excel in math, where Dave and I both would expect he would, but he's at grade level in proficiency and that's fine.
I'm amused at a summary section though, since it does sum him up quite well ("S" means Satisfactory in this context, modified by '+' or '-'):
Lifelong Learning Skills (Gabriel)
S Listens in class
S- Follows directions
S Works independently
S Works Neatly
S Completes work on time
S Accepts responsibility
S Respects classmates
S Respects authority
S Uses time wisely
S Uses conflict resolution techniques
S+ Communicates effectively
S Works collaboratively
That sounds like him....doesn't listen (S- in "follows directions"), and tells you what he thinks about his not listening (S+ in "communicates effectively").
Gabriel's first-grade teacher gave him 4s on just about everything, with an occasional + or -, and that didn't give us much information. We knew his handwriting and math in 1st grade were at drastic odds, yet she marked him the same. Not a big deal, just not a lot of information. This 2nd grade report tells us more about how he is in school. For instance, I'm really surprised about the writing. I'd never have known that he organizes his thoughts well; he doesn't write at home (beyond the occasional cartoon of a cat making bathroom jokes) or anything, and I'd have no way to put it into context for a 7-year-old anyway.
Julian too is thriving. His poor teacher has to temper that with positively-phrased statements like "With practice and reinforcement at home, I'm confident Julian will be able to consistently follow rules." Uh-huh. Good luck with that. He does putz around, he is easily distracted, but she says when he's focused he does an excellent job (as I learned with the Mexico poster). No surprises in her description of his strengths: he's an outstanding reader, and has a great understanding in science. I'm really glad to see that she can always count on Julian to volunteer to help in class, participate in discussion, and join in games and sports with other kids.
Once again, a summary section on Julian's report card tells the story:
Social and Emotional Growth (Julian)
S Works independently
S Works well in a group
S- Completes work on time
S Follows classroom procedures
S Listens and follows directions
S Respects self and others
S- Puts forth best effort
Unfortunately for us, Julian will be getting a sub for a few months starting March, since his teacher just announced she's expecting her own future kindergartner!
Despite my writing pages on report cards, I'm really not all that into the grades and all -- it's just very interesting to hear outside perspectives on the boys' strengths and weaknesses. I'm already so proud of them this week for their efforts on the drawing contest (Gabriel) and Mexico poster (Julian), that this just caps it off. I really couldn't ask for more.
And incidentally, Katrina has been asking NONSTOP for us to tell us what something spells. "Mommy, what does S-T-O-P say? What does E-X-I-T say? What does W-A-R-N-I-N-G say?" She can also read numbers up to 100, basically, like she knows that a 4 and an 8 is "forty-eight." Makes me feel like maybe we're doing something right!
12/4/09
Friday, December 04, 2009
Thursday, December 03, 2009
12/3/09 Tantrums
Argh! Katrina's tantrums have been fast and furious lately. For those who don't follow on Facebook, a few days ago she had a big tantrum in the car because she didn't want the sun to go to sleep. Then she was outraged because the moon was rising. I mean, really!
Major fit today picking Gabriel up from school today. Gabriel tried to comfort her and eventually got her out of it.
Attempt at photo session at home, on the premise of enticing a nearby cat to come back. Katrina wasn't buying it.
Gabriel set straight to work on his yearbook cover drawing. He worked on this nonstop for about 3 hours! My poor orange colored pencil is down to about 1" long now. I was hoping to do some scrapbooking this afternoon, but my project space got taken over (Julian was adding a photo to his Mexico poster, one I took myself on a trip to Copper Canyon in 1995.)
Gabriel's final drawing for the yearbook cover. I love the wry expression of the cougar.
The reason for all this art? Because it's a yearbook cover drawing contest. He wants to win. Dave and I have both warned him that there are many talented artists and that art is very subjective. Julian piped in, "But as long as you do your best, you win!!" I agree! Is our typical parent B.S. sinking in? I certainly believe that. I'm very proud of both their project efforts today, regardless of the outcome. And that's not B.S..
12/3/09
Major fit today picking Gabriel up from school today. Gabriel tried to comfort her and eventually got her out of it.
Attempt at photo session at home, on the premise of enticing a nearby cat to come back. Katrina wasn't buying it.
Gabriel set straight to work on his yearbook cover drawing. He worked on this nonstop for about 3 hours! My poor orange colored pencil is down to about 1" long now. I was hoping to do some scrapbooking this afternoon, but my project space got taken over (Julian was adding a photo to his Mexico poster, one I took myself on a trip to Copper Canyon in 1995.)
Gabriel's final drawing for the yearbook cover. I love the wry expression of the cougar.
The reason for all this art? Because it's a yearbook cover drawing contest. He wants to win. Dave and I have both warned him that there are many talented artists and that art is very subjective. Julian piped in, "But as long as you do your best, you win!!" I agree! Is our typical parent B.S. sinking in? I certainly believe that. I'm very proud of both their project efforts today, regardless of the outcome. And that's not B.S..
12/3/09
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
12/2/09 Dutch oven
I love my mother. I love that when I have the silliest idea in my head, I can call her to announce it. Today it was about a Le Creuset Dutch Oven. I've decided I need one. So what's the first step in this quest? What else: call my mother and talk about it. And this was actually a good reason to call her compared to usual. I really do need the dutch oven this time. But I always need to talk to my mother.
There aren't many people in this world I can just call for no reason. My mother is tops on the list, but I have my eye on the next generation for fair play turnaround. They might need advice on cookware someday too, though they'll never really need an excuse to call me.
12/2/09
There aren't many people in this world I can just call for no reason. My mother is tops on the list, but I have my eye on the next generation for fair play turnaround. They might need advice on cookware someday too, though they'll never really need an excuse to call me.
12/2/09
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
12/1/09 Mexico poster
Today was a rare good balance, overall. I put Katrina at Tonya's this morning so I could work at home before picking Julian up from kindergarten. This is the life I'd like to lead -- drop kids off at school, do my own thing at home, then pick them up from school and spend the afternoon with them. It'll be three years before the kids are ready for that life (when Katrina starts first grade). Will I be?
When we picked up Gabriel today, I talked to his teacher briefly. She sort of wanted to warn me about a "bad grade" on his upcoming report card (report card? I'd forgotten all about that) -- an "S-" because he refuses to participate in art class. Oh. Art. Not his thing anyway, though he does need to participate in classes. Whatever. It's once every two weeks, and I'm puzzled that there's a grade since it's completely sponsored by the PTA, not the school.
When we got home today, Gabriel announced that he wanted to enter a drawing contest, for the cover of this year's yearbook. The announcement flyer had a picture of last year's winner, which he modeled from and drew this.
Not that he's the next Monet or anything, but apparently drawing is not that hard for him! It's just funny that he did this hours after I heard that he wasn't into art class. He clarified that he doesn't like art class because they tell him what to draw, and he likes to draw his own things. Fair enough.
His teacher did tell me something else interesting and surprising though: she says his writing is a lot better. She meant both his handwriting and his actual writing style. She says he "writes with a voice," (something like that), and indicated that it's early for a second-grader. She's said things like that before, that what he writes is coherent and thoughtful for his age. Hmm, that's interesting. I wonder if he'll turn into a writer-type (like me) or just a good writer who's not a writer-type (like Dave). I'm a writer-type. I have no idea if I'm a good writer or not, it doesn't matter -- I write. I can't help it. My mind just does it and compels my fingers to follow. I don't see that same itch in Gabriel, yet.
This afternoon Julian was excited -- eager! -- to work on his Mexico poster. I'm still stunned at his enthusiasm and dedication to a project like this. This is our most putzy, draggy, lazy boy?! We almost finished it, but he was getting really tired and making mistakes, so I had to practically insist he take a break. After dinner, we did finish it. He's very proud of it and insisted on practicing presenting it once.
Hard to tell in the photo, but those yellow and blue shapes are what he wrote on and then glued to the posterboard. They say things like "Mexico has 31 states," and "Mexico's main language is Spanish." He was excited to see a map of California and that Mexico is right south of us. The map even had Mojave (where we stayed in October for the airshow) and Mexico in the same view, and I think that helped bring things into context for them. "Them" because Gabriel inserted himself in the last hour of work on the Mexico poster, oddly intrigued.
The working-mom guilt factory inside me fears this enthusiasm for schoolwork -- including Gabriel's for Julian's -- is because it's a handy way to capture Mom's attention, since Mom generally doesn't do a lot of table activities together. About the most captive I ever am doing things together is cooking or baking in the kitchen. (That's another thing Gabriel's teacher mentioned to me, that we must cook a lot together based on what he says.) And with full-time work looming (still no word though), that guilt factory will be running all shifts.
Work or not, somehow, I'm taking Julian and the rest of the family to Mexico someday. I'm delighted by his eagerness to learn and create, and he's earned it.
12/1/09
When we picked up Gabriel today, I talked to his teacher briefly. She sort of wanted to warn me about a "bad grade" on his upcoming report card (report card? I'd forgotten all about that) -- an "S-" because he refuses to participate in art class. Oh. Art. Not his thing anyway, though he does need to participate in classes. Whatever. It's once every two weeks, and I'm puzzled that there's a grade since it's completely sponsored by the PTA, not the school.
When we got home today, Gabriel announced that he wanted to enter a drawing contest, for the cover of this year's yearbook. The announcement flyer had a picture of last year's winner, which he modeled from and drew this.
Not that he's the next Monet or anything, but apparently drawing is not that hard for him! It's just funny that he did this hours after I heard that he wasn't into art class. He clarified that he doesn't like art class because they tell him what to draw, and he likes to draw his own things. Fair enough.
His teacher did tell me something else interesting and surprising though: she says his writing is a lot better. She meant both his handwriting and his actual writing style. She says he "writes with a voice," (something like that), and indicated that it's early for a second-grader. She's said things like that before, that what he writes is coherent and thoughtful for his age. Hmm, that's interesting. I wonder if he'll turn into a writer-type (like me) or just a good writer who's not a writer-type (like Dave). I'm a writer-type. I have no idea if I'm a good writer or not, it doesn't matter -- I write. I can't help it. My mind just does it and compels my fingers to follow. I don't see that same itch in Gabriel, yet.
This afternoon Julian was excited -- eager! -- to work on his Mexico poster. I'm still stunned at his enthusiasm and dedication to a project like this. This is our most putzy, draggy, lazy boy?! We almost finished it, but he was getting really tired and making mistakes, so I had to practically insist he take a break. After dinner, we did finish it. He's very proud of it and insisted on practicing presenting it once.
Hard to tell in the photo, but those yellow and blue shapes are what he wrote on and then glued to the posterboard. They say things like "Mexico has 31 states," and "Mexico's main language is Spanish." He was excited to see a map of California and that Mexico is right south of us. The map even had Mojave (where we stayed in October for the airshow) and Mexico in the same view, and I think that helped bring things into context for them. "Them" because Gabriel inserted himself in the last hour of work on the Mexico poster, oddly intrigued.
The working-mom guilt factory inside me fears this enthusiasm for schoolwork -- including Gabriel's for Julian's -- is because it's a handy way to capture Mom's attention, since Mom generally doesn't do a lot of table activities together. About the most captive I ever am doing things together is cooking or baking in the kitchen. (That's another thing Gabriel's teacher mentioned to me, that we must cook a lot together based on what he says.) And with full-time work looming (still no word though), that guilt factory will be running all shifts.
Work or not, somehow, I'm taking Julian and the rest of the family to Mexico someday. I'm delighted by his eagerness to learn and create, and he's earned it.
12/1/09
Monday, November 30, 2009
11/30/09 WASPs
In the harried 4 minutes I can spend scanning the WWII history section of the library, I have no time to think through what I'd like to read -- it's pure impulse, grab'n'go.
Last trip, I came across a book about women pilots during WWII, who'd been accepted into the WASP program, short for "Women Air [Force] Service Pilots." For a short while, there was a severe shortage of pilots, as all available men were sent overseas into combat. But someone still needed to ferry planes around the country, run transport flights, tow targets for gunnery training, and countless other domestic military flight tasks.
I have to wonder, would I have been one of them? Would I have had that sort of gumption and desire? Probably not; most women who applied to the program were very young (minimum age 18 but many had been flying before then) and had always wanted to fly. I didn't get adventurous until I was almost 30, and never had to overcome the sort of societal obstacles these girls did.
But I was stunned to see another requirement that might well have grounded me: a minimum height requirement of 64 inches. At first, it was just 60 inches, which I meet. Then it was raised to 62-1/2 inches, which I don't meet, though there's a story of a 5'1-3/4" (exactly my height) girl who wanted to fly so much that the doctor told her to stretch and then he passed her on the physical exam. Then the WASP program raised the height requirement yet again to 64", and there's no way I could have passed myself off as 5'4".
I have the unique perspective of having flown in a WWII-era military plane recently, and was struck by how I was among the few passengers who was physically well-suited to the craft. I was far smaller and more agile than most passengers and was able to easily move around the low passages in the plane. Being more than 5'8" would likely have been a liability, and that's in a roomy bomber. I'm not sure how I'd have done as a pilot, but did the Army have a height minimum of 5'4" for men too?
At one time in my life, I believed that being just under 5'2" meant I couldn't ride the kind of motorcycles I liked in the kinds of places I liked. But that turned out to be completely untrue. I learned how to compensate and do things differently so that I got pretty proficient on machines that most people assumed were too big (such as this borrowed BMW R90S that I rode at Laguna Seca, photo circa 1993). I don't know if that's true for airplanes though.
Ah well, it's nice to have a good book to give myself something new to think about.
11/30/09
Last trip, I came across a book about women pilots during WWII, who'd been accepted into the WASP program, short for "Women Air [Force] Service Pilots." For a short while, there was a severe shortage of pilots, as all available men were sent overseas into combat. But someone still needed to ferry planes around the country, run transport flights, tow targets for gunnery training, and countless other domestic military flight tasks.
I have to wonder, would I have been one of them? Would I have had that sort of gumption and desire? Probably not; most women who applied to the program were very young (minimum age 18 but many had been flying before then) and had always wanted to fly. I didn't get adventurous until I was almost 30, and never had to overcome the sort of societal obstacles these girls did.
But I was stunned to see another requirement that might well have grounded me: a minimum height requirement of 64 inches. At first, it was just 60 inches, which I meet. Then it was raised to 62-1/2 inches, which I don't meet, though there's a story of a 5'1-3/4" (exactly my height) girl who wanted to fly so much that the doctor told her to stretch and then he passed her on the physical exam. Then the WASP program raised the height requirement yet again to 64", and there's no way I could have passed myself off as 5'4".
I have the unique perspective of having flown in a WWII-era military plane recently, and was struck by how I was among the few passengers who was physically well-suited to the craft. I was far smaller and more agile than most passengers and was able to easily move around the low passages in the plane. Being more than 5'8" would likely have been a liability, and that's in a roomy bomber. I'm not sure how I'd have done as a pilot, but did the Army have a height minimum of 5'4" for men too?
At one time in my life, I believed that being just under 5'2" meant I couldn't ride the kind of motorcycles I liked in the kinds of places I liked. But that turned out to be completely untrue. I learned how to compensate and do things differently so that I got pretty proficient on machines that most people assumed were too big (such as this borrowed BMW R90S that I rode at Laguna Seca, photo circa 1993). I don't know if that's true for airplanes though.
Ah well, it's nice to have a good book to give myself something new to think about.
11/30/09
Sunday, November 29, 2009
11/29/09 A day of...work?
Yesterday was yardwork day. Lots of leaves had dropped. Good thing the kids were on the job!
Today, however, it was time to catch up on schoolwork, believe it or not. Julian has a "Cultural Poster" due, same as Gabriel had had in kindergarten. Once again, I feel somewhat at a loss, since the intent is clearly to present your own culture and traditions. But Julian's parents were born here -- I'd bet $100 that we're the only parents in his class who both were -- and the most uniquely American traditions are so well-known (Halloween and Thanksgiving) that making a presentation on them is hardly informative. The instructions for the poster do suggest that a culture other than your own is welcome, since they encourage a "variety." Translation: "we're already going to get at least 15 on India, try another place too."
So I encouraged Julian to do Mexico, a neighboring country that I intend to visit with them, and from where many of our friends are. In other schools in San Jose, no doubt they have the same disparate representation of Mexico as our school does of India, yet at our school -- in California -- there is nary a Hispanic to be found.
This is due Friday, yet we'd only picked the country on Saturday and hadn't even started it. We needed to get going today.
And guess what -- we almost finished. I am positively floored. Julian tackled the job with dedication, finishing each task I gave him without any prompting or procrastination, and then asking for the next one. He worked on it on and off the whole day, with the biggest break being a trip to Michael's to get a posterboard. It was all I could do to get him to stop for dinner.
I remember doing this same project with Gabriel in kindergarten (he did Italy), and often having a hard time getting him to keep going. As regular readers all know, when Gabriel sets his mind to a task, his grip is vicelike, but he doesn't apply that to all things. This sort of project apparently ppeals to Julian, making it actually fun to do together. Really, I'm blown away by how focused and committed he was today. Come to think of it, he dives right into all his schoolwork and pretty much doesn't stop until he's done. I'd have thought the fun would have worn off by now, but it hasn't. This characteristic, if it keeps up, will take him far in the academic world.
Gabriel also had a "family tree" homework assignment. This completely cracks me up: the printed words ask where your family is from -- but then as an afterthought, someone wrote in by hand "or ancestors," realizing that there might actually be someone in the class whose family is from here.
Dave directed Gabriel on this one, using information in his father's detailed genealogy. Gabriel will be the only one in his class who can say his family came here in a different century, in 1750 from England, and whose ancestor came here because he was kidnapped to serve on a ship.
It certainly is interesting being a cultural minority!
11/29/09
Today, however, it was time to catch up on schoolwork, believe it or not. Julian has a "Cultural Poster" due, same as Gabriel had had in kindergarten. Once again, I feel somewhat at a loss, since the intent is clearly to present your own culture and traditions. But Julian's parents were born here -- I'd bet $100 that we're the only parents in his class who both were -- and the most uniquely American traditions are so well-known (Halloween and Thanksgiving) that making a presentation on them is hardly informative. The instructions for the poster do suggest that a culture other than your own is welcome, since they encourage a "variety." Translation: "we're already going to get at least 15 on India, try another place too."
So I encouraged Julian to do Mexico, a neighboring country that I intend to visit with them, and from where many of our friends are. In other schools in San Jose, no doubt they have the same disparate representation of Mexico as our school does of India, yet at our school -- in California -- there is nary a Hispanic to be found.
This is due Friday, yet we'd only picked the country on Saturday and hadn't even started it. We needed to get going today.
And guess what -- we almost finished. I am positively floored. Julian tackled the job with dedication, finishing each task I gave him without any prompting or procrastination, and then asking for the next one. He worked on it on and off the whole day, with the biggest break being a trip to Michael's to get a posterboard. It was all I could do to get him to stop for dinner.
I remember doing this same project with Gabriel in kindergarten (he did Italy), and often having a hard time getting him to keep going. As regular readers all know, when Gabriel sets his mind to a task, his grip is vicelike, but he doesn't apply that to all things. This sort of project apparently ppeals to Julian, making it actually fun to do together. Really, I'm blown away by how focused and committed he was today. Come to think of it, he dives right into all his schoolwork and pretty much doesn't stop until he's done. I'd have thought the fun would have worn off by now, but it hasn't. This characteristic, if it keeps up, will take him far in the academic world.
Gabriel also had a "family tree" homework assignment. This completely cracks me up: the printed words ask where your family is from -- but then as an afterthought, someone wrote in by hand "or ancestors," realizing that there might actually be someone in the class whose family is from here.
Dave directed Gabriel on this one, using information in his father's detailed genealogy. Gabriel will be the only one in his class who can say his family came here in a different century, in 1750 from England, and whose ancestor came here because he was kidnapped to serve on a ship.
It certainly is interesting being a cultural minority!
11/29/09
Saturday, November 28, 2009
11/28/09 Gabriel's Thanksgiving letter
Amongst Gabriel's schoolwork, we found this letter he had to write to us on Thanksgiving.
The paragraph structure taught in school comes out ("First," "Next," "Clearly,"), but the content is his. A nice insight into what flits through the mind of a 7-year-old!
And of course, I am so, so thankful for him.
11/28/09
11/23/09
Dear Mom and Dad,
Happy Thanksgiving! I am very thankful for you supporting me in many ways. First, you have been helping me for a long time. I appreciate when you take care of me when I'm hurt. Next, you cook meals for me every day. Mom prepares the best dishes in the world. Also, you do a lot of fun things with me. When we went to the aircraft carrier, I really liked it, didn't I? Clearly, I want to thank you very much. Love, Gabriel.
The paragraph structure taught in school comes out ("First," "Next," "Clearly,"), but the content is his. A nice insight into what flits through the mind of a 7-year-old!
And of course, I am so, so thankful for him.
11/28/09
Friday, November 27, 2009
11/27/09 Do-nothing day
I got up shamefully late today, feeling like I'd earned a serious sleep-in morning, and planning to do nothing today.
Well, almost nothing. When my body is allowed to get the sleep it needs, when it needs it, it is energized, and I felt the need to exercise. I was all set to take all three kids to the Y, since they needed to get out too, but the Y closed at noon today.
All dressed up with nowhere to go, three kids in desperate need of getting out of the house, and rain looming. At the last second, I decided to take them to a trail by the baylands. It's right by the city water treatment plant, so it's not exactly close to nature, but it does have some neat bird habitat and trails to get some energy out on. On the principle that any outing is better than none, we headed for the bay.
First the boys found a short trail going up...somewhere, but, nowhere.
Yep, get that energy out here!
We turned around at the hilltop and then went on to another hill I've run by before but never explored.
Gabriel brought along his little video camera that Uncle Ronan gave him, that also takes pictures. Suddenly he's turned into Mr. Photographer.
At the top of another hill, Katrina was finally persuaded to put a jacket on. On windy cold days I insist kids bring a jacket, but actually wearing it isn't a fight I pick. The temperature usually takes care of that on its own.
These levees are good running trails if you're looking for flat, though this area can be windy and sometimes not smell so great. But though I miss hills (the little ones we were on today are much too short to count as a running hill), I love the isolation and the views.
Today we saw a pelican landing in the water, and even dive it once. Pelicans are my favorite bird, they're fascinating to watch. I liked telling the boys about the flocks of pelicans I saw in Baja, and how big they are.
We also walked along part of the trail that heads to another park, and this trail had a lot of descriptive signs on it, showing the history of the water treatment plant, and also birds and plantlife along the way. I'm surprised how much the boys like looking at signs, but I run with it and we talk a lot about the information on them and try to relate it to what we see around us. I'm not deliberately looking for "teachable moments," but they sort of come up on their own. I take my cues from their own curiosity and questions, though -- sometimes all they want to talk about the color of poop. I'm still very put off by the idea that play and fun must have an educational element -- it often does, but geez, we're just out to get some fresh air. Let the fun -- and the education -- just happen. And it "just happens" a lot.
Given that I'd planned for today to be completely lazy, this was a rather ambitious outing. It was perfect: nearby, easy to get in and out of, outdoors, plenty of room to run and stretch, lots to see and talk about. Just what we all needed to do on a do-nothing day.
11/27/09
Well, almost nothing. When my body is allowed to get the sleep it needs, when it needs it, it is energized, and I felt the need to exercise. I was all set to take all three kids to the Y, since they needed to get out too, but the Y closed at noon today.
All dressed up with nowhere to go, three kids in desperate need of getting out of the house, and rain looming. At the last second, I decided to take them to a trail by the baylands. It's right by the city water treatment plant, so it's not exactly close to nature, but it does have some neat bird habitat and trails to get some energy out on. On the principle that any outing is better than none, we headed for the bay.
First the boys found a short trail going up...somewhere, but, nowhere.
Yep, get that energy out here!
We turned around at the hilltop and then went on to another hill I've run by before but never explored.
Gabriel brought along his little video camera that Uncle Ronan gave him, that also takes pictures. Suddenly he's turned into Mr. Photographer.
At the top of another hill, Katrina was finally persuaded to put a jacket on. On windy cold days I insist kids bring a jacket, but actually wearing it isn't a fight I pick. The temperature usually takes care of that on its own.
These levees are good running trails if you're looking for flat, though this area can be windy and sometimes not smell so great. But though I miss hills (the little ones we were on today are much too short to count as a running hill), I love the isolation and the views.
Today we saw a pelican landing in the water, and even dive it once. Pelicans are my favorite bird, they're fascinating to watch. I liked telling the boys about the flocks of pelicans I saw in Baja, and how big they are.
We also walked along part of the trail that heads to another park, and this trail had a lot of descriptive signs on it, showing the history of the water treatment plant, and also birds and plantlife along the way. I'm surprised how much the boys like looking at signs, but I run with it and we talk a lot about the information on them and try to relate it to what we see around us. I'm not deliberately looking for "teachable moments," but they sort of come up on their own. I take my cues from their own curiosity and questions, though -- sometimes all they want to talk about the color of poop. I'm still very put off by the idea that play and fun must have an educational element -- it often does, but geez, we're just out to get some fresh air. Let the fun -- and the education -- just happen. And it "just happens" a lot.
Given that I'd planned for today to be completely lazy, this was a rather ambitious outing. It was perfect: nearby, easy to get in and out of, outdoors, plenty of room to run and stretch, lots to see and talk about. Just what we all needed to do on a do-nothing day.
11/27/09
Thursday, November 26, 2009
11/26/09 Turkeys
Whew! We had such a great Thanksgiving!
Since we were expecting a total of 29 people, I switched to two 16-lb turkeys, to decrease cooking time and add options. I brined one of them and put aromatics in the cavity for roasting. The other one got sage butter under its skin, and some cornbread stuffing.
I got up at 6am to prepare the turkeys for oven entry at 7am, for a 5-1/2 hour roasting time to be pulled out at 12:30pm. The brined one is much lighter in color (on the right).
Two turkeys means two roasting pans and two ovens. (Or one huge 36" oven and two smaller roasting pans.)
After getting the turkeys in the oven, I went back to bed. Or tried. The kids woke me up every half hour, and Katrina kept me awake for quite a while with one of her half-hour-long bleating tantrums (where she wails rhythmically every 10-20 seconds).
But, only so much lounging. I got up, showered, and downstairs by 10am to check the turkeys. I was floored. They appeared very very done and their pop-up timers had popped. I tested internal temperature with a meat thermometer: 180 degrees. These suckers are cooked!.
The brined one (on the right) cooked even more -- the wingtips were even starting to burn. My friend Paul warned me that one time that happened to him when he hosted the Orphan's Thanksgiving -- the turkey appeared to be ready, but turned out to be bloody, gooey and very undercooked when he cut into it. I cut into both of them, and they seemed ready. What gives? Why were they cooked -- and so cooked -- so early? Time to verify oven temp with a thermometer!
Dave was so-so this morning, though not 100%. Fortunately my planning well ahead paid off. I didn't have a lot of cooking to do today, mostly just heating or finalizing dishes, so I concentrated on table and place setting setup. Some friends arrived early to help, and we were ready for everyone in plenty of time.
And we had a terrific time! It was so nice to see our longtime friends -- many of whom we'd just seen last weekend at the Pancake Breakfast, but that made it even better. Since the Orphan's Thanksgiving has a long-standing tradition of being pretty freeform and casual, any mistakes made -- such as turkeys ready hours early and possibly completely devoid of moisture -- are accepted with a chuckle and a shrug. Once again, I wasn't ready with gravy, and two friends stepped in to make it.
I'd set up as many seats as possible in the family room, which included a little side table. This worked well; we ended up putting the kids there. One kid sat at the grownup table; I guess at age 9, the kids' table is just sooooo lame.
But I was very glad the kids were there. Katrina and 9-year-old Isabel really hit it off, and spent hours playing. Isabel led Katrina around holding her hand all over the house, for a really really long time. Katrina's clothes and hair changed a lot too; Isabel told me later she tried to braid Katrina's hair but it is too slippery. Meantime, Gabriel and Isabel's tomboy younger sister, Carmen, played with Snap Circuits. Julian moved between groups and spent a lot of time playing with both visiting girls.
With 29 people expected, there's bound to be some attrition. 5 people didn't make it: three from illness, but two because they didn't leave L.A. until 12:30pm. Desite the freeform nature of this event, it's these two that should never factor in -- we rent chairs and choose turkey sizes based on confirmed attendees; a little more commitment is called for. Even from people the group has never met.
This was the best all-group shot I got, and it's minus two more who arrived late.
This was overall so much fun. The kids had a fabulous time playing together, and didn't cause any problems. We barely saw them in fact; a testament to how well our odd house and all its spaces works for diverse groups. It was great seeing and catching up with our grownup friends, all from our motorcycling days -- many of us have known each other going on 20 years now and formed firm bonds on riding adventures. The food was great, everyone was very helpful in setting up, cleaning up, and putting away and taking away leftovers. (I'd bought a huge thing of storage containers at Smart'n'Final, and filled them with leftovers and insisted everyone take some home.)
Dave was feeling on and off today; but fortunately was able to help in the morning, and then with cleanup after some rest. Whatever he has is strange, it's resulted in a lot of back achiness that comes and then suddenly goes, like a fever. If it's not a lot better tomorrow, it's time for a trip to Urgent Care.
I like having one foot in my old life, with longtime friends, playing Orphans like we did 10 years ago before we all paired off and bought houses. The people we didn't know who joined today were very nice and I enjoyed talking to them. But I also like the other foot in my newer life: holidays being centered around family, spending the whole holiday weekend together, spending more time doing stuff with the kids. I'm not sure how to balance these lives for next year, but today, I'm thankful to have such a good problem.
11/26/09
Since we were expecting a total of 29 people, I switched to two 16-lb turkeys, to decrease cooking time and add options. I brined one of them and put aromatics in the cavity for roasting. The other one got sage butter under its skin, and some cornbread stuffing.
I got up at 6am to prepare the turkeys for oven entry at 7am, for a 5-1/2 hour roasting time to be pulled out at 12:30pm. The brined one is much lighter in color (on the right).
Two turkeys means two roasting pans and two ovens. (Or one huge 36" oven and two smaller roasting pans.)
After getting the turkeys in the oven, I went back to bed. Or tried. The kids woke me up every half hour, and Katrina kept me awake for quite a while with one of her half-hour-long bleating tantrums (where she wails rhythmically every 10-20 seconds).
But, only so much lounging. I got up, showered, and downstairs by 10am to check the turkeys. I was floored. They appeared very very done and their pop-up timers had popped. I tested internal temperature with a meat thermometer: 180 degrees. These suckers are cooked!.
The brined one (on the right) cooked even more -- the wingtips were even starting to burn. My friend Paul warned me that one time that happened to him when he hosted the Orphan's Thanksgiving -- the turkey appeared to be ready, but turned out to be bloody, gooey and very undercooked when he cut into it. I cut into both of them, and they seemed ready. What gives? Why were they cooked -- and so cooked -- so early? Time to verify oven temp with a thermometer!
Dave was so-so this morning, though not 100%. Fortunately my planning well ahead paid off. I didn't have a lot of cooking to do today, mostly just heating or finalizing dishes, so I concentrated on table and place setting setup. Some friends arrived early to help, and we were ready for everyone in plenty of time.
And we had a terrific time! It was so nice to see our longtime friends -- many of whom we'd just seen last weekend at the Pancake Breakfast, but that made it even better. Since the Orphan's Thanksgiving has a long-standing tradition of being pretty freeform and casual, any mistakes made -- such as turkeys ready hours early and possibly completely devoid of moisture -- are accepted with a chuckle and a shrug. Once again, I wasn't ready with gravy, and two friends stepped in to make it.
I'd set up as many seats as possible in the family room, which included a little side table. This worked well; we ended up putting the kids there. One kid sat at the grownup table; I guess at age 9, the kids' table is just sooooo lame.
But I was very glad the kids were there. Katrina and 9-year-old Isabel really hit it off, and spent hours playing. Isabel led Katrina around holding her hand all over the house, for a really really long time. Katrina's clothes and hair changed a lot too; Isabel told me later she tried to braid Katrina's hair but it is too slippery. Meantime, Gabriel and Isabel's tomboy younger sister, Carmen, played with Snap Circuits. Julian moved between groups and spent a lot of time playing with both visiting girls.
With 29 people expected, there's bound to be some attrition. 5 people didn't make it: three from illness, but two because they didn't leave L.A. until 12:30pm. Desite the freeform nature of this event, it's these two that should never factor in -- we rent chairs and choose turkey sizes based on confirmed attendees; a little more commitment is called for. Even from people the group has never met.
This was the best all-group shot I got, and it's minus two more who arrived late.
This was overall so much fun. The kids had a fabulous time playing together, and didn't cause any problems. We barely saw them in fact; a testament to how well our odd house and all its spaces works for diverse groups. It was great seeing and catching up with our grownup friends, all from our motorcycling days -- many of us have known each other going on 20 years now and formed firm bonds on riding adventures. The food was great, everyone was very helpful in setting up, cleaning up, and putting away and taking away leftovers. (I'd bought a huge thing of storage containers at Smart'n'Final, and filled them with leftovers and insisted everyone take some home.)
Dave was feeling on and off today; but fortunately was able to help in the morning, and then with cleanup after some rest. Whatever he has is strange, it's resulted in a lot of back achiness that comes and then suddenly goes, like a fever. If it's not a lot better tomorrow, it's time for a trip to Urgent Care.
I like having one foot in my old life, with longtime friends, playing Orphans like we did 10 years ago before we all paired off and bought houses. The people we didn't know who joined today were very nice and I enjoyed talking to them. But I also like the other foot in my newer life: holidays being centered around family, spending the whole holiday weekend together, spending more time doing stuff with the kids. I'm not sure how to balance these lives for next year, but today, I'm thankful to have such a good problem.
11/26/09
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
11/25/09 The sous-chef
Thank goodness I had some help today!
Julian meticulously florette'd 5 bunches of broccoli, and peeled 4 parsnips with impressive thoroughness for a 5-year-old.
Unfortunately, that was all the cooking I could do with him until well after all the kids were in bed tonight. The better part of the day was spent running around doing things I'd counted on Dave to do: dropping off children (Katrina had preschool and Gabriel wanted to attend PJ day at the CDC), picking up the turkeys and last-minute items, picking up and unloading rented tables and chairs, and a few other errands too.
Dave's really out of it, and is worse than ever tonight, though he was able to pick up kids and pizza. So I also put all the kids to bed and took care of the kitchen (even pizza needs some cleanup), then got back to work cooking.
I must point out that I brought some of this on myself: I can't just serve any old stuffing, I have to make two kinds of really really good stuffing
(including one vegetarian), that I'd planned to make before I knew Dave would be sick. I guess I could bail and make regular boxed stuffing, but I'm already committed. And if I have to do this all myself, darnit, at least I get to make the good stuff! The cooking is the fun part to me; I just wish I could enjoy it completely without the pressure of so many people forcing me to do so much ahead of time and alone; plus a sick husband.
I'm not sure how we're going to handle tomorrow; we have to set up tables and chairs for as many people as we can cram into our family room. I could do it all myself if I had enough time and focus, but I'll be tied up in the kitchen all morning -- and Katrina can easily suck away hours of energy with one of her impossible irrational tantrums. I've sent inquiries for help, and I'm sure someone will come through.
One thing for sure: future Thanksgivings will seem awfully easy!
11/25/09
Julian meticulously florette'd 5 bunches of broccoli, and peeled 4 parsnips with impressive thoroughness for a 5-year-old.
Unfortunately, that was all the cooking I could do with him until well after all the kids were in bed tonight. The better part of the day was spent running around doing things I'd counted on Dave to do: dropping off children (Katrina had preschool and Gabriel wanted to attend PJ day at the CDC), picking up the turkeys and last-minute items, picking up and unloading rented tables and chairs, and a few other errands too.
Dave's really out of it, and is worse than ever tonight, though he was able to pick up kids and pizza. So I also put all the kids to bed and took care of the kitchen (even pizza needs some cleanup), then got back to work cooking.
I must point out that I brought some of this on myself: I can't just serve any old stuffing, I have to make two kinds of really really good stuffing
(including one vegetarian), that I'd planned to make before I knew Dave would be sick. I guess I could bail and make regular boxed stuffing, but I'm already committed. And if I have to do this all myself, darnit, at least I get to make the good stuff! The cooking is the fun part to me; I just wish I could enjoy it completely without the pressure of so many people forcing me to do so much ahead of time and alone; plus a sick husband.
I'm not sure how we're going to handle tomorrow; we have to set up tables and chairs for as many people as we can cram into our family room. I could do it all myself if I had enough time and focus, but I'll be tied up in the kitchen all morning -- and Katrina can easily suck away hours of energy with one of her impossible irrational tantrums. I've sent inquiries for help, and I'm sure someone will come through.
One thing for sure: future Thanksgivings will seem awfully easy!
11/25/09
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
11/24/09 The meaning of Thanksgiving
After some late RSVPs today, we're up to 29 people expected for Thanksgiving!!
This annual event started out as an "Orphan's" Thanksgiving, put on by our longtime friend Jim Franklin. He provided the turkey and the house; everyone else brought everything else. At the time, most of us were single, far away from origin family, young and unencumbered by habit or high standards of food quality. One year, Jim hosted about 30 people in his living room, with only a bare bulb hanging from the ceiling for light. We all had a great time, happy to be among our motorcycling friends for Thanksgiving.
The tradition continues, after more years than I can count. But we've changed. Most of us are paired off now, homeowners, settled. Some of us don't even count as orphans anymore, as we're now parents (though Dave and I are in a tiny minority among our old friends). Most of us drive cars to Thanksgiving now. And we're all a lot older.
Still, the come-as-you-may potluck approach persists, bringing with it the same friendly chaos and unpredictability. But now, for the first time, I'm finding that conflicts with my mature planning habits. Family life -- similarly chaotic and unpredictable -- develops ones' planning and structure, as coping mechanisms. Jim dealt with 30 people for Thanksgiving, no doubt many of them last-minute, but I'm finding that goes against my new ways of coping with excessive logistics, honed by being a mother and household air traffic controller.
Last year, we did a very un-Orphan thing for Thanksgiving: we drove to L.A. to be with family. We stayed for 3 days in Laura and Ryan's charming 2BR/1BA apartment with no doors on the bedrooms, no yard, no dishwasher, and a lot of rain -- and it worked out great. We had such a good time.
This year is a lot different from 2001 when Dave and I hosted the Orphan's Thanksgiving. No kids yet (I was pregnant with Gabriel). I'd never made a turkey before. Our oven undercooked by 50 degrees. Gravy hadn't even occurred to me. We had 18 people and two dogs, and it worked out great.
Since then, our friend Paul has hosted at his house, and the event started to move upscale. But he and his wife were ready for a break, and we'd promised to host it after our remodel was done. And it's turned into 29 people, including 6 we don't know at all -- very much in the spirit of the traditional Orphan's Thanksgiving.
But, I'm not using Pepperidge Farm stuffing -- I'm cutting ciabatta and herb bread myself. I'm not forgetting gravy -- I've made turkey stock already from wings and vegetables and herbs and plan to make the gravy a few hours before it's time to serve. I won't send Dave out in a desperate quest for an oven thermometer to verify the cooking temperature. I'm making sure there's salad, bread, appetizers, desserts.
But what really strikes me is not so much the contrast between the two times we've hosted this, but rather, the contrast between this year and last. Last year, Laura did most of the cooking, but I spent as much time in the kitchen with her as I could. Ryan made a fabulous green bean dish, and a few other things I forget now, and cleaned everything up. We all spent the whole day together, some of it outside, some of it in varying groups, but overall, together.
This year, I'm having fun prepping the cooking -- but I'm by myself.
At the Y this morning, running on the treadmill, I watched my second-least-favorite Food Network chef, Paula Deen (Emeril Lagasse is my least favorite). She was doing her usual overbuttered syrupy show with her two grown sons. One of her sons commented that it takes all day to prepare Thanksgiving food, but 10 minutes to eat it -- so the real fun was right now, spending time with your family preparing in the kitchen.
Boom. He hit that just right. Last year, I had so much fun cooking with Laura, and being together with the people closest to me all day. Today and yesterday, I've had a great time exercising my grand new kitchen, but I've been alone in it. My sous-chef sons, unlike Paula Deen's sons, bailed on me.
And perhaps that's the biggest difference between being an Orphan and being a family. It's not the fact that we have to rent tables, cook two turkeys, shrug our shoulders if three people bring one dish and no one brings salad, or that strangers represent one-fifth of our guests -- it's that while I'm chopping garlic, dicing onions, reducing maple syrup, infusing butter with sage and peeling parsnips, I'm by myself. And doing it across several nights, ahead of time, because I'll have so much to do on Thanksgiving Day with so many people that I won't be able to do much cooking. Paula Deen's son had it right; it's getting everything ready -- together -- Thanksgiving morning that really makes it Thanksgiving.
I'm still going to have a great time, and love seeing our longtime friends -- many of whom Dave and rode motorcycles and had many adventures with long before we had any idea we'd someday be together -- but still, the contrast between last year and this one has me thinking. We're not Orphans, not just by condition of life, but by state of mind. Maybe for us, it's time Thanksgiving is returned to the family.
(Or maybe we should go completely the other way, and invite genuine Orphans, such as active-duty military servicemen and women who can't be with their own families on Thanksgiving.)
Dave was home sick today, and Julian also home from school, though after 4 days he's finally seeming much better. Poor kid's been cooped up for days, so this is a welcome sight: Julian outdoors, out of the house, running happily. Today I took Julian, picked up Gabriel right after school, then took them to the library (Dave was home with Katrina, of whom I'd had enough after shopping with her this morning and she launched into another interminable tantrum.)
Though Julian can't reach everything on the book checkout machine, he can almost check books out entirely himself (Gabriel can).
These borrowed Magic Tree House books kept Julian busy -- motionless, even -- the remainder of the afternoon until dinner!
Then he was back to pestering, resisting, answering obnoxiously, ignoring, throwing himself on the floor when asked to put his shoes away. Definitely better.
Now I just hope he's going to sous-chef for me tomorrow. I need the help. Well really, I need him.
11/24/09
This annual event started out as an "Orphan's" Thanksgiving, put on by our longtime friend Jim Franklin. He provided the turkey and the house; everyone else brought everything else. At the time, most of us were single, far away from origin family, young and unencumbered by habit or high standards of food quality. One year, Jim hosted about 30 people in his living room, with only a bare bulb hanging from the ceiling for light. We all had a great time, happy to be among our motorcycling friends for Thanksgiving.
The tradition continues, after more years than I can count. But we've changed. Most of us are paired off now, homeowners, settled. Some of us don't even count as orphans anymore, as we're now parents (though Dave and I are in a tiny minority among our old friends). Most of us drive cars to Thanksgiving now. And we're all a lot older.
Still, the come-as-you-may potluck approach persists, bringing with it the same friendly chaos and unpredictability. But now, for the first time, I'm finding that conflicts with my mature planning habits. Family life -- similarly chaotic and unpredictable -- develops ones' planning and structure, as coping mechanisms. Jim dealt with 30 people for Thanksgiving, no doubt many of them last-minute, but I'm finding that goes against my new ways of coping with excessive logistics, honed by being a mother and household air traffic controller.
Last year, we did a very un-Orphan thing for Thanksgiving: we drove to L.A. to be with family. We stayed for 3 days in Laura and Ryan's charming 2BR/1BA apartment with no doors on the bedrooms, no yard, no dishwasher, and a lot of rain -- and it worked out great. We had such a good time.
This year is a lot different from 2001 when Dave and I hosted the Orphan's Thanksgiving. No kids yet (I was pregnant with Gabriel). I'd never made a turkey before. Our oven undercooked by 50 degrees. Gravy hadn't even occurred to me. We had 18 people and two dogs, and it worked out great.
Since then, our friend Paul has hosted at his house, and the event started to move upscale. But he and his wife were ready for a break, and we'd promised to host it after our remodel was done. And it's turned into 29 people, including 6 we don't know at all -- very much in the spirit of the traditional Orphan's Thanksgiving.
But, I'm not using Pepperidge Farm stuffing -- I'm cutting ciabatta and herb bread myself. I'm not forgetting gravy -- I've made turkey stock already from wings and vegetables and herbs and plan to make the gravy a few hours before it's time to serve. I won't send Dave out in a desperate quest for an oven thermometer to verify the cooking temperature. I'm making sure there's salad, bread, appetizers, desserts.
But what really strikes me is not so much the contrast between the two times we've hosted this, but rather, the contrast between this year and last. Last year, Laura did most of the cooking, but I spent as much time in the kitchen with her as I could. Ryan made a fabulous green bean dish, and a few other things I forget now, and cleaned everything up. We all spent the whole day together, some of it outside, some of it in varying groups, but overall, together.
This year, I'm having fun prepping the cooking -- but I'm by myself.
At the Y this morning, running on the treadmill, I watched my second-least-favorite Food Network chef, Paula Deen (Emeril Lagasse is my least favorite). She was doing her usual overbuttered syrupy show with her two grown sons. One of her sons commented that it takes all day to prepare Thanksgiving food, but 10 minutes to eat it -- so the real fun was right now, spending time with your family preparing in the kitchen.
Boom. He hit that just right. Last year, I had so much fun cooking with Laura, and being together with the people closest to me all day. Today and yesterday, I've had a great time exercising my grand new kitchen, but I've been alone in it. My sous-chef sons, unlike Paula Deen's sons, bailed on me.
And perhaps that's the biggest difference between being an Orphan and being a family. It's not the fact that we have to rent tables, cook two turkeys, shrug our shoulders if three people bring one dish and no one brings salad, or that strangers represent one-fifth of our guests -- it's that while I'm chopping garlic, dicing onions, reducing maple syrup, infusing butter with sage and peeling parsnips, I'm by myself. And doing it across several nights, ahead of time, because I'll have so much to do on Thanksgiving Day with so many people that I won't be able to do much cooking. Paula Deen's son had it right; it's getting everything ready -- together -- Thanksgiving morning that really makes it Thanksgiving.
I'm still going to have a great time, and love seeing our longtime friends -- many of whom Dave and rode motorcycles and had many adventures with long before we had any idea we'd someday be together -- but still, the contrast between last year and this one has me thinking. We're not Orphans, not just by condition of life, but by state of mind. Maybe for us, it's time Thanksgiving is returned to the family.
(Or maybe we should go completely the other way, and invite genuine Orphans, such as active-duty military servicemen and women who can't be with their own families on Thanksgiving.)
Dave was home sick today, and Julian also home from school, though after 4 days he's finally seeming much better. Poor kid's been cooped up for days, so this is a welcome sight: Julian outdoors, out of the house, running happily. Today I took Julian, picked up Gabriel right after school, then took them to the library (Dave was home with Katrina, of whom I'd had enough after shopping with her this morning and she launched into another interminable tantrum.)
Though Julian can't reach everything on the book checkout machine, he can almost check books out entirely himself (Gabriel can).
These borrowed Magic Tree House books kept Julian busy -- motionless, even -- the remainder of the afternoon until dinner!
Then he was back to pestering, resisting, answering obnoxiously, ignoring, throwing himself on the floor when asked to put his shoes away. Definitely better.
Now I just hope he's going to sous-chef for me tomorrow. I need the help. Well really, I need him.
11/24/09
11/23/09 "In advance"
My favorite Food Network chef, Ina Garten, often talks about preparing food "in advance" so that you can be part of the party and not in the kitchen ignoring your guests the whole time.
Boy, will I be learning about that, because today we had two more RSVPs for the potluck Thanksgiving we're hosting. That bring us up to 26 people. I'm going to have to call to reserve a larger turkey, or cook two, though I don't want to tie up both ovens all day.
Dave stayed home with a sick Julian today, but now he's in bed with a slight temperature too. This we so don't need right now!
I've worked all night starting to prepare things. Even though this is a potluck, not all groups are bringing an even amount of food, and some things everyone will want. For instance, only one person is bringing pie so far, but she can't be expected to bring pie for 26 people. Some people will bring wine and not food, and one group of 4 hasn't told me what they're bringing yet. So I'll be backfilling under-represented items.
But let's get real. This is really an excuse for me to cook. I don't need to make as many things as I'm going to, but I like to, and if we're going to invite the whole Bay Area over for Thanksgiving, then darnit, we're not running out of stuffing!
So tonight I made a pecan pie (Dave's favorite), and started little tasks like chopping figs for a vegetarian stuffing (three of our men guests are vegetarians), in addition to the non-vegetarian stuffing. I've already made 4 cups of turkey stock for gravy so I can make it ahead of time.
I'm going to do as much prep and cooking as possible tomorrow and Wednesday, because if there's one thing I've learned from Ina, it's to enjoy the party!
11/23/09
p.s. this just in -- our friend Linda borrowed our friend Paul's camera at the pancake breakfast yesterday:
Boy, will I be learning about that, because today we had two more RSVPs for the potluck Thanksgiving we're hosting. That bring us up to 26 people. I'm going to have to call to reserve a larger turkey, or cook two, though I don't want to tie up both ovens all day.
Dave stayed home with a sick Julian today, but now he's in bed with a slight temperature too. This we so don't need right now!
I've worked all night starting to prepare things. Even though this is a potluck, not all groups are bringing an even amount of food, and some things everyone will want. For instance, only one person is bringing pie so far, but she can't be expected to bring pie for 26 people. Some people will bring wine and not food, and one group of 4 hasn't told me what they're bringing yet. So I'll be backfilling under-represented items.
But let's get real. This is really an excuse for me to cook. I don't need to make as many things as I'm going to, but I like to, and if we're going to invite the whole Bay Area over for Thanksgiving, then darnit, we're not running out of stuffing!
So tonight I made a pecan pie (Dave's favorite), and started little tasks like chopping figs for a vegetarian stuffing (three of our men guests are vegetarians), in addition to the non-vegetarian stuffing. I've already made 4 cups of turkey stock for gravy so I can make it ahead of time.
I'm going to do as much prep and cooking as possible tomorrow and Wednesday, because if there's one thing I've learned from Ina, it's to enjoy the party!
11/23/09
p.s. this just in -- our friend Linda borrowed our friend Paul's camera at the pancake breakfast yesterday:
Sunday, November 22, 2009
11/22/09 Dogs
Today was an annual event I've attended almost every year since 1993, a pancake breakfast our friends put on before the motorcycle show. I love this event; the host and hostess are longtime friends and it's such a relaxed fun way to catch up with our old moto-friends.
Dave and Julian had to stay at home though. Julian had a temperature yesterday, and I thought he was over it last night. But he woke up in the middle of the night and cried out for me. He had a very strange-sounding cough and a temperature again. After some attention he went back to sleep, but we decided against bringing him to someone's home with a roomful of people.
So I took just Gabriel and Katrina to the pancake breakfast.
The instant we walked in the door, even before saying hellos, two friendly little daschund mix dogs trotted happily up to us....SHRIEK!!! Katrina was terrified and screamed in a panic. Unfortunately, that meant right away that those dogs had to go outside.
It took a long time, but I finally got her settled down and eating a pancake, until another couple arrived with their boisterous standard poodle dog -- much larger. FREAKOUT again. Another 20 minutes of close holding and comforting before Katrina would let me put her down.
I came prepared with crayons and some pages to color, and was able to get Katrina settled drawing so I could socialize and maybe have a pancake or two.
But one of the little dogs got back inside, and as soon as Katrina spotted the dog from across the room, she froze the room with her screams of terror. Sorry dog, gotta go -- there was just no question at all, they could not coexist for even a second. I felt bad for the couples who'd brought the dogs, but unfortunately, a panicking toddler can't be shooed into the backyard. The couple hosting this event also have a dog, a mellow 13-year-old, but that dog was already outside.
Fortunately, our dear friend Linda took pity on me and helped get Katrina settled with the drawing.
Katrina even let Linda hold her, which she rarely does for anyone she doesn't know. Katrina is a very good judge of character; Linda is a very cool lady. A talented photographer, a levelheaded kind person. (Standing next to her in this photo is our longtime friend Kevin, whose new wife Angela was a fixup by Linda -- and then Linda was the officiant at their wedding!)
There was more sporadic contact with the dogs, each incident of which was met with increasing fear and screaming from Katrina. If a dog was even standing at the back door, I couldn't put her down. I don't know what her deal was; she was never afraid of dogs before.
Meantime, where was Gabriel? He spent almost the entire pancake breakfast outside in the backyard, playing happily with four banished dogs.
11/22/09
Dave and Julian had to stay at home though. Julian had a temperature yesterday, and I thought he was over it last night. But he woke up in the middle of the night and cried out for me. He had a very strange-sounding cough and a temperature again. After some attention he went back to sleep, but we decided against bringing him to someone's home with a roomful of people.
So I took just Gabriel and Katrina to the pancake breakfast.
The instant we walked in the door, even before saying hellos, two friendly little daschund mix dogs trotted happily up to us....SHRIEK!!! Katrina was terrified and screamed in a panic. Unfortunately, that meant right away that those dogs had to go outside.
It took a long time, but I finally got her settled down and eating a pancake, until another couple arrived with their boisterous standard poodle dog -- much larger. FREAKOUT again. Another 20 minutes of close holding and comforting before Katrina would let me put her down.
I came prepared with crayons and some pages to color, and was able to get Katrina settled drawing so I could socialize and maybe have a pancake or two.
But one of the little dogs got back inside, and as soon as Katrina spotted the dog from across the room, she froze the room with her screams of terror. Sorry dog, gotta go -- there was just no question at all, they could not coexist for even a second. I felt bad for the couples who'd brought the dogs, but unfortunately, a panicking toddler can't be shooed into the backyard. The couple hosting this event also have a dog, a mellow 13-year-old, but that dog was already outside.
Fortunately, our dear friend Linda took pity on me and helped get Katrina settled with the drawing.
Katrina even let Linda hold her, which she rarely does for anyone she doesn't know. Katrina is a very good judge of character; Linda is a very cool lady. A talented photographer, a levelheaded kind person. (Standing next to her in this photo is our longtime friend Kevin, whose new wife Angela was a fixup by Linda -- and then Linda was the officiant at their wedding!)
There was more sporadic contact with the dogs, each incident of which was met with increasing fear and screaming from Katrina. If a dog was even standing at the back door, I couldn't put her down. I don't know what her deal was; she was never afraid of dogs before.
Meantime, where was Gabriel? He spent almost the entire pancake breakfast outside in the backyard, playing happily with four banished dogs.
11/22/09
Saturday, November 21, 2009
11/21/09 Snap Circuits
Today after a very nice relaxed 3-year-old birthday party, I felt like lying down and being a slug because of a headache. But somehow I forced myself to go running, since it'd be my only opportunity all weekend (sleeping late on a Saturday morning doesn't count as an "opportunity"). I'm always glad I did; my headache mostly went away and even though it was a short chilly run, my mind was clear and my body strong.
Another mom I was chatting with at the party has a much harder time leaving her (two) kids alone with her husband than I do. My husband, I'm grateful to say, can certainly deal with all three alone together, despite the massive effort involved.
It was a very sweet scene to come home to. Especially seeing Julian up out of bed -- he got a temperature this morning and was in bed all day with 102, but it broke late this afternoon, and he seems fine now.
Gabriel spent the whole day playing with his Snap Circuits. He is far, far more tolerant of Katrina playing with them than Julian, and was so sweetly letting her put pieces on the grid and snapping them together. She loved this and stayed focused with him on this for a long, long time.
(I took this picture to show on her graduation day from electrical engineering school, to commemorate how it all started.)
Gabriel describes his "tone generator" and gives Katrina a little snapping job to do. Hard to hear it, but he informs her that if there had been a battery in place, she'd have made a short. I have no idea if that's true or not.
Dave let him on the computer, and he found the Web site for Elenco, the company that makes the Snap Circuits. Gabriel thought there was a section where people can post their own Snap Circuit designs, and then he thought he posted his own design too. In fact, I think he just navigated to the Feedback section, where he submitted this comment (I walked in just as he was trying to understand "Form Submitted" -- apparently he submitted it several times in an attempt to send it):
I have to say, I was really surprised at that writing. Maybe because his handwriting is so, so, SO bad I can't ever read what he's writing and it looks like the work of a 4-year-old, or maybe because this is of his own volition and not a school assignment.
He made a squeaker all right; unfortunately the moment he tests his inventions his hearing-sensitive mother bellows, "TURN THAT &$@!$&% THING **OFF**!!" No doubt he'll remember that on his graduation day from electrical engineering school.
11/21/09
Another mom I was chatting with at the party has a much harder time leaving her (two) kids alone with her husband than I do. My husband, I'm grateful to say, can certainly deal with all three alone together, despite the massive effort involved.
It was a very sweet scene to come home to. Especially seeing Julian up out of bed -- he got a temperature this morning and was in bed all day with 102, but it broke late this afternoon, and he seems fine now.
Gabriel spent the whole day playing with his Snap Circuits. He is far, far more tolerant of Katrina playing with them than Julian, and was so sweetly letting her put pieces on the grid and snapping them together. She loved this and stayed focused with him on this for a long, long time.
(I took this picture to show on her graduation day from electrical engineering school, to commemorate how it all started.)
Gabriel describes his "tone generator" and gives Katrina a little snapping job to do. Hard to hear it, but he informs her that if there had been a battery in place, she'd have made a short. I have no idea if that's true or not.
Dave let him on the computer, and he found the Web site for Elenco, the company that makes the Snap Circuits. Gabriel thought there was a section where people can post their own Snap Circuit designs, and then he thought he posted his own design too. In fact, I think he just navigated to the Feedback section, where he submitted this comment (I walked in just as he was trying to understand "Form Submitted" -- apparently he submitted it several times in an attempt to send it):
"I made a real squeaker! Turn the swich on, you hear a high-piched sound and an LED lights up with it. Tap the whistle chip and the sound changes."
I have to say, I was really surprised at that writing. Maybe because his handwriting is so, so, SO bad I can't ever read what he's writing and it looks like the work of a 4-year-old, or maybe because this is of his own volition and not a school assignment.
He made a squeaker all right; unfortunately the moment he tests his inventions his hearing-sensitive mother bellows, "TURN THAT &$@!$&% THING **OFF**!!" No doubt he'll remember that on his graduation day from electrical engineering school.
11/21/09
Friday, November 20, 2009
11/20/09 Galette
Grownup dinner at friends' house tonight! What a treat; my Dad's lady love has two daughters, one of whom lives in Sunnyvale (an amazing irony as Dad and his lady are in Massachusetts) with her husband. The other daughter lives in Massachusetts and was visiting here with her husband, so the Sunnyvale daughter invited Dave and I for dinner with both couples. Their house is absolutely beautiful, fabulously decorated, the landscape gorgeous -- so inspiring. Plus they're just really, really, really nice people.
But, the Massachusetts daughter was a pastry apprentice in a bakery and is a very serious home baker; and the California daughter's husband is a chef. So when I offered to bring dessert, I wasn't about to pick up brownie bites from Safeway. I'd planned to make a flat apple tart that I'd made recently, but it wouldn't be easy to transport, even cut into pieces. I decided to make a regular tart, which then turned into a galette -- not realizing until I was too far committed that a galette is made freeform on a baking sheet, with no pan. This was harder than I expected, not to mention that my time to make up for mistakes got seriously curtailed yesterday.
This really needs to into to my food blog, but despite the challenges, my first attempt at an apple galette came out really well! (If not exactly round.)
Unfortunately, I forgot the creme fraiche I was planning to bring. The hostess ran out and got some heavy cream, which her chef husband whipped up quickly, and it was a perfect addition.
We had a wonderful dinner and wonderful evening -- and not too much talk about Alzheimer's.
To my dismay, our longtime favorite sitter Peggy must have moved -- her cell phone number was answered by someone else, and she didn't answer her email (though it didn't bounce). Fortunately, Tonya came through with a sleepover for the kids. And I came through with everyone's favorite stuffed animals.
I might just make that galette again for Thanksgiving.
11/20/09
But, the Massachusetts daughter was a pastry apprentice in a bakery and is a very serious home baker; and the California daughter's husband is a chef. So when I offered to bring dessert, I wasn't about to pick up brownie bites from Safeway. I'd planned to make a flat apple tart that I'd made recently, but it wouldn't be easy to transport, even cut into pieces. I decided to make a regular tart, which then turned into a galette -- not realizing until I was too far committed that a galette is made freeform on a baking sheet, with no pan. This was harder than I expected, not to mention that my time to make up for mistakes got seriously curtailed yesterday.
This really needs to into to my food blog, but despite the challenges, my first attempt at an apple galette came out really well! (If not exactly round.)
Unfortunately, I forgot the creme fraiche I was planning to bring. The hostess ran out and got some heavy cream, which her chef husband whipped up quickly, and it was a perfect addition.
We had a wonderful dinner and wonderful evening -- and not too much talk about Alzheimer's.
To my dismay, our longtime favorite sitter Peggy must have moved -- her cell phone number was answered by someone else, and she didn't answer her email (though it didn't bounce). Fortunately, Tonya came through with a sleepover for the kids. And I came through with everyone's favorite stuffed animals.
I might just make that galette again for Thanksgiving.
11/20/09
Thursday, November 19, 2009
11/19/09 Cramming for the test
Interview tomorrow. I'm trying to re-learn everything I ever knew about networking in one night. The good news is, that's a lot. The bad news is, that's a lot. The good news again is that now, google and wikipedia are on my side.
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/19/09 Playground
Before my day turned upside-down, it started off normally enough...as normal as anything gets with three children at a school playground. I really don't have to walk Julian to class anymore, but I've been working so much I just felt like it.
Gabriel and Katrina had a great time chasing each other and playing hopscotch, while Julian reunited with his kindergarten friends. It'd been hours since they'd seen each other, after all.
But, I can always count on Katrina to take a vision of a nice relaxed morning and inject a tantrum into it. Starbucks had some stuffed animals and other kid-attractive items in a basket at her level (on purpose, I'm sure), and my gentle admonition to her to put a monkey back into the basket was not well-received.
The tantrum continued on the sidewalk outside the store. The difference between Katrina and Gabriel at this age, though, is that when I walk away, Katrina loses her nerve and gets up and runs after me, wailing pitifully: "MOM-*MEEEE*!!!!" Uncharacteristically, I wasn't at all rattled by this. I wonder if my calm attitude was viewed by onlookers as lax ("DO something!") or strong ("way to keep cool mom!"). Some onlookers did shoot me a glance of sympathy -- for Katrina, like, "ohhh, poor girl!" to which I responded with a giant eye-roll.
I'd planned to spend the afternoon baking a nice-looking tart for a dinner we were going to Friday night, and I did, but not in a relaxed way at all. I rushed through it so I could hit the books and prepare for an interview I had the next day. It's one thing to really not know something, but another thing entirely to know something but not to be able to speak about it intelligently because it's one or two sentences removed from your immediate memory.
Children, grownup social life, work....the day was balanced, but there was too much work in all of it!
11/19/09
Gabriel and Katrina had a great time chasing each other and playing hopscotch, while Julian reunited with his kindergarten friends. It'd been hours since they'd seen each other, after all.
But, I can always count on Katrina to take a vision of a nice relaxed morning and inject a tantrum into it. Starbucks had some stuffed animals and other kid-attractive items in a basket at her level (on purpose, I'm sure), and my gentle admonition to her to put a monkey back into the basket was not well-received.
The tantrum continued on the sidewalk outside the store. The difference between Katrina and Gabriel at this age, though, is that when I walk away, Katrina loses her nerve and gets up and runs after me, wailing pitifully: "MOM-*MEEEE*!!!!" Uncharacteristically, I wasn't at all rattled by this. I wonder if my calm attitude was viewed by onlookers as lax ("DO something!") or strong ("way to keep cool mom!"). Some onlookers did shoot me a glance of sympathy -- for Katrina, like, "ohhh, poor girl!" to which I responded with a giant eye-roll.
I'd planned to spend the afternoon baking a nice-looking tart for a dinner we were going to Friday night, and I did, but not in a relaxed way at all. I rushed through it so I could hit the books and prepare for an interview I had the next day. It's one thing to really not know something, but another thing entirely to know something but not to be able to speak about it intelligently because it's one or two sentences removed from your immediate memory.
Children, grownup social life, work....the day was balanced, but there was too much work in all of it!
11/19/09
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
11/18/09 Brace yourself
Feh, too much work in my day today to make for interesting blog posts.
But, I do have something to say about last week. Those cute photos of Katrina laughing on the porch made me think something...then Gabriel said it too: "I love how her front teeth stick out!" The dentist last week confirmed it: start saving, 'cause that mouth isn't looking good! She has an obvious overbite. Gabriel's a shoe-in for braces too, though not for a while since he's still only lost two (bottom) teeth.
Julian, on the other hand, totally different. Aside from having a lot more room in his mouth, his X-rays don't show anything ugly coming up -- could still happen but looks OK now -- and his mouth chemistry is different than Gabriel's. Gabriel's teeth start looking really dingy and awful after about 5 months. I've never seen tartar build up on the front of front teeth before, but they do on his. The hygienists always remind us to floss him and help him brush, which I do often enough to help if it did, which it doesn't. Julian's teeth, on the other hand, are shiny white and never build up tartar. But he also gets canker sores.
Hmm, I wonder if knowing that two of our kids will need braces will affect my attitude about working?
11/18/09
But, I do have something to say about last week. Those cute photos of Katrina laughing on the porch made me think something...then Gabriel said it too: "I love how her front teeth stick out!" The dentist last week confirmed it: start saving, 'cause that mouth isn't looking good! She has an obvious overbite. Gabriel's a shoe-in for braces too, though not for a while since he's still only lost two (bottom) teeth.
Julian, on the other hand, totally different. Aside from having a lot more room in his mouth, his X-rays don't show anything ugly coming up -- could still happen but looks OK now -- and his mouth chemistry is different than Gabriel's. Gabriel's teeth start looking really dingy and awful after about 5 months. I've never seen tartar build up on the front of front teeth before, but they do on his. The hygienists always remind us to floss him and help him brush, which I do often enough to help if it did, which it doesn't. Julian's teeth, on the other hand, are shiny white and never build up tartar. But he also gets canker sores.
Hmm, I wonder if knowing that two of our kids will need braces will affect my attitude about working?
11/18/09
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
11/17/09 Improving the odds
One thing about having three kids: it's rare that all your children are awful in one day. Today's angel was Katrina, being adorable and delightful and funny and even relatively agreeable.
Julian has been a major pest lately. My fuse with him is very very short; I find myself snapping at his first obnoxious resistance ("No YOU close the car door Mommy"). He ignores me when I pick him up at the CDC and I often have to physically drag him away from the reading corner, then at home he swings his lunch around and strews the contents of his knapsack all over the living room, throwing himself on the floor and wailing if I insist he put it all away.
But nothing, nothing can match the horror of a confrontation with Gabriel. They're much much rarer these days, and unlike his toddler days they're now actually about something. But just like his toddler days, he takes conflict head-on when something means something to him, and when there's a row, it's really ugly -- scary, almost.
This morning's issue started, as usual, with the boys not getting dressed. This is really becoming painful -- they dress themselves in minutes if so motivated, but most of the time we're ignored or told, "It's my life to live!" Gabriel had some paper weapons he'd made -- a gun and a sword, and was bugging Katrina with them this morning. That makes her scream, and makes us scold him to stop.
Dave eventually took Gabriel's paper weapons away, and all hell broke loose. Screaming, knocking things around, bloodcurdling insults and threats -- and ultimately no breakfast. I managed to settle him down enough that he got into the car without much trouble, then he had breakfast at the CDC and was fine the rest of the day, but it was a nasty morning.
He told me tonight he was almost late to class this morning because he was scarfing breakfast at the CDC. I told him sternly that he absolutely cannot be late to school because of breakfast that he had plenty of time for at home.
I shouldn't complain...most of the time our boys are really fun and full of life and energy and ideas and joy. But on days like today, it's hard not to be grateful that there's another one here to look upon with unfettered fondness. Another one child, that is -- and not a boy.
11/17/09
Julian has been a major pest lately. My fuse with him is very very short; I find myself snapping at his first obnoxious resistance ("No YOU close the car door Mommy"). He ignores me when I pick him up at the CDC and I often have to physically drag him away from the reading corner, then at home he swings his lunch around and strews the contents of his knapsack all over the living room, throwing himself on the floor and wailing if I insist he put it all away.
But nothing, nothing can match the horror of a confrontation with Gabriel. They're much much rarer these days, and unlike his toddler days they're now actually about something. But just like his toddler days, he takes conflict head-on when something means something to him, and when there's a row, it's really ugly -- scary, almost.
This morning's issue started, as usual, with the boys not getting dressed. This is really becoming painful -- they dress themselves in minutes if so motivated, but most of the time we're ignored or told, "It's my life to live!" Gabriel had some paper weapons he'd made -- a gun and a sword, and was bugging Katrina with them this morning. That makes her scream, and makes us scold him to stop.
Dave eventually took Gabriel's paper weapons away, and all hell broke loose. Screaming, knocking things around, bloodcurdling insults and threats -- and ultimately no breakfast. I managed to settle him down enough that he got into the car without much trouble, then he had breakfast at the CDC and was fine the rest of the day, but it was a nasty morning.
He told me tonight he was almost late to class this morning because he was scarfing breakfast at the CDC. I told him sternly that he absolutely cannot be late to school because of breakfast that he had plenty of time for at home.
I shouldn't complain...most of the time our boys are really fun and full of life and energy and ideas and joy. But on days like today, it's hard not to be grateful that there's another one here to look upon with unfettered fondness. Another one child, that is -- and not a boy.
11/17/09
Monday, November 16, 2009
11/16/09 Clean House
It made for a crazy evening last night, but we got the place picked up. Today, some very competent and diligent ladies (they always are ladies) scrubbed our house from head to toe, even making a cute little fold in the toilet paper. Some are enterprising enough to make a bow-tie out of toilet paper, or arrange stuffed animals on the kids' beds in cute ways, like putting sunglasses on a teddy bear. It's SO nice to walk into the house at the end of the day and have it be sparkling.
I still have no idea what's going on with work. A really really interesting new, but short, project I was given I finished today, minus the writeup. I still have no idea if there will be a new project to work on as a contractor, or if I'm going to be offered a job as an employee. This day-to-day -- sometimes minute-by-minute -- stuff is exactly opposite of how childcare planning works! But I plan to take most, if not all, of next week off, to prepare for Thanksgiving and try to catch up on life around the house. Somehow house life is more satisfying when my life away from the house is too.
11/16/09
I still have no idea what's going on with work. A really really interesting new, but short, project I was given I finished today, minus the writeup. I still have no idea if there will be a new project to work on as a contractor, or if I'm going to be offered a job as an employee. This day-to-day -- sometimes minute-by-minute -- stuff is exactly opposite of how childcare planning works! But I plan to take most, if not all, of next week off, to prepare for Thanksgiving and try to catch up on life around the house. Somehow house life is more satisfying when my life away from the house is too.
11/16/09
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