Food For Real People

Last Post

2009-08-07T03:23:00.001-07:00

I have officially decided to put this boring blog out of its misery. I have realized that I can't really keep up with it and that I would probably fare better on Facebook. Yes, I am giving into the Facebook phenomenon after avoiding it for years.

As a last update on the blog. It's Friday the 7th and my baby is due on the 10th. My nephew Justice (Jennifer's baby) was born on the 5th late in the evening at 9 pounds and 7 ounces. I hear he is very cute and doing very well. My sister is also recovering quickly. I expect to probably go beyond my due date as well, which is expected for first time babies.

I think Brian and I have everything we need for the baby, the car seat is in and the bags are packed. We're just waiting and very excited for the arrival of our little girl.

Thanks for reading and for humoring me on my first blog.

4th of July

2009-07-12T19:31:00.000-07:00

Brian and I went to Lexington (as in Lexington and Concord) for a picnic lunch on the 4th. We sat on one of the first battlefields of the revolutionary war. Strangely, there were very few people around. In Boston, people tend to do the same things at the same time. While we were enjoying our picnic, everyone else in the hundred mile radius was scoping out a seat for the fireworks at the esplanade on the Charles River. We were glad to avoid the crowd. Perhaps we'll keep the July 4th picnic in Lexington as a tradition in our family (at least as long as we are here).

Some Questions

2009-07-02T17:59:00.001-07:00

As you can tell, I have not been posting much. I'm nearing the end of my pregnancy with about 5 weeks left. I have had little energy to do much but work and rest. I am just in recent weeks starting to feel BIG and uncomfortable, but I guess that's how all pregnant women feel.

Some questions I have for myself: Should I keep this blog, make it into a "baby blog"? How much longer can I really keep working? What do I still need for the baby that I don't know I need? How much longer is it going to keep raining here (it has rained almost every day for the last 30 days)? Am I really ready for this life change? Can I really get any bigger? Will I have anything to wear in two weeks? Should I get a pedicure tomorrow?

Cod on the Cape

2009-06-09T00:51:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our last kid-free vacation. We visited Provincetown and some other towns on The Cape, Cape Cod that is. People from around here just say "The Cape". The last picture is of me eating at the Lobster Pot in Provincetown. I ordered the broiled Cod (since I can't have shell fish, no lobster). The fish was cooked to perfection with a tender delicate white flaky plate of goodness, served with orzo, salad and bread. It may be the best fish I have ever had. Brian ordered a seafood stew with pork, which was also very tasty. On the last day, we ate at a Portuguese bakery for breakfast. I had homemade sausage, a fresh Portuguese roll and eggs with coffee and juice--yum! To top it all off, why not have dessert after breakfast? We shared the most delicious custard filled sugar coated donut (from the same bakery) while sitting on the sunny pier. The beach pictures are from the Race Point beach area of the National Seashore, a National park. We spotted three seals feeding off she shore! I couldn't believe my eyes when the popped their heads out of the water and then dove back down with their shiny black bodies. We were the only ones there to see them. The beach was clean and pristine, with one exception, which I will post on later. We also visited the main art museum and many galleries in Provincetown. We had a great time on this trip, even if it was only for three days.

Summer is here

2009-05-21T23:07:00.000-07:00

The weather is warming up here and summer officially begins this weekend for those of us in New England who live holiday to holiday. Yesterday the temperature was in the 90s up from the 50s only days ago. We're really excited to have my dad visiting for the weekend. We have not settled yet on what we are going to do, but my has never had trouble finding things to do. He is the most energetic person I have ever met (especially at his age!). Here are some of our ideas:
Tour Harvard/eat at Harvard Square
Go to Portsmouth NH and tour the Strawberry Bank (an original village at a major shipping yard with old time reenactment)
Go to Old Country Buffet
Hang out in Boston
See new Terminator movie

Anyways, I'm definitely looking forward to a long weekend!

Seven Years of Marriage

2009-05-18T19:37:00.000-07:00

Today is our seven year anniversary. It's hard to believe we have been together that long. My parents are celebrating their 40th at the end of the month. I guess this is our last one without a kid!

Saturday Fun at Halibut Point

2009-04-30T07:16:00.000-07:00

Brian and I took a short trip to Halibut Point State Park, in Rockport, MA last Saturday. I was looking for a nice place near the water to take in the natural beauty of Cape Ann. Gloucester and Rockport are nice, but often over-crowded with tourists. The state park was the perfect place to spend a few hours, hiking on trails near the water and climbing around on rocks. The area use to be a granite quarry (the actual quarry is the picture with the rocks in the form of a straight drop-off to the water). The boat pictured is a lobster boat that was picking up lobster traps along the shore. The weather was unseasonably warm and beautiful. We loved it!

I still can't believe it.

2009-04-24T01:43:00.000-07:00

After years of preparation and about 4500 hours of supervised clinical work, I have now been approved to be a licensed mental health counselor in Massachusetts! They said I can have the license if I just send them more money! Go figure....

Anyhow, I am happy to have it, but it does not feel real yet. I keep thinking that another obstacle must be standing in the way that I don't know about. I have been working toward this license since 2004. Now, only if I could convince my downsizing agency to pay me more! Thanks to all of you for your support.

Jenny and Susie

2009-04-11T15:23:00.000-07:00

Yes, my sister and I are pregnant at the same time! No, we did not plan this. She is due two-three weeks before me. Here we are in Florida last month. I think I'm about as big now as she is in that picture. I am so excited to meet her little boy when he arrives! Once both kids are here, it will be so funny for them to meet.

Jennifer has been trying to convince me to get on facebook for the last couple of years. She apparently has posted some pictures from the vacation. This picture was taken by my sister-in-law Anna, a great self taught photographer. I often use her nature pictures from her blog as my background on my computer at work.

For Easter, Brian and I plan on going to church in the morning and meeting some friends at the Indian Buffet for lunch. Then we may catch a movie or watch the latest episode of Lost. I hope you have a great Easter!

Update at 5:34 AM

2009-04-05T02:29:00.000-07:00

I had been lying awake since 3:15AM and decided to get up around 4:15AM. Maybe my body is preparing itself for having to be up at night for the baby. For some reason, I have been consistently waking up around 4:00PM for the last 8 years or so. It's has not really bothered me until recently now that I'm having a hard time falling back asleep. My elderly neighbor is also up right now too; I can hear him watching the mass.

Since it's Sunday morning, I don't really mind. I have spent the last hour and a half online looking at baby stuff from Ikea. I am not a very creative person, but I've found myself nearly obsessing about the design of my baby room. I like the traditional looks of baby rooms, but I don't see myself having one. So I am so far taking it upon myself to design my own room and to make curtains and other items on my sewing machine. I also have these strange ideas for wall hangings and things hanging from the ceiling. All of the designs are based on a print I bought in the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

I posted this image in January but didn't say that I actually purchased it for the baby's room. Since my last post, our little one seems to be doing very well. She is moving around a lot, especially when I want to go to bed at night! I have felt very good in my second trimester and much of my energy has returned. I am still working full time plus, but working on pulling back and delegating. You can never anticipate any complications before, during or after the birth. My doctor said the other day "Right now, a lot of people can do your job, but no one but you can take care of your baby."

Brian is studying for his general exams, 4 of them. He'll be taking them in May. Please pray with us that he will pass them. He has been studying for months and months and has a lot on the line.

That's all for now. Here's our little girl in our last ultrasound a month ago. She's so cute!

Girl or Boy?

2009-03-11T05:43:00.000-07:00

We had an ultrasound yesterday and it looks like we are having a girl, although we can't be 100% sure. The technician was clearly very experienced and good at her job. We are very happy to find out that our baby is developing just as she should be. Everything is on track. When I was young, my parents sometimes dressed me in green or purple. My sister Jennifer was more of the pink twin. I like this outfit with both colors.

I need a vacation!

2009-02-28T19:40:00.000-08:00

Luckily, I have planned to go to Florida in two weeks to see my parents. My sister Jennifer is coming from Minneapolis and my sister-in-law Anna are going to be there with my niece and nephew! I am so excited. (This picture was taken on my last trip to Florida to see the family. Counter-clockwise from right to left is Simon, Jennifer, Mom, Grandma, and Dad.) I have not seen the kids since Christmas of 2007. The weather here is cold again, and a "wintry mix" is predicted for tomorrow. Sundays have a 4/5 chance for winter weather of some kind lately. Who decided that "wintry" is a word? How come weather people are the only people who use this new word. It's a stupid phrase that makes me angry when I see it.

I am now into my second trimester of pregnancy and feeling okay. I have more energy day to day, but have had more problems sleeping. Partly because I can actually feel myself growing in the middle of the night! It's weird. My organs definitely feel out of wack. Imagine how fun it was for me to shop for a swim suit for Florida today (sarcastic tone). Thankfully, I found one I can actually do some serious swimming in.

I have also have accomplished the large task of putting together my license application and submitting it to the board of deciders for the state. Now it's just a matter of waiting to find out about my license. I have been working towards it now since 2004.

That's it for my updates. February has been a long month here for many reasons. Spring, come soon!

V-Day Butter Bombs

2009-02-13T17:48:00.000-08:00

I made some cupcakes for our small group this week. After I had already poured the cake mix package in a bowl and the eggs, I realized I only had about half of the oil I needed. So I melted some butter for the rest. Hence the name Butter Bomb. They were very tasty and almost like a cookie on top. Unfortunately, they fell apart before I could frost all of them. Here are some that I salvaged. I had been wanting to do something valentine-ish. My preference was for the little red hot hearts, but I couldn't find any and had to settle for conversation hearts.

Monday Blues

2009-02-08T19:03:00.000-08:00

It's Sunday night and I have that same feeling I have had since I was five on these nights. I don't want to face the challenges of the week. I use to feel this way about school. Yes, even in the younger grades when the rest of you couldn't wait to behold the new day. I dreaded the school bus from the very first time I saw it. I remember watching it in middle school go around the block and then approach my house. Trailing it was the homework I forgot to complete, my social phobia, general feelings of incompetency and an intense desire to hide or escape from the overwhelming tide of anxiety. Unlike school, once I get to work, I'm fine. It's just the worry of the night before and my resistant drive in the morning that seem to never go away. I have always wanted to be a "can do" kind of person on Mondays (and mornings in general), but I never have been. I'm not sure if I should accept that this is how I will always feel or if I should try to change it. If I were to change it, what could I do? I don't know....

First Ultrasound

2009-01-23T07:09:00.000-08:00

Here's the little honey bear. That's what I call him/her. These pictures are from week 9. You can't see much on the pictures, but more could be made out in the actual ultrasound. Brian and I are very excited.

Hope and other babies

2009-01-23T06:59:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of Brian and his new niece Hope. He says she likes to squirm around and curl her body up. Hope was born to Brian's sister and her husband Scott on December 29th. Speaking of babies, most of you probably know that Brian and I are expecting our first child in August! I'm at the end of my first trimester and doing great.

Birthday Sewing

2009-01-17T06:27:00.001-08:00

Today's my birthday! After a long week, it was really nice to wake up in the morning for breakfast and presents. Brian kept aside the boxes that had come from my family and his family. So I opened everything at the same time, including his gift. I feel like its Christmas again. I love all of my gifts: from my parents, table cloth, earrings I LOVE, from his parents cranberry bread, dried mangoes, necklace/earring set, a Kohl's gift card, and from Brian a SEWING MACHINE! I'm so excited to have the machine and tools to mend clothes and make basic things for the house. I have not started playing with it yet, but I'm sure I will soon! The image here is the exact machine I have. Sorry it's a little small.

Update and Chagall

2009-01-03T17:10:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, sorry I have neglected my already dull blog of late. As a part of my vacation, I decided not to blog. Brian and I spent Christmas in Minneapolis visiting with my sister, her husband, and my parents. We had a great time together, but man was it cold. Going back to work after a vacation is always a shocker. I've been working on my license application for my counseling license in the state. Brian is finishing up some things for the semester (at Harvard the semester is not over until mid-January). Speaking of January, my birthday is coming up soon. I have asked Brian for one of those mini-sewing machines called a shark. They sell them at Target. If you have ever tried one, let me know. I'm hoping to use it to hem pants, to patch up Brian's well loved jeans, and maybe to make some curtains. For the new year, well, lets just say I'm glad 2008 is over. It's time for something new in my life.

Pictured here is a painting by Marc Chagall called The Poet with the Birds which hangs in the Minneapolis Institute of Art. I liked it so much I bought a print of it that I plan to frame and hang soon. . .

Christmas Cookies

2008-12-13T18:15:00.000-08:00

Today, I made my mom's Christmas pecan cookies for a Christmas party at our church tomorrow. Here's the recipe. You can also roll them in powdered sugar after they have cooked to give them a snow ball look. Enjoy!

1 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup pecans chopped
red and green sugar or powdered sugar

Cream the butter and vanilla; add sugar, creaming the mixture until light and fluffy. Blend in water. Stir in flour, mixing well. Add pecans. Shape into 1 inch balls. Roll in colored sugar.

Bake 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet in slow oven (325 degrees) 20 minutes or until firm to the touch. Cook before removing from the pan. Makes 3 dozen.

Red Maple Inn and Fireside Feast

2008-12-11T17:25:00.000-08:00

Brian and I recently spend a night at the Red Maple Inn, a bed and breakfast in Spencer, Mass. The Inn had a deal with another inn/farm one town over, The Salem Cross Inn. We took part in their Fire side feast where they cooked most of our meal (prime rib, clam chowder) over a huge open fire. Before the meal, we went on a wagon ride on the countryside with the biggest horses I have ever seen. We then enjoyed a cup of hot cider and mulled wine. The meal was huge and we finished it off with homemade apple pie and a portion of whipped cream as big as the pie! The Bed and Breakfast was beautiful and very professional with a warm fluffy bed and thousands of DVDs to choose from for free! The breakfast really hit the spot in the morning, with some of the best coffee I've had in a long time. We were only gone for one night and day, but we had a great time!

Another week of Illness

2008-12-06T17:47:00.000-08:00

Coming off of my allergic reaction, I contracted the stomach flu, along with 11 of my co-workers and about 8 of my clients. It's been a rough weekend for us all. I'm just hoping that the many body parts pictured here will be cooperating with me soon! I have Holiday parties to attend here!

Is it me?! This is my fourth week in a row being sick in some way. I have missed 3 Wednesdays at work in a row because of illness. This has to stop some time, right?

Really Thankful

2008-11-27T20:54:00.000-08:00

This year, on Thanksgiving, I realized how thankful I am for several things I had taken for granted previously. Two days ago, I suddenly had an allergic reaction, to an antibiotic (didn't know that at the time). My body was covered head to toe in burning itching hives. I could not sleep, sit, lay down or stop moving for 24 hours. After vising my doctor on Wednesday Morning, I was given several meds to get the rash under control. My rash continued to progress, so my Doctor suggested I go to the emergency room, due to their fear that my air way may be compromised. I spent several hours in the emergency room with a team of doctors that were trying to figure out what was wrong with me. They were all very kind people and did what they could to make me feel comfortable. A few hours after they sent me home, the rash began to subside and the few particularly painful areas dulled out a bit. I was able to sleep 5 hours that night and woke up feeling significantly better. I'm still not 100%, but I was able to make some pies for thanksgiving (pecan and pumpkin, with store bought crust of course!). My friends who were coming over ended up making almost all of the food and cleaning up entirely after the meal (as I took a nap). They were a real joy to be with even when I was not feeling my best.

I'm so grateful that I'm not in the hospital right now. And that I have good health insurance and many great hospitals to choose from. I'm so thankful that Brian canceled his day to be with me and that my work place did not give me a hard time for calling out sick again this week for two days. I'm Thankful that this holiday was not one where I worked like crazy to entertain others, but my friends really provided for me. I can't say it enough, I'm just really thankful.

I PASSED THE TEST!

2008-11-22T16:14:00.000-08:00

Good news! I passed the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination for the state of Massachusetts! Now I can move forward with obtaining my license, hopefully in early 2009. I have been working toward this for the last 4 years, and now I am only steps away. Yea! I feel as excited as this turtle!

What Would Martha Do?

2008-11-11T07:12:00.000-08:00

I have never recalled having Veterans day off at work. I am guessing that I usually have worked the holiday and disregarded the opportunity for a day off in the middle of the week (I probably tacked it on the end or beginning of a weekend to make it "worth it"). Here I am, with an unexpected day off. What should I do? I generally don't do well with time for relaxing or taking a break. In fact, this last Saturday, I swept and mopped my entire house, pulling up rugs, moving furniture, the whole bit. I wish wish I was content to read a good book for a few hours or spend some quality time in prayer. I have always felt like a failure in these areas. I'm the one with the mixing bowl in the picture, looking at the pile of dishes on the other side of the room, and I wish Mary would stop making me look bad.

So today, what are my options. First, I already slept in and it's about 10:30am. I have an offer to have lunch or coffee with a friend. I could do all of my grocery shopping today and not go on Saturday for my usual madness. Or maybe just a smaller trip for coffee, milk, and olive oil. I could bake some pumpkin bread (add molasses to the shopping list) or some Puerto Rican rice and chicken. What about all of the Veterans day sales! I could go to the Burlington Mall and look around (Buying only a cup of coffee and an item under $10). I always leave that mall feeling poor and out of style.

Maybe I should exercise! The pool is closed (I may sound like a regular, I am not), but I could go on a really long walk, maybe out by the harbor on the Deer Island trail. I could spend some time in prayer or contemplation while watching the waves. Or maybe I should get some use out of my bike for once, which I have neglected all summer, only to now bring it out on a 45 degree day! I'm so out of shape.

What about Christmas shopping? I could make a master list of gifts for every person. I could purchase or make Christmas cards.

What I have decided to do for sure:

1. Call my Dad (US Army Veteran)

2. Eat Lunch and Dinner

3. Take a shower at some point

4. Some form of exercise

5. Read a chapter of the Bible

6. Have fun?

7. Posting on the blog...

I'm I the only person stressed about having a day off? Perhaps this indicates that my present work days often 10 or 11 hours leaves no space for me to even think about such things. I don't know, I'm a mess, and I feel hopelessly obsessed with work. As Brian would say in a sarcastic voice "I'm not a human doing, I'm a human being!"

Turn Out the Vote

2008-11-04T15:22:00.000-08:00

Brian and I went to the polls at 8 this morning to vote. We waited about an hour and 15 minutes and used a ballot similar to the one pictured here. I thought the state or even this area would have the same kinds of ballots for each polling station, but I found out that my co-workers filled in circles (rather than drawing lines). Some were asked for ID, though I was not. Brian and I thought it would be funny to actually show up to the polling stations with "street pride" in T-shirts with street slogans, maybe some chants for our street. Okay, it's not that funny. . . Happy voting.

Call for Beef Stew Recipes!

2008-10-25T07:33:00.000-07:00

I'm looking for a fab beef stew recipe. I have often tried to make beef stew and my meat is too tough, my broth tastes weird, and it just doesn't have that good comfort taste. Please feel free to comment with suggestions or links to recipes!

Test taking

2008-10-17T19:40:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. I thought I'd let you know that I'm taking my license exam to become a licensed mental health counselor. The test is tomorrow the 18th between 9 AM and 1 PM. Wish me luck. Prayers are welcome too.

Brian's Birthday at the ICA

2008-10-11T17:05:00.000-07:00

We went to the Institute of Contemporary Art on Friday for a concert: saxophonist Evan Parker and pianist Marilyn Crispell. The music was the most unusual, creative music I have ever heard. It seemed that they were almost re-inventing music through unorthodox uses of their instruments. In addition, we were treated to a viewing of a new exhibit by sculptor Tara Donovan (click her name to see a slide show), who uses every day objects to create pieces of art that are surprising and even moving. I was particularly struck by a billowing swell of styrofoam cups suspended from the ceiling. I also took an illegal picture of one of one of her works, which could be viewed on both sides with different light. Shhhh, don't tell. The ICA is located on the Charles River. The auditorium of the theater faces a wall of glass with a view of the Charles river, passing boats and all. Overall, the night was fantastic. And fitting for the end of a great night, we topped it off with a 10 o'clock meal at our new favorite Chinese restaurant.

Cookies and Debate

2008-10-05T19:49:00.000-07:00

Of course, we've been keeping up on all of the presidential politics, especially the debates. For the first presidential debate, we had a friend over and ate fresh baked cookies. The Vice Prez debate definitely called for more serious food--pizza with mushrooms and garlic. Brian's birthday is coming up this week. We plan to see a concert and exhibit on Friday at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. I'll let you know how it goes, with photos!

Swimming

2008-09-27T13:59:00.000-07:00

For several summers in college, I was a lifeguard and camp counselor at camps in Colorado and Texas. My sister Jennifer and I use to take the short walk to the officer's club pool every day in the summer as kids. I always felt comfortable in the water. This last Thursday, my friend Carrie and I visited a new pool near by for the lap swim time. My suit was not suitable (a tankini from Wal-mart bought 4 years ago), and I had no swim cap or goggles. But I swam several laps, only to find out that I still enjoyed swimming, but I have not had formal swim training since those lessons in elementary school. Good thing Carrie is a real swimmer who knows her stuff. I still felt great. I went home and purchased a purple and black suit, goggles, and a purple swim cap online. I'm so excited to be back in the pool again!

My inspiration to swim come from two people. First, Dara Torres (pictured here), 40-year-old Olympian, need I say more. Second, (and even more influential in my decision to start swimming) my little five-year-old niece, who must have been a mermaid in a different life.

Fresh Apples

2008-09-21T19:52:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, I went apple picking at Autumn Orchards in Groton, MA. The orchard was on series of hills, making it quite a work out to collect apples. We shared a picnic lunch on a beautiful clear 70 degree day. My pie just came out of the oven. Smells good...

The farm had roosters, geese, and a beautiful view. On our way home, we visited Walden Pond, seen in the picture through the trees.

Friday

2008-09-18T20:02:00.001-07:00

At work, we just started having therapy dogs come to see our teenagers. The dogs are from an organization called Caring Canines. I find myself now waking up every Friday with excitement to see the dogs! Here's a picture of Joseph, one of our favorites! They brighten our day!

Life is...

2008-09-13T11:43:00.000-07:00

Life is too fast, too slow, boring, messy, dramatic, disappointing, and fascinating. Most of us do the same thing every day. I wake up each morning to a cup of black coffee and a bowl of fiber enriched cereal. If I, for some reason, walk out of the door without completing this routine, my day is completely thrown off, in more ways than one if you get the picture. In any given day, I may or may not accomplish the most basic tasks of some peoples' lives, such as checking my e-mail, updating my blog, crossing tasks off in my day planner, and washing the evening dishes. Some days, I feel that my life is completely boring and predictable. Work, television, sleep, repeat.

So I complete my bi-weekly trip to the grocery store, where I always spend more money than I intend. Predictably, I swallow hard when I swipe my card and exit the store with a mountain of food and plastic white grocery bags, ripe and ready to pollute the earth. I forgot the eco-friendly bags again.

I flip on PBS and watch my Saturday cooking shows, and enter into a fantasy world of food and travel. I too once traveled, and tasted, and experienced life in another world. The places that I have traveled seem to remain inside of me, awakened by images of cobble stoned roads and fresh seafood. In the here and now, the daily bread of my life is sufficient and even bountiful. Really, I can't complain. But I am afraid that my routine often sends me into the auto-pilot mode. Again, work, television, sleep, repeat. One more chapter in the book of American work-aholism, 2008. Ironically, my job, the service for which I am paid, is to help people to unlock their potential and live life with grace and passion (at least that's how I see it). When I actually have time to "have fun" and "enjoy life" I am merely trying to recover from the grind. By grind, I mean that same feeling that causes me to grind my teeth in the shower when I have a 9 o'clock meeting. I am either sleeping, or moving. I avoid sitting still, because my drive toward productivity refuses to go down without a fight.

This blog is about my daily choice to seek passion not productivity, freedom, not guilt, joy, not depression, peace, not worry.