potatoes!

Not only is fishing for potatoes fun, but not having to buy them is wonderful. In the past week we have made breakfast potatoes (for a vegan eggs benedict), seitan potpie, and herb-scalloped potatoes. The kids eat it all up because they know where it came from and how it grew. And it makes them run faster :)

Last week I was grateful for...

1. The wonderful group of mama friends I have made the past two years and the support, love, and laughter they shower me with.

2. Being reflective, flexible, and forgiving.

3. Eating potatoes from our garden

4. Marrying the most patient, understanding, dedicated, and supportive man ever.

5. Evenings spent knitting a pink sweater for Kate.

Family pictures

We are lucky enough to know some really amazing photographers. We had been wanting to take family pictures for over a year now, so when I saw an email from Shanti outlining an amazing offer, we jumped on it. And we couldn't be happier. These pictures melt my heart, remind me of the big picture, make me proud to be K and C's mom, and remind me that time is moving so fast. The most important part of every day is the time I spend interacting with my children.

When it feels like winter....

in foggy hmb....

We are just a hop, skip, and jump away from summertime in redwood city.

Wishing you all a fun day full of adventure, no matter what the weather is...

Have I mentioned lately...

how much I love my littles.

They are stubborn, spunky, spirited and silly,

Just the way I want them to be.

They question authority, point out double standards, and will hold you to your word,

Just the way I want them to be.

They run in the house with their shoes on,

Make loud dinosaur noises in the wee hours of the morning,

leap off the couch and

cry or yell passionately when they feel their world is unjust,

They are just the way I want them to be.

They are not obedient, they are thoughtful.

They make mistakes like we all do, and usually can correct them without being made to.

They are free, fierce, sweet, and smart.

Just the way I want them to be.

And I have learned to surround myself with friends and family that accept children for what they are: growing beings trying to make sense of a crazy world.

I have learned to be patient and loving when they are being unruly and wild.

They have taught me more than anyone or anything.

And I love them more than anything.

Just in case you didn't know.

Baking Day

Every Monday is our baking day. It feels like a good way to start out the week. I am making potato-leek soup for the first time and decided to give it another go at baking bread. I made two loaves of rye-oatmeal bread. There is something so soothing about making bread from scratch. The kids love punching it down, kneading it, and helping me shape it. As much as I love involving the "chids", I have to take many deep breaths as K purposely knocks flour on the floor, or C puttings an extra teaspoon of salt in for good measure. My last few loaves were not that good, which is why I haven't made any bread for months now. But I am hopeful about these loaves. Side note: I fell asleep on accident while putting the kids down for a nap, and my mom (who hasn't come upstairs for a while due to a recent injury) came up and took out my loaves. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MOM. Nothing worse than waking up to burnt bread.

Between games of chase around the house and dress up, C said to me: We are baking? Let's bake granola bars! So while our dough was rising we whipped out these healthy, yummy oat bars.

I think between swimming and baking I officially wiped my kids out. They have both been napping for 1.5 hours. Snuggled together in the same bed. And Kate is swimming, full on swimming. She kicks her little heart out, paddles like theres no tomorrow, and enjoys every second of it.

Mondays have been good to me.

Have a great week!

Dear Mom,

I think about where you were a little over two years ago with a heavy heart. The week I spent in bed crying, unable to parent, eat, sleep. Spending every moment fearing the worst. I remember trying to come to terms with two young children spaced so closely together all while you were in and out of the hospital, hooked up to oxygen, and fighting to stay alive. I remember you trying to stay positive and brave. I remember pulling away from you because the sight of you broke me down. And once I started to cry, you did too. That week was the worst week of my life. The first year of Kate's life was perhaps the most challenging. And then I think about where we are today, how far we have all come. You pulled through mom, as you always do. You fought against all odds, slowly but surely gained your strength back, and I will be forever grateful for that.

I have said this to you before, wrote you a letter on your 60th birthday, and have blogged about you many times. But today on Mother's Day I want to make sure you understand what you mean to not only me, my siblings, and dad, but to my children. When I think about where I am as a mother, I think about you, and I think about Nana. A long chain of devoted, wonderful, loving, accepting, and powerful women. Because I know that you are the mother you are because of your mom, and I am the kind of mother I am because of you.

Not a day goes by where I don't think of Nana. I think of the letters she sent to me throughout my life. Our fun vacations during the summer. The way she called me her peach, had a wicked sense of humor, was as witty as ever, and loved us all so very much. I see her face in both of my children, and draw strength from her unconditional love she showed everyone all around her.

That week where your future was uncertain was incredibly difficult for me. It was as if I didn't believe in myself as a mother if my own mother was no longer close to me. For you are my rock, mom. Everything I think, feel, do, question, love, and reflect upon is because of the strong foundation of love you built me on. Everyday I try to grow stronger in my own beliefs so that one day when you do move on (in 45 years, right?), I will be ok.

Thank you for cherishing every moment with my children. For constantly having Charlie's back, encouraging me to be my best, and reminding me that everything is merely a stage. Thank you for listening to me talk about the same people over and over again. For taking the time to ask questions that provoke deeper thoughts. For telling me in my worst moments what a good mother I am. For loving Adam as if he is your own son. In the past months I have had a few harder moments with Charlie. When we are battling it out upstairs and Charlie can't handle his world anymore he runs to the stairs and calls down to you. "I need to read a book in Mama's lap." Thank you for always putting away what you are working on and welcoming him on to your lap with kind and calm words of love.

You have endured more pain, setbacks, and obstacles than anyone I know. And yet you soar through life with a sense of excitement that ignites a passion in everyone that is lucky enough to be around you. Your compassion, humor, understanding, and generosity remind me of Nana, and I hope that through my life I will grow in those very same areas.

Thank you for coming to all of Charlie's soccer practices and swim classes despite a new injury. Time and time again you show us all how much you love us.

As I have always said, if I can be half the mom you are...I will be doing just fine.

Love you.

Happy Mother's Day

Grateful Friday

This week idig:

1. Laying in the backyard grass feeling the sun hit every part of my body, and watching my kids soak up the sun as well.

2.Wonderful walks along the bluffs with two nature loving chids.

3. Kate swimming. This week something clicked and she was swimming 4-5 feet all by heryelf. She spends all week singing the songs they sing during swim class and saying, "Monday I swim."

4. Our garden and the veggies and herbs we enjoy from it.

5. The fufilling life I am so lucky to lead

Snack timet

I don't know why it took me 2 kids, 3 years, and working part-time to finally realize that snack plates are the way to go. For all you moms out there: you probably already do this. Why didn't you tell me about this great little idea. I tutor most afternoons and like to have snack plates ready for my brother or my parents all ready to be eaten. I put an assortment of proteins, fruits, veggies...and almost always they eat every single thing. I put crackers and cheese or humus, cucumbers and carrots, dried fruit, and nuts like cashews or almonds....easy, fun, and healthy.

The Kates in my life...

...love each other to no end.

And for this I am incredibly thankful for.

Soaking up the sun

Despite the fierce wind we are soaking up some major sun on the coastside. I am trying to get back in tune with the rhythm that works best for us. We are spending hours upon hours in the backyard, blowing bubbles, making up games, climbing trees, playing yoccer or basketball. I find myself laughing so hard at something the kids make up together or say to one another. I am also trying to sit down and play with them more and more. I sometimes drift from this to cook this, or clean that. But everything seems to be smoother when we have all worked/played together. So I am involving the kids in my cleaning and cooking more and more, despite the frustration that comes from flour on the floor, dirt from the swifer on the carpet, and streak marks on every window. Although the temptation to go to the dm, zoo, and distant parks still wins time to time, I am truly trying to stay close to home.

Baking day is back, and for my first time I made bagels. It was so easy and so much fun. I also made a delicious tofu-cashew herb spread. We eat a lot of bread in this house, and I would love to get to the place where I make my own every week. Both kids enjoyed these bagels, and they will definitely be made again soon.

And just as the bagels were cooling off Adam came home for lunch and picked all of these beauties. These carrots are sweet, juicy, and adorable.

Making shopping fun: I picked up a 12 pack of racer 5 this morning, and when I turned my back I heard: Mommy watch me. I turned around and saw Kate standing on top of the 12 pack rocking out to the overhead tunes. I laughed but quickly raced to her side as it was unsafe for sure. She then choose a safer way to play. Every person we passed she cutely said, "This is a perfect yeat. I yitting on da beer." When the cashier saw her he said, "No wonder why your mommy is always so happy, she buys good beer."

Safari Run

Some days we wake up with this amazing amount of energy, and if we don't go somewhere and set it free, all hell breaks loose.

Last Wednesday was one of those days. We couldn't go to the park, a nature walk, zoo, or dm due to nasty weather, but I was about to seriously lose my cool if I had to spend one more minute inside listening to the kids fight over every. little. thing.

I desperately searched the area for a "jumpy" place or indoor gym with free play, and kept falling short.

Meanwhile the kids were bouncing off the walls (literally) and I could feel the tears inside me starting to come out.

I even thought about driving to a distant friends house (Jackie, Ellie, Amy?) but everyone works or is too far away.

Then I remembered Safari Run in San Mateo. I tried to go there over a year ago but go the times wrong.

We were dressed, snacks packed, and ready to go in less than 5 minutes.

It always astonishes me. The fighting, screaming, running, and lack of listening animals that had romped around our house for 2 hours in the early morning turned to singing, giggling, playing, listening and helpful sweethearts. Sometimes a change of scenery is just what everyone needs. I value playing inside, but we all do so much better outside.

What could have been a nightmare of a day, became another wonderful adventure.

While lost on our way to Safari Run, yes I am directionally challenged and often get lost in the very area I have spent the bulk of my life in...we found Ryder park. I made a mental note that when we were done playing inside, we would run around and have lunch outside.

Only one glitch. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot at SR the sun peeked out and it was majestic out. And as soon as our time was up at SR and we arrived at Ryder park, it started to rain. But we didn't care. We were just happy to be out and about.

Safari Run:

This made me the happiest mom ever. Every time Kate came to an area that she couldn't climb up on her own she would yell: CHARWEEEE, and no matter what he was doing, C would stop what he was doing and race over to help his sister. These are the same kids who couldn't share or play nicely all morning....

C was too quick for me to keep up with, so I spent my hour charging through obstacle courses with this sweet girl. We had so much fun.

And once C found these rings he was in absolute heaven. He was crazy on them, swinging from one to the another, hanging on to two, jumping from stump to stump avoiding the scary alligators below...

The slides were fast and fun. I let out a few unexpected screams of my own. K was so proud that she did this one all by herself, but of course C wouldn't let her out of his site....

Ryder Park

After our exciting hour was up we headed to Ryder park in time for lunch....and the rain. As we were walking up, scores of kids and parents were leaving.

Charlie continued to climb in true Charlie fashion....

While K made friends with a snail. Adam and I are in a heated debate over snails and whether or not it is ok to kill them. I think I am pulling my kids to my side. Sliffslaff slabberslak...

We love our local parks and all, but how cool is this, especially for my energetic monkeys.

K saw this and said: A Big Mushroom...thought you'd be proud, adam

I guess a long morning of sibling rivarly, an hour of indoor exploration, and some rainy park fun made for one tired kid.....

But not really, after we got home and the rain stopped C asked if we could go on a nature walk...

And honestly, as long as the kids are listening to me and having a good time, I don't care if we are outside all day long, I actually prefer it.

Gratitude

This week I am grateful for...

Getting through a tough few days on no sleep, I mean no sleep, and adam slowly getting back on his feet.

The wonderful parks, indoor spaces, and fun areas to take kids, and how amazingly perfect my kids are on such adventures

Rethinking my daily rhythm, and redirecting my focus to home

The two delicious soy lattes that were brought to me this week.

My back feeling better and the hope that exercise is back in my immediate future.

Watching my kids eat such healthy, wholesome and organic foods.