Quick Chicken Curry

From an old (really old, maybe 7 years!) Rachel Ray magazine

Serves 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes (debatable)
Cook Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
4 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 cup water
2 pounds boneless chicken, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut-milk
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)
Steamed basmati rice, for serving

1. In a Dutch Oven or enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil, then add the onion and cook until nicely browned around the edges, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne and black pepper and stir for 1 minute. Add the salt, tomato and water and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the tomato is softened. Add the chicken and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.

2. Add the coconut milk and simmer, partially covered, for another 15 minutes, or until the gravy thickens and the chicken is cooked. Add the cinnamon and cloves and simmer another minute.

3. Remove the chicken from the heat and garnish with the cilantro. Serve with basmati rice.

NOTES: This has been a mainstay in our menus for years. Everyone eats it, thanks to the luxurious coconut milk.

Being Prepared: Baby Bag

Here is another report from my year-long quest to be prepared. One of my biggest frustrations in my lack of preparation was being ill-equipped to meet the needs of my kids. I just never seemed to have what I needed on hand. This is partly a character flaw in me, because I really dislike schlepping around stuff. My preferred m.o. is only having my keys in my pocket, without phone or wallet (or diapers or wipes) to weigh me down. However, I recognize from experience that kids really, really need a spare diaper sometimes. I got serious about creating my dream diaper bag, and, voila, here it is! I bought the fabric from Purl during their last fabulous online sale and used the diaper bag pattern from Amy Butler's Little Stitches for Little Ones.
I'm loving all 6 pockets! Just what I need! The bag is soft and durable, unlike the other cheapy vinyl diaper bags that I've accumulated over the years. Most importantly, I stuck a little key hook on a ribbon, to prevent me from loosing my mind while digging around for keys.



I'm envisioning a more suped-up version of my diaper bag, with a more matching ribbon for the keychain and a long shoulder strap, a changing pad and wet bag for the cloth diapers, as well as a camera insert to keep my new favorite camera from the sad fate of our last two [dead] cameras. All I can say is the kids NEVER touch the camera any more.

Being Prepared: Daily Meeting

While last years' New Year's Resolution to blog here more frequently has definitely not happened, I haven't forgotten my more important resolution to be prepared. I'm reporting back on the big and small changes that are in motion (most of the time) as I've tried to get better at this year-long goal.

Perhaps my most favorite action I've implemented this year has been my weekly and daily personal meetings. I remember watching Oprah once in high school, and she remarked as an aside, "A CEO expects to have a meeting with his or her staff about the daily happenings of the company; shouldn't we all be doing this?" Yes! I've never forgotten this. Admittedly, I haven't been perfect at this, but when I have made a plan for the day, life hums along. There is more cooperation, since the boys slide into the routine and know what to expect. My stress levels are much lower, which also feeds into the happy feeling around our home. What I like most of all is that I can think about what is most important to me as a mom and figure out ways to implement these important things into our daily lives. Taking a few minutes each evening to gather things together for the next day is a beautiful thing. When the check for preschool is in my coat pocket, the grocery list is uploaded on my phone, the chicken is defrosting in the fridge, it all makes for fewer grumpy interactions as I am scooting everyone out of the door each morning.

On the flip side, I'm working on my spontaneity. I have wonderful people in my life who operate in a much more freestyle mode, and sometimes I envy that. While my tendency is to plan, plan, plan, I do try to keep pretty loose with those plans and go with better plans if they surface. Anyway, I'm looking for balance that way and I think my lesson in improvisational mothering is coming as we are imminently expecting the arrival of our baby girl. Farewell predictability! We'll see you in a year or so! Hello mysterious sleep schedules, infrequent showers, and keeping things flexible.

Mothers of the world, tell me (if anyone is out there): how do you handle the first few months of having a newborn with your other kids? I've kept the structured things in our current lives intact (swim lessons, library storytimes, playdates), and I'm hoping that our new baby will be happy to come along for the ride. Is this realistic?

Being Prepared: Christmas

I'm reporting on another aspect of being prepared that really brought me happiness this year. The first week of November, I took some time to map out what a fun, happy Christmas season would look like for me! ME! Selfish me. Last year was fraught with stress and rushing around and unmet expectations. Although the kids seemed to enjoy Christmas, as did Shane, I was exhausted. This year, I was determined to turn things around. I'm happy to report success!

A few things that I knew that I did not want to do during Christmastime this year:
*Step anywhere near the stores on the day after Thanksgiving, with the exception of JCrew, since their sale is just too irresistable. (But we went to that sale at 4:00 pm. Reasonable.)
*Go to the mall. It just sucks the Christmas cheer right out of me. I did virtually all of our shopping online or at the little toy shop across the street. (I did go to the mall once to buy socks for Shane....but it was fast and ok.)
*Spend money on events that create more stress than joy (waiting hours to see Santa or lighting displays). Or generally spend more money than we've budgeted for this year.
*Sew anything after December 1


As for the things the things I did want to do, it was exciting to think of all of my favorite December activities. Knowing that we'd be far from family this Christmas, I tried to find the special local events that would help us feel grateful for being where we are this time of year.

I love the idea of an advent calendar and made a very simple red and green paper chain to count down to Christmas. (This could have been infinitely more aesthetic/creative, but, it was good enough!) Each link of the paper chain had a little special something for each day to celebrate Christmas, and the first 7 links even had coordinating scriptures to go with it, until I burned out doing that. Maybe next year I'll finish. My mom told me to write down our daily December activities, so here they are:

(Day after Thanksgiving: Put up tree. We couldn't wait.)

December
1: Christmas Music (D&C 25:12)
This was a great way to start December. I asked my mom to send some beginner piano books of Christmas music and was able to teach Peter to play a few Christmas carols on the piano. These songs were very motivating for him to master and he was determined to get them right so that he could accompany all of us as we sang along. I also made a mix of Christmas music for the car. Now Nathan can sing the "Glooooooooooria"s to Angels We Have Heard on High and it is very cute. My mom also stuck in a a few books of Christmas music for me to play, which was lovely. Even with the inevitable kid banging going on in the bass clef notes.


2: Deliver Christmas Cards (Luke 2:10)
This was such a great deadline for me. All through November, I imagined Peter reading this link out loud and saying, "Ok, Mom, today we go to the post office to deliver the Christmas Cards!" Which meant that the cards had to be ordered, addressed, and stamped with a friendly hand-written message, family photo, and newsletter inside. I know that it doesn't have to be this complex, but I really, really wanted to really do the Christmas cards right this year. It is my one really personal way to reconnect with dear friends, friends that I wish I could sit down and talk to for an hour or two, friends whom I love so much, I cannot believe that we don't get together still all the time. So, I was determined, and writing cards to friends and family turned out to be maybe my favorite part of the season. And what a bonus to open our mailbox and find lovely cards in return!

3: Stake Christmas Concert (Luke 2:13-14)

4: Put up Nativities (Luke 2: 7-16)
Especially nice to do this activity on a Sunday afternoon.

5: Put up lights (Matthew 2: 1, 2, 9-11)
This activity was intentionally done on a Monday, so that *voila* we could have a light-installing activity for Family Home Evening and I wasn't left doing it alone, muttering curses under my breath. One would think that putting up lights with kids would be frustrating, but it was motivating to work alongside our boys and feed off of their excitement. I hope I never forget how magical it was to all stand together in the front yard to look at the lights after we had finished.

6: Christmas Books (3 Nephi 16:4)
As a little surprise, I included a new Christmas book, as I try to do each year. This year, we added The Little Fir Tree.

7: Put up Christmas Village
Part of my childhood Christmases was gazing at these village collections in my grandparents' and parents' living rooms. I've inherited a few little village homes, stores, and a church of my own, so it was fun to share this tradition with my own kids.

8: Visit Stew Leonard's
We went with good friends, making it even better!

9: Look at Christmas Lights around the neighborhood

10: Visit Old Sturbridge Village for Candlelight Christmas

11: Deliver Neighbor Gifts
This was another great Sunday afternoon activity. Like the cards, I had to be prepared for this activity and thanked my November self, who had bought the packaging ahead of time and had made the cookie dough and stuck it in the freezer. Delivering gifts to neighbors and friends is amazingly fun when I haven't been slaving away for hours and hours!

12: Musical Family Home Evening with Friends
We loved hosting this party with a friend, whose spacious home accomodated all of us, including a large pack of kids. I loved being surrounded by beautiful singing and accompanying instruments! I'm happy to keep this tradition from my childhood alive while I am so far from home. The greatest preparation here was thinking though the food. I kept it extremely simple, with a few special homemade desserts and appetizers supplemented by generous offerings from friends and a few holiday treats from Trader Joe's.

13: Christmas Movies
Boys watched movies while I collapsed after last night's party!

14: Help Peter Make Gifts for His Teachers
This is tricky. Being a daughter of a seasoned piano teacher, I have seen many Christmas gifts from students, and they are always gratefully received. However, I do understand that some gifts that come are very useful and some are not. I liked the idea of Peter creating something himself, but I wanted his teachers to really enjoy our gift. I organized a group gift with the other parents and collected money to go towards Amazon gift cards. Peter drew a portrait of each teacher, which went in the gift bag with the Amazon cards and some candy. Gift cards are not very sweet or sentimental, but 100% more useful than banana bread or a big mug.

15: Buy a Garland to Hang on Banister

16: Decorate Gingerbread House

17: Ward Christmas Party

18: Make Brickle Brackle Bars
This is a Lloyd family recipe, so I let Shane take the lead on this one. We leave Brickle Brackle Bars for Santa, in efforts to be radical/edgy.

19: "Christ Is Born" Family Home Evening, with our own Nativity Play

20: Help Peter Make Gifts for Nathan and Shane
This is a fantasy that did not come to pass this year. I was hoping to have a few projects in mind to help get Peter's ideas flowing for gifts, but by this point, I was just kind of tired. Peter did make a little book for Shane, called "Dad's Favorite Things," which counts for something, even if it only had 3 pages. I am feeling pretty much the same as the writer of this blog post . Maybe next year!


21: Christmas Crafts with the Kids

22: Hang Up Stockings

23: Go to Friends' Christmas Party

24: Go to Boston Pop's Christmas Concert

The boys opened up their Christmas Eve jammers that I made from them (pre-December 1! I love it!). I used the (now discontinued) Oliver & S Kimono Pajama pattern, like I do every year. I have made them enough that I whip them out in a couple of nights.

25: CHRISTMAS DAY!
I also made the boys two candy-cane striped bow ties. The sewing projects this Christmas were pretty simple and quick!

Post-Christmas was a lovely, quiet time. I chose to not even acknowledge that there was such thing as New Year's Day, after such a busy month of merry-making.

To me, an essential element of all the Christmas gift-giving is making thank-you cards. I love the idea of having Peter make these. Peter drew two pictures, which I scanned and printed on cardstock paper. As the biased mom, I have to say, they turned out pretty great.

Spring Cleaning

I have been 'spring cleaning' through iphoto and wanted to post a few pictures before they fall into the abyss of my photo archives. I'm giving a home to these pictures, so I can remember that I did pull it together a few times during the last few months!

We made these little matchbox valentines for Peter's preschool class. I think they turned out so sweet and Peter helped all the way. Thanks to Brooke from Inchmark for yet another great idea!
My friend Carlee is, among many things, very talented and resourceful behind the sewing machine. It seems as though I'm always bugging her to tell me how she sewed something awesome that her boys are wearing! Carlee got me sewing these little pants that are formerly arms of sweaters. I knew I was saving those sweaters for something! And, ah, the cozy, soft knit is so nice for winter baby legs!
Lastly, I made this super hero cape for Peter's birthday.
I think his brother wants one too....

Good Taste: Eggplant Parmagiana

From December 2010 (?) Martha Stewart Living

Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes. Serves 8

For Breading and Frying:
2 cups fine plain fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 large eggplants, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more if needed

For Assembling:
Marinara Sauce (recipe below)
3 cups coarsley grated mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

1. Bread and fry the eggplant: Combine breadcrumbs, Pecorino Romano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and some pepper. Put flour, eggs, and breadcrumb mixture in 3 separate dishes. Dredge eggplant in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg, letting excess drip off. Dredge in breadcrumbs to coat. Let stand for 30 minutes.
2. Heat oil in large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. (Oil is ready when a breadcrumb sizzles when dropped in.) Working in batches, fry eggplant until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. (If oil gets too dirty, discard, and heat additional 1/4 cup.)
3. Assemble the dish: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of eggplant on top, overlapping slightly. Top with 1 cup sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano. Repeat twice to form layers with eggplant, sauce, then cheeses. Cover with foil. Bake until bubbling, about 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake until cheese melts, about 5 minutes more.

Marinara Sauce:
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 cans (28-oz each) peeled whole tomatoes, pureed in a food processor
1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, red-pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and some pepper. Simmer, covered, until thick, 25 minutes. Stir in herbs.

Thoughts: Quite a bit of prep involved, but all really doable to prep a day or two in advance. I'm never quite together enough to make the marinara and rely on my favorite Cento-brand jarred stuff. This dish could not be more comforting after a blizzardy day in New England.

Good Taste: Mango Rice Salad with Grilled Shrimp

From June 2005 Cooking Light

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
4 teaspoons curry powder
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 36 shrimp)
2 cups water
2/3 cup light coconut milk
1 1/4 cups uncooked long-grain rice
3/4 cup shredded carrot
2 cups diced peeled mango (about 2 mangoes)
1 1/2 cups diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
Cilantro Sprigs (optional)

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add shrimp, toss to coat. Cover and chill 1 hour.
2. Bring water and coconut milk to a boil in a medium saucepan; add rice. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Add carrot and next 7 ingredients (through salt); toss gently to combine.
3. Prepare grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
4. Thread 3 shrimp onto each of 12 (6-inch) skewers. Place skewers on grill rack or grill pan coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until shrimp are done. Serve skewers over salad. Garnish with cilantro springs, if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

Thoughts: The rice is crazy good--so light, fresh, full of flavor. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Good Taste: Lloyd Family Pizza Party

Along with so many other families in the world, on Friday night, we Lloyds enjoy a pizza party. I prefer the classic pizza crust recipe from Joy of Cooking and improvised variations on this pizza sauce recipe. I've been shaking things up lately, and am here to report on our most recent pizza night successes (both recipes were rapidly made, with effortless prep work, and they were rapidly consumed by all four of us!).

First, from August 2005 Bon Appetit:

Bell Pepper, Red Onion, and Goat Cheese Pizza

1 pound of pizza dough
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic cloves, minced
3 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves
1 1/2 cups thickly sliced mushrooms (we love cremini)
1/2 cup drained roasted red peppers from jar, cut into thin strips
1 /2 cup paper-thin red onion slices
8 large fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
1 5-oz package soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place pizza crust on large baking sheet. Mix olive oil and minced garlic in small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush 2 tablespoons garlic oil evenly over crust. Top with spinach leaves, then sprinkle with sliced mushrooms, roasted red peppers, red onion slices, fresh basil, and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle pizza evenly with remaining garlic oil. Cook 15 minutes.

Thoughts: I added the 15 minutes instructions at the end--I guess it's best to keep an eye on it. The recipe doesn't really say. This is the pizza for chevre junkies like us, especially since we seem to always have a little stash around, so I didn't end up buying anything extra to make it (I only dreamed of putting fresh basil leaves on top...ah, winter).


From November 2008 Real Simple

Three-Cheese Calzones

1 pound of pizza dough
1 cup fresh ricotta
1 cup grated mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Parmasan
1 bunch spinahc, thick stems removed and roughly chopped (5 cups)
Black Pepper
1/4 pound thinly sliced salami (we used pepperoni)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup jarred marinara sauce, warmed

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 4 equal portions and roll and stretch them into 8-inch rounds.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, spinach, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. Layer salami on one side of each round of dough, and top with the cheese mixture. Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the edges to seal.
4. Brush the tops of the calzones with the oil. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve with the sauce.

Thoughts: Good. For some reason, this recipe screams teenage boys to me. Better keep it handy for later.

Being Prepared:Tiger Mothers and Farmer Boys

There has been quite a bit of talk about Amy Chua's article, "Why Chinese Mothers are Superior." I have to admit that while I balked when I first read it two weeks ago, I haven't stopped thinking about it since.

I have been in the Yale community for six years now and I admit, there is a large spectrum of individual talent and work ethic, but certainly, each individual who attends Yale has shown some special talents to be admitted here (and I can be a somewhat objective outside observer, since I'm not one of the people who goes here). Over the years, I have spent quite a bit of time talking to these friends about their childhoods, how they developed their interests, and how they think that they got into Yale. Ms. Chua's bullet list of no sleepovers, no tv, no school plays, no grades except 'A's, does not jive with my findings from these conversations I've had. Certainly, most of them grew up reading piles of books and some were busy with musical performances from a very young age. But, there are just as many, if not more, who watched tv, who spent time invested in sports or drama, who, dare I say it, were not the top student in every class. Unfortunately for all parents, there isn't a simple set of rules that we follow to automatically help our children unleash their potential for greatness. However, as much as I disagree with Ms. Chua's controlling parenting style, I whole-heartedly agree with this statement:

"...as a parent, one of the worst things you can do for your child's self-esteem is to let them give up. On the flip side, there's nothing better for building confidence than learning you can do something you thought you couldn't."

From my anecdotal information, Amy Chua is right about one thing: the people who get into these programs are intense. I studied pretty hard in college, I thought, and did pretty well. However, after I started studying with Shane, I began to understand how the top students operate. Shane was always at class, even 15 minutes early to class. He always went to the TA's help sessions and office hours. He assumed that he would need to study a great deal for every class--every general education class was given plenty of attention, no matter how unrelated it was with his academic interests. While I was always in search of a teacher whose style was in sync with mine, Shane would persevere with any teacher, always humbly working away at the class material. He did not give up on any class, any grade, any exam, even if the class was taught poorly or was disorganized. He worked odd jobs (pinning flies! tracking frogs!) in biology labs which fed into research positions and teaching assistant jobs. And, like Amy Chua describes, he wasn't afraid to practice, practice, practice. His essays were to the professor early for review, and he was the king of MCAT practice exams. He was a combination monk and robot, studying almost every minute of the week, aside from our brief Friday evening date. And, as a consequence, my grades were becoming pretty spectacular, too. We were the 4.0 couple and it felt good.

Using Shane as my case study, we see that it's true, grit and intensity is required for anyone that wants to succeed, especially in an ubercompetetive program. From my anecdotal information, I'm finding that to get into Yale, an individual needs nearly perfect grades and nearly perfect entrance exam scores. That will get the application from the envelope to a desk, rather than from the envelope to a garbage can. This first step in the process validates Ms. Chua's remarks about playing the game and getting the good grades.

However, many applicants have these credentials. Every high school has a valedictorian, every university has a dean's list. Although Ms. Chua scoffs at the western idea of 'being special', that is exactly what is different between the students who go to Yale and the students who don't. Being special means making the most of the opportunities that you have been given; someone wrote a novel in high school, another started a very large, very successful non-profit organization, someone else did field research on hibernating bears. This 'specialness' is hard to describe, and nearly impossible to force upon someone; in fact, it's partly based on luck, because a good opportunity is hard to identify at first. But, we all see opportunities come and go. These particular people find things to do that they are passionate about and latch on, dig in, make it theirs, and make it flourish.

Watching different friends go through their respective programs here at Yale, I see a related pattern in their training that might be replicated as a parent: these programs simply send the best professionals in the field to talk about what's important and what they like to do (aka. class lecture), help each student figure out what they are happiest doing all day (PhD mentorship, business and law internships, hospital rotations), and assist students in finding further opportunities in the field. I know, it's much more complicated and emotional than this, but in essence, these programs want their students to figure out what it is that they are especially talented at and work really hard at it. [What do you think, Yalies? Did I get it right?]

I'd really love to replicate this process as a mother in these precious formative years. If consistent nurturing and guidance from adults makes all of the difference, I should be confidently teaching my kids about the world and helping them latch on to the experiences that will help them. Peter and I are now reading Farmer Boy, from Laura Ingall Wilder's Little House series. We have followed our nine-year-old protagonist, Almonzo, through the seasonal rhythms of life on the farm: Alongside his father, he tirelessly prepares the soil, plants and harvests the crops (who can forget the harrowing midnight corn-watering to fight frost and his terrible run-in with an exploding potato?!), he hauls hay and timber. He goes to the fair for three days and simply cannot wait to get back home to feed his cows. Granted, this book is perhaps romanticized, given that the author is relating her beloved husband's childhood, but after finishing the final chapter, I was left feeling the importance of letting our children into our adult world.

Letting children in is a hard thing to do, because parenting in our current cultural climate is somewhat unnatural. I feel like I need to create normal childhood experiences intentionally, because in suburbia, we don't have a big orchard or grove or trees for our kids to run wild in. And I don't mean to bring them into Amy Chua's adult world, with relentless, degrading piano practice sessions. Heartless insults to my children is the opposite of what I want to do. But, if I can confidently work alongside my kids, giving them responsibilities that are real, that contribute to our family, I can honestly think of nothing that they want more than that and no greater gift that I can give them. My favorite passage in Farmer Boy says it all:

"[Almonzo] helped to feed the patient cows, and the horses eagerly whinnying over the bars of their stalls, and the hungrily bleating sheep, and the grunting pigs. And he felt like saying to them all: 'You can depend on me. I'm big enough to take care of you all.'
Then he shut the door snugly behind him, leaving them all fed and warm and comfortable for the night, and he went trudging through the storm to the good supper waiting in the kitchen." (p.310)

What a beautiful example of a child who feels the satisfaction that comes from being responsible for something that matters! I am determined to give my kids the opportunity to matter, to contribute, even as they are little guys. So, for starters, we are finally using a chore chart! ta da! I put up the most simple, plain chart imaginable (after years of agonizing about how to make it supremely cool and aesthetic), and yesterday, Peter folded all of the socks, made his bed, bussed his dishes and cleaned the playroom. And after, he asked if there were more chores to be done! We'll see how he does in a month or two...

I'm excited to rise to the occasion of mothering. This whole essay seems so idealized compared to the reality of raising my 4 year-old and 15 month-old, which is much louder, more chaotic, less well-behaved than these Wednesday afternoon dreams. But, after all of this stewing about parenting, my greatest conclusion is that I can expect good, big things from my kids. I'm not sure what they'll be and whatever they are will require enormous efforts all around, but we can do it.

So, parents of the world, what do you think?

The Good [Handmade] Stuff: Dressed to the Nines for Christmas

My days of being able to dress the boys in matching corduroy outfits are numbered. Especially since they are matching corduroy outfits that I decided somehow that I could make without comprehensive patterns.

I've tried taking pictures of Nathan's outfit, but this is the least fuzzy one I could get. He's on the move. I made Nathan's overalls in the style of the little overalls that we all wore in the early 80s. I think that they are pretty sweet.




Peter's red blazer is wonky, but by the end, I was glad to be done with it. The lapel is crazy. However, when Peter wore it to the Nutcracker, we were greeted by a sea of smiles among the New York crowds. It was the thought that counted with the blazer.

I have been tirelessly defending the corduroy blazer. Shane thought that it was weird. Ok, I thought it was weird, too, but the idea of it, I insist, is very cute. However, our discussion ended after viewing the unbelievable windows at Bergdorf Goodman, when we happened to stroll by this window at Barneys. Totally vindicated!

Good Taste: Ghost Chili

My friend, Kari (the one who made Peter's spectacular birthday invite), always wins our ward's annual chili cookoff with her Ghost Chili recipe. This recipe was handed down to her from her mother-in-law, and now I give it to you. This winner of a recipe is on our permanent cold-weather food rotation. It feeds the soul.

Ghost Chili
1 lb. boneless chicken, chopped into bite size pieces
1 onion, diced
1 Tbl. Oil
1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
14 oz. can chicken broth
1 can chopped green chilis
2 15 oz. great Northern beans drained and rinsed
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
½ tsp. black Pepper

Brown chicken and onion in oil until chicken is cooked and onion is
tender. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.

Before serving, stir in 1 cup of sour cream and ½ cup of whipping cream. (sometimes if i don't have whipping cream i add all sour cream. if you don't have enough of that just add less salt when you simmer the soup.)

Kari spent a year in China and adapted the Ghost Chili recipe to the ingredients available to her there. To our benefit, she has created a delicious Asian Ghost Chili recipe. I wonder how one would say 'ghost' in Chinese....

Ghost Chili in China!
1 boneless chicken breast, chopped into bite size pieces
1 onion, diced (red onion)
1 Tbl. Oil
3 cups chicken broth
2 chopped green peppers (the medium-sized skinny hot ones, without the seeds)
2 small stems of celery

4 whole cloves of garlic (let the soup simmer with the garlic cloves then remove them before serving. or just chop them so you don't need to remove them.)

3-ish cups of the white beans (great northern preferably), if dried soak for 8-10 hours
1 ½ tsp. chives/ginger/garlic seasoning (packaged as one-i get this at my local market but if you have these things in powdered form use that)

1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin

½ tsp. black Pepper

Brown chicken and onion in oil until chicken is cooked and onion is

tender. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Before serving, stir in 1 cup of sour cream and ½ cup of whipping cream. Homemade sour cream: 1 cup cream to 1 T vinegar. let sit in fridge for a few days before using.

The Good [Home] Stuff: Living Room Inspiration

Happy New Year! 2011 is sure to be a beautiful year!

I love January. It really feels like a clean slate to me, when I can think afresh and imagine all the good things ahead of us. Now that I can scan things, I'm excited to have this blog post as one central place to stash the various clippings floating around my little office that I've designated as "LIVING ROOM INSPIRATION":
We have a strangely shaped living room. It is long and skinny, and therefore almost impossible to have one place to sit. When thinking about our lonely corner, far from any other furniture, Shane and I keep coming back to this picture from an old Martha Stewart Living.

From January 2007 Real Simple

Another option that we've considered is having a little table in the corner.

Grove Storage Cabinet from Room and Board for a hefty $2200 (via Martha Stewart Living). I bet I can find a similar version on Craigslist to fix up.

Our style is pretty traditional, but I would love to be able to mix in some modern and fun things, like this spectacular side table. While none of my photos really show a space that welcomes kids, our dream house would definitely look more lived-in and easy going.

Martha Stewart Living

I'd love to copy this photo wall for our large wall adjacent to the stairs. I'm hoping to work on it in a few months when our little guy is less bent on destroying hanging things. And, there are no plans to buy a grandfather clock, but it is beautiful. Can't you just hear the slow, mechanical 'tick-tock'?

The above and below images are from the October 2007 issue of Art & Decoration, a French home design magazine. I adore the colors in the top image. I'm not sure we'll go with them, but with our two deep brown leather couches, it's nice to see some nice compliments to brown. And the floor to ceiling taffeta curtains aren't too shabby, either. I love the sofa cushions on the image below.

While we may not actually have the cash flow or time to recreate these pictures in our home, a girl can dream! I love having the vision, even if our living room is hazardously littered with toys, and I'm hoping to implement a few small changes for the better.

The Good [Handmade] Stuff: Fall Projects

Hooray! Today I just set up my brand new scanner! Aha, now my techno year is 2003 instead of 1998!

Anyway, I thought I'd catch up on a few old projects that I wanted to record (to quote my mother, "did you write that down?"), so I'll remember that I wasn't eating bonbons all day during the fall of 2010.

Above is Peter's birthday party invitation, designed by my talented friend, Kari. You can see that I hid the address there, but don't you love it?! I love it all! Thanks, Kari! Another fun thing that I made for the party were the favor bags

We had these waiting at the end of a Peter Pan treasure hunt in our backyard. Just a quick little burlap pouch with a leather tie and button. We filled them with these cool mermaid whistles, and pirate's spyglasses, feathers, candy rocks, and other candy. Pixie sticks would have been perfect, too. The best ideas always come after, don't they?
I love October in New England, because Peter's party is usually ok outside. Shane designed the Neverland cake, which was both awesome and not photographed.


I ended up making the boys' costumes for Halloween, and Nathan's turned out pretty cute. His snowy owl costume was often mistaken for an angel, and how can you not think that this curly blond head with tights could be anything else? But, he really was an owl. Once again, I borrowed this costume idea from Brooke at Inchmark.

Peter's bat costume had mixed results. I think it looked pretty cool and I liked that he could bundle up without covering his costume. The umbrellas were pretty pokey and limiting, though. I got the instructions for the wings and that hat from marthastewart.com. The fleece pants that I made are still in use as pajamas.


And, finally, I made Jill's awesome leaf garland. Such an easy, pretty project! We also hung some leaves from our chandelier and put the most colorful ones in vases on our mantel. We are lucky to have a huge supply of beautiful leaves in our backyard.
Next up: Christmas projects! Almost caught up!

Good Taste: Moroccan-Spiced Chicken with Olive, Apricot, and Pistachio Couscous

From February 2009 Martha Stewart Living

Chicken
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 whole chicken (4 pounds), quartered, skin on
1 lemon, quartered

1. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the center rack of oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix spices, 2 teaspoons salt, 3/4 teaspoons pepper, and the oil in a small bowl. Rub spice paste all over chicken.
2. Carefully arrange chicken in a single layer on hot sheet, and arrange lemon wedges around chicken. Back until chicken registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer and juices run clear, 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand from 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper,and serve with pan juices and lemon wedges on the side.

Thoughts: This is a sensational dish! It has a long ingredient list, but, ah, once I bit into the chicken, it took me to another place. I quartered the chicken myself, with great trepidation and a pair of poultry scissors from a neighbor. To my utter disbelief, it was a low-drama, 5-minute procedure. I intend to buy whole chickens from here on out, because I prefer the dark meat on the bone and I'm inching my way to buying only organic meat and poultry. For now, I'll avoid the boneless/skinless chicken breasts that tragically belong to those birds we saw on Food Inc. This dish was eagerly devoured by every member of the Lloyd family: both 30 year-olds, the four year-old, and the 15-month old.

Couscous:
1 1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter
1/4 cup dried apricots, preferably Turkish, chopped
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped green olives (about 6 large olives)
1 cup couscous
2 tablespoons shelled pistachios, toasted and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Bring water, salt, and butter to a boil in a small saucepan. Add apricots, olives, and couscous, swirling pan to submerge ingredients. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir with fork, then fold in pistachios and lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Thoughts: A great accompaniment to the chicken, soaking up all the pan juices in the best, absorbent way. Peter was not a fan of the "goosegoose," but we adults didn't really notice, because we were snarfing it down.

Be Prepared: Keeping the Boys Clothed

After a weekend of celebrating Christmas, today is Monday. Beautiful Monday, December 27! I love all that comes with Christmas, and then...I love the days after Christmas, when we return to normal bedtimes, decreased sugar intake, and our daily routines (which is not entirely true, since we were hit with a nor'easter yesterday and we're happily snowed in. Let's just say, we're easing back in).

Today, I am refocusing on my early New Year's Resolution to be better prepared for my life. Prior to our two cross-country moves this last year, I used to be vigilant at buying the next year's clothes at clearance sales. When we were moving so much, I got out of the habit, since I couldn't stomach the idea of moving around clothes that were too big to be worn. Now that we're settled in, I am trying to stay ahead of my growing boys, which is quite a feat, I assure you.

An old friend of mine, Kalee, is a master of collecting a good, affordable wardrobe for her kids ahead of time. Years ago, she gave me her list of items that she looks out for when she's running errands. I like this size of wardrobe, because I can go a week without having to do laundry, but it's not so big that I end up with outgrown clothes that have never been worn. In years past, I have printed out this list, taken inventory of the clothes that we already have, and carried the list with me while keeping my eye out for these items at various places around town. And, of course, there a few things that I make myself (because $15 is way too much for fleece pants, when I can make some in 30 seconds for free.). So, without further ado,

THE LIST THAT KEEPS THE BOYS CLOTHED

LITTLE BOY'S WARDROBE
Cold Months:
8-12 long-sleeve tshirts/henley-type shirts
3-4 rugby/button-down shirts
1-2 hoodie sweatshirts
1 turtleneck

3 pairs of fleece pants
3 pairs of jeans
2 pairs of other pants

1 fleece jacket
1 winter coat
1 pair of snowpants
1 pair ski socks
snow boots
snow accessories: ski mittens, neck gator, hat

Warm Months:
8-12 short sleeve shirts
8-12 pairs of shorts
1 swimsuit and shirt
crocs
leather sandals

Church Clothes
2 pairs chinos for church
3 dress shirts
3 sweaters for church or nice places
a couple belts
a couple ties
church shoes

Pajamas, Underwear, etc:
7-8 pairs of pjs
10 pairs of socks (a mix of athletic, dressy, fun)
15 pairs of underpants

BABY'S WARDROBE (15 months)
Same, with the addition of
9 long-sleeve white onesies
9 short-sleeve white onesies
2 pairs of Robeez shoes
And no underpants, of course.
(when he starts to walk, a pair of my favorite See Kai Run shoes)

Both boys need cowboy boots in their different sizes, because, who can resist a four-year-old and a fifteen-month-old in cowboy boots?

There are some pretty fierce sales out there today, so I'm off to print off my list and hunt for some cozy winter clothes for next winter!

image: Wiener Werkstätte, Woman with Packages. Metropolitan Museum of Art

Early New Year's Resolution

Maybe no one else is interested in setting goals, say, the week before Christmas, but I feel urgently compelled to begin my new resolution now. My resolution follows the Boy Scouts' motto:

be prepared

A few weeks ago, I went into the Beinecke Library, where I used to work. I was chatting with a few old colleagues and a woman who began working there after I had left. I introduced myself, and added as a joke, "I'm the one who put the books back in the wrong places." One of my colleagues immediately responded, "Oh, not you, Becca. You would never misshelve a book. You are much too organized and focused to do that!" I stood there. I blinked. I said a silent prayer that this woman would always remember me in this way. I tried to think back to then, that time a millennium ago before kids...and, yes! I do believe I was organized. I do believe I planned ahead, set goals, had a predictable routine. I know now that in this particular phase in life, I can never expect the same sort of efficiency and productivity that I had then. And thank goodness for that, right?! I'm happy to live in a way that is so unlike a robot and so full of life.

However, a lot of things happened last summer. Most notably, our big move. And, after feeling pretty settled in my Utah routine, I haven't felt totally comfortable with my Connecticut groove. I find myself stuck with dreary, unplanned afternoons with the kids, thinking that if only I had taken a minute the night before to make a few plans, or find myself without my camera at the most beautiful moments of my day. My phone does not have a home, which is extremely dangerous. I am wishing for a better long-term planning system, so that next time Shane has a vacation week, we can go on vacation! Imagine that! I find that my information is in different places throughout the house, and I don't love having information that I need for the day to be on my laptop, since Nathan is so fixated on destroying the computer.

So.

I am taking steps today to prepare myself for life. After reading the inspiring book, Steady Days, I am trying to help our little life here at the Lloyd household. As I am not a member of the cool phone club, I am not technologically equipped for amazing organizing apps. However, I am managing to organize my life by simply putting a 3-ring binder to use (nicknamed "the coach"). The binder has several sections --one section for daily "plan", a monthly calendar, a weekly meal plan with a plastic sleeve for the week's recipes, bills and a plastic sleeve that holds tithing slips, and a checkbook and stamps for those pesky bills that I still pay by mail, and the last section is named "braindump", which is my most invaluable resource. Every time I think of something that is bouncing around in my brain, I write it down in the braindump section; I also take a minute first thing in the morning to sit and think if there is anything that should be written down there. Ah, it's a relief to have one place to be able to write these things down. I do much better when I have this information for me on paper in one place. I can't keep track of things on the computer. The screen just doesn't quite work.

The plan is to have a big meeting with myself on Sunday evenings, planning meals, activities, and appointments. Then, throughout the week, I take a minute every night directly after putting the boys down and plot out plans for the next day. If I just spend from 7:00 to 7:30 packing a lunch, getting out supplies for a fun activity, putting away shoes and mittens so they can be found instantly, and just thinking about it, the next day has a destination. I feel like I'm taking advantage of these precious moments with my little guys, rather than wishing away the minutes until they go to [insert: kindergarten, high school, college!]. I've got my kids' attention right now and I want to make the most of it!

With the basics planned out, I've had a chance to think longer term--what can I help the boys learn this next year? What kinds of fun things do we want to do this summer? What kinds of activities do Nathan and Peter like to do together? I'm excited to really think about mothering on a broader level. I must add one major caveat here, however: with all the plans that I've been making, I continue to be a soft as putty when the realities of life with tiny kids hit. I don't care if the plans don't work out. I find that being spontaneous is easier for me when there is a plan, because I have a choice of plan a and (new) plan b. Hey, let's get crazy and do the unexpected. I just don't care for large expanses of unplanned time with preschoolers. That is not spontaneous fun, that is torturous negotiating about why we don't eat ice cream for lunch and why we can't jump off the couch onto our baby brother. What I really want as a mom right now is to have A LOT OF FUN. I want to enjoy being with my boys. If I can think ahead about how to do this, I'm hoping to increase the odds.

Other things I need to do to be prepared: make a diaper bag that works. I have 3 diaper bags at the moment that have zero functionality. I actually feel mad when I look at them. I am going to design and sew my dream diaper bag! Yay! With enough room for my massive camera, special pockets for my keys, my phone, and (safe) storage for knitting, and, of course, enough room for diapers, wipes, and little packages of tissues. Ah, I need those tissues. Does anyone have a good place to buy them? What would you think of me if I told you that the last time we went to the park, I resorted to wiping Nathan's nose with a leaf? Pretty classy.

And, as the busy season of birthdays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas winds down, I'd like to plan ahead and use the barren months (January, February, March) to get ahead. I love Christmas so much, and there are many things that I'd love to do for next year. Planning ahead! Being prepared!

I'd also like to dedicate some of my resolution for food storage to prepare for any eminent danger or disaster that might come our way. I'm dedicating the first FHE of the month to being prepared, with food storage planning, 72-hour kit assembling, and escape-route plotting. Peter even asked me the other day, "Mom, if there was a fire on the stairs and we were in bed, how would we get out?" Ummmm, good question, Peter. Let's figure that out!

So. anybody there [crickets chirping]? I'd like to post more on this blog, and report specifically about my progress. It's a sensational way to feel accountable for all that goes on around here. I know that being a mom at home who writes a blog could not be more cliche, but I love the support I feel from you friends out there. There are very few adult voices in my life, simply because I don't have the luxury of talking on the phone much or meeting up for lunch (imagine: meeting up with friends for lunch without kids! dreamy...) So, I'll be posting more....and if you leave a comment, I will love you for it.

Wish me luck!

Good Taste: Arroz con Pollo

Or, Rice with Chicken, which does this tasty dish no justice.

Adapted from February 2010 Martha Stewart Living

pinch of saffron
6 chicken thighs (we used 8)
coarse salt and fresly ground pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic (2 to 3 cloves)
1 large tomato, diced
2 dried bay leaves
5 1/2 cups chicken stock, plus more if needed
3 cups short-grain rice, preferably Valencia (kalustyans.com)
1 cup pimeinto-stuffed green olives

1. The original recipe calls for wine, but I use one cup of stock instead: combine 1 cup of chicken stock and saffron; let stand until ready to use. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large braiser or heavy-bottomed straight-sided saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken, skin side down, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown, 2 minutes; transfer to a plate.

2. Reduce heat to medium, and cook onion and garlic, stirring often, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add tomato, and cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes. Stir in stock-saffron mixture, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the bay leaves. Cook until wine is almost completely evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Add chicken, stock, rice, and olives; bring to a simmer.

3. Reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, stirring halfway through, until rice is tender, about 45 minutes. (If rice is not done, add more stock, 1/4 cup at a time.) Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper.

Thoughts: The most deliciously comforting meal for fall. Goes great with my favorite side, spinach and chickpeas.

I love a Good Party: Birthday Baby

October is birthday season at our house. We kicked things off with baby Nathan's first birthday party. He's one! I can hardly believe it!

Admittedly, the choco-chip face is not nearly as cute, but whatever.

We kept the party very exclusive, only inviting immediate family members and grandma, who happened to be visiting, and our other grandma via skype. I found an appropriate banana cake recipe for our little monkey. It only seemed right, since he does consume 1 to 3 bananas per day.



Somehow, October has been an extremely busy month for us, but I was determined to give something handmade to our birthday boy. I managed to finish these birthday blocks, which became my bane of life after piecing together all of those tiny scraps. However, I am loving that I used up many bits of fabric that have already moved across the country twice. The instructions for the blocks can be found in Amy Butler's Little Stitches. These blocks are so satisfyingly stackable.

The Good [Handmade] Stuff: Serger Contest

I entered this video in a contest on sewmamasew to win an amazing serger.

The Good [Kids'] Stuff: Mama School

I am so happy to be on the other side of our cross-country move! It has been a whirlwind of a summer, and I often worry if I gave our boys enough of what summer should be. But, one very high highlight was our mama school sessions (our hour together in the mornings during Nathan's naps). I have continued to frame the weekly activities around one story. I'll just record what I can remember...


Our first week was Robin Hood. One very exciting artistic development for Peter is his emerging figural objects--he draws wonderful people, like Maid Marian and Prince John shown here as puppets.
We also spent some time talking about coins, since Prince John is always counting his coins. I happened to have some old silver dollers and Susan B.'s in my purse (found when I went through my old childhood boxes at my parents) and showed them to Peter. I threw in some foreign coins for added excitement, and that made me feel justified in keeping them. And it is nice to see the old cintimes, pounds, and lire from pre-Euro Europe. Do they still use pounds? I always get mixed up there. I also had an old magnetic dart board and Peter and I had a archery duel. There were no fatalities.

We had to spend a week talk about the book What People Do All Day. Does anyone else love this book? We are all about Busytown.

Here is Farmer Alfalfa's farm:


Here is Stitches the Tailor's newly built house:
Peter and I built this popsicle-stick house while my brother was here and I sadly told Peter that I couldn't find any toothpicks for the windows. After my brother left our place to return home, I saw these little sticks that he had made for us out of extra popsicle sticks. I thought that was so sweet. Don't they look great?


We spent a week talking about the Three Billy Goats Gruff. I had some activities planned (Bridge building! Horns and their many uses! Troll home design!). However, we ended up spending all of our time on these awesome huge pictures of the characters
The artist with his work
Middle Billy Goat
Really, this is the scariest troll I've ever seen. Check out the face:

(so blurry! Oops) This might give me nightmares!



Biggest billy goat. I am responsible for the zigzags.
The face!


We have also been busy at the library, hitting them up for any extra craft activity they have going on. Here is Peter's skunk and rainbow fish.

As much as I'm looking forward to preschool, and for a moment to finally unpack those last boxes in the basement and do some sewing, I have really loved this time with Peter. I'm hoping to continue our morning sessions on the off-days of preschool. Two mornings a week seems perfect to me.