These are, by far, Victor’s most requested food.  We have them on weekends, sometimes, but that doesn’t stop him from asking for them constantly.  I share with you because damn but it’s hilarious the way he says it! (small vid file – repeat it cause it just gets funnier – maybe that’s just me, though).

Don’t leave the probe in the meat while cooking in enclosed environment (like the oven or grill-with-lid-closed) because you will forget.that.it’s.hot.  2nd degree burns hurt, Kelly, and make it impossible to knit.

It’s been a while since I burned myself… guess I was due?

Aside: grilled eggplant is yummy!

Well I’ve spent the summer and finally built up my inventory again after the larger order from a coffee house up north (and the subsequent loss of that order, damned postal thief!).  I sent samples up to them again, to choose what they like to replace the loss.  I hope they like.  I also took a picture of some of the soaps to give them an idea of how they’re wrapped (since the samples aren’t).  What do you think? (I’ve restricted the image size for my blog, so if you want to see the larger image right-click and “view image”.)

As new parents, we had loads of people telling us to have a monthly date night and to try to get away from the babe(s).  As new parents we still had loads of ourselves still wrapped up inside us and didn’t need that time away.  As veteran parents we’re now at the ends of those wraps and suffering for it.  We need time away.  Time where we’re not “Ken-co-worker” or “Kelly-Mommy” but “Ken and Kelly, married couple in love”.  We need it desperately.

This weekend Ken and I secretly coerced Sharon (MiL) to come down and watch the boys while we ran away to play pretend.  We went to the New York Renaissance Faire.  Not so strange, that.  We’ve been to the PA Ren Faire and Ken had been to one outside of Boston years ago.  Faires are fun and interesting; the food is odd and good (though not nearly healthy – lots of foods-on-a-stick….cheesecake anyone?); the entertainment varied and enjoyable.  However, this time we decided to go full-throttle and had ourselves properly attired.

Ken’s going for a scholarly look, though with that particular hat and possibly the vest he looks more of a merchant to me.  We’ll work on the footwear and getting him a bag of some sort.  I’m, well, I don’t know.  Ken says I look like “someone’s daughter” as opposed to a straight out bar wench.  He says I need jewelry now, I think I need something for my hair/head (I’ll be looking into making myself a snood, at the very least).

Next year we’ll take the boys.  There was plenty of kid-centered stuff to do, so they’ll have a blast.  One of the most adorable things to see are little kids dressed up.  Holy Crap do children look adorable like that!  I’d have taken pictures but that would have been weird.  We’re not *that* kindof weird.

So there it is.  I’ve outted us as Faire(ies).  I expect we’ll be going to more faires in the years to come.  I’m hoping I can get better at sewing and replicate some of the clothes I see.  I’m pretty good at dissecting clothing and reconstructing it in theory, and it’s simply too expensive to buy.  With some quick searching I see how very un-”period” these clothes are, but that’s alright.  Fantasy doesn’t need to have any footholds in reality to still be fun.

As a side note, we stayed in a B&B that was the most expensive and horrid place we’ve ever stayed.  Take note:

1. decor was directly from a garage sale – misc pictures of people, stone/painted trivet’s decorating walls, “artistic” print of “arty-looking” outhouses in bathroom
2. unclean table – sticky with jam/syrup
3. no creamer for coffee
4. no coffee stirrers
5. no light in bathtub (very dark curtains makes for dark showering)
6. switches that do nothing
7. no nightstand (or room for one)
8. no soap in bath (excluding the Soft Soap hand soap they conveniently put in the tub)
9. super squeaky bath door
10. sloppy paint job
11. no curtain for window (yay 5:00 sunrise!)
12. 30yr old shower head with low water-pressure
13. single-ply/cheap toilet paper
14. no-one to receive us when we arrived – our key was in an envelope on a table by the door (this is after we gave them a specific check-in time)
15. sparse breakfast that was 1/2hr late (2 eggs /w 1 pc toast for Ken, 3 small pancakes for me with gross syrup, 2 small, heavily pulped oj’s, 2 tiny brownies, 1/4 banana each)
16. 1 set of towels for 2 days stay (and not even big/nice towels)
17. didn’t empty trashcan in the bathroom when they “cleaned”
18. someone playing music nearly all night long on the 1st floor – local resident

Yes, some of that is nitpicky, but seriously… we paid a lot of money for this room and the breakfast was horrid (we didn’t even stay for it the 2nd morning), the soap issue (WTF?!) and the fact that the room wasn’t clean and wasn’t even a decent room to begin with… I’m going to find a review site and tell people so that others don’t get ripped off like we did.

Happy Birthday, Honey!!

We’re amazed that you’re already 4.  Amazed and proud and happy and funny and much less often frustrated.  You’re, most of the time, such a joy to be around.  You’re reasonable, you listen (even when, in the past, we were sure you weren’t), you understand.  You’re funny, you’re independent, you’re smart.  You’ve also developed a new talent at tantrums that’s quite a sight to behold.  Screaming at the very tippy-top of your voice with as much anger directed straight at Mommy, you deny all reality for 20-30 minutes straight.  Then you get tired, sob for a while and Mommy helps you get a grip.  It’s interesting, and I’ve heard that those who don’t tantrum much as toddlers make up for it in spades when they’re older.  Such talent!Lately we’ve been spending more time practicing writing, and you’ve fallen in love with the letter trace sheets I’ve found.  Enough that I found a slew of fonts for you to practice writing letters and numbers with.  Your understanding of words has grown a lot since you’ve started playing more with a particular toy, your Word Whammer.  It prompts you to spell out 3-letter words, sounds out each part, and congratulates you when you do it right.  The other night you, upon spying the lettering on the edge of your plate, told Daddy “J, A, M spells ‘jam’!”  We were astonished and pleased.  We never figured the word whammer was having such a positive effect on you, even if it’s just rote memorization.  I’ve worked with you, trying to introduce the idea of phonics and how if “J, A, M spells ‘jam’ and you replace the ‘j’ with an ‘h’ then it spells…?”.  You’re really starting to get it, and I’m so excited at that.  Reading is really important to us and we want to be sure you get a good start in such an enjoyable experience.  You ask us, now, “what’s that word?” whenever you want to know what the letters you’re reading spell.

Some of the new things you’re learning we’re not sure where they’re coming from.  Recently you’ve started referring to people and toys as “dude”, in context.  “Goodbye dudes!” or “this dude goes here”.  It’s hilarious and perplexing to us.

You’ve started appreciating things that Mommy makes for you/us, too.  It warms my heart to no end when you want me to knit you something or show such enjoyment when I give you something I’ve made.  I made you a bunny, recently, and you absolutely adore it.  For your birthday I’ve made you a knitted tea set.

You love pretending things, and use all sorts of toys to pretend drinking tea and serving tea, so you love it.
Most recently, you’ve discovered the joy of ‘knock, knock jokes’.  I don’t know quite where you learnt about them, but you’ve been regalling me with “Knock knock!” (who’s there?) “Orange!” (orange who?) at which point you burst into sniggers and can’t continue.  I taught you the “Knock knock” (who’s there?) “cow” (cow who?) “no, cows say ‘moo’!” and the look of astonishment as you got it and realized just how gut wrenchingly funny that joke is was priceless.  Now we just need you to practice getting to the punchline before laughing.On your birthday we went to a local amusement/water park.  The day started off a bit bumpy, with your generally steely-stomached brother surprising us all with some back-seat vomiting.  Not to be discouraged we swung by one of Daddy’s co-workers’ house, hosed off Victor’s seat, clothes, and self, and continued on our way.  We should have taken it as an omen, however.  You had a blast in the fountains (vid 8mb Ethan in the blue shirt, Victor in the green) but were ready to go when you got into yet another fight with the ground.  You lost, but got to bring home a super-cool souvenir! (the goose-egg hatched into a rotten-egg, apparently).  After we left the water park you had fun on some rides:

At which point we stopped for a juice break.  Too much sun?  Too much excitement?  Too little fluids?  Who knows.  We left the juice at the park along with some entirely icky and stinky diaper cloths that we used to clean you up.  At that point you were ready to go home, so we did.  Despite the double-vomit, goose-egg filled day, wherein you did not get to ride a rollercoaster (something you’d been excited about for weeks) you thought it was a blast and had a great day.Ultimately, these days you’re frustrating and will-ful and stubborn and demanding; but you’re also wonderful and sweet and smart and loving.  We love this person you’re becoming, and can’t wait til you’re more of who you’re meant to be.

Love, Mommy

Fall approaches.  For the past 2wks I’ve been having an inner quarrel with myself about that.  My mind says “What?!  It’s AUGUST.  Summertime, helLO?!”  My body, however, resolutely insists that fall is coming.  Fast.  I read, yesterday, that an old weather adage claims “A cold August after a hot July means a cold, dry winter ahead”.  I’ll go with that.

In that vein, I’m craving soup and roasts and pies.  My knitterly hands are itching itching itching to work.  I’ve *been* knitting, but they only twitch like this when it’s time to head for the heavier yarns and warmer/larger projects.  Less socks, more hats/scarves/sweaters.  I’m still going to finish the Christmas Stockings (cause so far they look great and are a pleasure to knit) and have designed a matching ornament for our tree for each (of which I’m making two each).  After that I’ve a lacy sock that needs finishing (though maybe it’ll be pushed aside) and am, maybe, ready to re-tackle the Starsky Jacket that I fubar’d last year.  I’ve forgiven myself and am ready to frog.  Sad, but still ready.

I have a letter to Ethan in the works, but to share our moment of glory I present to you the most brilliant boy in history (shutup):

(click the link for the vid – 9+mb and crank up the volume cause it’s naptime so he’s whispering)(yes, he “drew” that entirely 100% by himself with me just asking him to and yes he knows what it spells among a few other words)

I don’t understand in the least.  We had a *wicked* storm blow through this morning and it only finished pounding Newark about an hour ago.  Newark said they had delays (big ones), Continental Airlines (Ken’s airline) said they had a “191 minute delay” at Newark.  His plane was due at 2:05 and landed 8mins early.  How is that even possible?!  I’m not complaining, just confused.

Ok, I haven’t said anything in a few because I’ve been holding my breath against fate.  Not wanting to risk having things change from how they’re supposed to happen in the next few days.  I won’t say anything else, but I’m sure you get the drift.

Also, I just made ricotta cheese (supposedly).  It’s cooling/draining in the sink atm.  We’ll see if it works.  I’m planning on making these (Ken, don’t look) for our bento for Monday’s trip to Dorney Park.  I didn’t have any ricotta on hand, and bought too much/drank too little milk the past two weeks and had “extra” so I figured I’d give it a go.  I have high hopes.  1gal milk heated to 200F + 1/3c lemon juice = about 2-3c ricotta.  It’s unsalted right now – I’ll add salt when I use it.  I’m proud that I did it.  Seriously, I made cheese.

If I’m really lucky today the yarn I ordered (more of) will be waiting down in the mailbox for me right now (need to check).  I’m stuck 2/3rds of the way through the first Christmas stocking and ran out.  Ugh. Right when the interesting part was starting (the snowflake).  As soon as I’m done I’ll block it, photo and show you.  I love the colours and I think the pattern is going to look really nice.

Oh, and regarding the last post wherein I was … down.  I did pour my little heart out to Ken and we talked and I felt so.much.better.  That and the next morning he was informed that a) he would be coming home this saturday and 2) his boss (who was there in China) had been telling the VP (who was also there) good things about Ken.  That’s my man!