Decisions

I am guessing that I am right on par with my goals as most resolutioners right now given the state of the parking lot at the health club. It's still packed. And for me? January has been amazingly productive.

I don't mean to harp on it, but I think I got more done around my house this month than I did the entire last six months. Master closet cleaned, linen closet cleaned, deep freeze cleaned out and organized, the boxes in the Master bedroom emptied (not saying much has a place yet...) and as of today, Leif's closet has been cleaned out and organized. Phew.

And I still have another weekend left! Though I may suggest we take a break and go do something fun, like ski, or take the kids bowling, or something.

I have been giving thought to what I want to tackle in February and I have narrowed it down to two things. AB wants me to pick the least expensive, preferable no expense option since we are trying to save money for any number of things (mini vacation for our 10th anniversary, travel trailer, new TV...).

I am leaning towards fixing up our wine closet. I had picked out some inexpensive storage options totaling about $200. Then today I went to get baking decorations out of the spice cabinet and waffled when little glass jars came tumbling. Maybe I want the pull outs.

Pull outs, or wine storage? Pull outs or wine storage?

Have I mentioned that I suck at making decisions? And AB is NO help at all because he immediatly says, "they both cost money!"

I went in to count wine bottles and immediately arrived at the fact that the inexpensive storage options I had initially targeted may not work since we are within a case of that capacity.

I suppose we just need to work harder at drinking our wine!

Weekend wrap up

This weekend flew by. AB poured Pinot Noir on Friday and Saturday and enjoyed that.

I took Leif to swimming and wrestled with Skadi while we watched. Just did not want to sit still. I think we will put her back in swimming starting next session. She loves the water and is just getting to that point where she recognizes the pool and really wants to be in it.

We came home and Leif had quiet time in his tent in the dining room. He has been begging for a week now to "go camping" and talks about building fires, sleeping in the tent with the dog and mommy and daddy, gathering firewood and saving C from any monsters that might invade the campground.

I told Leif he had to be quiet in his tent for quiet time, otherwise it was off to his bed for quiet time. He took me seriously. He was quiet and layed still in there for about 45 minutes, relaxing. No nap, but lately we are at about 50-50 with naps.

We headed out for a playdate with sibling friends where it dawned on Skadi that L was doing something she doesn't do. (L is two months older.)

Walking.

SO since that playdate Skadi has been striving to stand on her own.

Without holding on.

Just the other day I was saying Skadi was a long ways from walking. I am taking that back. I think she will take her first unassisted steps in the next 2-3 weeks.

We all got home and AB and I looked at each other and about the same time asked, "where are we ordering food?" PF Changs it was.

After the kids went to bed, AB and I finished "3:10 to Yuma", which wasn't half bad. AB enjoyed it "allright" for a Western. And since I never care for Westerns I really liked it comparatively. I am sure that had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with Russell Crowe and Christian Bale. Nope, not one bit...

This morning we ate Swedies (crepes). Skadi actually ate more than Leif did... she loves her daddy's crepes. Then we hung around the house doing chores and such for the most part. AB made a quick trip to the grocery store and then to retrieve Sonic limeades, but that was about it - other than our morning walk.

I tackled the scary closet and have hit the motherlode with respect to garage sale fodder. And trash.

I pulled out my wedding dress and AB told me to put it on. I argued, but finally gave in. I couldn't zip it all the way (after 8 years), but I got it on. Leif looked at me and said, "you look like a butterfly! No an angel, you look like and angel mommy." Awww!

I made my way through about 1/3 of the closet while AB hung the Ikea animal hanger and herded the cats. I mean kids.

The closet still needs some serious attention, but it is started. I will admit that a few times I found myself just standing there looking, not sure what to tackle next.

At one point I pulled out a pair of leggings from my high school gymnastics team. AB laughed at them and said, "what did you wear those when you were 8?" He joked they might fit Skadi now.

Nope, I told him, I used to wear these when I was 16. Oh those were the days when I, like every other teenaged girl, complained about being fat at 104 lbs.

I threw the leggings away.

They only served to remind me of "those days". And well, I will never weigh 104 again, nor do I want to. I don't need the momento leggings from team.

Fish tacos and pinot noir for dinner. (Not the best match in the world.)

And that does it for our weekend. How was yours?

My favorite things

Taking a cue from Jo (who needs to finish her list still - ahem!)... who took her cue from Oprah... these are 20 of my favorite things in no particular order:


1. Citrus Spice Herbal Tea


2. Thanks to my MIL for this addiction, Enstrom's English Toffee


3. Classic Coach purses


4. My great grandmother's sugar cookie recipe


5. Fleece pajama pants


6. Professional pictures of my kids


7. Sunset magazine


8. Washington Red blends - Fidelitas Optu, Canon de Sol, DeLille's D2 and even though I have only had it once Col Solare rocked my world.


9. My mom's pies.


10. Comfort foods, hamhock and bean soup, chili, Homemade chicken/turkey pot pies and V's Tortierre.


11. My bookshelf that AB built me for Valentine's Day 2003. (Laughing at how sparse it looks... oh the days.)



12. My gold and platinum diamond solitaire engagement ring.


13. Aveda Rosemary Mint Shampoo and Conditioner... so I can smell like a baby lamb... roasting (according to AB).


14. Books, my favorites - The Time Traveler's Wife, The Life of Pi, books by Jon Krakauer (Into the Wild, Into Thin Air, Under the Banner of Heaven)...


15. Volkl skis... should I ever move beyond demoing again someday.


16. Origins Ginger Float bath creme


17. My collection of unique wine stoppers... especially my Medusa, kind of like this one, but mine is frosted clear, it is better (and apparently now rare!).


18. Dankso shoes


19. Satsuma mandarins


20. Blue Moon Belgian White Ale

I need to go back to work tomorrow...

In order to recover from my crazy busy weekend. Hate boring "this is what I did" posts? Feel free to skip this.

I am not sure when we got so busy. Don't get me wrong, it's all with good things, but my head starts spinning keeping our weekend plans straight.

The weekend even started a few hours early for me when Skadi was sent home with a full body rash, a low grade fever and crankiness. (She had immunizations on Tuesday, I am sure it was her system responding.) Thankfully for me, we got home and she slept the entire afternoon enabling me to knock out a few hundred mints for our friend's shower.

I remember now why my mom used to have "mint making parties" when I grew up. They are tastey, but it is a lengthy undertaking. I really enjoyed doing it actually as I sat there and watched bad afternoon TV knowing I really had nowhere else I needed (or should) go. We ordered Mexican in and had a good evening after kids went to bed watching Burn Notice. AB told me, though I proclaim his statement sacreligious, that Burn Notice is his new favorite and might even trump Big Love. I warned him that was grounds for divorce.

Saturday we got up and went to swimming where Leif and C splashed us and amazed us with their newfound abilities. Ok, truth be told, C amazed us with her new found abilities from her trip to see grandma and grandpa where she spent countless hours perfecting the butterfly. We ran to Target and some other errands then home for naptimes. And I am just going to note here that life is so nice with the kids currently napping at the same time in the afternoon.

After nap Leif had a playdate with one of his friend's from school. We stand at a new precipice... J was dropped off for his playdate with Leif. We have had a few playdates with him to the point, and I had told his mom that since she was packing and trying to get ready for their trip to Germany, that J was welcome to come over and give her a break. He did and I was shocked. Shocked at how well Leif and J played together. I never heard fighting over toys. Just two silly boys that started playing outside, moved inside and put sunglasses on their bellies and hunted for monsters in the house, and then cooked palotino and cinnabeannies with Leif's pots and pans. (Got me... here I was expecting to find out at pick up it was some German specialty that I needed a recipe for. Nope, his Dad was as perplexed as I was.)

So the play date without the other parent? Refreshing. I didn't need to clean my house... well just a little so that J's dad didn't think he was leaving his child in a death trap. (I was a touch worried when Leif came walking by with AB's lighter from the BBQ... no he can't light it, but I did shoot a glare at AB along the lines of "we have talked about putting those things up!") But while J was there, Leif was occupied playing and I fixed dinner while AB worked in the yard. I didn't have to hear once, "I want to watch a movie, no Curious George, no Clifford, no Baby Einsteins, no Curious George..."

AB and I fixed steaks for dinner and then settled down to watch Miss Potter (that AB picked out!) afterwards. I made it through about 1/3 before I was exhausted and snoozing.

Sunday we had a quiet morning. We headed out for a walk, a long one and Leif rode his tricycle quite vigorously. AB, who balked a few months ago that a 3yo on a tricycle needed a helmet has now changed his mind. Leif is a madman on his trike. Oh and that steer bar for the parents? So not coming off anytime soon... we need to maintain some control. I didn't know little legs could move so fast!

Much to Leif's excitement naptime came and went. All weekend he had been looking forward to going to C's house. We told him that he was going after nap on Sunday, so all Sunday morning he kept asking if he could go take a nap now? While it was tempting to call his bluff and take him up on it, I really wanted to maintain the schedule. He woke up a happy boy and was ready straight away to head out to the Open House Shower for our friends hosted by V.

I told V this on Friday... I don't know how she does it. If it is energy level, I want some. If it is not needing sleep, teach me how. The spread she put together was thoroughly amazing. It was a dessert and champagne (or other sparkley drinks) co-ed shower. It was gorgeous. And V really topped herself in putting so many fabulous desserts on the table that ALL exceeded any normal expectations for dessert. The shower was for our friends who are adopting a 3.5 year old from India and will soon be venturing over to get her. I can't wait to meet her.

We headed out from the shower and straight over to another couple's house for dinner. We talk to them a lot at the kid's school, and I have e-mailed with them both on occasion, but we have never gotten together. Once again, Leif and A played fabulously. (Three playdates, one weekend.) And they went all out in a totally unnecessary manner. They had a gift for Leif and a cake with candles for the boys to blow out. We had been working on getting over the whole "it's my birthday" thing... oh well! They cooked some fabulous salmon with a mushroom salsa, corn and a salad.

And once they found out that we enjoy wine? Well they opened two really stellar bottles (Owen Roe Merlot and a syrah I didn't see on the website). We found out we have friends in common, we share the same really wonderful ob/gyn. AB always comments that he could see us being good friends with my ob/gyn and I always tell him I am not sure I want to be good friends with the guy who checks me out down there. Well apparently that isn't a problem for J! They are really good friends with them, in fact, good enough that the good doc is willing to go to the other hospital to deliver their children since it is closer to their house.

As we left, the boys hugged AND kissed - which was WAY too cute seeing the little boys lip kiss. We left dinner as though we had left a first date. Did they have as good of a time as we did? Was it weird when I said this? I wonder if they had fun? And trying to figure out when we can have them over so that we can foster the friendship, and not be "those" people who never reciprocate.

Now? It is quiet in my house as everyone else sleeps. No wonder, it is late. And I am still looking forward to work tomorrow so I can relax a little. (And finish those last four proposals that need to be reviewed...)

Attack of the asparagus puree

Last night I left the kids with AB and headed out to a wine seminar. A few wine seminars this summer was part of my Mother's Day present. The first two I did "by myself" and tomorrow's, AB and I are attending together and will meet up with a few friends there.


The first one was wine basics essentially. I had a great time getting out with four of our friends to sip wine and listen to a lecture about qualities of wine. There were a few new things I learned at that seminar, but the highlight was hanging with friends and reveling in the fact that AB was home with BOTH kids! (Giggle, giggle...)


Tomorrow's seminar is on pairing BBQ and wine with lunch served (tip off last night that we are having grilled leg of lamb and syrah). We are looking forward to skipping out on naptime and therefore tormenting the babysitter... I mean we are looking forward to good wine, food and company.


Last night's seminar was on sensory evaluation and palate training. What I found really fun last night was that we had a series of "tastes". There was a "base" and then A, B, C, and D. Later we found out that the base was the plain wine and each lettered cup was the base wine with added flavors. For example, on the white side we tasted the base, then A was added sucrose, B was added citric acid, and C was added lemon and orange extracts.


On the "red" side we had the base, then A was added alcohol, B was tannic acid, C was sulfates and D... well I couldn't actually get it to my mouth to taste it, but it was added pureed canned asparagus for bitter. Thanks for turning me off asparagus for oh... maybe the rest of the summer. Truly, it was the floaties that turned me off first, then once I muscled past the floaties, I got a whiff. I could not bring myself to taste it.


Competitor in Fear Factor I am obviously not.


We discussed what we smelled and experienced with each of these wines. At each question of "what did you smell?", except for the asparagus experience, I wanted to raise my hand and say that I smelled the old lady's perfume next to me. I have an overly sensitive nose to aromas. When I was in senior level chemistry class I used to have to be excused daily to go vomit because of the girl's perfume who sat next to me. I was not bulimic as my teacher probably started wondering. Finally I told my mom and she called the school... Jen was moved the next day and after a rough start I actually went on to enjoy and major in chemistry.


I should have gotten up and moved when she sat down... pretended that I knew someone in another row or something. Which brings up another point... I had fun at the class, but truly it is more fun attending with friends. I could hardly turn towards the old lady next to me out of fear of her overwhelming perfume, and on the other side of me was a couple who chatted between them. I tend to have a hard time just picking up conversation with people I don't know, though I am getting better. I actually do enjoy traveling by myself and I never mind going to a restaurant by myself while on travel. So I had no issues with attending by myself as many other people were doing as well. But the fun factor would have gone up had I had someone to chit chat with.


Oh well... they are all off galavanting around on travel and vacations... lucky dogs. They have no idea what they missed with that lovely asparagus puree on top of cheap rose!

For my wine loving friends

Something has happened to my palate. It has been replaced with one more refined. I blame our friends.

Years ago when we went wine tasting there wasn't a wine I didn't at least like. Most anything tasted just fine to me and a large percentage of those tasted great.

The Friday before I returned from maternity leave, AB and I took off with Skadi and left Leif in daycare and went to a few new wineries in the area, something we don't do regularly because we don't have the time and it isn't an ideal outting for a 3 year old. I was disappointed by the fact that not only were there wines I didn't like, but a huge number I would call mediocre and only a small number that I really liked. My palate now has a Gaussian distribution.

AB picked up a California Central Coast Chardonney the other day for something different. We chilled it, opened it and I nearly spit it all over the counter.

"There's something wrong with this," I told AB.

He swirled it, sniffed and immediately announced it was cork taint without any hesitation.

Given that some huge percentage (relatively that is) of wines are corked, I counted myself lucky to have not had a corked wine before. (Joking!) On a serious note, I am sure I had corked wine before, but never picked it up.

I left the glass sitting there the rest of the evening. I kept smelling it. How could that whole bottle be trash? It just can't be bad. Can it? Even after my husband told me 14 times it was the bottle, I still questioned my palate. It must be me... maybe chard just wasn't what was going to agree with me tonight.

Confidence... my palate may have changed in the last few years since moving here to the land of wine and water. But it will take awhile before my palate has confidence.