Girl stuff

{Malayna, the twins and mom-mom}

This past Saturday, me, my mom and Malayna went to "Doll's Day Out" at the Mercer Museum in Doylestown. As you probably know, my girl loves her baby dolls. She's a tad bit obsessed. So when I heard about this event, which included a tea party and doll fashion show {yes, you read that correctly}, I thought Malayna would love it. And she did, for the most part. When I signed up, however, I conveniently didn't think about the fact that I would have to go, too. Blech.

We sat at a big table with two other moms and their daughters, and were served cookies, little cupcakes and tea, lemonade and water. It was cute. But then the "fashion show" started. Little girls from the audience paraded around with dolls from the Museum's collection. That was also cute. There was a woman at the front of the room with a microphone, talking about each doll as it was brought around. She told a little of the history of each doll, but mostly talked about what it was wearing and how it looked. {I guess I should've expected that, since it was called a fashion show.}

When the show was over, we went downstairs - where there were vendors selling all kinds of doll clothing. It just felt wrong and not what I want to teach my daughter - to be concerned with how she looks {fashion show} and then go shopping. I know, I know - I'm the one who signed up for the event, but I stupidly thought it wouldn't be so bad. But I knew that she would enjoy it. The good part about it was that all the vendors' goods were handmade.

Where do you draw the line? You know, that line between what you personally can't stand and what you know your child will love? It's a little more than that, though. Based on my previous posts, you probably know that I don't want her to limited by society's version of what a girl should be. I want her to be more than a little fashion plate and consumer.

There was one booth there that had matching dresses for girls and their dolls. {Yuck. I honestly cringe just thinking about it.} Malayna saw the booth and made a beeline for it. She quickly picked out a blue dress for herself and then a matching blue dress for her doll. Then she realized that she had to go potty. So she took the dresses over to the woman running the booth, handed them to her, and said, "Can you hold on to these for me? I have to go potty." The woman said yes and Malayna responded with, "Don't put them back. Hold on to them because I want to buy them when I'm finished going potty." Hmm. My little shrinking violet.

Of course she wanted to wear her dress as soon as mom-mom bought it. She then asked me to put it on her doll. But not her girl doll. Her boy doll! She and her doll Sean have matching dresses. I don't mind the matching dresses so much now.

{Malayna and Sean in matching dresses}

Inside 264

Well, actually, it's inside 10907 {my parents' house}. Some of these are from my birthday dinner on Sunday, and some are from Malayna's day with mom-mom and pop-pop.

{reading about sharks with daddy}

{yummy birthday cake}

{serious girl}

{doing homework with cousin Sean}

Remembering my mom-mom

{On the boardwalk, year unknown}

My grandparents lived on the same block as me in Kensington. I grew up with my mom-mom just steps away, and took advantage of this fact often. There were many, many sleep-overs, days spent making cookies, craft days, and just hanging out with my favorite person days.

Kay Kelley was everything a mom-mom should be: kind, creative, soft and cuddly, always ready for a cuddle. I could do nothing wrong in her eyes {isn't that what grandparents are for?}. I remember getting big boxes of art supplies from her for Christmas and birthdays. In my mind, she is the reason I pursued art as a career.

Mom-mom passed away 24 years ago today. I was 14 years old. She had leukemia for years, and was even in remission for a while. I still can't believe she's been gone longer than I knew her. She had a huge impact on my life, and I can't help but think of her when I see little girls and their grandmoms. Malayna is lucky that she has a mom-mom like I had.

I wrote this poem about her in a creative writing class I took in college.

Mom-Mom

The photograph is from the Christmas
before she got sick.
She looks so happy, so healthy.
I am beside her, her first grandchild,
hugging her hips,
a small brown-haired girl of about seven.
Her tanned freckled arms
is around my small shoulders,
pulling me close to her.

She would dance
around the room
holding me in her arms.
We would sing together,
not caring who heard,
loving each other's company.

We would go shopping together
to the junk store
to buy styrofoam balls
and glitter and sequins.
To Woolworth's
for hot dogs with ketchup
and chocolate cokes.
We would color in books
full of princesses and fantasy lands.

I can still feel the warmth
of her arms around me,
rocking me to sleep
my head resting on her breast.
She would sing softly,
"hold me, hold me
never let me go
because I love you, love you."

I would draw her pictures,
of rainbows and sunshine
and she would hang them
in her kitchen
to brighten her long, sick days.

For fourteen years
she was my best friend, my life.
I still think of her everyday,
and sometimes I even talk to her
knowing, somehow that she can hear me.

Weekend recap

{drawing by Malayna}

I had a very good birthday weekend. On Saturday morning I was served breakfast in bed by Malayna and Jimmy - yummy pancakes {that they made together} with some OJ and coffee. Malayna was anxious for me to finish so I could come downstairs and open my gifts. A few of the things I received were KD Lang's new CD and a bag of mini York Peppermint Patties.

I was even able to work in my studio while Jimmy and Malayna cleaned the bathroom together. Malayna was in the bathtub with a sponge and a bucket full of soapy water while Jimmy cleaned the rest of the room. It gave me over an hour to actually get work done! On Saturday night we went out to dinner with Wendy, Daniel and Aidan. Luckily the table was covered with paper and the kids were able to draw while we waited. They gave me a bag of gifts, one of which I drooled over when we got home Saturday night.

{drool-worthy cookbook}

Malayna has been showing a preference for her daddy lately. In fact, at the restaurant Saturday night she told me, "I'm not going to listen to you. I'm only going to listen to daddy." She then crossed her arms over her chest, huffed and turned her back to me. I'm not sure what to do about this new development. This is the face I often get:

{Malayna and Aidan at the restaurant}

Yesterday she said to me, "This house is boring without daddy." Um, okay. She goes to the front window every day around 4:30 and waits for Jimmy to come home. She'll say, "I miss my daddy" while making the saddest face she can muster. I imagine she's right on time, development-wise. However, I'm still the preferred parent when she gets hurt, is sick, or needs to be cuddled. For those of you with four-year-old girls: Does your daughter prefer her daddy?

{She still has some cuddles left for mommy.
Especially when ice cream is involved.}

{PS: Any Nazareth alums reading this? Our 20-year reunion is coming up on June 6 and I need your email addresses! Kim, are you out there? Email me at milkshakecrafts @ comcast.net. By the way, we're old. When did that happen?!}

Inside 264 {short version}

It's snowing here today! We already have about 3 inches at 8:30 am and there's more to come. Later we're supposed to get freezing rain and a "wintry mix". Blah! Have I mentioned how much I love summer?! But Luco loves the snow.

{Is this my good side?}

{Making chocolate chip cookies yesterday.
Tasting the batter is the BEST part!}

{Tomorrow is my birthday, so my mom brought my present over today.
I got a gift certificate for Viv Pickle and a Bamboo tablet! Yay!}

By the way, I did get up to the studio yesterday. Malayna came up, too, and I actually got some work done while she played in her playroom. Now with the Bamboo tablet, I really feel my creativity coming back!

Have a good weekend!

{PS: I just got a call from my boss telling me I don't need to come in today. Yay!}

In need of inspiration

Oops! I didn't mean to take a blogging break. I guess there's not much going on over here. I'm still trying to find a balance between working part-time, being a mom, creating milkshake crafts products and doing freelance graphic design. I have a show coming up on March 15, so I need to get my butt in gear.

The other day I went up to my studio while Malayna was resting with the intention of working on something. Guess what I did? Sat there staring at my desk. I did nothing. I'm hoping to get up there again today, so maybe I should come up with a plan beforehand. I'm at the point again where I have so many ideas that I don't know which to work on first. I need a little push to get started.

If I'm feeling uninspired, some of the things that get my creativity flowing are: looking through magazines, browsing the internet, visiting a thrift shop, going to a craft show or gallery.

What do you do when you need inspiration? Help!

I've been tagged

I've been tagged by Jan of Daisy Janie to post seven things about myself. Here goes!

1. My husband {Jimmy} and I have known each other for almost 20 years. We met in 1988 - senior year of high school. We went to the prom together, dated through college and were married seven years after we met.

2. I have one younger brother {David} and an aunt {Michele} who is 5 years older than me. Michele lived with us from the time she was 13, and she and I shared a very tiny bedroom. I wasn't very nice to Michele in my teen years, and even though I've apologized to her for that, I still feel guilty. {Sorry, Michele! Don't worry, though, I think karma is working in the form of my daughter.}

3. I spent 8 years of my life in same-sex schools. My high school {Nazareth Academy} is all female, as well as my college - Moore College of Art and Design. I'm grateful for both experiences - I was able to concentrate on learning instead of worrying about boys. My college, especially, was extremely supportive and such a different experience from my private, Catholic high school. {I will not send my daughter to a Catholic school.}

4. Jimmy and I spent 5 years raising someone else's children.

5. I was born and raised in a row home in Kensington. It has a bad reputation, but I had such a sheltered upbringing that it didn't really matter to me. When I was growing up, Kensington was one of those neighborhoods where everyone knew everyone else's business. You couldn't do anything wrong because of of the neighbors would tell your parents. I've got lots of interesting stories about growing up in Kensington.

6. I like bad TV. Shows like Intervention, Cops and Celebrity Rehab are some of my favorites. I think it has to do with being raised in Kensington.

7. My parents have known each other since they were 16 and 18 {right, mom?}. I used to make fun of them for marrying someone they had known since high school. Oops. They were married a few months after my dad returned from Vietnam, and I was born about 10 months later. I was a happy only child until David came along three years later {hee hee!}.

I tag Paula, Linda and KB. Anyone else want to play along?

Love your body

From the National Organization for Women's website:

Happy Valentine's Day! Today is marketed as a day for flowers and candy for those in love. But, whether you are in a relationship or single, everyday is a day that you can love yourself!

See how much you know about how advertising and media affect your perception of body image and self love. Celebrate your body and join the fight against the negative media image! Take our Valentine's Body Image quiz and spread the love by forwarding it on to other women for Valentine's day, and always - love your body!

I was shocked by some of the answers - especially numbers 4 and 8. Fourth-graders are only 10 years old! What are we teaching our girls?!

Click on the image below to take the quiz. I only scored a 60. Come back and tell me what you scored!

Crafting

{ta-da! See how many non-Valentine stickers I can fit on one page?}

Malayna and I spent some time yesterday making Valentines. Well, that's how it started - eventually it turned into seeing how many stickers she could fit on one piece of paper. Letter stickers, St. Patrick's Day stickers, food stickers, and even some Valentine's Day stickers thrown in.

It's probably best not to have a plan when you're crafting with kids, huh? Last year we melted some crayon shavings between two wax paper hearts, and we might do that again tomorrow. Any suggestions for other Valentine's Day crafts?

Soul reading

I had a different {and kind of strange} experience on Saturday. A friend of mine took me to an open house at a holistic chiropractor/wellness center. The place is beautiful and I could see myself going there for some relaxing treatments. My friend goes there often for goddess workshops - something I've never done, but I would be open to trying one.

My friend signed me up for something called a "Soul Symbol Reading". I didn't know she did this, and probably would've said "no thanks" if she would've told me beforehand. Since I was already signed up, I decided to open my mind and go into it with no preconceptions. It was different, weird and a little "woo-woo", but interesting and thought-provoking.

I sat down with the woman who was going to do my soul reading, and she explained a little about what the session entails. We then held hands and closed our eyes while she said a little "prayer" about our session. She asked me if there was an area of my life that I wanted to focus on, and I told her a little about milkshake. I said that I recently took a part-time job and that I'm worried about fitting in my creative time, along with being a mother and wife.

She basically told me that I need to "stop being small" with my art. Ouch. She said I MUST find time to be creative because it's my "being". I need to get rid of my fear and stop stalling and restore my faith in myself. She said, "Follow your bliss (art) and the money will follow."

A lot of what she said really resonated with me. I am being "small" with my art, even though I think often about what I can do to put my work out there more. She talked about being me being afraid of putting my work out there and getting bigger - if I let everyone see my art I'm really letting them see me. And apparently I'm afraid of that.

While I was in the session, I kept my mind open and really thought about what she was saying. But after I got home and had time to think about it, I wondered if she said those kinds of things to other artists. Aren't most artists afraid to put themselves out there? Don't we all kind of hold back a little for fear of being rejected?

Are you a creative person? Are you being small with your art? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!

Inside 264

It's Friday {yay!}, so that means it's time for a peek inside my house. Today's photos are all in the kitchen. Have a great weekend, and "see" you on Monday!

{loading the crockpot for tonight's dinner - recipe below}

{old scale and poster in a corner of the kitchen}

{small collection from the summer}

{reminders}

Crockpot Creamy Chicken and Veggies Recipe {low fat!}

• 4 lb. chicken, cut into serving pieces
• 2 lbs. small red potatoes, cut in half
• 16 oz. pkg. baby carrots
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 14 oz. can low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 1/8 tsp. white pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves

In 3-4 quart slow cooker, place potatoes, carrots and onion. Top with chicken. Pour chicken broth over all. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 8-9 hours until chicken is thoroughly cooked and vegetables are tender.

In small bowl, stir together light sour cream, flour, pepper, and thyme until well blended. Stir into mixture in crockpot and turn heat to high. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. 6 servings

NOTE: This recipe originally cooked for 10-12 hours on low. However, with the newer crockpots which cook hotter, you should start checking the chicken and vegetables for doneness at the 8 hour point.

Enjoy!

A good first day

Yesterday was a good first day at my new job. I didn't get nervous until I got to the shop, and then I thought, "what am I doing?! I haven't worked anywhere besides my home in four years!"

But when I got inside and met everyone I felt better. There were two other people working there plus me, and it was so great to talk to someone other than a four-year-old! Granted, I did talk about Malayna a bit, but she wasn't there beside me, attached to my leg and interrupting my conversation.

I saw so many beautiful things - stationery, little notebooks, invitations... It inspired me and made me want to come home and sketch some new designs. I didn't, though - by the time I got home it was dinnertime {pizza} and Malayna was excited to see me. She had a great time at mom-mom's house {of course!}, and didn't even seem to notice that I wasn't there when she got home. I think Luco was wondering where I was all day, though. He was even more excited than Malayna was when I got home. He stuck his nose in my bag as if to say, "where have you been? Did you see any other dogs?!"

I'm looking forward to going back tomorrow!

First day

Today is my first day of work at my new part-time job. {It feels really strange to write that.} I am stopping at the Woodmere Art Museum after work to drop off some of my new work for their shop. I wrote myself a note on the blackboard in my kitchen that says, "Woodmere after work on Wednesday." Work?! It still looks weird every time I see it.

I also realized something: I have an awful lot of jeans and not a whole lot of work pants. Time to go shopping?

Happy birthday, dad!

{mom, Malayna, Sean, dad, Jack - who doesn't look very happy!}

Today is my dad's 60th birthday. We helped him celebrate on Saturday with breakfast, cupcakes and a delicious birthday cake. I made him a book titled "The Big 60" with messages from lots of friends and family inside. My mom emailed everyone asking them to tell us why they love my dad. Thanks to everyone who responded - the book turned out great and my dad really appreciated it.

Happy birthday, dad!

Transition

I'm looking forward to a big transition this week. Starting on Wednesday I'm going to be working part-time at a stationery store. I've been itching for a change lately - wanting to get out of the house, but still wanting spend time with Malayna and also have time to work on milkshake.

This will be the first time I'll be working somewhere other than home since Malayna's been here.

I'm excited, scared and nervous, with a bit of worry mixed in. Many late nights are probably in my future - considering that these two days were previously spent working on milkshake stuff, like creating, running errands, updating the website. When will I get these things done now? I'm sure I'll be able to fit it all in, but at what expense? I'm hoping that this will force me to be more organized. Since I'll have limited time to actually create products, I'm working on making the process more streamlined.

Not a lot will change for Malayna. She'll still be spending two days with mom-mom and pop-pop, but when she comes home in the evening I won't be here (as I have in the past). I don't think I'll tell her right away that I have a job, since her concept of working includes daddy being gone all day. I'll tell her I have some meetings - which I've told her before and she's been okay with. Eventually, when she's used to coming home to me not being here, I'll let her know that it's because I'm working. Honestly, I would prefer that she knows about my job ahead of time, but she's not the kind of kid who would take it well. Who knows - maybe that will change as she gets older.

Any tips on how to balance everything?

Inside 264

Each Friday I'm going to post photos of random things in my house. {Once the weather gets warmer I'll add outside photos. Come on, spring!}

{paper scraps in the studio}

{paintings by Artie at age 8}

{plants in the kitchen window -
it's dark and rainy today!}

{"boxes" made in college ceramics class}

Have a great weekend!

Custom wall squares

{custom wall squares}

These wall squares were created for a customer who purchased a clock over the summer. She and her husband attended the Harvest Day craft show in Yardley, PA, where I had a booth for the first time. The clock they have is the one on the upper right, below, and they wanted wall squares to match. {The colors are a little off in the photo below, but they do match!}

{clock display at the Yardley Harvest Fest}

I'm not sure why, but I had not thought of matching wall squares to the clocks before. Seems pretty obvious, though, doesn't it?

Three-cheese veggie quesadillas

My friend Kerry sent me a bunch of vegetarian recipes a few months ago. {Thanks, Kerry! Have any more?} Here's one of my favorites - it's delicious!

Three Cheese Quesadillas

{Serves 4}
1/2 c. grated part-skim mozzarella
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese
2 t. crumbled blue cheese
1 t. olive oil
2 medium tomatoes, diced
6 scallions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. dried oregano
3 T. chopped cilantro
4 large flour tortillas

* Combine cheeses in a bow and set aside.
* Heat oil in nonstick pan over medium heat. Add tomatoes, scallions, garlic and oregano. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in cilantro.
* Remove veggies from pan and set aside.
* Add one tortilla to pan. Top 1/2 tortilla with 2 T. of the cheese and veggie mixture.
* Fold over top of tortilla and cook one minute per side, until cheese melts.
* Remove from pan and cover with foil to keep warm until cooking others.
* Cut tortilla into 3 wedges and serve warm.

Malayna and I went to Trader Joe's yesterday afternoon to pick up the above ingredients so we could have this for dinner last night. As we were checking out, Malayna decided to announce to the cashier {and anyone else who would listen}: "Someone has a baby in her belly! She does - my mommy!" The cashier looks at me and says, "Oh! Do you?" I probably replied a little too loudly that NO! I don't have a baby in my belly. She said, "Wishful thinking, huh?"

In a previous post, k had mentioned that her daughter - who is also 4 - has been talking about babies a lot lately, too. I may have to break it to Malayna soon that she's our one and only!

Anyone else have a little one with baby lust?

Happy birthday, Luco

{Happy birthday, Luco!
Sorry you can't have any of this yummy cheesecake.}

Our big, sweet Luco turned 12 on Saturday. We had a little party for him {yes, we're corny} and invited Aidan, Wendy and Daniel. Really it was an excuse to have them over for dinner, dessert and grown-up talk while the kids ran around, argued, and had messy tea parties. We had sandwiches and cheesecake and Luco had Frosty Paws.

{opening present - 12 tennis balls}

Jimmy and I got Luco one year after we were married. He was the center of attention for a long time, and I think he's still wondering who the heck Malayna is and when she's going back. He was never a very active dog - always content to lie around and chew a bone or two. Even though he's 90+ pounds, he thinks he's a tiny lap dog - squeezing into spaces way too small for him, getting nose-to-nose with whoever is sitting on the floor and jumping into Malayna's baby pool in the summer.

If you happen to come over and pet him, don't expect to stop until you leave. He'll follow you around and tap you with his paw to remind you that he's there. When I was pregnant, he was my protector. He always seemed to be underfoot and the minute I would sit on the couch, he would jump up next to me and lay his head on my lap. It was nearly impossible for me to take him for a walk - the minute another dog would appear he would growl and and go into attack mode {not normal Luco behavior}.

He has slowed down in the past few years. As of a few weeks ago, Jimmy has had to carry him up the stairs at night. Luco will wait for him at the bottom and look up at him like, "could you please help me out?" I try not to think about the inevitable - the day we'll have to say goodbye to him. Especially now. It seems as if Malayna has just discovered that she has a dog living with her. She pats his head and calls him "my sweetie Luco, my sweet boy." She lies next to him on the floor and talks quietly to him. One part of me wishes that she wouldn't like him so much - it'll be harder on her when he's not around anymore.

{buddies}

Those of us who are dog lovers know that's not what we think of when we adopt a puppy. We think of the unconditional love they give us. The way they greet us when we come home {happily - every single time}. The way they know when something is wrong and try to make it better with cuddles and nuzzles.

There's nothing like the love of a dog.

{Luco - twelve years ago}

email

I received my first email from Malayna today {she's at mom-mom's and pop-pop's house}.

lhlllllllllllllllllllmallllllayyyyyyyyyyyynnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmooooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
pppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

LLLLLOOOOVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
MMAALLAAYYNNAA

I'm pretty sure it says, "malayna, mom-mom, lisa, jimmy, puppy. LOVE MALAYNA."

3 brothers

I opened Malayna's bedroom door one morning last week and she greeted me with: "Mommy! I'm going to show you the baby brother I want!" She was holding a parenting magazine and quickly turned the pages to one with a dark-haired baby and said, "This is the baby I want for my brother." More page turning.

"This is my second baby brother."

More page turning.

"And this is my third baby brother."

I asked her where they were all going to sleep and she replied, "Pffft. In CRIBS." {I caught a glimpse of her future 13-year-old self.}

"Well, what I meant was - which room will they sleep in?"

"They can sleep in here with me! I will feed them and take care of them. The first baby brother will have a round crib, the second one will have a square crib and the third will have a rectangle crib."

She's got it all figured out.

custom collages

{click on the image to enlarge}

Malayna's little buddy Aidan will soon be four, and Wendy asked me to design his birthday invitations. Aidan loves to sing and play his guitar, so we decided to work that into the design somehow. I created the figure first, with tie-dyed fabric for his shirt and actual denim for his jeans. I then drew the arms, neck and shoes with marker and colored pencils. The guitar and head were printed from my computer and then applied to the collage. I then scanned the figure, opened it in Photoshop, cleaned it up {erasing stray marker and pencil lines} and added the stars, type and background {"happy birthday to me"}. This was a lot of fun to work on. {Thanks, Wendy!}

{poor Luco!}

I got the idea of the collage from last year's Christmas gift for my parents. This one was created entirely off the computer on a canvas which I painted, then used fabric and paper to create a collage. The buttons on their clothing are from my mom-mom's collection {she was a pack-rat just like me!}. See Luco in the corner?

{for Jack's first birthday}

If you'd like to have your own custom collage created, email me at milkshakecrafts @ comcast.net. {Take out the extra spaces.} They make great gifts or a fun addition to a child's room!

lunch and a movie

Yesterday my friend Wendy and I had lunch at our new favorite restaurant - Blue Sage Vegetarian Grille. We had been there once before, and when Wendy said she had taken a day off to get together {with no kids!}, we both knew where we wanted to go. The place is cozy and has the most delicious food. If you're in the Philadelphia area {Blue Sage is in Southampton} I highly recommend having a meal here!

After lunch we saw Juno. Have you seen it? What a great movie! It's funny, smart and the soundtrack was perfect for the movie. One of my favorite scenes is the one in which Juno tells her parents that she's pregnant - especially the part after Juno leaves the room and they talk about what they thought {or were hoping} she was going to say. See this movie!

Do you have any movie recommendations?

On another note, someone requested the recipe for the White Chili I made the other day. Enjoy!

White Chili

2 cans great northern beans, drained
2 lbs. (about 3-4) boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 medium onion, chopped
2 4 oz. cans chopped green chilies
2 t. cumin {I only used one - cumin has a really distinctive taste that I'm not crazy about}
1 t. garlic powder or minced garlic
1 t. oregano
1 t. dried cilantro
14.5 oz can chicken broth
1 c. water {I think next time I'll only use a half cup}

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Brown in oil with garlic. Put everything in slow cooker on high for 5-6 hours. Additional water or chicken broth can be added if needed.

Before serving, add 2-3 T. lime juice.

May be served with:
monterrey jack cheese {this is what I used}
red bell pepper
avocado
fresh cilantro
tomatoes
salsa
tortilla chips
cornbread

new etsy shop!

{custom sketchbooks}

I just opened an Etsy shop today. Check it out!

I'll use that space mostly for products I've made in the past {and had listed on milkshake crafts} that I love to make, but just didn't fit in with my website {and where I want to take my business}. Most of the items I'll be listing are ones that customers have asked about {and ordered} after I've stopped making them. So instead of ditching my great ideas, I've decided to have an Etsy shop. There are only a few items there now, but I'll be listing more over the next few days.

I'd love to know what you think!

crockpot recipes

I made yummy white chili in the crockpot the other day, and I realized that I love crockpots! I can start it in the morning and forget about it all day. I don't have to worry about entertaining Malayna at 5pm {not her best time} while I cook.

Anyone have any good crockpot recipes? Or maybe a crockpot cookbook you can recommend?

parenting, judging and supporting

Over the weekend, the three of us went to Ikea. We were in the elevator with an older woman when Malayna asked if this was the Ikea with the balls. (The Philadelphia Ikea has a little area in the bedroom section where kids can play in a ball pit. This one only had a play area where parents can leave their kids and shop alone.) I told her that this store had an area where she could play, but we couldn't go in with her. When I asked her if she wanted to play there, she raised her eyebrows as high as they could go, gasped loudly and said, "NO!! I don't want to go there without YOU!"

The woman in the elevator with us laughed and said, "My son wouldn't go in by himself, either. By the time he was ready, he was too tall." (Ikea has a height limit in their play area.) "Maybe she'll go in there eventually." I told her I doubted it, and she said something about kids having their own personalities and temperaments. I told Jimmy I wanted that woman's phone number so we could be friends. I could call her when something Malayna does annoys me and she could remind me that it's NOT MY FAULT. That she was born with a temperament that I can't change. I need someone to remind me of that daily.

Do you realize how much pressure we put on ourselves and each other about parenting? When you see a child having a tantrum in public do you blame the parent? Do you secretly judge a parent whose child is whiny and clingy? I know I did - before I had Malayna. I had NO IDEA how little control I'd have. I'm not saying I'm a slacker parent. I don't let her do whatever she wants. I try to remember that she has her own ideas and opinions about things. Just because she's a child doesn't mean she's less of a person. I don't like when kids are bossed around "because I'm the parent and I said so." What is that actually teaching them? How is that helping them grow into respectful, responsible adults?

My job as Malayna's parent is not to force her to be something I want her to be. She's not clay - given to me to mold. She is who she is and as her parent I will help her get along in the world.

daddy saw a bear

Malayna has been drawing faces and bodies for a while now. Usually it's from her imagination - meaning she's not copying something she's seen.

{"daddy when he saw a bear"}

She made this drawing a few weeks ago when we were at a holiday party. While she was drawing she told me that this was "daddy when he saw a bear." I instantly knew what she was talking about. We have a few Todd Parr books, one of them being "This is My Hair." Here's the page she was referring to:

She added a few extras - like daddy's moustache and beard. She was so proud of herself when she finished!

a spring day in January

{swinging without a jacket in January!}

Wow. Yesterday was BEAUTIFUL. It felt like spring in January - my kind of day! Malayna and I were happy to get out of the house and go to the park. It seems like forever since we've been outside playing. I'm not a cold-weather person, and Malayna is perfectly content to be inside on chilly days. Needless to say, we don't brave the cold weather to play outside much.

We have a great park that we can walk to, so I uncovered the jogging stroller {nope, I've never jogged with it, and never will}, packed some apples and water for each of us and off we went. As we walked, I wondered if Malayna will fit in the jogger next year. If not, what will we do? Will that be the end of our park walks together? Say it isn't so!

{Malayna in motion.
You can click on any of the
photos to see them larger.}

I had forgotten how wonderful our walks together are. It's just the two of us, talking about what we see and enjoying the fresh air and open space. When we first entered the park, I took a deep breath and told Malayna how much I loved the smell of the park on a nice day. A little while later, as we got closer to the playground, she said, "Do playgrounds have a smell? I can smell the playground! Let's hurry up and get there so I can swing!"

Surprisingly, most of the park is very quiet {even though it's in the middle of a neighborhood with busy streets}. We could hear the creaking of the trees as they swayed in the wind. Malayna said they sounded like they were talking to us, so I asked her what they were saying. Her response was, "I don't know! I don't speak tree!" Of course. Silly me.

custom work

Over the holiday, I made a few custom pieces - some to give as gifts and some that customers had ordered. I always make my parents something for Christmas, and it's usually created on Christmas Eve. I have to wait for the ideas to come, and luckily this one came before 2am. You can't force creativity!
This "frame" is fairly large - it measures 10x16, has three 4x6 photos, my custom-made paper and a quote about grandparents: "What children need most is what grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies." {Quote by Rudy Guiliani.} There's a picture-hanger on the back so it can be hung on the wall.

Of course it made my mom cry. If you knew my mom, you would know that making her cry isn't very hard to do. It's my goal at Christmas, Mother's Day, and her birthday - make her a gift that sends her running for tissues. She starts before she even opens the present!

I would like to create something like this for milkshake crafts, but the fact that the photos aren't covered with anything bothers me a little. But I'm stuck - I don't know how or with what I'd cover them. A thin piece of plastic? Plexiglass? I think glass would make it too heavy.

What do you think? Any ideas for how I can protect the photos?

just a teeny bit defiant

First, let me say that four is better than three. Anything would be better than three. Three was tough. I know I've said all this before, but I don't want you to forget how Malayna wouldn't leave the house for an entire week last winter (because it SNOWED), how she would yell at strangers when they looked at her, how she refused anything new or different, how she clung to me during all her waking hours...

So her new phase is nothing compared to previous ones. So far. Lately she's been a teeny bit defiant. When it was time for her rest yesterday, she decided she wanted to play with paper dolls. I told her she could play with them when her rest was over, but apparently she didn't like that answer. She told me, "No, I'm going to play with them NOW." And sat down at the dining room table, ready to play. She was so sure of herself and had such confidence in her little voice! Jimmy and I looked at each other in surprise. Where did that come from? Before I could answer her, Jimmy told her that it was time for a rest and that the paper dolls would be there when she came down. She whined a little, but she did go along with it. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to work when I do the same. Is it the deep male voice that makes her comply?

I'm pretty sure this new phase is about control. Along with the defiance, she's also been telling everyone around her what to do. We even have a new nickname for her - Scorsese {as in the director Martin}.

It looks like it's time to break out one of my favorite books - How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk. Have you read it?

Christmas

Click here to see some Christmas photos!

back from a long break

{birthday morning}

Happy new year! I hope you all had a great holiday. We were very, very busy around here - celebrating Malayna's birthday, going on lots of outings, and having a fun Christmas. I'll start with the birthday...

Malayna was very excited this year. The first thing she said when she got up that morning was, "Am I four yet?!" Four has already been so much better than three. Three was tough - lots of insecurities, not wanting to go out, rejecting new experiences (that has only changed slightly), and many days of grumpiness. She's mostly happy these days, gets excited to go out, and has stopped yelling at people who try to talk to her. Yay for four!

{Malayna, mom-mom and the new twins}

Mom-mom and pop-pop, Aunt Michele, Uncle Pat and Sean, Uncle David, Aunt Maria and Jack, Wendy, Daniel and Aidan and grandpop and me-mom all came over that night to celebrate our girl's special day. She was excited to see everyone and received lots of gifts. {Yep, more baby dolls were added to her collection that day.}

{Aidan, the twins and Malayna}

All the kids {and pop-pop} had a good time with the gift from Uncle David, Aunt Maria and Jack. They gave her a toolbox filled with painting supplies - brushes, stencils, paint and sponges. Look how much fun pop-pop had.

{I know I will have to pay dearly for posting this picture. It's worth it.}

{Jack enjoyed the cupcakes...}

{...so did Aidan.}

Happy, happy birthday babycakes. Those four years went by so fast. Can we stop time right now?