Rain, Rain, Go Away...

I know we need the rain, but we've been so spoiled over the last two weeks with unseasonably warm and sunny weather. We've been outside everyday and enjoying the beginnings of Spring.

BUT, today it's raining and we are relagated to indoor activities. Here's a snapshot of our day so far:

I'm planning my garden. Here are my seeds! We are renting a plot in the community garden on our street. I can actually taste the tomatoes already! I'll definately be posting more about this project of love.

I am slowly going through about 2 1/2 years of magazines, pulling out articles I can't live without and organizing them.

And, while I was doing my project inbetween dumping out the little holes from the hole puncher and trying to stuff as many in his mouth as he could, and standing up on his own for one of the first times, my little trouble-finder was doing this.
Oh, to find forbidden places. Exciting for my explorer, yet annoying for mom trying to get things done.

(What I didn't write about is the hour I spent on the phone with the insurance company figuring out a claim from when he was born, or the huge glass of ice tea Ericito spilled on my clean floors!)

Earth Day

Yesterday, as you know, was Earth Day. I didn't remember until about 1/2 way through the day. It was at that point I realized, unknowingly, I was celebrating in my own way.



First, I was wearing a skirt I recently made and carrying a purse (with a little diaper carrier inside) I made. The purse and diaper carrier were even made from recycled material.



Secondly, I was out shopping at my favorite produce market which carries a lot of local produce, and at Whole Foods (which has stopped using plastic bags). At each place I carried my own shopping bags, although I had to use the plastic produce bags to collect my fruits and veggies.



And third, my child was wearing cloth diapers all day and ate baby food I made (mostly, I did feed him a couple of jars of food).



I'm not trying to toot my own horn. I am just amazed at how much my life has changed in the last few years, and most dramatically in the last year. A year ago none of the above things would have registered with me as little ways I can do my part to live greener and help preserve what we have (or have left).



I am thoughtful of these "little" changes as we plan for our upcoming move to the Domincan Republic. Changes like recycling much of our garbage, using cloth diapers, using reusable shopping bags (and almost begging the person bagging my groceries not to use any plastic bags, even for eggs or bread), making some of my clothes (still working on that one as the skirt is my first in a long time), not turning on a light in a room that already has natural light I can use, walking instead of using the car, buying local or organic as much as possible, etc... Very few, if any, of these things are practiced or even popular in the DR. I wonder if I will be frustrated at how behind they are in the campaign to save our planet, or if I will be inspired to try in my own little way to make a change for the better among my new community of family and friends.

Here's my new skirt and bag. I owe a HUGE thanks to my creative friends out there who have inspired me toward this new creative trend!

Sunshine, Family and Baseball

We spent Sunday in Providence with Eric's family. It was refreshing to be with his family, share a Domincan meal and play a little family baseball! Here are some pics:

Family picture

Riding high with Papi Orlando.

Little E with Auntie Alyson

Grandma Belkis

Swinging with Uncle Gabriel.

"Can I have some of that Tio Orlandito?"

Watching Papa play baseball.

From Scratch Baby

I have picked back up working on my other blog "From Scratch Baby". It's a blog about feeding your babies/toddlers that I hope will become more of a discussion than straight info from me. I am by no means an expert on baby feeding, but when I was looking for information to help me figure things like how to make baby food, or figure out a feeding schedule, quantities of food, types of food and such I had a hard time locating anything that made sense to me. If you know someone who might benefit from joining this kind of a discussion I would appreciate you passing the blogsite along to them.

Thanks.

Blanket for Baby Elisabeth

As promised...here is the finished product. The baby blanket crocheted with love and lots of granny squares for baby Elisabeth who will be making her debut into the world in July.

And, here are her proud parents, John and Laura, at the shower we hosted for them on Sunday.

It's time for Ice Cream!

Well, for those of you who aren't really that interested in life in Boston, I am sorry that this is the 2nd post in a row about Boston. You'll just have to try to bear with me. You see, my city sleeps through the winter months and comes awake with Spring (which is slowly making it's appearance around here). There are a few yearly happenings that act as an alarm clock to those of us who don't venture out much when the weather is too cold during winter.

The first is mentioned in my last post...Red Sox opening day.

Next is the sweet, although synthesized sound of childhood songs blaring from none other than....the Ice Cream Truck! That's right, the ice cream trucks are out and that means it's time to put on flip flops and get ready, because warmer weather is around the corner. (A side note...the sight of people in flip flops while the thermometer is still reading lower 50's for the high is not unusual around here.)

It's kind of hard to understand the magic and mystery (I'll get to that in a minute) of the Ice Cream Truck unless you've experienced it. At the beginning of the season it's a welcome sound, signaling happy thoughts about childhood and imagining children running toward it with dollar bills in hand. I think ice cream has gone up since my day, but I am pretty sure you can still buy a Drumstick or Fudgesicle. Now, toward the end of summer when you've heard, "She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain" accompanied by a psychodelic synthesized child laugh and clapping for the 1,000th time it can drive you batty! But, for now it's a welcome reminder of things to come.

Now about the mystery. My former roommates and I have an idea that the Ice Cream Truck sells more than ice cream, if you know what I mean. I mean, when it's 11:30 at night and the ice cream truck is circling the neighborhood you kind of start to wonder what else they are selling alongside Nutty Bars. More than once I have witnessed the Truck speeding by our house late into the night blaring it's music and from looking at the guy behind the wheel I seriously doubt he is delivering ice cream sandwiches to a children's party down the street. You can use your imagination to think of what else they might want to sell on our urban streets at midnight.

So, today as I was sitting at my dining room table in the quiet of the afternoon (Ericito was asleep) the familiar sound of "It's a Small World" put a smile on my face. Ah...the Ice Cream Truck.

Opening Day at Fenway!

Yesterday I got the thrill of a lifetime. My friend, Stacey, invited me to be her guest for Red Sox Opening Day! Not only was it the first home game of the season, but it was preceded by a special ceremony celebrating the Red Sox 2007 World Series victory.

My love of the Red Sox began shortly after I moved to Boston in May 2000 thanks to my friend, Allyson. She invited me to a summer game against the Royals. It was there in the grandstand behind the third base line that my Red Sox education began. I would share the picture of us outside Fenway, but it was taken before I had a digital camera.

It's hard to explain if you don't live here, but it's virtually impossible to live in Boston and not be a fan of the Sox. It's more than a sports thing, it's a cultural thing here. Fenway Park is smack dab in the middle of the city. So, to live in Boston is to be neighbors with the Sox.

I can't say that I am true child of the Red Sox Nation. I didn't inherit season tickets from a relative, or grow up watching them "break my heart" for all the times they came close to winning a penant in my lifetime. But, I have watched the team as they have won AND lost over the past eight seasons. And, this year I got to go to Opening Day!

Thanks Estacey!

AND, thanks to my husband for taking the day off and watching our son. "Why didn't he want to go?" you ask. Well, he is a fan of "another" team that I won't mention here!

Here is a video of a Fenway 8th inning tradition:

...

It's coming, my friends...

I was out walking a few times this week and look what I saw...

...and, Eric at the park.

My "Granny" would be proud

I am up to my eyeballs in Granny Squares, but I can't share the full picture of the project just yet. They are both theraputic and addictive, as I can't hardly make myself stop once I get started. My sweet grandmother "Grosmama" taught me how to crochet, among many other things for which I am eternally grateful. Because of Grosmama I know how to make a pie crust, buttermilk biscuits, can apricots and pickles, sew, hem, embroider, and love God.

I'll share the finished project soon...

My Secret Life as a Celebrity Chef

If you are one of my close friends you know I am crazy for the Food Network. It's my default channel on TV. You know, whenever you turn on TV you always check to see what's on your default. And, if you can't find anything else to watch you turn to your default. I love watching my friends Giada, Paula, Ina, Ellie, Robin and Tyler whip up something "easy" for dinner. They make it look so easy. I secretly dream that I have my own cooking show and I am chopping up vegetables with ease or pureeing some yummy sauce or marinade in the food processor.

(Not that I need to add this, but I am not a fan of Racheal, Sandra or Emeril.)

A lot of people I know don't like Giada because she has huge cleavage and is tiny. How can a person that tiny eat what she cooks? Well, I'll tell you that she has some of the best recipes. I think we (me and Giada) have the same style of cooking. Maybe I could show her a few of my tricks in the kitchen one day when we are hanging out.

Ok, enough of my secret obsession with the Food Network.

I made this yummy baked penne the other night. It was so good that I had to share the recipe. It has two cheeses in it, smoked mozarella and fontina. The smoked mozzarella gave the dish a lot of depth, so you don't even miss that it doesn't have any meat in it. Of course it's a Giada recipe!

If you are inspired enough to make it I know you will enjoy it as much as we did!

My Little Tornado

How is it that my kitchen can go from this:

to this:

in less than 10 minutes?