Friendship

Over the past month I have been participating in FatMumSlim's photo-a-day challenge. 

Each day we are challenged look at the world and capture it in our own way. The July 30th challenge was particularly inspiring. Friendship. And it came on a day when a few of us moms went out for a "moms night out" event hosted by out local library. It featured two mom bloggers that put together a book of essays written by more moms called I Just Want to Pee Alone. Super fun and hilarious. 

    My photo of the day for friendship. 

Friends are a necessity in my life. And until recently I was lacking. Since I've become a mother I have found so many new and amazing friends. Friends that are going through what I am: Motherhood. That common bond between us is something that connects us and binds us in a time when we need support the most. 

After high school I moved to CA and then to NYC and easily made some amazing friends, friends that I will have the rest of my life and (shoot me for saying this) thanks to Facebook we are easily connected over state lines and can stay in fairly close contact. But when I moved back making friends was harder than I ever imagined. Of course I had my high school friends, but they had all moved on and made their own friends and although we still saw each other that closeness was pretty much gone because of the time that had passed. They had made new friends and I needed to do the same. Lawrence is a fairly small community, but making friends was hard. I was working a job with two middle-aged people so the work outlet was a bust. I wasn't in school and I was out of options. Its not like I'm a leper or anything, I just wasn't in a position to create friendships. There's this weird place that folks get in when they're grown that you meet someone cool and want to hang out with them, but don't know how to start it up. You feel like "hey I know we just met, but I think your cool, and I would like to be friends with you" and its like dating. Do you ask for their number? Heck no! That's weird. These days you find them on Facebook and can start something that way. But up until I had the babe, I was complaining to my hubby about how much I missed my coastal friends and why could't I find people like them in the town I loved the most?!

Enter Charlie...

...over the course of my pregnancy I started meeting new people and we immediately had a common tie to share with one another. We had questions for each other, and wanted to know if we were doing the right things and our insecurities relinquished. Finding friends was so easy! I now have an arsenal of women that I truly love and admire and want to spend quality time with. I must say how good it feels again to have new exciting women to talk to, commiserate with, chat about recipes, and just plain laugh with. Then I figured it out! Its a secret society that's not a secret at all, its more a right of passage: Motherhood. Motherhood brings women together faster than you can say free wine! Its the ultimate club that you belong to once you have bore a child into the world. Okay, it sounds terrible to say. I have friends that I hold extremely dear that don't have children, but I know they will, and even if they don't, that won't change the fact that we have an awesome friendship, its just a different kind. The mommies club is one that is entered because of blood, sweat, and tears.

My life is so much better because of the company I keep. Its an added bonus that when that company has a kid to keep my kid company so my company and I can have a good old time.

Darn tootin'!

PS I would like to note that my mom is my bestest gal and I can't let that go without saying. Love ya mom. 

Oh! To be a crafter...

For the last few months I've been sewing away in preparation for the Strawberry Swing Indie Craft Fair. With the help of many friends and my family who have watched Charlie so I could get it all done. There was so much to do to get ready! Besides sewing, designing new items, and all of the shopping that needed to be done, there is inventory and I did a mock set up so when I got there it would be a nice and smooth set up. 

So the big day arrived, I had already packed up the car the night before (before I painted my nails ;-), got all dolled up, packed a snack and was on my way at 7:30 am. 

Once I got there (waaaay to early) I waited for it all to start! 

The location was The Alexander Majors Barn in Kansas City. 

Once people arrived we all unpacked, went to our spots and set up. I was a bit disappointed we my spot upstairs in the back corner. It was a little squished and it was different from the set up I did at home. I couldn't use an entire side of my display! Well you make do with what you have. So I strung up some string on some hooks that were already in the wall and hung my tea towels there and put the rest in a box on the table to flip through. 

I of course still had an entire side of the shutter to use and hung all of the cloths and bags. I used those adorable strawberry baskets to store extra items. 

Finally I was all set up and felt good about my welcoming little corner :-)

It was a great day, with beautifully cool July weather. I had so many wonderful visitors of friends and family. My favorite visitor of course was little Charlie! 

The day was long, but I spoke to so many wonderful people and even made a friend! My neighbor at the show who makes beautiful stationary. Something really fun about craft shows is trading! So we traded napkins for stationary. So excited to start making lists for my next show. 

At long last the day was done and I packed up got the car, hauled it all out, and loaded the car. 

Drove home thinking about how it all went, what I could do better, more of, less of, new ideas, and of course called my mom. When I got home creaking and croaking I was welcomed by my sweet boys. After a long, yet fun day, home is where I wanted to be.

#photoaday challenge

This is the first photo a day challenge I have taken part in and the opening picture to take: Happiness is...

Well, although I did just one, I realized there are so many pictures I could have taken. 

For instance: Ryan and Charlie playing the piano, the dog chasing a dove, Charlie with a face full of spaghetti, and many more. What an easy yet overwhelming choice to make! My life has always been a happy one (for the most part...no one is perfect), but this time in my life is probably the most fulfillingly (can't believe that isn't a real word, whatever I'm using it anyway) happy. Seeing my baby grow, watching my husband with the baby, and experiencing it altogether. It's magic really. 

Hopefully I can keep up the challenge. For now...back to more happiness.

Good night.

Tuggy

Driving home from Costco on a lovely Saturday afternoon with my family we spotted a dirty old plastic tugboat a block from my house. We had my dad drive around the block again to look, make sure from the gentleman outside it was free and grab that bad boy for little Charlie! He adores boats and all this one needed was a good scrubbing.

So my mom gets out to help and we carry that light, yet awkwardly large plastic tugboat about 20 yards and realize it would take forever at that rate. I hitch it up over my head and carry "Tuggy" home. My neighbor sweetly stops to ask if I need help, I think to myself "heck no, (but thank you) I've got my mommy super strength!" I get it in the back yard and get a big bucket of borax, bleach and give "Tuggy" a good scrubby! 

Looking good, but there was the lost plug issue...so I think...corks!! Good thing I collect them and lucky for me there was a boulevard fancy beer (larger than wine corks) cork! Fits like a glove! My "Tuggy" makeover is complete, filling with water as I type. Charlie is napping away and when he wakes to find sweet "Tuggy" filled to the brim with water that face will be priceless! Gosh, I love being a mother, and a darn crafty one too! 

Garlic Scapes?!

Today at The Merc (Lawrence's fabulous organic market) I saw something I'd never heard of.
Garlic Scapes. What are they? They are the curly tops of the garlic plant and are completely edible!

Then I saw Leeks, and I never buy them because they are too expensive. Today though from the same farmer I saw baby leeks! At a great price too. Garlic scapes and baby leeks would sooo go with the cauliflower and baby new potatoes I got the day before. And just like that, a delightful new and healthy group of veggies came together. How did I put them together you ask? I made a sauteed garlic scapes and leek mashed potato and cauliflower dish. It turned out delicious and so rich and flavorful!

Here's the recipe (roughly)

2 Baby Leeks trimmed and washed finely chopped

10 garlic scapes finely chopped (there is a woody end you want to discard)

10 small new potatoes, quartered

1 head of cauliflower, cut in large chunks

1 tbsp butter

1/4 milk 

splash of chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes for about 5-7 minutes then add cauliflower until fork tender, another 10-15 minutes.

After you add the cauliflower add the butter to a hot pan and add leeks and scapes, after about 5 minutes add a splash of chicken stock to keep them moist. Continue to sauté another 5 minutes turn off heat and add milk. Drain pots and cauliflower. Mash slightly and add leek mixture as well as salt and pepper. Use hand mixer or standing mixer to mix until fairly smooth. I left mine a bit lumpy for a nice texture. Pour into a 9x9 baking dish and serve right away or if you make them ahead like I did bake for 20-30 minutes at 350. 

I really hope you enjoy these as much as we did, they are so healthy and I love that I tried something new!!

Making use of Government Programs

During tough times the government is there for us. With Ryan in school and I'm staying home with the baby, we have very little income. We have a modest home, cozy with loving family, but money is the one thing we really don't have. And although we have learned to make do with less new we still need basics like groceries and health care. We applied for the food assistance program and receive upwards of $400 per month on food! Its pretty amazing. I once got a $25 block of Gouda cheese and it lasted almost the entire month! We have given gifts of food and even gotten take and bake pizza at Papa Murphy's with it. Thank you Kansas! We are completely covered there.

And then there is health care, dreaded health care. It is a must have. Must. Have. And we were paying around $650 for the whole family per month. Way too much. And the coverage we have didn't even fully cover Charlie's first year of check ups. Ridiculous! So a friend suggested state health care for the little one and we qualified! We pay nothing. Nothing! Amazing yet again. Completely covers everything he needs and would need should he need it. No co-pay. We're set and it knocks off a whopping $175 off of our health insurance per month.

When you are a young, hard-working couple with a new baby, paying taxes and trying to make it, we will always remember even though our government can be crazy up in Washington...its pretty darn good here. Thank you Kansas for the help when we need it the most.

For food or cash assistance check: www.foodstamps.org/kansas-food-stamp-program‎

For health care benefits check: www.kancare.ks.gov/‎

Roasted Chick Peas (yummy crunchy snack)

My friend posted this on her blog and I loved the idea! Chick peas (garbanzo beans) are a inexpensive, healthy, protein rich food that to be honest I never really liked (exempt for hummus). But at less than a dollar a can (most places), I had to try it! And of course I could have just posted her recipe, but I do t follow directions well and I used it as a guideline for my own recipe.

Roasted Chick Peas

-1 can chick peas
-lawery's season salt
-onion powder
-garlic powder
-either drizzle with olive oil or coat with cooking spray

Adjust rack to top and preheat oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with foil, parchment, or a silicone mat. Drain and rinse peas and spread on the sheet. Coat with oil or spray then sprinkle with seasonings (you can mix them all in a bowl first or sprinkle each individually).
Bake for about 40-45 minutes tossing around every 10 minutes. You know they're done when they're crunchy, but not burnt. It took me a couple of bakings to get them crunchy.
* If you have a toaster oven these work great in there!

Enjoy, and as my friend said in her post you can really do anything with them, sweet or salty! They are open for your creativity :-)