Brownies???

I receive Self magazine in the mail each month. Even the title is disturbing. Self. It was one of those things where I subscribed to a magazine by cashing in some airline miles that were about to go to waste, and then that magazine went belly up so they started sending me Self as an apology of sorts. I generally pick it up and thumb through it, admire the tanned and taught bodies, maybe glance at the recipes before tossing it out or using it for the latest collage project with the girls. I think I even tore out a article on jumping rope once because it looked like fun. This month featured Gwyneth Paltrow. I like her. I think she seems kind of normal and I like her as Holly Holiday on Glee. She shared some recipes that aim to cut sugar and fat, but still taste good. I like this... we try to cut sugar and fat wherever we can... but not at Surfin' Donuts on Sunday mornings. On those days, we like to invite sugar and fat. Anyway, the girls and I decided to try Gwyneth's recipe for "Fudgy Chocolate Brownies."

This one hung in there for a while before finding something more interesting to do.

Looks good, right?

The result? Gross. Yuck. Like brown Playdough with chocolate chips sprinkled on top. Soooo disappointed. I know now to be wary of recipes for brownies that don't call for butter and sugar. So, Gwynie, if I'm in the market for a great acting career or a budding music endeavor or rockin' hard abs, I might come calling again, but let's leave the delicious brownie recipes to Ina.

Even my sous-chef abandoned her treat for something better... like an apple :)

Keepin' it REAL!!

Rosie's getting so, well, capable. It's amazing, as a mama, to watch your children learn and grow and become independent and self motivated. Rosie's getting good at riding her bike. It's incredible to watch. She carefully crosses the street on my cue, steers well, confidently leads the way and even stands up while going uphill to get a bit more power and leverage. She's getting so good that Sadie and I have to jog to keep up. I was a puffed up, proud mama hen on Monday when we took our little bike ride....puffed up and proud on the way there.

I have to tell you about the way home. I tell you because parenting is messy and sometimes ugly and because I'm surrounded by a culture that loves to pretend it's not.

I tell you because I'm keeping it real.

On the way home Rosie decided she'd DO IT HERSELF, she DIDN'T NEED MY HELP and that she WOULDN'T LISTEN. Our "proud of ourselves moment" ended with me pushing Sadie home in the stroller and carrying Rosie's bike while she walked 10 steps behind us in a complete rage. She screamed at the top of her lungs while flinging her little limbs around and would throw herself onto the sidewalk every few steps to pound and cry. Middle aged women with small dogs on leashes stepped off the curb and on to the street and walked around us, avoiding eye contact, pretending not to notice while I wanted to say to them, "Really? You've never been here before? Orange County children don't freak out?"

It's humbling... and healthy for me to say that sometimes....somedays... some weeks... some bike rides: I don't know what to do. I need help. I don't have it together.

And guess what? I'm learning that.... it's alright....it's alright.... it's alright!

I adore Anne Lammott. She says, "It's funny: I always imagined when I was a kid that adults had some kind of inner toolbox, full of shiny tools: the saw of discernment, the hammer of wisdom, the sandpaper of patience. But then when I grew up I found that life handed you these rusty bent old tools- friendship, prayer, conscience, honesty- and said, do the best you can with these, they will have to do. And mostly, against all odds, they're enough."

Kale

Have you noticed that Kale is the popular girl in school these days? The only time I had heard of Kale (up until the last year) was from my mom... who fed it to her Iguana, "Iggy," when she taught 7th grade at Oak Creek Intermediate.

Well, the girls and I jumped on the Kale wagon and gave it a whirl.

Baked Kale Chip

(from Smitten Kitchen)

1 bunch (about 6 ounces) Kale

1 tablespoon olive oil

Sea salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 300 F. Rinse and dry the Kale, then remove the stems and tough center ribs. Cut into large pieces, toss with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking sheet. I also lined mine with parchment for easy clean-up. Bake for 20 minutes, or until crisp.

Note: 20 minutes was too long. We scorched our first batch. Maybe it's the chef... maybe it's the oven:

Ron's nephew was in town last week. He asked me, "Does that oven work, or is it just for decoration?"

She works, Logan! She works!!

Guess who approved? Guess who asked (and also signed) for more?

While the Cat's Away.....

While Ron is here:

The mice enjoy time with niece Allison Eckert,

girls night at Fashion Island,

(with some spontaneous dancing in Express with Brieann)

and a sunny day on Papa and Mimi's sailboat with Great Papa Welch

We had fun... but we sure are glad that The Cat's coming home tomorrow! Until then... Go Butler!

Guest Blogger, Rosie

My Papa and Mimi gave me a camera for my birthday. It's a camera that my mom said was "Rosie proof" (whatever that means). I wanted to show you some of my best works, so far. Take a look at the portfolio that I am compiling.

These are some of my wooden doughnuts. These are the only treats that my mom will let me have in abundance... maybe because they're made of, well, wood!

This is Pastor Todd. He's my neighbor... and my pastor. He was jogging by my house one day.

...and there he goes!

3 useful tools: Sadie's foot, Mom's hand and Wrigley's fur

My friend, Brian

My favorite sitter, Miss Cassidy

My best and favorite subject, Sadie William

My still life, "Mac and Cheese out of a Tupperware"

I'm working on my actions shots.....

...and my close-ups!

I hope that you enjoyed seeing my art.

PS.. I've had lots of Eckerts visiting! More pictures soon :)

Once was lost but now I'm found :)

I've traveled to Bass Lake 3 times in the last 6 weeks. I went twice for relaxing getaways and once, this past weekend, for a dear friend's memorial service. On our 2nd time in Bass Lake we forgot our camera. I was fairly certain that it was left at the house where we stayed. On Friday night, back in the same house, I spotted the old friend under the couch. I was so excited... I sent a picture of the camera to Ron who was holding down the fort at home... picture of a camera? Isn't that redundant!!

Here are some Bass Lake pictures from the beginning of March before we got the plague. I managed to escape it somehow.. by God's grace.

Do you know how hard it is to get 4 small children balanced on a log in the snow? The fact that they are all looking in the same general direction was just pure luck :)

I certainly passed down my obsession for Danny's Pizza Factory Turkey Sandwiches to my eldest.

S.I.C.K

Warning: If you're easily nauseated, do not read this post.

I'm a sympathetic vomiter.... or a vomit wimp. I dry heave for days if I hear it or smell it. If a student threw up in my classroom when I was teaching, the janitor would find me curled up in a ball under my desk with my hands over my ears humming the Star Spangled Banner. I was a mess as a kid on the ski school bus up to Badger Pass every Friday. Tea Cups at Disneyland? No thanks. Not because I'm afraid I will get sick, but because I'm afraid someone else will.

I remember having a conversation with my mom at some point before I had kids:

Me: "What am I going to do if my kids ever throw up? I'm going to totally freak out."

Mom: "No you won't. It's different when your own kids are sick."

Guess what? She was right. By the grace of God, I'm not bothered... at all. I can scoop up a vomit covered Eckert child with not so much as a gag. I can hold hair back and rub backs, no problem. There are a lot of things that I suck at when it comes to being a mom. But, I'll take it as a gift from God that (today) I don't suck at the throw up.

Thanks, Lord, for the gift of being a mommy. Thanks for the learning and growing. I'll take it, vomit and all.

PS We did have another lovely weekend in Bass Lake prior to vomit fest 2011. Weekend pictures to follow!!