A couple of Pictures

Here is the Peanut Plant - still going strong at seven weeks.

And here is our new coffee pot. Our other one cracked. This one is a French press. It makes darn good coffee. I just had some.

Another Action-Packed Weekend

Friday the 13th, Valentine's Day, President's Day, and houseguests, all in the span of four days. Phew! Here is a recap of the fun:

On Thursday, Kev's parents arrived, bringing with them two good puppy dogs. Daphne was excited to see them all. We had no food in the house, so we went to Fireworks (a local pizza place which has been highly recommended by the neighbors) and it was GREAT.
On Friday, I got the chance to check out Wegmans and I was not disappointed. In fact, I was so happy that I almost cried, right there by the fishmonger. This place is almost as good as Central Market. It has everything I have been missing in a grocery store, plus it has a day-care area where you can leave your kids (once they are potty-trained) while you shop. It was a happy happy day.
That evening, Kev's parents babysat so we could go out. We walked down to the neighborhood pub and had the best fish and chips I've ever had, and then went to see Slumdog Millionaire at the local Tally Ho theater. A good night out.
Saturday we went to the farmer's market, which is always fun. I went shopping with Kev's mom, and he played guitars with his dad.
Sunday we had a good breakfast, and after our visitors said goodbye, I read a book. It's been a LONG time since I've done that.
Yesterday, Kev was off work for President's day, so we got a couple house projects done.

That's just a few highlights. The weekend was mostly about family, good food, shopping, napping, and music. It was all good. And we'll do it all again this weekend and the one after that, as we have two more sets of guests coming. The perfect way to get through these last few weeks of winter. Spring will be here before I know it.

A Mighty Wind

Hi. I have been awake since 3:30am, and I am not happy about it. Some sort of storm came through last night, bringing no thunder, but huge gusty winds. Our 100 year old house is sturdy, but very very creaky when 60 mile-per-hour winds blow by. So, at about 3:30, it woke me up and I couldn't go back to sleep. I stayed in bed a while, waiting to be hurled into Oz, which thankfully didn't happen. So, at about 4:30, I just got up. It was pointless to try to sleep. Now, I am hurting with no nap in sight. Plus, I have to haul Daphne down to the Safeway in the stroller today because I have company coming and we have no food. I am hoping for, but not expecting, the wind to settle down a little before we head out. If it doesn't, I'll have to put on some roller skates, put a sail on the stroller, and windsurf to the grocery store.

I suppose it's a fair price to pay for yesterday. You cannot imagine a better day. It was about 68 degrees and sunny with a very light breeze. We spent the morning walking all around town, and the afternoon playing, mostly outside, with some of the neighborhood kids, who came for a play date with Daphne. Spring is going to be so great. Unless it's windy.

I Was Just Thinking

I could really go for a nice big loud thunderstorm. I cannot remember the last time I heard thunder. It looks like it might rain any minute here, so maybe I'll get my wish.

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch...

So, while Daphne and I were hanging out in Texas, Kevin had several days to himself. I am not sure he truly appreciated it. In my opinion, every single minute of rare alone-time should be savored, but I think Kev really missed having us around. I guess we are just THAT fabulous.

He actually got a lot done while we were gone, and I am happy to say he also went out and did some fun stuff around town and didn't spend the whole time cleaning and working. He did take very good care of the peanut plant, which you can see, above, is thriving. Now maybe we can manufacture our own peanut products without worrying about the Evil Peanut Disease that is going around the grocery store circuit. Shoot, I'll be happy if we harvest just one edible peanut. I think that would be cool.

He also managed to complete the recording of a new PPHPHB song! I say "new," but this song has been around for a couple years, waiting to be recorded. Sigh. There are so many songs that are back-logged due to having a baby and moving across the country and so forth. And I think I might have been kicked out of the band for poor participation. Kev thinks I don't want to be in the band, but it's not true. I really do. It's just hard to find the time. I'd really like to play my violin and my guitar again. Maybe someday. Anyway, it's a really good song, and I will give you a link to it, but you have to promise that you won't hold it against the song that it doesn't sound as good as it really is when you listen to it through crappy computer speakers. Figure out some way to put it on your iPod or something so it will sound better. If you want to hear it, go here and click on "The Beautiful People" (I think it's #5). The beautiful people are real people in Dallas who go around town for the sole purpose of being seen. They are very annoying, in a sad sort of way. I hope you like the song. It's all Kev. Maybe I'll be on the next one.

This is where all the magic happens, by the way. Our attic is the new music room. Sometimes we take Daphne up there and try to have family band time. It never lasts very long, but Daphne's getting bigger. Soon she'll be old enough for us to force her to take drum lessons so we can have the rhythm section we've always wanted. Just kidding. I won't force her. I can probably just bribe her with cupcakes.

Anyway, I'm glad Kev got some stuff done while we were gone, and I'm glad he missed us. We missed him, too. (Now, maybe he'll let me back in the band).

Texas

Well, last night, Daphne and I returned safely home from our big trip to Texas. As many of you know, I am afraid to fly, so when I do, I have to take a Xanax. It is great...it makes me all calm and able to fly without having a huge embarrassing panic attack, which is what happened last time I tried to fly without it. But the drawback is, the stuff knocks me out. It is almost 24 hours since I took it, and I am still kinda out of it. It amazes me that there are some people who take Xanax every day. It must be a lower dose or something, otherwise I don't know how they'd function.

Anyway, under such heavy sedation, I don't have it in me to blog a big blog. Suffice it to say, we had an EXCELLENT trip, and I got to do everything on my list except go to Central Market. I could have gone, but I chose not to. I think if I had gone in there, I might never have come back to Virginia. OK, I'm exaggerating. I can live with Safeway. For a little while. There is talk of a place called Wegmans, which I will check out and report back on. It may be the grocery store I've been looking for here in the Mid-Atlantic region. Or, I'll just have to make a bi-weekly pilgrimage to Trader Joe's.

I want to mention that I did get to watch the Mavericks, and they won 5 out of the 6 games they played while I was there. Woo-hoo! I can't even tell you the name of one guy on the Wizards. Does Antwon Jamison play for them? I like him. He used to be a Maverick.

The picture up there was taken at Sonny Bryan's where I got to eat good barbeque for the first time in a LONG time. The barbeque was followed by delicious blackberry cobbler, which nearly sent me into cardiac arrest. I haven't been that full in a long time. But it was worth it. Anyway, I took the picture because it illustrated creative use of Texas license plates. I still haven't decided what to do with mine. During dinner at Sonny Bryan's, Daphne befriended a table-ful of first and second grade boys. She introduced herself, and at the coaxing of their moms, they reluctantly shook her hand and talked to her a little bit. The next night, when my parents took her to the Black Eyed Pea for dinner, she was upset. "I want to go to that restaurant with the big pile of boys," she complained.

Lots more stuff happened, almost all of it fun. If you want to see pictures, please go here.

I have no idea when or if I'll ever be back in Texas, but I hope I am. It's not so bad at all, really.

Howdy Folks

Just a quick post to let you know we made it to Texas safe and sound, and are having a great time. I have been checking things off my list. At this very moment, I can smell my mom's spaghetti...we're having it for dinner soon. Texas tales coming soon, but now it's eatin' time.

Countdown

Tomorrow, Daphne and I are going to Texas. I don't like to fly, but I'm trying not to think about it. I am just trying to picture myself sitting at my parents' house in the 70 degree weather having some of my mom's spaghetti. Yes. I will try to blog during the trip if I can. There will definitely be stories and pictures when we get back.

Meanwhile, Kev gets a whole week of having the house to himself. Kev, I command you to do something fun.

Now, I don't get out much or watch a lot of TV, but this morning I saw this headline on NBCWashington.com: Bam Backs Steelers. Seriously? Are people really calling the President of the United States "Bam?" Good grief. That is the most annoying thing I've heard since "Bennifer." I hope all this rock star treatment doesn't go to his head. The man has work to do.

OK. Gotta pack.

The (Next) Snowy Day

Yesterday, I needed baked goods. It was my turn to make dinner for the family across the street that just had twins, and I wanted a loaf of ciabatta and some dessert to go with it. Kev had my car, and I couldn't get the stroller through the crunchy snow, so I had no other choice but to pack the Peanut into the sled and pull her across town. Above is the W&OD trail, covered in winter. Below, is Daphne on the first leg of our trip.

It took a while, but we arrived at one of our favorite places in Leesburg, South Street Under, to pick up the goods. We stayed for some coffee and a fruit cup before making the trek back home. I don't know what that face Daphne's making is all about. South Street has awesome fresh breads and really good breakfast sandwiches. I haven't been for lunch yet, but I'm sure it's great. They also have coffee. I am out of coffee. Looks like I'll have to venture out again today.

On the way home, we passed by the Battery Warehouse.

This is the Battery Warehouse. Thank goodness we have a battery warehouse nearby! They have batteries for almost anything! I shouldn't make fun of it. It's probably a really nice little mom and pop store. And it's scheduled to be torn down soon. I hope it's replaced by a coffee shop or an ice cream store, but I still feel bad for its owners.

Surprisingly, Daphne insisted on walking almost all the way home. Usually, if we don't have the stroller, she decides about half-way home that she wants to be carried. This time, she made it to about 100 yards from the house. "I'm just too tired, Mommy," and she sat down in the middle of the sidewalk and refused to move. So, I had to pull her the rest of the way, which wasn't easy because we were on a section of sidewalk that had been shoveled, so I was pulling her on brick.

But, we made it. It was quite an adventure, and actually a lot of fun. And it killed a lot of time when we would normally be just sitting around watching Noggin.

Last night, I went out with the neighborhood moms. We had a really great time. I think I might actually end up making some friends.

I hear Daphne waking up. How I wish I had some coffee.

"MOOOOOMMMMMMYYYYY!"

Well, that's my cue.

The Snowy Day

Yesterday, it snowed and snowed, and then we went outside to play. Going outside to play in the snow is a big production. There is lots of piling on layers of clothes and boots and trying to find mittens that will stay on the Peanut, and lots of searching and searching for appropriate and suitable snowgear for me. I realized yesterday just how unprepared we are for living in a place with winter. We have no snow shovel. I have no waterproof gloves, or even a proper outdoor coat. My heavy coat is too nice for snow play. I guess we'll just have to be ready next year. Anyway, it was all worth it in the end, because we had a blast. Today, the snow is covered with ice, and is probably too crunchy to play in. Oh well. I'll just stay inside and bake something.

In spite of how much work it is to go out in the snow, I still prefer the cold here to the miserable hot of Texas summers. When you go outside in the hot, you just feel sick and drained. But after you play in the snow, you feel a good kind of invigorated tired. It's hard to explain unless you've experienced it. And you get to enjoy a nice hot bowl of soup or cup of hot chocolate when you come in. It's great. I don't think I'd like it if it lasted for months and months, though. We just get a nice little taste here, and it goes away.

That being said, I am looking forward to going to Texas next week and enjoying sweater-weather. I think it is supposed to be in the 60's. Nice!

Today, I may attempt a snowy hike to the bakery up the street. And tonight, I am going out to dinner with all the women on the cul-du-sac behind my house. What?! A social activity? Yep. I am looking forward to it. So, we'll see how it goes.

Off to make the Peanut some breakfast. She'd probably be happy with a big bowl of snow.

Tech-Geeks, Mountains, and Underpants

So, we packed a lot into our weekend, which started at my least favorite place on the planet, the DMV. We were there for about 2 1/2 hours, taking care of business. There are now Virginia plates on my car. They are not as cool as my Texas plates (see below), but they do have a cardinal sitting on a dogwood branch, so that's nice. Daphne was good...she colored the whole time. She had a much better attitude than I did. I hate the DMV.

The events of Saturday afternoon require a little background: We have wifi at our house. The signal is good downstairs, but not so good upstairs. So every time we wanted to print something, we had to haul the printer downstairs to the kitchen, which is where my computer lives. This was a pain, so Kev bought some sort of $80.00 gadget at Best Buy that is supposed to among other things boost the signal and solve the problem. Guess what. It didn't work. So Kev went all McGiver on me and used some techno-geek dudes free internet template to build a wifi booster out of cardstock and aluminum foil (pictured above - the thing that looks like a sail). Guess what. It works. So, props to Kev for saving us $80.00. Pretty cool, huh?



Having had enough of chores and errands, we decided to spend Sunday doing "something fun." So, we packed a picnic lunch, and made the short trip to Shenandoah National Park to drive along the Skyline Drive to take in some wintery mountain scenery. We had a picnic in the way-back of the car because it was too cold to eat outside. We saw hawks and deer, and heard frogs and woodpeckers and had a great time. The park is going to be spectacular in the spring and fall, so we bought an annual pass and plan to go camping as soon as we can.

Sunday night, in order to provide some potty-training motivation (because M-n-M's ain't workin'), we all went to Target to let Daphne pick out some big kid underpants. She was so excited about them that she wanted to wear them over her clothes. She will probably be mad at me about this picture someday.

To end the weekend, Kev and I stayed up late and watched Barton Fink. What a ridiculously terrible movie with the worst ending of probably any movie I've ever seen. But it was good to make it past 8:30 for once.

So, now it's Monday. Daphne is doing some painting while I blog. I just looked at her and she is kind of a mess, so I better clean her up and start thinking about lunch. I hope you all had a good weekend and didn't have to spend any of it at the DMV.

And one more quick thing...any ideas on something cool I can do with my Texas plates? Look how cool they are! They must be preserved in a special way...

Happy Birthday Dad!

We'll be there for the party next week. The Peanut wants cake and ice cream. I guess I could be persuaded to have some, too.

Happy Trails

This is the W&OD (Washington & Old Dominion) Trail. It was an old rail line, which was mostly destroyed during the Civil War, and now it is a walking/running/biking trail that goes for miles and miles (45 to be exact) across the state, excuse me, Commonwealth, of Virginia. A section of it is about a block from my house, and since it is 57 degrees today, it seemed like the right thing to do to get out on it and take a walk. Destination: some kind of a playground.

After walking and walking for a long long time with no playground to be found, we saw a jogger who pointed us to a small park in a subdivision off the trail about a block, and there in the park was a very very small playground. It was disappointing to me, but Daphne LOVED it. She hasn't been able to really play outside for weeks, so it was great for her. I can't believe what a nice day it is. The neighborhood kids are all outside playing, but Daphne is missing it because of her nap. I kinda hope she wakes up early. It will be cold again tomorrow. But I certainly enjoyed the nice little taste of spring.

Have a great weekend, everybody.

Going Around Town

As you can see by the state of Small Frosty, the snow here has almost completely disappeared. Today, it was a balmy 43 degrees! I haven't been out of the house since Monday (Kev has been taking the Subaru to work), so this morning I bundled up the Peanut and hit the sidewalk. It's good to live in a small town. I don't really even need a car most of the time. Today, we walked to the bank, the post office, and then the nursery, where we bought some potting soil to transplant the peanut plant (below).

Daphne was really good until a tense moment in the nursery when she loudly said, "Mommy, get me out of this stinky yucky place." Nice manners, huh? The funny thing was, it smelled really good in there. The post office was the real stinky yucky place in my opinion. Anyway, we made a quick exit from the nursery and headed to lunch at the Roy Rogers restaurant. Roy Rogers is a place I had never been because they are only located in the NorthEastern/MidAtlantic US. But, I have been craving a cheeseburger like nobody's business for about two weeks, so I thought we'd give it a try.

It was actually pretty good! I must not be getting enough protein, because as I ate that Roy Rogers cheeseburger, I honestly felt better, stronger and more energized. Daphne liked it too. She ate every last crumb of her cheeseburger and fries. And the best part is, as I sat across from Daphne at the Roy Rogers, fielding questions like, "Mommy, do spaceships have steering wheels?" and trying to minimize ketchup mess on her face and clothes, I realized how lucky I am that I get to hang out with her all the time. She really is a lot of fun. I know I complain about never having time to myself and so forth, but this is really the best job I can imagine. I hope she's having as much fun as I am.

After lunch, we made one more stop at Safeway because my coffee supply was perilously low. Then it was back home for naptime.

Honestly, I think it was way easier walking to all those places than it would have been to drive to each place, park, and get the Peanut in and out of the carseat. What a great day. And tomorrow it is supposed to be 53! I'm gonna have to come up with more errands...

Fun with Leftovers

This is Leftover Guinness Beef Stew Pot Pie. Mmmmmm.

I think it is a little strange, though, that the way the gravy bubbled up made it look kinda like a scary clown face.

That's Better

I just had to balance out the other picture with a nice one. Mister Rogers was true greatness. We miss you, Mister Rogers. And I forgive you for the clown masks. Everyone makes mistakes.

Fall/Mister Rogers Update

So, I went on the internet to search for a picture of Mister Rogers in his scary clown mask, and lo and behold, I found one. The funny thing is, this is a DIFFERENT clown mask than the one he put on in the episode I saw today, so that means he has donned scary clown masks at least twice on his show. The one today was worse than this one. If you search, you can find the video that goes with the picture above, which in some cases has been overdubbed with scary evil clown voice. I will not post a link, because I will not support Mister Rogers smearing. But he really shoulda thought twice about the masks. (Shiver).

Here is a picture of a re-enactment of my fall down the stairs. Do you like my purple satin dress? Just kidding. That's not me. My aunt Kathy sent me the photo. She falls down a lot, so she probably had it saved on her computer somewhere. It might even be her!

As it turns out, I think my injuries are worse than I thought. As my grandma likes to say, "I'm all stoved up." The actually saying is, "all stove up," without the -d. It is a very southern way of saying you are sore and stiff. As in, "Oh Lo-ord, Mahtha, ah'm all stove up. Ah reckon ah cain't hardly move." Please, everyone, HOLD THE RAIL. I got cocky. Don't let it happen to you.

Downward Spiral

This is the back staircase at my house. This morning, as I was going down it in the dark and trying to be really quiet, I fell down about the last five steps. I was wearing my slippers, which aren't slippery at all, but I think I just mis-stepped at the spirally turn. Who knows? It was dark. I have bruised a heel and possibly my tailbone, but nothing is sprained or broken, so that's good. And the giant thud did not wake up the Peanut, so I was able to make Kev's lunch, and more importantly, the coffee, before she got up.

This post is dedicated to my cousin Brad who has an imaginary Fall Down Log, in which I am honored to be included.

Unrelated: We were just watching Mister Rogers, and he brought the most terrifying clown mask you have ever seen to show his television neighbors. I almost had to turn it off.

Soup and a Snowman

Aaaaaaaah, yes. Guinness Beef Stew on a cold and snowy winter day. You can't get much better than that. I used this recipe, and stuck to it more or less except for the following: In step two, where you cook the vegetables, I used onions and carrots as suggested, but added mushrooms too, because we are a mushroom family. Also, I didn't add in the potatoes with the other vegetables because I thought they would get overcooked and mushy, so I just threw them in the pot about 25 minutes before I planned to serve the stew. (I used Yukon Gold instead of Russet just because I like them better in stew). It was really good, and I don't usually like beef stew all that much. The meat was really tender. I think the lady who published the recipe was right about using the Guinness and the wine (I used Coppola Claret)...very tasty. Anyway, this stew is kind of time consuming. I started on it at about 3:30 and we ate at 6:30. There is just a lot of washing and peeling and chopping and stirring. So, make it on a Sunday when you have some time to spend in the kitchen. Good stuff. I think I'll turn the leftovers into pot pies tomorrow night.


While I was making stew, Kev and Daphne were hard at work on the world's smallest snowman. I wish I could have joined them. I think Kev did all the work while his helper ate snow. She must think the world is covered with ice cream when it snows or something. I keep telling her it's just water, but she won't listen to me. She just scoops up handfuls and licks it off her gloves. Yuck. I gave up trying to stop her. Anyway, the snowman is still out there this morning, although he has lost his carrot nose. I should try to find him a tiny flag in honor of inauguration day.

Speaking of which, is it unpatriotic of me to ask who is paying for all these inauguration festivities? Just curious.

Unrelated: They are re-making the Electric Company. Not sure how I feel about that.

And one more thing: Add to my Texas list

• Watch the Mavericks.

That is all for now.

Snow

January 2009 128
Originally uploaded by Tara H.

It has been snowing off and on today, and it is just beautiful. So pretty, in fact, that I am considering waking Daphne up early from her nap to go play in it. The sun is out, and it is going to melt soon. And I really want to make a snow man.

Tonight, we are scheduled for Soup 4: Guinness Beef Stew. Perfect timing. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Lazy Sunday

There is pumpkin bread baking in my oven. The whole house smells good. A giant flock of Canada Geese just flew right over my house, honking away. I went out to watch, even though it is about 24 degrees. It was just like Winged Migration. See that movie if you haven't already. Daphne is asleep, and Kev is off to Kohl's in search of the perfect pants. And I am blogging, waiting for the pumpkin bread to get done so I can eat it in my chair by the fire with a nice decaf latte before Daphne wakes up.

The picture has nothing to do with any of this, but I like to have pictures in the posts for color. It is a peanut plant on Day 17 of it's life. We got the peanut plant kit for Christmas, and I am determined to follow all the steps and grow at least one actual edible peanut this spring. Daphne helps me water it every day. She must be good luck, because it's doing well. And I can't grow ANYTHING.

Here is a list of some things I want to do in Texas (besides hang out with my family):

• Go to dinner with Anne and Emily
• Hang out with my friends from HS.
• Have good Barbeque.
• Get happy feet (I think I still may have a free gift certificate!)
• Get a burrito at Freebirds (thanks, Rob)
• Go to Central Market
• Go to the bookstore by myself
• Knit something / Go to the Shabby Sheep
• Drive past my old house (maybe)
• Sleep in
• Play with Albert

It probably won't all happen, but some of it will, and I can't wait. If only I didn't have to fly on a plane to get there.

OK...pumpkin bread time. Aaaaah. Sometimes I'm so glad this isn't a football house. I like Sunday.

Daphne Made Me Put This On...

...and she keeps calling me "Super Space Mommy." I have to go...she wants me to get in the space ship now. But I have to ride in the back seat.

Space Peanut

This is what came walking into the kitchen this morning while I was cleaning up the breakfast dishes. I certainly hope this is just a phase. I do not have a strong enough constitution to see my only kid shot into space.

The Artist at Work

The Peanut loves her new easel from Grandma and Grandpa. Here is a video of her using it this morning.

Every day, she asks to paint. Keeping the paint colors separated is out of the question. But that's OK I guess. I don't know what we're going to do with all these pieces of art. Right now, we use a hippo-shaped chip clip to hang one at a time from the blinds in the play room. Our fridge is not magnetic.

It is COLD here today, and going to get even colder later in the week. All this cold, and no snow. It isn't right.

Last weekend, we walked over to the weekly farmer's market down the street. We bought apples, eggs, breakfast sausages, and a pork shoulder. It was all so fresh and good, and I felt good about feeding it to my family. I don't want to get all preachy about being earth-friendly on you, but if you want to read a really good article about "eating green," get the newest Bon Appetit magazine, or follow this link. I really believe that every little bit helps. I wish the farmer's market was every day.

Have I mentioned how much I love Flight of the Conchords? Hooray for three free months of HBO. It will expire soon, and I will be very very sad.

In happy news, Daphne and I will be making a trip to Texas very soon. Perhaps I'll make a list in my next post of things I want to do while I'm there. Yee-Haw!

Soup 3

Soup 3
Originally uploaded by Tara H.

Soup Number Three was potato with country ham (recipe here) and it was DEEEEElicious. Perfect for a cold winter night, which is what it was here last night. I used a little onion and garlic instead of leeks, but otherwise, stuck to the recipe. I also made some croutons to put on top, and topped it all with a little grated cheddar. Very easy and quick to make. I highly recommend it. We're having it again tonight.

A Break from Soup

Cheese Souffle
Originally uploaded by Tara H.

I got a souffle dish for my birthday. Back in August. Today, I finally got to use it. This is a cheese souffle using this recipe. (I used smoked gouda instead of cheddar, and also put a little minced garlic in with the butter. Otherwise, followed the exact recipe). It was GOOD. Don't fear the souffle. It isn't that hard. And it's like eating a cloud. Maybe I should change this to the Winter of Souffle.

I am dedicating this, my first souffle, to my friend Kevin M., in honor of his new job and because he was nice enough to go to a very very girly souffle restaurant to help us celebrate my 40th birthday.

On an unrelated note, I saw a mockingbird today. It made me happy. It's the first one I've seen since leaving Texas.

Soup 2

Soup 2
Originally uploaded by Tara H.

This is the second Winter of Soup soup. It is Roasted Garlic and Butternut Squash Puree, from the Williams-Sonoma "Soups" cookbook. It was easy to make, but time-consuming. I stuck to the recipe until the very end, when I could see that the squash to liquid ratio wasn't going to work unless I wanted soup the consistency of paste. So, I used less roasted squash and added some water. I thought it was too rich and squashy, so I added some nutmeg, cinnamon, all-spice, and a little cayenne, plus some cream. Then it was better (thanks to Kev for being my taster/spice advisor). I still didn't love it though. I thought it was a good appetizer soup, but not a good meal soup. It was still too squashy for me. But Kev liked it and ate three bowls. Daphne tried it, made a yuck-face, and had some fruit and cheese for dinner. It is definitely not a very kid-friendly soup.

I was disappointed, because I was trying to recreate the delicious butternut squash soup I had at "Jane" in New York City last month. Theirs was served with a big blob (I hate the word "dollop") of mascarpone cheese and some spicy pumpkin seeds. Our lame grocery store didn't have mascarpone cheese or spicy pumpkin seeds, so I whipped some heavy cream and bought a six-pack of David's snack-size packets of salted pumpkin seeds. It just wasn't the same. Oh, how I miss Central Market!

This was my first time using leeks, which was kind of fun.

Time to choose Soup Number 3!

Nuevo Ano

Happy New Year!

I think it's already the 3rd, but I wanted to blog a New Year's blog, and Daphne's engrossed in Charlie and Lola, so I have a brief window.

For the most part, 2008 was a drag. But there were some moments I will remember happily (do you feel a list coming on?). Here are a few good 2008 times:

• Trip to Oklahoma with the Mantooth family.
• Dave Brubeck at the Blue Note in NYC.
• East Texas Craft weekend with HS friends.
• Mommy's Night Out dinners with Anne and Emily.
• Sledding on Kev's birthday.
• Cooking Thanksgiving dinner with my mom.
• Indiana road trip.
• Pink Martini at the House of Blues.
• Picking up people at airports.
• Going to Colorado, having crepes.
• Oktoberfest at the Mighty Midget.
• Daphne's 2nd birthday party.
• Birth of the great Blueberry.
• Every time there was ice cream.

In 2009, I look forward to continuing the Winter of Soup, going to Texas, seeing our Cherry Trees blossom and Peonies bloom, getting unpacked, knitting, decorating the house, riding my bike, taking walks as often as possible, taking the Peanut camping, and getting my parents and brother moved up here, and probably some other stuff that I can't think of.

Well, Charlie and Lola is over, and Daphne's on the loose with crayons. Better get back to work now...Hope your 2009 is a good one.

Quick Soup Update

The Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice soup is even better left-over. It gets all nice and thick in the fridge overnight. Mmmmm. I will be very sad when it's gone.

Typical Tuesday

Daphne didn't take a nap today, so instead of relaxing in my chair with a book or some knitting, or getting some chores done, I got invited to a birthday party for Elephant Gerald (in the green chair). According to Daphne, he is two years old, and he wished for a box of frying pans when he blew out his candles. He plans to make pretend Lemon Soup with these pans.

In the high chair, you may notice a sort of Daphne-looking Cabbage Patch doll, courtesy of Aunt Kimmie and Uncle Marty. Her name, as stated on her birth certificate, is Anna Wanda. I call her Anaconda. Daphne calls her Anda-Wanna, and says her birthday isn't until Saturday.

Time to get back to the party. I am missing the cheese course. I think it's Gouda.

The Winter of Soup Begins

Soup 1
Originally uploaded by Tara H.

Last night I began the Winter of Soup with this Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice. Very good, and very easy. I used this recipe, and added carrots, mushrooms, and a little garlic. Next time I will use more rice, but otherwise I probably won't change anything else.

Big Wheel!

Big Wheel!
Originally uploaded by Tara H.

So, here it is. The Big Wheel. Don't you wish you could ride it?

Kev moved the seat as far forward as possible, but she can still really only go backwards.

Christmas was good. It seems like we spent most of it driving in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania goes on forever. Maryland, on the other hand, takes about 15 minutes to cross. The funny thing is, when you leave Maryland, there is a sign that says "Maryland thanks you for your patience."

Kevin turned 40 in NY the day after Christmas, so we all went sledding. In the snow. It was great. Daphne liked it, but was more interested in eating snow. One time, Kev and I went down together on my nephew's toboggan. It was so much fun...the sled just kept going and going and I thought we might end up in the Hudson River. It was one of the few carefree moments I've had in a long time. (Once I knew we weren't going to wipe out, that is.)

I got lots of nice gifts, so thanks to everyone. Daphne got some great stuff too. And we all pitched so Kev could get a new bike for his birthday, so there are going to be some fun bike-rides in our future.

Now that Christmas is over, it is time to buckle down and get some things done. I have a feeling I am going to know all the people down at the DMV by name before it's all over. There is a lot of stuff you have to do when you move from another state, and much of it requires about 10 forms of ID. Such a hassle, but it's gotta be done.

And the boxes. So many boxes.

And Christmas cards.

So, I better stop blogging and get some things done. I have promised the Peanut a walk today, as well as a game of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I guess the boxes can wait.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Aaaaaaaaaaaaah. At last. Christmas is upon us. And I am DONE. Well, except for sending out Christmas cards, which I have had to just let turn into New Years cards.

This has been a difficult year, and a difficult Christmas, for a variety of reasons. But now I am ready to move on and look forward to all the exciting things that are going to be happening in the next several months. Big things, of course, like my parents and brother moving up here to join us, but little things too. Not the least of which is making soup for the Winter of Soup (I got a new Williams Sonoma soup cookbook for Christmas). AND I also FINALLY got my Easybake Oven (thanks, M and D), so there are going to be a lot of teeny tiny cakes in my future. And now that Christmas is almost over, we will be able to concentrate on unpacking and getting more settled. A day is coming when there will be downtime. And knitting.

I had a very nice Christmas Eve, and plan to have a fun day tomorrow. Daphne is all excited, so she'll be fun to watch. She's getting the Big Wheel I bought a couple years ago. Kev put it together the other night and I cannot tell you how badly I wished I could ride it.

I hope all of you have a really great Christmas. Gotta get to sleep now before Santa shows up...

The Winter of Soup

I have officially declared this the "Winter of Soup." This means that I am going to make a whole bunch of different kinds of soups this winter since we now live in a cold climate. I am a little worried because Daphne, who used to eat everything, isn't crazy about soup these days, and I don't want dinnertime to be a stressful event. Anyway, feel free to suggest a soup recipe that you like, and I will tell you if it makes the cut this season.

My favorite soups are:
Mushroom,
Lobster Bisque,
Chicken and Dumplings,
Split Pea with Ham,
the delicious Roasted Butternut Squash soup I had in NYC last time I was there,
Cream of Tomato,
and
Gumbo.

Also, I would like to include more goat cheese in my meal plan. Please make suggestions if you have them.

I Have Always Wanted a Banister

So, I decorated it. Perhaps this will satisfy the neighbors...



Speaking of the neighbors, here is a tree that lives next door. It is a ginko tree. Here is a story about that tree:

The day we moved into our new house, we went on the front porch to take a picture. We smelled something bad, and I thought it was dog poop or fertilizer. A few days later, the Verizon man came to install the Fios package. Every time he came near me, I smelled a poop/fertilizer smell. I thought maybe this was a guy with real problems! Then a couple hours into the job, he told me that he had been stepping on fruit from the neighbors tree, and boy, did it stink. Aaaah! Mystery solved! So, as it turns out, every fall, this giant tree sheds the smelliest fruit you ever smelled, and there is nothing you can do but go out there and clean it all up from the yard, but you have to be careful not to get it on your skin because it will give you ginko berry disease which resembles poison ivy and can make you very sick. I suppose we will just have to make do. Poor Kev was outside for two days picking up all that mess.






Finally, here is our Christmas tree. We let Daphne help put the ornaments on. It was stressful, but sorta fun. Nothing got broken, anyway. And the stockings were hung by the (faux) chimney with mantle stocking hanger things from Target, which I have also always wanted.

So, I got my banister and my mantle things. Is it worth the price of the stinky tree? I reckon so. But then, I'm not the one who had to clean up the fruits.

Turkey and Such

So, Thanksgiving was good. My parents were here, and my mom taught me how to make all the food. It really wasn't that hard, just a lot of work for a meal that lasted about 15 minutes. I shouldn't say that, I guess. We actually got four meals out of the deal, so it was all worth it. Plus, there was pie. You can't beat that. Above, I am taking the finished turkey out of the oven. I used a bag, and it was good. Below, is everyone waiting for me and my dad to stop taking pictures so we can eat. The centerpiece was Daphne's hand-turkey surrounded by pinecones from the yard. What would Martha think?



While my parents were here, Kev and I made a quick overnight trip to New York City to see the great Dave Brubeck at the Blue Note. The show was great. So glad we went. Dave Brubeck must be almost 100, but he could still play, and his band was fantastic. We entered the club just as he arrived, so I took a picture with my phone, but I can't get the picture OFF my phone without subscribing to some expensive service, so it doesn't do much good.



We took the bus from DC to NYC, which wasn't bad. On the way home, we got stuck on the New Jersey turnpike, though, and a 4 hour trip turned into about 6 hours, which is a long time to sit on a bus without getting up. Still, it was way better than having to fly.





Tonight was the annual Christmas parade in our town. It went right past our house, which was very convenient. We bundled everyone up and braved the cold, and enjoyed the parade, which featured a camel! I think even LarryFeathers, who is visiting this week, had a good time. Daphne loved it because the people in the parade kept giving her candy. I think she got more candy tonight than she did on Halloween.





For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to decorate my house at Christmas by putting one candle in every window. This year, we made it happen. We also bought a wreath for the door from a local farmer, and we have a groovy retro light-up Santa by the back door. Apparently I am going to have to step it up next year, though. One of my neighbors told me to relax and not worry about trying to decorate this year..."We know you're new," she said.

That being said, she, and all of our other neighbors, could not be more friendly. Everyone has really gone out of their way to make us feel welcome. I am looking forward to getting to know people. I just have to get through the holidays first. I have not even made a dent in my Christmas shopping. The holiday knitting I planned to do is just not going to happen. And it will be a miracle if I get my cards sent out on time this year. Oh well. There are more important things than all that.

So, I hope that you are all doing well and enjoying the holiday season so far. I will try to blog more, and I assure you there will be pictures the minute we get snow. Tomorrow, we're decorating the Christmas tree, and there will likely be Kerbey Lane pancakes. Not much could be better than that. Maybe if there's time, I'll get back on here and tell you about the Stinky Tree.

Home Sweet Home

Here are a few pics of the new house. We finally got internet/phone/tv hooked up today. We're still swimming in boxes, but we've made progress and it's starting to feel like home. People here are really nice. They keep coming over with cookies and pies and baskets of stuff. I hope that eventually I will have time to blog a real blog. The next blog will probably be about Thanksgiving. I am cooking the dinner this year, and it will be my first time, so tune in for tales of kitchen disasters...

Happy Day

Today we moved into our new house in Leesburg, VA. Pictures coming soon. It was a freezing cold day with flurries of snow, and now we are drowning in boxes, but the difficult times are over and we can begin to settle in and enjoy life again. We won't have any internet until they come hook us up next Sunday, so if you email me and I don't reply, that's why. Hope you're all doing well and staying warm. See you soon.

Time for a Blog

Helping Aunt Kimmie
Originally uploaded by Tara H.

I think it's about time I blogged a blog, so here goes:

First of all, a shout out to my good friends, Rob and Michelle...hope you like the pancakes!

Next, the picture there is Daphne helping her Aunt Kimmie feed my awesome little nephew, Jackson. He is a really good little baby. I think the Peanut didn't know quite what to think about him...she was a little nervous when she got close to him. But, she told me that she is going to have two babies, named Jackson and Jackson, so I think she likes him.

Things here are pretty OK. If all goes well, we'll be in our new house next week. There is a lot that has to happen, but things seem to be on track. I will spare you the details, but it has been very complicated and difficult selling our house and buying the new one. Nothing has really gone smoothly, but thanks to my good friend and real estate agent Anne, who has gone above and beyond the call of duty, my family back home, who have been a HUGE help in too many ways to list, Kev's mom and dad, who drove all the way here to babysit so we could go house-hunting, my friends who have supported me through the whole ordeal, and Kev, who has somehow been keeping the wheels from flying off, I think everything is going to work out.

As soon as all parties sign by the X, I will post a picture of our new house. I don't wanna jinx anyting...

Over the weekend, we took a break from all this moving and shakiing to trek up to NY so we could see our afore-mentioned new nephew and hang out with kev's family. Daphne and her cousins are getting better and better at playing together, and they all had a great time. Kev's mom had lots of activities for them, including tie-dying shirts and making foam Christmas trees. It's a good thing, too, because it rained all day Saturday, and we didn't even leave the house. The drive to NY is long, but not TOO long, and it's very pretty. There are plenty of places to stop along the way. And we discovered that our new house is only one hour from Gettysburg, and a little over two hours from Hershey. We are never ever going to run out of cool stuff to do up here.

So, I am homesick, but hanging in. We have a play-date tomorrow with my nice knitter friend and her little boy. I can finally see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, and I know I will eventually feel normal again. Or something resembling normal, anyway. If there was only a way to watch the Mavericks...

Hope things are good with all of you. Thanks for sticking with me through the lean blogging.

Trick or Treat

Trick or Treat
Originally uploaded by Tara H.

Hope you all had a good Halloween. We enjoyed ours. Daphne was Dorothy, as you can see. It was a last-minute choice based on that was about all they had left in her size at Target. I am far away from my sewing machine, so I couldn't make her anything. Maybe next year. Anyway, we thought she looked pretty cute with her ruby slippers and pigtails, so it's all good. A nice lady that I met via a knitting forum invited us to her neighborhood for trick-or-treating, which was great because we didn't have to drag the Peanut all around this apartment complex. I can't wait to get out of this place. It is so noisy, and there are weird smells now and then.

Daphne's asleep, so I'm gonna go eat some of her candy now. She'll never know...

White House, The

White House, The
Originally uploaded by Tara H.

Today we finally took a trip into Washington DC. I had never been there, and I wanted to see the White House. There is a picture of it that I took today. Look at that lawn! On the roof, to the right of the flag, you can see a sniper-type guy. There were other guys walking around the grounds with big machine-gun looking guns. What a sad world we live in.

We went in on the Metro, which was pretty fun and easy. DC is nice and calm...not at all like New York City. I didn't hear any cars honking all day. There is so much to do that I can't imagine we'll ever be able to do it all. Today we just walked around and took the Peanut on the carousel by the Smithsonian. It was a really nice day. Almost hot, even.

Tonight we went for Indian food at a little place in the shopping center by our apartment. It was really good. Daphne even liked it.

Now everyone is asleep. I am trying to stay up late because the time changes and I don't want to be up at 4:30am. Curse the inventor of daylight savings time. Oh, wait. Maybe that was Ben Franklin. Hmmm...I usually like Ben Franklin. Oh well.