Reason Why

Here is the 283rd reason why I love my husband. Look in the background of this picture. Do you see the gigantic weed? One day Jess and I started talking about it. The weed had grown unchecked for months but neither of us had attempted to cut it down. It turns out we both had the same reason. We were silently conducting an experiment to see how tall the weed could get. I like a man who can experiment. I also like a man who makes me coffee every morning and brings me flowers cut from our yard.

What I Want

I want to rant but I won't. Rants don't make for good reading. Here is random instead of ranting.

We had a great thunderstorm today. I wished it would pour rain all night. The storm ended quickly but the incoming cold front should grant us reprieve from the oppressive heat.

Last night JAC was really tired. As I put on his pajamas he came and gave me a huge hug but mid-way through the hug he bit down hard on my shoulder. He left teeth marks. Some part of me was so completely disturbed. The bite feels symbolic. I feel as if this kid is trying to suck every inch of energy and patience out of me.

JAC has had a mild fever all day. I know he feels horrible. I have been listening to him sleep restlessly. I feel bad for the little guy. I tried to check on him but the moment I opened his door he lifted his little head - wide eyed and cried. We are both zombies tonight.

This is the perfect season to head to the mountains. I long for that perfect clean isolation. My family is heading to Columbia tomorrow and I wish we were going too.

We're Under Attack

I like to watch birds. I have written before about how much I enjoy watching the birds at my feeder. I entirely intend to spend my dotage hiking around in a funny hat with a set of binoculars looking at birds.

Typically I like birds for their peaceful happy quality and I enjoy imagining the sense of freedom they have during flight but this afternoon my bird watching took an unusual turn. I had been watching two gray birds fly around our bushes and assumed they were making a nest. I also laughed, watching them swoop down and harass Roxy.

Intrigued, I searched the bushes for the nest. Instantly the birds started squawking and waged an all out war on Roxy and myself. They swooped down from above and Roxy took cover. I was left out in the open unprotected and the bird came from up above and attacked my back. I rushed to get reinforcements. Jess came to my aid armed with gardening tools. He eventually found the nest complete with chirping babies.

The birds are now standing guard on the handrail of my front porch. Their aggression towards us is so great that they even attack the glass door when they see my dog inside.

I decided to do some research. As I suspected we have been besieged by two Northern Mockingbirds guarding their next. Here's a great website for identifying birds: http://identify.whatbird.com

This is what it said about Northern Mocking birds.
"The Northern Mockingbird voraciously defends its territory, attacking intruders including house pets and even people." I think it is about accurate.

Cheers

I'm sipping coffee and slowly recovering from date night. I won't give anymore details because my mom reads this blog. I will say that we had an absolute blast. I loved every minute of it and I am so thankful for our friends Matt and Jayna who came and watched JAC.

Yesterday on the way home from the sprayground I gave JAC a bag of Cheerios for a snack. I could hear him singing and happily eating his snack in the back seat. When we arrived home I found Cheerios in the most unusual place. They were shoved in his ears. I guess he was saving them for later.

Friday Adventure

Yesterday my house was a bit of a wreck. I swept, vacuumed, mopped, did eight loads of laundry, cleaned my fridge, dusted and scrubbed our bathroom. In the midst of this cleaning fury we didn't have time for a big adventure. Instead we took a small one. We went back to the sprayground and this time I took pictures. Last week when we went JAC was terrified. This week he jumped right down and ran into the sprinklers.

It is hot and humid here. We are all a little discouraged that it is this hot this soon. This does not bode well for July and August. I'm feeling the itch to get out of town. I think I'll try to convince Jess to take our crew hiking. I hope everyone has an adventure filled weekend.

Asian Food

I'm kind of on an Asian food kick. I like the fresh bold flavors. I made Thai Salad this weekend and my mom sent me this recipe for Asian Chicken Salad. We tried it last night and thought it was really tasty. If you've got and Asian inspired recipe please send it my way.

Asian Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Dressing:
* 4 tablespoons brown sugar
* 4 teaspoons soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)
* 1 tablespoons rice vinegar
* t fresh grated ginger
1 Tablespoon crunchy peanut butter.
Salad:
*
* 1 bag mixed salad greens
* 4 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded
* 5 green onions, chopped
* 1 cucumber
Garnish:
1 (8 ounce) package dried rice noodles (break up about 1 cup in a plastic bag)
¼ c toasted slivered almonds
Directions
1. Prepare the dressing 30 minutes ahead of time by combining the brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, , and rice vinegar in a salad dressing carafe. Mix the dressing and pour over cooked chicken in a plastic bag—let marinate while mixing greens.
2. To prepare the Chinese rice noodles, heat a skillet with a few tablespoons of oil (peanut is oil) and fry them. They will puff up in the skillet, so only add a few at a time. As they begin to puff up, remove and drain them on paper towels. Be sure to cook long enough as the under cooked noodles will be like eating needles.
3. Combine the marinated chicken and greens right before serving. Garnish with cooked noodles and almonds.

***We added some mandarin oranges and loved it.

A List...

Some days I hang out with JAC and feel like he is a smaller (male) version of myself. We have so many things in common. This often means we knock heads but it also often means we really understand each other. Here are a few examples:

1. We both love helicopters. Ever since I worked for that company that made un-manned helicopters I fell in love with rotary aircraft. The marine helicopters fly over D.C at all times of the day and JAC loves to point and yell at them in excitement.

2. We both need a lot of sleep. I like to get 10 -12 hours of rest each night. I know to most this sounds extreme but to me it is just right. JAC also needs lots of sleep. If we put him to bed at 7:30 he'll wake up at 8 the next morning.

3. We both love jumping on the bed. My favorite part of the day is when I get JAC out of his crib after his nap. I always find him jumping and jumping. Sometimes we both go upstairs and jump on my bed too.

4. We are not graceful. I broke my nose when I was little. I was just hiking and did a face plant. Twice this month JAC has done similar face plants. There was blood and tears and his nose was bruised. I felt bad for the little guy.

5. We are both fiercely independent and stubborn. JAC has started climbing everything in the house. He's always been a climber but lately it's his major pastime. If you try to help him he absolutely hates it. He'll let you know he's big enough to do it on his own.

Charity

My local grocery store has been raising money for prostate cancer. They make endless announcements about it while I shop. I know I am juvenile but I find it mildly obscene to be hearing about prostrate cancer while I pick out my cucumbers. Last week the announcer cheerily commented that next month they will be raising money for breast cancer. I can look forward to hearing about that while I peruse the melons.

1. 5 Years.

JAC is one and half. We took some pictures to document it. Happy Thursday.

Let's Go Nats

The baseball game last night was awesome. Unfortunately Strasburg didn't pitch but it was still fun. The home team won. We watched an awesome thunder storm. We gloated as we watched fans run for cover and sat happily in our covered seats. Poor JAC became utterly exhausted and tried to cover both his ear and eyes so he could sleep. When we got home our electricity was out but we didn't mind because we were all ready for bed. Luckily JAC slept in this morning and I've been enjoying my coffee.

The Tuesday Post

Today is Tuesday. I am watching my kid drink bathwater and hoping he didn't pee in it first. I like watching him play in the water and I like not having to chase him for a few minutes.

Our day has not stopped moving. I took JAC to a different running trail. The trail starts by the airport and I knew he would enjoy watching the airplanes while we ran. It was brutally hot and my legs felt like lead. We haven't run on this trail since last year. I don't know if I looked especially tired or if people were just feeling nice but everyone who passed us cheered me on. They said, "Looking fine momma," and "You're doing great - that's a heavy load." I absolutely love encouragement and will do almost anything with a little praise.

After shopping at Target we stopped in a Rosslyn park to hear some live entertainment and meet Jess and my friend Jayna for lunch. One of the things I love most about having a kid is trying out all the free things our community has too offer. It feels a bit like a treasure hunt.

Yesterday I mowed the lawn. I'm chagrined to admit that we hadn't mowed it for a month. Our yard had transformed into a virtual jungle. It took over two hours to mow it and I think I've learned my lesson.

We're heading to the baseball game tonight. I'm hoping to get to watch Stephen Strasburg pitch. I've got a bunch of pictures to post but my legs are tired from all that mowing and running. I don't feel like going upstairs to get them. Happy Tuesday Friends!

Friday Adventure

Yesterday I woke up in a dismal mood. On Thursday we surrendered a hunk of cash to fix our dilapidated car and by Friday I had still not recovered. I wanted to go back to bed.

Yesterday JAC woke up in an entirely contradictory mood. All of his motives and desires were contradictory to my own. This quickly escalated and I yelled, delved out a spanking, called and cried to my mom and canceled our Friday adventure. We went to the grocery store instead and I tried not to cry in front of the cashier.

We both took an early nap and when I awoke I was determined to salvage part of a bad day. I fired off an angry email to Jess and loaded JAC into the car. We headed for the spray ground. This is a magical playground where water shoots from the ground. I think it should be listed as one of the greatest inventions of our century.

Of course JAC was terrified. I held him while standing in the water for half and hour before he would brave it on his own. Eventually he found some kids just his size and they chased each other through the sprinklers. We both ended up soaked but it was fun and much better than knocking heads together at home.

When Jess arrived at work he knew just what to do. He declared it was time for our annual trip to Sonic. Jess and I fell in love with Sonic while we were dating in Arizona. Unfortunately, the closest Sonic is over an hour away in heavy traffic. I was reluctant but Jess insisted it was time. As we consumed lumps of fried potatoes, smothered in cheese and washed it down with cherry flavored sugar I knew Jess was right. A trip to Sonic on a Friday night made a bad day seem a lot more like an adventure.

I Turned My Back...

This morning I woke up in poor humor. I just hate Mondays. I turned my back for just one minute and this is what I found. JAC had climbed onto my kitchen table and was cheerfully digging through the contents of my wallet. When I got over the initial shock I couldn't help but smile.

Running Ramblings...

Have I mentioned how much I love my running shoes? I used to sprain my ankles all of the time. I typically run on the outside edges of my feet and the natural result of my unnatural running form was sprained ankles. Then, I bought some ridiculously expensive Mizuno Running Shoes. They have been worth every penny.

The running trail was absolutely packed this weekend. JAC and I both love it when the trail is busy but for different reasons. I love if for the same reason I love tourist season in DC. I just love to see other people enjoying the things I love. JAC likes it when the trail is busy because there is a slew of joggers and bicyclists who wave at him.

Sometimes when I run I pray. I think the repetitive motion lends itself to deep contemplation. Often my best praying and thinking is done while running.

It is really humid here this week. The weather man described it as, "Air you can wear." I miss Albuquerque. It's never humid there.

I've got dead legs again. Runners know this phenomenon. I seem to get it every year around this time. My legs just feel tired. It's like I've hit a plateau. In running world if you hit a plateau you typically need to add an opposite exercise. For instance, if you are a distance runner you need to do some sprinting.

Have I told you I really hate sprinting? I hold a deep belief that distance runners and sprinters are two totally different animals and rarely get along with each other.

I'm about 90% sure that I'm going to run a half marathon in Sept. I was kind of hoping to find a running buddy. Most of my previous running buddies have left the country. I hope I didn't drive them away.

That's it. Happy Trails to You.

The Baby Jogger

It is Saturday and it is drill weekend which means I am all alone. Please feel free to call and sympathize. My usual running buddy is off serving his time and I'm stuck pushing the baby jogging stroller on our usual Saturday morning run.

Don't worry. I'm used to this. We purchased our baby jogger for 30 bucks off of Craig's List and I've likely pushed that thing over 2,000 miles. Here are the best things about pushing a baby jogger:

1. Skimpy Clothes: When it gets blistering hot in DC I can where the skimpiest jogging attire around. No guy will be checking me out. The moment a guy glances your way he will spy the stroller and look away. Pushing a baby jogger is not hot.

2. The Ego Boost: I love passing a burly tattooed runner while pushing our baby jogger. I instantly feel fast and secretly hope I've demoralized the other guy.

3. Buff Arms: Virginia has hills - lots of hills. Push a 30 pound kid up a couple of those hills and you've got an instant arm workout.

4. The Head Nod: When you meet another baby jogger on the running trail you both kind of nod. It's that silent recognition that you totally understand.

5. Entertainment: Who needs and IPOD when you have a wild child sitting in front of you? JAC can be a total goofball in the stroller. To be honest I kind of miss him when I'm running solo.

Friday Adventure

Today JAC and I ate breakfast and then headed downtown. The weather was perfect for a good adventure. We parked at our usual spot and started walking. I knew exactly where I wanted to go.

When I was in third grade our state hosted academic competitions called UIL. For two years I competed in Picture Memory. You had to remember names, artists, background and the country of origin of famous pieces of art. I loved it and someday when I get rich I think I'll go back to school for Art History. In the meantime, JAC and I will just go visit the National Gallery of Art.

I've learned the best adventures are those when I have limited expectations. I can't expect JAC to enjoy the art museum for two hours but we did enjoy the art museum for thirty minutes. We looked at van Gogh, and Picasso, Monet and Cezanne. I loved every minute of it. I'm not sure the other patrons loved us. JAC spent most of his time making loud noises so he could hear his voice echo off the walls.

We ate a quick lunch in the sculpture garden and stopped by the Freer Gallery of Art on the walk back. The gallery mostly features Asian art and works by James Whistler.

Since having JAC I've done a good bit of thinking about art. I've been trying to decide the value of art. I know it serves to document a culture but for me I think it also has a lot to do with the value of quietness. I'll let you think about that and end with two recommendations.

The sculpture garden has live Jazz on Friday nights. I can't wait for our next date night.

Did you know the National Gallery of Art has a website for kids? It's pretty awesome and a great way to introduce your kid to the fine arts. http://www.nga.gov/kids/

Significant Events

When I run into old co-workers they always ask, "What is new with you?" Part of me is grateful that they think I might still be cool. Another part of me wants to laugh because there is never anything new with me. Here are the highlights of my mundane week.

My microwave caught on fire. I know I should be upset but I enjoyed every minute of the excitement. I now have a burned out microwave sitting on my curb.

My kid has started doing this crazy thing. When I unbuckle his car seat he launches himself out the door. The first time he did this I wasn't ready and almost dropped him. I think his attempts at flight indicate his future status as a superhero.

I've cooked some great recipes this week to include a delicious cherry glazed pork tenderloin and a some yummy mini lemon cakes.

The weather was awesome for two complete days. Now it is rainy but for two days I basked in the sun.

That's about it. What's new in your life?

Ribs...

I just returned from getting a chest X Ray. I'll explain more about that later but don't worry. Nothing is wrong.

In the mean time I wanted to post a yummy recipe for Savory Boneless Beef Ribs. It seems appropriate.

Ingredients:
1 c. beef broth
1/2 c. dry red wine or beef broth
1 can (15oz) tomato sauce
1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t dried marjoram
3 T flour
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 lbs boneless chuck ribs
2 T olive oil
5 medium carrots chopped, I just used baby carrots
2 chopped stalks of celery
2 cloves chopped garlic

Directions:
1. Heat oven at 350
2. In 13x9 inch baking dish mix broth, tomato sauce, thyme and marjoram
3. Mix, flour salt and pepper
4. Dredge meet in flour mixture, meet should be covered in flour
5. Beat the excess flour into the broth mixture in baking dish
6. Heat oil on stove and cook meat for five minutes turning once
7. Remove meat and place in baking dish, cook vegetables in remaining oil for 3 minutes
8. Place vegetables around meat in baking dish.
9. Cover with foil and Bake for 1.5 - 2 hours.
10. Enjoy!

Have I ever told you that I think Mid-west cooking is severely underrated? Midwest cooking is all about warm flavors and simple ingredients. Try this recipe. It will remind you of your Mom's Sunday dinners.

The Culture Clash

Do you remember back when you were single and occasionally going bar hopping? Perhaps, you're still single and enjoying the night life. Well, imagine if you stepped into your favorite urban bar anticipating a cold beer with your rowdy crowd only to be confronted by a room full of babies. It could be a virtual worst nightmare.

I just read an interesting article in the Washington Post. I'll post the link below. It discusses the culture war between kid toting parents and hip singles. For generations couples migrated to the suburbs when they found out they were expecting, leaving singles free to navigate the city without accomodating young children. Now as commutes grow longer many families are opting to stay in the city. This phenomenon has produced some tension.

Singles complain that parents can be tyranical in their demands that their children be accomodated. Common examples include parents who refuse to fold their strollers on the metro thus blocking the aisle for other passengers.

Equally frustrated parents feel they have a right to the city. Other restaurant patrons can tolerate children for a few hours. It is very difficult to fold a stroller and then refold it while lugging your child off the metro.

This was an interesting article. Are both sides just oblivious? Is it possible for them to happily coexist? Read the article and tell me what you think.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/15/AR2010051503637.html

20 Questions

I'm looking for answers. Feel free to submit yours.

This summer I'm planning on visiting my parents for a month. I thought I would pack up JAC and Roxy up and drive across country. My mom thinks I should fly because JAC hates his car seat. Is it mean to make a one year old ride in the car for two days straight? Does anyone know any ideas for making the car trip more pleasant for both of us?

JAC has gotten down right demanding. He refuses to eat most foods. Most of the time he will only eat if he can have a fork even though he can hardly use it. His tantrums have become much more frequent. Has anyone else experienced this "stage," or is my kid spoiled?

Is there another mom out there who is just tired of sharing? I remember my mom being incredibly generous and selfless. I'm just tired of not being able to eat my ice cream without JAC demanding every other night.

Tell me what you think.

Weekend Getaway...Sort of

My head is spinning. This is a common phenomenon in my life because I drink too much coffee. I'm not feeling very verbose so here is our weekend get away told in pictures and a few words.





The whole family is optimistically heading for the beach.


Here we are on the beach. Turns out JAC hates sun, sand and waves.



JAC did love hanging off our balcony.




Our car broke down on the way home.


Here's the crew camped in the Walmart parking lot waiting for the mechanic.


After 4 hours in the blazing sun waiting on the mechanic JAC fell asleep in my arms. This is an absolute first.






JAC asleep with a blanket on his head. He's protesting the car ride.



All in all it wasn't a bad vacation. The end.

Just Say No

The next time you consider dragging your one year old to the DMV - Reconsider. Jess just started a new job and there's a good likelihood we'll be doing some traveling. I thought after four years of wedded bliss it was time to finally change my last name.

I think there is a form of cosmic justice due to stubborn ladies like myself who wait too long to change their last names. Instead of waiting two hours at the DMV when I was young and kid free, I got to wait for three hours at the DMV while wrangling my hooligan.

When we arrived the line was out the door and trailing into the parking lot. I steeled myself and tried to convince myself it would move quickly. It moved the opposite of quickly. I took my assigned number and went to a nearby chicken joint for lunch. Surely our wait would be nearly over when we returned.

When we returned with full bellies and high spirits we immediately we were confronted with the truth. There were still approximately 40 people ahead of us in line and most of the workers were on lunch break.

I dodged into a near empty row and plopped my wild child into a seat. He immediately made friends with a lovely South African lady behind us. They devised a game of passing a soda bottle back in forth while JAC intermittently ran between chairs. When a young couple sat down near us JAC took the opportunity and dived into a strangers lap. Luckily he was really nice about it and played with JAC too.
Quickly we were forming a small community in the corner and I was thankful for the help. We chatted. We watched JAC and mostly we waited and waited.

I knew things were getting bad. A nearby man walked to the counter and threw his number down. He yelled, "Keep your F**king number! I've waited too D**n long!" The armed security guards were escorting people out and shouting, "Get back in line. This isn't the club."

Finally it was our turn. After a quick glance at my paper work they had me sit down for a new picture. I tried to make my smile not seem forced but I was desperately clinging to JAC attempting to prevent his escape while he desperately tried to make a dash up the aisle.

So, my name is finally changed on my license. Next we will brave the Social Security Department. I think after that adventure I'll head to the beach for the weekend. Have a great weekend.

Hair

My mom was here this weekend and it was awesome. She's long gone now and her departure has left me in a real funk. I feel dissatisfied with everything. I'm generally grumpy and grouchy but most of my irritated energy has been focused on one thing...my hair. I hate my hair. I feel ugly. If I make it through the whole week without taking my kitchen scissors to it I'll be surprised.

Hair shouldn't matter this much but today it does. I have never had a haircut I liked. It seems that my hair is hard to cut. It is unpredictable. I am really in a funk so if you have any good hair advice send it my way.