Can I taste it now?

Tea at Crown and Crumpet

2011-02-23T19:29:00.000-08:00

It's February and Munch and I are on Mid-Winter Break, or as I grew up calling it, "Ski Week". So she and I grabbed the opportunity to get to one of our "must-visit" destinations: Crown and Crumpet Tea Room in Ghirardelli Square. Snow White joined us for the day. We saved ourselves a drive by taking the ferry into San Francisco.It was a tiny ferry- very new (not even 2 weeks in service) and as plush as a ferry could get. It even had heat lamps hanging over the outer decks! Munch loved chatting up the ferry workers on board and spent most of time battling the bay breezes-
We had a little time to spare, so we wandered around the SF Ferry Building Marketplace. First stop was Miette, where Snow White and I picked out a couple of macarons- chocolate, rose, and grapefruit.
I was glad to see several merchants that were new (to me, at least- it's been a while since I've visited the Ferry Building). This one, Boccalone Salumeria, caught my eye-
as did the mushroom place, Far West Funghi, where I was able to show Munch what real truffles look like (and which reminded me to hunt down a new jar of truffled honey)

Knowing we had a few treats ahead, we passed on the doughnuts, although the flavors looked interesting-
We met up with my cousin and headed to Ghirardelli Square for our lunch reservation-
where Munch was so excited to find Crown and Crumpet that she didn't quite hear me say (several times), "Yes, this IS where we're eating!"
We spent several minutes oohing and aahing over how darling everything was- especially the table of sweets at the entrance

We were seated in the middle of the tea salon, next to the service area
I ordered the nursery tea for Munch
and tea service for myself (this serves one), but I think my cousin had the right idea ordering an extra plate of tea sandwiches as Munch worked through her three tiers very quickly!
All our orders came with a generous pot of tea- Paris for me, a decaf Muscat for my cousin (which smells AMAZING!), and Peppermint Chamomile for Munch. Munch's little teapot was just the right size for her and she was delighted to find a couple of heart shaped sugar cubes in the sugar bowl to nibble and add to her teacup-
While we finished our tea, Munch and Snow White explored the sitting area
and made friends with some other girls who were playing in the shop.

Wisconsin Vacation- Antique Tractor Pull, Old Symco, and Thresheree

2011-02-21T15:23:00.001-08:00

A few days into our visit to Wisconsin, my uncle mentioned that he might like to check out a tractor pull. I jumped at the chance to take Munch- when would we ever do something like THAT again? It was a fairly wet day, so the fields were a giant mud pit. After purchasing some hot dogs and nachos, we were able to find a dry spot in the bleachers under some trees and I could take in the local crowd.
The tractor pull itself was fairly anti-climactic (this isn't a monster truck rally, after all) as they spent a bit of time with weigh-ins and chugged along slowly, probably due to the mud. But it was interesting to see the antique tractors.
Munch quickly picked out a favorite- a green Oliver 66 (not to be mixed up with the 88, she pointed out) and had fun watching for it both in the tractor pull and in the rows of tractors on display.
After the tractor displays, we came upon an old steam engine
which was powering the machines in the saw mill-
Hanging from the beams above was a collection of antique chainsaws
Next to the saw mill was another structure being built. It had a fairly new water wheel-
In the next demonstration area we saw the threshing machines and an old log cutter-
In another area of the showgrounds was a cluster of small buildings. I'm not sure whether it is called old Symco or Unionville.
It was a really interesting and memorable day. And on our way home, we stopped in at the Wittenburg Dairy King for a chocolate dipped frozen custard. Yum!

Nibbling through Napa

2011-02-21T10:48:00.000-08:00

AudioDad's sisters are celebrating birthdays this week, so we thought it might be fun to have a family day with them in Napa. We decided to meet up at Oxbow Public Market and I was glad to see how popular it has become. I remember taking Munch there when it first opened and was so concerned that it would quickly close due to lack of foot traffic. My last couple of visits though, Oxbow has been as crowded as the SF Ferry Building Marketplace, and it looks like a sit-down restaurant is now in the works where the Wine and Cheese Merchant used to be. Now all it needs is a great kitchenware store!
First stop was a peek into the pastry case at Ca' Momi Winery and Enoteca-
we haven't eaten there yet, as it is a fairly recent addition, but the aroma of their wood fired pizzas puts them as a must-try on my next visit. Another merchant I haven't yet purchased from is Five Dot Ranch, but I imagine we'll also bring something home from there soon-
Next, Munch made a beeline for her Dungeness crab friends in the tanks at Kanaloa Seafood Market-
She loves to talk to them and I'm not quite sure she has realized yet their fate as someone's dinner!
Having arrived before the rest of the family, we had a little time to kill so the next stop was Oxbow Cheese Merchant-
As always, we found plenty to taste and buy!
Everyone arrived soon after that-
so it was time for lunch- Gott's Roadside for them, and a pabellon cachapa (shredded steak, black beans, and plantain on a corn pancake) with yucca fries from Pica Pica Maize Kitchen for me- After lunch, we wandered through the market, tasting chocolate sauces at Anette's Chocolates and olive oils from The Olive Press, where I bought a jar of olive oil salve- just right for my winter-dried hands, before buying ice cream for the kids at Three Twins and some cold cuts from Fatted Calf Charcuterie (MUST go back for more bierwurst!)-
Next we crossed the Napa Valley Wine Train railroad tracks and the First Street bridge over the Napa River to get to the downtown area.
We passed a dirt lot with Dim Sum Charlie's food truck,
which is also the location of Napa's Food Truck Fridays (I hear that Spencer On the Go, from Food Network's Great Food Truck Race, can be found here occasionally- my to-visit list is quickly getting longer!)
At the Napa Riverfront
we peeked into kitchen window at Rotisserie and Wine hoping for a Tyler Florence sighting, but it was too early for dinner serviceso we took a few more pictures and wandered up and down Main Street, popping into a few boutiques,
but not finding Sift Cupcakery which seems to have recently moved to another shopping area a few miles away, so we hopped into our cars for a quick stop-
and left with a half dozen cupcakes

Wisconsin Vacation- Farm Animals

2011-02-19T13:10:00.000-08:00

For Munch, one of the most anticipated things of our farm stay was getting to be with the animals. For weeks leading up to our trip, she would ask whether there would be chickens or pigs or cows and so on. I remember having my own week-long farm stay when I was a fifth grader attending school in San Francisco- some sort of agriculture/outdoor education for city kids. Students were hosted by farming families- I recall ours had vineyards and several pigs. Other students stayed at dairy farms and fed the baby calves. After our daily class excursions, we'd have plenty of time to explore the farm we were staying on and classmates would walk over from the neighboring farm to play. It was a wonderful experience and I hoped that Munch's visit would be just as memorable.

Living on my aunt and uncle's Wisconsin farm are several heifers and a young bull. My uncle and aunt do not live there year-round (too cold in the winters!), so his brother works the fields and keeps his heifers there until they are impregnated. Then the cows are tranferred to his dairy farm. Munch's bedroom window overlooked the cow barn, and every morning we'd peek out to catch a glimpse of them. The animals kept their distance for the first few days-
but eventually got used to us and allowed us to pet them. I've always thought that cows were adorable (from a distance), but when they're standing next to you, it's hard to forget that they're HUGE animals.

Living in the woodshed were the other animal residents of the farm- dozens of cats! Some were wild and hid during most of our visit, but a few had been tamed by my aunt. Munch and I were delighted to meet the kittens and after that, every spare moment was spent cuddling them and getting them used to being handled by people.This is one of the tiniest babies, Cole-
This little kitten caught Munch's eye and was so sweet.
Little Annie tolerated all of Munch's random handling, turning into a rag doll in her arms, as Munch cooed baby talk to her.
Within days, we found the kitten waiting patiently for Munch to come to the door in the mornings and lingering in the driveway for us to return whenever we went out.
After growing up with large dogs, it was a treat for Munch to have a kitten to cuddle that was just her size

Wisconsin Vacation- Farm

2011-02-18T12:21:00.000-08:00

After spending a week exploring northern California, Munch and I were ready for a change of scenery. So we headed to Wisconsin, where my aunt and uncle have an old family farm. We arrived in Green Bay, which has the quietest airport I have ever seen-
A half hour drive takes you further and further into the beautiful countryside and I got my first view of the farm-
The front porch was a perfect place to relax and on our first night, we were surprised to enjoy a fireworks display happening in a nearby village.
Inside, is the bright blue kitchen where my aunt would turn out huge delicious breakfasts-
Munch and I stayed in the bedrooms at the top of a steep flight of stairs. Hers was a cozy room overlooking the woodshed and cowbarn-
Once we settled in, we explored outside. My aunt has gradually been adding garden areas to the front of the house- and also tied a swing into one of the large trees for Munch to enjoy-
Next to the house is the woodshed- then the garage- then the barn-
Another building housed the tractors and equipment-
And beyond the farm buildings lay acres and acres to explore and enjoy a nice, quiet walk-

Family Vacation- Playing Tourist at Home

2011-02-17T11:54:00.000-08:00

We spent the remaining days of our week-long vacation with AudioDad's family playing tourist around San Francisco.
The Marin Headlands-

Coit Tower-
Lombard, The "Crookedest Street"-
Ghirardelli Square-
SF Cable cars-
The nicest thing about a "stay-cation" though, was getting to enjoy dinners at home and sleeping in our own beds!

Family Vacation- Monterey Aquarium

2011-02-16T11:35:00.000-08:00

Day 2 in Monterey was spent at the aquarium. Munch really enjoyed seeing the animals and exploring the exhibits.
Best of all, it was a fun day hanging out with the cousins-

especially when we headed to the Dennis the Menace park-

Family Vacation- Monterey, Cannery Row

2011-02-15T11:07:00.000-08:00

As we hadn't been to Monterey and the aquarium since Munch was quite little, I was really looking forward to a nice few days there with the extended family. First stop was Santa Cruz, for lunch and surf-watching.

Munch couldn't resist getting closer to the action so she and her daddy headed down the stairs to the water.

We got to Monterey and checked in to our hotel with plenty of time to explore the Cannery before dinner. A local attractions magazine featured an ad for the Mystery Maze, which sounded like fun for both the little and bigger kids, so off we went.
Everyone donned their 3D glasses-
and we proceeded to feel our way through the mirrored, flashing maze-
After a few runs through the maze, it was time to meet up with everyone for dinner at Bubba Gump's. The movie references were lost on the kids, but they had fun snapping photos nonetheless.

Family Vacation- Safari West

2011-01-17T12:42:00.000-08:00

Day three of our SF Bay Area summer "staycation"- We headed out to Safari West, about an hour north of San Francisco. I had been wanting to go for the longest time, but had difficulty justifying the expense (considerable more than a day at the zoo). A family vacation was the perfect opportunity for a visit!
We met up with the family in time to enjoy a delicious BBQ ranch lunch at Safari West's Savannah Cafe. Reservations are required for the cafe, but there is also a small snack stand available. Afterwards, we loaded ourselves into one of Safari West's large jeeps, which seat about a dozen people- just right for our big group!
As it was midday and quite hot, no one else wanted to ride on the roof, so Munch, AudioDad, and I gladly climbed up for a better view for the first part of the tour. At first, our tour guide drove us along several large fenced in areas containing goat-like animals. AudioDad told me later that he worried this would be the extent of our tour around the property.
We also passed the cabins, where people could spend the night on property. I would definitely enjoy an overnight stay!
Eventually, we came to what was the first in a series of gates. As it turned out, the Safari West property was quite large and we ended up enjoying a fun, bumpy ride through the hills INSIDE the animals' enclosures.
It was such a treat having our driver stop our jeep alongside a couple of giraffes, zebras, and ostriches
although the cape buffalo concerned me a little- I had heard they could be quite mean.
After the driving portion of the tour, our driver stopped for a break before beginning the walking tour. She was thoughtful enough to turn the sprinklers on for the kids to play in.
Heading out on the walking tour-

A group pic-

Family Vacation- Napa Wine Country

2011-01-17T11:38:00.000-08:00

Our next day in the Napa Valley was spent exploring the wineries. AudioDad's sister had been telling us about a castle winery that the family might enjoy so that was to be our main destination. Wanting to also to do a little tasting, I had searched online ahead of time to see which wineries were "family-friendly" as we'd have Munch and possibly her older cousins with us. Just in case, I made sure Munch had her own diversion, in the form of her digital camera.
Our first mid-morning stop was Domaine Chandon, where my sister-in-law and I tasted sparkling wine.The grounds are beautiful and Munch found plenty to explore, from the bridge to the gardens, and especially the mushroom rock garden!
We met up with my other sister-in-law at Peju,and after a brief tasting, everyone was getting hungry so we headed to Gott's (formerly Taylor's Refresher) for lunch where the kids fanned out to their own picnic tables
Once everyone's bellies were full of Gott's awesome shakes, we head to Castello di Amorosa.
It was a fun picture-taking location, although I wasn't particularly impressed with the hard-sell tasting room experience.

Family Vacation- Dinner at Cole's Chop House, Napa

2011-01-17T10:26:00.000-08:00

Finally getting to the backlog of posts I've been meaning to write! Being a teacher, the fall is such a busy time for me and then comes the craziness of the holidays. It's not unusual that January and February are when I can catch my breath! After Munch and I successfully traveled to Texas last spring without AudioDad, I decided that she and I would spend most of summer 2010 on an extended "field trip".
June is usually when AudioDad's family gets together. In the past, we've visited them in Colorado, but this year AudioDad's sister and her husband came to us in California. It was fun playing tourist at home, as there is so much to see and do in the San Francisco Bay Area. We spent a couple of days exploring the Napa Valley, starting off with dinner at Cole's Chop House. We were seated at a large table on their outdoor patio, a perfect location for AudioDad's four siblings and their families to meet up at the beginning of the week.
AudioDad's three sisters-
Munch and her cousin D. chat up their uncle-
Munch with her cousins-
My niece and nephew-
A rare family picture (because I'm usually taking them!)-

Button, Button, Who's Got a Button?

2011-01-16T11:22:00.001-08:00

So today, we're doing a little more blog remodeling. I figured it would be fun to have a blog button to share, but I didn't want to fidget too much with creating one from scratch. Thank goodness for all the online button generators! I used Cool Text Graphics Generator for this one. And there was ready to go code over at A Heart for Home. It was quick and easy and now I can take my time creating something even cuter!

Make your own button at

More Painting With Kids

2011-01-13T19:32:00.000-08:00

In addition to the word art Munch and I created, we also reworked another painting from a couple of summers ago-
While her cousin A. was visiting, I had the kids work on a joint self portrait. First, they planned their drawings on paper. A. decided he'd draw a mohawk on his head. Next, they decided what colors they'd use for themselves and the background. Once colors were decided, they got to work painting. It was interesting watching the way they collaborated, shared, and compromised while painting the canvas simultaneously.
Once the background was dry, the kids did a rough sketch of their pictures on the canvas. From working with Munch in the past, I learned to do the painting in stages and let each new addition dry before continuing so it wouldn't get muddy. I had Munch and A. begin by painting all the skin- the face, arms, and legs. After letting that dry, we moved on to painting the clothing and hair.
In between painting, the kids chased "the bad guys" (A. with his imaginary sword and Munch with a magic fairy wand) and decorated a gingerbread house.
Last came the details- facial features, shoes, and additional last-minute embellishments. I liked seeing the subtle differences in the way a 4 and 5 year old conceptualized and represented themselves.
On Christmas day, the painting was unwrapped by the grandparents-
Posing with the final product-

Word Art

2011-01-11T20:50:00.000-08:00

As crazy as the holidays get, one thing I really enjoy doing over the winter break is collaborating with Munch to make art for the family. This year I was inspired by the "subway art" I've seen in many DIY blogs.

I began with this- one of several paintings Munch did a couple of summers ago when she was just beginning to explore with paint. I never cared for the muddiness that came from the brown and was just waiting to paint over it.
We started out by layering a mixture of black, brown, and red paint onto the canvas with a palette knife. I really liked how the brightness and texture of the previous painting enhanced the darker paint, making it richer and more interesting.
While it dried, I asked Munch for words and phrases that she associated with her grandparents. I sketched out a rough plan before typing them into the computer as word art, using a variety of fonts and sizes, in block letters. After printing them, I (very) carefully cut them out- the exacto knife (love those!) came in handy. Since I didn't have any modge-podge in the house, I thinned some Elmer's glue with water (about 3 parts glue to one part water), painted it onto sections of the canvas, and attached the word art. I found that the letters tended to wrinkle up a bit when wet, so I patted them down to better adhere to the canvas- the wrinkles themselves I didn't mind as they added more interesting texture.
Once the letters were fairly dry and ready for another coat of sealer, I thought they seemed a little "bright" so I mixed a few drops of brown paint into my next batch of thinned-out glue. Munch painted over the entire canvas with this mixture- the layer of paint started to bleed into our glue mixture, but I liked the effect.

The last things we added were collage materials that we rummaged around for in Munch's art area:
one of Munch's drawings of herself
an ice cream cone made from some a scrap of cereal box cardboard, tissue paper, and iridescent confetti
a shopping bag made from a bit of string and a Target logo cut from one of their mailers
a bit of ribbon
a few buttons
a foam heart sticker
a bowl of mac & cheese (our favorite addition) made from a bit of blue tagboard and some dry macaroni pasta that we painted orange

We painted on a final coat of glue to the entire project after attaching the materials above.
Time spent- much, but certainly not all, of a day
Money spent- nothing- I was still in my jammies and had no intention of leaving the house for supplies. We got creative with the materials we had on hand.
End result-

New Year's Eve Interview 2010

2011-01-06T21:36:00.000-08:00

Saw this idea last year on a few other blogs and was looking forward to revisiting it with Munch. On my printed copy, I add a picture box for her to draw a self-portrait.

Munch
Age: 4 years, 11 months
Grade: Pre-K

Favorites:
Color: Pink and purple
Animal: Dolphins and kitties
Restaurant: Pasta Pomodoro
Number: 131
Vegetable: Carrots
Book: Penguins to the Rescue
Game: Tic Tac Toe
Food: Macaroni and cheese
Place: Wisconsin
Candy: Peanut butter balls
Best friend: Lucy

What makes you happy?
My mom.

What do you love best about your family?
How they love me.

What is the smartest thing you know how to do?
Twirls and tap dancing.

What is hard for you to do?
Stand on my head.

What is your favorite thing to do?
Play with little cat, Annie.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
A Disney person or a toy seller.

What will you get to do once you turn five?
Have cake and open presents. Also do handstands.

If you could be in charge for the day, what would you do?
Do the computer like a teacher.

What is your wish for this year?
That Tinkerbell and her fairy friends are real.

*A side note: Munch's original answer to "Favorite restaurant?" was originally McDonalds. Separately, both AudioDad and I were puzzled by that response. Munch explained, "They have a really neat playground. But, it IS pretty dirty. So I guess it's really not a good one after all." When I asked if she ever ate there too, Munch was confused, so I asked again, "Okay, McDonalds has the playground, but what's your favorite restaurant to actually EAT in?" "Oh, that's easy- Pasta Pomodoro!" she replied.

Dinner at Rotisserie and Wine, Napa

2011-01-03T16:31:00.000-08:00

My sister gave us a gift certificate to the new Tyler Florence restaurant in Napa, Rotisserie and Wine. We got to the Napa Riverfront early enough to walk around.
Munch loves the pathways that go around the park and under the bridge.
And when we discovered this little path to the entrance to Celadon restaurant (still been meaning to go there!), Munch couldn't resist the decorated archways with their twinkling lights-
After a good amount of meandering, Rotisserie and Wine was opening its doors, so we scooted our chilled selves inside.
The restaurant was "Wine Country casual" with its wine bottle and barrel lighting and the jeans and plaid-shirted waitstaff (a fun touch at first, but once you saw the variety of shirts, it just felt a little like a mish mash). I loved the mix of dark blue-grey walls hung with platters and the white subway tile along the front wall- it felt like I was dining in someone's home- can I be a houseguest? And, while I really liked the clusters of huge glass jug/pendant lamps on one side of the dining room, Munch thought these chandeliers would look better "without the wood on it".
Having been among the first to dine that evening, we were seated at a great table in the center of the restaurant, along the back wall. It was terrific to watch all the activity in the restaurant and I was also glad to have the lighting here so that Munch could doodle during dinner even though it wasn't as cozy as a square table. I loved the green water glasses, especially after realizing that they were made from the bottoms of wine bottles!
I had checked the menu online and also read the chowhound and yelp reviews earlier in the afternoon. I was pleased to see that Jeremy Fox, previously of Ubuntu, was in Rotisserie and Wine's kitchen and that Tyler Florence was also on hand that evening. I decided we'd order several plates to share so we could taste as much as possible! While we were perusing the menu, the kitchen sent out a plate of cornbread sticks- yum! I noted that our waiter made of point of mentioning that mac and cheese WAS on the menu (referring to Munch), but listed as "cavatelli" (thanks, buddy- I NEVER would have guessed!) I responded that Munch would be sharing everything that we ordered, thank you very much. Meanwhile, Munch set to work nibbling half of her cornbread stick, ignoring the honey butter I had set on her plate. When AudioDad and I both asked if she didn't want butter, she replied matter-of-factly, "I'm tasting half with, and half without" pointing to the piece remaining on her plate. Okaaay, then...
From the "Snacks" section of the menu, we ordered the deviled Jidori egg (2 halves per order) and a cheese puff (think gougere) oozing with jack cheese and topped with bacon. The puffs come individually, but sharing worked for us as it was fairly large (although next time I think AudioDad will want his own!) Munch was fairly fixated on deconstructing her deviled egg (she loves those, but prefers to taste each component separately), but agreed to taste a bite of the cheese puff and ended up eating much of that too. She was thrilled to discover that we could easily make them at home, so expect a gougeres post in the hear future...
Here's the cheese puff- sorry for the poor photo quality; I had two hungry eaters waiting!
Next up, a winter salad and biscuits and ham from the "To Share" menu. The salad was gorgeous and delicious, with a nice, peppery bite.
The buttermilk biscuit was my favorite dish of the night- a huge biscuit, split and stuffed with prosciutto and topped with a dollop of pepper jam, surrounded by sausage gravy with brussel sprouts. From looking back at the yelp reviews, it seems that the month-old restaurant is still tweaking their presentation (and serving sizes), as several dishes, including this one, are described quite differently by other reviewers. Munch made quick work of the prosciutto ("Ham!" she exclaimed, as it was set on the table), and I LOVED that pepper jam- we will definitely be coming back for this dish.
Our next dish was the Meat and Bones, from the Rotisserie menu- two slices of medium-rare prime rib topped with horseradish cream, a breadcrumb-crusted marrow bone, and a popover. Munch proclaimed her meat "just right pink". By this point, having watched Munch finish the bits of radish and micro-greens on her deviled egg, gobble up the cheese puff and request more biscuit and brussel-sprouted sausage gravy, and even clean her plate of the winter salad, all while maintaining a perfectly appropriate little-lady demeanor and volume level since being seated, both our waiter and the neighboring table decided that compliments were in order. "She's a sweetheart!" the table next to us whispered. Our waiter asked her name and remembered it for the remainder of the meal. When that cast-iron casserole of fancy pasta and cheese arrived, Munch had certainly earned it.
Dessert was up next. We went with the cheese plate, as it would be Audiodad's favorite, and the "cookies and milk"- Munch's pick. Dessert took a strangely long time to arrive, and when it did, it was just the cookies and milk. The cheese would be coming, we were assured, but we might as well begin with this-
The cookies: an assortment of bacon(!), ginger, chocolate sea salt, and one I can't remember. The little piggie cookie was adorable and really smelled of bacon, but tasted just like a sugar/butter cookie. Munch was again excited to hear that we could definitely make the ginger and the chocolate sea salt cookie (her favorite of the selection) at home, and she loved the vanilla panna cotta drizzled with the most syrupy balsamic vinegar- it was delicious!
More time passed, and eventually the cheese plate arrived, with apologies and compliments of the house.
It was yummy and I was glad to try the Pt. Reyes cheddar (never knew they didn't just make blue!)- we all liked it best and will have to hunt it down in the future. I heard later from my sister that she also had a delay with the cheese plate, and sitting at the bar, had watched the kitchen painstakingly assemble it. Must be the swirled apple slices- looks just like those wood shop whirly do-dad projects, doesn't it?
While we waited for the check, Munch and I had fun with the camera-
On the way out, we made sure the thank the chef-

Raising une gourmet petite

2011-01-02T20:36:00.000-08:00

I'm fortunate to live in an area where good food is accessible and appreciated. There's nothing I enjoy more than a great dining experience and it's always been my goal to make sure Munch knows the good from the bad.
Step one was exposing her to a variety of cuisines and flavor profiles. When she was barely a year old, I was delighted to discover Munch's favorite food from my aunt and uncle's house was sinigang- Filipino "sour soup." When I went back to work, I was glad to know Munch was eating hearty soups and stews made from scratch by her home daycare provider, whose family was from South America.
Step two was to not feed Munch "kid food". I started her on homemade pureed food from the beginning (and it killed me to see the later proliferation of steaming/storage baby food "kits" that popped up in cooking catalogues- that's MY method!) We've always sat down for family dinner time and I never made a separate meal for Munch, nor did I "dumb down" our own food. We've gotten "dinner conversation" pretty much down, but we're still working on the length of the meal (she IS, after all, a distractible 4-year old!) We also had pretty much stopped eating "chain" fast food a couple of years before Munch's birth, except for the occasional quick bite when traveling. As a result, when she was served plain buttered noodles, a staple of children across the country, Munch would wonder where the red sauce was. I also had to explain the nugget to her, as it looked like no chicken that had ever been on her plate before- she skipped it and ate the apple wedges instead.
Step three- exposing Munch to the adventures of dining out. When she was a toddler, I frequently let her join me when dining out with friends (as long as it was okay with them!)- in the process, Munch learned appropriate public behavior and began to understand that it would result in her being invited out again. We also started out in fairly informal places, like the local family-run Mexican restaurant or kid-friendly places like The Cheesecake Factory. I'd take Munch along on summer vacation "dumpling outings", when we'd pick up dim sum from the Asian market and check out the smelly, I mean, "sensory-rich" seafood section while we were there so she could see the unbutchered products piled high, unwrapped, and hopefully, she'd begin to understand that "food" was once a living animal, fish, or bird.
Now, we're in "food appreciation"- Munch is helping me prepare more meals than not. I always invite her to help, but don't force her. Just this morning, Munch declined to help make breakfast as she was still reading in bed, but sure enough, she was by my side within minutes (couldn't stay away- someone needed to taste all those ingredients!) On our summer trip to Wisconsin, we visited dairy farms and read about cows providing us with milk and meat. Munch knows that a farmer AND an animal are behind that meal on her plate. And tonight, a special treat that I've been leading up to for a long time- a "fancy" dinner out, meaning the beginning of restaurants with ambiance, tasting courses, a really good wine list, a cheese course- hooray! I'll post more "restaurant specifics" soon, but here's a sneak peek:

Munch with Tyler Florence- If we're doing "fine dining", we may as well throw a celeb chef in there!

New Year, New Look

2011-01-02T12:55:00.000-08:00

I don't usually do New Year's resolutions, but I DO intend to get back to blogging this year. After my last post, in which Munch and I wrapped up our alphabet activities, we left to travel most of the summer. That was followed by the start of the school year, and I'm always crazy-busy in the fall. Unfortunately, it got me out of the posting habit- and I still have so much to share! So my goal is to do a little catch up, and I think a re-design is just the inspiration I need. Munch is as busy in the kitchen with me as ever and still insists on taste-testing everything..."just to be sure I make it right."

Alphabet Activity Wrap-Up (Letters S, Q, K, and X)

2010-07-30T16:36:00.000-07:00

Last summer we started our "letter of the day" study. It's taken us a while, but we finally got through the remaining letters of the alphabet so that I could assemble the collage pages into a book. Munch has gotten fairly proficient at writing her upper case letters, so I added some practice with lower case letters.

Letter S,s- We used rubber stamps and stapled on straws to decorate the collage page.Today's craft was a directed drawing/painting of fruit using scented "paint"- I mixed Kool-Aid packets with just a tablespoon or so of water."Froot by V-"Sniffing the finished painting before enjoying a snack of strawberries

Letter Q,q-Lunch was a quesadilla, of course! Collage page with quinoa and q-tips attachedGluing squares of decorative paper onto a pattern of a bedthe finished bed and quilt with a kleenex-stuffed "pillow"

Letter K,k-For the letter K day, we headed out to fly a kite and Munch tried a new fruit-Kiwi!
Keys attached to the K,k pageKids can't resist sorting and exploring with keysOur kangaroo craftand making "kisses" cookies for a treat

Letter X,x- Our cooking project was to make pretzel x's using an illustrated recipe Munch brought home from preschool.I had a tough time finding something for our collage page, but finally settled on using plastic tile spacers-Munch has been interested in sewing lately, so we found a cute beginner's cross-stitch kit-

Cherry Picking- June 2010

2010-07-30T14:45:00.001-07:00

Dinner at Ubuntu, Napa

2010-07-30T10:32:00.000-07:00

I love Ubuntu in downtown Napa. My first visit was with AudioDad in late winter. I had heard so much about Ubuntu's seasonal menu. AudioDad didn't quite know what to expect when I told him it was a vegetarian restaurant (and actually, all their dishes can be prepared vegan). But we both loved it and I was really looking forward to going back, especially because I couldn't take many photos- much too dark! So when I recently got together with the girls for dinner, I suggested Ubuntu and was thrilled that we ordered one of EACH! dish on their small plates "garden" menu- "ten dishes inspired by the beautiful bounty of biodynamics, seasonality, and creativity"
our amuse- baby carrotsa starter of glazed cumin nuts (replacing their popular lavender almonds)- at first the cumin seemed odd with the sweetness of the glaze, but they quickly became quite addictive!

pane carasau-Sardinian flatbread with truffled pecorino, early summer leaves and flowers, soil (a really earthy tasting sprinkle of mushrooms possibly?)my favorite dish of the night- a clear cataloupe and sage gazpacho, blackened melon, "rat tail" radish, aloe vera, and spearmint marinated beets and whipped sheep's milk cheese, purslane, caramelized apricots, lavender congee, noyauxsteamed bun with onions and wild plumsone fo the more interesting dishes-savory chocolate financier, smoken pecan, estrella family chevrette, over green tomato mosaic, lemon balmrancho gordo yellow bean stew- you'd never know there wasn't meat in this dish- it's so heartypasta with assorted squash, fennel fiore, lemony carrot top brothroasted potatoes and cucumbers, lady's slipper, horseradishox-heart carrot salad, nasturtium panade, ras el hanout, crushed cherriesarbuckle grits with farm eggs, goat's whey. fennel, strawberry soffritto
Then dessert (again, we went ahead and ordered one of each dish!)...warm white chocolate lavender cookies and strauss milktcho chocolate and smoked cherries, noyaux ice cream, tarragon, cocoa nib tuilefrog hollow peach and corn pudding, popcorn streusel (sooo good- we liked it so much, our server brought us an extra bowlful with our check), blackberries, goat's milk ice creamslow strawberries and torn brioche with basil, verbena & long pepper ice milk, lemon curdThe only dessert I didn't photograph (surprise!)- the blueberry float with shiso soda, lime tapioca, and chamomile granita
The girls-

Bay Area Discovery Museum

2010-07-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

It's been ages since I've visited the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Fort Baker/Sausalito, at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge.I actually volunteered at the children's museum back in high school. At the time, they were located in a shopping center and maybe took up one or two storefronts. I'd organize crafts in the art room, pick up all the Colorforms (love those!), and gather up all the fishing boat props strewn about by the kids. I remember helping prepare for the move to the new location, and unpacking once things were moved over. Opening day was my last visit, and at that time, I had no idea the museum would become as big as it is now.
The BADM is set up for children up to age 8 (according to the website). It's a beautiful place to visit and the exhibits/play areas are divided into multiple historic buildings with a courtyard in the center. We started our visit in the Bay Hall, a simulation of local ports, and which houses that big old boat I remember from way back when.
Next we moved on to the outdoor exploration area, Lookout Cove. This was my favorite area, with great trails and observation decks built into the hillside and numerous areas to play, build, and explore.
Although the Discovery Cafe was closed, there were numerous tables available for us to feed the kids before we took them to the art studio. Munch loved painting and squeegee-ing the windows while her friend painted-Last stop was Discovery Hall, which currently has a "Living in Space" exhibit. Most interesting display? The kiosk demonstrating using the toilet, and the "video targeting" technique, in space! (no photos of that!)

More Winning Outfits

2010-07-16T15:41:00.000-07:00

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (aka Marine World)

2010-07-14T17:11:00.000-07:00

With all of the traveling Munch and I are doing this summer, I didn't bother getting us season passes for Six Flags this year. Unlike past years, when we'd find ourselves there at least once a week, Munch and I actually only had just enough time to squeeze in one visit to the park this summer- and luckily it was with my oldest and best friend, Munch's Aunt Gina, and her oldest son, M. First ride was Cobra (Munch's favorite)- it's a mild, non-loopy, good first real coaster for kids.Next we headed for the spinning rides, which I just cannot do and usually send AudioDad to ride withe Munch. Aunt Gina to the rescue!Despite the hour-long wait (it was so quiet, we could walk right onto every other ride in the park), Gina and I were most thrilled that the kids were tall enough to ride "Tony Hawk's Big Spin"- here's a clip from the opening of the ride in the St. Louis Six Flags from YouTube:After a morning of the more thrilling rides (to a 4-year old, at least), we stopped for lunch, let the kids lead the wayand then let them loose in the Looney Tunes section of the park-

Dress Up

2010-07-13T21:02:00.000-07:00

Munch has really been putting together some winning outfits lately...
This one is while playing dress up-This one is from when she decided to "dress for dinner"-And this is her everyday fabulousness-

Happy Anniversary!

2010-07-12T08:21:00.000-07:00

Our wedding, July 12, 1997- Meadowood Resort, St. Helena CA
Because our anniversary fell on a Monday this year, I suggested to AudioDad that we celebrate with a family day trip over the weekend. I wanted to be sure to include Munch so that she could understand the idea of our anniversary as a celebration of the beginning of our family. AudioDad decided we'd head to Point Reyes to see the lighthouse. I liked the idea because there would be good places for food and Munch wanted to go to the beach. We started out in the town of Point Reyes Station, where we stopped in to Cowgirl Creamery for some of their delicious Red Hawk cheese.I was disappointed to have misread their website, as I was hoping to watch the cheese making process through the viewing window in the creamery. Munch was thrilled to sample all sorts of cheese at the cheese counter and we left with half a round of Red Hawk, a thick slice of goat's milk cheddar, and a wedge of a delicious sheep's milk cheese called Abbaye de Belloc.After our creamery stop, we made our way the Marin Sun Farms butcher shop around the corner where we picked up some ground beef and a roasting chicken to add to the rapidly filling cooler in the trunk.Munch had fun stomping over and around the hay bales in their picnic area while stealing slurps of my iced Blue Bottle coffee.We made it to the funky Pine Cone Diner just before the lunch rush.After a quick peek at the restaurant menu, the fried oyster po'boy was an easy choice.After lunch, we headed out to North Beach along the Pt. Reyes Seashore. Unfortunately, any ideas Munch and I had about dipping our toes in the waves were rejected after seeing the posted signs warning visitors of dangerous waves and the presence of sharks.Instead, Munch set to work digging the "deepest hole ever".After dusting the sand off, we headed out the curving roads to the lighthouse. We passed by several historic ranches and dairies and saw cows grazing on hilltops overlooking the ocean.The walk out to the lighthouse visitor's center provided us with some amazing views-and a memorable climb to and from the lighthouse-Good thing I planned for a little treat when we arrived- Munch had an incredible view of the ocean as she nibbled on her chocolate cupcakebefore we began the steep trek back up the stairs!

Puppy Love

2010-07-11T19:42:00.000-07:00

Munch, 4 and Ginger, 8- The dogs FINALLY no longer view Munch as the baby...especially now that she frequently is charged with feeding them dinner!

Spangly Heart Cookies

2010-07-10T12:02:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been giving Munch more and more responsibility in the kitchen. She measures out ingredients for me, mixes things up, and (most exciting to her) she's gotten a chance to cut up celery using a "real" knife (one of my paring knives). Munch's cousin recently passed a cookbook on to her and we finally got around to trying one of the recipes.After going through the recipes, she decided on the "Spangly Heart Cookies". I liked that the recipe used reasonable quantities of ingredients for Munch to handle and that the straight-forward directions were also accompanied by a picture so I didn't have to explain much.
A few days ago I picked up a brightly colored set of measuring cups and spoons for Munch at Cost Plus. I figured it would be easier for her to remember the various sizes if they were also different colors.Once I softened the butter in the microwave for her, everything was easy for Munch to mix by hand. The only other thing I did for her was crack and separate the egg- she didn't want her hands to get dirty!Munch has also been wanting to wash the dishes herself, so she got going on that while the cookie dough chilled in the refrigerator.After a quick chill, Munch rolled out the dough and cut out the heart shapes before brushing on an egg white wash and sprinkling the cookies with pink sugar.Transferring the cookies to a rack to finish cooling-Just like the book!A proud Munch-

BOOM! (aka The Sky is Falling)

2010-07-09T19:55:00.000-07:00

I've posted before about how much I like our little town. For such a small place, it's always impressed me with its variety in dining options, the nice waterfront and the events held there, and more recently, the fiscal responsibility city leaders have demonstrated in recent years. Of all these things though, the city's 4th of July fireworks have always been the clincher for me.
After years of hiking to cold and windy hilltops overlooking various parts of the San Francisco Bay just to see a hint of color lighting up the fog, I can't imagine ever getting tired of walking out my door to the end of the block and seeing an incredible fireworks display. I remember our first summer here, and our surprise at seeing the RV's staking out places around the harbor the day before. Now it's a habit of AudioDad's to return from an early run on the morning of the 4th to announce the number of people who have already set themselves up for the display that won't happen for another 12 hours.
Another thing I love about our fireworks is the up-close, neck-craning view you get. That was until the city installed the big lawn and we got to enjoy the show lying down, with the sparks seeming to fall right on us. I remember that year was also our nieces and nephew's first 4th with us and as they lay on that new lawn, they were more than a little terrified of death by sparklers. Needless to say, with that close proximity, the fireworks are loud...and you feel their heat. You can usually tell the newbies to the show as they tend to be the ones who are picking up their children and running for safety.
We were definitely looking forward to sharing the fun with Munch once she was born. As it turned out though, we haven't gotten to enjoy a full show ever since. At six months old, she was sleeping so well and I wasn't about to throw it off. The following year, she began to show more and more sensitivity to loud noises, and would burst into tears at things like the loud whoosh of a public toilet flushing. We ended up carrying her home just seconds into the first burst, both of fireworks and tears! When she was two, she was fully aware of, and consciously avoiding, anything that she knew was startlingly loud- school bells, sirens, hand dryers, and of course, she continued to be wary of those public toilets. As much as I tried to prepare Munch for the fun over the next couple of years, she couldn't tolerate more than a few seconds of fireworks before covering her ears and begging to go home. This year was no different.
Munch and I talked about the 4th being our country's birthday. She walked around the waterfront with AudioDad to check out the crowd and listen to music. The neighborhood put on a block party and she got to play with all the kids. Munch even knew she was getting to stay up significantly past her bedtime. A few minutes to 9 PM, she eagerly waded through the crowd of people waiting for the fireworks show to begin, and she felt like a really big kid. I thought we had a pretty good chance that this was her turn-around year. And then, BOOM! Back at home, I knew our dog was having a heart attack and cowering under the nightstand. And Munch? Hands to ears, freaking out. So we scurried home, me encouraging her to at least look at them (she wouldn't), trying out the big headphones offered by a neighbor (still, no), and getting her up to her room. But as we walked past our new neighbors, sitting on the roof of their garage and enjoying their first fireworks display here, it occurred to me that we might be able to see the show from inside the house. So, on the floor of Munch's room, I calmed her down, opened up the curtains, and she finally was able to enjoy the spectacle. (Opening the window a crack, however, was quickly rejected.) This was how we watched our fireworks this year-
We'll try again at Christmas...

Munch Goes to Texas

2010-06-27T08:39:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago, Munch and I took a trip to Texas to visit the great-grandmother she's named for. Grandma was turning 99 and we hadn't been back for a visit since Munch was an itty-bitty-THAT actually may have been our very first plane trip with Munch and I remember being so cautious that she didn't continually push against the seat in front of her with her legs resting just so. The amount of luggage we hauled was incredible- carseat, pack & play, all those diapers, and numerous changes of clothes!
Contrast that with our latest trip- Munch and I were supposed to travel with my parents, so AudioDad was staying home. But unfortunately, one of my oh-so-sharing students also shared his bronchitis/pneumonia with me and several other kids, which I then passed to my dad (sorry, Pops!), along with my bonus gift of pleurisy, which landed him in the hospital, unable to travel with us. Long story short (and many commas later), I got just-enough better, just in time to travel as scheduled with Munch...but without my parents.
But, I'd NEVER travelled alone. And I wasn't so sure about heading out for the first time with a four-year old in tow. Just thinking about the luggage, waiting in the airport, managing my air-sickness, renting the car, navigating the roads, staying in the hotel WITHOUT AudioDad overwhelms me even now. If this was to work, I figured Munch had better carry her own weight...literally. Off we went to Target to pick up a large rolling backpack- her little preschooler- sized one would NOT do. Luckily it was covered with Disney princesses and Munch was ecstatic to use it-
So our plan was set- we'd check our big suitcase, Munch would haul the travel snacks and activities, and I'd have a small carry-on with other necessities (gum, baby wipes, change of clothes, water bottle, pretty much what I haul around every day!)
Our arrival into Love Field went really smoothly- it was easy to get around and didn't feel too crowded. Despite being rush hour, driving into North Dallas on the toll roads was a cinch compared to what I sit in everyday. At the hotel, Munch chose to have her own bed...and took up every bit of it!Our next few days were spent sleeping in- we never got used to the time change, swimming at the hotel, and visiting Grandma at her assisted living facility. Munch made fast friends with many of the residents and loved visiting them at the various tables in the dining room. One evening, we picked up dinner at our favorite BBQ place and brought it over-
Our trip went by too quickly as always. But I was so glad for Munch to have her own memories of her great-grandma, since we talk about her so often. Munch also got to meet her Grandpa's brother and his dog, Sadie. It took her a while to get the concept that Grandpa has a mother and a brother!As we were leaving, Grandma gave Munch one of the stuffed toys she keeps on her sofa. Munch just adores her Brownie and took such good care of her on the plane ride home!

Fathers Day

2010-06-26T15:05:00.000-07:00

I've said before how much I enjoy holidays and special occasions now that Munch is old enough to participate and understand the event. Fathers Day this year was no exception. I knew exactly what Munch would be making for Daddy this year- a painted self-portrait because he's threatened numerous times to steal the one she made her grandparents last Christmas-So as soon as he left for work, Munch and I got busy. We started with sketching out the picture on the canvas-
Once we got to painting, Munch began with the background, then the main body. Unlike the last time we made a self-portrait six months ago, Munch had a very specific idea of how she wanted this painting to turn out and the colors and designs she wanted to use.The finished portrait is very her- the only problem was keeping it a secret for the next week!
The morning of Fathers Day, Munch also wanted to make her dad breakfast in bed. I'm not that huge a fan of finding crumbs in my bed though (and it doesn't work that well when you have dogs!) Instead, we made his very favorite chocolate chip scones. I've been letting Munch have more responsibility in the kitchen lately and she did really well! First, she sifted the dry ingredients-Next, she mixed in the chocolate chips...and yes, she immediately asked to taste everything!After the cream was mixed in, we worked on kneading the dough and I cut it into squares. Munch brushed melted butter over the scones and sprinkled on the coarse sugar-The scones turned out beautifully- and both dad and daughter were full of smiles-
Later, we headed out to meet my family at Brix for lunch. I LOVE their Sunday buffet brunch and we were incredibly lucky to get a small patio all to ourselves!Munch made herself a lovely plate of shrimp, fruit, and assorted charcuterie and cheeses. It was a gorgeous day in the Napa Valley and we took our time enjoying the restaurant's gardens after lunch-before heading over to Oxbow to pick up some cupcakes to send home with my dad. Munch perused the assortment and ultimately chose a gluten-free chocolate cupcake, in a show of support for her favorite cousin and BFF who was recently diagnosed with celiac disease. It was yummier than I expected!

Alphabet Activities: Letter U

2010-05-23T19:36:00.001-07:00

I know I've been away a LONG while...but you don't really want to hear all the usual excuses. So let's jump right in:
Munch has been making terrific progress with her letter sounds. We started some phonics readers a few months ago and I hear her sounding things out every so often. Even more frequently I'll catch her using beginning sounds in labels to differentiate between several choices. So it sometimes seems beside the point to do the full focus on a letter of the alphabet. But I do want to be consistent, finish, and assemble her various alphabet pages into a book and I suppose we can begin working on writing lower case letters as she's beginning to show an interest in them and a readiness to write them. So this weekend, we tackled the letter U. We began with her alphabet workbook- Munch does LOVE workbooks- and she asked to practice lower case so we added it too:
And continued with coloring the upper and lower case u. It's nice to see how well her cutting skills are coming. We worked on scissor skills so infrequently last summer.
As she had just gotten out of the shower, Munch insisted I do the gluing as she didn't want to get all sticky. But she added more of her drawings to our letter page, which was decorated with cocktail umbrellas-
While I got set up for our cooking project, I hinted to Munch that AudioDad might to an upside-down headstand for her if she asked nicely-
Once the show was over, Munch and I got to work mixing up some batter-
then she sprinkled brown sugar over some butter I had melted in a cake pan-over which she arranged pineapple slices and halved cherries-for a lovely pineapple upside-down cake!which we enjoyed after a taco dinner (u-shaped shells!)-

Just Groovy

2010-02-07T08:20:00.000-08:00

Munch has discovered Barbie. I was unaware that she had them at her new daycare (which she started this past fall). So I was surprised when, at Christmas, she told Santa that a Barbie doll was at the top of her wish list. (And, from all accounts-because I wasn't with her- Santa assured her there would be one under the tree on Christmas morning- we won't be visiting THAT mall Santa again!) I loved Barbies when I was a kid- I had a bunch AND a dreamhouse- no Corvette though! But I just felt that three years old was a little young for Barbies, but then again, all the kids seem to be getting into things at a younger and younger age nowadays (gosh, that makes me sound old!) I decided that with the holidays and her birthday, I wouldn't mind if she happened to receive a Barbie as a gift, but I really wanted to find an alternative. So I went looking around online and at the toy stores.
First, I saw the Only Hearts Club dolls- these are "real-looking" dolls whose message is to "listen to your heart and do the right thing". Nice, positive message, but geez those dolls are kind of ugly. Next!
So I moved on to the American Girl dolls. These dolls were so much cuter. I was most aware of their line of historical dolls, who come with stories that are set in American history. And of course, there was the Jon & Kate Season 1 episode where they took the twins to NYC to an American Girl show for their birthday. But have you seen the price of these dolls?!? Most of the collection, such as the historical line or the "Just Like You" dolls run in the $100 range. Not exactly the kind I can afford a collection of!
Turns out though, the answer was in our local, independent toy store- Groovy Girls, made by Manhattan Toy. Positive message? Check! The Groovy Girls have partnered with the Girl Scouts to create the Troop Groovy line, whose dolls promote respect, responsibility, and courage. Cute? Absolutely! These dolls are soft and cuddly with colorful yarn hair and wear adorable and funky outfits. And there is a good selection of princess and mermaid dolls, which Munch adores. Diverse? Yup- but without smacking you over the head with it. And the price? I have yet to see a doll over $20- and most of the ones Munch has are in the $11 to $14 range.
Munch DID get a Barbie from a friend of mine this past Christmas- her girls are older and definitely in the Barbie stage. And we did get lots of Barbie play in those first few days of Barbie infatuation- her recently purchased Ariel is Barbie's newest pal. But it's her Groovy Girls that Munch talks to, tucks into bed at night, and carries around most often.

Money Lessons

2010-02-05T19:57:00.000-08:00

Munch got a birthday check from her very generous grandparents recently. Rather than just depositing it for her, I wanted her to understand and experience the process of saving it. So off we went to our bank where Munch told the teller that she had a "posit". The teller asked if she'd like to endorse the check, so Munch carefully wrote her name on the back. I decided that she could have $15 dollars of it to go shopping with, so the teller gathered up fifteen dollar bills and counted them out with Munch before placing them in an envelope for her.Munch loved holding actual dollars- she's been really into dumping the coins out of her piggy bank and counting and sorting them lately.When we got to Target, she carefully took one dollar out of the fifteen in her envelope and said that she'd spend this one and save the rest- I had to re-explain that she'd already saved some at the bank and THIS was all her spending money. We didn't get into the fact that a dollar wouldn't get her much :)
I let her look around the toy section, making sure that she checked the prices with me so that she'd stay in her budget. Munch ended up choosing some Tinkerbell themed paper lunch bags from the dollar bins and a mermaid-themed Playmobil play set.At the register, she counted out her fifteen dollars, held tightly to her very important receipt, and was thrilled to find she had about 70 cents in change to bring home to her piggy bank!

Munch's 4th Birthday

2010-02-01T18:19:00.000-08:00

It's amazing the way the birthday celebrations go on and on. We had already had a family party for all our January birthday people. Then, Munch got her favorite dinner (mac and cheese) on her birthday along with a cake on her ACTUAL birthday.And after all that, of course we had the friends over for a birthday bash. Actually, the party was held at Grandma and Grandpa's house (thanks Mom & Pop!), because we live so far away from all her friends and I didn't want our guests to make the long drive to our place. Munch was a great help and did a super job with the party craft- Since we were hiring her dance and music teacher for the party, Munch and I filled and assembled "ocean drums".At the party, we had the kids decorate them as they arrived Next up was Jamaica, Munch's awesome music teacher from JAMaRoo Kids. She had the kids (and parents) dancing and making music in no time!After snacks present opening and cake Munch and her cousin A. got in a last cuddle with Grandma and Grandpa before heading home.

Family Birthday Celebration

2010-01-28T21:55:00.000-08:00

We have a lot of birthdays to celebrate right after the holidays. Munch, her uncle, and her cousin are all within 10 days of each other in mid-January. Grandpa's birthday is another week later in February. So we were really glad of course, to be able to have everyone in one place (for once!) so we could celebrate all together. Munch and her cousin A. got to have a sleepover the night before-
I prepared taco fixings and whipped up some fry bread while Grandma and Grandpa picked up the Costco cake- YUM!The three birthday celebrants-We gave cousin A. a really cool pirate playset by PlayMobil that folds into a treasure chest-Munch got to open part of her present- a coloring book and some fancy-cut scissors-

Happy Birthday Munch!

2010-01-27T21:14:00.000-08:00

Happy 4th birthday to my little peanut- I love you Munchkin!

a few days old- she was just swallowed up by those preemie diapers!

on Munch's first birthday

2 years old!

a pony party for Munch's 3rd birthday

just shy of 4 years old!

Peanut and Squash Stew

2010-01-26T20:34:00.000-08:00

I've had this recipe tucked away for a while now. I came across it again during my recent reorganization of my recipe notebook. As good as it sounded when I first clipped it, inspiration took some time to strike again. A couple of weeks ago, I happened to record an interesting-looking 2-hour "Super-Chefs" episode of Iron Chef America, where the secret ingredient happened to be the White House garden. All the dishes turned out beautifully of course, but with vegetables as the star. The next morning, as I planned my grocery trip/meals for the week, I found that the majority of the dinners were fairly light on the meat and pretty economical as well (I spent all of $8 for this meal and it fed us for days! I'll certainly tuck half away into the freezer next time.) This one was our favorite by far. And it certainly hit the spot when my sister stumbled in one very late night after a LONG drive back from Tahoe. Warm and hearty, she easily put away a couple of bowlfuls of leftover stew before heading to bed.

Peanut and Squash Stew
The original recipe came from Real Simple magazine and I also found many variations of African Peanut and Squash stew around the web. I happened to misread the recipe and added the entire can of tomato puree. I'll try it with the correct quantities next time for comparison's sake, but I really like the way this turned out. I'd also add a little more peanut butter to get more of its flavor with the increase of the tomato puree.

Ingredients
1 c. brown rice
2 tbs. olive oil
2 c. yellow onions, chopped
1 tbs. grated fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
4 c. vegetable broth
1 28-oz. can tomato puree
1 c. smooth peanut butter
1 med. acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch-thick crescents
2 tbs. brown sugar
2 16-oz. cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 cooked chicken breast, shredded (I happened to have some frozen grilled strips from Trader Joe's so I chopped, heated, and used about 1 1/2 c. of those)
2 tbs. chopped roasted peanuts

Prepare the brown rice according to its package directions and set aside. Heat the oil in a separate 5 or 6-qt. pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook about 15 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, salt, and cumin. Cook a few minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add the broth, tomato puree, peanut butter, acorn squash, and sugar. Cook over medium heat, covered, until the squash is tender, about 40 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas and the chicken and heat through. Sprinkle with the peanuts and serve over the rice.

Pom Pom Flowers

2010-01-17T16:42:00.000-08:00

A friend from work popped into my classroom the other day bearing a humongous tissue paper pompom. "Could you use this?" she asked. She also had a large garbage bag filled with more where this first pompom came from. My initial thought was no way do I want more STUFF in my classroom, until she suggested that Munch might like them. Well, then there was no hesitation-"I'll take them!"
Up they went in Munch's room in shades of light pink, magenta, and coral. I figured they'd go well with the string of lanterns and the bright pink Tord Boontje Midsummer pendant light. It's a darling room, with buttercup yellow walls and splashes of every shade of pink. I just love hanging out in there! Here's a peek-
"Come on in!""Everyone who visits my room has to play pretend.""What are you doing?""Okay, we're done playing. You can leave now."Thanks for the pompoms and for thinking of us Sarah!

New Year's Day at the California Adademy of Sciences, San Francisco

2010-01-09T10:23:00.000-08:00

That's Munch standing in front of the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Containing the Steinhart Aquarium, the Morrison Planetarium, and the Kimball Natural History Museum, the Academy of Sciences reopened almost a year ago after a major remodeling and we were looking forward to seeing it.
We had heard that the lines have been INCREDIBLY long even months after the reopening, so we made sure to get there nice and early.We also chose to visit on the morning of New Year's Day, hoping that the previous evening's celebrations would keep people home in bed a little longer. Thankfully, our hopes were realized and the museum was pleasantly uncrowded at least until lunchtime. Parking was super easy, with a new garage built under the Music Concourse that sits between the Academy of Sciences and the DeYoung Museum. Once we got inside, we split up briefly to pick up the free, first-come first-served, showtime tickets to the Planetarium and the special 3-D Bugs film that was currently running. With specific show-time tickets in hand, we then took our time exploring the museum. Our first stop was the African Hall in the Natural History Museum-upon entering it, I was immediately transported back to elementary school and the numerous field trips we took to the "old" Academy. Munch immediately bypassed all the life-size dioramas and headed straight to the African penguins at the back of the hall-that's her on AudioDad's shoulders.
We eventually got her to move on to the Madagascaar and Galapagos islands exhibit where Munch loved seeing the tortoises, lemurs and played a game, projected onto the floor, where she stomped around on piles of leaves and tried to catch bugs.My parents found the exhibit on the global effects of climate change really interesting. This was a display about everyday waste and reusable alternativesYou can check out my parents' collection of American-made reusable tote, lunch, and grocery bags at Clean Conscience Goods- some items are also available through amazon.com.
Next we moved on to the Steinhart Aquarium's section where we came to The Swamp, an old favorite from the original Academy, which now is inhabited by a creepy, ghostly-looking albino alligatorDownstairs, we LOVED the different jellyfish- these we adorably tiny, with short, squat tentacles and these anemone-looking upside-down jellyfish, which bury themselves into the ground Here's Munch and AudioDad standing the front of the massive curved wall of one of the tanks-

We had packed a picnic lunch for the day, in order to avoid the possible crowds in the Academy cafe (I HAD heard that their food was quite good). We headed out to a few benches in the Music Concourse, which gave Munch plenty of room to run and play after eating.After lunch, we headed back into the now-crowded museum to see the Planetarium show (it was incredible!), and visit the enclosed, domed, four-story rainforest which was filled with butterflies, a few birds, and lush greenery We also couldn't miss the hilly, window-spotted, "Living Roof" of the Academy before heading home for a family dinner.

Love Letters

2010-01-09T10:01:00.000-08:00

Now that Munch is reading and writing, I come across notes like this around the house more and more often. They are so sweet and she is so proud!
(Vivian loves Dad)

Alphabet Activities: Letter Z

2010-01-03T20:01:00.000-08:00

After skipping around the alphabet a bit, Munch and I decided to work on the letter Z today. She had a tougher time writing this letter than most of her other letters, and many of her z's ended up looking more like 2's. Oh well, at least she's got THAT number down! After doing her z collage (we glued on rick-rack for "zig-zags"), Munch cut out stripes of black paper and glued them onto a white zebra body-I helped her cut around its legs and ears, then she attached it to some paper and drew some grass at the bottom. It turned out pretty cute-For our cooking project, we made zucchini muffins.I usually use a Better Homes and Gardens recipe, but have always found it WAY too sweet. Instead, today we tried a recipe from Smitten Kitchen. I used olive oil instead of vegetable oil and the results were really wonderful- light and delicately fragrant. I put Munch to work on grating the zucchini. She found it to be hard work-We mixed in about 3/4-1 cup of chopped walnuts and about 1/2 cup of chopped chocolate chips (the 60% cacao bittersweet Ghirardelli chips are my favorite of the grocery store brands- I roughly chopped them because I didn't want TOO big a chunk of chocolate in the muffins). They were very well received-

Zucchini Muffins, makes 2 dozen muffins
3 c. flour
3 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 c. olive oil
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 c. grated zucchini
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. chopped chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 12-cup tins with muffin papers (I also give the pan a spritz of non-stick spray around the edges of the muffin cups). In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, beat the eggs at medium-low speed for a few seconds. Add the olive oil, sugar, grated zucchini, and vanilla. Mix to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the zucchini mixture and mix just until combined. Stir in the chopped walnuts and chocolate. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake about 25 minutes or until the tops are dry and lightly golden.

New Year's Eve Interview 2009

2009-12-31T15:05:00.000-08:00

Saw this idea on a few other blogs and thought it would be a a nice way to remember Munch at this age. On my printed copy, I added a picture box for her to draw a self-portrait.

Munch
Age: 3 years, 11 months
Grade: Preschool

Favorites:
Color: Pink
Animal: Dolphin
Restaurant: In N’ Out
Number: 100
Vegetable: Green beans
Book: Santa’s Suit
Game: Hide & Seek
Toy: Balls
Food: Macaroni and cheese
Place: Skateboard store
Candy: Starburst
Best friend: Delanie

What makes you happy?
Ice cream and cake. Frosting too.

What do you love best about your family?
Daddy sometimes hugs me and kisses me.
Mommy loves me so much.
Ginger I love because I hug her so much.
Cricket is so nice.

What is the smartest thing you know how to do?
Criss-cross applesauce.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
A teacher.

What will you get to do once you turn four?
Sometimes four-year olds get to eat candy. I want to learn how to jump up all the way to the sky.

If you could be in charge for the day, what would you do?
Set the dinner table.

What are some of your wishes for this year?
Somebody wishes I come to their house, and that’s it.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-30T19:48:00.001-08:00

Pals

Munch's Updated Workspace

2009-12-30T10:43:00.000-08:00

I had a difficult time this Christmas when people asked what they could get for Munch. She's REALLY into drawing, coloring, and writing right now and I ended up getting her lots of art supplies- coloring books, fat & bright colored pencils, some fun, decorated tape-isn't it cute? I always felt so badly for her because our main work space is a train table with lid. I'd find her sitting on top of it, hunched over the picture she was working on. So she really needed a proper table. Luckily, her grandparents agreed to get her one. I spent a few days looking, but many were either too short (she'd outgrow it too fast) or had such a small work space that we couldn't comfortably work together as we usually do. I finally found one on amazon from a school supply company.It's a great size that should carry her through the next several years, at least until first grade. It's still small enough for a tea party with her stuffed friends and big enough for her to cover it and make a fort. We had the darnedest time getting an undamaged one because of the way it was packaged (barely) but I finally got the table set up for her, rearranged her work area, and now she has everything she needs for creating some fun things!Munch's work space is in a nice, bright corner. Under the windows is an old chest/bench in which I keep the paints. The tall bookcase holds puzzles, games, crayons, markers, paper, stickers, and other supplies on the lower shelves where she can reach them. The upper shelves hold workbooks and craft supplies that she needs to ask me for (rubber stamps, pompoms, sticky foam shapes, glitter glue) for more involved or messy projects. The low book case holds more paper, beads, play-doh and dough tools, trays for containing the messes, foam dough (I LOVE this stuff-so easy to clean and no sticky residue!), her fish, and a little iPod and speaker. Tucked into the corners are a tall lamp and a new mini vacuum, the Dirt Devil Kurv, that she knows to use at clean up time. I'll just add a hook to hang her mini dustpan and sweeper and we'll be all set!

Alphabet Activities- Letter R

2009-12-27T23:13:00.000-08:00

Munch and I had "R Day" a couple of weeks back...or is it a couple of MONTHS now? We did the usual routine of making the letter with wood pieces and practicing writing it, but the fun part was making the rainbow cookies. The cookies themselves tasted just okay and I might tweak the dough in the future, but the best part was how sturdy it was and its texture lent itself well to lots of handling. This activity was particularly fun because Munch and I could revisit primary colors and color mixing as well. I got the recipe from the DLTK's Sites: Growing Together, which has been my resource for a lot of the great alphabet activities Munch and I have done together. The original recipe calls for forming the dough into one large rainbow, from which kids can break off pieces, but I like our smaller rainbows better.

Rainbow Cookies
1 c. sugar
1 c. butter, softened
2 c. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
food coloring- red, blue, and yellow

In a mixer, beat together the sugar and butter. Scrape down the bowl before adding the egg and vanilla. Mix well to combine. Add the flour and mix well. Turn the dough out onto a board and divide dough into three balls. Add a different food coloring (red, yellow, blue) to each ball until dough is desired color. I kneaded in the food coloring before handing it off to Munch to finish just to be sure the color didn't ooze out and stain the work area.Divide each ball of dough into three smaller balls (I actually broke each ball of dough in half to start, then one half in half again, if that makes sense since I knew I would be combining colors). Leave the large dough ball its original color and use the remaining smaller two to mix with the other primary colors. Here's Munch kneading red and blue- it made the strangest grey-ish purple so added more coloring to it to make it more vibrant- it ended up fine once I baked it, not grey at all.Next we took each of our six colors and flattened it into a long rectangle.Then we stacked/layered the colored rectangles, beginning with purple at the bottom-I sliced the dough thinly, about 1/3-inch or so, then passed them to Munch to shape into a rainbow curve.After putting them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, we baked the cookies at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes, until they just began to turn golden at the edges. This batch is all ready for the oven!

The Curious Case of Munch's Hair

2009-12-27T15:52:00.000-08:00

After over 3 years of managing Munch's hair perfectly well (it was so easy for me to cut and style it), I'm having to learn all over again. Her hair texture has totally changed since the beginning of summer. I actually find looking back at her photos quite interesting. Her looks change drastically enough from year to year to wonder if it's the same kid, or possibly a sibling. Munch was born with a fairly full head of hair, but it took a while for it to do anything, especially grow. As a result, she usually had a kewpie-doll style going on-By a year and a half, it was finally long enough to give her a short, flippy pixie cut, but she usually wore it in pigtails, thus beginning her "Boo" phase (from Monsters, Inc.)As she grew older, Munch decided she wanted her hair longer, so we let it grow out. And when she neared her third birthday last Christmas, she had hair I would have killed for- sleek, smooth, layered- absolutely gorgeous.Within months though, it began to change. What began as a funny little wave on one side of her head spread to most of her crown. She continued to wear her hair long, but it definitely had more body and fullness at its roots. Finally summer arrived and we just couldn't continue to fight what her hair was becoming. I cut it to shoulder-length, and while we were usually able to brush it smooth, for the most part we let the waves do what they liked and corralled them with clips and headbands.By Fall, Munch's hair was still cute, but only because a preschooler could get away with a wacky look like hers. It was no longer wavy, but fully curly at the roots but straighter towards the ends. Most days it was a mess and I had no idea how to cut it or style it any longer.So off we went to a kids' stylist, who was able to make the most of her messy curls, and who admitted to have never seen a child's hair growing this way before. Many babies have those beautiful baby curls, which eventually grow out, but I'd never seen them grow IN! Munch got a darling, short, Shirley-Temple-esque bob, which requires a totally new way of styling (I'm learning to spritz and scrunch) to keep the curls from getting fluffy. Her self-portraits have changed too and she now draws her head covered in numerous circles. Here she is at Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa and her latest self-portrait-

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-12-26T16:30:00.000-08:00

Yes, catching up on blog & photo posts. We spent Thanksgiving with my parents this year.In addition to a great meal, there were lots of family games. A serious round of chinese checkers-Munch playing hide & seek with Uncle Brian-
and several Wii matchups- MarioKart and boxing-In addition, we helped to celebrate "Ash-u-lee's" birthday-
Two of Munch's favorite pals-

Birthday Party Round-up

2009-12-26T15:05:00.000-08:00

As I've mentioned before, our introduction to the preschool birthday party scene has been quite interesting. AudioDad and I had discussions about accepting all the invitations that came in- especially when Munch claimed to not know the celebrant, parent etiquette- would we be perceived as "hovering" parents if we both accompanied Munch? (With the 45 min. drive each way, he didn't want to lose family time.) I'm making weekly trips to the local toy store. We've seen a wide range of parties, from extravaganzas to simple barbecues. But a couple of months into it, we've been glad to see that Munch has been independently making friends, and we really like these kids and their families. Here's a look at what she's been up to:
The jumpy house-a must!Pinatas- a frequent occurrence (even though I have to admit to uneasiness in letting my kid hit ANYTHING with a big ol' stick)Candy, candy, and more candy-Munch loves wearing her "party dress", but getting all dressed up for a Halloween birthday party was the ultimate!Cupcake cakes- a fairly new thing? So often they have the strangest amoeba-like shapes, but this one was just so cute-Getting to explore her friends' cool backyard set ups is always a treat-Then we started the rounds of the "craft parties"- at this one, Munch was given a lump of clay. The result was...interesting.At the next, my sewing skills were put to the test at a "Build-A-Bear" party. Munch made a rabbit she named "Bunnyhop"- creative, I know...One of my favorites? A first birthday party at our favorite neighborhood restaurant- nothing like a sweet little one who's tentatively looking at the mound of cake and frosting on her tray-

I Haven't Forgotten You!

2009-12-26T14:58:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! I cannot believe it's been over a month and a half since I've posted last. We've been on the move most weekends with Munch's busy birthday party schedule and although I've taken plenty of pictures, I've had a dilemma about posting pics of her pals on the blog. As a result, I got out of the habit of frequently posting while I tried to figure out what to do (and ended up with a backlog of post topics!) So, look for more posting this week while I try to catch up! And please forgive me for staying away so long....

Alphabet Activities: Letter M

2009-11-11T20:22:00.000-08:00

I feel terrible about posting so infrequently lately. Munch has kept us on the move with her busy social calendar every weekend. It's been a lot of fun getting to meet her new friends and their families have been really nice. I was relieved to have a day off for the holiday, even though AudioDad had to work. Munch and I decided to get back to our letter activities, so we tackled M,m today. We started off making the letter M with wood pieces and Munch was delighted to discover she had made the word "moo". Of course, I got sound effects to accompany the word making:Next, we moved on to her alphabet workbook. Munch found the stickers with M words and practiced writing the letter-before beginning her letter collage onto which she glued some dry macaroni-We had a puppet to assemble- and Munch loved making her monkey-
I was really excited about our super cute, super easy food project after getting the idea off the web. I melted some pink candy melts while Munch stuck marshmallows onto lollipop sticks. The marshmallow pops got a dip in the pink candy then sprinkled with decorations The only tricky thing was where to put them while they cooled and the coating dried- they were too top heavy to stand in a tumbler. In the end, I propped a cooling rack on a few cans which worked perfectly!Munch got to enjoy one as part of, what else? A muffin tin meal! I filled it with bunny mac & cheese (Munch's favorite), meatballs, macadamia nuts, mandarin orange segments, and a marshmallow pop- all washed down with a glass of milk-After naptime, which gave me a chance to clean up, Munch and I finished up her mermaid craft. Earlier in the day, she painted some tissue paper (a la Eric Carle) with green, teal, and blue dot markers
After it dried, she glued squares of her painted tissue paper onto a mermaid shape and decorated it with sequinsI cut it out for her and we glued it onto a water-scene background done in glitter glue-Last activities for the day were a batch of "hide and seek" muffins to go with dinner (the cherries she pushed into the center of the batter sink into the center of the muffin during baking)and some exploration with magnets.

Fun at the Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-28T21:22:00.000-07:00

Ever since Munch was a baby, we've made a trek out to Dixon to a great farm where we go on hay rides and pick a pumpkin off the vine-it's the same place we head to chop down a Christmas tree. This year, we decided to stick a little closer to home and explore the farming valley in our own little town. Just east of the Napa Valley, there are vineyards, olive groves, and many farms in the Suisun Valley. One favorite produce stand is always crazy busy, with people loading up wheelbarrows full of fruits and veggies at incredible prices. At the pumpkin patch, we discovered a huge variety of pumpkins and squash- including these beautiful swan squash but first Munch had to climb the hay bale tower,do a little pumpkin bowling, and do a run through the corn maze.Finally, we headed into the fields to find just the right pumpkin. We also loaded up our wheelbarrow with a bunch of other squash before stopping for a delicious snack of pumpkin bread. At home, Munch quickly went to work on painting her mini pumpkins and later that night, we carved our larger pumpkins-They turned out really well and Munch enjoyed sitting in the dark with them as she ate a sweet treat- ghost cupcakes!

Wii Fun!

2009-10-19T16:41:00.000-07:00

I LOVE my Wii! Thank goodness AudioDad got the hint last Christmas and got it for me, even though I don't get to it as often as I'd like (you know, parenting & housework & a job kind of get in the way...) It's also a challenge to find games that Munch and I both can enjoy and that she is coordinated enough to play. MarioKart is one of our favorites and I finally got around to purchasing an extra Wii wheel- just in time for her cousin A's visit a couple of weeks ago. They were SO funny to watch once I handed each of them a wheel. In deep concentration, they'd use their arm's whole range of motion to turn the steering wheel, frequently ending up with it behind their ears and over their shoulders. Once both got comfortable driving on their own for a couple of races, the trash talk started- preschoolers are SO competitive! "I'm going super faster than you and I'm PASSING you!!!" one would announce as they proceeded to drive the course IN THE WRONG DIRECTION!

The Most Super Duper 4th Birthday Party Ever!

2009-10-11T15:51:00.000-07:00

Wow! I just got back from a birthday party that an incredibly creative and talented friend planned for her 4 year old. It all started with the invite, a curious and colorful little tin that arrived in the mail one day-Inside we found with instructions to inflate the balloon, upon which were printed the specifics of the party (note to self: don't pop the balloon!)-When we arrived at the party today, the festivities began before we even reached the door-Munch got her tickets and proceeded to decorate her party hat. Would you believe it's just a rolled up, painted grocery bag?
Munch looked awfully cute wearing it on the firetruck ride-After making a sand art necklace, we headed in to the rest of the birthday carnival-which was set up with several great games for the kids
Munch started in the jumpy then went down the row of games, collecting prized in her goody bag as she went-There was popcorn, cotton candy, face painting, and a fun house mirror-After yummy food, cupcakes, and a pinata, the final surprise was unveiled- a candy buffet for everyone for fill a favor bag- And would it be a carnival if you didn't win a goldfish?Big smiles after a fun time!

Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits

2009-10-05T17:31:00.001-07:00

I had a big carton of buttermilk left over in my refrigerator from a recipe I tried recently- what it was, I don't even remember now... but with the little chill in the air, thought I'd whip up a hot batch of biscuits. My go-to recipe has always been Fannie Farmer's baking soda biscuits- sometimes with buttermilk, sometimes just with regular milk. They're good, as homemade biscuits are, but I wanted something that brought out the buttermilk flavor even more. I found it in this recipe for Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits from Pinch My Salt. If you've never made homemade biscuits, there's a really good photo tutorial- and it's really easier than it seems (put down the canned biscuits...) Using cake flour, if White Lily is not available, is the key- I could tell just by mixing them that they'd be much more tender. And using butter, instead of the shortening called for in my old recipe, gave these the most wonderful flavor. I also use a pastry blender instead of my fingers- keeps the butter colder. These biscuits are incredible- I've made a big batch a couple of times this week already. Go make some RIGHT NOW!

Little Green Friend

2009-09-29T20:20:00.000-07:00

I was startled to find a big, green praying mantis hanging out on our garage door as Munch and I returned home today. I love these little bugs- they are really cute and intelligent-looking- and I hear they make good pets. But we certainly don't need another creature to raise right now (I'm still nursing Sari back to health) and didn't have a place for it (other than a plastic jelly jar...) so Munch released her new pal, Prancy, just before dinner-

Pretty as a Princess

2009-09-28T18:18:00.000-07:00

Munch got a special treat last weekend in the form of her cousin's 18th birthday party/debut. A big party was planned, with dancing, and Munch was looking forward to it for days. She made sure to wear her favorite party dress and was absolutely in love with all the older girls dressed up for the evening. After a delicious dinner, which included my favorites-lechon (roast pig) and kare kare (oxtail & tripe stew in a peanut sauce), they started the Roses dance, in which various male relatives and friends presented the birthday girl with a rose before a quick spin on the dance floor.And once the DJ started, there was no getting Munch off the dance floor-she wanted to be the last one there! By the end of the evening, she was lying on the steps (in the background), tired, but still wanting to be in the middle of the crowd.My favorite shot of the night-Munch was fascinated with the whole "boyfriend" idea...

Another Muffin Tin Meal

2009-09-21T17:50:00.001-07:00

This MTM (muffin tin meal) is filled with green beans, mac & cheese, watermelon chunks, and rolled deli turkey slices- with a peanut butter blossom for dessert! Check out more MTMs at Her Cup Overfloweth, home of Muffin Tin Mondays!

First Fall Apple Pie

2009-09-21T17:04:00.000-07:00

I've had a pie crust sitting in my refrigerator, waiting to be used. It's been a long while since I've made an apple pie, but it is AudioDad's favorite dessert- I almost made him one for his birthday instead of the chocolate buttermilk sheet cake. I found a recipe online for a streusel topped pie (also known as a French apple pie)- thought that would be a nice change (and I only had a single crust- too lazy to make another one!) It was definitely delicious!
apples in the crust
topped with streusel

Streusel Apple Pie
1 pie crust
3 lbs. (about 7-8) peeled Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbs. Minute tapioca

Topping
2/3 c. flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
5 Tbs. cold butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare pie crust and use it to line a 9" deep dish pie pan. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix together apples, sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, and tapioca. Pour apple mixture into the unbaked pie crust, mounding in the center and pouring any juices over apples. In a medium bowl, prepare the streusel by mixing together the flour, brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Using a pastry blender or a knife, cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle/pat this mixture over the apples in the crust. Bake pie for 12 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 35-40 minutes, or until apples are tender and pie is golden brown. Let cool a few hours before slicing and serving.

Not a FOLLOWER yet? What are you waiting for?

My Baby Started Preschool Today...

2009-09-16T20:08:00.000-07:00

Munch around 10 months old
I know the time flies by, but the milestones still catch me off guard. How is it that Munch is now off to preschool on her own? It was difficult for me just because I felt torn between being there to drop her off and leaving my kindergartners with a substitute for the second time this week. In the end, I knew she'd be fine with AudioDad, so long as he took lots of pictures! I guess I made a big enough deal about it, because I he worried about how they turned out all day after leaving her! (Isn't he sweet?) Mainly, the issue was that it's a lot of the back of her- but I suppose it's a good thing that she was independent enough to just jump in without a look back to Dad!
Munch wearing her "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" shirt- she's passed over it EVERY time she's gotten dressed since we made it- guess she thought it was special enough to save for her first day of school!
Confidently heading into the crowd-Munch is greeted by her teacher-
Exploring the schoolyard-
Enjoying her after dinner treat- on the "Special Day" red plate!

Don't Miss This Deal!!!

2009-09-09T21:38:00.000-07:00

Restaurant.com is a site where you can purchase restaurant gift certificates for a discount, for example a $25 certificate for $10. They're currently running a promotion for 90% off- that's $1 for a $25 certificate- GO CHECK IT OUT!!! Use the code: NINETY. It seems they're running this promotion beginning at midnight on 9/9/09 for the next 99 hours.

Birthday Weekend!

2009-09-08T20:15:00.000-07:00

It was AudioDad's birthday, so Munch & I stayed pretty busy. We took advantage of the time he spent with his sister to catch up with my family and do a little covert birthday present shopping. Although she's better than the days when she used to just tell him what we bought as soon as she saw him, Munch still couldn't help but tell her Daddy we went shopping for him (thank goodness she's easily distracted!) She's such a funny kid- she loves to share and get things for people, but HER idea of the perfect card? A humongous Hannah Montana card- WITH music. I was eventually able to redirect her to something more appropriate! For lunch we met up with my dad to try out a new dim sum restaurant- Munch has never had dumplings off the cart before. She quickly polished off a full basket of shrimp dumplings, then we waited for a LONG while for the cart to come back around. (Note to self- Next time, get everything for the kid in the first pass!) Thank goodness for my goofy dad to keep her entertained!Yummy!A full belly brings out Munch's inner diva...
I thought it might be nice to go out to brunch so on Sunday, we headed out to Brix restaurant in the Napa Valley. It was a gorgeous day and we had a great view of their gardens from our patio table.The food was really good and I'd love to go back just to sit in one of their cozy wine barrel booths-
Monday was AudioDad's actual birthday.We celebrated with a fun day of swimming,yummy lunch, and chocolate cake!This recipe seems to use EVERY bowl and sieve and sifter in my kitchen, but if you have a crowd to feed, this is the cake to bring!

Chocolate Cake Squares- makes a sweet cake with a light chocolate flavor
cake:
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1 c. cold water
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

glaze:
1 lb. pkg. powdered sugar
1/4 c. cocoa powder
6 tbs. milk
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10x15-inch sheet pan. Melt the 1/2 c. butter either in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Let cool for 5 minutes then add the water and oil. Set butter/oil mixture aside. Break the eggs into a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the buttermilk and vanilla and stir to combine. Set egg/buttermilk mixture aside. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter/oil mixture and blend with an electric mixer at medium-low speed. Add the buttermilk mixture and blend until m=smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading batter a little higher around the edges (prevents a domed center). Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the cake springs back slightly when lightly touched in the center. While the cake bakes, begin preparing the glaze. Place a sieve over a 1 1/2 qt. mixing bowl and set nearby. Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa into a medium sized mixing bowl. Pour the milk into a small saucepan, add the butter, and melt over low heat. Pour the milk/butter mixture into the powdered sugar mixture and stir to combine. Add the vanilla and blend. Pour the glaze through the sieve over the small bowl and push it through with a rubber spatula. When the cake is finished baking, remove it from the oven and set it on a cooling rack. Immediately pour the glaze over the hot cake. Working quickly to ensure a shiny finish, spread the glaze with an offset spatula to cover the entire cake surface evenly. Let the cake cool completely before cutting into pieces and serving.

Alphabet Activities: Letter C

2009-09-02T20:46:00.000-07:00

No more "Summer School"- REAL school is keeping me pretty busy right now. It's always like that at the beginning. Fortunately, we had a quiet weekend at home last week, so Munch and I had another alphabet day. We glued cottonballs to her C letter collage-
painted an egg carton caterpillar-
and make some yummy chocolate chip peanut butter cookies-
Munch surprised me last week with a doodled picture that she explained were workers- "See, W-N-A-O-I-V. That says workers, Mom!" I guess we've still got a ways to go on the phonetic spelling...

Cinnamon Rolls

2009-08-26T20:32:00.001-07:00

Yes, I said cinnamon rolls. Warm, homemade ones. I know I've been bad and haven't posted in a long while (sorry! I went back to work last week), so I thought sharing this lovely recipe would make up for it. These are not your traditional, Cinnabon-style, achingly-sweet type of cinnamon roll. But they're delicious just the same- and we like them even better.
I came across the recipe during my recent recipe organization project. From Cook's Illustrated, they start with a cream biscuit base which you roll out and spread with cinnamon sugar. I love that I don't need to wait for them to rise- no yeast! And I've always got these ingredients on hand, so I can whip them up at any time. Munch and I had a great time making them- there was a lot I could let her do. She got to dump the ingredients in, do some of the mixing, helped with the rolling, brushed the butter onto the dough, sprinkled on the filling, and put the rolls in the pan. If the 3-year old can do it, so can you!

Dough:
2 c. flour
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. heavy cream, plus a couple tablespoons more as needed

Filling:
1 tbsp. butter, melted
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Icing:
1 1/2 tbsp. egg white
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray an 8-inch round baking pan with nonstick spray. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the 1 1/4 c. cream and stir until dough starts to form. Add additional cream, a tablespoon at a time, until no dry bits remain. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead by hand until smooth, about a dozen turns. Roll out dough into a rectangle, approximately 9x12 inches.
Brush melted butter onto the surface of the dough rectangle. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly onto dough. Roll up dough, starting at long edge, then cut into 8 rounds. Arrange rolls in the prepared baking pan and bake about 25 minutes until golden.
While the rolls bake, prepare the icing by whisking together the egg white, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle icing over rolls once they come out of the oven. I know I don't have to tell you to enjoy these right away!

Still not a FOLLOWER? What are you waiting for?

DIY Fro Yo

2009-08-19T22:06:00.000-07:00

WAY back when (in high school), I used to work in a frozen yogurt shop. I still think it's not a bad place to work- people are always happy after they have a bit (or more) of ice cream! So I've been really excited about these new yogurt shops that are finally starting to hit our neck of the woods. You get your cup and serve yourself-I love that I can Munch just the tiniest serving, since you weigh & pay by the ounce. This is the place at Pacific East Mall- they always have incredible flavors. Last time it was vanilla tart, blackberry, pomegranate, strawberry, and mango. The first time we went, I put a dab of each flavor in the cup to try them all out! Next, you add your own toppings-it's nice to have this tiny dice of assorted fruits!Munch's favorite? Vanilla swirled with something, some tiny diced strawberries, and a bit of rainbow sprinkles.

Life in a Small Town

2009-08-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

Big, crowded cities have never appealed to me. I've always wanted to live in a small town. The kind that's walkable, with a strong sense of community, and where you frequently bump into people you know as you go about your business (but not so small that everyone knows your business!) We've been really lucky with our little town. Once named THE worst place to live in the SF Bay Area, the city leaders have really worked at turning things around. We have a nice waterfront
within walking distance with solid mom and pop restaurants (though not much shopping- I'm still hopeful). There are many community events both here (we have Friday concerts, Saturday evening family movies outdoors, and Sunday concerts, AND you just can't miss those 4th of July fireworks!) and in our neighboring city (and I can easily walk to their downtown by just going opposite ours).
Tonight we got together at our favorite Mexican restaurant with several neighbors from our alley- yes! an old-fashioned alley- no looming garage on the front of our house, and with our low picket fences, it's easy to see what's going on in everyone's backyards up and down the street. AudioDad knows countless neighbors from his daily jogs. He used to frequently come home from a run with a 6-pack of beer from a neighbor who made home-brews. They piled up since he doesn't drink often- thank goodness for that beer batter bread recipe! That neighbor has since moved- but AudioDad recently came home from a run with his hands full of seedlings instead!
Altogether, there were 6 households at dinner and it was great fun, especially now that we've got younger families beginning to move in- more kids for Munch to play with even though she has a couple of years on them. We're hoping we can start to do these neighborly get-togethers more often.
Here's a few pics from this weekend's local Tomato Festival-
Munch and AudioDad after a yummy breakfast-she's taken to always adding an accessory to the day's outfit. Usually it's the foam tiara or a pair of butterfly wings
We were thrilled to find pony rides!

The local Girl Scout troop had a booth with fun crafts-
and they had the tallest inflatable slide I've EVER seen- the Titanic!

Summer School: Letter B

2009-08-16T20:50:00.000-07:00

Munch has been wanting to do the letter B for a while now- it's her Uncle Brian's letter, she keeps informing me. So we got started with wood pieces and our letter collage decorated with stick-on buttons (no messy gluing!)
Munch has definitely just taken our alphabet lessons and run with them. I often find her working on matching stickers to beginning sounds in the workbook Grandma bought her. She continues to discover additional words that didn't make it onto the letter collages. I ended up taking a blank journal, wrote a letter on each page, and we'll put additional words there. I'm definitely starting to lose some steam, and we're only halfway through the alphabet, but it's difficult for me to stick to the process now that she's learned most of her sounds, with the exception of x, q, and y. But I'll stay the course, because she's still so interested, and I think kids like routines.
We made several puppets for B day- a bear, bird, and bunny (Munch didn't want to call it a rabbit) and it's always fun to pull the rest out to play
Later on, we went out for a bike ride in the neighborhood and with the ever-present breeze, it was quite a pleasant day
My beautiful girl!

My Little Artist

2009-08-10T17:17:00.000-07:00

Inspired by a past episode of J&K Plus 8, where Kate takes the little kids to do some painting, I picked up a few canvases at the beginning of summer. Munch planned the main colors and I added another complementary one or two as she painted. Here are the results-

I think I'll have her do one more so we have a group of three. Since our first two use red- maybe the third will be mostly pinks and reds.

Good Fun

2009-08-09T20:59:00.000-07:00

As always, summer weekends are busy, busy, busy! But I love that we've had the opportunity to get together so often with family and friends. Last weekend, we celebrated my sister's birthday-
would you believe my parents had NO birthday candles in the house? I guess it's time to buy them a box!
AudioDad's been busy with a project I've been wanting done for so long- we removed our gross, old, broken hot tub (hasn't worked since before we moved here) and he's ripping out this multi-leveled deck that left Munch with small, odd spaces to play. I didn't have to ask twice if he wanted to use the hot tub at my parents' house-
Since we were off to see Gina and the boys the next day, I decided to skip the commute home and stayed the night. Munch loved having a sleepover at Grandma & Grandpa's house. What was really nice, though, was that my brother and sister were both there too- we couldn't remember the last time we were all home at the same time for dinner together and we enjoyed our Chinese take-out (yay! no cooking!) on the deck overlooking the San Francisco bay on a gorgeous summer evening-Munch was especially relaxed after a nice dinner
The next morning, Munch and I headed off to Gina's parents' house, where she's staying while visiting from Hawaii. They have an incredible backyard and the kids quickly climbed on to the swing together
Next we loaded them in the wagon for a walk to the park After kids got good and tired out we came back to the house for a delicious lunch and the kids tried on the adorable grass skirt and coconut bra that Gina brought for Munch Good fun! But I'm starting work again next week- the summer goes by way too fast!

Don't miss a bite- Become a FOLLOWER!

Too Many Recipes!

2009-08-08T15:39:00.000-07:00

I have a problem. I cannot help myself when it comes to collecting recipes. I clip them from magazines or newspapers, get them from friends and coworkers, and print so many off the web. They are tucked away into piles and binders and envelopes all over the house. And I haven't yet mentioned the many back issues of Martha, Bon Appetit, Cook's Illustrated, and so on- I CAN'T just toss them- what if there's a recipe I might want? But finally I had to face it- my "cookbook" had become too unwieldy, too full for any more recipes. I guess I've been tackling this project for a while now. About a year or so ago I cancelled all subscriptions- no more was allowed to come in until I got a handle on what was already here. Then I started working through the little stacks of magazines and clippings that were squirreled away all over the house. This week I looked through my binder and decided I needed to separate the good stuff- my tried and true favorite recipes- from the stuff I hadn't even tried yet. Out of my recipe binder went clippings for everything that I'd never cooked- many actually ended up in the trash since I found I was no longer interested. Everything I still wanted to try got transferred into 2 smaller binders to flip through for when I'm in the mood for something new. The result is this-(I'm thrilled that the covers actually close!!!)
and this-because I told myself if it was going in the "to try" binder, I really had to do it. These cupcakes were inspired by the delicious passionfruit cupcakes I get from Kara's. Gina kindly brought me a couple jars of passionfruit jelly, which I made into a curd-which I used to fill a yellow cake recipe clipped from Martha Stewartand I frosted it with a meringue buttercreamThe verdict? The passionfruit filling turned out perfectly! I now can use the same technique to make fruit curds from jellies if the primary juice isn't readily available. The cake recipe is nice, but not necessarily a keeper- I think I'll keep looking for a basic vanilla cake recipe- I have a few others in my to-try binder. Making a buttercream from sugar syrup was easier than I thought, and it made a nice, not-too-sweet frosting, but it still wasn't better than my white chocolate buttercream. Because ultimately there IS a method to the madness of my recipe clipping- I don't have a wide-ranging repertoire of things I like to cook and bake, but I AM determined to find the best recipe for those few items.

More Fun With Gina and the Kids

2009-08-07T12:57:00.000-07:00

Next stop of favorite blog trips for Gina & I (with kids in tow) was Scientopia and lunch at Oxbow Market. It was a pretty quiet morning and we were lucky to have Scientopia almost to ourselves for the first hour. The boys headed straight to the train tableand the digging pitwhile Munch painted and beaded.
All the kids had fun in the dramatic play area with puppets, costumes, and instruments.
At lunchtime, we headed down the street for lunch. Munch had her standard ham & cheese mini arepa with yucca fires from Pica Pica and I had a cachapa filled with steak, plantains, and black beans.
After lunch we walked around. Munch loves checking the tanks at Kanaloa Seafood, so we made sure to stop therebefore heading off to Kara's for some delicious cupcakes (thanks again Gina!)

Old Pals

2009-08-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted much (at all) this past week- I've been running around the Bay Area, Munch in tow, with just 2 (!!!) weeks left before I head back to work. My very dearest friend is visiting from Hawaii (rough, I know) and I've been grabbing the opportunity to have lots of time with her and the kids. What's especially fun is that we've been meeting up at so many of the places I regularly blog about. Last week, we took Munch and Gina's oldest to Marine World (Discovery Kingdom- what a random name! I just can't get used to it, and when I do use it, no one around here knows what I'm talking about!)
Anyways, I never can get over how much our babies have grown every time we get them together.It's so sweet to see the kids go through the same routine every time- the first few hours are spent warming up to each other. Munch and I talk about her Auntie Gina and the kids all the time, but we only get together a couple of times a year. But the kids quickly fall into their own little friendship, especially now that they can play independently and both chatter away with each other more.
We did the usual- Thomas Town, Looney Toon land, the butterfly building, the fountain & rides in Jungle Land, but especially fun was that Munch's friend M. was tall enough to go on Cobra- one of the "real" coaster rides and her very favorite!