Wicked Wednesday and Ben's Birthday Dinner

We celebrated Ben's birthday (which is today) with j&i last night during our weekly wicked wednesday. We started out with Chili, then went to cake and kissing... and then Esther played with my shoes...

It doesn't look as delicious as it was in this picture... it actually looks sort of like the bog of eternal stench... which, being chili isn't that far off reality...
Every year i make Ben a carrot cake. Which, for me is a big feat. It's not that i'm not good at baking... it's that i don't like to measure and so sometimes it's a bigger adventure than i set out for... you try measuring an 1/8 of a teaspoon with a shaker.

I swear this is a real kiss, we're not just smashing faces.
Ian's sad cause he's not getting a smooch... actually he's proving something to me here...
Ben says, "well then go get some sugar, Bee-Yatch"

So he does... but it wasn't enough.

So he goes back for more, but instead he tries to suck out her soul as my young daughter watches and learns.
Then my young daughter decides she wants to eat my flip flop... ewww. Also, i - this picture is posted just for you.
Hrmmm... which shoe should i eat next
Children really are like puppies

Miss Esther

Nothing New

Busier than a one armed paper hanger (as my mother always says).

My new work schedule keeps me occupied like you wouldn't believe (or maybe would). For those of you who don't know: I am not at the office Mondays and Thursdays and working from Home Tuesdays and Fridays. Mondays Esther is with Ben. and Thursdays she is with our wonderful friend and surrogate second Mother to Ben and I - Finch. (Hi Finchie!) We like to pretend we're sending her off to school since Finch's house is full of critters (including mini donkeys, Guinea hens and ducks) and interesting things to do like eat leaves.

Esther is crazy and hilarious.
We had my parents over for dinner last night and Esther and my Dad had a raspberry contest and then he got her shrieking which i just cannot stand. But they were both as happy as frogs in the rain (not the ones that hop across the road and get squished though, the ones who are happily engrossed in pondly frolicking).

October is the month of Birthdays so don't expect me to be any less occupied and able to put up a proper post any time soon -- chances are i will cheat you all with these dumb little updates sans pictures.

the 2nd was Josh Dreyfus's birthday - Happy Birthday Josh, if you read this...

Ben's birthday is this thursday - Wednesday we'll be celebrating with j&i at our Wicked Wednesday weekly Dinner with Chili and Apple Pie.
Thursday we will celebrate properly with a dinner of Ben's favorite breakfast (he never reads this so he won't know what we're having) - greek omelette, home fries, biscuits and gravy and for dessert the annual Carrot Cake Libby Delux!

Sam Reed's birthday is um... sometime around here too... i forget exactly what day though... So Happy Birthday Sam Reed, even though i know you don't read this. (Mel, you can tell him I wished him a public happy birthday, since he's too good to talk to me or read my blog these days...harumph!)

The 14th is my Aunt Annie's birthday - I'll be taking the pod-ling down to see her that day as well as hang with my Yaya Mary and her adorable girls, and see my Oa who i never get to see enough of (Hi Oa!)

Jessica Matthew's (Ben's sister and one of Esther's Godmothers) is October um.... crap... 21st?(Is that right Jes, i'm sorry if it's not right)

And Susan's (Hi Mom!), Ben's Mama, birthday is also at the end of October (also, i'm sorry i don't have my birthday list in front of me so i'm going to take a wild guess) 23rd I think....

Esther's 1st birthday is the 28th and my Sister is coming down from Pittsburgh to help us celebrate. Other than that i don't know who else will be able to make it, let me know if you're coming so i can plan accordingly - you are all invited...

Brain Baby Book Club 1

Oh how i love alliteration.

So this is our 1st Brain Baby Book Club Meeting.

Here's what i'm athinkin':

I will post the book (I plan to pick relatively quick reads so that no one is bogged down for months a time wallowing in the muck of something indigestible and many of them you may have already read) and discussion questions and you guys can either post a comment with your answers or send me an e-mail (most of you have my e-mail address, if you don't post a comment and i'll send it to you) Once i have a fair bit of response to the question I will post a "Brain Baby Book Club Responses to *title of the book*" for all to read.

or

it could just be an on going comments section so everyone can respond to everyone else but that sounds messy... and everyone reads at different rates so...

So For Our First Read since i've already pimped it quite a bit and am so darned excited about it:

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.

warning: the following questions may allude to key points in the story. So if you haven't read it yet, you may want to come back to this post later.

1) Explain the metaphor of the glass castle. Do you think it was a good title for the entire work or not and why?

2) What are some of the primary themes of the book and how did they add or detract from the story?

3) Who was your favorite or the most interesting character in the book? What are some of his/her qualities, flaws, strengths that made them so fascinating?

4) What role did the setting/scenery/location play in the story?

5) What would you say, was the overall mood/tone of the story? Did you find it depressing? Why or why not.

6) Name one of your favorite moments in the book.

(these questions are just some quick discussion guidelines. Feel free to answer just a couple or all of them or none of them. Also feel free to pose other questions to me in an e-mail and i will add them to the list)

HAPPY READING!

Brain Baby...

After sharing my new favorite book and shamelessly whoring it to everyone i know, my good friend and ex-professor (Hi Mel!) gave me an idea:

I was thinking of starting an online book club.

The benefits:
Everyone can read at their own pace
No obligation to participate
Random people can join
People can comment at their leisure
And if you've read it before you can just jump in and comment whenever.

The fun part for me:
I get to pick the reads
I get to ask the questions
(anyone noticing a pattern of severe control issues?)


So: All of those who read this blog, if you are interested please comment to this post with "wheeeeee" that way i'll have an idea of how many people would be interested in doing this. Cause if it's just one or two people i could just call them on the phone and say "so did ya like it?"

Back Log of Things to Post.

Back Log of things to post.

1) Wiggity Wednesday: Another loverly time had by all. In an attempt to do as much grilling as possible before the chill weather sends us in for Roasts and various meat pies; this week brought us Grilled Steaks, Salad, Green beans and Potatoes dug (that afternoon, as you can tell by the mountain of dirt beneath my fingernails - i look like i dug myself out of the grave) from our garden.

2) Workin' from Home. Yay Technology and my flexible and yet afraid of too much change Boss. I start my new schedule next week. In the office Mon and Thurs. Workin' from Home Tues and Fri. AT&T Aircard should provide me with Internet at my house. This will be the first time high speed internet will have reached the hollow. It is a cause for celebration. I'll post a celebration post as soon as i get the aircard.

3) Introduction: Thrombotic Thursdays. We have decided to implement another regular dinner situation. Ben's sister, Jes and her Fiance, Eric will be joining us one thursday a month. This regular dinner set up is nice. Since Esther has been born we don't get out much. We don't see our friends very often since we are, unlike many of our friends rural bound and on a schedule completely dependent on Esther's sleep patterns. So, true to the Mountain/Mohamad proverb people have begun to find ways to travel north. Last visit they brought Thai Take Out (as Ben and I are addicted to ethnic take out) and last night i cooked us up shrimp stir fry and rice. And Why "Thrombotic"? Because it sounds good with Thursdays - and because they have come to the site of the obstruction.

4) Hi Kirstin, Hi Heidi. I miss you guys!

5) Oh and MY NEW FAVORITE BOOK!!! "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls. It's a memoir that is phenomenal. Please go out and get it right this minute. curl up in bed and don't leave it until you're done. and then come back here and tell me what you think!

And Another Bath Time

Also, that is my new shirt. It's my favorite... i wear it all the time...

If the Shoe Fits

Do you Swing?

Teaching Esther Table Manners

wiggity wigity wednesdays

Tasty Tuesdays were moved to Wednesday due to j's new job (yay for her new job!!)
However, that left us with a huge issue... now what are we to call our weekly dinners?? Maybe you guys can help us brain storm.

Anyhow, this week was j&i's turn to cook. and they razzle dazzled ys with the BEST frickin' tamales ever!!!!!! and Homemade green chile sauce.

crazy busy....

We're crazy busy these days. Lots of changes going on at work. And Esther is growing like a weed, a very, very smart and sneaky weed...

Here are some photos from our trip to Oma's house and the beach. (photos are care of Oma)



watchin' the waves with her Dada
Esther, where's your tongue?
I bet i can hide all these toys under the rug before you can stop me...
For some reason she loves to eat my sunglasses???
Esther, how big are you?
What do you mean this isn't a topless beach?
This is my daughter. She's part house fly.
She's dancing with her hand and my knees look too small for the rest of me... that's weird...

I'm Sorry But Your Parents are Hippies...

That's black berry juice on her face, thanks to Ben.

Sorry no new pics yet

I'm sorry I still don't have more pictures of the Poodle Gathering or new ones of the little terror, or really of anything fun or useful.

However, this week proves to be a real pain in the tuckus already, it's not even Wednesday.

Also, as a cryptic rant (i don't want to get anyone in trouble over the internet in case someone is looking for a reason to bump them off, i'd rather not be the straw that broke the camel's back), if SOME people did their jobs better, MINE wouldn't be so hard!!!!

sigh. happy Tuesday everyone.

Also Tasty Tuesdays have been evicted and put in temporary residence (or perhaps permanent) at Wednesdays. Wednesday has agreed to be a kindly host and all are well fed and cozy, if a bit hampered on time restraints...

Why I Love to Live in a Walnut Grove

Walnut leaves fall earlier than all the others. (picture to post later).


This morning as Ben and I were leaving (hehehe get the pun) we were commenting on how fall was coming and how happy we are.

And I said "If our next child is a boy we should name our next child Autumn Bernard, for short we can call him Auburn."


Here i should say, we aren't planning another one any time soon!

Esther Godzilla Matthews

She has taken her first steps! I can't believe i forgot to tell you. Last tuesday she took three steps all by herself before tumbling over.


And she is officially 10 months old today. Happy 10 month Birthday little one!

Somewhat Sorted Out... (i think...)

Okay.

So firstly, this past weekend was the 2007 Poodle Gathering. Which is a womens gathering that happens whenever women we know call for it (it's not annual, or even semi-annual... it's just you know when ever you need to get an exorbitant amount of women all in one place (no men) to cook with, laugh with, cry with, party with, go swimming with, or to make cool things out of otherwise ordinary things (beads and pipe cleaners).

It was a wonderful gathering, very impromptu but wonderful. I will post pictures when i get them together.

Thank you for all those who made it, and all those who worked so hard to make it fun and meaningful! And thank you to all those who traveled so far to take part!

And to those who couldn't make it we missed you greatly and love you and can't wait to see you at the next one.

And to those of who didn't get the invitation please send me your e-mail address and i will be sure you add you to the list serve.

Secondly, the update on my work situation:
I have worked out a plan that I am willing to do until spring. At which time i believe I will be ready to go full-time (36 hrs a week at an agreed salary). My boss is going to her boss to see if it is possible and cost effective for everyone. I have told her that if it isn't, i have no hard feelings and am prepared to train someone for my position and am ready to be a SAHM (stay-at-home mom). So now it is up to someone else... there's something oddly gratifying in that.

Can you see the wheels turning?

I tried to quit my job. They won't let me...

Who knew quitting would be so darned hard?

They're trying to work out a way to keep me on board which means figuring out how to pay for child care and/or helping me get satellite internet so i can work from home.

So now we need information:
- Is satellite an option and how much will it cost to set up and monthly service
- I will need a babysitter 2 days a week. Anyone know anyone?
- Is this really what I want????!!!!!

The whole thing with where i work now is that we're about to double in size and that would mean I could go to full-time (and get paid well) once Esther is in a good place to go to daycare and enjoy the company of her peers. However, that won't be viable until the spring, at least. And in the mean time they need someone here doing what I do. Because if i could i'd probably quit for 6 months and then be rehired at that time as full-time....

Ugh. Okay I'm rambling and just trying to work out the long-division like process that my mind is going through to break all this down.

i think i need a new job.

I thought i had found the most perfect job for me. Perfect job, perfect pay, perfect commute, perfect timing, everything was just right. Except that I didn't get the job... they had already hired someone.

I currently work three days a week. Esther is with her Dad one day, her grandmother another day, and a friend of ours the other day (hi becky!). My mom and Becky start their new jobs this fall and won't be able to sit for us any more. Which means...
1) we need new child care (which won't be easy because they were doing it for free, bless their hearts, and we are very tight on money these days).
2) or one of us goes back to work full-time while the other stays home with Esther. Neither of us like this idea. Neither of us are particularly looking forward to never seeing Esther or our house during daylight hours ever again...

So all in all, i'm feeling screwed.

any brilliant ideas or jobs out there?

Beach Pictures Finally...

Finally i have beach pictures. There are many more that i need to pilfer from my Mom's camera and post. I'll do that as soon as i can. i promise. In the meant time, enjoy these of Esther's first cherry experience. Yes that's a cherry and not the liver of a small dead rodent.

oh yeah, and her teeth.

Play Time With Esther

She is trying to take a step. She does about 12 squats first and then drops down to crawl.
We rearranged our room last weekend to provide Esther with Maximum crawling space.

This is called the hide the toys under the bed game. She puts the toys under the bed...
then covers them up...
Then finds them and acts surprised.

Piano Party!