My nose is dancing
It smells so good in my house lately. Last night I had Jeff’s parents over to celebrate his dad’s birthday. He requested meatloaf, brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes, and hot fudge pudding cake. All of it was pretty standard except I decided to make “birthday meatloaf” and I did a third part sausage and I stuffed it with spinach and mozzarella. Now today is my brother’s going away party and I’ve made a bunch of butterscotch bars and roasted eggplant pepper spread. The butterscotch bars are my grandma’s recipe, but the eggplant spread I’m just winging. So basically it smells like sweet baked goods and roasted peppers in here… mmmm.
So yeah, my brother is leaving for Austin in 5 days. I love him. I’ll miss him. I’ll probably write more about him in the next couple of days.
I have been super duper busy this week. It’s been great. It really helps me to not feel overwhelmed when I just accept that my life is busy now. Things fill up very quickly, I rarely have time to really hang out by myself without there being some kind of work involved, but I really love it. If I allow myself to sink into it when I start to feel flustered, I remember that I am surrounded by people that I love. I remember that I’m working for my precious baby, who changed so quickly that I won’t regret not having more time to pay attention to that movie or finish reading that chapter.
Anyway. I do kinda miss being able to just finish a journal entry. I’ve gotta get going now so I have to finish this later…
—
Ok, back from the party.
April 9th:
April 10th:
April 11th:
Gretchen and I visited with
![[info]](http://stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
and her adorable baby Gracie (good name, eh?).
April 12th:
This is raw bee pollen that I got from the family farms cooperative I belong to. It’s supposed to be like this crazy superfood. I actually really like it. It’s great in yogurt.
April 13th:
My brother Ben.
The party today was really nice. I’m exhausted, and I feel like I may not want to eat for a couple of days, but we had a good time. I feel like I have so much to say about him, so it’ll have to wait for another day.
On our way home tonight Jeff and I wanted to drive by his old house. He lived there with a bunch of guys when we started dating and we both have such great memories there. The house has been torn down and whoever bought the property is putting up apartments. It’ll be sad to see all that great land in the middle of the city just turn into more city. We just wanted to get a last look. Anyway, I started talking about how great it was there, and how he was my boyfriend… then I thought about how cute it was that we were boyfriend and girlfriend, and I was laughing about it because that phase was so fun. Then Jeff looked at me and he said “Yeah, but you were always my wife.”
I almost cried. How did I become so blessed? How did I find my partner for life in the midst of this crazy storm? I am amazed daily.
Bonus pictures:
I took this one while Jeff and Vera were napping today at the party (in the quiet room). I thought they looked so peaceful and warm in the sun.
After her bath this morning.
Quote of the day:
“Perhaps the feelings we experience when we are in love represent a normal state. Being in love shows a person who he should be.” -Anton Chekhov
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I like the way you cropped that pic of Ben. It looks really good. I want a copy!
Also, I know there were leftovers of your dip and lots of cookies leftover, but I DIDN’T GET ANY! Why not? Are you hoarding the cookies? Did Dad hide them?
I’ll trade you some of Clara’s guac for some butterscotch bars, deal?
Haha, yeah I was wondering why we got that whole tray of cookies back. I also wasn’t sure if anyone wanted the dip because mom just gave it all back to me. Anyway, I’ll pack up some of both and we can trade when you come over today for our walk. Bueno? Si!
I’m emailing Ben’s pic as we speak…
Wow. Ben looks really…hairy.
Also, you made me hungry!!! WANT GRACE’S FOOD. Stomach rumble.
I made a root vegetable casserole last night–that’s about as exciting as I get.
Ha! He is pretty hairy. I think we all are in this clan… You were surprised to see him bearded?
YUMMM! That’s pretty exciting to me.
that picture of jeff and vera is so pretty and cozy
ill have to try bee pollen sometime
and i never imagined that your brother would look like that. although, i never imagined you to look like you either after seeing gretchen. its so interesting. my sister and i look like we’re related, for sure, but the three of you each look so different.
We always said that if you took me on one end, and Gretchen on the other, then plopped the other two in between, it would all make sense. You should post a pic of you and your sister!
http://flickr.com/photos/nashifeet/2412776787/
there she is!
I am such s sucker for meatloaf. It’s my ultimate comfort food. There are so many wonderful variations, and I love most of them. Mmmmmm . . .
Oh yeah, and I love to make sandwiches with it the next day… nothin like it.
You are so creative with your cooking! I’d love that meatloaf recipe if you have it?
The pictures as ever are adoreable 🙂 And I love that quote. Don’t you think that new parenthood is like a permenant state of being newly in love? Zakary has made me a totally different person and definitely in a good way.
It is like a permanent love-state! We should be sure to thank them when they are old enough to understand.
For the meatloaf-
1.5 lb beef (I subbed a half pound of sausage)
to the meat add:
1 beaten egg
1.25 cups milk
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup minced onion
1 Tablespoon horseradish
1 Tablespoon ketchup
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
To stuff it I just spread it on waxed paper, then put a layer of spinach and then a layer of mozzarella (shredded) and then used the waxed paper to help me roll it up. Then I put it in a baking dish and closed up the ends (made it look more loaf like), then baked it at 350 degrees for about an hour and a half. It was a hit! I think I’ll try stuffing it with lots of different things now.
Thank you for visiting today! I love very-pie, she is perfect!!! I sooo want another one!
LOVE the pic of jeff and vera. Nothing sweeter than a dad and is baby!
Hey, thanks for having me! It was fun to come by. It really felt like no time had passed. So you’re thinking this summer? Haha I love it!
No kidding. There’s a photo of Nathan and Jonah that I just love. It’s the one where they are both looking over the bridge… so adorable!
Anyway, I’ll check my schedule, but I’m thinking lunch next Tuesday or Thursday? I’ll see if Gretchen and Tuula can come too!
yay gretchen and toula! makes me want to bring the boy, i wonder if he’d have fun with toula.
I DONT KNOW HOW I MISSED THIS POST
I just made my friends page journals only to see when the last time was you posted because i thought it had been awhile…..
geez these are great photos and it sounds like you are having an awesome time living.
I made a loaf the other day and experimented with black beans mashed up, it was really good actually and the toddlers(eli and his friend) were impressed.
you are so wonderful and im glad we are friends! maybe you can come visit with gretchen the first weekend of may? you’d have to share a bed or someone would have to sleep on the floor though.
Mmm… I would love to have some of your cooking. You are so creative!
I would love to come visit! I don’t care about sleeping arrangements, but I’d have to check with Jeff to see if he’s alright with me taking his little girl away!!! It’ll be so fun to see where you live.
Your food always sounds wonderful.