The newest Damien Jurado album, Saint Barlett, just released this week. If you need some new good tunes, you should get it. If you don't know who he is, you need to get all his albums. Check him out, you won't be sorry you did. The new album is so good.
It's very bizarre to build a snowman one day, and then play in the sprinklers the next. But I am not complaining. I am more then happy the snow came and went. Good riddance.
I took Cash to get his first official haircut yesterday (my attempts a few months back to cut his hair were disastrous and better off forgotten since I made him look like a pumpkin headed girl). He looks so clean cut, I hardly recognize him. I almost wonder if it has made him nicer, as if his mullet had all his meanness.
Can anyone tell me why it is snowing in the middle of May? I can't believe we woke up to this. Even worse... I'll have to go unpack all the snow gear all over again. Little boys can hardly resist the pull to dive into freshly fallen snow. The world has gone mad.
The reason behind our trek out to Arizona... my grandpa Henry Leigh.
He was recently diagnosed with lung cancer, and it is bad. My parents and brothers and sisters with spouses and kids in tow, all road tripped down to see him. I wish the trip could have been under different circumstances, but it was really nice to see him. And I was desperate for Jack to meet the man whom his middle name was in tribute to. Oh how I love him.
Mother's Day Weekend was great. The weather finally started acting like May. (If I have to put the winter coats on the boys one more time I might scream!)
We spent Saturday night making dinner for my mother-in-law, whom I adore. And no - I don't just say that... I don't think she even reads this blog - but I really do adore her. Somehow I lucked out in the in-law department and love them. Then Sunday we headed over to my mom's house (we rotate sundays still in hopes of free meals) and had a big BBQ with all the cousins and such.
I love my mom. I know Ryan teases me endlessly for it, but every girl should have such a mom to love. We now just live minutes away, which the boys love as well, and couldn't be happier having her and grandpa so close. My mom is a pure angel - she is sweet through and through. I have so many happy memories growing up. And now, as a mom, I find myself often calling her for advice, trying to be half the mom she was. I love this picture of us swinging together. I used to make her push me in the swing until the last possible minute before bed. I still remember how happy I felt swinging into those late summer nights.
Now as I tuck these 2 monsters of mine in bed, I am so happy I am their mom. Some days it is so hard, but most days it is so good. I look at all the other mothers I admire, trying to take a piece of them with me to make me a better mom. I try not to be too judgmental on myself, but often times don't succeed.
I know, whether you are a mom or not, there is something in most women that makes us want to rise to great things, to help others. There is such a great satisfaction in this, whether it is for your kids, for your friends, for your family, or for strangers. Motherhood sometimes feels like endless giving of all that we have; time, energy, sleep, (and with Cash) personal space and sometimes safety from flying objects... but always worth it.
Tonight, I am happy being a mom. Stay happy, to all the moms out there.
Awhile back, Ryan and I started watching the episodes of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. It started a change in the way I think about what I have been eating and more importantly - what I am and have been feeding Jack and Cash. After a few episodes, I went out and purchased his cook book. Last night we had our first meal. I cannot say enough about how amazing it was! It was better then any Indian restaurant meal I have ever had. I mean it was delicious!
Jamie's entire movement is to try and get people to basically cook from scratch and eliminate all the processed food we rely so heavily on. Being inspired by a movement from WWII, when programs were set up across Britain to help educate the public on how to feed themselves nutritionally on what little food there was. Now - with our horrible economy and the ever rising problems of bad health and obesity - Jamie is trying to do the same thing. Bringing on radical movement of change in what the younger generations of kids are receiving mostly for school lunch, and then trying to reflect it out into what families are eating in the home.
I think what he is doing is inspiring and I love how determined and passionate he is about this goal. He has already succeeded in the UK with changing over the school systems so the kids are getting fresh healthy meals and choices each day. In the cities he visits, he sets up kitchens were he teaches free cooking classes, empowering the community to make a difference in themselves, in their families and in their communities. I think it is such an incredible thing and I am on board.
So - with this cookbook, the idea is that you try and learn a meal from each section and then teach 2 other people how to cook it. They in turn teach 2 others and so and so on. The recipes are simple and are guaranteed yummy. Ryan and I have been drooling over practically ever page - it all looks so good.
I know I won't always have control over what the boys are eating - but while they are at my home - at the breakfast, lunch or dinner table, I can control that. I can be doing a good thing.
I love Jamie Oliver. I hope with everything he succeeds. Go buy this cookbook and be part of the revolution!
Ryan and I will be teaching this first meal we just learned later on this month. If you want to come - let me know.
Viva Revolution!
Overheard conversation at Wingers today:
(guy in booth behind me) "So, can we SHARE the all-you-can-eat wings lunch?"
(waiter) "uh, no sir. The all-you-can-eat is per customer."
(guy) "Geez. What kind of deal is that?"
