Gettin' Sparkly.....

So, we survived another 4th of July, all digits intact...

Yesterday Tom and his friend, Matt, broke out the sparklers, bottle rockets, fountains and other noisy, smelly and hazardous fireworks.  My son and Matt's son were keenly interested in the pyrotechnics and luckily the guys kepts the boys at a safe distance. 

All that stuff is fun until ya shoot yer eye out, kid!

The holiday weekend was kid a palooza, starting out with a sleepover for Jack, followed by pool time, local carnival, playing catch, playing in the sprinkler and capped off with a rooftop view of fireworks for 360 degrees over the Chicago horizon. 

Not half bad.... 

This is the good stuff, when the kids are so tired they fall sound asleep in the car ride home and sleep until 8am the next day.... 

Happy Independence Day, Everyone!

Junior League

Sheesh!  It's June 28th already! 

Summer accelerates once it's out of the gate, I swear... 

People moan that summer is half over on the 4th of July, but in all actuality, Summer begins on the solstice, June 21rst. 

So....summer just started!  Yippee!! 

We are deep into Junior League baseball...  

You thought the title meant Ladies Junior League, didn't you? 

When I hear that it reminds me of the days when my mom was a Junior Leaguer, in the Quad Cities, in the 70's.  Her mode of volunteerism was filling the candy striper's cart at the hospital.  I used to go with her to score an Almond Joy. 

The only catch was that the cart was stored in the hospital basement.  We had to walk past the morgue to get there...

I would always shut my eyes and run past the morgue doors. I

 remember it being cold and it smelled strange, like formaldehyde or something.  Ewww! 

But I digress.....

 A plethora of summer storms have cause a log jam of makeup games.  We have 4games in a row this week.  That's a LOT of baseball! 

Jack earned the "game ball" yesterday for a triple and some great defensive plays.  He was longing for that recognition and it was timed well, given that he had a few "challenges" the first part of the game, what with a huge bug flying directly into his eye and all... 

Tonight is another game, that is if my son makes it back from a quick overnight run in the big rig with his pop to Ohio. 

Had to deliver a chassis and pick up some armor plate...

you know.....guy stuff..... 

I am sure the highlight was sleeping in the truckstop with his dad.....

To me that is one half step up from camping at the KOA.....  No thanks! 

Kate and I stayed behind...........

in our air conditioned digs back home....

painting our toes and eating sorbet......

Capitalism & Sorcery

As all kids eventually do, the lemonade stand was born yesterday on our block. 

This one was a little different, thanks to a Harry Potter obsessed neighbor girl. 

Instead of lemonade, the kids sold iced tea, tinted green with food coloring. 

 Hmmm...that explains the green trail of droplets staining our front porch.... 

and loads of hand painted "wands". 

You have to admire their unique items for sale, although I believe most of the beverages for sale made it into the seller's tummies....check out my son's greenish tongue! 

 Sales were slow, but the tree swing provided entertainment during the lulls in business. 

Oh, to be a kid in the summer!

Survive Alive...

School ends tomorrow in a one-hour anticlimatic rush. 

The whole summer stretches before my kids....will I survive? 

Yep, it will be full of camps, popcicles and sweaty foreheads. 

 I'll make do between working, brushing ants from camp bags and sneaking a chilled glass of wine or three...

 

Yep, I'll be fine....

Speaking of survival, Jack and I went to a cool little session run by the Chicago FireDepartment called "Survive Alive". (http://www.survivealivehouse.com/)  It's this short and sweet seminar geared toward teaching kids how to survive a house fire.  They have a mock up of a real house and they "smoke" it out.  Kids have to demonstrate how to get out of the house, cross the street to a meeting place and get help. 

It was fun and interesting.

So where is the fun and interesting MOM seminar that teaches how to survive summer around, say

August 3rd? 

 "I'm bored, Mom!" 

 "What are we going to do today, Mom?" 

 In the words of my sage mother,

 "I am NOT the entertainment committee!!" 

I need to stash away a few kits of Shrinky Dinks for the REAL emergencies........

Herding Cats....

Just like a housecat who has tasted his first night of summer freedom, my son is impossible to lure back into the house. 

I can't blame him....

the air is sweet,

the breeze is warm

and there are kids to play with. 

There is a newly installed tree swing across the street.  It is a kid magnet and it scares me because it is across the street (fast cars and kids don't mix) and there is not much room to swing between the wrought iron fence, metal mailbox and the parked cars. 

The kids love it, though. 

They don't know the joy of real tree swings that sail so high into the air or splash into a creek. 

These city kids race their scooters with their helmets on, they run up and down the sidewalks to play, not like the deep ravines and woods we explored when we were kids. 

Parents keep a close eye in the city, and kids can't run off to play like we did.  My mom had a cowbell she rang when it was ABSOLUTELY time to come in. 

I could hear it from blocks away. 

It's okay, though... 

Our kids don't miss what they don't know and all they know is that similar joy of twilight play,

when the lightning bugs come callin',

the bats streak across the evening sky

and the moms begin the gentle coaxing to bring their dirty, skinned knees, sun-tired kids in for a meal and a bath. 

It's a tug of war and sometimes the kids win.....just a few minutes more...

Sweat...

Blood, Sweat & Tears,

"Don't Sweat the Small Stuff",

"Don't Let 'Em See You Sweat",

"Sweating like a June Bride"

 ......they all come to mind after this week. 

Tom and the guys at our company, Heat Armor have been working crazy hours to complete our first SWAT truck for delivery today in Texas. 

The height of manic fire drill peaked when the whole crew worked from Wednesday until late last night with no breaks. I mean, no going home, no sleep, no changing the utes..... 

The guys resembled a bunch of weary miners,

all dusty

sweaty,

super smelly

and exhausted. 

I was amazed they could even crack smiles at that point.  One guy fell asleep with a grinder in his hands! 

After all that work, this beautiful creation, in all its SWAT testosterone glory,

would not start.  OMG!!!!!!

As I write the truck is on a flatbed, bound for Waco, TX, even though it is silent.  Tom is driving it down there via Blu. 

Blood, Sweat & Tears...

Today it is wicked humid and hot. 

Kate's class had a PreK farewell party in the school playground.  The kids ran around, rode bicycles and jumped under the  parachute. 

Kate looked pretty wilted, so we bolted that popcicle stand for the A/C at home.

My head aches from the heat and humidity. 

Rain clouds are stalking the neighborhood. 

Oh, please rain at 6 o'clock.....just in time for Jack's baseball practice! 

"Whew! Glad It Wasn't Me..."

Today was one of those moments where I have to be the parent who means business. 

Push me too far and I gotta level the punishment....

Jack is now in the sassy habit....little snorts, grunts, evil eyes when he doesn't get his way.  Even the occasional elbow nudge into my side if, perchance I say no to treats 30 seconds before dinner is served.

 Apparently previous punishments or threats haven't lifted his brows,

until that is,

this afternoon... 

I got one sass too many and down came the gauntlet. 

So came the decree;

no TV,

no playing outside..

grounded in his room for....gasp! 

The rest of the day. 

Oh the injustice, cruelty and abject humiliation in front of his sister.  You'd have thought I'd beaten his hide and instituted waterboarding..... 

Oh the crying, pleading, negotiation that took place...! 

I tell ya, my kid will be a great salesman or labor lawyer someday. 

But I held my ground... 

Jack dislikes me very much right now,

but maybe,

just maybe he will thank me 20 years hence for teaching him to be a nice boy...

...sigh...  

And the little one....

she's grateful to be on the right side of the law........this time......

20 Things About This Weekend

1..... I am blogging to avoid eating chocolate.

2. We planted flowers at the factory in the blazing heat.

3.  We took the kids to see the Cubs.

4.  They ate all the snacks I brought plus peanuts.

5.  Thank God for Les our favorite beer man.

6.  I met a man who polishes his toenails gold.

7.  It weirded me out.

8.  The kids went to the carnival on Western Ave on the hottest day.

9. I avoided the carnies thanks to our sitter.

10.  An aging Barbie propositioned my hubby at the bbq last night.

11.  It caused quite a stir....I was amused, sort of.

12.  My 4 year old daughter knows the words to Beyonce's "All the Single Ladies".

13.  All our plans fell through today because of the stormy weather.

14.  I was a little grateful...

15.  We made Shrinky Dinks.

16.  I forgot how fun they are to make.

17.  We went to see Shrek.

18.  My favorite line was,  "Do the Roar!"

19.  I made spaghetti & meatballs from scratch.

20.  It tasted good with 2002 David Arthur Meritaggio.

A really good Mother's Day....so far

Once I crossed the divide to motherhood, I eagerly looked forward to Mother's Day as my right to be pampered, relaxed and carefree for a day. 

Of course, some years that didn't happen since I was hosting a brunch and ended up planning, cooking and cleaning up the whole mess. 

Then I wised up and made brunch reservations..aha!  Someone else to cook and wash the dishes...love it! 

I was looking forward to that this week, with perhaps a massage or manicure thrown in, when I learned that not only was brunch at a nice restaurant

a delusion all my own,

but that also any hope of relaxation was a joke, indeed. 

It seemed that the needs of our little start up company far surpassed my selfish desires to kick back and do as I pleased. 

We have to complete a swat truck by early next week and all hands are on deck. 

They are welding the puzzle pieces together with awesome precision, thanks to the massive laser cutter that is computer guided. 

All the guys wear numerous hats at they work to build the first truck from scratch. 

So, in what universe do I have the audacity to whimper that I am due for a pedicure? 

None in this galaxy... 

All in good time will things fall into place....

I just wish it were sooner! 

So, to  make myself feel better I picked flowers. 

Two doors down is a rental house and those boys don't know nor care that this gigantic patch of lily of the valley grows in their yard. 

Lily of the valley is my favorite spring bloom...the fragrance is intoxicating!  So I walked over and picked a massive bunch. 

Now my back yard looks like Chernobyl from our construction disaster (see my January blog) but the snowball bush and lilac have survived. 

I picked a bouquet worthy of a florist's nod.  Ahhh, fragrant flowers in the house...that feels better! 

Postscript Sunday morning.....  Hubby and kids cooked up a lovely breakfast in bed, complete with heartfelt cards. 

And then the day, miraculously, got even better.  A friend suggested I drop the kids off at Pump It Up for a couple of hours.  They were having a Mother's Day event. 

The kids were so excited to finally go to the mystical Pump It Up, paradise of jumpy things and climbing walls, and I found myself leisurely strolling the aisles of the Whole Foods flagship store. 

The kids has two hours of good, clean jumpin' fun and the free time was a luxury for me. 

This Mother's day is shaping up!   

Staying Sane...

Baseball season is here and those twice a week practices and weekly games really put my schedule into high gear.  Making sure the kids still go to their other after school activities, get fed something decent (sometimes not!) along with all the other demand's of a mom's life can be daunting at times.  I know, I am one among millions with this daily juggle.  My husband is in full speed at our new start up company, Heat Armor http://www.heat-armor.com/ and he is gone 24/7.  So, it's up to me to keep it all together and on a tight budget.  One way to keep me sane and to feel a teensy bit in control is to meal plan each week.  This way, I know what's for dinner each night, I can plan ahead a little bit the night before, the grocery bill is more manageable and there is less food waste.  Easier said than done at times, when I am tired or out of ideas.  Overall, though, it works very well.  Some of my friends have glimpsed my weekly "menus" and have asked for me to share them, so I thought I'd give it a go and see what you all think.  PLEASE provide your comments, as I have no way of knowing, otherwise....  I will provide the menu, recipes and grocery list.  Our house is dairy free, so I'll provide the dairy and non dairy options where needed.

Week of May 9th
SUNDAY:   It's Mother's Day!  If your spouse or kids don't make or take you to dinner, go on STRIKE!

MONDAY:                        Baked Chicken w/ Honey Mustard Sauce
                                          Broccoli
                                          Applesauce
                                          Brownies

TUESDAY:                        Good Old Fashioned Burgers
                                          French Fries
                                          Baked Beans
                                          Sliced Apples
                                         

WEDNESDAY:                Chinese Night!  Chicken Fried Rice
                                          Potstickers
                                          Edemame
                                          Fortune Cookies

THURSDAY:                    Emeril's Chicken Patty Pita Pockets
                                         Strawberries
                                        Pudding Parfaits

FRIDAY:                         Roast Pork Wraps
                                        Chips
                                        Bananas
                                       Cookies

SATURDAY:                 Grilled Morrocan Chicken
                                      Couscous salad with dates
                                      Pineapple
                                      Zucchini Cupcakes with Chocolate Chips


Monday:  The baked chicken recipe comes from Lucinda Scala Quinn's new book, Mad Hungry  http://www.amazon.com/Mad-Hungry-Feeding-Men-Boys/dp/1579653561/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273329724&sr=8-1  It's on page 122.  This cookbook is the BEST!

Here's the recipe: 

Ingredients:
8 chicken thighs
1/2 C olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
Salt & pepper to taste
Some fresh herbs, if you have them

Glaze:
1T whole grain mustard ( plus maple mustard & dijon)
1 or 2 T honey
a little olive oil
a little salt & pepper

Marinate the chicken in olive oil, lemon juice, salt pepper and herbs, for at least one hour and up to a day.  preheat oven to 375degrees.  Rub big baking pan with olive oil or butter, place thighs, skin side down.

Bake fr 20-25 minutes and turn skin side up.  Bake for 10 minutes more.  To make glaze, add mustard, honey and oil in a blow in that order, whicsk, add salt and pepper, wisk some more.  Apply glaze with brush and broil for 5 min.

Take out and let rest for a second and make sure you save all those delicious, lemony chickeny juices that collected in the pan.  This chicken rocks!
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For dessert, make or buy some brownies.  I like the Fudge brownie mix from Trader Joe's.....yum!

Tuesdays are super busy after school, so I need to make a quick easy dinner.  Omaha Steaks have great premade burgers, but use what you like.  I dress 'em up with a little Montreal Steak Seasoning and warm up the buns, slice some apples, and throw some frozen french fries into the oven.  My baked beans are easy:

Mix one can of your favorite pork and beans, 3 T of catsup, 1 T of mustard, 1/4 tsp of Liquid Smoke, 1/8 C of brown sugar,  a few shakes of dried onion, salt and pepper.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
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Wednesday will be Chinese Night, aka, Thank God for Trader Joes!  I buy the frozen chicken fried rice, the frozen potstickers and the frozen edamame and cook them all according to their directions.  If I have some leftover roasted chicken and an egg or two, I add them to the rice, too.  So easy and tasty!!!  Toss the kids a couple of fortune cookies after the meal and it's a done deal!
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Thursday...heading to the home stretch!  Emeril's chicken patty pita pockets are easy and really good.  My husband likes most of the meals I make, but he raved over this one.  Here is the link to the recipe: http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/emerils-chicken-patty-pockets
Slice some lovely juicy red strawberries and make a little puddin' for dessert.  We like Dr. Oetker's, since it's dairy free, but good old Jello brand is great.  I sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top and chill in the fridge until dessert is served.
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TGIF!  Thursday night I'll toss a pork roast in the oven.  You can use any type you like, pre-marinated or marinated on your own.  Once it's baked and in the fridge overnight then you can slice or shred it for a quick easy meal on the go.  Friday night means baseball practice at our house, so we are eating in the car or on the baseball field.  The food's gotta be portable!    In the wraps I add julienned carrots, thinly sliced lettuce and a little dairy free ranch dressing.  Voila!  Toss in a bag of chips, a banana and a couple of cookies you like.  Friday's done, except for the post game Budweiser at home......
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Saturday we don't do date nights these days, given Tom's crazy work life and our general destitute condition.  So, we might as well eat like kings at home!  This Morrocan chicken and couscous recipe is good enough for entertaining.  See the link for the recipes:  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Couscous-Salad-with-Dates-and-Almonds-108233
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Chicken-Moroccan-Style-108244
Slice up a pineapple, and if you want to gild the lily, make these scrumptious cupcakes...
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chocolate-Chip-Zucchini-Cupcakes-355032

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Whew!  So here is your grocery list for the week:
(Amounts are for 2 adults, 2 kids) I am going to, maybe wrongly, assume you have some staples in your pantry such as olive oil, flour, sugar, eggs, etc.  If not, check the recipes to make sure you have everything.)
broccoli (1 lg)
apples(3)
pineapple (1)
strawberries
zucchini (1)
lemon (2)
lime (1)
mint
fresh dates (5)
cilantro
green onions
flat leaf parsley
cucumber (1)
lettuce
tomatoes (1)
carrots (1)
chicken thighs (8)
ground chicken or turkey (1lb)
hamburger patties (5)
1 roast pork tenderloin
1/2 cut up chicken
applesauce
1 can baked beans
pita pockets
hamburger buns
frozen french fries
frozen chicken fried rice
frozen edamame
frozen potstickers
pudding mix
whole grain mustard
honey
red wine vinegar
milk
plain yogurt
slivered almonds
ground cardamom
1 box couscous
tortillas
chips
cookies
chocolate chips
cocoa powder

Ok, so this is what the Herlihy's are having next week for dinner, barring any unforseen changes to the schedule or whatever the fates throw at us!  If you give all or a portion of my plan a try, let me know how it goes!  Have a happy, tasty and healthy week!!

Hope

Hope springs eternal......

I love that phrase

Those little green buds swelling in the trees, the optimistic crocus pushing through the wet snow give me hope for a pretty and warm spring. 

But spring also opens the door for hopes of other things, too..... 

Hope that my disaster of a foundation will soon become a basement,

Hope that my yard that is plywood tacky in all its glory and bonafide Chernobyl in the back yard will someday reemerge to the botanical paradise I called my own,

Hope that my husband's business will tip to the side of black instead of start up panic,

Hope that my little Mac & Fitz line will receive my full attention and will realize its potential,

Hope that this summer will be the best ever with family & good friends. 

It's good to hope......