The Annual Peach Quest

Every summer I go in search of peaches. Reason being, the things in the produce aisles in supermarkets labeled "peach" are simply not peaches. They are just pulpy, flavorless orbs of disappointment.

Yesterday we went in search of the elusive peach. I ran across a great website where you can find a pick-your-own farm near you. Aha! We went to this farm and they were selling peaches. Always skeptical, we requested a sample and were pleasantly surprised at the sweet, juicy, heavenly taste. We purchased a small basket of peaches and went in search of MORE! That's when things got really strange.

We saw a sign for produce and turned up a gravel road. Turns out, we were heading toward Red Wiggler Community Farm. The Farm is a great community resource and I encourage you to visit their website. Even better, Artfarm was taking place at the Farm yesterday. As we approached, we saw tents set up and fantastic looking cars, sculptures and quilts. There was the sound of someone drumming, a storyteller, and someone playing the didjiridoo. We got out of the car and walked around the property. The didjiridoo player was accompanying a woman dressed in white who was slowly dancing and being wrapped in a white sheet. She eventually emerged and it was somewhat like a graceful birth of sorts. The owner/creator of the amazing cars is a man named Conrad Bladey. He's won prizes in Artcar shows for his work. One of the cars had a sprinkler on top of the hood and it was acting as a tiny fountain. The cars were strangely captivating to look at. At first glance they just look like hippie-mobiles, but the closer I looked, the more details stood out. There were things from buttons, to shoes, to Barbie dolls embedded in the cars. We arrived at the end of the festivities, so we didn't stay too long.

On the way home we stopped by good old reliable, yet frequently overpriced Butler's Orchard and walked away with another small basket of peaches and some tasty blueberries.

Now, after last night's dinner of peaches and a breakfast of peaches this morning, I am temporarily sated. I hope that next weekend we can get some more peaches. I certainly don't want to go another year without a succulent, luscious, sweet peach. Sadly, the season is far too short.

We Miss You Already!

Today Dad headed home to Florida after a fabulous, albeit brief visit. He treated us to a nice dinner out on Friday night - thanks Dad! On Saturday I made Monkey Bread for breakfast. Oh my, too yummy! We stayed home all day and watched Joe play in the pool in the afternoon. Later, Dad and Matt took Joe to the park. He warmed up so fast to Grampa, I think he would've been happy to hop in Grampa's suitcase and get on that airplane with him. Joe showed him all of his toys and tricks. I made Shrimp with Orzo and Feta for dinner. Did I say it was a visit? More like a foodfest. Today we visited until noon when we all piled into the car and took Dad to Reagan National. It was sad to say goodbye, but it won't be too long (October) until we see Grampa Jerry & Grandma Suzanne at Tybee Island, GA. Can't wait to see you and the rest of the family!

Liberty

Matt's Birthday

Yesterday we celebrated Matt's birthday. First, we went to Cabin John Park so Joe could ride the miniature train. Matt rode the train with him, but Joe didn't seem to like it too much. Matt said he saw two deer during the ride and I guess he had more fun than Joe. After the train ride, we took Joe to play on the slide and the swings. Next, we went out for lunch and down to Wheaton to visit Brookside Gardens. They had a live butterfly exhibit in one of their conservatories. There were more than 500 butterflies from all around the world. I was mesmerized and wanted to stay all day. Unfortunately, Joseph was pretty tired and they didn't allow strollers in the exhibit, so Matt was trying to hold his hand the whole time with Joe really wanting to run free with the butterflies. I guess we could have let Joe run, but I have a feeling he wouldn't have stayed on the pathways. We didn't want to have to pull him out of the center of a previously untouched botanical oasis in the exhibit and ruin the serenity for others, so we cut our visit a bit short. I think Matt had a nice day with his little family. I hope so, I did.

Happy Birthday Matt & Distracted by Hiccups

In this video, Joe starts out saying "cheese". He has the hiccups, so he gets a bit distracted a few times. Anyway, for those who wanted to hear him speak, here's a clip. If you need further translation, post your questions here!

And happy birthday Matt!

The Livin' Is Easy

Summertime and the livin' is easy....

With the amp project on hold, Matt had time to take a "dip" with little Joe in his first swimming pool.

Joe has been in the pool several times now, but he's still hesitant to sit down. He likes to splash and play, but only for about 45 minutes at a time. I wish we had a "real" swimming pool and I could teach him to swim at this great age. Matt and I were both little fish and still love the water very much. I hope someday we will have a home with a pool in the backyard.

On Tuesday Joe counted his ten toes out loud for me! He counted to twenty for Matt, with the end part being "eighteen, nineteen, tenteen". He gets as far as K in the alphabet song and knows all of the words to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Ring Around the Rosie. He's really learning so quickly it's amazing. He's also very silly and likes to make us laugh. I guess we've been going out to eat a lot, because when the hosts greet us, he says "highchair, highchair".

A story:

You went out to grab a bite to eat and didn't even notice there was a baby seated nearby until you heard the bloodcurdling scream. You immediately stop your conversation to look for the source of your instant headache. You rest your eyes on a cute little guy screaming at the top of his lungs. He doesn't seem upset, just enjoying his loud voice. The parents are cringing and look a little panicky, but he has now stopped. You, and everyone around you, resume your meal and your conversation. Yep, we were the parents. Sorry 'bout that. It's a new trick Joseph has recently added to his repertoire. We're hoping there will be no repeat performances. We're pretty sure his fans will be okay with that.

Did I say "the livin' is easy"? Well, it is...most of the time.

Attn: Muggles!

This is from Amazon.com:

Great news, Harry Potter fans. All Amazon.com customers who pre-order Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (in any of its seven U.S. editions: hardcover, deluxe, audio CD, audio cassette, large print, library binding, or Braille) will receive a $5 promotional certificate good toward a future purchase of $20 or more at Amazon.com during the month of August. To be eligible, the book must be ordered before its release date, July 21, 2007. And if you already pre-ordered your copy (or copies) before we announced this promotion, don't worry: every customer who pre-orders Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on Amazon.com, no matter how early you ordered, will receive the $5 certificate.

I pre-ordered mine a while back and I know at least one or two of you readers are Potter fans- this is a nice surprise!

Update: Ziploc Zip 'n Steam Cooking Bags

Don't ask me why, but Matt brought six ears of corn home from the store two days ago. It didn't really fit into any of my meal plans, but who am I to say no to one of my favorite veggies?

So, last night I shucked all six ears, trimmed the ends and rinsed them. I fit three ears in a size Large Ziploc Zip 'n Steam cooking bag, layed it flat in the microwave and set it for 5 minutes on High. After 5 minutes, I removed the bag from the microwave, unzipped it and placed the corn on a plate. I repeated this process for the remaining corn.

The result? Delicious, perfectly done corn on the cob! I will not be resorting to boiling corn again. I hate dragging out an extra pot for that, waiting for the water to boil, and then having a starchy pan to wash. This was fast, easy and yum yum yummy! Fresh green beans are next!

Oh! I forgot to add that Joe ate one and a half ears himself!

They're so cute at this age?!?

Drumroll Please!

I received my camera back from Canon today. It appears to be functioning properly. The disk I sent was returned with the pictures and videos just as I sent it.

I hope this works - check out our little acrobat! Well, maybe not an acrobat yet, but it's nevertheless amusing.

Happy B-day Aunt Jenna!

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday Jennifer
Happy Birthday to you!

Everyone at my house is wishing you a relaxing, peaceful birthday. Have fun! We love you.

Julia, Tara, Anthony and Kaiya

For the Veg Heads and More

I just got the Bzz on a new product I'm really excited about. They haven't hit store shelves yet, but if you just can't wait, you can purchase them NOW online at www.ziploc.com. Here's what I know so far:
They're called Ziploc® Zip 'n Steam™ Steam Cooking Bags, and they combine the taste and nutritional benefits of steam cooking with all the convenience of your microwave. In fact, they're specifically designed for use in the microwave.
Steaming food results in flavorful, healthy vegetables, seafood, poultry and more (unlike those overcooked, brownish-green green beans that cafeterias seem so fond of). All the nutrients are left in, and the vibrant color and taste come through. Until now, the process of steaming has been a bit cumbersome. But the Ziploc® Brand Zip 'n Steam™ Bags use a patented vent technology to steam food evenly, keeping in all your food's moisture and flavor. And the bags won't limit your culinary creativity — you can cook everything from side dishes to full meals right in the bag. Just toss it when you're done — no clean up! Create your own in-bag meals, or use the recipe booklet that comes with every package of Ziploc® Zip 'n Steam™ Bags.
There are some really yummy looking recipes on the www.ziploc.com website which I intend to try as soon as I receive my BzzKit. I will let you know my results as soon as I've tried them. Here's to health!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there! You've helped us grow, and some of you are now helping your grandchildren grow, into wonderful young men and women.
Happy Father's Day to you if you have a child or are thinking about having one.
Happy Father's Day to you if you are the "father" of a pet.
Happy Father's Day to you if you are a godfather to a little girl or boy.
Happy Father's Day to you if you are a strong male role model for a child.
Happy Father's Day to you if you can keep a plant alive.
To the father of my child I say thank you for changing diapers, heating bottles, showing our son the world of music, putting up with my moods, taking Joe to the park and giving me a little break in the evenings and being an all around great husband and daddy.
To my own father I say thank you for being a father who likes having fun. Thank you for having gyroscopes and a unicycle in the house and for making a pair of stilts for me. Thank you for making popcorn and for taking me fishing. Thank you for the kite flying and even the trips to the zoo and parades. Thank you for giving me a greater sense of humor. Have a wonderful day! I love you.

Sad News

Yesterday Melanie called to tell me that Melissa's (Missy's) husband Kevin passed away suddenly. He was 35 years old. We do not yet know what happened or about any of the funeral arrangements.
I hope you girls and Brandon know that you are in our thoughts and prayers. If you need anything at all, please just give us a call.

Today's Bzz: Saving the Sausage King

Today's Bzz: Saving the Sausage King
My Italian husband loves sausage. I was glad to join a new BzzCampaign for Al Fresco All Natural. Al Fresco Natural's gourmet chicken sausages are made with lean, skinless meat and never contain any artificial ingredients or preservatives. And, with 70% less fat then traditional pork sausage, there's no reason Matt can't get his sausage fix when he wants it. They come in such a wide variety! We've tried the delicious Sweet Apple flavor and will be grilling up more flavors over the summer. If you're going to grill sausage this summer (or anytime), these are a great way to eat a bit healthier while still getting great flavor.
Breakfast Sausages: Apple Maple, Wild Blueberry, Country Style
Dinner Sausages (fully cooked): Sweet Italian Style, Teriyaki Ginger, Roasted Garlic, Sweet Apple, Spicy Jalapeno, Sundried Tomato & Basil, Buffalo Style
Dinner Sausages (fresh): Italian Herb, Buffalo Style, Mango Chipotle, Sweet Apple, Tequila Lime, Cranberry Orange, Sweet Italian Style.
Click here for where to buy.

I Promise He Can Do It!

I promise Joe really can do somersaults. I took a video of him doing one this morning. Later, I brought it up here to upload to the blog and my (insert your favorite expletive here) camera broke. I just bought it in November. It's under warranty so I'm shipping it out to Canon for repair tomorrow. I hope the camera company won't delete the pictures and videos that were on it! I do have one that I uploaded. I'm not sure what was wrong with Joe's left eye. This was taken a few days ago and it's still somewhat red. I guess if it doesn't clear up we'll be taking him for another doctor visit. Here it is:

Head Over Heels

Guess what Joe did today?
Somersaults! I think he saw someone doing them on television and just went with it. I looked up from my book and he was completing a perfect somersault. I then urged him to do it again and he did several more lopsided ones and two perfect somersaults. Not bad for 21 mos. old. I am so delighted by him! I wonder whether he'll be able to remember how to do them when he wakes up from his nap? I had to tell someone - lucky you! I'll try to take+post a video of this magnificent feat later, so be sure to tune in again and view our adventures.

For the tea drinkers

I ran across this website and think it's so lovely. I'm sharing it with you.

http://www.fullbloomtea.com/index.html

The bloom above is just one of many available.
Prior to blooming this tea bloom is in the shape of a heart, making it special to anyone you give it to. Once steeped, this tea bloom looks like a Bird of Paradise. Silver Needle Tea is the highest quality white tea and is harvested during the Spring before the buds open to preserve tenderness. Very delicate providing a pale yellow brew, with a fresh light flavor. Contains Silver Needle White Tea leaves and carnation.

Groovy!

Really? This was sweeping the nation? Huh, you don't say?

Today's Buzz: dropps(tm)

One of my current BzzCampaigns is for dropps(tm). Innovative dropps — a super-concentrated laundry detergent that's good for any washer, fabric, color or temperature — come in dissolvable, pre-measured packets. There's no measuring or clean-up — you just toss in one packet for any size load. The packet dissolves completely to release the cleaning power of reformulated Cot'nWash, the enzyme-free detergent rated #1 by Consumer Reports for its superior cleaning ability.
The makers of dropps put a lot of thought into creating an environmentally friendly product. For instance, biodegradable dropps intentionally conserve resources: the super-concentrated formula means less drinkable water used to make dropps, less packaging and less fuel required to transport dropps. Plus, dropps packaging is recyclable and made from recycled PET (the same stuff plastic soda bottles are made from). Double bonus.
And have you ever wondered why it's important for detergents to be phosphate-free? Phosphates find their way from our washing machines to rivers, lakes and oceans, causing algae blooms that suffocate aquatic plants and animals (the algae prevents oxygen in the air from dissolving into the water). Not to mention the aesthetic effect on the landscape and the cleanliness of the water at the beach. With all that, dropps might be the choice for you if you want to protect your clothes as well as the environment.
Some more facts about dropps:
The detergent is equally effective in all water temperatures, so you can wash clothes in cold water to conserve energy and save money.
Two versions are available: Fresh Scent and Clear & Fragrance Free.
dropps work on all fabrics and all colors.
The low-sudsing and deep-cleaning formula ensures safe use in all washers, including high efficiency (HE) machines.
One half-ounce packet cleans any size load.
dropps are available at Wal-Mart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Whole Foods, amazon.com, teebop.com and www.dropps.com. Check their website for more local retailers.
The price per load is about 35¢—that's comparable to Tide and other leading detergents.
A package of 20 dropps sells for $6.94 at Wal-Mart, with prices varying at other retailers.

I've been using dropps for several weeks with good results. We just bought a new washing machine, it is not HE, and dropps(tm) have worked fine in it. The packet dissolves completely and our clothes come out clean. I've been using the fragrance-free version for my clothes and Joe's clothes. I would recommend you trying dropps if you're environmentally conscious.