Trip to Lake Charles: July 2009

We are still settling back into our daily routine, after returning from Louisiana on Sunday afternoon. Our first destination on the trip was Lake Charles, where we spent four days catching up with Brad’s family. We stayed with his mom (Nana), and also spent some quality time with Jeff and Lisa, and their five month old, Corbin. Some of the highlights: escaping the south Louisiana heat in Nana’s apartment swimming pool, eating a delicious dinner at Casa Manana (Brad and I had the best tacos we’ve ever had!), visiting my Aunt Elaine for breakfast one morning, and listening to old records that we found in Nana’s storage closet (including Michael Jackson’s Thriller). Here are some pictures from our time in Lake Charles:

Escape to L.A.: Day Four

All good things must come to an end, and so came the last day of my fantastic weekend getaway to L.A. We managed to fit in one last excursion before I packed my bags and headed to the airport.

  • 9:15-10:45 a.m. – Lindsay and I made our way to Venice Beach for a brisk morning walk. We parked a few blocks inland, then meandered through the canal walkways. It’s a beautiful area that I had never seen before. There’s a reason it’s called Venice Beach. Like Venice, Italy, this area has a series of canals, and they are bordered by beautiful homes. Most of the residents have a small dock and a canoe just outside of their front door. I took lots of pictures of this quaint, picturesque area (see below). Once we got to the boardwalk, the atmosphere changed quite drastically. The beautiful homes, waterways, and flowers were replaced by the strange characters that inhabit the Venice Beach ocean front area: body builders, homeless people, street musicians, vendors, people on stilts… There was a little of everything. My favorite aspect of this area is that there are colorful murals on the sides of the buildings (see pictures below). After we walked for awhile, it was time to head back to the apartment so I could prepare for my journey home.
  • 12:30-1:30 p.m. – Lindsay dropped me off at the airport, and with no line, I made it through security in about five minutes. Unfortunately, I soon discovered that my flight had been delayed by about 30 minutes. This made me nervous, since I had already been facing only a 55 minute layover in Salt Lake City. With the delay, that would cut it down to 25 minutes. I entertained myself by drinking a latte and listening to the French conversation going on next to me between a cute little girl and her Papa.
  • 1:40 Pacific time – 4:15 Mountain time – My flight eventually left LAX, and made up some time in the air. I read a bit and listened to music during the relatively short flight.
  • 4:25-4:45 p.m. – Not knowing how far I had to go, I made a mad dash through the airport to go from Terminal B to Terminal C, gate 4, where my flight to DFW was departing. By the time I got there, it was already boarding, but I still had time to make a few phone calls. It was nice to not have to wait a long time at the gate.
  • 5:00 mountain time – 8:20 p.m. central time – I really enjoyed this flight, milking this last little bit of my vacation for all it was worth. I read a good chunk of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (great book so far!), listened to music, and enjoyed one of those fun little snack boxes and some red wine. The combination of the wine and music was very enjoyable. I cranked up the volume and sailed away on tunes that included The Gabe Dixon Band, Imogen Heap, Jump Little Children, Offspring (okay, so they weren’t all mellow songs), Live, etc. My experience on the plane was so different this time from my last trip to L.A., when I was holding Benjamin in my lap the whole time and trying to keep him from screaming. It was so nice to just be for a few hours.
  • 8:30-9:00 p.m. – My brother Patrick picked me up from the airport and drove me home. (Thanks, Pete!) I walked in the front door just in time to see Benjamin come out of the bathtub wrapped cozily in a towel. An exhausted Brad (by the way, he did a fantastic job taking care of Benjamin all weekend) handed the boy over to me, and I hugged him close. It was good to be home.

Escape to L.A.: Day Three

After Friday’s full slate of activities, Saturday’s theme was relaxation. Here’s how it all went:

  • 8:00-9:30 a.m. – We all slept in and lazed around for awhile. It’s funny when three people in one apartment are all on Facebook together, on three separate computers.
  • 9:45-11:15 a.m. – Lindsay and I drove to Santa Monica and had a late breakfast at the Omelette Parlor. She has seen Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer (stars of True Blood) there before, but this time the only excitement was when a groom arrived to greet his wedding party, and they rewarded him with an enthusiastic (and startling, for the rest of us!) round of applause. This restaurant now as the distinction of serving me the best bacon I’ve ever had. It was thick cut, and crispy, just the way I like it, with a lot of flavor. It came as part of my “two, two, and two” platter: two eggs, two strips of bacon, two pieces of French toast. I also enjoyed a latte in a big mug, and Lindsay had her favorite, a bowl of granola, fresh fruit, and yogurt.
  • 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – We pampered ourselves with pedicures at Deluxe Nail Bar and Spa. My deluxe pedicure included a marine mask (see picture below of my blue legs wrapped in plastic wrap – looks weird, but felt great!), a ten minute leg and foot massage, plus the basics. I occasionally go for pedicures in Dallas, but it was so nice to relax for an hour during this pedicure, and then be able to carry that relaxation on out into the rest of the day, rather than having to rush home and jump right back into frenzied mom mode.
  • 1:00-2:00 p.m. – We skipped lunch and went straight to dessert at Pinkberry, the very popular California yogurt chain. Similar to Yogurtville in Plano, Pinkberry serves yogurt with various fresh fruits and other toppings. It makes for a very pretty and tasty treat. I had the coconut yogurt with fresh mango, blueberries, and raspberries. I would definitely go back!
  • 2:15-3:30 p.m. – It was a perfect day to be at the beach, and so we packed up some folding chairs, books, and water and headed to the sandy shores of the Pacific. We would have stayed longer, but didn’t want to get a sunburn. (Don’t worry, though, I applied plenty of sunscreen to protect my fair skin.) I hate to rub it in to all of you who were suffering through the Dallas heat and humidity at the time, but being at the beach was heavenly: it was in the low to mid 70s, breezy, perfectly blue sky… I actually got chilly at one point. It was nice to just stare out at the waves, listen to the sounds of the water and the seagulls, read a book, and chat with Lindsay. Ah…
  • 4:00-10:00 p.m. – The rest of the day was spent relaxing at Sean and Lindsay’s apartment, except when we all went to dinner at an Italian place nearby. We all had pizza, which was very tasty. We were a little confused because although it was an Italian restaurant, all of the servers were either Hispanic or Asian, and there were several blatant errors on the menu, such as “chilly peppers” instead of “chile peppers.” It was nice to just hang out after a day in the sun.

Escape to L.A.: Day Two

Friday, June 26: Day Two of my getaway vacation. This was the day we had a lot planned to do, and we managed to fit it all in, and still have plenty of time to relax afterwards.

  • 7:15 a.m. – Lindsay and I left her apartment bright and early, to make sure we would make it to WB Studios on time for our tour (we had reserved tickets). We didn’t have any major traffic, so it only took us like 45 minutes to get there.
  • 8:20-10:30 a.m. – Since we arrived at Warner Bros. so early, we got on an earlier tour, which worked out nicely, since it gave us more flexibility the rest of the day. The studio tour was very fun and interesting. Being the tv buffs that we are, we strategically sat immediately behind our tour guide, as he drove us around the studio backlots and soundstages, so we could ask him plenty of questions and lobby for a peek at our favorite shows’ sets. We needn’t have worried, since the only time that anyone else on our tour (there were only like 8 of us) spoke up was when he asked if anyone is a fan of Two and a Half Men. One previously silent woman exuberantly yelled: “YES! YES! I LOVE that show!” And so, much to our chagrin, our guide led us to the Two and a Half Men soundstage. (In case you don’t know, our opinion is that this show is an example of the lowest form of comedy.) On the way into the soundstage, I attempted to persuade our guide to take us next door, where The Big Bang Theory is filmed, but he muttered something about it being under construction, and Lindsay and I had to settle for our least favorite of the studio’s shows instead. Not to worry, though. things picked up soon after, when we got a glimpse into the studios props department, which was full of elaborate furniture, strange statues, and anything else you could think of. Our guide also took us to a room that is an exact replica of the Central Perk set from Friends. They basically took everything from that set, including all the furniture, wall hangings, lamps, etc., and rebuilt the set. You really feel like you are in the Central Perk, and that was fun. Other highlights of the tour: driving past a swampy, jungle area and Merlotte’s bar (both filming locations for the HBO show True Blood), touring the remnants of the town of Stars Hollow (Gilmore Girls) – now being used for a new show called Eastwick, and browsing props and costumes from the Harry Potter movies at the studio museum. Also at the museum we saw Christian Bale and Heath Ledger’s Batman and Joker costumes, and several life-size wax replicas of Mr. Smith from The Matrix, which were used when filming the scenes where Neo battled all the Mr. Smiths at once. Our tour was an illuminating look into the behind the scenes workings and history of the studio.
  • 11:00-11:10 a.m. – We made our way from WB Studios to the Hollywood area, specifically an outdoor shopping mall called The Grove. When we went to check on the movie times, we saw that Away We Go was playing at 11:15, which meant we had to make a quick decision of whether to see the movie and then eat lunch, or eat lunch and entertain ourselves for 3 hours until the 2:30 showing, which is when we’d originally planned to go. We wisely chose to see the movie at 11:15.
  • 11:15 a.m.-1:00 p.m. – As is usually the case with morning matinees, there were only about six people in the theater, and so we enjoyed our movie and buttered popcorn in an utterly distraction free environment. The movie stars Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski, who play a couple expecting their first child who take a cross country road trip in search of the perfect place to start their new life as parents. They travel everywhere from Phoenix to Montreal to Miami, and encounter some of the quirkiest characters you’ll ever see in a movie. It’s a bittersweet, but often hilarious movie about family dysfunction, parenting, and what makes a place “home.” It also has a great soundtrack!
  • 1:15-2:30 p.m. – After the movie we wandered over to the adjacent Farmer’s Market, where after much deliberation, we chose a French crepe stand for lunch. We sat at the counter, where Lindsay enjoyed a panini and I had a crepe filled with cheddar cheese, avocado, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Right across from us was a pastry stand, which displayed scrumptious looking treats, but we resisted them. Next we walked through the market area, then back over to The Grove, where we leisurely browsed through the books at Barnes & Noble.
  • 3:00-4:00 p.m. – Since we had walked off some of the calories from our lunch, we then drove to another area of town to Pane e Vino, an Italian restaurant known for its inviting, relaxing patio. We had a lovely experience eating dessert on the nearly empty patio. However, there was also some exciting celebrity spotting. As we walked in to find the hostess, we passed a table where an older black man was seated, and I immediately recognized him as Quincy Jones, the legendary music producer. What gave it away, you ask? Well, the tinted glasses, the large chain and medallion around his neck, and the shirt unbuttoned to his chest (not typical for most 76 year olds) were my first hints. He was there eating with what appeared to be his daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. When they left, Quincy was hand in hand with his grandson, who must have been about two years old and was very cute. Quincy was also wearing all black, perhaps because he’s in mourning over the death of his friend Michael Jackson. Anyway, I was glad that I spotted at least one celebrity on my trip. (My first celeb spotting in L.A. happened a couple of years ago, when I made eye contact with James Denton, the plumber from Desperate Housewives, as we passed each other at LAX.) Once Quincy and his family left the restaurant, we happily focused on our delicious desserts. Lindsay had caramel cream flan, and I had tiramasu and a cappuccino. I must say, it was the best tiramasu I’ve ever had. Pane e Vino really had great atmosphere, and on a day when the sky was blue and temps were in the low 70s, it was a perfect place to enjoy the afternoon.
  • Before I move on, let me share some interesting facts that we learned about Quincy Jones, when we looked him up on Wikipedia after encountering him at the restaurant: his middle name is Delight, he produced Thriller, he produced and conducted “We Are the World,” he composed the musical score for the 1967 film In Cold Blood, and he’s never learned to drive. He’s a very interesting person with many accomplishments!
  • 4:30-10:30 – General hanging out and relaxing at the apartment, followed by a dinner of baked potatoes. We rounded out the evening by watching the Liam Neeson movie Taken. I will reserve my full opinions of it for a post on Eclaire Fare, but let me just say that the movie’s first mistake was not only casting Maggie Grace (Shannon on Lost) as a 17 year old, but in making her character behave like a ten year old, which was very awkward. Despite this major flaw, the movie was entertaining and had an intriguing premise. It was a nice way to wind down from the busy day.

Now enjoy these pictures of our day:

Escape to L.A.: Day One

For those of you who don’t know, I am currently on a four day trip to Los Angeles, where I am visiting my friend Lindsay. The most significant detail of this trip is that I am here without Brad or Benjamin. This is the first vacation I have gone on without Brad since we got married, and it is also the first time I have been away from Benjamin overnight. I am having a lovely, rejuvenating time so far on this girls’ weekend. Last month, I did a daily travel blog about our family vacation to L.A., so I will now do the same thing for my current adventures in sunny California.

To start things off, here is how the first day went:

  • 1:00 p.m. – Brad and Benjamin dropped me off at the airport. Benjamin didn’t reach his arms out to me as I walked away from him; instead, he just waved and nonchalantly said “bye bye” as I rolled my luggage into the terminal. Hugging him goodbye was bittersweet for me, but once I saw that he wasn’t concerned about my departure, I contentedly strolled to security check, reveling in the realization that I wasn’t responsible for anyone other than myself for the next four days! (Color me giddy!!!) I think the woman who checked my driver’s license and ID wondered why I had a strange, jubilant expression on my face as I went through security. Let me just say that I have never been so excited to be hanging out at the airport, to have a layover, and to be flying for five hours!
  • 1:30 p.m. – As I sat down at my gate with a book and a smile, I overheard the CNN report that Farrah Fawcett had died, which made me sad.
  • 2:25 p.m. central time – 4:00 p.m. mountain time – The first leg of my journey took me from DFW to Salt Lake City. I sat next to a friendly grandfather type, and we chatted a bit about the state of women’s college basketball and other random subjects, and I listened to a few songs on Regina Spektor’s new album, but mostly I read. Oh, what a joy it was to sit and read, uninterrupted by a bored or mischievous toddler, for over two hours! I finished reading Dexter by Design, and then started The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby.
  • 4:10-5:10 p.m. – When I entered the terminal at Salt Lake City (after an uncomfortably bumpy descent and landing due to a storm in the area), I immediately noticed that everyone was  glued to CNN, which was playing on all the tv monitors. It is a strange feeling to deboard an airplane and wonder what major world event you have missed while flying through the sky. I soon learned that the event in this case was the shocking death of Michael Jackson. How weird, that at DFW the news was all about Farrah Fawcett, and in Salt Lake City, it was all about the King of Pop. So far, my visit to L.A. has included an almost constant soundtrack of MJ tunes, whether in the car, in Barnes and Noble, or on the local news. It is sad when anyone dies, but Jackson leaves behind quite an impressive musical legacy!
  • 5:10 mountain time to 6:00 p.m. pacific – The last leg of the journey, from Salt Lake to L.A., was a shorter flight, just under two hours. I took advantage of the time to make a bigger dent in The Polysyllabic Spree. I am loving this book, which is a one year, month by month account of the books Hornby has bought and read. The style is very easy to read, as well as amusing and clever, and it makes me want to read everything from Charles Dickens to 20th century poetry to non-fiction books about the business of baseball. Hornby is a prolific and varied reader, and he inspires me to aspire to do the same. Easier said than done when I have a 16 month old waiting to hang out with me at home. I’d better get a head start on the flight back home!
  • 6:10-6:30 p.m. – When I arrived at LAX and got off the plane, it’s as if I stepped into an abandoned airport (it really was reminiscent of Stephen King’s The Langoliers.) Other than an occasional lone security guard, it was just me and one other guy (seriously!) trying to follow ridiculously cryptic signs to the baggage claim area. I don’t know where all the other people went! Apparently, this other guy and I both made a wrong turn, because we ended up at what appeared to be the end of the world, also known as the United Airlines baggage claim area. I guess we missed the one tiny sign that would have pointed us toward the more direct route to the Delta area. Oh, well. The long way around provided me with a chance to stretch my legs after the cramped flights, and like a scene right out of a movie, Lindsay and I had to find each other on a loud, congested sidewalk, amidst a symphony of airplanes, shuttle buses, rolling luggage, cigarette smoke, and – no doubt – Michael Jackson tunes.
  • 7:30 p.m.- After a quick stop at Lindsay and Sean’s apartment, we made our way to nearby Venice Beach, for dinner at The Terrace, a restaurant that is adjacent to the boardwalk and has ocean views. We sat on the patio and enjoyed our meal (I had an excellent sesame crusted Ahi tuna steak). Let me just say that the temperature was amazing. When I left Dallas it was in the upper 90s, and while we dined outdoors in Venice Beach, it was breezy with temps in the upper 60s.
  • 9:00 p.m. – Back at the apartment, we watched the So You Think You Can Dance results show. Lindsay and I both blog about the show, so we sat on the sofa together, each typing away feverishly on our Macs. It was nice to be able to chat about the show live and in person, since the two hour time difference that usually separates us prevents timely discussion of any tv programming.
  • 10:45 p.m. – It was somewhere around this time that I went to bed. I had a wonderful first day of my brief respite from the daily grind. I didn’t miss Benjamin and Brad too much, but instead enjoyed some peace and quiet, and hanging out with a friend without the hindrance of having to get home by a certain time.

I’ll leave you with the few pictures I took on Day One. I promise there will be more than this from Day Two!

Lindsay enjoys the view on the patio of The Terrace.

Lindsay enjoys the view on the patio of The Terrace.

My delicious meal, which featured a sesame crusted Ahi tuna steak

My delicious meal, which featured a sesame crusted Ahi tuna steak

Another view of The Terrace, this time after the sun went down. I liked the pretty paper lanterns.

Another view of The Terrace, this time after the sun went down. I liked the pretty paper lanterns.

Adventures in Potty Training

Benjamin seems skeptical as Brad explains how this whole potty thing works.

Benjamin seems skeptical as Brad explains how this whole potty thing works.

“Potty training” and “15 month old boy” aren’t two phrases you hear used together very often. And it’s not like I had been planning to start potty training Benjamin so early. But, since he was showing signs that he was ready, we decided to give it a shot. A couple of weeks ago, Benjamin started telling me he had a dirty diaper by pointing at it. He would continue pointing at it until I got around to changing it. It was as if he were saying, “Come on, Mom. Get this thing off of me!” He now also tells me when he has a wet diaper. Methinks he is learning that a dry, clean diaper is more comfortable.

Here’s the “Potty Training Readiness Checklist” I consulted at babycenter.com:

Physical signs
Is coordinated enough to walk, and even run, steadily.
Urinates a fair amount at one time.
Has regular, well-formed bowel movements at relatively predictable times.
Has “dry” periods of at least three or four hours, which shows that his bladder muscles are developed enough to hold urine.

Behavioral signs
Can sit down quietly in one position for two to five minutes.
Can pull his pants up and down.
Dislikes the feeling of wearing a wet or dirty diaper.
Shows interest in others’ bathroom habits (wants to watch you go to the bathroom or wear underwear).
Gives a physical or verbal sign when he’s having a bowel movement such as grunting, squatting, or telling you.
Demonstrates a desire for independence.
Takes pride in his accomplishments.
Isn’t resistant to learning to use the toilet.
Is in a generally cooperative stage, not a negative or contrary one.

Cognitive signs
Can follow simple instructions, such as “go get the toy.”
Understands the value of putting things where they belong.
Has words for urine and stool.
Understands the physical signals that mean he has to go and can tell you before it happens or even hold it until he has time to get to the potty.

Benjamin is exhibiting all of the physical signs, except for maybe the last one. I’m not really sure how long his dry periods are. I do know they are longer than they used to be, but before he can be fully potty trained, we’ll probably have to wait for his bladder muscles to strengthen more. For the behavioral signs, he fits the babycenter profile except that he can’t pull his pants up and down. That’s mainly because he usually wears one-piece outfits still! But he is definitely interested in being independent, and tells us when he is dirty, and is even starting to tell me when he is either going pee pee or needs to go. And finally, he also fits all the cognitive signs, although he doesn’t say “pee pee” and “poopy” yet.

Shopping for a Potty:

  • I quickly discovered that training potties range from basic to elaborate. I was amused by the potty that plays a song as a reward when the child successfully uses the potty. I was overwhelmed by a potty that had about five different features, including a toilet paper holder and built-in wipes dispenser. I laughed out loud when I spotted a toddler-sized urinal!

  • I settled on the simplest potty I could find: the Baby Bjorn Little Potty. At $12.99, it seemed like a practical, low-risk purchase. And so far, it has been.

The No Pressure, No Expectations Strategy:

  • When we started this potty training business a week ago, all I did was asked Benjamin if he wanted to sit on the potty before and after his bath. And so, every night for the past week, he has done just that. The Baby Bjorn potty conveniently fits in our bathroom cabinet, so we just pull it out when the time comes, and we also keep a stack of books nearby. (If there are no books, Benjamin gets bored and wanders off.)
  • We haven’t forced him to do anything. He willingly sits on his potty, and when he’s tired of sitting, he reaches his arms out for help standing up. (Even though it’s a tiny potty it’s still a little difficult for him to pull himself to standing from it.) We always praise him for sitting on the potty like a big boy.

A Few Moments of Success:

  • For the first four days, nothing happened. But then, on day five, Benjamin surprised me when, after drinking a sippy cup full of apple juice, he indicated that he wanted to go sit on the potty. He did this by pointing at his diaper and then standing by the closed bathroom door. So, I got him situated on the potty, and within a couple of minutes, he was peeing! I never knew I’d be so excited about urination. :)   Even more impressive, after he was finished, he wiped himself with a tissue he had been holding, and while doing so said, “Mama.” He has learned the correct potty process from watching me.
  • Two days ago, we were in the play room when Benjamin suddenly started patting his diaper and running to the bathroom. By the time I took his diaper off and put him on the potty about 30 seconds later, I discovered that his diaper was still warm from urine. That means that he was either going while he told me he needed to go, or that he went on the way. Either way, I was impressed that he was aware that he needed to go.
  • This afternoon, Benjamin again drank a sippy cup full of apple juice. About 30 minutes later, he gave me his “need to go” signals – patting his diaper and running to the bathroom. He sat on his potty, and a minute or so later, he peed! This proved that the first time wasn’t a fluke. He really is “getting it.”
"I can do this!"

"I can do this!"

Now What?:

  • We are so proud of Benjamin for understanding the concepts related to potty training, but we’re not in a hurry for him to be completely out of diapers. So for now, we’ll continue to let him control when he sits on the potty, how long he stays there, etc. If he decides he’s bored with it, we’ll take a break for awhile. If he decides he wants to sit on the potty once an hour, we’ll make the time. We’re just learning as we go.
  • I’m glad we picked up on the signs that he was receptive to trying out potty training. Otherwise, we may have just waited until he was two years old. And who knows, he may still not be fully potty trained until he’s three, but at least we’ve had a small bit of success on one of the biggest hurdles for both parents and toddlers.

A Visit from Nana

We were excited to have Nana visit us for the past several days. She arrived last Thursday, on the inaugural American Airlines flight direct from Lake Charles to Dallas. (We are happy to know that we can now use air miles to fly to Lake Charles, without a stopover in Houston.) Since summer has arrived early, with temps in the 90s, and a heat index over 100, we didn’t venture out too much. Mostly we enjoyed hanging out at home and catching Nana up on all the new things that Benjamin is doing.

The biggest development for Benjamin lately is that he now loves books! Before, he would humor us when we read him a story, but now he wants to read a book before his nap, as well as right after he wakes up. He’ll also grab a spot in my lap any chance he gets, to look at one of his “First Words” books with me. His previous favorite book, “Good Night Moon,” has been replaced by “All About Me,” a sweet book about bright eyes, chubby legs, arms that reach high, etc. That’s the pre and post sleeping book of the moment.

Benjamin's favorite thing to do these days is read books, and Nana read several to him while she was here.

Benjamin's favorite thing to do these days is read books, and Nana read several to him while she was here.

Because of his new interest in books, we tried to take him to story time at our library this week, but unfortunately I mixed up the times between our two local libraries, and since we were 30 minutes early and Benjamin was almost ready for a nap, we couldn’t stay. Maybe next week!

Nana reads Benjamin a bedtime story.

Nana reads Benjamin a bedtime story.

Brad and his mom did brave the heat to visit the Sixth Floor Museum, which is dedicated to the life of JFK, and to the events surrounding his assassination. If you’ve never been, it’s worth the trip. Heavy subject matter, for sure, but interesting nonetheless. We had wanted to go to the Dallas World Aquarium, but could never find a big enough window of time between Benjamin’s naps.

I cooked a couple more meals from Everyday Food while Nana was visiting. The night she arrived we had lamb chops with pistachio sauce, sauteed vegetables, and couscous. Another night I made London broil (a fancy term for a type of steak) with crispy potatoes and peppers. That one is definitely a keeper. Very tasty!

We had lamp chops, couscous, and sauteed veggies the night Nana arrived. I'd never made lamp chops before, and I learned that there's not a huge amount of meat on them!

We had lamp chops, couscous, and sauteed veggies the night Nana arrived. I'd never made lamp chops before, and I learned that there's not a huge amount of meat on them!

Lately Benjamin has been telling us when he has a dirty diaper (by pointing at his diaper), and also points at his diaper when he sees us go to the bathroom. Because he seems to be making some connections, I decided to go ahead and purchase a training potty. Sure, maybe I’m starting him too young, but it can’t hurt. I’m not going to force the issue. So far, I’ve just had him sit on his potty just before and just after his bath (he’s known to pee around that time). No “success” yet, but he isn’t freaked out about sitting there either.

Benjamin seems skeptical as Brad explains how this whole potty thing works.

Benjamin seems skeptical as Brad explains how this whole potty thing works.

Nana flew back to Lake Charles yesterday. The visit went by too fast! We look forward to seeing her again in a couple of weeks, when we travel to south Louisiana.

A Long Weekend in Ruston

We paused for a family portrait during the country western concert in Railroad Park.

We paused for a family portrait during the country western concert in Railroad Park.

Brad, Benjamin, and I returned to Dallas on Monday afternoon after a four day weekend in Ruston. We had a great time hanging out with Mama C and Granddad at their house, but we also spent some time exploring the town.

Friday:

  • We arrived in the afternoon, and after some coffee, key lime pie, relaxation (and a short nap for Benjamin), and an early dinner, we headed downtown for the much-anticipated (by me) First Friday activities. In an effort to energize downtown Ruston, the city has set aside the first Friday of every month as a time for special, mostly free events in the downtown area. Ruston has a traditional, small-town downtown. It consists of several city blocks of two to three story buildings, with a good number of clothing stores, restaurants, and other businesses. Like other small towns, Ruston has faced the challenges of keeping its local businesses thriving while a growing number of national retail outlets (Wal-mart) and restaurant chains (Chili’s, Applebees, Starbucks) come to town. Thankfully, most of the local restaurants, coffee shops, and gift stores have survived.
  • I wouldn’t say there was a huge turn out for First Friday, but there were enough people there to describe it as bustling, I think. We spent most of our time in Railroad Park, where there was a country-western band playing live music, including several fun Johnny Cash songs. I’m not usually a fan of country music, but everything sounds better live, and I do like Johnny Cash. Railroad Park (so-called because it borders the tracks that run through town) was also the site of the “Sweet Tea Tasting Contest.” Unfortunately, someone forgot to encourage participation, and there was only one competitor, Frothy Monkey (the downtown coffee house). Their tea tasted good to me! We also walked down to an art gallery that was displaying animal art (art of animals, not by animals, that is). Several stores had their doors open to the beautiful evening air, and had great sale prices. In the historic Dixie Theater, people lined up out onto the street for a ticket to see the special feature, Gone with the Wind.

Benjamin was too cool for school in Daddy's sunglasses.

Benjamin was too cool for school in Daddy's sunglasses.

  • We had a good time enjoying the nice weather and burning some calories from our spaghetti dinner. As usual, we also ran into a few people we know, some who we hadn’t seen in years. If anyone reading this lives in Ruston and you haven’t checked out First Friday yet, please go! It’s something different to do to kick off your weekend, and you just may discover something you like that you never knew downtown had to offer.
Leah and I had to wait a couple more hours for our 102 Bistro excursion, but the First Friday festivities were fun, too.

Leah and I had to wait a couple more hours for our 102 Bistro excursion, but the First Friday festivities were fun, too.

  • After returning home and putting Benjamin to bed, I said goodbye to Mom, Dad, and Brad, and headed to meet my longtime friend Leah at 102 Bistro, Ruston’s newest eatery, and its first ever (that I know of) upscale restaurant. It was after nine, and this marked only the second time that I’ve left home that late to hang out with a friend since Benjamin was born. We wanted to scope out the place, check out the menu, and have a drink. We had a very relaxing experience, despite a noisy wedding party that invaded the bar area. We each had a glass of wine, and we split a sushi roll that was quite tasty. The thing about 102 is that you don’t feel like you are in Ruston when you are inside. It feels more like a big city bistro, which is a nice change of pace from Ruston’s other restaurants (many of which are very good).

Saturday:

We enjoyed coffee and beignets at Crescent City, in the light of the rising sun (thus the pinkish glow).

We enjoyed coffee and beignets at Crescent City, in the light of the rising sun (thus the pinkish glow).

  • We had coffee and beignets at Crescent City Coffee for breakfast. Yum! Chris, Karen, and baby Jude joined us. By the time we were finished, all the beignets were gone, and the only sign they had been there was the powdered sugar on the table.
This was Benjamin's first experience sitting in a dining chair. He took the opportunity to read about the real estate market in Ruston.

This was Benjamin's first experience sitting in a dining chair. He took the opportunity to read about the real estate market in Ruston.

  • Afterwards we went to check out Ruston’s new Farmer’s Market. There was a Farmer’s Market when I was growing up, but at some point it disappeared. Glad that there’s a one-stop shop for fresh produce, herbs, flowers, etc. Even though the market was small compared to others I’ve been to, there were plenty of cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, flowers, herbs, and even baked goods to choose from. There was also a kids’ booth, where Benjamin had his first experience with sidewalk chalk.
Daddy teaches Benjamin how to use sidewalk chalk.

Daddy teaches Benjamin how to use sidewalk chalk.

Fun with sidewalk chalk at the Farmer's Market

Fun with sidewalk chalk at the Farmer's Market

  • Later in the morning, Mom and I went shopping at Stage, a clothing store that used to be called Bealls, but that’s been there for as long as I can remember. I hit the jackpot, walking out with one new shirt, and three new pairs of pants. I was so thrilled that the clothes actually fit me that I didn’t care how much they cost, but luckily everything was on sale. It’s always fun to refresh a faded wardrobe, and it’s something I’ve been trying to do for the past month or so, since I discovered that my post-baby figure doesn’t fit in a lot of my old summer clothes.
  • Before lunch, Brad and I went to Wal-mart to purchase a portable-DVD player. We decided it was time to add this travel resource to our arsenal of “entertain Benjamin” items. We chose a Sony with an 8-inch screen and a 6-hour battery life. All the others had an “up to two hour” battery life, which we thought wasn’t very practical. We also bought a “Best of Nick Jr.” DVD, and I grabbed a couple of shirts that matched the pants I bought at Stage. I love Wal-mart’s $5 shirts!
  • We spent most of the rest of the day at Mom and Dad’s, and visited with our friends James and Traci.
  • That night, Brad and I headed to 102 Bistro (Benjamin, Mama C, and Granddad went to Chris and Karen’s for dinner), where we had reservations at 6:30. Hooray for dinner dates at nice restaurants! We had a great time chatting and eating great food. We shared a sushi appetizer, and Brad had some delicious sea bass (menu description: Pan Roasted Sea Bass, Avocado, Jumbo Crabmeat, Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, Crispy Sweet Potato) that was almost as good as the filet of beef that I had (menu description: Filet of Beef, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Crimini Mushrooms, Grilled Asparagus, Sauce Béarnaise). I ordered the beef medium rare, which is rare for me – I’m more of a medium person. The beef was so flavorful and tender, and slightly crisp on the outside, plus it was a thick cut of meat. Delicious! We finished off the meal with a chocolate orange creme brulee. I’d never had such a concoction, but I certainly liked it. Over dinner we conversed about many things, but one of them was where to take a vacation some time in the next few months. We haven’t figured it out yet, but it’s fun to imagine the possibilities.
Benjamin gets excited every night when it's time to brush his teeth.

Benjamin gets excited every night when it's time to brush his teeth.

Sunday:

  • We went to FBC Ruston for church in the morning, then had lunch with Mom and Dad. That was followed by naps for everyone! Nothing like a Sunday afternoon nap. After some coffee to wake us up, Leah came over to hang out for awhile.
Granddad and Benjamin hanging out on the sofa. I think they were playing "This Little Piggy."

Granddad and Benjamin hanging out on the sofa. I think they were playing "This Little Piggy."

Mama C reads "Animal Antics" to Benjamin. It was a book she read to us when we were little!

Mama C reads "Animal Antics" to Benjamin. It was a book she read to us when we were little!

  • We had dinner at Johnny’s Pizza, which for once was actually not our first choice. We had hoped to try out the new Counter Culture, and the Humphrey that we’ve heard so much about. Counter Culture is a sandwich and yogurt place, and the Humphrey is a yogurt/granola/honey/fruit creation. But we didn’t complain too much when we found out Counter Culture is closed on Sundays – Johnny’s Pizza always tastes good.

Monday:

  • Early Monday morning Brad and I drank our coffee and headed out the door for a date at Pop’s Blueberry Patch, where you can pick your own blueberries. I’ve gone the past few years, but Brad had never been. We had a fun time just being outside in the fresh, somewhat cool morning air. There’s something renewing about being out in nature, and doing something as simple as picking fruit. It almost made me want to one day live out in the country, where I could have a big garden, and maybe a pond or lake to go out on in a boat or canoe, and enjoy being outside without the sounds of trains and cars and airplanes. Notice I said almost. I’m still a city girl for now, or at least a suburb girl.
  • Brad spent the rest of the morning on Tech campus visiting his old professors, and I packed up our things. After lunch, we headed back to Dallas. We’ve learned that Benjamin doesn’t sleep very well, if at all, outside of a bed. On the way to Dallas he only slept a half hour, and on the way home he didn’t sleep at all! And we were driving at a time when he would normally get a nap. We had the same problem on our flights to and from L.A. in May. We just have to come prepared with plenty of entertainment, which now includes a DVD player.

We had a great time on this visit. It’s always nice to “go home,” plus these days there’s always something new to see, since Ruston is constantly growing and changing. And finally, this may have been the easiest visit we’ve had with Benjamin. He was content to walk around and play with the toys Mama C gave him. He didn’t even try to climb up the stairs, and he mostly stayed out of trouble. When he was a baby, I was spending a lot of time nursing him, but now other people can share the responsibilities. Benjamin is fully entrenched in toddlerhood now. He understands what we’re saying to him, he wants to do things for himself, and he loves to explore. This week Nana is coming for a visit. We look forward to seeing her!

I’ll leave you with a video of Benjamin dancing at the country-western concert at Railroad Park, with Brad and Leah encouraging him along.

At the Park

"Chasing Mommy is fun!"

"Chasing Mommy is fun!"

Benjamin and I took advantage of the “cold front” that came through last night by going to the park this morning. With temps in the upper 90s on the horizon, I figured we should enjoy low-70s while we can. Surprisingly, there were no other kids there. I guess some people wait for it to be sunny to go outside, but we didn’t mind the overcast sky. And it made for some fruitful picture taking. While I waited for photo ops, Benjamin explored the boundaries of the sidewalk, picking up anything he found on the ground (pebbles, leaves, mulch, sunflower seeds). It’s fun to see him running around and being adventurous now that he can walk. I think we’ll visit the park more often, if we can stand the summer heat.

Everyday Food to the Rescue

Spend much time around our house, and you’ll learn that I’m often a slacker when it comes to cooking. As a result, we often end up picking up food because I just don’t feel like making a last minute run to the grocery store. My cooking habits and enthusiasm (or lack thereof) are cyclical, and I am currently in a culinary upswing. This is partly due to the fact that I am a full time stay at home mom right now, since the semester ended a couple of weeks ago. Mostly, though, I have Everyday Food magazine to thank. I’ve been subscribing to this Martha Stewart publication for the past few years, and while I always find a few recipes to try, I’ve been really impressed with the last couple of issues.

I would like to thank the genius who came up with the magazine’s “One Grocery Bag: Five Fresh, Fast Weekday Meals” feature. It has inspired me to do more healthy, at-home cooking, and less lazy, lard-heavy meals to go. I plan to thumb through the old issues to find more of this feature. Here’s how it works. In one section of the magazine, there are five consecutive recipes, but with a shared shopping list. So, if you want to make all five meals, you can simply take the magazine to the store as your shopping list! Making a list is always my least favorite part of shopping, especially when I have to write down several recipe ingredients, so this “One Grocery Bag” thing is perfect for me.

Two weeks ago, I took the magazine’s shopping list to Sprouts Farmers Market. It was my first ever visit to that store, and I loved it! Good thing they just opened one down the street from us in Coppell. It was so easy to purchase everything I needed for the five recipes, that I had a relaxing shopping experience, even with Benjamin tagging along. Here are the recipes I made that week (I found links to all but one of them in case you’re interested):

  • Grilled steak with tomatoes and scallions – Brad grilled the steak and vegetables, and I made roasted potatoes and fresh corn on the cob as sides. We invited my brother Patrick and his wife Lindsi over very last minute – not a problem since I already had my menu planned out.
  • Pasta salad with goat cheese and arugula – We ate this as a light dinner, but it would also be tasty as a lunch dish, or as a heartier meal by adding in grilled chicken.
  • Tomato-pepper soup with ham and arugula wraps – We also ate this as a dinner, but I think it would be a delicious change of pace for lunch. I made the soup by pureeing cherry tomatoes and a red bell pepper with some tomato juice in the blender. It was very fresh tasting! And the wraps were delicious, with a spread that was a mixture of goat cheese, lemon zest, olive oil, salt and pepper. Speaking of lemon zest, I use a micro grater instead of a traditional lemon zester, and it is so easy to use. It used to take me way too long to procure even one teaspoon of lemon zest, but now I can produce a tablespoon of it in less than a minute.
  • Grilled pork chops with cucumber-dill saladThis was the other meal we had friends join us for. I made roasted potatoes as a side (because they are so tasty and easy), and we had Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for dessert (specifically Vanilla Heath Bar Crunch and Cherry Garcia).
  • Asian noodle salad with shrimp and cilantroWe found the bean-thread noodles this recipe called for at our local Korean grocery store (thanks for picking them up, Cara), but it was the dressing that made this one a winner. I made the dressing by cooking fresh jalapeno, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, and rice vinegar in a skillet. The recipe also called for rotisserie chicken, but we used grilled shrimp instead (Brad really put our grill to work that week!). And we skipped the cilantro, since it’s just about the only food that me and Brad don’t like. We think it tastes like minty dirt. Gross!

Yum! Every meal was easy and delicious. And having friends over for dinner was more relaxing, as I was able to whip up the food without my usual last minute dash to the store. I certainly see the benefits of making one weekly shopping trip at the beginning of the week. It prevented me from feeling overwhelmed, and saved us from unhealthy meals out. One last benefit of the “One Grocery Bag” concept is that the magazine editors double up on ingredients, so that you aren’t left with extra food that you don’t know what to do with. For example, goat cheese, arugula, and lemon juice were used in more than one of the five recipes.

I can’t say enough about Everyday Food. It has made it somewhat fun for me to spend time in the kitchen, and it has kept our dinners fresh and interesting. Yesterday, I prepared this trio from the magazine for lunch, and it only took me 30 minutes:

Yesterday's lunch: roasted salmon with herbed yogurt, lemony smashed potatoes, and tender lettuce salad with a Dijon vinaigrette.

Yesterday's lunch: roasted salmon with herbed yogurt, lemony smashed potatoes, and tender lettuce salad with a Dijon vinaigrette.

  • Roasted salmon with herbed yogurt – The topping consisted of Greek yogurt mixed with Dijon mustard, fresh dill, and fresh parsley. The salmon was delicious – this is definitely a keeper.
  • Lemony smashed potatoes – After steaming the potatoes, I stirred in lemon zest, olive oil, salt and pepper.
  • Tender lettuce salad – The secret to this simple salad was the dressing: white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and olive oil. For the greens, we used a blend of red leaf and upland cress.

I highly recommend Everyday Food to anyone who is tired of cooking the same old recipes, who wants to prepare meals that are both healthy and quick, and who likes to try new foods (since the magazine features both traditional and more exotic fare). Occasionally, some of the ingredients aren’t available at a regular grocery store (although I can usually find what I need at our Albertsons), but you can either substitute something else or have an adventure at a specialty store!

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