The Urban Farm Handbook

Here's my new favorite read. It came highly recommended by NW Edible, and I remember hearing quite the buzz about it over at the Seattle Farm Co-Op message boards as the co-author's are both quite involved over at the Co-Op. I borrowed it from the library, and admittedly returned it overdue only after I purchased my own personal copy.

It's a narrative with recipe's of 2 families slowly finding ways to feed their family and cutting out the middle man. And can you guess? I'm in process now of pricing out my own grain mill now...

Get Your Cookies!

It's that time of year again and E and Kaela were out sporting their cute smiles in the blustery damp weather! Support your local Girl Scout!

How cute are they?!

Tech Candy

I think I may love my new iPhone cover as much as my new phone. I had a first generation iPhone that was giving up the fight. D sweetly ordered me a new one and it was delivered recently. But, I'm one of those people that try as I might, I drop my phone. So I was on the look out for something a little special. This cover comes with 2 interchangeable soft cases that protect it from bumps and bruises and a hard little snap on filigree that looks so sweet. Check the site out.

love.

My Christmas Decidedly Just Got Merrier.

I love Tuesday mornings, we wake up to find all the delightful things I ordered the day before from our milkman. Most every other morning it's, well, milk, sour cream, the occasional muffin 4-pack, loaf of bread or bag of coffee and since N can't stomach (literally) the cow variety, Almond milk. But when the holiday's come round their seasonal offering's are mouth watering! Today's splurge was Alki Bakery's Chocolate Crinkle cookies, they're dipped in peppermint white chocolate and then topped with crushed candy cane. Yu-Um. So perfect with my afternoon cup of coffee.

Bodkins are a Girls Best Friend

Don't worry, I didn't know what a 'bodkin' was until today either. My family has this accumulating stack of gym pants/shorts and hoodies, where the drawstring has been pulled out. Some drawstrings have gone missing so I made a trip over to the fabric store to buy a few yards or cording and offhandedly asked the woman at the cutting counter if she has any magic tricks for reinserting the buggers.  Her eyes lit up and she said "Follow me!" A Bodkin! This little miracle worker costs less than $2, and I had all of our clothes restrung in less than 5 minutes! This little metal needle has pincher's on one end instead of an eye, and a ring that clamps it shut; it's genius.

Girl Scout Fall Nut Sale!

If you're so inclined, you can click here and follow the steps for ordering items to support E's Girls Scout troop. If she sells 25+ items, she'll earn her badge! These make lovely Christmas presents.... 

How can you say 'no' to that face?

The Other Molly

I've been in a bit of a foodie-mood lately. And I can't say whether it has informed my decision to finally read Molly Weizenberg's, A Homemade Life or the other way around. It's been sitting in my mental 'read soon' list since Eileen and I went to her book signing 2 years back (has it really been that long?). Something made me grab it as I was shoving things into my bag for our yearly camping trip to Eastern Washington last weekend, and I tucked a few chapters away each night after wrapping the kids up in their sleeping bags or in the late afternoons down at the beach. At any rate, I'm now full of fresh inspiration. I want to try new recipe's, I want to start making the things I grew up eating (just made a pan of brownie cake this afternoon, Mom) I want to grow the food my family can and will eat and I've even been thinking about food movies that I want to see; Ratatouille, Julie and Julia, Tampopo, Babette’s Feast, Like Water for Chocolate, Big Night and Eat Drink Man Woman have all just have made their way to the top of my Netflix queue.

Her book is a memoir with recipe's and most sound fabulous. In fact, we tried her french toast at the campsite. Good. I've read/enjoyed her blog for years now and I, likely along with many others around here identify with this Seattle based witter (and come on, she was a fan of Fugazi, and The Longshoreman's Daughter restaurant in Fremont, both a substantial part of my dating history with D). I was also tickled pink to sit down with a book that uses just about as many comma's as I tend to do. It's been a pleasure to get a bit more of her back story, and hear about the food has been present throughout her life.

She says it best:

"I write about food and cooking, and in that sense, I aim to be informative, but I write about my life some, too, since it intersects with food roughly three times a day. I don't think many of us are terribly interested in recipes that have no stories or real-life context. For me the two are inseparable. One is pale and boring without the other."

Give Big - June 23

"GiveBIG is a communitywide giving challenge created by The Seattle Foundation that will increase the size of your donation to a non-profit (of your choice). This new, one–day, online charitable giving event will rally together our community on behalf of the amazing nonprofit organizations in King County." There's loads of good organizations to give to  like our zoo, Seattle Tilth, etc. Help out!

* Quote from zoo.org

We Did IT!

Our school earned a 50K grant for our first playground in 15 years! Thanks to those that help vote! We finished 6th out of tons of entries.

Ska2oosh!

Saw Kung Fu Panda 2 with D & E tonight. Hilarious. Beautiful.

Vote for Our Playground!

E attends a resource center 4 days a week. I liken it to community college for homeschoolers. She takes 1 or 2 classes a morning, then we head home and work for an hour or so. The classes are taught by certificated teachers and other professional in their fields. The school has been running for the last 15 years and has n-e-v-e-r had a playground! Please help; you can vote for us every day this month! You may also send one additional vote via text each day to 73774 with the message of: 106309

IC Giveaway!

Mosey on over and enter to win!

Living Social + Red Cross

Donate now and Living Social will double your money toward the Japan Earthquake & Pacific Tsunami Fund through Red Cross.

Imagine Childhood Giveaway!

Mosey on over to their beautiful site!

Swim Diapers from ImseVimse

Love, love, love these!  They work just like disposables (hold in the solids) but you wash 'em up and reuse.  Plus they have a side snap that completely eliminates the tug and pull action!