Mama Mama Quite Contrary

The bounty of summer is upon us and Vivi and I have been two little worker bees in the kitchen. Last week we picked up a few pounds of kirby cukes at our local farm which we promptly turned into pickles. My husband and Vivi are real pickle connoisseurs and they both gave them two enthusiastic thumbs up.  The babies were also impressed.  If you want to give it a go yourself, here is the easy recipe from Real Simple. Saturday took us to the Farmer's Market where I picked up about thirty pounds of perfectly ripe tomatoes for $10.  It was a bargain that I couldn't pass up even though I had no idea how I was going to fit all those tomatoes in the stroller. (Luckily, my husband showed up just in time to carry them the mile home.) Vivi and I blanched and peeled the tomatoes resulting in six quart jars.  Here is just one: Before I became.... hmmm... how should I put this.... encumbered by these rascals: I would have properly canned those tomatoes, just like ...

While we were in Maine, I was feeling pretty darn good about my parenting skills. I was cool. I was calm. I was caring but firm. I was mindful. I was Zen Mama and oh boy, did it feel good. Bedtime at 10 pm and Aviva's losing it? I had it all under control. Breakfast of toast, peanut butter, strawberries, rice krispies , silly putty, scones, AND a bite of cheesecake? We're on vacation and the kid should live a little. A trip to a public beach and Vivi wants to be naked? She's got a cute tushie so let's go for it. A long car ride home on Sunday? Let's sing Ring Around the Rosie a million times. It didn't matter because Mama had it TOGETHER! Then Monday rolled around and Mama lost it- BIG TIME! It all started when I volunteered to take Aviva on errands in the morning so my husband could get some things done at home. We went to the farm for our vegetables knowing full well that Vivi would be begging to see the goats. I thought I'd just let her see them for a ...

Vivi and I spent the morning sweating it out at our local farm . Oh, how I love this place! It is prime strawberry season around these parts so we took full advantage of the opportunity to pick our own. We came home with over five pounds of strawberries (not counting the two or so pounds we consumed while out in the field.) I can't wait to turn them into various summer treats. There is something about going to this farm with Vivi that makes me feel so in love with my life. The joy of seeing her run wild in the dirt and my not caring that she ends up totally filthy. The taste of a perfectly ripe berry grown a few miles from our house when everything surrounding us seems to have been subdivided decades ago. The ability to show Vivi where our food comes from-- that it is so much more than mommy going to the store and forking over some money. The fact that on a random Friday I am able to do something really neat with our child because my husband is willing to be the sole wage earner. I...