Monday, May 28, 2012

Two Divorce and Food Novels

I recently read Meredith Mileti's Aftertaste: A Novel in Five Courses and Judith Hendrick's Bread Alone. The protagonists were both married women who get unceremoniously dumped for their husband's colleagues.  What follows the crisis is food, drinking, and old friends. In these books, there's no match for a man's midlife crisis plus a sexy underling. While these books were predictable, they were enjoyable in a beachy way. And yes, they both include recipes.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Classy

When I want to learn something, I do two things.  First, I get my hands on books and read.  And read. And read. Here is a partial list of the books I read while pregnant:
What to Expect When You're Expecting
Your Pregnancy Week by Week
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
The Breastfeeding Sourcebook
The Complete Book of Pregnancy & Childbirth
Hypnobirthing
Mothers Who Think
And Baby Makes Three
The Working Woman's Pregnancy Book
Baby 411
Baby Bargains
From the Hips
The Essential C-Section Guide
The Happiest Baby on the Block
Assorted baby name books

Then, I take classes.  Before Babyface was born, I really wanted to be prepared.  So in addition to our Hypnobirthing class (I told you I was a hippie), My Heart's Desire and I took several others.  Infant first aid and CPR was informative and I hope we never have to use it.  We took a Babycare skills class, which was what to do with your newborn at home.  It taught us the basics of eats, sleeps, poops, and cries as well as what's weird but normal and when to call the pediatrician in the middle of the night. I  signed up for a breastfeeding class but Babyface arried before the class and by then I was getting plenty of personal attention from nursing pros.

After Babyface was born, of course I wanted to take more classes!  I was really lucky to find a wonderful parenting class.  I've really gotten a lot out of the weekly parent/infant class at the hippie school.  All of the babies in the class are around the same age and it's been wonderful to see the babies, parents, and teacher almost every week.  I learned about respecting Babyface, conscious cooperative care, and how much can be learned from observation.  I've been able to be a much calmer parent.  I also took an infant massage class, which I liked and Babyface loved.  And yes, he does get regular massages.  This spring I signed Babyface up for a parent-assisted swim class (really, it could be called Hey Babies, This is Water) which he liked but the time wasn't ideal so we didn't make it to a lot of them.

Next month the parenting class breaks for summer. I'll definitely miss our group and am planning to return in the fall.  I looked into what other classes were offered this summer and nothing sounded awesome.  So we're going to take a break from classes for a little while.  I'm part of a playgroup and enjoy getting the babies and parents together.  I also have some mom friends and acquaintances I would like to see more often.  It'll be a great summer!

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Today I am grateful for having a long morning, going for a great walk, reading glasses (even if I did have to come home and get them), making my life easier by keeping a phone charger at work, parenting communities, Kindle downloads from the library, pancakes for dinner, tons of blooms on my hydrangea, spring showers, Mad Men on demand, and cuddles with Babyface.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Spring Books

Let's start with two books about the French Revolution. 

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran.  Interesting, well paced, and did not skimp on the graphic details of life and death.  It was enthralling.  I listened to YA novel Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly. I didn't realize it was YA until mid-way through, it was shelved with the adult fiction books and I was desperate for something to listen to.  If I was a teenager I probably would have loved it.

I read Arcadia by Lauren Groff, which I liked a lot, despite it being a bit over-hyped. I thought it was good, not great.  I got it from the library after a little wait.  Worth a library wait, I wouldn't have bought it. It's the story of a boy born in a commune and his life as he grows into adolescence and adulthood. It's very well written.

Based on a colleague's recommendation, I checked out Maeve Binchy's Whitethorn Woods. I listened to it and found it okay.  If I had been reading the book, I probably wouldn't have finished it, but I had nothing else to listen to.  I listen to lots of books on CD that I get from the library and find I don't want to hear anything else in the car.  When else, as an adult, do I get to sit down and listen to someone tell me a story? 
 
I had high expectations for Chuck Palahniuk's Damned since I really liked his previous work, but this book wasn't a hit.  It was funny in places and fast-moving, but ultimately I found myself bored. It's the kind of book that wouldn't have seen the light of day if it wasn't for the famous name.
 
Keith Donohue's Centuries of June surprised me with how good it was.  This novel contained stories about eight different women told in a bathroom to a man with a hole in his head.  The premise was clever and the stories were well-written.  The less you know about the book before you read it, the more enjoyable it is.

I enjoyed The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb: A Novel by Melanie Benjamin more than I expected.  A historical novel about the 2'8" woman who went from being a teenaged schoolteacher in rural Maine to traveling with P.T. Barnum and becoming an international sensation.   

Brian Wansink's nonfiction book Mindless Eating really opened my eyes to the things I put on my plate. It was so interesting to read and learn about unconscious food choices and habits. And just like advertising, everyone thinks they are immune. I've made some real changes at home and at work.


Bad Mother: A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities, and Occasional Moments of Grace by Ayelet Waldman offers an honest and sometimes hilarious look at motherhood.  It also had me thinking about my own parents in a different way.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas

Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients:
1 package of chicken breast strips
2 onions, sliced
2-3 bell peppers, sliced
1/2 c chicken broth
Seasonings:
1-2 t chili powder
1 t salt
1 t paprika
1 t onion powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t cumin

Put the chicken, onion slices, and bell pepper slices in the slow cooker. Combine the seasonings and pour over everything.  Give it a good stir.  Then add the chicken broth. Put the lid on and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7.  I've always made it on low and it's terrific to have for a weeknight dinner.

When I walk in the door I put rice in the rice cooker and substitute a 1/4 cup or so of salsa for water.
I serve the chicken fajitas with tortillas, guacamole, beans (black or refried), salsa and sour cream.  When I am feeling fancy, I squeeze a lime on top right before serving.  The leftovers are also great, I sometimes make them into a salad.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Today I am grateful for the smell of spring rain, books on CD from the library, crafts, being able to mull things over rather than make hasty decisions, clean clothes, and Babyface's smile.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

2012 Goals: April Update

Writing
1) I found the personal essay that I want to revise and it really needs work.  My process includes mulling and that's the stage I'm in now.
2) I blogged 7 times this month, which is a big improvement over March's single post.

Healthy
3) I worked out four times a week and wrote it all down on paper. I was tortured by my trainer once this month and the following day I was so sore even putting on my bathrobe hurt.   

Romance
4) I far exceeded my goal of going on a date with My Heart's Desire at least once a month. My mom visited and she encouraged us to go out (of course she just wanted to love Babyface) so we went out for a fancy dinner to slightly belatedly celebrate our five year anniversary and another night we went to a movie.  Then my dad and stepmom visited and they took care of Babyface while we snuck out to another movie and took a trip to Target.

Parenting
5) The parenting classes that I have been taking with Babyface have been terrific. They are partly group led and partly instructor led, really the best of both. Classes are only through the school year, so after May we are off for the summer. I belong to a few parenting and mom organizations that I haven't been participating in much. My goals are to attend at least three events.