Talking shop

A couple years ago, I was fortunate enough to write and publish a number of picture books at my day job. (I'm an editor for a children's book publisher.) It was fun, inspiring, and exciting to share something tangible with my friends and family who may not grasp what editing is exactly. When your name is on the by-line, people have a better idea of what you did to bring a story to fruition.

I'm often asked if I'm writing anything new, and I have to shake my head and say, "No, not right now." But what I really want to say is, "Telling my own stories is wonderful. I'm so happy people enjoy my books, and hopefully there will be more one day. But the thing I love is editing."

Editing is not catching grammer and spelling mistakes (though the editor should rightly be blamed if they slip through). Editing, at its best, is asking the right questions. It's sharing a vision with the author, working toward an end product we will love. It's being entrusted with someone's work and guiding it until it can be shared with the world. An editor is a champion for the author and his or her words.

The reason I love editing, and the reason I think I'm fairly good at it, is because editing is a little like being a parent. Our children need to make their own way, but we should be there, asking the right questions so they can become the best people they can. As families, we share a vision of the future; in order to achieve that vision, we have to work together. Our children are not ours to keep; they are their own people. Eventually, we let them go, we share them with the world, a bit more each year. And when it is time to do so, we are happy and proud.

We book production folks joke that we tire of the books by the time they are actually in printed form, but the truth is, I don't. Every book I edit, I edit with my children in mind. So I'm excited when I have that book in hand. There's simply nothing better than introducing the book babies to my actual babies.

Author Fran Manushkin gave us one of my favorite on-going projects.
I'm so glad I get to babysit Katie Woo! Heck, I'm practically her nanny.
(P.S. She has more than 19,000 likes on Facebook!)

A LOVELY MOMENT FROM MY DAY: We had a photographer come and take family photos at the house today. What a wonderful opportunity to see my family and home through someone else's eyes. 

Autumn Splendor

Summer is my favorite season, so common sense would say that autumn would bring a sense of sadness. But instead, the start of fall seems to encourage more deep breaths, more sitting in the sun, more walks, more taking it all in. Sure the start of school means I have less help at home and more to do when I get home. But this year, I've been determined to look past the work and seek out the lovely. And it is breathtaking.

I can't help feeling a sense of contentment taking in the world this time of year. My senses are awake! The leaves carry a scent, the air carries an unfamiliar chill. My children are excited to be back in class, learning. And I get a change of pace that I've learned I need.

I came across these words on pinterest: I believe that everything should be poetic. From the way your first sip of coffee feels in your mouth, to the texture of the mug you're drinking it from. The smell of the air during the sunrise, and the way the rays cover your skin. Life is more enjoyable with the kind of emphasis encouraged by poetry. 

A new season makes life's poetry clearer and easier to recognize. That's why we are all clamoring for pumpkin lattes and apple pie this year — they're a poem we've been reciting our whole life. It's a poem we'd like to pass on to our children and grandchildren.

Take a moment or, better yet, a weekend to celebrate the season.

This "blast from the past" pic was taken on October 3, 2010.
The love of hammock reading runs in the family.

A LOVELY MOMENT FROM MY DAY: No matter what the season (except maybe winter, I guess), is there a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than reading in a hammock? Isla and I do not think so...

What's Cooking?!

This past Thursday, my son and I shared something that I've catalogued away as a sweet memory to call upon when he hits those years when he realizes how annoying mothers are and quits talking to me. We taught a cooking class together! He told me that he'd handle the cooking and I could do the talking. It was a good division of responsibility.

Our theme was easy meals for busy nights...specifically busy, back-to-school nights. The lazy evenings of summer have passed. Religious education and dance will be starting soon. We'll have to start eating and getting out the door again in record speeds. These are a few meals that I'll start making again with the cooler weather (okay, it was in the 90s today, but it will be cooler soon enough) and the hectic nights.

First up we made cheese tortellini soup. This is such an easy soup to throw together with things you can have in the freezer and pantry. The simple ingredients taste super together. Before the recipe, I have a few tips:

1. You can use dry, fresh or frozen tortellini. (Fresh will cook up the fastest, if time is really of the essence.)

2. You can also use fresh spinach instead of frozen...but you can always have frozen on hand. Set frozen spinach down to the fridge the night before so it is thawed and ready to squeeze and use.

3. This is a thick, hearty soup. You can add more broth to thin it; while you are at it, might as well add a little more bacon and onion at the beginning!

The whole family likes this one...and it was pretty popular at class too!

Cheese Tortellini Soup

3 slices bacon, diced
½ cup onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
32 oz. (4 cups) chicken broth
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
16 oz. frozen cheese tortellini
1. Cook bacon and onion until browned.
2. Add garlic and cook a few seconds more. Add broth and bring to a boil.
3. Add spinach and tortellini, bring back to boil. Cook until pasta is tender (check package directions).

*From Parents magazine

Next up was eggs in purgatory with salami and peppers. We always serve this dish with couscous. It is different, healthy, and pretty tasty...if you like eggs that need to do some penance. 

Eggs in Purgatory is a traditional Italian peasant dish...
as far as I could tell from my limited research 

Eggs in Purgatory with Salami

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 ounces deli-sliced salami, roughly chopped

1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 Italian green frying pepper, thinly sliced

1 small yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup tomato puree or marinara sauce

1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves

8 large eggs

2 tablespoons grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese

Prepared couscous, for serving

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. 

2. Increase the heat to high and add the salami, onion, peppers and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the salami starts to brown, about 5 minutes. 

3. Add the tomato puree and 1/2 cup water and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

4. Reduce the heat to medium. Scatter the parsley leaves into the skillet. Make 4 indentations in the pepper mixture for the eggs. Break 2 eggs into a small bowl, then pour both into one of the indentations. Repeat with the remaining eggs. Sprinkle with the grated cheese. Cover and cook until the whites are set and the yolks are cooked to desired doneness. 

5. Serve with the couscous.

* From Food Network Magazine

The last recipe we made was Thai chicken tacos. I love this one because it combines two of my favorite foods. (Um...Thai food and tacos, if you couldn't figure that out.) When we make this at home, the nine-year-old eats the slaw and a cheese quesadilla, the four-year-old eats the chicken and a cheese quesadilla, and the rest of us know what's good for us and eat it the way it was intended. But I'm just happy they are trying something...and healthy somethings at that!

Served with a little extra Sriracha sauce!

Thai Chicken Tacos

Makes: 4 servings, 2 tacos each

1 lime, halved
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts or tenders, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 shallot, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 - 1 teaspoon hot chili sauce (such as Sriracha)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
16 corn tortillas, heated
1 recipe Cabbage Slaw

1. Juice one lime half (about 1 Tbsp.); cut remaining half in wedges. In bowl stir together chicken, cilantro, shallot, garlic, the 1 Tbsp. lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, pepper, and chili sauce. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour or up to overnight. In large skillet cook chicken mixture in hot oil over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked, stirring occasionally.

2. To serve, layer two tortillas. Top with chicken and Cabbage Slaw. Serve with remaining slaw and lime wedges. 

Cabbage Slaw

2 cups shredded napa cabbage
½ cup shredded carrot (1 medium)
½ cup sliced green onions (4)
⅓ cup sliced radishes
¼ cup snipped fresh cilantro
¼ cup coarsely chopped peanuts (optional)
¼ cup rice vinegar

1. In a medium bowl combine cabbage, carrot, green onions, radishes, cilantro, and, if desired, peanuts. Add vinegar; toss gently to coat.
* From Better Homes and Gardens

Calm and in control...

A LOVELY MOMENT FROM MY DAY: A nice crisp Shell's Oktoberfest in the park, listening to folk music. These are the moments folks...

The thing about goals...

Minutes from reaching my summer goal...

I've never really considered myself a goal-setter. I like to think of myself as more of a free spirit — the go-where-the-world-takes-you sort. Sure I often choose an area of focus where I'd like to improve some aspect of my life, but those things are less measurable than what I think of as goals. To me, goals answer the question, "How will you know when you achieved your goal?" For example, the goal is to stop chewing one's nails. The answer to that question above? When I can get a manicure without feeling like my hands are being judged.

This summer, I set such a goal. And it felt like a big one when I started. It felt so big that I didn't tell too many people at first, for fear of not completing it. I signed up for a half marathon with a childhood friend who lives a time zone away.

Running goals are some of the best to set, because there is a schedule that you simply need to follow to succeed. "Simply need to follow." Except when it doesn't feel so simple to get up at 5 a.m. Or when you just can't fathom having to run a fourth time in a week. Or when the weather is so, so, so hot, you review the symptoms of heat stroke before you head out. Running goals can also bring out the worst and whiniest inner dialogue...at least in me they do!

But I did it. I followed the schedule, missing only three runs in total. (And one of those, I traded in for a bike ride.) And when the big day came, I was ready.

Life is lovely when your ready. Life is lovely when you surprise yourself. Life is lovely when you experience something your younger self would have considered unreachable.

Thirteen-point-one miles. Two hours, sixteen minutes, and forty-six seconds of consecutive cardio. They weren't all lovely on their own, but collectively, they were beautiful—much like life itself.

Showing off my race bling. Apparently I look a little drunk after running 13 miles. 

I cherish this woman and our friendship. So glad to have reached this goal with her!

.

Sweet, sweet summer

Summer is my favorite season by far. I breathe deeper, I feel healthier, I live most fully at this time of year. My appreciation and enjoyment of life runs so deep this time of year that I haven't been as driven to reflect on the blessings of my life, which is the main goal of this blog. It isn't that I don't realize they are many, from fresh vegetables to exercise outdoors to family dinners al fresco. I've just been too busy enjoying them!

There was a great family vacation where we went to visit our loved ones in MO. They spoiled us and loved us and inspired us to be a dynamic family like they are.

There was Sky's theatrical debut, which filled me with memories of my own childhood plays. 

There's been lots of trips to the library, which has provided me with stacks of novels, story times, a concert, and a family game night. (Noah beat me by more than ten points, by the way.)

There's been new projects around the house. This one is done.

This one is not.

And then there is this. This takes up a fair amount of time, but hopefully it is worth it. 

So I haven't forgotten about blogging, but us Midwesterners know, you must enjoy seasonal splendors while you can! 

A lovely moment from my day: This time of year, I want chickpeas and lime and cilantro. And I eat this salad, and I sit and wonder how people could not love these flavors, finally deciding it must just be biological and/or chemical differences in our make up. Because, to my make up, this is perfection. 

I could go on and on

I always feel sentimental this time of year. My oldest child recently celebrated his birthday, and this occasion always leads me to remember how magical our first weeks together were. I was one of those lucky moms who was blessed with a baby who was content from the moment he entered the world. I felt like I was playing house...the best house ever.

He's twelve now, and I am running a high risk of embarrassing him just by writing this. But this blog is about reflecting on the lovely things in my life, and my children are among the absolute loveliest, so how can I resist? 

A few months ago, on one of my favorite TV shows, The Middle, mom Frankie was telling her husband how she just wanted everyone to know how wonderful their daughter was. (This was to explain why she created a fake Facebook persona to increase her daughter's social status. It was funny, I swear.) When actress Patricia Heaton delivered those words, I instantly thought, "I know! I know exactly how you feel, Frankie!" And . . . the next day at work, it was pointed out to me that I have, in fact, said those very words about my son in years past.

Oh, how I used to worry about him. I'd worry that people didn't understand him or his unique way of looking at the world. I just wanted everyone to know how wonderful he is. But then I realized, that he knew how wonderful he is. He understood himself. He knew what made him happy, and he pursued those things. He knew what made him special, and he celebrated those things. And you know what? People appreciate that sort of confidence. I could go on and on, but I'll just say that he's a happy, proud twelve-year-old with interesting, kind friends.

He'll face the challenging middle school years soon, and I just pray he can stay true to himself and really shine as he's exposed to more classes and activities. And while I miss those early days of infancy, I'm mostly just excited for him. He is going to love his future. I just know it!

A lovely moment from my day: Goodness, my day was busy! I'm having a hard time feeling really lovely about something from the day. I suppose that is a sign that I need a nice cocktail and some Game of Thrones to finish off my day. :-)

Puppy Love

Benton, our handsome boy

It is a week full of celebrations here this week. Father's Day was on Sunday. Noah's birthday is on Wednesday, and today marks the first birthday of our big rottie, Benton. He was just eleven pounds when we brought him home in August. Now, I would guess he is closer to ninety. The only thing that has grown more than him is his place in our hearts and lives.

What a difference a year makes!

How do I explain what Benton has come to mean to me personally? He is truly a symbol of me becoming a little bit better as a person, a little bit less selfish, a little bit more tender.

Dogs and I. We have not really gotten along too well. For the better part of my life, I avoided dogs. There was a story of a black lab jumping on me and shoving me down when I was preschool age, and I held a grudge against all dogs after that. They smelled funny, they got too close, they didn't respect my personal space. And sometimes they still jumped.

But my husband loves dogs...loves them! And our daughters love dogs, too. At age two, the little one could spot a dog a half mile away. During second grade, older one made multiple presentations on why should get a dog and what breed would fit our family best. But our son felt indifferent about dogs. I sometimes think it was his indifference that swayed me more than the others' intense love. In my head, a boy should love dogs. And I realized that my discomfort with dogs was not something I wanted to pass on to my children.

Benton wasn't the first pup we welcomed into our family. Last July, we brought home another rottie that we named Bates. Having never had a puppy, I couldn't believe how much he was like a baby. He cried when he was sad. He had accidents. He had to learn how to eat and sleep in his new home. And he made my husband glow in the same way he glows when he holds a newborn.

Bates

Sadly, we experienced a very sad accident with Bates and an older, sick dog who mistook him for a threat. We lost him after just six days, and our hearts were broken. I could not believe the pain I felt for him, but I also felt pain for my children and my husband. They were beyond happy with their Bates, and he was gone so quickly and unexpectedly.

We quickly decided that our family was clearly ready to share our hearts with an animal. Any doubt we had felt was swept away by our loss. We located a breeder with a litter that would be ready in a few weeks, and we decided to go for it.

The first day we had our Benton home. What a little guy!

Sky was able to help chose Benton, and I couldn't believe the little butterball they brought home. We all loved him at first sight, and while it hasn't been all roses and sunshine, he is very dear to our hearts.

One of my favorite Benton photos. 

Saying yes to a dog was one of the less selfish things I've done for my family. I would have been content never owning a pet, but others in my family were not. Luckily, the benefits of pet ownership reached me even though I didn't realize that I needed them. He makes my life more lovely. I like having the big boy around. I like how he looks at me with his soulful eyes. I like how he sits on my feet. I like that he needs me and that he's happy to see me. And more than anything, I like how much he loves my family. Who knew that I could have so much in common with a dog?

Simply put, he's good for the soul.

A lovely moment from my day: My nine-year-old daughter is wonderful at adding her special touch to celebrations. Today, she decorated for Benton's big day — streamers and of course, a Scooby Doo birthday banner.