I guess it's been a little while, sorry about that. I haven't had that much to blog about lately, or rather, I've had so much to blog about that I've had trouble finding things small and manageable enough to encapsulate in a post. But, in the spirit of not letting the blog get too far away from me I'll udate today just to get a post on the board in March.
First, I'm putting a new blog in the "blogs I like" section of my blog. I wanted to call attention to it because it's just been started by a friend and neighbor of mine. She and I met a little over 2 years ago through our knitting club, and bonded over the fact that neither of us had a very good idea of what we actually wanted to be when we "grew up" despite the fact that we both had full time jobs and pretty clearly defined careers. I'm really happy to say that she's found a passion in photography and I hope that she is able to parlay it into, if not a career, at least a wonderful and satisfying hobby. She's currently doing a project where she's going to take a photo every single day and post it. I am extremely impressed by this, because I can barely shower every single day. So, kudos to Cara and please check out her blog. I personally think she's extremely taleted!
As for me, as many of you know I've been spending the past couple years working toward a self directed career as well. I'm happy to report that, although I'm not ready to pull back the curtain on it yet, I think I'm only about 6 months away from being truly and exclusively self employed. I take my licensing examination on March 24th at 8am, and provided I pass it, the last puzzle peice will be in place and I will be independently licensed by the state of MA. It has been a pretty arduous journey to meet the clinical requirements while also having and keeping track of 2 kids, but I finally finished at the end of February. Now I just need to pass the exam. If I do pass, all systems will be go. I have a colleague, an office space, an idea...stay tuned on that front.
Finally, Andy and I have been agonizing (and agonizing is really quite an understatement) about our house situation lately. Should we stay in Boston (which we love, is best for our careers, is convienient and comfortable) or should we move to an area that has better public schools? we go back and forth on pretty much a daily basis now that Owen is 3 (next week? I can. not. believe it.) and pre-k is more of a reality with each passing month. We want to stay, but my parents really think we should move. Half my friends around here with kids are committed to staying and making school options in Boston work, and the other half are busy going to open houses every weekend. What we really want to do is put a second floor on this house and never leave, but that seems to be an option that no one thinks is a good idea. Ugh. and so the debate rages.....
Owen's birthday party is this weekend, the big 3. I'll try and remember to take lots of pictures to put on the blog.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
I don't know about you, but.....
I'm tired of opening up my blog page and seeing a picture of a toilet. So while I wait for inspiration to strike for my next post, please enjoy these photos of Elias on his recent 1st birthday.
PS: I've only been to the grocery store once since December 15th! I bought one carton of yogurt, one package of deli turkey and 2 loaves of gluten free bread. success!
PS: I've only been to the grocery store once since December 15th! I bought one carton of yogurt, one package of deli turkey and 2 loaves of gluten free bread. success!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
What will they think of next?
I can't get over the cleverness of this thing. After seeing it at two friend's houses recently, I just HAD to have one. This is simply an ingenious product:
A toilet seat with a potty seat BUILT IN. I love it. I love it most because it means we can now dispense with the disgusting potty seat that must be moved on and off the potty multiple times a day and best of all, Owen can now make the potty kid friendly all by himself without bellowing for me to retrieve the seat. Simply genius, I say.
Speaking of geniuses, Owen may or may not be one. Here's some evidence in the "not" column. Owen's new favorite game is called "trash pile". It consists of...well...
gathering up as many of his toys as he can and creating a heap with them. I have to say, the appeal escapes me. Also, slightly discouraged that we go to all the time and trouble to find toys that we think will be both entertaining and educational and the favored game involves making them into a....trash pile. Let's not dwell too much on that, shall we?
finally, how cute is this photo:
I hope you all are enjoying the snow as much as we are this winter.
A toilet seat with a potty seat BUILT IN. I love it. I love it most because it means we can now dispense with the disgusting potty seat that must be moved on and off the potty multiple times a day and best of all, Owen can now make the potty kid friendly all by himself without bellowing for me to retrieve the seat. Simply genius, I say.
Speaking of geniuses, Owen may or may not be one. Here's some evidence in the "not" column. Owen's new favorite game is called "trash pile". It consists of...well...
gathering up as many of his toys as he can and creating a heap with them. I have to say, the appeal escapes me. Also, slightly discouraged that we go to all the time and trouble to find toys that we think will be both entertaining and educational and the favored game involves making them into a....trash pile. Let's not dwell too much on that, shall we?
finally, how cute is this photo:
I hope you all are enjoying the snow as much as we are this winter.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Snow Day!
As you may know we got about foot of snow in the city. I had to share these pictures of frolicking in the snow.
Friday, January 7, 2011
New Year's Resolution
I admit it: I love self improvement campaigns (and self help books, although I've learned the hard way that most people don't love them as much as I do. While I would love a self help book as a gift, I've learned that most people....don't. Message recieved.). Anyway, as a logical extension, I LOVE new year's resolutions. This year, my resolution is to stop shopping for food. There are several reasons I really want to do this:
1) I hate shopping for food (or anything else) with kids in tow. I have 2 kids under 3 and no daycare. Need I say more?
2) I would rather have our family eat no meat than industrially produced meat; and although in the early years of Jenny and Andy Andy was willing to go along with my no-meat stance I've pretty much lost that battle now. So if meat we will have, then I don't want to buy it in a grocery store, unless the grocery store can guarantee the meat has no hormones and was raised humanely. Even if it can, see #1. '
3) I'm a pretty ineffective shopper, even without the kids. I only make a list 1/4 of the time, of the times I do go to the trouble, I without fail leave it at home on the counter. I usually wander around the store aimlessly and return with a random assortment of foods (mostly in the salty snack and frozen dessert categories) and nothing for dinner. I also always buy condiments that I'm sure we're out of, which is why we have approximately 8 backup ketchups in the basement.
I'm happy to say that a week into the new year and I think I'm 3/4 of the way to my goal. This is how I did it:
1) I'm continuing our weekly delivery from Boston Organics. We've been doing this since September and so far, I've been incredibly impressed with the service. We get a weekly box for $29 that is 2/3 vegetables and 1/3 fruit. Every 4th week I get a $39box for a little extra, and that mix seems to be exactly the right amount of produce for our size family. I love that the boxes are customizeable and that (unlike a csa) if you can't take your box one week (because you're away or whatever) you can just suspend your delivery at no charge. Also, I frequently make changes and deletions to my preference list and/or change my box size and they always get it right, customer service has been excellent. I haven't had to purchase produce at a store in 4 months.
2) we just re-enrolled in the Stillman's Farm Meat CSA. We were members of this CSA two years ago, and were really happy with it until we got three months in a row when the meat share was all or mostly pork. We had split a "full share" (20 lbs) with a friend, and as he noted when it was time to renew "I like the idea, but my freezer is starting to look like the US Congress." So despite the fact that we loved getting our meat directly from the farm, and being sure that it was all pastured, free range and hormone and antibiotic free, we didn't renew. But, I've confirmed with several people I know who are currently participating in the CSA that they've fixed this problem, so we're back with bells on. We again got a full share and are splitting it again with the same friend, so hopefully we won't be disappointed. I found last time that 10 pounds of meat a month is a little less than most families of 4 might consume, but because it's more expensive (the price per pound is about $7.75) than meat you buy at the grocery store, the overall meat budget is probably the same. I would much rather exchange quantity for quality, and Andy has fun making the meat stretch creatively.
3) I recently set us up with delivery from Thatcher Farm in Milton. In adittion to hormone and antibiotic free milk (but not certified organic) they also deliver all other dairy (cheese, yogurt, cream, etc.) as well as organic eggs, bread and other bakery products, juice and a few other items.
So, we've got produce, dairy, meat, and bakery covered. That leaves staples like grains, cereal, snack foods, canned goods, and laundry/cleaning items.
I have a peapod account, and I've used it. But overall, I'm kind of unimpressed with them. First of all, since there are so many categories of things I don't need to buy from them, my orders are small and don't hit the $100 mark where the delivery fee goes down. $10 per order for delivery is too much. I could order less frequently with greater quantity, but I've yet to get myself organized enough to plan what I need in these categories a month in advance (although, it's theoretically possible). Even so, they don't carry a lot of the things I like to buy when I physically go to the store, and they don't have a good selection of gluten free items, and they tend to only have one brand option of things. for instance there's a certain kind of saltine I like to buy for the kids that don't have soy in them, and although I can get them in the regular store I can only get standard saltines through peapod. So, I'm trying to figure out if I can use amazon prime (which has free shipping) to replace peapod. We'll see. I haven't actually tried it yet. Peapod is also OK for laundry/cleaning/housewares but again, they don't carry as wide a selection as I'd like and their eco-friendly products are limited. I'm hoping amazon is better.
Here's to 2010! I'm hoping to have to enter a grocery store less than once a month. So far, I haven't gone once since December 15th, but it's only January 7th so we'll see. What's your resolution?
1) I hate shopping for food (or anything else) with kids in tow. I have 2 kids under 3 and no daycare. Need I say more?
2) I would rather have our family eat no meat than industrially produced meat; and although in the early years of Jenny and Andy Andy was willing to go along with my no-meat stance I've pretty much lost that battle now. So if meat we will have, then I don't want to buy it in a grocery store, unless the grocery store can guarantee the meat has no hormones and was raised humanely. Even if it can, see #1. '
3) I'm a pretty ineffective shopper, even without the kids. I only make a list 1/4 of the time, of the times I do go to the trouble, I without fail leave it at home on the counter. I usually wander around the store aimlessly and return with a random assortment of foods (mostly in the salty snack and frozen dessert categories) and nothing for dinner. I also always buy condiments that I'm sure we're out of, which is why we have approximately 8 backup ketchups in the basement.
I'm happy to say that a week into the new year and I think I'm 3/4 of the way to my goal. This is how I did it:
1) I'm continuing our weekly delivery from Boston Organics. We've been doing this since September and so far, I've been incredibly impressed with the service. We get a weekly box for $29 that is 2/3 vegetables and 1/3 fruit. Every 4th week I get a $39box for a little extra, and that mix seems to be exactly the right amount of produce for our size family. I love that the boxes are customizeable and that (unlike a csa) if you can't take your box one week (because you're away or whatever) you can just suspend your delivery at no charge. Also, I frequently make changes and deletions to my preference list and/or change my box size and they always get it right, customer service has been excellent. I haven't had to purchase produce at a store in 4 months.
2) we just re-enrolled in the Stillman's Farm Meat CSA. We were members of this CSA two years ago, and were really happy with it until we got three months in a row when the meat share was all or mostly pork. We had split a "full share" (20 lbs) with a friend, and as he noted when it was time to renew "I like the idea, but my freezer is starting to look like the US Congress." So despite the fact that we loved getting our meat directly from the farm, and being sure that it was all pastured, free range and hormone and antibiotic free, we didn't renew. But, I've confirmed with several people I know who are currently participating in the CSA that they've fixed this problem, so we're back with bells on. We again got a full share and are splitting it again with the same friend, so hopefully we won't be disappointed. I found last time that 10 pounds of meat a month is a little less than most families of 4 might consume, but because it's more expensive (the price per pound is about $7.75) than meat you buy at the grocery store, the overall meat budget is probably the same. I would much rather exchange quantity for quality, and Andy has fun making the meat stretch creatively.
3) I recently set us up with delivery from Thatcher Farm in Milton. In adittion to hormone and antibiotic free milk (but not certified organic) they also deliver all other dairy (cheese, yogurt, cream, etc.) as well as organic eggs, bread and other bakery products, juice and a few other items.
So, we've got produce, dairy, meat, and bakery covered. That leaves staples like grains, cereal, snack foods, canned goods, and laundry/cleaning items.
I have a peapod account, and I've used it. But overall, I'm kind of unimpressed with them. First of all, since there are so many categories of things I don't need to buy from them, my orders are small and don't hit the $100 mark where the delivery fee goes down. $10 per order for delivery is too much. I could order less frequently with greater quantity, but I've yet to get myself organized enough to plan what I need in these categories a month in advance (although, it's theoretically possible). Even so, they don't carry a lot of the things I like to buy when I physically go to the store, and they don't have a good selection of gluten free items, and they tend to only have one brand option of things. for instance there's a certain kind of saltine I like to buy for the kids that don't have soy in them, and although I can get them in the regular store I can only get standard saltines through peapod. So, I'm trying to figure out if I can use amazon prime (which has free shipping) to replace peapod. We'll see. I haven't actually tried it yet. Peapod is also OK for laundry/cleaning/housewares but again, they don't carry as wide a selection as I'd like and their eco-friendly products are limited. I'm hoping amazon is better.
Here's to 2010! I'm hoping to have to enter a grocery store less than once a month. So far, I haven't gone once since December 15th, but it's only January 7th so we'll see. What's your resolution?
Friday, December 31, 2010
some seasonal photos
Thought I'd share some Christmas photos. There are approximately 1000 of them, so I just chose a few at random. I got a large quantity of photos but none of them are particularly great. But you can see their Christmas PJs (courtesy of grandma, of course) and some of their gifts on Christmas morning.
And lest you think I forgot, as promised I finally got around to making Eli a matching hat - a year late and in a different color because I ran out of the original blue, but whatever. I just cast on Andy's, so they will have matching hats this winter after all.
here they are warming up after a trip to the arboretum with dad:
And lest you think I forgot, as promised I finally got around to making Eli a matching hat - a year late and in a different color because I ran out of the original blue, but whatever. I just cast on Andy's, so they will have matching hats this winter after all.
here they are warming up after a trip to the arboretum with dad:
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Christmas, blah blah blah.
Those of you know know me well know that I suffer from a chronic and serious dearth of holiday cheer (manic stocking knitting might provide evidence to the contrary, but the truth there is that I just really like to knit). Andy has managed to soften me up to it a little bit over the past several years, and having kids has done some work in that department too - but honestly, my inner core of grinch remains pretty intact. My anti-Christmas ire is complicated and not really worth exploring in this medium, but a Christmas hater like myself is put in a pretty tight spot when kids are involved. There are just certain things you have to do with little kids and I think pretending to be really into Christmas (provided you don't have a good reason to not be into Christmas, like being Jewish) is one of them.
So pretend I will (and do), but I have my limits. I'm not sure if this is the year I'm going to totally enrage everyone by refusing to get into Santa, or if I can put that off until next year. Either way, people will be enraged, you can be certain of that. I don't think Owen is really hip to Santa yet - he does recognize him (unfortunately, he's stopped calling him "Bobby" which he did all last Christmas season, and which I found hillarious) but the whole north pole/toy workshop/round the world in one night/naughty or nice list - I don't think we're there yet. I think we will be next year, and honestly, I just can't picture myself really going with it. I don't mind having Santa be any one of a number of fictional characters that we talk about/read about/watch but I don't see any reason that Santa can't be like Elmo. No one goes to elaborate lengths to convince their kids that Elmo is real, and kids seem to be pretty into Elmo all the same. And I'm pretty sure that my children will still be big fans of Christmas without us acting as if Santa is an actual real person. I'm not planning on denouncing Santa as a fraud, exactly, but the fact that Owen saw me purchase most of what is going in his stocking doesn't bother me one bit. If he has a tacit understanding that the presents he gets on Christmas are actually from me, so much the better, as far as I'm concerned. But then, as we've already discussed, I'm a grinch. A scrooge. Bah, humbug.
So anyway, here we go with the holidays. I'm tired already, and it's not even Christmas Eve. But for those of you with a more normal appreciation of the season, merry merry, happy, happy, cheer cheer, etc. etc. Lots of exciting things happening for Team Cox in 2011, or that's what it looks like from here anyway, and I'm genuinely excited about what's in store. So from our house to yours, enjoy the last few days of 2010 however you celebrate them (or don't), let me know if you didn't get one of our holiday cards and want one, and I'll be back in the new year with more misanthropy (and pictures of cute kids).
So pretend I will (and do), but I have my limits. I'm not sure if this is the year I'm going to totally enrage everyone by refusing to get into Santa, or if I can put that off until next year. Either way, people will be enraged, you can be certain of that. I don't think Owen is really hip to Santa yet - he does recognize him (unfortunately, he's stopped calling him "Bobby" which he did all last Christmas season, and which I found hillarious) but the whole north pole/toy workshop/round the world in one night/naughty or nice list - I don't think we're there yet. I think we will be next year, and honestly, I just can't picture myself really going with it. I don't mind having Santa be any one of a number of fictional characters that we talk about/read about/watch but I don't see any reason that Santa can't be like Elmo. No one goes to elaborate lengths to convince their kids that Elmo is real, and kids seem to be pretty into Elmo all the same. And I'm pretty sure that my children will still be big fans of Christmas without us acting as if Santa is an actual real person. I'm not planning on denouncing Santa as a fraud, exactly, but the fact that Owen saw me purchase most of what is going in his stocking doesn't bother me one bit. If he has a tacit understanding that the presents he gets on Christmas are actually from me, so much the better, as far as I'm concerned. But then, as we've already discussed, I'm a grinch. A scrooge. Bah, humbug.
So anyway, here we go with the holidays. I'm tired already, and it's not even Christmas Eve. But for those of you with a more normal appreciation of the season, merry merry, happy, happy, cheer cheer, etc. etc. Lots of exciting things happening for Team Cox in 2011, or that's what it looks like from here anyway, and I'm genuinely excited about what's in store. So from our house to yours, enjoy the last few days of 2010 however you celebrate them (or don't), let me know if you didn't get one of our holiday cards and want one, and I'll be back in the new year with more misanthropy (and pictures of cute kids).
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