Weekending

Today marks the last day of my partial "staycation" and two-week break from my part-time job with Empower Tanzania. I didn't manage to blog every day like I had hoped. Nor did I wake up at 5:30 each morning as planned. Nor did I work on books edits. HOWEVER, I did what I probably needed to do most, which was to take it easy and chill the heck out. I got together with friends. I watched Netflix in bed with Jake. I hung out with my kids, threw a fun party, got a massage, finished one book and started another. I am positive that I'm better off because of it.

This weekend we have a PTA hosted movie night at the kids' school tonight, plans with friends tomorrow night, and my parents are coming for a visit on Sunday. I'm also hoping to do one more staycation-y thing and take a nap. May yours be wonderful!

Sintayehu is 6!

We celebrated Sintayehu over the weekend with treats at school, time with grandparents, dinner out, and a small party on Saturday morning. Things I love about this child: She understands the fun of wearing a party dress to a party. She is kind and generous. (She shared her new birthday toys with her friends immediately.) She squeals and smiles when she's excited—there is no hiding her joy. She is genuinely thrilled to see the people she loves and greets them with cheers while jumping up and down. She never asks for anything yet was delighted with every gift she opened. Her energy is endless and her silliness is infectious. I don't know how Jake and I ever got so lucky. Happy birthday, sweet Sintayehu!

MLK Day :: Des Moines :: Books for all!

This weekend we traveled to Des Moines for a short getaway. On Sunday we ate at Zombie Burger, a place we'd heard a lot about and wanted to experience for ourselves. It lived up to the hype. We all enjoyed the food—especially the creative milkshakes (Zombie Unicorn, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Chocolate Cake, to name a few). As we waited for our table we explored a few fun neighborhood shops full of all kinds of curiosities (pictured above).

The reason we went to Des Moines was to attend an MLK day event at the Great Des Moines Botanical Garden put on by the Iowa Commission of the Status of African Americans. It was a great event. We heard excellent speakers and got to meet the governor and lieutenant governor of our state. This was all very exciting for our family.

At the event, Oliver was given a certificate and recognition for an essay writing contest that he won. I was so pleased his teacher encouraged him to do this exercise and I'm so proud of my son. He currently wants to be a "writer and editor" (my heart!) when he grows up, so he took this assignment very seriously. Of course, as a writer and lover of words, Oliver's essay made me very proud. But more than that, I love his message. By the grace of God and the help of our family and community, Jake and I hope we raise our children to LOVE, LISTEN, SHOW MERCY, ACT KINDLY and CHANGE THE WORLD in ways both big and small.

Filling up the Empty Book Case

by Oliver Klipsch, age 10, in response to the question "If you could do anything to help your community, what would it be?"

Whenever I open a book, I feel safety. My mind goes into another dimension where my troubles disappear. Some books are filled with suspense and excitement, and some are filled with love and kindness. At night, I go to bed early so that I can cuddle up in bed and read, my mind filled with stories of fantasy. Whenever I can’t sleep, I grab my book and fall asleep with it in my hands. I really wish that all kids could get the amazing feeling of reading a book. Unfortunately, some don’t.

I’ve been to some of my friends’ houses only to be surprised that there wasn’t a book in sight. I think having no books in my house would result in me stressing out, which would lower my grades at school. I am a person who likes to be at the top of my game, so having no books would probably not allow me to enjoy the fun things in life.

I believe that if every kid had three to five books of their own, their lives would be better. My mom has always bought me at least one book every Christmas, and I have always read it two times as soon as I could. The first time for enjoyment and the second time for analysis.

Every kid deserves to have at least three books in their home, even better, a whole series of books. You can read books over again, which causes maximum enjoyment. I have the Harry Potter series and have read it so often that I have it practically memorized.

If every kid had their own book, the world would be better because there would be more innovative people, leading to more cures for diseases, better technology, and a better world.

All because of books. 

Weekending...

• The weekend is off to a great start! We enjoyed a great group of friends (new and old) at a "potluck" Friday night—I held a two-month-old the entire time and loved every second! Little Amos made me realize just how huge my own kids are. (I swear I just blinked!)
• This morning I had crepes and coffee (yum!) with my gal pals and Jake and I are making doro wot (an Ethiopian chicken stew type dish) for dinner—a pretty great foodie day!
• Tomorrow we're heading to Des Moines for a little getaway. Oliver won a statewide MLK essay contest and we get to attend a ceremony on Monday. I'm so proud of my budding writer! I also have a job interview while we're in Des Moines. Eek! I haven't had a face-to-face job interview in a decade. I'm nervous! I'll share details later...I'm really excited about this new possibility!
• I hope your weekend is sweet and everything that you need it to be. Here's something I've been thinking about this week: How do I experience Love in this world? How do I enjoy the fullness of now?

The right to appear ridiculous is something I hold dear

(Lyrics from I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight, U2 // Photos from Luminaired Photography // Not sure how I got so lucky in the sibling/friend department...)

Six Things :: Life Lately

1. I turned 36 a few weeks ago. 36! It felt like a big one. It was a day filled with wonderful people, coffee, flowers, cake, and champagne—all the best things. I'm finding I'm a bit weepy at 36. I don't know. By all accounts, by the time you hit your mid-thirties, you can't deny that you're a legit adult. And yet, it has all seemed to sneak up on me. Sometimes it's all so beautiful and overwhelming and REAL that it makes my eyes sting.

2. Jake and I spent Labor Day weekend first in Chicago at his cousin's gorgeous wedding and then at home without the kids. (We saw the movie Boyhood. So good!) We picked up the kids, who were spending the weekend camping with my mom and step-dad, and enjoyed sharing stories and spending some time in a beautiful setting by Lake McBride.

3. We've definitely entered a new stage of parenting that entails the shepherding of individual children with individual interests. Basically this necessitates more time in the minivan. Oliver is enjoying dance and acting class, Eli starts karate this week, and both boys are still taking piano lessons. Sintayehu and I bring our books and My Little Ponies and watch it all unfold...

4. I had a phone conference with my agent last Friday. Even though he couldn't see me, I dressed up for it. Do you guys ever do that!? I needed a boost of confidence—more than my comfy leggings/pretend work-out clothes were giving me that dreary day. Anyway, the conversation went well. After spending months building my "platform" (FB page + public appearances + new website + lots of other things to prove to publishers I have a few numbers behind me), he has decided to take my book back out to publishers. I'm so excited! I'm also trying not to think about. I still completely believe in the message of my book, enough so that I find this horrible, terrible, anxiety-ridden process worth it. Onward...

5. Wine to Water planning is underway! Yes, my partner in crime, Tesi, moved to Michigan, but a few silly miles won't stop this event! Of course, because the actual organization by the name of "Wine to Water" has asked us to stop using its name for our fundraiser, we will be calling it the WATER PARTY this year. (Ahem. I guess this means we're on the map.) Anyway, the event will take place in the same venue (3rd floor of the Redstone Building) and we've already managed to secure a few really fantastic details. I'm so excited to keep you posted!! Mark your calendar for November 15th!!!

This is a picture of a BROKEN well Jake took this summer in Tanzania. The Adventure Project can fix that! There are broken wells all over Africa. At the Water Party, we'll be raising money to train well mechanics in Uganda. The impact, I promise you, is astounding!!

6. Speaking of Tanzania, I still can't believe two of my kids went to Africa this summer. I need to tell you more about it! Stay tuned!

(Oliver on safari! Seriously!)

Weekend DIY: Before and After

How was your weekend? We very intentionally kept ours quiet and it was lovely. We had a fun family outing of back-to-school shopping on Friday night (tax-free, baby!), went to the farmers' market on Saturday morning, and then church on Sunday. Other than that, we took bike rides, played outside, and relaxed. It was a much-needed, low-key few days.

In my leisure, however, I was inspired to do a few projects that have been on my list for quite some time. Since getting a cat, I have been trying to figure out the best litter box situation. (Please pardon me for bringing such a thing up here!) On Sunday, I moved the unsightly litter under the sink in the bathroom so that we didn't have to see it anymore. Jake removed the cupboard doors from under the sink and this happened next:

I put on a party dress, of course! Just kidding. I actually ran to Salvation Army and bought this for $2. It's cute and I almost kept it to wear, but it didn't actually zip in the back. So....snip snip! I cut off the bottom.

Next, I nailed it to the fixture with teeny-tiny nails. It's perfect because it required no sewing. It was already hemmed and pleated! We put the cat litter and all the supplies behind the curtain.

And there you have it! A $2 litter box solution/bathroom update. I kind of like it!

After that we took a family bike ride and contemplated life at a park in Bettendorf.

When we got home, we turned on some music and boiled water for sweet corn. Since my fabric scissors were out, I decided to work on a dress that I purchased at a thrift store over a year ago. I could see potential, but clearly it needed some work. (The dress, not the lady wearing the socks!)

I cut off the bottom and then took some of the excess fabric and made a belt. Voila! A new dress! I have a work dinner tomorrow night at Barley & Rye for Radish Magazine (I do love food assignments!) and I think I'll wear it there.

I hope your weekend was wonderful!

July is for travel: NYC

July has been a wonderful whirlwind! The boys and Jake had an amazing time in Africa and I can't wait to devote several posts to their photos and stories. Many of you have had questions: Why send a 7-year-old to Africa? Why not go along? We'll get to all that. But first, I wanted to write a quick re-cap of how Sintayehu and I spent our days while they were away. We missed them, of course, but we also had no trouble finding our own fun. We spent a lot of time with my mother (my step-dad was in Africa with the boys). It's amazing how much conversation you can engage in when just one child is underfoot rather than three. Mom, Sinta, and I lounged on her gorgeous porch(es) in my hometown, enjoyed her garden, good food, nice wine, and spent several days in Chicago. It was delightful.

Celebrating my mama's birthday in style.

After just a few days back at home (a 1st birthday party for our nephew, a graduation party for a friend, lots of work, and a few dinners with girlfriends), Sintayehu and I left for NYC. It was perfect timing, really. A trip to Brooklyn was a great adventure for the two of us; we looked forward to it and then loved our time there. We stayed with Jake's sister and had a great time talking and being. I love that about Kait. She's so relaxed and so comfortable and we were happy just to be together. We did a lot of walking and restaurant-ing and talking. (My ideal weekend, mind you.) Since our "nice" camera was in Africa and my current iPhone's camera doesn't work, I used my old iPhone to document the trip. Here's what the lens (and Kait's lens) captured...

Subway Sintayehu. Posing with The New Yorker because, you know.

We found great parks. This was her favorite. (She loves water.)

I love this lady so much!

She's a fantastic auntie. This was on the Brooklyn Promenade. After we strolled here, we sat and drank a beer at a cute Brooklyn Heights restaurant. (I can't remember the name.) After that we went out for Thai food in Williamsburg and then walked home in the rain.

Sintayehu is ridiculously easy to travel with. She's a delight. Of course, we brought her ponies along for moral support. Here we are with Apple Jack at a beer garden in Brooklyn. Kait treated me to an Old Fashioned and then we walked back to her apartment and were lulled to sleep by her downstairs neighbor who plays the jazz saxophone!

We went into the city on Sunday afternoon because I really wanted to go to THIS exhibit about children's book at the NY Public Library. Unfortunately, the exhibit is closed on Sundays in July. We wandered around Bryant Park and took a ride on the carousel and then walked through Times Square on our way back to Kait's.

On Saturday morning, we went to the Brooklyn Flea Market. I loved it! (Especially the doughiest doughy doughnut I've ever had.) The merchandise was great, but as I told Kait, it's nothing I can't find at our thrift stores here. (A perk about living in the QCA! Love!)

Street art Sinta

On Monday while Kait was at work, Sintayehu and I wandered around. We had lunch at a cafe in Williamsburg. As you can see, the ponies came with us. Here they are taking a post-lunch nap. :-)

On Sunday morning we ate at a fantastic vegan restaurant. The graffiti in the bathroom was great. "Cheese pizza kills!' We did not heed the warning and went ahead and ate the pizza at Roberta's...delicious. Two things I miss and love about the city: inexpensive manis/pedis and inexpensive bouquets on the corner.

We flew back to Chicago to meet my mom on Tuesday. I hope that I never take for granted how amazing the opportunity to travel is and never fail to experience the wonder that comes with it. It refreshes and inspires like nothing else. It makes me remember how big the world is and how grand...

Weekending

• We're in a New York state of mind. Why? Because Sintayehu and I are heading to NYC for a lady-trip to see my sister-in-law Kait! We'll stay with her in Brooklyn and are so excited. (I may be a tiny bit obsessed with New York. Read about our two-week family adventure in an Upper West Side rental a few summers ago here.) The trip is well timed because ...
• ... Jake and the boys are in Africa! They've been there for a week and a half and this mama and sister are really missing them! As they made plans for their adventure in Tanzania, I (in what turns out to be a very wise move) booked a trip as well so that Sintayehu and I had a little something to look forward to while they were away. Sinta has been talking about "New City" for days and I just know traveling with her will be delightful. I'll tell you more about the boys' trip when they get back, but you can be assured they're having an incredible time. I've gotten lots of texts and emails and they're really enjoying their adventure. If you're curious, check out the blog their travel group is keeping HERE. Said Jake in an email, "Overall I can say that every part of this trip has exceeded expectations." I am so happy for them! I hope your weekend stretches beyond your highest expectations as well!

Picture Parade!

A few weeks ago I mentioned that the boys and I traveled to Atlanta to visit friends. Here are a few pictures of our trip. We didn't really do touristy Atlanta things. Instead, we shared meals, went to the park/nature trail, and watched the kids perform in a talent show that they put together. Fun and relaxing. Oliver had a great time with Emma, Miles, and Caroline (pictured above). Eli had a great time with Wilder, Brooks, and Han (pictured below). What a crew!

Airport selfie!

It was so great to spend a bit of time in Chicago on our way back home. I miss the city! We stayed for the game and then dinner at Salt and Pepper. On our way back to our car we stopped by 927 W. Newport and showed the kids where Jake proposed many moons ago! 

 We freshened up the bathroom with a few new fixtures (new to us -- from the ReStore) and some paint.

My mom, Sintayehu, and I have spent some great time together over the past week. We went to Ikea on Wednesday and then spent the 4th of July weekend in Tipton. I love the picture of Sintayehu dancing in the gazebo while my mom and her duet partner played flute/violin duets during the farmers market. It was a lot of fun to be in my hometown over the 4th. We watched the fireworks from the edge of a cornfield on the family farm! This week I'm catching up on work and looking forward to NYC this weekend! Yay for summer!

Lessons Learned Last Week

Life has been a whirlwind lately and I haven't had much time to blog. Jake has about a month off from work in the summer and we always tend to milk it for everything it's worth. Hence, lots of trips, projects, and time in the pool. It's such a great season. Perhaps even my favorite! Here are some things I'm thinking about from my front porch this morning...

• Time with girlfriends is worth the hassle. We all have kids. We all have jobs. We all have a bazillion things to do and it's not always easy to get together to nurture important friendships. However, I believe it's so important to make every effort to do so. Being with old friends helps me to remember who I am. Time away from home makes me extra thankful for the home that I get to return to. Plus, it's just so much fun!!! I had a great time in Chicago for a quick visit with my college friends, Leslie and Torrey. We also got to meet with some grad school/Chicago friends for dinner, which was an extra bonus. It was great to be back in the city and to connect with these wonderful women.
• Time with mama-friends is worth bending over backwards. I'd been wanting to visit my friend Holly in Atlanta for awhile and we finally were able to last week. Oliver adores her daughter Caroline and I knew that Eli would have a great time with Holly's son Han, so I decided to take them as well. Lucky for us, a few other of my Chicago mom-friends from back in the day were able to make the trip south as well. We stayed up so, so, so late. We sat on Holly's very southern and very beautiful front porch and watched the kids play. We ate barbecue and drank iced tea. It was a relaxing, wonderful trip.
• We encountered some bad luck with flights on our way home so Jake and Sintayehu (who had been enjoying some daddy/daughter time back in Iowa) came to our rescue in Chicago. They picked us up at about 5 p.m. and, throwing caution to the wind, we decided to grab dinner in the city before heading home. Soon we realized we were in Cubs' traffic and so we decided to go to the game! I am not known for last-minute plans, but I must say this is the perfect example of why impromptu adventures are the best!
• While in Atlanta, I got a call from Jake in which he said, "Well, the bathroom remodel is not going exactly according to plan." What?! We had not discussed a bathroom remodel, bless him, but my dear husband thought he'd surprise me with one while I was away and then got a bit stuck. By the time I got home, we decided to paint, replace a mirror, and add a cabinet. We bought everything from Habit Restore, so it required some extra love. Luckily, I've come to believe that a little manual labor is good for the soul. I'm really pleased with how it turned out and the late night painting sessions have helped me keep my mind off of the fact that some of My Most Important People are heading to Africa...
• ...So my husband and sons are heading to Africa. Someone hold me. Apparently, when your husband and sons go to Africa, your travel anxiety triples. I'm nervous for them and excited for them and just so incredibly thrilled by this adventure. It will be an amazing experience for the three of them and my step-father, who is also going. These precious, precious people are heading to Tanzania for 14 days with a small group from our church. We've always valued travel and, though Sintayehu and I are not going, I feel like this might be our family's biggest adventure yet. I'll be honest...I wouldn't mind your prayers and positivity as we head into this major life happening.

Weekending

• It's the weekend! I'm currently sitting in a coffee shop on a crowded city street looking out the window at the people and traffic and general hustle and bustle. Oh, Chicago! I've missed you! I love the urban life, so I'm currently in my happy place! I'm in town for a quick visit with a few of my favorites. Two girlfriends from college and a few more from grad school will get together for dinner tonight and I could not be more excited to see everyone!
• Early Sunday morning, the boys and I will hop on a plane bound for Atlanta to visit some of my other favorite people! I'm so excited to see my friend Holly and her kiddos. We've been talking about this trip for months and can't believe it's finally here!
• I love Jack Kerouac's wisdom for living well this summer: “Live, travel, adventure, bless, and don’t be sorry.” Have a wonderful weekend!

The time I *almost* did a handstand on a paddle board in Michigan

This summer is filled with all kinds of travel and I'm ridiculously excited. Flights are booked, plans are (mostly) solidified, and packing lists are catching fire. But first—before we go anywhere else—we wanted to squeeze in a trip to see Zach, Tesi, and our nephews and niece in Three Rivers, Michigan. After a long drive on Friday (if we're friends on FB, you'll know that we took a bit of a detour getting there!), we spent a glorious weekend catching up, playing games, drinking too much coffee and too much wine, and exploring Corey Lake via paddle board (see post title), kayak, and boat. Jake's older brother and his wife (Frank and Emily) made the trip with their two boys as well so there were lots of people and lots of sunshine. It was wonderful to see Z and T's lovely new life in Michigan and a great way to kick off a summer of adventure!

Sunday Supper: Strawberries + Cream

We celebrated Oliver's 10th birthday over the weekend with all kinds of goodness. His sleepover (the first with friends) was a lot of fun. We fed the boys birthday waffles on Saturday morning, went to Eli's baseball game, and then came home to a big family party with hamburgers and portabello burgers, hot dogs, salads, watermelon, cake and ice cream and then some. As you can imagine, by the end of the weekend, none of us were terribly hungry. However, I was thrilled to have harvested a few bowls of strawberries from our garden and was anxious to eat them. In a final wave of celebration, we decided to eat the strawberries with a bit of vanilla-infused cream for dinner. Simple to make and ridiculously delicious. The perfect Sunday Supper!

Strawberries:

Wash and halve strawberries. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar for every three cups or so of berries. I added a 1/2 tsp of orange zest for fun.

Vanilla Cream:

Whip 1 cup of heavy whipping cream with your hand mixer turned to high. Add 1 tsp of sugar and 1/2 tsp of vanilla; whip until fluffy.

Serve a generous dollop of cream over strawberries and enjoy!

This would also make a great summertime dessert. Find more Sunday Suppers here!

Weekending: He's 10!

I wouldn't say that I'm a terribly sentimental person. However. My firstborn is turning 10 tomorrow and there is this feeling in my gut that I can't quite shake. Double digits! My first baby! I don't know how in the world this has happened and I'm frankly not sure how to respond.

He cried a lot when he was a baby. Like a lot. And he never slept. And there were weeks that I worried that he may never smile. He has always been so serious! But this serious, sensitive soul is my boy and he is a total delight. He loves to read and create and he asks the most amazing questions. He loves his new kitty and his siblings and his family fiercely. He enjoys soccer and riding his bike, and he likes "fancy" things...nice salons, dapper suits, and, recently, sparkly jewelry. I used to always joke that Jake and my first baby would be the perfect "coffee shop" baby. Ten years later and it's a dream come true. He and I love our coffee shop and bookstore dates. He's an amazing kid.

So, with an unexpected and near constant lump in my throat, we're celebrating Oliver this weekend. He invited two friends to sleep over tonight. We'll order pizza and wings (his choice), go to Eli's baseball game, and then go out for ice cream afterwards. He has requested waffles in the morning and then a family party at our house in the evening, with hamburgers, of course. How did I get so lucky to watch this kid grow? What an absolute privilege it is to be his mama.