Looking Ahead...

It's the time of year again...I get semi-excited for Halloween...but I'm already looking further down the road to the HOLIDAYS.

I know it's early. But I love to make handmade gifts for my loved ones and I'm already making my list.

Here is some of what I'll be making:

Crochet face-scrubbies- I'm already using them. Just whipped-up a weeks worth for myself in one night on the couch with a movie.

Planning on giving a set to a friend and a family member.

These are great for exfoliation and for toner. Think I'll gift them with an all natural face wash from Whole Foods.

I fell in love with this lovely night light project and if it is not too much trouble, just might have to make one for myself. Thinking about giving it to my brother and sis-in-law for my niece's (expected date of arrival, 10-27-11!!!!!!) nursery.

And no holiday would be complete without making something for my little girl.

She is all about her American Girl dolls this year and I know she will just love a couple of cute outfits. I'm definitely making this ensemble in her favorite color, RED with hot pink trim.

Another holiday tradition!

I've been making truffles since the my girl's first Christmas. Wow, that's almost seven years ago, now!

This year, they will be of the vegan variety.

Yuuummmm.

Thinking these for my beautiful sis-in-law as she loves chocolate.

Also, my aunt...another chocoholic in our family!

I began making this very scarf for myself last year and ran out of yarn for the fringe!

Then, I wasn't into the peacock-blue color that I chose for it!

Too bad, because I really like this pattern.

Going to splurge on some fancy yarn and make this for my aunt.

Thinking black...or a pretty pastel.

That's it for now.

I'm still trying to figure out what I'll be making for the baby.

I'm thinking a cute cardigan with matching hat and booties.

I can't wait to meet and LOVE my niece.

I am just overjoyed with the

anticipation of her arrival...

and daydreaming about all the goodies I'm going to make for her

this holiday season.

The words of my seven-year old...

When we are not laughing, eating, or adventuring together...

We are TALKING.

Me and my girl have so many amazing conversations.

Some, I want to remember forever.

Like the one we had tonight.

Here is just something she said before bed this evening.

(After I finished reading Chapter 1 of The Boxcar Children to her...)

"Mom, I know why some people don't like children.

It's because they didn't have a happy childhood.

But me, I'm reeeeallly enjoying mine.

Life is gooooood."

Mama is not surprised you said it...but Mama is so happy you feel that way, my Girl.

xoxo

Vegan Mama

I went vegan the first week in July this past summer and it has been one of the BEST

decisions I have ever made. I have seen the benefits of this way of mindful eating on every level of my being: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. For me, it is the

healthy & compassionate choice and it just makes sense.

For me.

There has been a TON of cooking and baking...but right now, here is some of what

we've been enjoying in random order.

Vegan = the most delicious, healthy meals to create and devour!

Vegan French Toast with Agave and Fresh Berries.

Vegan Lo Mein

The most scrumptious Vegan Berry Muffins, made by my Cub!

Typical Simple Summer Meal: Garbanzo Oat burger with corn on the cob.

Fresh-squeezed lemonade & a salad was also somewhere in there.

Summer Breakfast: Usually consisted of a quick bowl of some sort of organic cereal and organic berries with oat milk, rice milk, or occasionally vanilla soy milk.

Stay tuned for my post about the vegan Rosh-Hoshanna dinner I prepared tonight to take

to my aunt's apartment in the city tomorrow night.

There is usually a lot of meat there...and I wanted to make sure I had something tasty...that I could share with everyone.

I made Stuffed-Cabbage style vegan meatballs and chopped "mock" liver.

Wanted to make sweet potato kugel but I became exhausted after the third hour of cooking

after work.

Here's to good health!

xoxo

One of A Kind

I am in love with this for the following reason:

1. It was made out of melted Ring Pops, so iconic in their own rite.

2. Of course, the words go without saying. No explanation needed.

3. Reminds me that sometimes it's those little unexpected expressions of another's creativity that makes me so happy.

(Thank you, Julia Chiang, artist.)

The A-Z's of Moi...

Thought I would jump on the tell-all train and complete this little interview. This A-Z OF ME seems to be all over the blog circuit lately. I conducted an interview with my Cub this week that I'll post later on. So for now...Here I go:

A: Age? Timeless

B. Bed size: Queen...but it is not a good bed. I don't like it. I desperately want one of those new fancy beds with the pillow top and king-size would be nice, too.

C. Chore that you hate: Doing dishes. I am forever cooking; therefore I am forever doing dishes.

D. Dogs: Never. Highly allergic. Don't believe in keeping domestic animals, either. Sorry pet lovers.

E. Essential start to your day: Prayer, Coffee, Kiss my daughter

F. Favorite color: Turqoise

G. Gold or Silver: Gold girl.

H. Height: 5'6"

I. Instruments you play: Still can play piano a bit...Have studied piano, violin, clarinet...and soon guitar!

J. Job title: Mama to Girl Cub, English teacher, occasional Seamstress/Costume Designer... but I'm not finished yet! In the future I hope to answer this with "Birth Doula, Yoga Instructor, Author, Vegan Chef & Instructor, Nutritionist."

K. Kids: My Beautiful 7 year-old daughter. Soon there will be more...Another post for another day!

L. Live: Don't make me write this. Okay, Staten Island, NY. Hopefully we'll be living happily in the seaside town we've been dreaming about by next summer. We're getting closer...

M. Mother’s name: Jo-Ann.

N. Nicknames: Cyn, Cyndells, Sis, Sprouts & Smeautiful.(both by the ex)

O. Overnight hospital stays: Birth of my daughter by c-section.

P. Pet peeves: People who talk about themselves incessantly...or when someone feels the need to tell others what a "good" person they are. (Um, why?!) OR the opposite end of the spectrum: those who don't communicate at all. Hmpf.

Q. Quote from a movie: "Stay gold, Pony Boy. Stay gold."

R. Right or left handed: Right but can draw & eat with my left pretty well if necessary. And I have a major weakness for lefties.

S. Siblings: My magnificent younger brother, Peter--who is in every way my compliment and my heart.

U. Underwear: comfortable, cotton, simple but girly.

V. Vegetable you hate: Never met one I hate, but allergic to a couple.

W. What makes you run late: Everything. Character-flaw alert!

X. X-Rays you’ve had: teeth, breasts, sinuses. Do sonograms/ultrasounds count?

Y. Yummy food that you make: Everything I make is yummy. Seriously. My Pinto Bean Carrot Cake is pretty kick ass and I make some out of this world vegan soups.

Z. Zoo animal: "Zoos are terrible. It's prison for animals." I have to agree with Kara, here. I never take my daughter to the zoo. She has only gone twice with her father's family.

THAT'S ALL FOLKS

Taking it all in...

Cub puts a flower ring on every finger at a jewelry sale.

Mama eats a veggie taco salad at the beach.

Beautiful fall berries inspire future crochet projects. I couldn't stop touching these...

Something a bit magical, comical, and eerie about these formations down by the pond.

We have commented on them and stopped to say hello each time we've been there.

Loving the natural world...

A Day In Our Life: Saturday

We headed back to work and school this week. Overall, it went well. Cub looked exhausted both days when I picked her up in the afternoon. At night while putting her to bed, she told me she had missed me and wanted to go home. I felt similarly during the first day back at work, too.

On Friday, I just stopped for a second...and my mind was not occupied with students, rooms, attendance, lesson plans...and I just remembered, "I have a daughter who is at school today and I miss her a lot. I wonder how she is doing right now?" I don't like being apart from her for so long, but this mama has to pay the bills, so right now there is no choice.

One day, maybe my dream of homeschooling my children will become a reality. I'm hoping it will be after she completes fifth grade, so I have four years to make it happen.

This morning, Cub's violin lesson was rescheduled and we ended up treating our tired selves to Starbucks and pedicures. I love that they are right next to each other. Certainly makes it easier to do the double indulgence thing. Afterwards, we went over to the home of Cub's "bff," which I'll call House of M on this blog to protect their privacy. While the girls played together I took off for the farmer's market sans Cub. There is something I love about buying fresh produce from the market and then going home to cook afterward. I made an Israeli couscous salad with collard greens and carmellized onions. It was delicious. Too bad the Black Bean Brownies were not as yummy. I will no longer use a whole mashed banana plus olive oil for egg replacers. Serves me right for straying too far out from the original recipe. Later, I walked the few blocks between our place and House of M and watched a touching and thought-provoking documentary about a charter school in Harlem, "The Lottery" with S.

Tonight, I am typing from House of M where I'll be watching the kids while my sweet friends; E's parents get to enjoy a night out on the town. So, its pizza, crocheting, and movies with the girls for the duration. Baby M is already sleeping in her mama's bed and Boy M is at a movie night down the block. I love our friends and their big, relaxed, intelligent, kind family. I love that we are friends as well as neighbors and that our kids love each other and are classmates. There are always things to talk about and do together. It is just comfortable with them. We are blessed.