teachermama

Why Take Pictures?

Published on July 20, 2014July 21, 2014 by teachermama4 Comments

Why take pictures if you’re never going to look at them? Or share them with family and friends? I have always enjoyed looking at pictures and I knew that having a baby was a golden opportunity to start fresh, without shoeboxes. . .

So 17 years ago when I was pregnant with my first, I hatched a simple plan to manage the rolls of film I knew I would be having processed weekly. I found these albums at Target and bought a few at a time.

It was a little embarrassing that they filled up so quickly, but after the newness of the babies wore off, I got down to filling about 2 per year. And it was easy to mark the dates and keep everything organized. The photo lab lady at Walgreens became a personal friend as I visited her at least twice a week!

For a long time, we had built in open shelving, and it was amazing how often we reached for an album and paged through it while guests were over or we were just hanging out in the family room. But then digital cameras came out, and, like most people, our photo printing slowed to a crawl. I ran into the photo lab lady, and she nearly cried that she missed us! So hubby came up with the new plan: every year, between Christmas and NYE, he goes through the photos that we’ve uploaded to our computer from our camera and phones and makes a file of the year’s best 100 or so. Then I upload them to a photo printing site and create a photo book for that year. Splitting the work between us makes it a less daunting job. And the kids like to add backgrounds and doodads to the layouts once I get the pictures and captions in. It’s a family project!

It’s worked great; they are very thin and sit out on this tray in the family room to be picked up and thumbed through frequently. I love having each year of our lives at a glance. To be honest, we are a few years behind, but we sat down and did 2010 today, so I am feeling accomplished and thought I would share. Each book ends up costing between $30 and $100 depending on how many pages we include, whether we do a premium cover, and whether they have a 50% off deal going.

We have also made photo books dedicated to specific events or trips. Sometimes we have them mailed to my in-laws’ house as they are out of town and not tech-savvy, so that they can see our pictures before we do. 🙂

One of my best brainstorms came as I tried to inspire a young niecelet to enjoy the local art museum. I offered her my phone to take pictures of all of her favorite pieces — there were probably 200! to comb through — and then when we got home, we made a photo book online together and had it mailed to her house. She took it to school and told her teacher all about her trip — and hopefully her newfound appreciation for art. 😉

The Old Elephant Table

Published on July 15, 2014July 30, 2014 by teachermamaLeave a comment

We call this “The Old Elephant Table” because someone once said that it had “elephant legs.”

A friend acquired it for us at an auction in St. Louis almost 20 years ago. My grandfather made a makeshift leaf for it; I recovered the chair seats, and we made do with it for much longer than planned. Finally my decorator friend had heard me complain about it long enough, and said, “Have you ever thought about painting it? Couldn’t do much harm if you really hate it so much.”

I didn’t HATE it; it was just so dark and heavy. But I never would have had the guts to paint it white without that kick in the pants.

I used Cece Caldwell’s Simply White clay paint because I left the table in the dining room while painting it and wanted to make sure it was safe to breathe. (Cece’s line is eco-friendly with no VOCs.) And because I am too lazy to do any prep work (read: sanding). There was some marring on the table top, and I just wanted quick and easy coverage. Cece’s worked great for that (two coats).

Fortunately my sister came to town during the mess and jumped right in. She is brave with the dark wax and brought some Annie Sloan Dark Wax to show me how to use it. We worked it into the detailed areas, esp. on the legs and the little braided trim with a toothbrush and then rubbed it back off with a cloth. It really emphasized the interesting details. LOVE!

We finished the table with a coat of the Cece Waxing Cream applied with a cloth and buffed it out a few times. My sister can go to town with the buffing cloth. I guess that’s why she has muscular arms and I don’t! Next, she couldn’t wait to get her paintbrush on the chairs. We slapped on the Simply White, distressed some edges with sandpaper, and waxed and buffed. Kristin thought it needed a little something. She knows I love the fleur-de-lis, so she stenciled one onto the back in silver and gold craft paint and even went around it with a toothpick to make a little dotted border. She’s goooood.

Then it was on to painting 5 more chairs! Not fun. I quit halfway through and hubby finished the job out of desperation to get his dining room back. Ah well, all’s well that ends well!

P.S. Did you guess that only one chair is reupholstered thus far? Tee hee. . .a little ongoing project for me. . .might add another coat of wax to the tabletop, too!

Got Kids? Got Stuff!

Published on July 6, 2014July 30, 2014 by teachermamaLeave a comment

Children’s artwork and school work must reproduce in our homes. What to do with it? How to store it?

Of course we all sneak some of it into the trash (recycling bin!) when they aren’t looking, but some pieces are too precious to give up.

Yesterday I went through my girls’ school bins and heartlessly pared down to where I meant to be all along. I was able to reduce their 2 large bins each to 1 each. It feels great! Remember when your mom made you take the stuff she saved for you? Or is she so nice that she’s still storing it? I don’t like clutter, and I will be chasing my girls down the driveway with their 3 see-thru bins — “Baby Stuff, School Years, and Keepsakes.” Then it’s up to them to get rid of it, but I bet they each have a sentimental gene and will go through it and laugh and cry like I do. Anyway, I guarantee that no adult child wants MORE than the three bins. They won’t have anywhere to put it once they start accumulating their own kids’s stuff! In fact, I will be paring down the “Keepsakes” bins next but will probably have to enlist the girls’ help on the decision making.

The Process

As the children bring home awards and A+ work, I stick it in a large, okay GIANT, ziplock bag marked for that school year. At the end of the year, the bag goes into the clear bin. Voila! Organized by grade! I tell people that I only save the 2 or 3 best things from each school year. Ha! Pulled out the bags yesterday, and each one weighed at least 10 lbs! So I pulled up the recycling bin and pitched anything that wasn’t important. Saved report cards, awards, Mothers’ Day poems, self-portraits, and photos. It’s funny that I was sure I had done this all along. Oh well, better late than never. Finally following my own rules.

How do you tame the paper monster?

No More Jarred Spaghetti Sauce

Published on May 28, 2014July 30, 2014 by teachermamaLeave a comment

I used to make pretty good weeknight spaghetti using Prego as a base and adding sauteed onions and ground beef. I would also doctor it up a bit with some Italian seasoning, garlic, a dash of cloves, and a bay leaf or two. But now that I’ve greatly reduced the amount of ground beef we eat and am trying to eliminate processed foods, no more Prego/jarred sauce! I needed a quick red sauce for those weeknights when I crave pasta. Sometimes I have a good sauce in the freezer from a weekend “all day in the pot” adventure, but not always. Last night I tried this easy variation, and Tim pronounced it “the best sauce you’ve ever made.” He might have just been really hungry. Anyway, here it is. If you Italians have a better one, I’d love to try it (30 min. or less, please!).

1 (15 oz) can petite diced tomatoes

15 oz tomato sauce (I try to buy this in the carton as the cans can leach yucky stuff into the tomatoes.)

6 oz tomato paste

1-2 tablespoons sugar (adjust to your taste)

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I always use too much; it was spicy!) Adjust to your taste.

Can substitute a teaspoon of Italian seasoning for herbs.

Simmer in a pot for 20-30 minutes. Season again to taste.

Small Surprises in the Big City

Published on April 3, 2014 by teachermama1 Comment

Our Linda wanted to check Broadway off her bucket list and kindly checked it off the lists of Sister, Daughter, and Me, too! In honor of Libby’s 16th birthday (you might remember that we did have a little party last September!), she flew us all to NYC to see shows, eat amazing food, hike the urban jungle, and gawk in wonderment. You’ve all seen the big city on tv or explored it yourselves, perhaps, so I just thought I’d mention a few things that surprised me despite the stereotypes and one previous visit.

1. The taxi drivers are not there to make sure you have a nice ride. They are only paid to get you to your destination — no telling what’s going to happen on the way. The first time I took a taxi from JFK to Times Square, the driver jumped out of the car at a stop light to get himself a hotdog! Scared me to death! I actually prefer the subway.

2. The view may cost you $27, but it’s worth it. That’s what we paid to go to the Top of the Rock – 30 Rockefeller Center. I wasn’t sure I wanted to see the world from up there, but I am glad I did! Amazing, beautiful, different.

3. I knew space was at a premium in NY, but I didn’t know they stacked the cars like Hotwheels!

4. Broadway. Just Broadway. Have been a theater geek all my life, so should have expected to be brought to tears, but it caught me off guard. The tiny but grand theaters made me want to laugh with glee and then commune with the ghosts of shows past. It was very moving. We saw three shows from three different perspectives: balcony, box, and orchestra. Each one was perfect. The theater below is the Schubert — just the theater where A CHORUS LINE set the record for longest running show on Broadway!

5. My daughter. No fears. Just jumped into New York like Mary Tyler Moore going to Minneapolis. Hopping on and off the subway, benches in Central Park, curbs into swarms of people with umbrellas. She might have some kind of new york gene.

Must. Stop. Talking.

Published on December 18, 2013 by teachermamaLeave a comment

In 7th grade one of the teacher comments on my report card was “Kim is a good student who should talk less.”

Hmmm, well, yes, shouldn’t all 7th grade students talk less? I didn’t give it much thought beyond rolling my eyes when my family teased me about it.

But 30 years later, and it’s still true. I should talk less. I really am working on it. I am trying to listen. I am trying to stifle the tiny thoughts that pop into my head while someone else is talking. Teaching for 20 years didn’t really help me with this personality flaw because talking was a big part of my job. And now I probably type far too many of these tiny thoughts into my facebook status. Maybe that is a fairly innocuous way for me to get them out of my head — and readers can certainly choose to ignore them.

Still, I keep making faux pas that could be avoided if I would shut up. Today I volunteered at my daughter’s middle school, helping with a “marketplace” where 50+ students made products to sell. The proceeds will go to Heifer International and an experience that they provide to help make our kids aware of life beyond their locale. I was really impressed. As I talked with (what appeared to be) another volunteer, I expressed my amazement that this teacher would take on such a huge project. So much work! She put so much time and energy into creating this meaningful opportunity for her students! I said that though I am also a teacher, I would never undertake such a big, complicated event. Of course that’s not really true. I’ve just done it enough times to know how much work it is. But anyway, that’s what I said. Then I was introduced to this person, and she turned out to be the Gifted Coordinator for the school district — the person to whom I would go for a job if I decide I want one. ARgh. Must. Stop. Talking. Made myself sound like a slacker!

At Halloween I happily greeted a sweet 2-year-old neighbor and her mom, who has been expecting a baby. What did I say to her? “Oh! No baby yet?” She replied, “Actually there are two, and they are at home sleeping.”

WHEN will I learn?

Gluten-Free Vegan Quinoa Chili?

Published on October 31, 2013July 30, 2014 by teachermama2 Comments

So I volunteered to make a main dish for my daughter’s teachers’ monthly luncheon/treat. One of the teachers requires gluten-free food, and no one had signed up for that spot. I’ve never cooked gluten-free before, but how hard could it be?

Searching for recipes on Pinterest, I found one for “The Best Ever Quinoa Chili (vegan and gluten-free).” Now I happen to know that another one or two of the teachers are vegetarians, so thought this might kill two birds with one stone. Of course, the gluten-free gal is a full on carnivore, but, hey, one dish can only meet so many needs. And I’ve been meaning to try quinoa.

I was caught by surprise while shopping for ingredients. Had to be choosy on brands of diced tomatoes, for instance. Some had garlic powder, I think, and therefore, gluten. And my grocery did not carry a gluten-free Worcestershire sauce, so I left it out. Bet I could have found it at the health food store, but no time. A few ingredients were pricey: over $5 for the box of quinoa, though it was enough for a double batch. And over $4 for ground chili chipotle, but I’ll use that for other dishes. And, of course, I had to buy organic beans to make sure they were vegetarian.

As I described this experiment to my sister (the gourmand) over the phone, she started laughing. “What’s so funny about quinoa chili?” I demanded.

“I just hope it tastes good,” she worried. “You don’t want to ruin your reputation.”

Ha! I happen to know from experience that hungry people at work enjoy food that arrives, unbidden and free, regardless of how experimental or vegan it might be.

And. . . it was good! Well, I liked it anyway. I used yellow, orange, and red peppers, and, combined with the quinoa, they gave it a great texture that I enjoyed more than ground beef. And beef production is bad for the planet, anyway. So there. Try it if you dare.

Thanks to Sarah at Making Thyme for Health for the recipe: http://makingthymeforhealth.com/2013/09/30/best-ever-quinoa-chili-vegan-and-gluten-free/

A Few Things I Love. . .

Published on October 28, 2013October 28, 2013 by teachermamaLeave a comment

1. Never, never going to the bank anymore. In fact, I can’t go to the bank bc my bank is in another state. All of my banking is done via Smartphone, even the deposits. I just endorse, photograph each side, and bing! Depo made! I love it.

2. Chalk paint. Not chalkboard paint. Paint with chalk in it. Annie Sloan or Cece Caldwell or Make Your Own; it’s amazing stuff because you don’t have to sand or prime. I am a very lazy painter.

3. Tea. I now understand why those European explorers just had to find a way to get tea. Sounded so strange to me in grade school. My preference is hot, green tea, but I’ll try anything. . . it never fails to cheer me up.

4. Modern art. I was sad to leave the St. Louis Art Museum’s modern art collection, but so lucky to find myself 10 minutes away from Alice Walton’s modern art collection! I think I’ll do a whole blog post on Crystal Bridges and my favorite pieces. Coming soon. .

5. Haribo Gummi Bears. Feels a little weird putting that gummy substance in your body, but yum! Tastes so good — and probably reminds me of my teen years in Germany.

I could go on and on, but these are the things I love today. More on another day when I am feeling reflective.

Kim

Pumpkin carving?

Published on October 28, 2013October 28, 2013 by teachermama1 Comment

Pumpkin carving really isn’t as much fun as it sounds. I used to throw pumpkin carving parties, but it turns out that kids get pretty bored watching adults wield knives, and adults get pretty bored cleaning the guts out of pumpkins. The best part is the picture taking when all is said and done.

This year I’ve been inspired to go glitzy and pin sequins to craft pumpkins. I’ll still have them next year! Woohoo!

It took a while, but I had plenty of good Missouri football and Cardinals playoff ball to watch while I pinned. My right thumb felt like I had poked a hole through it, but, hey. . . we’ve got thimbles, right? I don’t have any pretty ones like Kristin, but I found a plastic one in an old sewing kit, and it was invaluable. Next up. . .St. Louis Blues?

Eating in these United States

Published on October 23, 2013July 30, 2014 by teachermama1 Comment

Having grown up in the Air Force, I have often observed the “homogenization” of the United States. It seemed to me that regional differences were disappearing, and you could get a Big Mac and fries pretty much anywhere. Sad.

My husband and I moved to Utah in 1996, and I kept my eyes open for foods that were special to that area. We didn’t find much. And, man, did we miss St. Louis pizza! I know St. Louis pizza has gotten a bad rap in the media lately, and, please believe me, most of us who enjoy that thin-crust specialty also like the occasional deep dish delicacy from Chicago or drippy slice from NYC. It’s just that no one wants to eat predictable franchise pizza every Friday night.

I was disappointed earlier this week when I was unable to find Louisa frozen cannelloni (or ravioli) in the grocery store here in NW Arkansas. After begging my sister for dinner ideas, she came up with adding a nice marinara and provel cheese to frozen cannelloni for a good “fake it” weeknight dinner. Now I knew it would be a stretch to find the St. Louis brand Louisa here, but not even a substitute! (And we can’t find any decent Italian restaurants, either.)

However, you’ve got to take the bad with the good, and the lovely surprise is that this area is teeming with Mexican specialty food. So I switched Italian night to Mexican night and picked up fresh tortillas, real chipotle peppers, and even that crumbly white cheese, cotija. These things are not easy to find in St. Louis. I decided to try to make a more authentic enchilada, using red sauce and corn tortillas rather than white sauce and flour tortillas, which have far less flavor (and nutritional value!). Ended up using mostly this recipe from Tyler Florence, http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/chicken-enchiladas-recipe/index.html and it actually smelled like a Taqueria in the kitchen! The whole family and an extra teenager were pleased. Yum! and Yay for regional differences!

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