Yesterday was election day so there was no pre-school. Pre-school runs on Public School schedule and Public Schools are closed here, are they closed everywhere? I have no idea about life outside of NYC.
Jackie came in the morning instead of the afternoon and they headed out to the playground shortly after 9. It was a beautiful day, near 70 and sunny.
They came back around 12:15 and Asher was really excited to tell me they “went on the F train and on the R train” and with a little prompting he told me they saw a building with letters. Ok. So I said “What was in the building with letters? Do you know?” and he said “I don’t know, Mommy!” and Jackie had to remind him about the boats.
I still had no idea what they were talking about. We have lots of boats around here. They take the subway to see boats at Brooklyn Bridge Park sometimes and 2 weeks ago they went to Battery Park.
Well it turns out that this was the building with letters:
Staten Island Ferry! Exciting Stuff! Asher told me the boat was flying really fast. He also told me that it was really windy and he had to hold his hat. He saw boats and different boats and a statue with a green crown. And there was a farmer’s market with donuts.
I recently downloaded The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides but I haven’t actually started it yet. As someone who used to read 2 books a week this leaves me slightly concerned.
I am starting it today with a goal to finish it by the end of the month. Kind of a joke to think I won’t but since I’ve only finished 2 other books in the past 6 months its really not that hard to imagine anymore.
Anyone want to join me? Maybe I’ll even read a book in December too! (Night Circus?)
Just days after the neighborhood Halloween parade we have another awesome parade marching through the streets of Park Slope. The New York City Marathon. Mile 10 is 4 blocks from our apartment.
Last year it was freezing and the year before our plans didn’t mesh with Asher’s nap schedule so we were pretty excited to finally be able to go this year.
We got there at 9:30, in time to see some of the wheeled racers and we walked right across the route which I thought was totally awesome.
Eventually we saw the first men, then the first women, then waited waited waited for the non-professionals.
The huge pack of runners finally came and it was magic. I can’t explain it. They were running inches from us and the energy was phenomenal.
We met up with our friends Chris and Ellen and their kids and we had a blast cheering people on. For those that don’t know, lots of people write their names on the front of their shirt for this exact purpose.
It was truly an amazing morning, even with the dreaded time change. We saw grandmothers and people with artificial limbs and tall people and short people. People running with their brothers, friends, breast cancer survivors, co-workers. You name it.
Very inspiring on so many levels. I kept tearing up thinking about how far they’d already come and how far they still had to go.
We even got to see my friend Kai! I didn’t know where we’d be so I didn’t tell him to look for us but I spotted him in the crowd of 45,000+ so go me. The chances seem slim but he was running right by us and we got to cheer him on. I was so excited because I was looking for him the whole time and I felt like I met my goal for the day too! (Not all of us have to reach for the stars ya know.)
Anyway. I highly recommend attending the marathon if you can. There is nothing like the positive energy of New Yorkers cheering on New Yorkers. Nothing.
We’ve been trying to make 1 big breakfast at home on the weekends because cereal is boring and going out is time consuming and includes the use of pants.
Last week Matthew was inspired to make french toast and consulted Alton Brown because he wanted it to be as complex and possible. Kidding, kind of. Alton’s recipe’s are always delicious and (usually) worth the effort put into them.
Especially this french toast. Make it this weekend.
Ingredients
1 cup half-and-half
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons honey, warmed in microwave for 20 seconds
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 (1/2-inch) slices day-old or stale country loaf, brioche or challah bread
4 tablespoons butter
Directions
In medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, honey, and salt. You may do this the night before. When ready to cook, pour custard mixture into a pie pan and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Dip bread into mixture, allow to soak for 30 seconds on each side, and then remove to a cooling rack that is sitting in a sheet pan, and allow to sit for 1 to 2 minutes.
Over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch nonstick saute pan. Place 2 slices of bread at a time into the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on rack in oven for 5 minutes. Repeat with all 8 slices. Serve immediately with maple syrup, whipped cream or fruit.
I signed Asher up for Art Class on Friday mornings because I usually have him on Fridays and I like having somewhere to go in the AM. He loved the class we took (twice) last year, and this year we had more options since he is 2+
‘Creature Creations’ worked well with our schedule and sounded fun enough: Each class will begin with the introduction of a different small animal. We’ll examine and observe them, and talk about what we see. Inspired by these creatures, we’ll make 2-D and 3-D works, bringing science and art together.
I am not really sure how I missed this but “the introduction of a different small animal” meant a LIVE ANIMAL. The first class she brought out a newt and 3 of the 6 parents were like “WHA????” So it wasn’t just me.
It is so freakin cool! Asher really loves it. The teacher, Amy, is really just the best at keeping them interested. After the 1st activity we do to get settled she brings out a box and starts to give hints. The class is a mixed 2-4 age group so the older kids are really cute with the guessing. Asher just kind of stands there jumping up and down yelling about opening the box already.
She has this awesome way of incorporating the animal into the artwork. Honestly, she’s some kind of children’s art teacher genius. There should be an award.
This week we started free play with some carpet swatches and rocks (I know, I know)
Then we moved on to the animal. Snails.
You are encouraged to hold the animals while you study them and luckily we always sit by Shaylem.
Asher won’t touch any of the animals. Every week he keeps them trapped under his lens so they can’t slooooowly walk any closer to him. He loves looking at them and talking about them but he had no interest in touching them. Last week we did worms and he kept asking me to move them around for him. No thanks!
We watched the snails creep along the table and leave a slime trail then we made…
drum roll…
Slime trails.
After putting away the snails Amy starts explaining the related artwork and Asher goes running over. We normally sit on the opposite end of the table but since they day we met Amy he has been all up in her business.
Even the way she pours glue is fun.
She explains what we are going to do and goes around to each person to help and interact. On worm day we painted glue onto paper and pressed yarn (worms) onto it. Matthew went the week before that and they learned about fish and then used rubber fish as stamps.
This week we mixed some stuff together in a bowl till it was slimy and then played with it for a while then gooped it onto a piece of board.
The class runs a few more weeks and due to scheduling conflicts we can’t take another for a while. I’m gonna miss it and I bet he is too.
Since its November already I think its high time to talk about fall tv, specifically my fall tv schedule. I am very serious about what I watch (can’t miss an episode, have to watch in order, etc) and have a whole system to decide what I’m going to watch and when. Its pretty serious you guys.
In the old days I used to pore through entertainment weekly and make myself an excel grid of when things are on so I can coordinate the tivos. I made a whole plan, I’ve talked about it before. Need I even say it has drastically loosened even more since then? I still obsess over EW and flag things and take notes but now have much, much less free time (none) and don’t want to be spreadsheeting when I’m not at work. Besides, I now have hulu and hulu got my back.
Here’s what I’m watching these days…
Existing:
The Good Wife – I caught up on the last 2 seasons a few months ago. Its one of the best shows on TV. Parks and Recreation – one of my current faves. I love this show and all of its characters to bits. They could each have a spin-off. That’s how brilliant it is. The Vampire Diaries – much loved since the day it started Bones – new season starts tonight. I re-watched all 6 seasons over the summer so I am v.v.v. excited Burn Notice – a spy show. I like it. Covert Affairs – a girl spy show. I really like it. Psych – I watched all the past episodes on streaming in the spring and its just so cute. One of my favorite treats. Has no real story line but makes me laugh out loud every episode. Happy Happy. Parenthood – My Lauren Graham is in it so I watch. Its good, sometimes great, but sometimes a little too heavy on the velveeta for me. Peter Krause needs to work on the overacting. Raising Hope – Perfection.
New: The New Girl - cute as hell Pan Am – its fun. Revenge – I love it. The Secret Circle – Its a C-dub and about teenage witches so I have to watch it. Its ok so far. we’ll see Hart of Dixie – Its a C-dub with Rachel Bilson so I have to watch it. I like it a lot so it will probably get cancelled. Once Upon a Time – I AM LOVING THIS SHOW. It will definitely be cancelled. I think it would have been an awesome movie idea but im worried people wont watch it. Its pretty and weird and a little creepy. Watch it! Grimm-Good but kind of too scary for me. Bordering on Boy Show. I’ve only seen one episode but I’m sticking with it for now.
Stuff I dropped/on hold:
Gossip Girl – havent watched any eps this season. Will catch up over the holidays when nothing else is on 30 Rock - I missed all of last year, will catch up eventually The Office – Same as above DWTS – I KNOW!!! I try to catch it or at least Derek and Ricki but I really do not have 3 hrs a week for this right now. It gives me The Sads. ANTM - I have 7 eps on the tivo but no interest to watch it right now. It’ll probably hang until I need the space.
So that’s it, feel free to chat me up. When I list it out like that it really seems like a lot (whoa) but since I don’t watch news/sports/Kathie Lee + Hoda/Say Yes to the Dress/HHI/anything else its only about 2 hrs of TV a day. Plus its all on the tivo so I don’t even have to watch commercials! Its really a very efficient use of my time. Don’t you fold laundry faster if the TV is on? I know I do.
*UPDATE: (existing) I totally forgot about Grey’s Anatomy. I’m watching it but its like the last thing on my list. (new) I also have been watching and enjoying Prime Suspect. (dropped) Glee. I got all caught up last year but I haven’t started this year at all. Hulu is saving it for me but I’m not that concerned.
Since we had the Halloween party as sort of a rehearsal Asher was totally into the idea of more Halloween action. I washed his “lion costume” and put it back on him before we went out on Monday afternoon.
Matthew was working in the studio and was able to come home a little early. He and Asher were set on making a jack-o-lantern before we ventured out but after 5 minutes of watching Matthew, Asher decided to make his own face on his already-decorated-at-preschool pumpkin and completely lost interest in the real thing.
“I do my-sayelf”
Around here many people trick-or treat on the main strip of stores. They kind of go all out, some even had tents and tables out front! Some were giving out ACTUAL FOOD. It was totally insane though and not so great for a 2 year old. Think Times Square.
If you want to stick to a quieter place and do some regular old TOTing there are Halloween blocks, and not halloween blocks. We don’t live on a Halloween block so ventured down to one nearby, which happens to be where Caroline from preschool lives. On the way we passed by a bakery, the one we call the Cookie Store and Matthew showed Asher the trick-or-treating ropes. He was pretty shy most of the time because guess what, our usually outgoing lad doesn’t like to talk to strangers on the street. Small favors.
He did eventually warm up because ya know, candy. The funniest thing about it is that he has never ever had candy, and had probably never seen it before this weekend. He DOES know what a lolly is so every time someone came over with a big bowl he rooted around for one. I’m standing there shouting “Pick the orange one!” but no dice. We ended up with 2 measly reeses, 3 random fun size bars, a nasty NASTY hershey’s cookies and creme thing (WHY) and 19 lollipops that were promptly thrown away.
We gave him some chocolate at Caroline’s and the 2 of them sat on her steps quiet as can be lest their good luck turn at a moments notice.
After we finished up on Caroline’s street we were 3 short blocks and 1hr 15 minutes from the parade so we stopped for pizza and wine and warmth. Stubborn lion wouldn’t wear his jacket but don’t let that fool you, it was cold out there!
After dinner we made our way back up to our street to have a quick exit after the parade and it was totally nuts. Think Times Square on NYE.
It was our first time going and it was awesome! They have some big puppets and scary people on roller skates and I would have taken more pics but I was mostly hiding behind Matthew. There are some schools and organizations that march and cops and ambulances and someone built a ghost ship but other than that its just neighborhood people and kids that join the end of the parade. That King Kong is Julian from moms group/preschool who spotted Asher 2 seconds after this pic was taken and called out to us.
So fun! Everything was pretty much wrapped up by 7ish so we walked home candied, fed and entertained.
Asher got some quality time with the jack-o-lantern* and we called it a night. Success!
*No, seriously, he was hugging it and talking to it and made us put it in his room for the night. I think it looks like a Mr-Potato-o-lantern but that’s just me.
Its NOVEMBLAAAAAAGH! The threequal. I have been gearing up to post every day for the past couple of weeks and I’m really excited. Lucky for me (and you) I have a few more weeks before I start work and the posts become a little less…enthusiastic.
For now I have Halloween
Asher was a lion. It took a while for us to come to some sort of costume agreement. I tried to get him to tell me what he wanted but he had no idea what I was talking about. One day he was pretending to be different animals and I said “Hey, maybe for Halloween you can be a lion” and he said “Yeah!” so I got someone to make him a hat and there you go. He had the shirt and pants already so if he decided he didn’t want to dress up it wasn’t a big deal. Jackie was all “ooh! we should make him a tail” but I was all “ooh! maybe next year.”
This past Sunday was our annual Halloween party with the babyfriends. The same family hosted and it was so much fun to see everyone. The second we walked in I noticed that 75% of the kids were in animal costumes.
A bee, a cat, 2 ladybugs, A LION, a butterfly, 2 tigers, another (crappier) lion, a chicken, a owl and a bat. That’s just off the top of my head.
Then of course a few tv friends, a robot, 2 lady pirates and a zombie construction worker. WAITWHAT? Yeah. It was awesome.
Its snowing! This is crazy. I read that it snowed only 18 days in October over the past 143 years. Its not just flurries, its really coming down.
Matthew left for some groceries about an hour ago and Asher insisted on staying home thank goodness, because no one was prepared for this to happen until tonight. Poor Ramona left early this morning in a fleece and sneakers.
We ran outside as soon as we saw it but after about 30 seconds without a jacket I was done, hence the blurry photos. Plus my poor sweatshirt was pulled over the camera to protect it and I am still in my pajamas. Brrr.
30 seconds was enough time to catch some snowflakes in our mouths.
Not even an hour later and look at the top of our garbage cans-
