Why I Love Blogging and some Blog Sugar Musing

Most of you know I went to a blogging event this weekend called Blog Sugar. If you don't blog yourself, you might think a blogging event is kind of weird at best or lame at worst. That was one of the reasons why Blog Sugar was so great. I was surrounded by 60 people who love blogging as much as I do. There wasn't anyone who made me feel like blogging is a waste of time, or purposeless or self-indulgent. No one asked, "but why do you blog?"

No one asked, but I'll tell you anyway.

Why do we blog? We blog because we've got something to say.

At Lilly and the Brothers, I blog because I have something to say to my children. When they're grown and wed, with little ones of their own, I want them to know their mama walked through those very same days with them.

I have something to say to my grandchildren when they want to know where they came from and to hear the stories of their family. Because even if I am not around to tell them, my words will be still be here.

I have something to say to the other mamas, those who stay home and those who don't. Those who home school and those who don't. Those who've miscarried and those who haven't. Those who want to know they are not the only ones sleep deprived and cranky. Those who want to head outside to explore and re-connect with nature and their babes.

I have something to say to the parents who love their kids and want to raise them well. I want to share ideas with you.

I have something to say about this job of parenting, the most joyous and difficult and important job I will ever have.

At Picnics in the Park, I blog because I have something to say about taking care of a home. It matters. It's important.

I have something to say about cooking from scratch. It tastes better. It's fun. And sharing recipes is one of my favorite things to do.

I have something to say about decorating and color and re-painting that ugly old night stand. You'll feel so good when you do.

I have stories to tell.

I have books to share with you.

I have places you should visit.

I have something to say about vintage and finding beauty in cast off things. Like typewriters and old lamps.

I have something to say about all the little things that make life happier.

Thank you, Rachel, for hosting Blog Sugar and for allowing me an evening with my own kind. When I first signed up, I didn't know a soul who was going. But then an old friend said she'd be there. And a newer friend. And a blogging friend.

And while I was there I met a lady I saw the day before at swimming lessons and she reads my blog. And I read hers.

And then, and then and then.

The whole night was like that.

It was fun. Lots of fun.

Blogging has opened worlds for me. This was one of them.

So glad I went and met lots of new friends.

Of whom I did not get one picture! What the heck? I was too busy taking picture of things, eating treats and talking. Oh well.

There will be another.

I can't wait!

Love from,

Greta

Blog Sugar and a Peek at my Blog Identity

I want to stay up and post about Blog Sugar.

It was great.

I met people who I have only know through blogs. My stomach had butterflies before I arrived because I was meeting a bunch of people I don't know, but do know and it is kind of weird.

But it was great.

And now I have a whole list of new blogs to peruse and I want to tell you about them.

But I have a getting sick husband, and is sick kid and I'll be on middle of the night kid duty, and I have stayed up late too many nights this month and I have to get up early tomorrow.

I'm going to bed.

I'll be back on Tues (it's a 3 day weekend! ) with a tutorial on my business card.

It came out even better than I had hoped for--a vintage library card. Doesn't that just sing my name? I love it.

Thanks Aaron for your late night photo shop tutorials and even later night Kinkos run.

Happy Memorial day, friends. And please remember to thank a soldier this weekend for the sacrifices he or she makes to keep you safe every day.

Love from,

Greta

Typewriter, I Love You

I have fallen hard.
For typewriters.
The clack. The ding. The feel. The look.
James and William have fallen too.
They want one.

James immediately figured out how it works.

It's so tactile. So immediate. They responded to that.

"I can use it to write a whole book," James told me.

William said, "I thought it was a computer Mommy. But I like it better than a computer."

It seems we'll have to be getting one of these for ourselves.

Or maybe 2. 3. Well, 4, because I am sure Miss Lil will have to have one too.

I think typing will be part of next year's curriculum.

________________________

I have been busy making. Making a fun little project for Blog Sugar and for whenever anyone asks me about my blog. Because you know they do.

All the time.

Why bother buying business cards when you can make your own with vintage library book cards and typewriters?

However, all this making means the chocolate chip banana bread, the ratatouille, the amazing salad we had for dinner tonight and the bagels I want to boil are not going to make it into the blog this week.

I'm sorry.

But there is always next week.

Hoping to have pictures for you tomorrow of the finished product.

And, if you see a typewriter in your day to day life, let me know.

We're ready to adopt.

Love from,

Greta

A Star Wars Birthday Party Part 2: An Ewok Hut,, A Cardboard Spaceship and a Jedi Obstacle Course

When your son asks you for an Ewok birthday party, of course you will say yes and then you will scour the Internet looking for ideas and come up empty handed.

The Ewoks are a sorely under -represented Star Wars group.

But thankfully, you have a husband who is a creative genius and says, "we'll have to build some sort of Ewok dwelling for him."

Well, not we, but he.

Look at his handiwork.

William, the lover of all things Ewok, adored his Ewok hut.

Ewok Hut and Ewok Battle:

Aaron assembled it in the dark back yard, braving the possums and raccoons, finishing up about 11 pm the night before the party. He used a giant cardboard box, brown construction paper, palm fronds, a few pieces of wood and a lot of duct tape.

The kids made a bee-line for it the moment they woke up. It was such a fun fort.

And beyond being a prop for the party, we also worked it into one of the party games.

See all that crumbled up paper there, next to the hut?

Those were actually "rocks" used in the Ewok Battle Against the Storm Troopers.

In which the Ewoks gathered in their hut, saw the Storm Troopers advancing and then attacked the Storm Troopers with the rocks.

As you can see, it was a rip roaring success.

The boys loved it. Really, loved it beyond words. The looks of utter joy on their faces as they pelted the Storm Troopers with crumpled up paper rocks cannot be described. See more pics here.

I highly recommend this party game. It requires very little of you and is loads of fun. All I had to do was provide the crumbled up paper and tell the boys they were Ewoks going to battle against the Storm Troopers. Ewoks don't use light sabers, they fight with things they find in the forest, like rocks.

Our Jedi Masters kept on their white suits, added Storm Trooper masks and voila! You have a party game.

It was funny how more than one of the dads commented on how they use to have fights like that all the time. With dirt clods.

Yes, lots of crumpled up paper isn't very green, but I'll take it over dirt clods any day.

Cardboard Spaceship:

The next morning, we worried that the lure of the Ewok hut might be too great and it would be filled beyond capacity. Aaron had another box and asked if he should build something else. I suggested taping up the sides, laying down a blanket and telling the kids it was a troop transport ship. Quick and easy, right?

This is what he came up with.

It was a great place for the kids to hang out during the party when they needed a break from the action. The littlest ones liked it too.

Here it is the next day, a little worse for the wear, but still being used and loved.

I think it is safe to say that James and William will always remember the Ewok hut and space ship their Daddy built them. I still remember my 11th birthday when my Dad came home with 11 balloons, just for me.

It is good to make memories.

And if you look in our backyard right now, more than a week later, you'll see 2 flattened, rained upon and beat up pieces of cardboard that are still being played with and loved. It doesn't take much to make them happy.

Jedi Obstacle Course:

After Jedi training, (see here) the Jedis had a chance to run a jedi obstacle course. Again, it was another simple thing that kept them busy and active and they had a lot of fun.

My boys set up the obstacle course before their friends arrived, using things we had around the house: cones, a teeter totter, hula hoops and some stools.

The Jedi Masters showed the kids how to run it and they had fun!

So, if you decide to have a Star Wars party of your own, or one is requested of you, fear not, the force, or at least I, am with you.

Beyond the party games listed in this post, and the decorating and favors listed here, the Jedi training described here, and the epic battle shown here, you really don't have to do much.

Just gather some light sabers and have fun.

If you want, there are some fun extras, too.

We downloaded the Star Wars soundtrack and played it during the jedi training and battle with Darth Vader. Fun and cheap.

We borrowed costumes. Our friends had the Vader costume and Storm Trooper helmet. My nephews had another Vader mask. If you have friends with sons, they are sure to have Star Wars paraphernalia you can borrow.

Aaron's space suit was from last Halloween. It is a white paper, painter's suit with silver duct tape on it.

We borrowed people, too. If you can find a friend to help out with the jedi training and battles, it will be even more fun for the kids. They'll have 2 people to fight.

We like hand made parties on the cheap. And that is what this was. You don't have to spend a small fortune to make a great party. You just need a little creativity and some duct tape.

Now, I've got to start thinking about the next birthday party. Lilly turns 2 in a month! Ahhhh!

Love from,

Greta

The Best Laid Plans.......

.............often go awry.

I started losing my voice on Friday afternoon. And when Aaron and I went to Disneyland on Friday night, by ourselves, I couldn't even scream on Big Thunder and Space Mountain. By Saturday it had morphed into full blown sickness with achy body and sore throat. So that day was complete loss. No blogging or any of the other projects I had big plans for.

I hate that.

On Sunday Aaron made sure I got in a nice nap and that helped. No more aches, just sore throat and no voice. And no catching up on my blogs. I hate that again.

Sometimes real life gets in the way.

I did manage to get to the Farmers Market.

O Farmers Market, how I have missed you. It has been weeks and I was determined to get there this Sunday.

I'm so glad I did. Fresh asparagus, cherries, baby arugula, corn for salads, my favorite varieties of squash, and finally, organic strawberries. I always have to wait awhile for those to put in an appearance. There will be some good eatin' this week.

Sunday afternoon, while Lilly took a long nap and the boys played together quietly, I worked on a little project for Blog Sugar. It was nice to be off the couch and sitting at my desk.
It is greatly inspired by these.

I had something entirely different in mind, but as is my way, I changed my mind at the last minute and came up with something more elaborate and difficult.

But cute! I love creating my own "brand identity".

I can't wait to show you the whole package.

Unlike my weekend of plans gone awry, Aaron worked his booty off this weekend. He put in another shelf in the kids' closet. It is lovely in there now. Let me tell you, 3 kids sharing 1 closet for all their toys and clothes, well, we need every shelf we can get.

His big project, though, was the wall. Our backyard is surrounded by these ugly, faded, cracked, brick walls. Along with painting the house, I thought we should paint the walls too. My dad, the painter, recommended stuccoing them first.

So Aaron did the one along our driveway yesterday.
Even the kids helped. (see more here)
He did the whole wall. I can't show you pictures because it was dark when he got done. And it still needs another coat and then paint. So it is only partly done. But, my, what a difference already.

Poor Aaron. I excel at coming up with ideas that mean more work for him.

And he is such a trooper, he just puts his shoulder to the wheel and gets started.

I rewarded him with one of his most favorite dinners.

Ratatouille.

While not very photogenic, it is absolutely delicious.
I know I need to give you the recipe, friends. But not tonight. I must sleep.

I'll owe you.

Happy Monday.

Love from,

Greta

A Little of This and That

It's been rather a crazy week. (See here) I haven't had much time for blogging, or any time really. Sometimes it's just like that.

I have hopes for the weekend. I have notebook pages full of ideas for blogs and I am itching to get them on the screen. We'll see.

Until then, I'll leave you with a few goodies to take you sailing into the weekend.

#1 I don't usually do product endorsement, but this one took me by surprise and I just had to share it with you. You know I am particular about my cleaning products. I mostly use vinegar to clean. But for laundry I use soap, of course.

Usually I use the Trader Joe's laundry detergent and I could not be happier. It is a good price, a little goes a looong way, I recognize all the ingredients and I think it cleans my clothes very well.

But I forgot to buy a new bottle on my weekly shopping trip and laundry was piling up. We were at Target and I couldn't bear taking the 3 to yet another store. So I decided to give this a whirl.

I got the small bottle in case I didn't like it. It was $6.99 and says it does 25 loads. I think I'll get more out of it cause I never use as much detergent as they say to use. I really like how small it is. I like the ingredient list, they were out of unscented but this one isn't bad, and I think it does a fine job cleaning my clothes.

But the part I love best is that pump. Really. I love it. Normally I don't quibble that much about "time or labor saving" devices. I mean, what's the big deal with an extra step?

But this pump on the laundry soap is fantastic. Even if I don't keep using the detergent, I'll just decant my regular stuff into this bottle. It's easier, cleaner and faster. It's a win.

Why don't you try out a small bottle and tell me what you think?

#2 I love to read cookbooks. Don't you? I just got this one from the library and I am loving it. It is one I may just have to own and I don't say that often about a cookbook.

She makes me want to try making our own pasta noodles, and to whip up a rustic plum tart.

I am especially enjoying the soup chapter. A big bowl of minestrone sounds really good right now.

#3 The kids and I were part of a bake sale this morning. We made our famous banana bread. But this time we added chocolate chips. And, wow.

It took our banana bread to a whole new level. I will share the recipe with you next week. And also that Ewok hut you've been asking about too. I promise.

Hope your weekend is just what you want it to be. And I hope mine will be too!

Happy Friday, Friends.

Love from,

Greta

A Star Wars Birthday Party--Part 1

I have to confess. I was not that excited abut planning a Star Wars birthday party.

And I love planning a party.

Thus far we have managed to avoid "character" parties, instead throwing fireman, knight, pirate and train parties.

They have been fun to plan. I love making invitations, decorations, cute party favors. Remember these I made for Lilly's 1st birthday last year?

But Star Wars? I mean, what is cute about Star Wars?

"So it's really about you", say the birthday party bashers. You know who you are. You talk trash about parents going all out for birthday parties. You complain that parents are too "into it" and say things like, "what happened to the days of party games and cake and maybe some pointy hats.?"

Let me explain something to you. There are 2 kinds of people when it comes to party planning.

Those who like to do it themselves and those who don't.

And neither one is right or wrong. It's just a matter of taste. A mustard or mayo kind of thing.

As you might have guessed, I am a do.

I like making things. I like handmade invitations. (Although I let go of control in that department this year and let James make them. They didn't get done and I sent an email. I tried not to let it bother me too much) I like decorations for the cupcakes that match everything else.

I like to pay attention to the details.

And, I like to pay attention to the things my kids want at their party. Like an art project at the knight party. We painted cardboard swords and decorated them with jewels. Or hunting for a buried pirate treasure chest in the sand box.

As I said, I like details.

And really, how much more "into it" am I for doing that than if I get a bouncy house or get a clown? It is just a matter of how you like to spend your time.

By the way, I didn't have a wedding planner. On purpose.

But back to Star Wars. It was the details that were killing me. I was short on inspiration. That left me walking around Target and the party store on Friday, the day before the party, searching for some inspiration from The Force.

The Force did not fail me and it all started coming together. Which means I stayed up until 2 am on Friday night putting together party things and Aaron came home late from work because he was executing my party plans and then he was out in the back yard creating an Ewok hut.

Whew!

It turned out to be a lot of fun. And one of my most favorite parties ever.

So if you ever have to throw a Star Wars party, here are some details you might want to use.

Decorations:

Pretty basic. There were stars, of course.

And Star Wars coloring sheets. Available for free on the world wide web. The sheets served a dual purpose. The boys wanted to help with decorations and were dying as they waited for their friends to come on Saturday morning. I gave them the coloring sheets and both problems were solved. Also, the coloring sheets were good for the guests to color on at various points in the party when they needed a break.

If you are detail person, you know it is a bit of a sacrifice to let your child help with the decorations. Let's be honest. They just don't meet up to our perfect party decor vision. But my boys were so happy to have their work up on the garage for the Jedi Training Academy that I didn't mind sharing at all.

I also made a couple of signs, like this one for the Jedi Training academy.

Favors:

I went with little notebooks decorated with an R2D2 sticker. You can make personalized stickers with your printer. I don't know how to do it, but Aaron always makes them for me and they are handy for all sorts of things.

My boys love these little notebooks. They are perfect for playing spy, taking exploring or drawing maps. They picked them out.

We also gave light sticks--they look like light sabers.

And licorice--they also look like light sabers. (I don't really like the sugar overdose at parties, so I try to include very little extra sweets besides the cupcake. But I do fold and put some it of candy in the treat bags)

Cupcakes:

I found these stirring sticks next to the toothpicks at Target. I thought they looked like light sabers, so into the basket they went. They were a little plain by themselves, but with a flag and a 4 or 6 stamp, they were just right.

Other:

James and William had 2 personal requests for the party. James always wants to do an art project and William wanted something to do with Ewoks.

Sooooo, my uber talented husband carved out a linoleum block Ewok.

Usually he uses paint for the prints, but we used ink for these because of the fast dry time.

The kids then got to add additional color if they wanted.

And they all liked it.

It was a pretty fun art project and easy too. At least on the tail end, right Aaron?

All together, there wasn't much to these party details. The bulk of our energy was devoted to the activities and the 2 amazing cardboard creations my uber talented husband created.

There are some distinct benefits in being married to such a creative fellow.

I'll be back with those tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Love from,

Greta

Make It From Scratch: Popcorn

Popcorn.

I know, it's kind of random. ]

But I am really tired right now and don't feel like thinking very much.

This weekend was really busy.

I think my kids are getting sick and I am anticipating a long night.

Today was grey and cold. Not beautiful spring weather at all.

We needed a treat in the afternoon.

We made popcorn.

And really, this is the very best popcorn in the known universe, so I am obligated to tell you about it.

Here's the deal. I am serious about popcorn. Once a year, when I actually go to the movies, I bring my own bag of popcorn. Same goes for Disneyland. We bring our own. My old neighbor used to beg for it. If I wanted to make her supremely happy, all I had to do was deliver a bag of popcorn. I won't touch microwave stuff. I make my own.

From the time that I was allowed to be near a stove and hot oil, I made huge bowls of it.

Often my lunch consisted of a big bowl of popcorn and a book.

Incidentally, that is one of life's most wonderful combinations.

After a time, my mom got tired of me oiling up her pots and I was given one particular pot to use. It was avocado green and heavy. It was Club brand, cast aluminium.

I have since discovered that vintage Club cookware has a bit of a cult following and now I want to get a whole set. It's a heck of a lot cheaper than Les Cruset! I even found the exact pot I used to use on Ebay. Here is the tiny picture of it.

And here is the link if you actually care to see it bigger.

This brings back many memories for me. It's more than a pot. Really.

It was the popcorn pot. With every use it became perfectly seasoned. So much so that it did not get washed. I simply waited for it to cool and then used a damp towel to wash it out. I wanted that oily patina.

When I got married, my mom gave me the pot as a wedding gift. I am sure she was glad to get rid of it. It was pretty gross. But it made perfect popcorn.

Aaron hated it too.

So when we moved from Fallbrook to Long Beach, the pot got trashed.

I have yet to find its replacement.

This means I may be hitting Ebay soon. (I even found a turquoise one. Turquoise! Are you kidding me right now?)

Beyond the pot, there are a few other secrets to making the perfect bowl of popcorn. Allow me to enlighten you.

First, you must use white popcorn. It will say that on the bag. WHITE.

It makes all the difference in the world. White popcorn is tender and has a more delicate popcorn flavor than the more common yellow popcorn.

It is also rather difficult to find. I have found 1 store in the greater Long Beach area that carries it. I have looked in 7.

If you have a Stater Brothers in your area, they sell white popcorn.

Major Market, in Fallbrook, sells it too.

That is it.

So when you find it, you buy a few bags. It's worth it.

Secondly, you must use kosher salt. Regular old salt won't do. The kosher salt has a real flavor and it is simply perfect on the popcorn.

I can't eat it with regular salt now.

So once you've got your essential ingredients, here is what you do:

Cover the bottom of a large, heavy bottomed pan with olive oil (or another light, vegetable oil)

Pour in enough white popcorn to cover the pan in a single layer.

Cover pan with tight fitting lid.

Turn on heat to high.

Shake the pan occasionally from side to side as the oil heats up.

When the first kernels begin to pop, you can stop shaking.

Important: do not leave the pan.

As soon as the popping begins to slow, remove the pan from heat and carefully pour popcorn in a large bowl.

There will still be popcorn popping, so be on guard for hot, flying kernels.

It is very important to remove the popcorn while it is still popping slowly because at that point it burns quickly. And even a few burned kernels will spoil the whole batch.

You will probably have to practice with the timing a bit. Just don't wait for it to stop popping. It's too late then.

Sprinkle the popcorn with kosher salt to taste.

Then, gather round the big bowl and enjoy the taste of popcorn perfection.

You do not need to add butter, Parmesan cheese or any other thing to this popcorn. It tastes delicious with just salt.

But, if you do add butter, you will think you died and went to popcorn heaven.

It is good, friends.

And if you can't imagine going through all this trouble when you can just put a bag in the microwave, let me assure you, there is no comparison.

Microwave popcorn is laden with chemicals and bright yellow dye.

This may come as a shock to you, but, it is not real food.

So try it the old fashioned way. Just once. I'm telling you, you won't be sorry.

Happy popping.

Greta

I'll be back with full Star Wars birthday party tutorials tomorrow. At least I hope so.