Before you know it

Kai and I playing in the backyard

It was just fall last week, I swear. And now it’s winter. And almost Christmas. How does that happen? Seriously, every year seems to go by quicker than the last. It sounds cliché, but it’s become painfully true in my life.

We have a small Japanese maple in our backyard that produces the most exquisite delicate red leaves. Less than a week after this picture was taken, the tree was bare and the leaves on the ground had dried and all but blown away.

Everything is this life is so temporary. This is one of the biggest lessons that I have learned in my life so far. And yet I forget it all the time. It’s a cruel twist that the things that seem the hardest

Our Japanese maple tree

seem to last the longest, and vice versa. Winter is pretty high on the list for me. Try as might to weather the storm, I can’t help but fall into a mild (albeit temporary) state of depression. Laughing, being outside in the sunshine even when it’s cold, talking and spending time with dear friends and family, all of those things help. My sweet husband has even bought me a special light therapy box that emits light similar to sunshine without the harmful UV rays.  Now I just have to remember to dutifully sit in front of it on those really gray days.

Dried up oak and red maple leaf

I have holiday cards to write and lists to be written. I should be doing them, no? Blogging should be pretty low on the priority list right now. But it’s a helpful outlet for me some days. And if you’re reading this, let me know. I always like to hear your comments. xox

Kai in the leaves

My little monkey *helping* to rake the leaves

A sweet ride

Now whenever I vacuum, Kai jumps on for a ride.

I don’t enjoy housework. Mostly because I don’t have time for it. Between taking care of my three boys (yes, I’m referring to Walter, my third grown-up boy), making meals, wiping butts, making sure the kids get playtime and don’t turn into TV junkies, grocery shopping, picking and dropping off Kenji from school, and making sure I don’t become a fat-ass by going to the gym, I have about zero time or energy to keep the house clean. Not that I’m complaining. I understand that this is all temporary. These kids will only be this young and needy for so long (I hope), and I want to spend time enjoying this time rather than worrying about when the last time I mopped the floor was. With that said, I think I manage to keep the house somewhat clean, although I’m sure some of my neater friends would disagree. Kai makes the most of cleaning as you can plainly see.

Blue sky, sunshine, and apples

This reminded me of a painting that I need to do someday

This year the boys and I made it twice to pick apples out at our favorite apple orchard, Autumn Hills, in Groton. This time we went as a family with Walter, who hadn’t been there since last November when we went with my mom. After picking a HUGE amount of apples (about 22 lbs), we headed back home. Once home, I made an apple crisp of big tart green Mustus, small crimson red white-centered Cortlands, and sweet crunchy Spencers (a cross btw a Mac and Red Delicious).

Here’s my recipe for an almost never-fail apple crisp:

My apple crisp (combo of mutsus, spencers, and cortlands)

Filling:

• About 8 cups of sliced peeled apples (leave peels on if you like)
• 2/3 cup of white sugar
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp of nutmeg
• Juice of 1 lemon

Topping:

• 1 cup of quick oats
• 1 cups of flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup(1 stick) of melted butter
• 1/4 tsp of baking powder
• 1/4 tsp of baking soda

Preheat oven to 350°. In large bowl, mix all filling ingredients together well. Place in 8 x 8 square buttered pan.  Combine topping ingredients until moist and crumbly (add more melted butter if too dry). Lightly press topping onto apples so they are mostly or completely covered. Bake at 350° for about 45 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before attempting to eat. Best eaten with french vanilla ice cream.

Milkweed flying through the air

The sky was so crisp and beautiful that day

Walter felt a little under the weather, but still managed to enjoy himself

All these apples that had falled on the ground were such a waste–I wanted to scoop them up and take them somewhere.

Kai and Kenji quickly got to the important job of eating apples

Looking for the best pick

You can get it!

The colors, view, and patterns were amazing that day

This reminded me of a painting that I need to do someday

The light shining off the billowing grass with the lines of apple orchards in the background were magical

A little love and apples are always a good combination

Kenji is getting to be quite the photographer

Bittersweet!!! I picked some which is now hanging as a makeshift wreath on our front door

The old pear orchard (sans pears) and an amazing blue sky and clouds

Kai on their apple wagon

A lot of apples!

My apple crisp (combo of mutsus, spencers, and cortlands)

Halloween 2009

First off, Happy Thanksgiving! We are grateful for all of our family and friends.

I am very behind in blogging lately. It seems this time of year is the busiest. We (well, Kenji) had a great Halloween though, and wanted to share some of the photos with you. Walter took Kenji trick-or-treating this year with another one of Kenji’s friends and his father. Kai and I happily stayed at home and handed out candy to the trick-or-treaters that bravely ventured up our steep stairs.

Carving the pumpkin was a labored but fun process

Kenji using great concentration and strength

Success?! A skull pirate by Kenji’s request.

Ready to roast the plethora of pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds topped with soy and olive oil

Kenji coming down our steps ready for trick-or-treating

Batman high on candy collecting

Some of the many decorations

Kenji’s friend Chase and his little brother Emile joined him

Happy on the way home

Tiny treasures almost lost

 

Fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil from the garden

A fall leaf against the window

One of my fav pics of Kai

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bugger in the making

Kenji and me in Rocky Neck

Kai using my scarf as his blankie. Umm, I don't think so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upon tucking Kenji in for the night, I found him with the light on sound asleep, with his favorite book's page open and his monkey George. Couldn't resist capturing the moment.

Kai at the Cambdrige Common playground

Kai is now ready for the winter in his new gear!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walter and the boys on his birthday

Laura and the boys at Drumlin Farm

Laura and Kenji in the woods at Drumlin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walter and Me at my friend Mel's wedding

My friend Heather and me at Mel's wedding

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bride and us

 

Apparently, I was getting my groove on.

 

Walter teaching Kenji a very bad, but fun way to eat whipped cream

My dad and the peppers he brought from their garden in VA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And of course Kai couldn't miss out on the bad behaviour, er, I mean fun.

 

 

 

Little Explorers

Kai in his Explorers class at Isis

You know how they say that the second kid gets the shaft? Well, I’ve come to realize that there’s some truth to that statement.  You’d think that I’d have realized this a long time ago, seeing that I’m a second kid myself. But I guess either my mom did a good enough job so that I didn’t feel like I was always second in line, or I just didn’t notice. I think I admired my big sis so much, that I wanted to do everything she did anyway. Walter also mentions feeling a little lost in the shuffle as the middle-child between his two brothers. Maybe that’s why he ended up working so hard to prove himself. I think I may have done the same thing a little, although for me it’s more about being a people-pleaser. Jeez, way to digress, eh? Anyway, being dragged along to whatever  my sister

Kai and his buddy thought that it would be better to lay down in the tub that to put it away.

wanted to do was fine with me most of the time. And to be fair to my mom, I remember doing a lot of things that were just for me too. Of course kids all reach a certain age where they’re able to recognize favoritism of unfairness, but that won’t happen with Kai for quite a while yet, I think. Even so, I felt compelled (perhaps a little guilt-ridden) to sign Kai up for a class where I work. The class is called Explorers, and is specifically geared towards the 15-20 month old. Let’s just say he loves it. He fully enjoys his one hour of time each week that is just for him. And why shouldn’t he?

Little moments

Here are some moments that got lost in the shuffle over the last few months…

One day we drove to Rocky Neck, an artists colony in Gloucester. Kenji entertained all of us his with his silly faces during lunch. That seagull was just waiting for us to step away.

After a dinner with friends, the "grown-ups" wanted to chat some more, so tv was turned on and some cuteness along with some peace and quiet ensued. Ahh, bribery.

Kenji still loves his monkey, George (was mine when I was his age) and the occasional kitty...the make for good company while taking in a little boob-tube.

Kenji had Patrick the Zebra for a whole weekend. His classmates take turns taking him home for adventures. Kenji and Kai enjoyed playing dress-up with Patrick. Kai makes a striking brunette, don't you think?

Sometimes a kid just needs a nap...no matter where they are or who they're talking to... (note the phone in his hand)

Who doesn't like a kiss from a silly mama?

Asian invasion

I love this type of lunch. Simple bowl of mixed brown and white rice, chili pepper sesame tofu, dry radish pickle, Spicy Takuan pickle, pickled burdock, and fresh cucumber. (most of it from H-Mart)

As an Asian-American, I am always excited when a new Asian market opens up. It can be difficult to find some of the items that I love to eat and cook with in regular grocery stores. Up until about 6 months ago, there was a wonderful Japanese grocery store, Kotobukiya, in Porter Exchange mall, in nearby Porter Square of Cambridge. They carried all sorts of fresh food including onigiri, mochi, produce, and the usual. But unfortunately, the nasty powers that be Lesley University, pushed them out in favor of a bland Barnes and Nobles bookstore. What a shame it was to lose such a beloved independent store to a corporate chain store. Anyways, I do hear that Kotobukiya is currently under construction in its new location in Medford Square, although I’m told it will be under new ownership. I am not holding my breath, as plans to open have already been delayed by several months. In the meantime, I have been somewhat saved by the recent opening of a brand new H-Mart.  H-mart is a Korean-owned grocery store, but they also carry many Japanese items. They have my favorite mochi-cream daifukus as well as a nice selection of fresh produce and dry good items. But one of my favorite things about H-mart is actually not Japanese, it’s their HUGE selection of fresh Korean pickles, including over 10 types of kimchi! I love it! I can totally satisfy my need for super spicy pickles and sweet Japanese treats all at the same place!

H-Mart is a chain store too, but I don’t feel the same way about them as I do about B&N.  I must admit, I was eagerly awaiting the opening of the H-Mart store, so much so that I actually called their company headquarters to find out their opening date (the “coming soon” sign had been lingering too long and was beginning to just feel like a tease). With it right down the road from me, I was driving by it at least once a week. My mom happened to be here visiting on their opening day, so even though it was a madhouse we braved the crowds so she could see what she was missing. OMG, it was a mob scene!  Seriously, I think every Asian in the tri-state area came to Burlington, MA that day. The people spilled out into the streets that led to the store and the parking lot of the nearby Market Basket was flooded with deprived Asian-Americans looking for their fix. It was a regular Asian invasion. Traffic was clogged for miles. Market Basket up a sign the following week threatening to tow H-Mart customers. Ha. Seems Burlington didn’t realize what they were in for when H-Mart opened up.

I go about once a week now and get my own fix. I miss Kotobukiya, but for now H-mart is making me happy.

Here comes Halloween…Halloween, Halloween!

Kenji is ready for Halloween...

Today is Halloween! Kenji has been waiting with abated breath ever since last Halloween. Seems it has become his favorite holiday. Candy, costumes, acting silly and wild–I can see why he love the holiday.  By the way, the title of this post comes from his most recent favorite movie: “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” If you’ve seen the film, you might remember the song sang at their Halloween parade by all of the townfolk–”Here comes Halloween…Halloween, Halloween!!!”

Pumpkin totem pole

We went on the haunted hayride down the road. This has become somewhat of a tradition, as we’ve braved the long lines and mobs for 3 out of 4 yrs now. Kenji donned his batman costume on the hayride, but has also worn it whenever given the chance.  Tonight he’ll get to do the real thing with his best buddy, Chase, and their daddies.  Their neighborhood is in a historic district of the town where people really show off their halloween spirit.

Very appropriately dressed for the Haunted Hayride

This guy was scary....but the boys didn't seem to be frightened

Kai checking out the scary farmer

A few other kids came dressed up for the hayride (Kai had mouse ears but quickly *perhaps smartly*discarded them)

The tractor about to enter the shark tunnel

Linus in the Halloween pumpkin patch

My friend Mika and me

Batman and his best friend, a pirate

Wishing you all a happy and safe Halloween!

Making art

We got these new rollers that you can use for paint or clay

In the last few months, Kenji has moved away from the blocks and trains (although he still loves them too), to spending a lot more time with visual art and letter making. He is constantly making something new for me to hang on the fridge or in various places that he has claimed as his “gallery space.”  We do have a wall dedicated to this, but it seems as though we will have to come up with something more creative to show off his many creations. I’m glad he’s taken such an interest in making things, both 3-dimensional and 1-dimensional. It seems as though he’s gotten some of both of our genes after all…

It took deep concentration to make daddy's birthday card

Our gallery of Kenji and Kai's art

The finished product