My Sick Boy

Brendan has pink eye. I can barely of think about it without wanting to compulsively itch my eyes . . . which I am convinced are also going to become infected with the pink eye yuckiness.

It is making me crazy. Itch. Itch. Itch.

As a result of this unfortunate turn of events, Ellie, B and I are sort of social outcasts today. No soccer. Had to cancel a playdate for Ellie. We are just hanging out at home . . . washing our hands every half hour or so. Good times.

New Project

I am now blogging at Parenting Squad. I posted my first piece this afternoon. Gulp.
Have a look.

Music To A Mom's Ears

Ellie: "Wow Mommy, you were right. That mushroom was delicious!"

Said while devouring homemade crepes stuffed with pancetta, mushrooms, and leeks baked with a gruyere cheese sauce.

And she was right . . . they were totally delicious.

January

As much as I really love the whole seasonal go-round (spring = daffodils!, summer = farmer's market!, fall = apple crostada!), I have a hard time working up a ton of enthusiasm for January.

Holidays are over. House is a mess. Skin is pale. Toes have gone without pedicure for far too long. February and March are still going to be really cold. Spring is faaaaar away. Sigh.

I think it is definitely best to stay busy and get on with it though. Here is what I have planned so far:

(1) Waiting for new nephew's arrival
(2) Experimenting with Alice Water's The Art of Simple Food (chard with Parmesan, braised pork shoulder, minestrone, warm gougeres)
(3) Continue with my cupcake project (more later because it deserves it own post)
(4) Break in new sleds when a fresh snow arrives
(5) Organize our books
(6) Not one, but two opportunities to dress up and have night out with handsome husband
(7) Starting Montessori parent/toddler class with Brendan
(8) A clementine each morning with my coffee
(9) And at the very end of the month, a warm weather reprieve in Sanibel. Bike rides! Sand castles! Margaritas!

What?!?

Ellie: "Mom, look at Brendan. I am worried that he is pregnant. And he is only sixteen."

Note to self: Must stop gossipping about Jamie Lynn Spears teen pregnancy debacle in front of impressionable little one.

Things I Loved About My Trip To Switzerland

We had a really, really great trip to Zermatt for the holidays. Now that we are back home and readjusting to our normal life (with cranky, jet-lagged little travellers), I have had a some time to process the whole experience, check out the photos, and choose my trip highlights . . .

Croissants. Lots of them. Every day. I actually got to the point where I would pat myself on the back when I limited myself to only one for breakfast. On the last day of the trip, our little foursome ate a total of eleven croissants at the continental breakfast in our hotel. Shameless.

The Setting. Our first Christmas tree with a view of the Matterhorn.

First Ski. I am a lame skier. . . . but she isn't.

Apres Ski. Unfortunately, my skiing is not so great, but I grew very fond of my post-ski hot chocolate. Is there such a thing as hot chocolate withdrawal? I have been feeling shaky around 3:30 p.m. without one.

French/Italian/German Mish-Mash. As a poorly-behaved American who travels to other countries and speaks English to everyone, I enjoyed the fact that Switzerland provides the perfect opportunity to showcase my poor foreign language skills. A little high school French here. A little lapsed Italian there. And finish it all off with a "Danke."

Rosti. Potatoes taken to a higher level. I still feel full.

Live Entertainment. After dinner most nights, Ellie gave very entertaining, interpretive dance performances of "The Nutcracker."

Riding Ski Lift with Handsome Husband. Blustery . . . but also a somewhat romantic opportunity for five minutes of alone time.

Fun in the Snow. Sledding with our happy children.
A good time had by all.

Resolved

Ellie's New Year's Resolution: More pink cupcakes with pink sprinkles.

My New Year's Resolution: Get self to a yoga class from time to time.

(Sadly, same resolution as 2005, 2006, and 2007.)