I made a skirt

...and i couldn't feel more proud:) check out my domestic goddess craftiness:


Next, one for Isadore with kitties on it and maybe even a wool one for me....! (no kitties, of course)

Mayan Grace is Five Years Old

...and Blake and I can hardly believe it. Seriously, half a decade. Our baby girl, our first born? It's just beyond-words-incredible. She is such a cool person, everything about her--we are both enjoying getting to know her as she gets to know herself. Here was our day:

super special gluten-free, dairy-free and tomato-free pizza!!!

mayan has been wanting to use placemats so i handmade her some really cute ones and had then waiting for her when she woke up

waiting for the Max

Youth cast Wizard of Oz in Washington Park

ready for a nap in the parking garage

thanks for the books aunt NaNa!

sweet homemade card form Cookie

ah........hot, yummy mayan-friendly pizza

can you guess what this is?

* hint: it's NOT tomato sauce....

























give up?

it's MOCK tomato sauce! i just *whipped* up a batch for Mayan's birthday--i want to make her a pizza so this will make a great red base. i stress *whipped* b/c it is actually kind of a pain to make so i only do it once or twice a year. this batch will give me enough for her pizza, some spaghetti later in the week and a few containers to freeze. so what gives it the rich red color? Beets! it has a very vegetable-y flavor, pretty yummy really, but it has a pinky color unlike real red sauce. she loves it though! for this batch i went heavy on the italian herbs, but i have also given it a less-italian flavor to use for enchiladas. got the recipe from a vegan book years ago:

mock tomato sauce:

steam 7 cups of orange yams or butternut squash (peeled and cubed) and 2 medium beets (peeled and chopped--i use rubber gloves to protect my hands from beet stains)

meanwhile saute 1 yellow or white onion (chopped) and 2 or more garlic cloves (minced) in olive oil until transcent.

other ingredients:
6 cups of stock or water
2-3 Tbsp of soy sauce (i DON'T use this--i use 1 Tbsp of fish sauce since we can't eat soy)
2 tsp liquid sweetener (maple syrup, honey...)
2 tsp apple cider vinager
1 strip of Kombu sea weed washed and minced (this is too hard so i didn't do it and added some salt instead)
3 tsp chopped parsley
chopped herbs: rosemary, marjoram, basil, oregano, thyme

blend all of this together--i use a food proccessor so i split it into two batches. then put the red sauce into a big pot with 1 bay leaf or two and simmer for 20 minutes or so, until it is heated through and the flavors can "mingle." keep close to stir frequently, b/c it tends to bubble and "pop!" leaving nice reddish-pink splotches on everything:-) don't forget to take out the bay leaves when done.

can't type....

....B is sleeping.

Walter and Bruce's visit plus the girls and I take a spontaneous trip to the beach:

one week just wasn't quite enough...

Blake's dad George and his dear wife Gigi stayed with us this past week. They were the perfect guests! Didn't hear a peep, helped with dinner and cleaned the kitchen every night! They even filled up the Suburban with gas. We tried to sell them on Portland the whole time they were here--of course, it is more complicated but we all do wish we lived closer (they are in Fresno.) Of course, they got to see us in all of our glory--rowdy kids, irritated parents, B and I argued for a few of the days....but George just said "Fuck it! you guys are doing a wonderful job. None of that matters. We had a great time." Aw, shucks....are you sure you can't handle 300 days of rain??

Our itinerary:
Sunday--they arrived, had a nice steak and salad dinner
Monday--we sailed but there was NO wind, me and G took the kids to the beach
Tuesday--Body Worlds at OMSI, then lunch at Bay 13 in the Pearl, Blake gave Mayan bangs without asking me, he slept on couch;-)
Wednesday--stayed home for the 4th, G made jewelry with the girls while I got my botched wax fixed, had ribs, coleslaw and watermelon salad
Thursday--D and G went to Forest Grove to the famous sake maker SakeOne, I played at park with girls then B and I kissed and made-up, went to our new favorite sushi restaurant
Friday--Multnomah Falls and picnic, made quick chicken sandwich dinner then Blake, D, and G went and saw the Moody Blues at the Arlene Schnitzer
Saturday--Blake took D to Music Millenium, then made a quiche for lunch, met with photographer Amy at boat for a family shoot including a lovely windy sail, D made us ppast with leek, cabbage, and fontina for dinner
Sunday--they were gone before we awoke *sob* (that was the plan though--they didn't just disappear!)


Photo highlights:

our guest room is ready to recieve

blake reading an old family letter

scoping and hoping for some breeze

deep thoughts from the bow

a bustling family dinner

D and MG waiting for sushi

a picture perfect lunch

how's your food, B?

the sushi stuffer

a man, his iced coffee, and a waterfall

what a cute pair!

my new favorite Lou-B self portrait

easy, breezy, beautiful...cover girl!

what a lovely mist

i heart nature