Lucky

Saturday morning, I tried the trick of warming vanilla extract in the oven to give our condo a welcoming scent for visiting house hunters. It's two tablespoons of vanilla extract in a mug, warmed in the oven at 300 degrees for 30-60 minutes. The results were so-so, in my opinion.

Sunday morning, I came to my senses and perfumed the house with something much more inviting.

Classic blueberry muffins
From Cook's Illustrated

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 large egg
1 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 1/4 cups sour cream
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries, preferably wild

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray standard muffin tin with nonstick vegetable cooking spray.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl until combined. Whisk egg in second medium bowl until well-combined and light-colored, about 20 seconds. Add sugar and whisk vigorously until thick and homogenous, about 30 seconds; add melted butter in 2 or 3 steps, whisking to combine after each addition. Add sour cream in 2 steps, whisking just to combine.

Add frozen berries to dry ingredients and gently toss to combine. Add sour cream mixture and fold with rubber spatula until batter comes together and berries are evenly distributed, 25 to 30 seconds (small spots of flour may remain and batter will be thick). Do not overmix.

Use ice cream scoop or large spoon to drop batter into greased muffin tin. Bake until light golden brown and toothpick or skewer inserted into center of muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pan from front to back halfway through baking time. Invert muffins onto wire rack, stand muffins upright, and cool 5 minutes.

In the afternoon, we drove north with our sights set on a visit to the Chicago Botanic Garden. Jossie fell asleep as we neared the garden, so we traveled farther north instead. We ended up in Lake Bluff, a sleepy (and wealthy) village along the shores of Lake Michigan.  Jack's first school friend - Charlie - and his family had moved to Lake Bluff in the past few months, and I regretted not having their contact information to reach out to them for a last-minute visit.

Jeremy and I love the cafe Wisma, which also has a location nearby his office downtown, so we stopped in for a cup of coffee. If you're ever there, try the butternut squash soup - not a touch of dairy in it but yet so heavenly and creamy.

So - lo and behold - as Jeremy and I are oogling the prepared food and wine selection, Jack looks out the window and nonchalantly says, "Hey...there's Charlie." I wave frantically at Charlie's mom to get her attention and they bound into the little shop. Lots of big reuniting ensues with hugs and laughter. Jossie and Charlie's little brother, both 2, escape us and start making mischief, running their chubby hands against the hanging wine glasses; the glasses twinkle like wind chimes.

Charlie's mom invites us back to their house so the kids can play. We head out together. The kids wreak havoc while the parents drink wine; the waning afternoon sun spills through the windows as we talk.

A writer I admire talks about the "daily surprise." I like the idea of that - opening yourself up to an element of surprise each day. It's liberating, really.

And this was truly ours - our surprising luck in running into dear friends. No telling news yet on any pending sales of our blueberry-scented condo, but if all of our luck had to be expended on this happy reunion and the accompanying good memories this St. Patrick's Day, I'll take it.

Walk of life

A long walk with lots of talking has always been a favorite past time of mine.

When I was six, my parents took up jogging in the summertime. My dad would get up at 6 a.m. to run; my mom would go at 7 a.m. I started jogging too, alternating days with them while my baby sisters slept. I can't remember what we talked about, but it was a special time for me, having one-on-one time with each parent. 

When I was in middle school, my friend Amy and I would spend summer afternoons taking walks around my subdivision. (We were very good girls.) We would stretch our legs, gossip about our friends and talk about our families.

When I was a sophomore in college, my friends and I - a mix of girls and boys - would go running at night - 10 p.m. or later - as a study break (my, how my life has changed). We would run in the cold - skidding over ice patches - as we shouted out to one another. We would run north to the Evanston-Wilmette border and then head back to our dorm. I was in the best shape of my life - I met Jeremy soon after, and I always call it the greatest bait-and-switch ever. He thought he was getting involved with a runner.

When I was a twenty-something, my boyfriend-now-husband and I took epic walks. There was the walk of 50 blocks on our first date in New York City that ended with dancing to jazz in the plaza at Lincoln Center; there was the walk through the hills of San Francisco while Jeremy was living there (I was literally so tired afterwards that I fell asleep at a rock concert that night); and there was the walk along the Lake Michigan shoreline from downtown to Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood, where Jeremy decided he was going to move back to Chicago for our relationship. That last walk ended with a pitcher of margaritas at El Tapatio.

And now, Jack and I have started our pj walks.

Earlier this week, Jack and I had 30 minutes to go before his bedtime. Jossie was asleep and Jeremy was eating a late dinner. Jack was dancing around, already dressed for bed, and I said, "Let's go for a pj walk." 

He looked at me excitedly. He put on his sandals and scrambled into the stroller so I could walk at my own pace (and he's happy to just go along for the ride) and out the door we went.

We talked. I learned more about his day at school than I would ever learn at home - he told me about his friends, the snack they had, and how they did not build a rocket ship out of blocks that day. Sometimes we were quiet (though Jack is never fully quiet - he's always humming or chatting). It's a great way to end the day - the fresh air calms us and it feels good to move.

We've done pj walks all this week. Jossie joined us tonight. It's been good for all of us.

Getting our hands dirty

The nice thing about longer days, more sunshine and 80-degree temperatures is that it really distinguishes the weekend from the workweek. There's a distinct break, which is necessary and nice.

Screen time was limited this weekend - computers were only accessed to find parking for the beach, the hours of the Lincoln Park Zoo and a recipe for la paloma.

I planted my planter boxes - supplemented with a trip to the Home Depot for more plants Saturday morning. Potting soil, garden tools and flowering plants took over our small porch as Jack and Jossie "helped." I'm still in love with my find - the spiky, feathery asparagus fern. The two big beauties I bought at the greenhouse looked perfectly urban oasis-y in my square zinc planters. And I happened upon smaller ones at Home Depot, which the garden expert guy there was raving over. Perfect height for your container gardens, gentle readers.

And I'm a cheat on my tomato plant this summer. Last year, we planted a few little tomato plants given to us by our neighbor. We worked, we pleaded, we prayed. But nothing every happened. So this year, Mama got smart. I bought a plant that's already two feet high and even has a small green tomato in its branches. Brilliant!

We braved the Lake Michigan beach Saturday afternoon. Despite the traffic and the hassle of finding parking, the afternoon was lovely. It was warm and sunny but not overwhelmingly hot. Jack is much braver this year in the water than last as he played with Jeremy, and Jossie enjoyed playing in the sand and sitting like a queen in the beach chair. Jack and I built sand castles, smoothing our hands over the sand, leveling it off to make our creations. It was nice to feel so in the moment with the warm breeze, bright sunshine and downtown Chicago in the far-off distance.

Saturday night, friends came over for take-out bbq. We pulled out the tequila because it was one of those kind of nights. It felt like summer. My girlfriend and I chatted on the porch, the newly planted plants swaying in the breeze, the party lights twinkling and the sounds of the city as the background to our mommy chatter.

And today, my bestie and her husband hosted an art-themed birthday party for their almost-five-year-old daughter. My friend is always so thoughtful, and her details and touches made the day so special for her girl, including a made-from-scratch birthday cake. Jack and Jossie enjoyed being guests at the party, coloring, making chocolate-covered pretzels and painting picture frames. It was a messy and delightful end to the weekend.

Tonight, we're physically tired (a million times better than mentally tired) with sun-kissed arms. Sending good thoughts to you on the week ahead - especially for those of you who conquered the Cleveland marathon or half-marathon this weekend,  for those of you who are starting new endeavors this week, and for those of you celebrating your birthday. Happy week, loves.

And remember to smile

Life is hectic and I'm not-so-secretly worried that I'm serving my job more than my family lately. Every day has been jam-packed from the moment my feet slide into my slippers in the morning to the moment I close my laptop at night.

I found this on my chair this morning from my friend/co-worker. It made me smile.

Hoping God shows Himself to you today through the kindness of your family and friends.

Networked

Thursday was one of those days - in between me working late and half-wishing I could attend a night event -where I dreamed my mom and mother-in-law lived in town so I could send Jeremy and the kids over to them for dinner.

We are one of many families with young kids who do not live near our extended family. It's helped me to think about the ways in which my day-to-day interactions remind of the communities I've come to rely upon during my life in Chicago. My people.

It  was sitting at an awards luncheon this past Tuesday with some of my favorite colleagues and board member, getting recognized for a really big project that I had no idea we could execute last year. I had a newborn. I was tired. But I had really good people working with me. And we did it. With accolades. 

It's the same luncheon where I saw Jeremy and his colleagues also get recognized for their good work and that's just plain cool.

It was participating in a day-long retreat, surrounded by board and fellow staff for my organization. A group I know so well that I seated the room of 43 in 10 minutes on paper. My facilitator called it "social engineering" and so I would like that title now. Social engineer. We were there all together ready for change. And it's inspiring to know you're part of a moment in an organization's history. With nice views of Millennium Park to boot.

It was going back and forth with a corporate donor I know well. And where we got to the point that she left a dollar amount on my work voicemail and told me to work with that.

It was opening my mailbox and getting a lovely mother's day card from my best friend. It was opening my email and seeing good job news from another friend. 

It was seeing Jack's excitement at the prospect of Maria's daughter Ruby coming over Saturday night with her mom. I predict Jack practically pushing Jeremy and I out the door as we head to our anniversary dinner so he can play Legos with his friend.

It was spending time at Jack's school today, celebrating the school's teachers at a lovely lunch and feeling camaraderie among the parents. It was making playdates, sharing pictures of our kids and sending post-event text messages. And getting nostalgic as we near the end of Jack's first-ever school year. 

I love my family and Jeremy's family very much. I talked with my mom and my sisters on the phone this week. I texted a picture of Jossie's rash to my middle sister (turns out it was just a reaction to a vaccination). There's no doubt of the place they have in my heart. I'm grateful, however, to have found the people I have here in Chicago.

I organized the childcare for today's lunch at the preschool. I was there until the very end, and as I gathered up my children and our things to go home, I surveyed Jack's classroom. Today was a warm spring day, and the windows were thrown open, and it feel like the waning days of the school year. The afternoon noise from Michigan Avenue was soft in the background and the breeze fluttered the glittery paper stars that were hanging in the doorway. I smiled - I could here a clock tick-tocking - I certainly had never been in the classroom when it was that quiet. I'm grateful for what we found here - this loving community.

And it was the woman who rode the elevator up through the parking garage to our car with me and my cranky children who reminded me of the larger community we're all apart of. Humanity. I had my stroller laden down with a drowsy Jossie, a portable high-chair, a lunch bag, a laptop, an extra pair of shoes, my purse and Jack's monkey backpack. Jack's hand was tucked into mine as I held onto the stroller. She surveyed my little world of chaos and simply said, "Happy Mother's Day."

Happy weekend, loves.

Smitten

Two of our dearest friends had their first child yesterday. And I took advantage of the lunch hour today to visit with them. Carrying a box of six cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery and a handmade "welcome to the world, baby" card from Jack, I entered their hospital room to meet our new friend, a beautiful baby boy with round cheeks. He was wrapped up tightly in his hospital blanket, a blue hat covering his head. I had the opportunity to hold him, and he was looking around, so alert and aware. His mama looked on proudly - she was glowing and calm - a lot better than I ever was post-birth!

The new father served some Perrier-Jouet in styrofoam cups, and we toasted to new life. A toast that has followed a long line of toasts in our friendship...weddings, new homes, new babies, New Year's Eve, and a warm Sunday with nothing to do besides sit on a patio chair and drink some Riesling, to name a few.

Life is so often about routine, lots of work and a long list of have-to's. Then you have a moment like this. It is such an honor and joy to have space to stop and marvel at the beauty of new life and relish the goodness of long friendships.

I had a lot of triggers being at the hospital - the same woman at the front desk in the lobby who was there last year when I was there with Jossie, a stack of "NICU mom" tags within view. Smells and sounds that put me in the place of last year. But overall, I was okay and that's nice to say.

It was a golden day outside - sunny and warm. My own children at home with Maria, having their lunches and settling down for afternoon naps.

Life is not perfect but we are all allowed some perfect life moments.

Great weekend

Many thanks to my wonderful childhood friends - Amy, Jenny, Leigh and Rachel - for a great reunion of friends this past weekend. We met at Amy's house in Ohio (out in the country - think lots and lots of cornfields) with our husbands and children and just had the best time. Our kids got sucked into the vortex of toys and other kids, and the parents were free to visit, make meals, eat and repeat.

Corn on the cob, camp fires and lots of reminiscing - it was exactly the perfect summer weekend with dear friends.  Here's one of the only four pictures I took all weekend; Jack and his friend Max standing by their "campfire."

Guess who's coming to dinner (us!)

You know what's better than best friends? Best friends who can Cook (and yes that was meant to be with a capital C). Our dear friends Amy and Mark invited us to dinner Saturday night and oh wow! They both outdid themselves, utilizing many recipes from Cook's Illustrated. (It is so nice that we still have this magazine, what with Gourmet being gone now). And did I mention they have a toddler and a newborn?

Mark and Jeremy have an ongoing bet - the loser of the NU-Illinois football game makes dinner. NU is two for two since this bet started last year. Mark, funny guy, actually provided us with the menu ahead of time:

Warm Bread

Arugula and Roasted Pear Salad with Parmesan Crisps

Horseradish-crusted Beef Tenderloin with Porcini Mushroom Gravy

Roasted Maple-Mustard Green Beans

Mashed Potatoes with Garlic and Truffle Oil

French Press Coffee

Chocolate-Orange Mousse Cake

Yum!

All treats

Halloween was so nice yesterday. It was the first time in awhile we were able to set aside the daily things of life and celebrate and be joyful. The day was the reason you work so hard the rest of the year – to have special days like these. Jeremy and I attended the wedding of my childhood friend Chris and his lovely bride Eileen. They are beautiful people, inside and out, and have loving, strong families. It was a wonderfully warm affair. How special to see those two looking so happy as Eileen walked down the aisle. It makes me teary now to even think about it!

Since the wedding was in Cleveland, my hometown, we’re spending the weekend with my family. Jack had his first honest-to-goodness trick-or-treating experience. I was sad to not be part of it, but the fact that Jack had so much fun with his cousin Andrew and my family far outweighed any sad thoughts. This picture may cause a few cavities; it is just so darn sweet.

Oh, it's on....

So just to sum up my week:

1. My thoughts are with one sister who is continuing to heal and one sister who is flying to Atlanta this morning.

2. Jack is getting over a cold; Jeremy is getting a cold; and I am fighting not to get one.

3. I remembered five minutes before the serviceman showed up that we were getting our furnace serviced at 7 a.m. this morning.

4. I have 15 chicken breasts thawing in my fridge for chicken satays I'm making for a party we're hosting Saturday.

5. Last night I went to three grocery stores and picked up a farmshare (which I was 2 minutes late in picking up, and thinking they had left already, I actually kicked the door of the church where the farmshare pick-up is located. I am not proud of that moment, especially after my mom reads this).

6. It's my 10th reunion at Northwestern this weekend, and we're hosting overnight guests.

7. It's the day before my Openlands' Annual Luncheon, where we're expecting 700 guests.

8. It's raining.

And I have the biggest smile on my face: My best friend is currently in labor with her second baby. I am so excited for her growing family!