Scott Wagnon-er

My parents are great at refinishing things, and Dad re-did the Radio Flyer wagon Karen and I used for Scott.

before & after

Isn't it gorgeous? It's like new but better. It's vintage. Scott slept in the cradle they saved, is rocked in the rocking chair they used for us, eats our the high chair that Dad refinished for him, and will ride in this restored wagon! Way to be green, Granddad!

Scott says: Thanks Cap!

Adjusting

It is 9:06 am as I turn on my computer. I was supposed to be working since 8:30, but I couldn't find any shorts for Scott to wear and his diaper bag was out of diapers and there was traffic on the way to the babysitter's and now I'm writing a blog instead of a funding application. But blasting NPR's morning edition didn't make me feel any better, so I thought I'd try a little typing therapy in hopes of boosting later productivity.

9 days out of 10, I feel like I am getting the hang of these new roles in life: mother, non-student, wife, chef. But the 10th day I am lost. It is not anyone else putting pressure on me, it's just that I've trained a couple decades for a job that I now only do 10 hours per week ... and very little for the jobs I do the other 100+ hours. And that's kind of a trip. Speaking of which, I have great respect for all you full-time working mothers! I have this beautiful family, good job, perfect Mac computer, kind babysitter mom friend, and NOTHING, not one little thing, to complain about.

But some days still take a little adjusting.

Scott's Baptism

Deacon Frank & Deacon Ted

The Wagners!

Maribee & Brendan -- our babysitting buddies

Today we baptized Scott Alfred!

Celebration

This is our house on Monday night -- we're celebrating the completion of thesis writing! 3 weeks until the big move.

Scott's posing:



Saturday we went to the Texas A&M Vet School Open House -- it was amazing! If you find yourself within 100 miles of College Station one spring, you must go! We saw a milking cow demonstration, pet a baby zebra, looked inside a cow's stomach, and more. My friend Bonny is great photographer -- check out some of my favorite pics she took in the album below.

TAMU Vet School Open House

click picture to see album

Cute overload!

Tonight we all went outside to eat a mango and we met some neighbors and their 5 week old puppies.

Bistro salad

adapted from Martha Stewart Living's Great Food Fast cookbook

EVERYTHING in this cookbook is great and impressive looking, but not necessarily low fat or inexpensive. This is my all-time favorite salad -- and it's super healthy and cheap if you leave off the goat cheese.

Salad for 4:
3 to 4 large red potatoes
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp "good" mustard (grainy or Dijon)
Spring mix salad (~ 8 oz bag)
salt & pepper to taste (~1/4 tsp pepper & less salt)
1/4 c olive oil

1 Chop red potatoes into bite size pieces and boil for ~10 min (until fork tender)
2 While boiling, whisk vinegar, mustard, s&p, and oil in large bowl
3 Drain potatoes & drop them in bowl, coating with dressing
4 Add salad. It will wilt a bit & is best served warm

Goat cheese crisps (makes ~8 servings, depending on how much you like goat cheese):
1 roll fresh goat cheese (<-- the expensive and impressive ingredient)
1 egg
1.5 c plain breadcrumbs
a little olive oil

1 Turn oven to broil & prepare a cookie sheet -- either line w/ parchment paper* or oil VERY VERY WELL
2 Slice cheese into disks about finger width thick (helps if cheese & knife are cold from freezer)
3 Whisk egg. Dip slices in egg and then in breadcrumbs, coating well. Lay on cookie sheet.
4 Drizzle with olive oil (brush oil if you have a brush, if not, just drizzle lightly)
5 Broil for about 5 min until crisp and golden

You can make the crisps in advance -- they stay nice for a couple days if kept well wrapped in fridge. Heat them up in microwave before topping salad. Enjoy!

*Parchment paper is something that Karen taught me about -- I'm still using a roll I inherited from her college house 2 years ago -- and I love it for cookies and all baking things.