For Cara

Because this is awesome. On repeat.

Love,
Kiki.

Video killed the radio star

As many of you already know, C+T don't have cable television. They do have a TV and DVD player thanks to Nan (who I am surprised hasn't stopped by with an iron yet). So we can enjoy family movie nights and all pile onto one couch, trudge the 12 inch screen in from under the ping pong table, and cushion the floor with an extra mattress. There is no sitcom watching marathons or randomly checking into whats happening on the New Jersey coast. I will admit, I was a little scared of not having a television, no access to the news or learning how to renovate the bathroom I don't have thanks to HGTV or TrueBlood. No swapping Jeopardy answers with Papa Newcomb. Occasionally, I still have one of those days or moments where I would love nothing better than to just curl up on the couch and watch something mind numbing, but for the most part I don't really miss it. It does mean that sometimes, when we are bored and don't want to read a book or work in the garden or paint at the shop, we have to get a little more creative to entertain each other and ourselves.
Just the other night I decided to sing Trip an actual baby song. And so it began hush little baby don't say a word Mama's gonna buy you a mocking bird and if that mocking bird don't sing Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring and if that diamond ring don't shine Mama's gonna buy you ... buy you ... Only two lines into the song and I couldn't quite remember the rest of the words, so what did I do? Call it a night and pack up my singing voice? Re-sing the same two lines over and over and over again? Wrong and wrong. I ploughed ahead, and although I will never actually be able to sing the exact words again, there were some amazing purchases made for baby that night, including a large piece of pie, a thing of hay, and my personal favorite pants like Sinbad's. The song only ended when Toff suggested an Aunt Kiki and if that Aunt Kiki isn't great, oh wait! Aunt Kiki is always great, the end.
And so, what began as a random stumbleupon when I was back in the States turned into an actual project. It's no secret that Trip's main animal theme right now are owls (thanks to a gorgeous owl quilt made by Great Meme) and what's an Aunt to do? Why make a sock owl mobile! Pleased to introduce the newest members of the family:

Natasha and Boris

Simba and Rafiki

Cher and Sonny

And although they are still being placed sporadically around the house, they will become a mobile at some point... whenever I am done playing with them. I also may be slightly obsessed with making them now, so if you would like a sock owl ornament for your Christmas tree, just tell me where to send it. And lets be honest, even if you don't tell me you want one, you may just get one anyway.

Last night I just may have topped myself with Morroccan Lamb Meatloaf: garlic, ginger, carrots, mint, zuchinni, cinnamon, onion, bread crumb, spice deliciousness.

SMOOCH,
Kiki.

Growing say what?

It's hard not to think about age and milestones and mortgages when you surround your days with someone who changes and ages literally from day to day (and I mean Trip, not C+T's bakery, duh). Every morning I wake up and say "you are totally bigger than yesterday/this morning/the last five seconds" which was funny until it started to speed up. If there is one thing this kid is good at, it's eating and growing. After complimenting him on his growth style I can't help but be a little sad about what things I'll be missing when I leave and then I can't help but be super insanely jealous of everyone here who gets to watch what I won't be able to.
In four months I'll be 26 and I'll only have one more month in Oz and who knows how big this kid will be. I'll be closer to 30 than I am to 20 and am I supposed to feel more mature? Should I rush back to Virginia and get a mortgage and a dog and hopefully a plant that can live to the end of a week? Should I stop thinking farts are funny? Because I don't really feel that way. I'm not feeling "clucky" or "nesty", I have no desire to have my own spit up maker right now or house or new denture, the old one works just fine and hasn't broken yet. Farts will always be funny. I actually can't stop planning this massive road trip (roadtrip!) for myself when I get home. Because C+T seem to have grown up without planning it and maybe that's the way I'll roll too. Maybe I should start listening when Australians say "no worries". With all this growing up happening around me, I don't feel that grown up. And yet at the beginning and end of everyday I can't help but feel a little better every time I brush my teeth, false and all, and Homer Simpson critiques my technique.

Hugs galore,
Kiki.

The backyard pea-adise

As you may have heard, upon my arrival to Oz I became a weeder, dish washer, and ceiling vacuum-er. Since Trip's birth I have become a boombox, baby jiggler, stuffed animal collector, and gardener. Maybe his birth has kicked in my maternal instincts (no, I won't be popping out babies anytime soon, so get your mind out of the gutter), more of a growing instinct? Either way I am pleased to announce the birth of my pea plants!

1 week...

3 weeks!

Even though I followed the package and picked an amazing place, they seem to disregard the zig zag pattern anticipated for their growth. Instead they choose to clump together like tiny pea plant islands in a giant bed of mulch. Maybe like their peas in a pod, the plants don't want to grow alone either, to which I say "Go right ahead plants, pease yourselves." (Too bad I haven't planted any corn yet.) But I have planted lettuce! Check it out!

1 week...

3 weeks!

If this doesn't seem impressive to you, just remember I am the girl who killed an aloe plant. A plant that grows in cactus soil and you only water it every 2-3 weeks. (I am continually amazed that MadDog lived so long.)

For my turn in the kitchen this week, I made spicy sesame noodles with chicken, and let me tell you, it's totally better the day after:

Mince about an inch long piece of ginger (or 1/4 tablespoon in a jar), four cloves of garlic (we like garlic), and saute in small fry pan with about 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of peanut oil for a few minutes. Add to a large bowl (big enough to fit the whole pasta dish). Whisk in 3 tablespoons sesame oil, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon hot chili oil (we used hot chili sauce because we couldn't find the oil and it worked beautifully, and I added a bit more because I like the heat), and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt.

Cook 1 pound (or the close equivalent) Chinese egg noddles per the packaging. Drain and rinse. Place in the large bowl and toss to coat the noodles. Add 12 thinly sliced green onions (pale green and white parts only), 1 diced red pepper, 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh Thai basil leaves, 1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted peanuts (unsalted), add your chicken (I marinated the chicken breasts in fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper, then cook however you enjoy your chicken, and chop into bite sized pieces) and toss. You're meant to serve it at room temperature so there's no pressure to finish all the cooking at once. I bet it'd be delicious if you garnished with fresh lime wedges.

YUM!

Love your hot cooking Kiki.