Resolutions, cont.

Ok, so never again will I draft a blog entry in Flickr - just poured my heart out, only to have it give me a "D'oh!" message and tell me to try again later. 
I'll try to keep it to the point. Baking is unnatural for me. I am cook by nature. I like, and to a degree, need the freedom to play, improvise, substitute for what I don't have and change my game plan altogether. Baking does not afford one this luxury. It's more of a disciplined art, which makes it, well, a lot of WORK. However, something that requires so much effort is also that much greater an expression of love and gratitude for whomever your recipients are. For this and other reasons, I resolve to bake more. And I did. This morning. With my 2-year-old. 


Jacob has this Learning Tower (I love it - sometimes) that allows him to get right in the middle of the action. When I want him to help me in the kitchen, I pull the Learning Tower up to the sink and we rock out. He has a habit of turning on the faucet full-blast and pouring water every which way. This really, really tests my patience. However, in keeping with my resolutions to be a better mom, I included him in today's baking adventure. He loves to pour, spill and mix - so I would measure out dry and wet ingredients, and help him pour them all into mixing bowls. This was a good exercise for me - I was tested, many times, to keep my perspective, maintain my good humor and patience...SMILE. And also, embrace the chaos. My shining moment of accomplishment was when we were loading the finished (phew!) batter into the muffin tin. I handed him a metal spoon, then switched it out for a wooden spoon, thinking that metal will damage the teflon coating. One potential disaster avoided. It turned out to be pointless because the wooden spoon never made it to the tin - Jacob took a nice-sized glob of orange, lumpy batter and dumped it into his Learning Tower, right on his little bare foot. Splat! 


Here was my first moment of glory - I LAUGHED. Thank you, God, for letting me see the humor in this moment!! I let out a great, big belly laugh which in turn made Jacob laugh! Then the dog came over and helped with the mess, which made it funnier. Jacob gladly helped mop up the remaining batter with a sponge. That kept him busy long enough for me to finish loading the tin and put it in the oven. Sixteen and a half minutes later came my second moment of glory - the muffins were PERFECT! No burnt bottoms!! 


I am including the recipe at the end of this posting, but I have just a bit more to say about my little journey of personal growth. It's HARD. I realize that I'm approaching "broken record" territory - but I have to say that I am challenged constantly by my beautiful, adorable, 2-year-old caveman to refrain from reacting when my buttons are pushed. I remind myself that this behavior has nothing to do with ME - the kid is doing exactly what he should be doing - which is exploring and testing the limits of his world. I want more than ANYTHING to be the kind of mom who exudes grace, humor and gentleness throughout these challenging moments! I know women like this, and they are my heroes. I strive every day to be more like them. I have so much more work to get to that point, but I can and will get there. I will do it for my family, for my friends, and most importantly for myself. One muffin at a time. :) 


This recipe was adapted from the "Applesauce Multigrain Muffins" recipe found on the label of Country Choice Organic Multi Grain Hot Cereal. Since the product is organic, the original recipe calls for all ingredients to be organic, as well. I use as many organic ingredients as I have on hand, but it's your choice. 


Another reason why I love this recipe is that I successfully substituted Jacob's carrot-apple baby food for unsweetened applesauce. I am so not a "baker."


Jen's Carrot Apple Muffins


1 Cup Country Choice Organic Multigrain Hot Cereal (uncooked)
1.5 Cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
0.5 tsp. baking soda
0.5 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 packages Trader Joe's Apple Carrot fruit sauce Crushers OR 1 Cup unsweetened applesauce
0.5 Cup fat-free or low-fat milk
0.5 Cup brown sugar
0.25 Cups sunflower or canola oil
1 egg


1. Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Line twelve-muffin tin with baking cups or lightly oil bottoms of cups. 
2. Combine dry ingredients - oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. 
3. In a separate bowl, combine "wet" ingredients - applesauce or fruit sauce, milk, brown sugar, oil and egg. 
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. 
5. Spoon batter into muffin tin and bake for 18-20 minutes.*
6. Test with a knife, and if the knife is clean, remove from the oven and transfer muffins out of the tin to a basket too cool. Serve soon after baking or freeze for later! 


* My oven usually runs 20 degrees too hot, so I have to start checking them after 15 minutes. They were perfectly done today in 16.5 minutes! 

First Passover seder - sort of

So the way that all of this came about is complicated, unless you are of the opinion that different religions can be combined to serve the same basic purposes. After Palm Sunday service at Grace Cathedral, I was inspired, or maybe "pushed" is more like it, to do some inward-looking and honest assessing of how I am doing as a wife, a mother and a person. Long story short, I was in denial about a lot of areas in need of improvement. Becoming a better person - really evolving beyond what feels comfortable and familiar - is HARD. It requires a lot of attention to detail, monitoring minute behaviors, and constantly reminding oneself of the valuable lessons learned. Fortunately, if I am successful, the payoff will be incalculably good. So in the spirit of spring renewal, I got inspired to pull together my first Passover seder for my family. 


I had NO IDEA how involved it would be - once I started the research, spending the entirety of my son's nap reading Wikipedia articles and information from the Marin JCC web site (which is awesome), I knew that I would need days more time than I had to execute. I opted instead for a pared-down version (like, seriously pared down) which included this lovely jar of Ready to Serve Matzo Ball Soup! I want to say that Manischewitz does a spectacular job - not that I am a connoisseur of Jewish food - but the most impressive feature was the broth, flavorful yet obviously low in sodium. So I could serve it to my kid by the barrel - and he slurped it right up, except for the vegetables. 


The matzo ball soup was really the only thing that was Jewish about the whole meal, but I incorporated other traditional elements. I know from reading about Friday Shabbat dinner that families are supposed to use the best china, crystal, silverware, etc. they have to honor the special occasion. I had to dig to the WAY back of my kitchen cabinets to get at all of this stuff, still packed in travel boxes, and far out of reach of the Kid. But I am so glad I did - looking at the sparkly glasses and silky-smooth wedding china on the table, I thought of my wonderful friends and relatives who were and are so generous with their time and resources. We poured wine with dinner, and read about the Four Cups of wine and what they symbolize. I lit candles, and you're supposed to say special blessings as they are lighted, but Peter didn't remember the blessings. I served undressed butter lettuce because I read that one of the traditional foods is a bitter herb or vegetable, symbolizing the bitterness of slavery. I crunched on a few undressed leaves during the main course to taste the bitterness; for the salad course, I drizzled on some yuzu citrus dressing. Yes, Japanese dressing. You're getting the idea that the rest of the meal suddenly departs to a bizarre, culinary "left field." 


I had this image of beef brisket cooked with tomato paste in my head. I had made brisket once, and it was a fatty, messy, bland failure. I imagine that it would taste great when cooked low and slow with tomato paste - so adding leftover hayashi sauce (yes, Japanese again) which has tomato paste as its base, was my quick-and-dirty solution. I didn't have any brisket, but I had some Prather Ranch beef sirloin tips on hand. I seared those, left the juices in the pan, added olive oil and sherry, then sauteed some portabella mushrooms in all of that. TASTY!!  The hayashi sauce just brought all of this to a new level, and I only needed a little bit in the end.  


Naturally, I had to serve this saucy concoction with rice, which, while not "leavened," is also not in keeping with the Passover meal, either. In fact, you're supposed to rid your entire house of all leavened bread, rice and beans! Yeah, I didn't do that. I did have the presence of mind not to serve shrimp at the Passover meal - this delicious, garlicky shrimp salad that I got from Costco - we're having it tonight. Instead, I steamed some artichokes - and I think the mayonnaise I served them with was kosher...OK so it WASN'T kosher, but at least it was preservative-free. 


After letting the sirloin tips rest, I sliced them up...man, I wanted to eat them just as they were, they looked so good! It looked like tataki, which is seared meat served partially raw. It reminded me of gorgeous slices of sashimi. Just to be safe, I threw them back in the pan with the sauce and cooked them SLOWLY and gently. Beef sirloin tip gets tough very quickly, so I think it's best to err on the not-that-done side of things, and buy from guys like Prather Ranch. I can't take any credit for the hayashi sauce (my friend Hiroko is a culinary genius), but MAN it was tasty. Oh, then for dessert......this unbelievable chocolate raspberry cake with dark chocolate shavings on the top. It came from Polly Ann Bakery in Novato. Ridiculously good. I served it with Peets decaf coffee. I drink mine black now, and the contrast between the bitter coffee and the sweet cake is pure pleasure. Japan taught me to appreciate that. In tea ceremony, you drink bitter matcha with a small confection that's off-the-charts sweet. Frothing it with the bamboo whisk cuts some of the bitterness so it's smooth, and only slightly astringent. The contrast between the bitter, frothy matcha and the little jewel of sweetness...sends me into orbit every time. 


But I digress. How long is this posting, anyway?? To sum things up, I was looking for a way to express a few sentiments at once - resolution to be a better person, gratitude for my family, especially my ever-understanding husband, and the hope and joy that springtime, Passover and Easter bring to us each year, whether we practice those religions or not.  Altogether, our "Passover" dinner felt beautiful, and in its own way, sacred. 




First passover seder - sort of, a photo by js_hale on Flickr.

Reality check

There are a couple of things that I want to mention about this lovely picture - first, this is how we should all be eating. Seriously. If you want to put years back on to your life, and avoid diseases which obviously come from poor nutrition, get back to basics. More on this topic in a moment. Next, I WANT OUR EGG YOLKS IN THE US TO LOOK THIS GOOD!!!  If you crack open ANY egg in Japan, it has this color yolk - it's like a gorgeous sunset on your plate.  I have read that this deep, orange color indicates that they're full of nutrients. I have searched high and low, and paid stupid amounts of money for eggs belonging to the most responsibly raised, best-fed chickens in Marin County. It mystifies me that their yolks are the same anemic, pale yellow as what you'd find from any factory farm. If someone can enlighten me on this mystery, please do get in touch. 

Getting back to the meal itself - there is a plan called the Peak Condition Project (PCP) which is a 90-day plan towards achieving your own peak level of fitness. It's a straight-up, no nonsense diet and everyday exercise that can be done virtually anywhere. I am psyching myself up to do it - someday - but priorities lie with conceiving Kid #2 right now. In the meantime, I'm doing a similar plan for 2 weeks, just trying it out on my own. For the first time in my life, I am adhering to the following rules: 

- Vegetables are my staple food. I eat them at least 3 times a day. 

- Veggies are either steamed, baked, boiled or stir-fried with no oil or fat of any kind.

- Fat is added to the diet in the form of low fat milk, either in the morning or for lunch.

- Carbohydrates take the form of bread, rice or potatoes. I eat them for breakfast and lunch.

- No alcohol, caffeine, added sugar or added salt. 

- I also eat 6 times a day, so there's no starving myself. Fruit snacks make up half the meals. 

I know, it sounded like pure torture to me too when I first heard about it - then I watched people who were on PCP literally transformed so much for the better - nasty habits like stress-induced eating and late-night binges were no longer in the picture. People who, at 40 years of age, looked like they had maybe another 10-20 years of good health in their future, all of sudden look like they might live past age 90!  I know that the diet is a huge component - sure enough, after about a week of eating like this, my body feels totally different. Especially after meals. I have gotten so used to feeling gassy and uncomfortable after meals - I feel none of that now. So I feel like the basic diet and the exercise, even in the short term, is burning nastiness out of my system. 

The health benefits are primarily what I'm going for here - full disclosure, my brother's wedding is coming up, so I also want to look good for that event - for me, that doesn't mean "anorexic." It means having muscle definition and a healthy glow overall. It's working so far, I'm already seeing the results - hunger in the morning is the hardest thing for me, which is why I have my first fruit snack as soon as I wake up. 

This is the kind of thing I have thought about doing for years - and in the US, a lot of lip service is paid towards eating more vegetables, blah blah blah. For years, i have bargained with myself about the merits or downsides to the next projected intake of calories. This plan makes it really simple, and I feel like it's the best possible thing for someone in their late-thirties who really needs a paradigm shift in healthful eating. I don't want to slide back into eating jarred Alfredo sauce on my cheese tortellini once a week. Seriously. I can do better, and finally, I now AM doing better, even if it's only for 2 weeks. 

肉団子とかぼちゃの煮物 (Stewed meatballs & kabocha pumpkin)

Daddy's lunch, a photo by js_hale on Flickr.

Having the Kurodas here for several days inspired me to use up all the leftover items in our fridge to the best of my ability. There was a wedge of acorn squash left over, and since I didn't feel like going to the supermarket today, I defrosted some minced chicken and looked up a recipe to put them together.

I no longer trust recipes if they're in English - on the other hand, I have yet to go wrong with one that's written in Japanese, provided I can understand it. The braising sauce in the recipe was perfectly balanced, and my husband thought that it was (and that I am) amazing - the truth is that I can follow directions well when I put my mind to it. Either way, we're all eating well, and he's taking leftovers to work for lunch. I owe it all to my Tokyo friends - I am inspired to cook and eat more vegetables that I ever have in my life. Also on the menu tonight were brussels sprouts, boiled daikon, steamed rice and oven baked sweet potato fries. No oil or anything for the veggies - I used some dashi (fish broth) to flavor some of them, but that was it. Strawberries for dessert. It feels good to be healthy!

Kurodas were in town!

Jacob enjoying visit with Kuroda kids, a photo by js_hale on Flickr.

We were treated to a visit from the Kuroda family (Ren, Hiroko, Chikage and Riku) this week. After all the craziness that hit northern Japan earlier this month, Ren and Hiroko took the kids, got on a plane and took a vacation to California. If you watch - and believe - US media, you would think that Japan is simultaneously glowing with radioactivity and sinking into the ocean. From what I can gather, Tokyo was slowed down by the quakes and aftershocks, i.e., some train lines were down for a while and such. It reminded me of how Osaka was in 1995 after Kobe. Anyway, the kids' school was closed for inspection and not much was going on at work - in Japan (like the US, but maybe more so), you have to seize on opportunities to take vacation otherwise it may never happen.

We were treated to the BEST food - Hiroko is an amazing cook, and she apparently doesn't mind doing it while on vacation (SCORE!) so we were treated to amazing Japanese home cooking for the entire week. This goes WAY beyond my IKEA meatballs. A lot of what she cooked this time was very simple - boiled or steamed vegetables and such - but served alongside chicken wings sauteed in soy sauce, mirin and balsamic vinegar, or miso soup with poached egg and kabocha pumpkin.....sheer heaven. I promise that I will re-create these dishes to the best of my ability and post a picture very, very soon.

Niku dango no Amasu-an (meatballs in sweet vinegar sauce)

Niku dango no Amasu-an (meatballs in sweet vinegar sauce) a photo by js_hale on Flickr.

I've been very, very sad lately about the terrible aftermath of the Sendai Earthquake. Cooking makes me feel a little better - if I can't get on a plane and go rescue somebody, at least I can feed my family a tasty meal. The dango came out great, and this was a super easy recipe.

One of my favorite cookbooks is called "Let's Cook Japanese!" It's intentionally campy in its tone, and is written by a female expat who used to live in Tokyo, and now resides somewhere in the bay area. The book has all these great homey recipes that you'd only eat if you were privileged enough to be invited over for dinner at someone's house.

The recipes are also not what Westerners would expect from a "Japanese" cookbook - rather, it's a cookbook of everyday food in Japan, which is not "washoku" (Japanese food) per se. It's a mix of influences - Chinese, French, Italian, German, etc., changed a bit for Japanese palates. The "Amasu-an" sauce is a perfect example - chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, water and cornstarch - in other words, a typical Chinese-style stir-fry sauce. These are IKEA meatballs, by the way - the dish was as easy to make as it gets, and so, so tasty-good.

Unbelievable day

Happy girl on the slopes
Originally uploaded by js_hale

It was our 2nd day on the mountain - I thought for sure that the soreness and fatigue would cut the day short - I actually skied better and for a longer time than yesterday! People must think I'm deranged when they ski past me - I'm usually singing, or if I'm going pretty fast, I start laughing hysterically. Something about the adrenalin rush is hilarious to me. Peter pulls up beside me mid-run, and I'm doubled over laughing. I let out a few rebel yells today, though - when I feel like I'm flying down the mountain, I really can't help it. The only thing that would be better is to have several of my friends here at one time. Any takers?

Urban Day

It sounds weird, doesn't it? What is an "urban day?" The explanation doesn't make it seem any less odd - I basically immerse myself in the city that I love by ditching the car and walking the streets, or as I did today, getting on MUNI and going for a ride. It's something that I do all by myself - for a few hours, I am free of responsibility, and I can go wherever I want, eat whatever I want, and absorb the sights and smells of the city I call home.

I parked at Haight & Pierce, walked down to Duboce and Fillmore, boarded the N-Judah and rode all the way out to Ocean Beach. Just because. I had no agenda, other than to see what might have changed around 9th & Irving. Looked about the same. I noticed a cool-looking bookstore called "Great Overland Books" that looked cozy. Along the way, the sun started coming out, which is odd - usually it gets foggier and colder as you go towards the coast. It was sunny and windy when I got to the beach; I said a quick hello to the waves, and promptly ducked into the Java Beach Cafe to go to the bathroom and get warm. All the locals were hunkering down in cozy couches with warm beverages and fresh pastries. With my decaf au lait in hand, I went back out to catch the same tram heading back towards my point of origin.

Spur of the moment desicion - I got off at Carl & Cole and walked down to Haight Street. By now it was almost 11:00AM and the clothing stores were just opening up. A little visitor's tip - Haight Street is pretty seedy. Lots of seemingly able-bodied kids sitting along the sidewalk asking you for money. But at that time of day, it's pretty deserted, and there is some very decent shopping to be had. You have some great stores all to yourself - American Apparel has opened a store there, and there are old standards like my favorite, Ambiance. This store has everything from cute no-name dresses for 20 bucks to high, high-end. I could have spent hours there, but eventually hunger and the need for a bathroom takes over. My wallet was significantly lighter when I left, but I made some solid purchases - a dress for my brother's wedding and a trendy-yet-versatile top. It was starting to rain again, so I started walking down Haight Street, hoping the 71 MUNI bus would catch up quickly. I made it to a covered bus stop right before it started pouring, and pulled out half a sandwich that I'd brought from home. Finished right before it was time to hop on the bus, which dropped me across the street from my car. It was really raining by then, so I dashed to the car and got in the back seat. Phew. Now what? Well, I still have to use the bathroom (not many great options in the Lower Haight), but I'm not ready to go home. I could head down to the Mission for some thrift store shopping, but I'm feeling rather sickened by the idea of spending more money - even if it's at a steal of a price. Japan Town has bathrooms, covered parking, and more-than-satisfactory window shopping. Perfect.

It stopped raining on my way up to Japan Town. I circled the block once and found a fat spot on Bush Street between Webster & Buchanan. Sweet! Walk down Webster Street and enter on the lower level of the Kintetsu shopping center. I notice that a restaurant called Bushi Tei has moved over (downsizing?) from the strip on Post Street. Weird. Still swanky looking on the inside. And I smell....mmm. Sweet dessert dumplings, but I'm going to pass for now. Take care of the bathroom situation and head into Kinokuniya Bookstore. Every time I go back, they've expanded. Most of it is cheesy, it's true for Kinokuniya and for Japan Town in general. Lots of trinkety, overpriced crap that Americans like. But J-town serves a worthy purpose of providin goods that cannot be found anywhere else besides Japan. Or Little Tokyo in LA. I MUST have access to good, high quality Japanese tea, for example. That and good quality rice - these are non-negotiable items for me. But sometimes, just roaming the aisles of Nijiya Grocery store is enough. The candies, the baked goods, the fish and meats cut specially for cooking sukiyaki, or chanko nabe, or sashimi. And the ceramic dishes - tiny blue and white saucers for soy sauce, tokkuri for sake, tea cups and rice bowls; seeing these things gives me indescribable happiness. Today, I was content with "visiting" the merchandise before it was time to go home. I was inspired, though, to cook something that I used to get all the time at izakayas (taverns) in Japan. Bacon-wrapped asparagus. Don't ask me why. I will make it tomorrow, though. Served with a wedge of lemon and a squirt of mayonnaise on the side! :D

New beginning

View from our new place
Originally uploaded by js_hale

Another house, another chapter - but for the record, I do not recommend moving during the holidays. "Stressful" is an understatement. The baby and the dog have fared pretty well - meanwhile, Mom and Dad have been through the war. But hey, this is what I look at now when I'm having my morning coffee. And right now, there is no TV to distract us from the tranquility.

Please, God, keep him safe...

Halloween
Originally uploaded by js_hale

I am struck with the undeniable truth that I am completely and utterly in love with my kid. I have never in my life been so invested in any one person or thing. Maybe it's the jet lag (I only got back from Japan a week ago, and still can't sleep), but as I look at this picture, I am desperate to keep him safe from any harm. I am scared to write more about this because I'm scared that whatever I write will actually happen. My rational brain knows that this is all normal - what kind of a mother would I be if I didn't fear for the well-being of my kid? And I know that we cannot completely control what befalls us, let alone our children. All I can do is make a plea to the universe to keep my child safe, and to allow him to thrive in and relish this wonderful, crazy world. Seriously, though, how can you not worry?

Happy reunion

DSC02852
Originally uploaded by renfield

Seeing old (and new) friends was without question the highlight of my recent trip back to Japan. We met on Sunday for dim sum and parked ourselves in the restaurant for nearly the entire afternoon. We ate sporadically, talked incessantly, the kids ran around and the food kept coming. Thanks again to Ren and Hiroko for taking such good care of me. 大変お世話になりました！

Day 1 in the Hotbox

Osaka_castlemoat
Originally uploaded by js_hale

There are times when you are painfully reminded of the basic truth that nothing is ever "free." Today was one of those times. Fortunately, I had my expectations set properly. The Japan tourism board makes a good show of trying to promote Japan as a destination - most of what they do ends up being an exercise in self-sabotage. Despite their efforts, I will still bring people to Japan. A few highlights - my favorite quote of the day, our guide described Hideyoshi Toyotomi, an iconic warrior and leader of 16th century Japan, as the "son of a pheasant" (she meant "peasant"). Next, the itinerary itself - whoever planned the tour thought that Osaka Castle was a must-see...um, no. Osaka "Castle" is a 1930's replica of a 16th century castle, inside of which is an 8-floor, labyrinthine museum of artifacts. The stairwells are crowded and smell like toilets. I have been subjected to visiting this castle more than once, and it has not changed much in 20 years. We were spared the worst, though - the rest of our tour group came from Europe early this morning. After an 11 hour flight through God knows how many time zones, somebody thought it would be a great idea to take them straight from the airport to the convention center where they would meet with 120 different hotel salespeople, land operators, restaurant salespeople and other travel-related service providers - from 1:00 in the afternoon until 6:00PM!! And the best part - the invitees (myself included) have to sit at a desk while they each take their turn pitching. The bell rings, they get up, and another one comes in. You're lucky to have a second to take a sip of water. But hey, they did let us have a 10 minute break after an hour straight.

By far, the most painful part of the day was the live performance...oh.my.God. Ninja warriors. Guys dressed as samurai with fake bald heads, performing cheese-ball sword fights. Dancers dressed as geisha and maiko, but with polyester costumes and crappy, cheap-looking wigs. It was as if these actors were being paid to make fun of their own heritage, it was bizarre. Naturally, we were asked to fill out a questionnaire evaluating the performance. Being the only American female present (you guessed it - I had to mark that I was both "female" and "from the US"), I wasn't exactly going to be straight-up honest and tell them it sucked. Besides, the Chinese travel agents (the overwhelming majority in this case) were snapping photos and cheering. It's just part of the deal of getting something for "free." For the record, I'm not complaining!

Nicasio Pumpkin Patch

Went out to West Marin to check out pumpkins, tractors, farm animals and wheel barrows.

"Ca-ca!"

Jacob's word for chocolate is "ca-ca," and he has a deep appreciation for it, just like his parents.

Great day

Rolly & Jacob
Originally uploaded by js_hale

Today, Jacob showed me that he can, without a doubt, SING!
Several times today, I sang the same 2 notes, like "C," and then "F" - and he mimicked what I was singing perfectly, right on key.

Saturday and Sunday was pure peace and quiet, for the first time since Jacob was born. Peter took the Kid up north to see Grammy, and the dog and I had the house to ourselves for about 30 hours! I spent the first 2 hours on the couch, writing emails, catching up and marveling the uninterrupted silence. Then I finally got motivated and took the dog for a hike, then went into SF and spent $60+ at my favorite thrift store. It was like going to the grocery store, only I was picking out dress shirts for $2.99 each - BAAM! Jacob scored some cool shirts, too. That was the big highlight, followed by church the next day - it was the day when you can bring your pet and they'll bless him/her/it. So great when the priest is in the middle of the sermon, everyone is quiet and then suddenly, a loud "RUFF!" - Fido saying, "AMEN!"

I was ready to see my boys when they came home - though the 24-hour break was sheer bliss.

The Booth

The Booth
Originally uploaded by js_hale

Yesterday was a workin' day...I had to schlep most of this stuff myself into the gymnasium at Japan Town's Cultural and Community Center for SAKE DAY. My booth was located next to the food, which ensured constant traffic throughout the night. I tried to put on a yukata (light, casual-style kimono), but having never done it myself, it proved to be advanced topics. I was REALLY close, but you can't pull it off unless it's perfect. So I stood behind this table for 3+ hours in a skirt & tight-fitting shoes, smiled real pretty and chatted w/ people about the tour. The event went great, but I still need YOUR help, gentle reader! Get out there and tell all your friends about SAKE TOURS! And if they mention the promotional code "JTT2011" when they book, then they get a discount! Chat it up on FB or the discussion board of your choice and THANK YOU!

First bouncy house

First bouncy house
Originally uploaded by js_hale

He wasn't too sure about it, but at least he didn't start to cry like he has before. He's not secure with getting his balance in these things yet. His throwing ability, however, is stellar - balls, sticks, plastic containers full of fruit - if it has the potential for exploding into a huge mess, it WILL be thrown by Jacob!

Kickback day at the park

Taken the other day at Samuel P. Taylor state park. We're returning soon for 1-2 nights of car camping! I'm a little anxious...anticipating no sleep.

Baby bike seat!

Baby bike seat!
Originally uploaded by js_hale

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone, powered by CREDO Mobile.

Happy weekend

Tahoe
Originally uploaded by js_hale

Went to Martis Camp, a new development on the north shore of lake Tahoe. The funny thing about living in the bay area is that you find yourself enveloped in fog for much of the summer, and in order to thaw out and enjoy some beach time, you find yourself going to (of course!) snow country!