Can't you just smell it? The autumn scents that are conveyed in these pics? So yummy.
Or do you feel the cool, musty breeze?
What does fall look, feel and smell like in your neck of the woods?
Love,
Jodi
Love,
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE!
Here is what has been consuming my attention lately ...
* Creating these buttons to sell at Gabe's Benefit Party. (They are so super cute in person and can be purchased in my shop as well.)
* Reading this book in every quiet moment I can find. Just finished it tonight and am begging for the next installment in this fantasy series.
* Photographing in this most gorgeous September weather. This being my new fave pic.
* Learning about all the really cool things I can do with my new IPhone. Soon it will be doing my laundry - I swear.
* Getting past some ridiculous human drama in my life. Only caring about all the kids involved. Trying to stay away from the adults who make the poor decisions that these kids must cope with --- and spending as much quality time with said kids as possible.
* Driving my son to all his various fall activities ... and enjoying seeing him grow in so many new ways. Swimming, basketball and science classes. He does so well with all of them ... and brings tears to his Mama's eyes because he is so sweet and engaged with his teachers. coaches and classmates.
* Reconstructing the house so that we can get more bedrooms out of it (with excellent work by my industrious husband). More bedrooms for more kids, that is! If you haven't already heard, we are getting ready for adoption #2. Very exciting! (More details later).
* Wrapping up our fall 2009 Haitian Roots Fundraising Campaign. Still time to send a donation though!
* Crafting for the upcoming holiday season. Getting ready to set up at some upcoming craft fairs ... as well as building up stock in the shop.
* Helping a friend to move in to her new apartment.
* Sewing a Halloween costume for my boy. Pics to follow.
* and oh so much more ...
Life is good. But idle hands, well they aren't so good for anybody. So I do what I can to keep extra busy. What about you? What are you up to these days?
Love,
Jodi
There is so much I want to say about GABE .... his amazing family .... his incredible personality ... his appreciation for life, love, and friends ... his debilitating bike accident ... his painstaking but valiant physical recovery efforts ... and the support that so many people have shown for him because he is one of those incredibly special people who really touches the lives of others. I want to talk about all of this. But, I don't feel qualified. So, instead, I will send you to his website: http://www.getbettergabe.com/ where you can hear from his parents, girlfriend, and friends regarding his recovery in California ... and the efforts that are being made to raise money to bring him home to Maine.
And I invite you to this rockin' celebration FOR and ABOUT Gabe:
For the collosal list of door prizes and raffle winnings, you have got to check this out! Now that is some serious Gabe love going on.
Halis and I will be there. Hoping to see some of you too. No need to be a friend of Gabe's already ... but no doubt you will be in the future after meeting those who love him. That is how I have come to love Gabe myself :)
Love,
Jodi
Oh how I love hanging out with the kiddos. And how I love my new IPhone.
Also ... while we were away having our fun Mr. Daddy/Uncle Halis was busy building new walls in our home to prepare for .... (drum roll please )..... our next adoption! We are building bedrooms in an otherwise "open" home in order to get adoption approval again (separate bedrooms for the kids, etc.). Lots of changes in the house that make it more conventional ... something I normally don't like at all. But I will do whatever it takes to bring more babies into our family :)
(OK, so IPhone pics are not the greatest, but you get the idea...)
By the way, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs was a GREAT movie. Very funny, sweet and insightful. Perfect for the whole family to see together. I was laughing out loud so often that I lost track of all the funny parts (you know --- the parts that you all talk about as you leave the theatre). Definitely a movie I will buy on DVD.
We also spent some time at the park and two trips to Dunkin Donuts (not wanting to cook at home due to construction). Lots of fun ...
(more IPhone pics)
I hope you all had a great weekend ... full of laughs and love.
Chat with ya tomorrow ;)
Jodi
I get them from my local Goodwill, church thrift shops, yard sales, Ebay, etc. Sometimes folks will send me their old Goldens so that I can put them to good use. And often times my parents will scout for them all over Penobscot County. So, I have a bounty of these childhood treasures ... and love almost every one of them.
My particular favorite while growing up was this one:
Do you grow up on Golden Books? Which were your favorites? And where do you find them now?
For a great anthology on the history and collection of Golden Books, I recommend Golden Legacy. Check it out.
Enjoy your day,
Love,
Jodi
At 18, I took scuba diving lessons. I was fresh out of high school and not yet committed to college, so I took other steps to prepare me for Marine Biology and my future adventures with sharks. I did wonderfully in my scuba classes. I aced every underwater exercise and written exam. However, it was those very sharks that I loved and admired that kept me from completing my open water training. I tried. And to be fair, perhaps my head cold was to blame ... but when we took the boat out to open water to complete our underwater exercises in the bitter cold Atlantic ... I failed. Though I did have a sinus issue that kept me from being able to go down as deep underwater as my classmates (pressure issues) ... I also had the voice of my mother in my head ... who that very morning had told me that she hoped I would fail so that I wouldn't get killed by sharks while diving in the future. And that voice was LOUD. So, when my instructor told me to swim to shore to take some Sudafed so that I could try again later ... all I could think about was those sharks that might possibly be swimming just underneath me --- waiting to snatch me as I swam back to shore. Moms' words have tons of power. I never did try again. That was my last diving experience ... and my greatest regret.
I still think of sharks often ... with a mix of admiration and fear. I have continued to read about them over the years and try never to miss a Discovery Channel Shark Week. Then one day, out of the blue, I received an e-mail from the Humane Society of America titled "Help End Brutal Shark Killing in Maine". As I read it, I discovered that there would be a Downeast Maine Shark Tournament at the Camp Ellis Pier in Saco, Maine on August 28-29. The Humane Society wanted me to protest such an event ... but I was too fascinated by the prospect of seeing sharks up close ... and wanted to take the family out to watch these fisherman bring their trophy sharks up to the pier. Sure, killing sharks is not ideal to me. But my curiosity was too hard to resist and Halis, Isaac and I planned to attend (I am sure this is not what the HSUS had in mind when it sent me that e-mail). But --- sadly --- we were unable to attend after all. Halis had conflicting plans and I was not about to hang out on an ocean pier with a 4-year old by myself (3 hours from home to boot). Needless to say perhaps, but it really bothered me that I couldn't go. I am hoping for next year ... and I am telling myself that sharks are fish ... I eat fish ... so seeing dead sharks won't trouble me anymore than seeing the dead Salmon on my dinner plate.
This past weekend I had on opportunity to visit Belfast, Maine again (just 45 min from home). My Dad, Isaac and I went to the working pier there with the intention of collecting some seashells. BUT the ocean called to me ... as it usually does ... so - dressed in blue jeans and a fairly "dressy" top ... I dove right into the water and swam among the boats pictured in the above photo. Dad and Isaac stayed on shore while I swam, floated and chatted with seagulls perched upon various boats and rocks. Oh how I loved it. And then just as I was beginning to feel a bit more adventurous ... I thought of that LOUD voice again ... the voice of my mother ... and I thought of those sharks that she swears are always in waiting to eat me. I tried to fight that voice. I swear I did. But it is powerful ... and I quickly (and reluctantly) swam back to shore ... KNOWING that one day I would defeat that voice. One day I will frolic in the ocean for as long as I want ... without worry or fear ... without defeating voices. I am almost as sure that one day I will also finish my open water scuba exam. Halis believes it at least.
Perhaps my next underwater adventure will be to go out on one of these Maine shark cage trips. I'll be sure to bring lots of Klonopin and maybe a dose or two of Valium. That should keep Mom's voice away.
Until then, I dream of sharks. Happily.
OK --- Now that you know the recipe --- here is what I do --- I take huge bunches of fresh basil (sometimes mixed with parsley and/or spinach leaves), handfuls of walnuts, freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, spoonfuls of garlic, and as much olive oil as seems necessary --- and then I just stuff that all into my food processor and give it a whirl for as long as it takes to make sauce (adding additional olive oil as needed). I then take a taste every once in a while and see what I may want more of in order for it to be to my liking.
And that's it. It comes out different every time. And I love it every time. Holy Yum.
I use pesto sauce on pasta, toast, vegetables, pizza, etc.
So, let me know how you make it --- or whether you love or hate it --- etc. Would love to hear some new uses for Pesto and/or different ways of making it.
ENJOY!
Love,
Jodi
P.S. By the way --- it keeps for a long while in the fridge and can also be frozen to enjoy during the months leading up to next harvest season.
P.P.S. The winner of our Toy Story Giveaway is Tara Rison! Congrats. And thank you all for the great Toy Story movie lines. I will be hosting another giveaway soon.
First, you can spread the word about the importance of reading to children.
Secondly, you can buy something handmade in the USA.
Thirdly, you can look super cool ... as you have to admit ... this is a cool looking shirt.
BUT MOSTLY ... you can support the shirt-makers (The Watsons) in their quest to adopt a child from Ethiopia. 100% of the proceeds goes to their adoption fund.
All for just $20! Click here to order.
As most of you know, my son was adopted from Haiti over 3 years ago. We know first hand how expensive this endeavor can be ... so we do what we can to help others to grow their own families as well. Soon, we will be fundraising for son #2 ... but until then, we are happy to help fund raise for other adoptive families. Please consider making a purchase of one of their high quality t-shirts or maybe sending them a few dollars through Paypal (see their adoption website).
Thanks for any help you can provide to any adoptive family. It is a difficult but wonderful journey ... and these parents and their waiting children need all the help they can get. And frankly, sometimes, especially in international adoptions ... you may be helping to save the very life of a child. Is there anything greater?
Love,
Jodi
ENJOY!
Have a Wonderful Labor Day Weekend --- chock full of rest and relaxation.Love, Jodi
Thoughtful Tuesday
Love,
Jodi