The Weekend Send-Off

September 23rd, 2011 - filed under: Furthermore » Feedback

Mr. Waits is once again playing baby model over at Herbivore! He pulls a pretty good “serious/aloof” face, huh?


Oi! And by that I mean, Oyyyyyyy vey. It’s been a brutal week ’round these parts, with Waits catching a summer cold (so sad, stuffy-nosed breastfeeding!) and me fighting hard not to succumb, myself. Damian and I have both been on the edge of getting sick all week, which means things sort of fall apart around here. Ha! I’m glad it’s the weekend and we can all just lay around and rest . . . well, as much as our little ball of energy will let us!

~~~

So, have you gotten a copy of The Vegan Pregnancy Survival Guide??? You have? Yay, thank you! I hope you like it. And, I have to ask you for one small favor. Do you think you could take a few moments to leave an Amazon review?

Reviews are actually really, really helpful. So THANK YOU in advance, and thanks so much to those of you who have already left such awesome ones. You guys make me cry!

~~~

And now, the glorious gratitude!


Le Love List:

1. Rolling With it    Okay, so like most successful bloggers, I’m a bit of a control freak. Well, maybe a lot of a control freak. This has its benefits, but it also has its downsides. Absolute control is certainly less conducive to mothering than it is to business.

I’ve spent the better part of Waits’ life resisting – straight-up fighting – the loss of control that comes with parenthood. Silly me! But oh well, you live and learn, and it took me about 17 months to figure out that this was a *really* counterproductive activity.

I was once on a mothering message board, reading a thread about “your one best piece of parenting advice” or something, and one of the women said, “The only thing you can really control is your own reaction.”

Damn.

Ain’t that the truth? I’ve been tumbling that around inside my noggin ever since, and these days I’m really practicing letting go of control. Going with the flow. You know . . . relaxing.

Case in point: Um, I’m supposed to be in the woods learning about herbs and wildcrafting and listening to amazing folk music and dancing around campfires and singing Waits to sleep under the stars right now. That’s right, it’s Rootstalk weekend, and I was supposed to be blogging the whole event. Instead my baby got sick, and then my whole family got sick, and it just became very clear that outdoor festivals weren’t in the cards.

OH WELL. Yesterday, instead of driving into the woods, we rode our bike to the park. We played under the trees and you know what? Despite the snot and the sore throats, we had a lot of fun. On the ride home, I spontaneously stopped by the vegan/gluten-free/agave-sweetened bakery – the only bakery where we can buy treats for Waits – for an afternoon cookie. I was rollin’ with it, ya know, and that was also a lot of fun. Which brings me to . . .

2. The vegan/gluten-free/agave-sweetened bakery    Hello!? So awesome, right? I love that I can take my baby to get a treat in a way that I’m comfortable with – and I really love that after 18 months of life without sweets/treats, Waits is pretty much totally disinterested in them. Ha! Yesterday I caught myself basically trying to coerce him into eating more cookie, I guess because I was trying to have some sort of “moment” with him. But then I stopped and was like, “Wait, he doesn’t want the cookie . . . this is a good thing!” (MORE FOR ME!)

I’m sure in time Waits will grow to love his baked goods, just like we all do. But for now, it’s pretty awesome that he’d rather have his “nanna” or his “ope-a” (apple).


3. Oh, Portland!    This is a gumball machine filled with goji berries and bee pollen. OH PORTLAND. (I love you!)


Also! Homemade cashew butter (organic roasted and salted, mmmm), discovering amazing new parks, soy curls, taking the night off and reading trashy internet gossip sites for hours, True Blood season 4 (so good!!!), talking to old friends on the phone, walking Harley again now that his hips are better, thinking about toddler Hallowe’en costumes (any ideas? I want him to be an animal and I want it to be DIY), the mac n cheese I’m having for dinner tonight, mmmm . . .

~~~

Alright guys, now it’s your turn – tell me what you’re loving this week!


My darlings, this happy little post will stay at the top of the page all weekend, so stop by any time to leave your Love List, ask a question, or offer some feedback! Or if you’re new, please introduce yourself and say ‘Oi!’! This is your community, so get involved!

Have a amazing first-weekend-of-autumn!

  • Meghan2

    Hope you all feel better. Feeling sick in the summer is the pits.

    What was the gf/vegan/agave bakery in Portland? Do I not know about this one?

    And Rootstalk! How have I never heard of this? That sounds amazing. Sorry you had to miss out!

  • Carissa

    I love Waits shirt and those gum ball machines!!! That is so awesome!!!!!!! If only the whole world would follow in those foot steps right? I am from Newberg originally and Oregon is such an awesome place!

  • Carissa

    Oh, PS, what all does your vegan book contain? What topics? I just bought a bunch of books so I am trying to decide if I should buy yours as well.

  • Meghan2

    I am from Newberg too (currently in Portland). Small world.

  • Natalia

    what a precious photo! hope you’re all back in tip top shape soon!

  • Julie

    My niece was an octopus, which is now my favorite toddler animal costume ever!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=692392402 Joselle Palacios

    Waits is so adorable! He really looks like you in the 3rd pic over at Herbivore. That is your face! And happy to hear Harley is moving around more again. Yay!

    1. I am also getting a tailend summer/autumnal equinox cold and I’m going to love it because it means I’m going to rest tonight and try to fight it off. It’s also coinciding with a bad bout of PMS. Both of which have to do with me running myself ragged in nursing school and being totally sleep deprived. So, I’m taking this cold and this PMS wallop as signs to rest. Really rest. No internet or feeling anxious about schoolwork. Just loafing and reading until I go to bed early.

    2. My husband gave me with a beautiful red Vaute Couture coat as an early 1st wedding anniversary/birthday/Christmas gift! I can’t wait until it’s cold enough to wear. I love it!

    3. Autumn is officially here!

    I’m going to leave a review for you on Amazon and then I’m unplugging…

  • http://twitter.com/alihalsaba Alina S

    I am also suffering from a cold and PMS! But I still have some things, as always, about which to feel grateful.

    1. celebrating the Fall Equinox. I tried a new style of yoga at an Equinox workshop, and while not really my thing, it was great to be in a room full of people interested in healing, faith, and light.
    2. the ocean breeze. my new apartment is 1 block from the ocean, and we keep the windows open… bliss.
    3. iced coffee. I can safely say I’m back on the bandwagon.

    honourable mentions: new haircut, Facetime breakfasts with my family, my handsome boyfriend, bike rides, driving by the Santa Monica pier on my way home from work, blue skies, breath work, cuddling on the couch watching Mad Men, backing up and rebooting my laptop

    bon weekend, everyone!

  • bunchofbeets

    Here’s a really great article from another blogger with two toddlers. http://apronstringz.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/submission/ In it CJ talks about the idea of submission – and that normally we are taught it must be a weak position, that it definitely isn’t, and is sometimes the wisest and strongest position…I’m rambling…I thought it had some really great points and applied to “rolling with it” with kids or your life or whatever.

    Alright here’s my love list:

    1. My cat….and that’s really hard for me to say…because I just got him and normally I don’t really like cats…okay I’ll be honest I kind of hate them most of the time….but we have a mouse infestation problem (I mean serious scads of mice – everywhere!) and decided it was the last resort. Well guess what? He’s caught two mice in two days!! AND he’s the least annoying cat I’ve ever dealt with, so I think I’m pretty much in love with him!

    2. Cooking class for kids. I’m a lunch lady by day (the super-awesome-Jamie-Olive-esque-quinoa-serving-local-foods-buying-butt-kicking-kind, if I do say so myself!) and this week at school we did two cooking classes for the after school program. I got to teach kids how to cook (!) delicious (!) healthy (!) affordable (!) meals that got served to area community members in need of a dinner. The kids LOVED it, learned so much and did such a great thing. This is about the best thing I could be doing with my free time!

    3. Autumn and everything that it brings with it. Pumpkins, mums, fall asters, apples, beautiful leaves (VT is such a beautiful place to live), scarves, squash, cider. And so far this autumn is shaping up to be pretty awesome – I’ve got a great new house with my own chickens and lots of wild edibles, a fantastic new job (see #2) and a great husband!

    4. This week I need a fourth! I posted a wanted ad on the front porch forum for eldeberries – and my neighbors responded so generously. I was able to harvest over 15 gallons of those beautiful little jewels! I’m stocking up for winter with a seasons supply of homemade elderberry-brandy-honey-tincture and elderberry-echinacea-honey-syrup. Such a blessing!

  • bunchofbeets

    Here’s a really great article from another blogger with two toddlers. http://apronstringz.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/submission/ In it CJ talks about the idea of submission – and that normally we are taught it must be a weak position, that it definitely isn’t, and is sometimes the wisest and strongest position…I’m rambling…I thought it had some really great points and applied to “rolling with it” with kids or your life or whatever.

    Alright here’s my love list:

    1. My cat….and that’s really hard for me to say…because I just got him and normally I don’t really like cats…okay I’ll be honest I kind of hate them most of the time….but we have a mouse infestation problem (I mean serious scads of mice – everywhere!) and decided it was the last resort. Well guess what? He’s caught two mice in two days!! AND he’s the least annoying cat I’ve ever dealt with, so I think I’m pretty much in love with him!

    2. Cooking class for kids. I’m a lunch lady by day (the super-awesome-Jamie-Olive-esque-quinoa-serving-local-foods-buying-butt-kicking-kind, if I do say so myself!) and this week at school we did two cooking classes for the after school program. I got to teach kids how to cook (!) delicious (!) healthy (!) affordable (!) meals that got served to area community members in need of a dinner. The kids LOVED it, learned so much and did such a great thing. This is about the best thing I could be doing with my free time!

    3. Autumn and everything that it brings with it. Pumpkins, mums, fall asters, apples, beautiful leaves (VT is such a beautiful place to live), scarves, squash, cider. And so far this autumn is shaping up to be pretty awesome – I’ve got a great new house with my own chickens and lots of wild edibles, a fantastic new job (see #2) and a great husband!

    4. This week I need a fourth! I posted a wanted ad on the front porch forum for eldeberries – and my neighbors responded so generously. I was able to harvest over 15 gallons of those beautiful little jewels! I’m stocking up for winter with a seasons supply of homemade elderberry-brandy-honey-tincture and elderberry-echinacea-honey-syrup. Such a blessing!

  • Melisa

    My daughter wants to be Buzz Lightyear this year, so I’m hoping to find something on Instructables or the like.
    1) I am so with y’all! I LOVE LOVE LOVE Fall!!! The chill in the air, the pumpkin everything, the Halloween aisle in the stores, the Halloween ONLY stores opening up, thinking about Thanksgiving. *sigh*
    2) Tonight, I bought a rat. My daughter’s hamster, who we ended up with when he was dumped on the front porch of the animal hospital I work for, died two nights ago, and we went to get her another one this evening, and decided to get a rat instead. New adventure!
    3) I love the calm that comes with a (relatively) clean house. It’s so good for my mental health.

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Craven Raven in Sellwood! They also sell their goods at People’s. Not all vegan, but all gluten-free and agave-sweetened/no refined sugar. And really, really good!

    Oh, I just remembered they were at Vegan Iron Chef – did you taste the bakery samples there? That was them!

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Oregon continues to blow my mind. But I think there’s cool people everywhere, and the ranks are growing. ;-)

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    I cover the basics of pre-pregnancy preparation, a thorough look at nutrition for both pregnancy and then for breastfeeding, a “troubleshooting the trimesters” where I talk about common problems (like reflux, headaches, etc) and how to deal with them both generally (water! exercise!) and specifically (TUMS are vegan!), then I get into the social stuff like common questions, dealing with skeptics, throwing a vegan baby shower, etc. There’s a chapter on planning a hospital stay, and then the second part is on breastfeeding, bringing home baby, and that sort of stuff.

    What other books do you have? And what are you hoping to get out of them/mine?

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Thanks lady, I owe you an email (and a book!)

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Ooh! Was it homemade? I like this idea . . .

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    First, I am *extremely* jealous of your Vaute Couture coat. That is so awesome! Which style is it??

    Also, THANK YOU so much for the review. Seriously lady, means so much to me. =)

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Have a great weekend! And oh, you live a block from the beach, gosh I remember the way that smells! So enlivening. Put your toes in the sea for me!

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Oh. My. God.

    That article . . . seriously, thank you. I’m going to read and reread and reread it again. Also going to devour her blog. THANK YOU!

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    I love that your daughter wants to be Buzz! Tomboys forever!!!

  • Laura Agar Wilson

    This week I’ve been loving:
    1. fresh dates stuffed with home made raw salted almond cashew butter!
    2. Eating roast squash by the bucket load :-)
    3. Making some big changes in my diet after having loads of issues with loosing too much weight, feeling like I’ve turned a corner this week and I’m ready to let go and trust in my healthy vegan diet!

    Hope you have an awesome weekend!

  • Stephie137

    Got it yesterday, read it last night! Made my day. I’ll write a review and buy a copy for my midwives library!

  • Stephie137

    Got it yesterday, read it last night! Made my day. I’ll write a review and buy a copy for my midwives library!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=692392402 Joselle Palacios

    This one in red: https://www.vautecouture.com/p-80-sale-the-fw10-vaute-in-red-xs-l-xl.aspx

    And it was my pleasure! :) I’m so happy that you wrote such a great and needed book.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=692392402 Joselle Palacios

    This one in red: https://www.vautecouture.com/p-80-sale-the-fw10-vaute-in-red-xs-l-xl.aspx

    And it was my pleasure! :) I’m so happy that you wrote such a great and needed book.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Alexander-Samons/100000246484494 Alexander Samons

    Don’t know if they make vegan feather type things, are the feathers on feather dusters even real though? *has not seen a real feather duster in person EVER*
    But anyway, here!
    http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Adorable-Owl-Costume/
    Right, love list time, this is so not going to be easy.
    1. My new anthropology class. The teacher has a really awesome sounding Romanian accent and the first day we watched a video on cannibalism.
    2. That sandwich I had for lunch the day before yesterday. It was cucumbers and roasted portobello mushrooms with garlic vegannaise on french bread. It sounds weird when I write it but it was delicious when I was eating it (as was the chai cupcake with chai ‘buttercream’ that I had afterwards). I love when my sister sends lunch to school with me.
    3. 1215: The Year of Magna Carta (it’s a book by Danny Danziger and John Gillingham). I’d tell you what it is about but it’s really obvious. Anyway, it’s really awesome if any one is interested in the daily life sort of stuff from that period of history. The first chapter is may favourite so far (but I’m only just starting chpt. 5).

  • Meghan2

    Ah, yes! I bought a peanut butter quinoa cookie from them at Vegan Iron Chef and keep meaning to check them out since we live so close. It seems every time we go they are closed though! I remember them telling me that they changed to agave sweetening (besides some cane sugar in things like choco chips) and I was so happy!

    I forgot to mention my Le Love List for this weekend consists of going to the Sprout Baby festival on Sunday at Peninsula Park! Have you been? We’re looking forward to it!

  • Jmessier

    I recently came across your blog. I feel very inspired by it, not so much because of the vegan or socially responsible info but more so because of the family element. I was thinking oh how wonderful if I could be a mom like this , she who has herself together to feed herself, her child, her family good food and also be nurturing and proactive for herself, her interests; I feel so discombobulated as a mama, and a control freak too–so I felt relieved that you too can talk openly about this subject of parenting and I can find solace that no one is perfect not even lovely Sayward. and that when I too look back on my mothering experience I’m sure I can find a romantic picture there. Anyway I’m babbling, thanks for sharing your life with us.

  • Kate

    Love list:

    1. Chicago
    2. Knee high boots. Silly as this sounds, despite my nicely proportioned figure, my athletic calves – that run relays and races and warrior dashes – are too ‘fat’ for knee high boots. But NOT ANYMORE. This is sort of amazing. And I love my new boots.
    3. Catharsis. I read a Wrinkle in Time this week, and tears happened. I saw THIS PLAY -> http://www.neofuturists.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=107&Itemid=100014 and I had a really hard time fighting back tears. Thank you, Neo Futurists!!

  • Sonja

    Waits is a really cute model and I adore the goji berrie and bee pollen gumball machine! I hope all of you get well soon! My love list:

    * starting yoga on a regular basis again
    * being with my friends
    * plums with cinnamon
    * riding my bike on sunny september days
    * spontaneous saturdays
    * introducing people to the city a live in and showing them all the nice places

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Dates stuffed with nut butter is an amazing treat that I discovered WAY too late. So good!

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    YAY! Thank you so so much! =D

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Ohmigod you WIN! that costume is precious, I’m praying I get it together enough to make it happen. the feathers are def not vegan but that’s fine, I can leave them out or figure a sub. SO GREAT! Thank you!!!

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Thank you, this comment means a lot to me. I struggle sometimes with the balance of how to present myself and my life, because I want this to be a positive and inspiring place. But, I don’t want people to think I’m perfect (not even close!) or to hold themselves to an unrealistic standard.

    I think we’re all doing the best we can. I’m glad to hear that when I open up with some of my difficulties, that people can connect to that, too. =)

    Anyways, thank you for this comment!

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    It doesn’t sound silly at all. As someone with a really hard-to-dress body type (looooooong, everywhere. also, enormous feet. enormous.) I *totally* get it.

    Awww, A Wrinkle In Time! =D

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Thanks for the well wishes! The boys are both n the mend, and I’m not far behind!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=602205227 Kris Cox

    Waits is certainly a little heartbreaker!

    my love list:
    *running my 5th 1/2 marathon on saturday… in the amazing Canadian Rocky Mountains and sunshine to boot!
    *having a run clinic partner to co-lead my run group… which allowed me to …
    *sleeping in Sunday morning (for the first time since I started co-leading the run groups)
    *pumpkin spice muffins made this morning
    *veg*n options in restaurants (seriously, this has to be appluaded…Calgary just celebrated ‘Bacon Fest’…not exactly something I’m super proud of in my city)
    *Sayward (an inspiration to this ‘crunchy-with-training-wheels’ girl…who’s stuck in a city celebrating all things bacon)

    much love!

  • Annie

    I’m loving Spring time in downunderland. Our backyard is littered with the pink confetti of the blossom of the peach trees.

  • Moira

    Can I just say that.. Le Love List is truly a blessing. I’m working into the wee hours of the morning and.. well.. had a moment. But reading all the love and excitement on this blog really puts me back in motion. Thanks, all! xoxo

  • http://windycityvegan.wordpress.com Monika {windycityvegan}

    Soooooo late to the party – but it was worth it! I don’t always have time to read everyone else’s love lists if I put mine up on Friday. But what a great way to start my favorite day of the week, catching a love buzz…

    My list:

    1. Autumn is finally here! We had a mini equinox celebration at home, and we had torrential rainfall and a temporary dip in the temperature and my cool-weather plants are thriving and I was able to bake without turning the entire house into an oven. Yay, Autumn!

    2. Nina *finally* decided on a Hallowe’en costume. I think. I told her I’m holding her to it this time and we started thrift fabric shopping, so I think it’s a go.

    3. I accidentally threw together the most amazing vegan, gluten free pizza dough, and we had a huge pizza party yesterday. We made street food style mini pizzas, traditional flat crust pizza, and OF COURSE, a deep dish Chicago-style pizza in a baby cast iron skillet. So glad I had leftover freshly ground quinoa and millet flour from Saturday’s muffin frenzy!

    {I’ll be posting the pizza recipes over on xgfx during MoFo!}

    Oh, and I made Nina an owl costume last year: http://windycityvegan.wordpress.com/2010/11/10/halloween-2010/

    Very simple, took only an hour maybe? I just sketched out a template for the wings and feathers.

    This year she has finally settled on being a red, rainforest-dwelling, super awesome tree frog (her description). Her fallback choices are a police officer and an Insect & Arachnid Rescuer (clearly the result of letting her check out Go, Diego, Go! from the library).

  • Yas

    Oh, dress him up as a piglet, like the one on his shirt. It’s so cute.

  • Melisa

    Great article. Kind of made me tear up.

  • Carly

    Hi there,
    I have just found this blog and have really been enjoying reading all your posts! I have been a vegetarian for a few years and have recently decided to go vegan. I was just wondering if you had any tips or advice for the transition and how to stay committed, Thanks!

  • http://alternativehousewife.com Janine @ Alternative Housewife

    We let Seb eat pretty much whatever and he still doesn’t prefer sweets. He does have some sweet faves (like Pocky!) but usually goes for savory, or his favorite fruits and vegetables. He won’t be coaxed into eating a single bite of his leftover birthday cake. I really feel like a lot of what we consider “kid favorites” are conditioned by society. No one is telling him that cake is better than bananas so he makes his own decision… and chooses nanas. :)

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Oh thank you darlin’! Much love right back at you!

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    I totally agree. =)

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    I remember that owl costume! And also, can’t wait for that pizza crust recipe. I just so happen to have some mozzarella Teese and an abundance of tomatoes . . .

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    I remember that owl costume! And also, can’t wait for that pizza crust recipe. I just so happen to have some mozzarella Teese and an abundance of tomatoes . . .

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Piglet would be soooo cute! But I’m afraid if I put him in pink everyone would think he’s a girl (with the long hair, everyone already does) (not that it really matters I suppose)

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Piglet would be soooo cute! But I’m afraid if I put him in pink everyone would think he’s a girl (with the long hair, everyone already does) (not that it really matters I suppose)