We Cinco De Mayo-ed with a Chinese Twist

Tuesday afternoon, after a day of my staring at a computer screen, Miguel and I headed downtown to the final night of Cinco de Mayo at Portland's Waterfront Park. We had attempted to go a couple of other times over the course of the festival, but rain, sheets of rain, kept us away.

We had a grand time on Tuesday, kicking off our celebration as we did last year-- with Chinese food. This tradition was born of our frugality... concession stand prices just don't float our boat. So instead we head to Miguel's second favorite cuisine in Chinatown.Then we spent the evening with Ballet Folklorico from Guadalajara, which both of us love.
Miguel even won a pinata for me! What a gallant man I have.

Summer Gear

I hadn't even been thinking about it almost being time to trade out my messenger bag for the summer tote. In only a month I'll need to stop carrying around all of the Littles' homework and such for sunscreen, park blanket, watter bottles, and garden gloves.

On Sunday I was lounging around our house with a friend who'd stopped over and she had never heard of etsy. I immediately headed to my laptop and we began exploring. Jewelry, quilts, prints, and bags. And there, listed under diaper bags in Chella Bella's shop, I found this uber utilitarian bag that will be my new best friend for summer!
I am especially fond of the SIX external pockets! Not to mention the dual straps and key fob... I mean, I think this is a mentor dream bag... or at least it's what I said to Miguel as I convinced him I needed to purchase it :)

I'm not sure how I might convince him how these bags will be most useful.

Snippets of Birthday Sweet -- In 3 Installments

The Little's had been so excited about my birthday, that I realized that maybe the best way to care for them was to let them have a birthday party for me... right? I know. That sounds funny.

But really, letting them have a party satiated a part of their caring for me, that part of our relationship that is reciprocal, that I hadn't really known needed to be quenched. Most of the month of April they would either eagerly remind me that my birthday was coming or panic at the thought that they had somehow missed it. It wasn't until the 11th hour that the realization dawned that us celebrating together would round out an important part of our togetherness.

We spent Wednesday of last week at a local park doing sidewalk chalk, playing noodle tag, and opening their sweet gifts and cards for me.I only wish you could have seen their faces and felt their hugs as we celebrated together.

One Percent For Each Year

There's going to be a huge, dare I say GIGANTIC sale in my shop starting tonight at midnight. It's my little birthday gift to you! We've posted a number of new journals so that you have a wide selection to choose from when exercising your gift of 35% off everything in the store.

And if you're in Portland and want an even wider selection, stop by my table at Last Thursday on Alberta tomorrow night (between 16th and 17th on the south side of the street). We'll be doling out the same discount and who knows... you might just get hugged by the birthday girl!

The Weekend

It seemed that we were in for a "hardly do anything" kind of weekend since Miguel was feeling under the weather. And though he usually shrugs off my recommendation to lay down and soak up some of the healing power of a pillow, this time he conceded and spent most of one afternoon snoozing on the couch.

Thus, my afternoon was freed to cook, bake, and get things ready for the week ahead. Though it's busy-ness and chores, there is something so refreshing in just getting to get it all done in one fell swoop. It also helped that the entire time I was sipping on a strawberry lemonade (with a little vodka kick) and listening to Tom Rush on Pandora.But the highlight of the weekend was going out to visit with Grecia. We went to meet with one of her teachers (our weekends are Sundays and Mondays during the school year, making school visits possible) to go over her test scores and talk about Outdoor School. While we were going over her registration papers and making sure that everything was in order for continuing to have contact with the school for next year, I almost swallowed my tongue!

Right there, on the paper, listed under parents, Grecia had written my name down and my title... stepmother. That's right. She's given me the title. I was at once awed and terrified. There's a lot to live up to in the loving department when you get the mother word assigned to you and then, when it's got "step" attached to it... well then you've got to overcome the ogre association.

But the truth is, with a little bit of humility and a whole lot of mindfulnees, I feel like I can handle them both. I love this kid so much that I'm proud to have earned any title that gives me a meaningful place in her heart.

PS... Miguel is all better. But now I've got the ick.

But it's the principle.

I haven't made a habit of buying dolls from the Netherlands yet, but it's the principle.

Leaning Toward Fantastic

Occasionally, we get to be a part of something fantastic. As journal makers and up-cyclers, it's not hard to be inspired. The work we do is good... for the people who get to tell their stories in the pages of our work... for the earth to be given one less book to digest... and for the beauty of antiquity to be given one more chance for appreciation.

But there are days that we get to see that what we do leans toward fantastic.

The day we met Denise, I thought I was just making the most of her estate sale from the perspective of Pyrex thrifter/consumer. I was delighted to find some pieces that hadn't been snatched up by dealers and collectors... excited to add them to my small collection and hurry home to wash them out and put them to good use.

But as Denise was walking me to my truck with my purchases, she noticed some of our journals. Her response was so strong, so sentimental that it almost brought me to tears. You see, the estate sale she was running was actually to finish up caring for the estate of her late mother. A woman who crafted, sewed and read... a woman after my own heart. Denise asked me if I would make some journals out of her mother's books, wanting to trade me the work for whatever books were left at the end of the show.
Of course I said yes, not for the books, but to reinforce what is good in our work... to not get lost in page-sizing and cover punching, but really know that the work we do sometimes touches hearts.

The volumes above are the ones that Denise chose... the inscriptions are beautiful and I can't wait to take them back to her just in time for Mother's day.

Let the button

If you didn't know that Chicken was owned by a crafter, let the button that is stuck to his bottom lip be your indicator.

Another Go To Recipe

We had this Cayenne Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa for dinner last night paired with some brown rice and a tangy gewurtzaminer wine.

We did a little more onion than it called for, but we like spice here. So fast, so easy. I prepped everything while the rice cooked in our cooker and made the chicken after the rice was done and warming. Total, I think I spent a half hour in the kitchen... even washing prep dishes.

From marthastewart.com

Ingredients

Serves 4

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 Hass avocado, pitted and cut into chunks

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne; rub all over chicken.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add chicken, and cook until browned on the outside and opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes per side.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine onion and lime juice; set aside. Just before serving, fold avocado chunks into onion mixture; season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken topped with salsa.

A Snapshot of Easter

We hope you had a fabulous weekend! It was exceptional in our part of the world. Our days off together were made even better by massages this morning. Therapeutic of course, but a massage is a massage, right?

A little snapshot into our egg dyeing in our pajamas.

Grecia would also like to introduce you to her crafty little bunnies: Pierre, Reginald, and Heloise.