Lucky girl

I just got back from an amazing spa getaway to Massachusetts!! Thank you to Gilia for this most generous and wonderful back-to-work gift! This was the perfect way to de-stress and get ready for residency orientation at the end of the week.

The 125 acre grounds of Canyon Ranch are stunning. Upon our arrival, Gilia and I took a garden tour with the spa's landscape architect. This gorgeous red poppy was one of my favorites!

The building which houses the dining room and bakery was once a private home. It looks over a huge grassy space, sprinkled with happy buttercups and a handful of white Adirondack chairs. This photo was taken while I was plunked on one of those chairs with a good book.
On our second day, Gilia and I participated in a group hike through the woods. Upon learning that walking poles actually enhance one's workout, I decided to try them. They were lots of fun and helpful for the steep parts of the trail too. Following the hike, we took a 2 mile canoe ride. It was a perfect way to enjoy the outdoors and get the heart rate up!

Needless to say, the spa was exceedingly peaceful. The majority of the property is a cell-phone free zone. In addition to keeping things on the quiet side, this encourages a friendly atmosphere. It is easy to meet new people when one isn't attending to text messages and voicemails.

While our surrounding were beautiful, we also spent a great deal of time attending lectures and classes. Some of my favorite classes were NIA (a hybrid of dance, yoga and martial arts), African drumming and Tai Chi. My most brutal class was aptly named 'Rockbottom.' It has been three days, and my bottom is still sore.

The Canyon Ranch cuisine was AMAZING!! The main diningroom offers a colorful salad bar at each meal, and menu items can be ordered in full or half-sized portions. The desserts are tiny, but scrumptious. For lunch, we often chose to eat on the terrace overlooking the buttercup field. Check out the Canyon Ranch website for tons of free recipes. I can't wait to try the honey tarragon salad dressing, chipotle black bean soup, hummus and ginger cookies!!

Un-summer soup

I know it's June, but Chicago is still cold and I decided to make a big pot of Vegetable Barley soup this week. The soup is so easy to prepare, that posting the recipe is somewhat embarassing. That said, guests are always asking me how to make this, and I'm not one to be stingy with recipes! By the way, kids love this. I think it's the combination of noodles and corn, at least that's the case in our household.

Vegetable Barley Soup

1 large onion, chopped

3-6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup barley

8 cups broth

4 cups water

small can tomato paste

3/4 cup elbow macaroni

10 oz frozen mixed vegetables

(I really like the organic mix from Costco)

small bunch kale, chard or spinach, chopped (optional)

small bunch dill, minced (I use kitchen shears for this)

cayenne and/or tabasco to taste

salt/pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in soup pot and saute onion until translucent
2. Add barley, broth, water, tomato paste
3. Bring to boil and cook on medium-high for about 1 hour (until barley is tender)
4. Add pasta and continue to cook until pasta is tender
5. If using the optional greens, use a separate pan to saute them in olive oil and add them to the soup with the pasta
6. Add dill and seasonings

Fresh dill is what makes this recipe so delicious, but I think dried would be ok. You can also substitute split peas for some or all of the barley. The soup is very filling. If we are having it for dinner, I usually just make some cornbread and/or salad to go with it. It makes great leftovers, but the pasta does get a big mushy with time. Plan to add some extra broth or water when reheating too. Enjoy!!

Whirlwind

May was a whirlwind. Jessica visited from NYC, Amiel traveled to Israel, Elijah and I journeyed to Florida, and my Grandma visited Chicago for the first time in two years!!

Mother's Day was extra special this year. We had a Steuerman-Simon family sleepover, brunch at Orange and a BBQ at Castlewood. Other May highlights included Elijah's last day of school at the JCC (bittersweet), Deb taking me shopping for work clothes (Loehmann's is the best!) and planting an adorable vegetable patch at Gilia's (hooray for eating local!).

In an effort to update my look (sandals, untamed hair, hoodie), I completely chopped my hair a few weeks back. Upon seeing the new do, Elijah pointed to me and proclaimed, "You BEAUTIFUL." What a sweetheart. My unsuspecting husband had a rather different response. Upon picking him up at the airport, his eyes nearly popped out of his skull and his jaw literally dropped. "I can't believe you cut your hair, I can't believe it." He misses the long tresses and insists that I look like a stranger. I'm waiting to see if he starts to prefer it this way, but for now he has taken to calling me an "adorable alien."
Elijah continues to grow and wow us. I feel lucky to have such an easy going little boy. He naps every afternoon, but I can always push the nap later into the day without risking a meltdown. He is happy to try new foods and likes a wide variety of things (no big deal if the macaroni touches the tomatoes either). He is still a bit shy but doesn't take long to warm up to new situations. We have challenging moments, but they never last long and are easily overshadowed by the kisses and unexpected "I LOVE YOU, Mommy!!" announcements.

Happy Mother's Day

There was a big storm the today and it made me think of my Mom. Elijah and I went to the patio in search of lightning and thunder. I explained that the thunder was coming from heaven. Elijah and I talk about heaven; he knows his Grandma Anne is there. "She is always with you," I explain. "You can't see her with your eyes, but you can feel her in your heart." A picture of Mom is framed outside Elijah's room. She is surrounded by a field of yellow flowers and looking away from the camera. Her smile is genuine and beautiful. Elijah likes to blow her kisses.

Mom always loved butterflies, and I think about her whenever I see them. I like to imagine her flying around the world, seeking out waterfalls and sunsets in exotic places. When I meet a special person, I wonder if she had something to do with it. A good friend's mother recently died, and I wonder if she has encountered Mom. I picture them sitting in a cafe together, sipping tea and eavesdropping on our conversations.

It has been nearly seven years since her death, but Mom is still alive to me. I often dream of our reunion. The dreams feel so real that I wonder if her spirit has come to visit me in the night. Maybe she has been reincarnated into a new body, but her spirit is so present that I do not think so.

Becoming a mom myself has made me feel closer to Mom than ever. I find myself recreating my childhood memories. When I need Elijah to hurry up, we go "quick like a bunny!" We "wash our paws" after playing outside and we sing "Hushabye" at bedtime. We "make nice" when we've hurt someone and spend a great deal of time goofing around. If classical music is playing, I teach Elijah the sounds of the various instruments. I can't seem to differentiate between the viola and violin, but I try.

Food plays a prominent role in my childhood memories. The mall near our house had a french bakery, and Mom loved taking us there for croissants. An amazing cook and baker, some of her specialties were appetizers, brownies and chocolate chip cookies. She instilled within me a love of food and cooking which has only grown over the years. While I love cooking for its own sake, being in the kitchen brings about warm memories of my childhood. Mom was always hosting brunches and dinner parties. Deborah and I were her sous chefs; we snapped the ends of green beans, rolled spinach balls, and peeled potatoes. Sometimes I would complain about being delegated the boring tasks, but no one ever forced me into the kitchen. Mom was always rushing to get things ready on time, and I loved watching her in action. The atmosphere was both intense and calm at the same time. The food was consistently amazing, and when guests praised it, Mom never failed to give credit to her helpers.

I am so grateful for these and countless other beautiful memories. I used to think that it would be difficult to raise a child without my Mom's guidance, but I've come to recognize that her absence is incomplete. I need only reflect on my own childhood in order to know what my Mom would say in a given situation. In 5th grade, I interviewed Mom for an essay about her life. When it came time to discuss her career, she reviewed how meaningful her work as a writer and a photographer had been. "But my favorite career is being a mother," she said. My time with her was too short, but she filled me with more love in 24 years than most people receive in a lifetime. Happy Mother's Day, Mom.

At Panda's

I just delved into my summer clothing stash and rediscovered a fun hand-me-down top from my niece Hagit. After putting it on this morning, Elijah pointed at me and said, "You look cute!!" I asked him to clarify and it turns out that he was actually complimenting my outfit. What a sweet kid, I knew we were destined for a great day. Tuesdays are always a highlight of the week. Elijah and I drive out to Glenview for a playdate at my awesome Auntie Sandy's house. Elijah loves to play with his little cousins, and everyone has a blast. Panda also makes us a great lunch which I look forward to every week. Elijah and I are lucky to have such a caring and wonderful aunt. We love you, Panda!!

Earth day

Elijah and I celebrated Earth Day with a chilly visit to our favorite park. We didn't spend the day planting trees, but I tried to be extra mindful of our carbon footprint and I recommitted myself to conserving and recycling as much as possible. On this day, we were especially grateful for beautiful trees, muddy puddles and piles of sand.

Kitchen Confession

Conventional wisdom dictates that one should consider donating clothes that have gone unworn for a year or two. I don't know what the rule is for kitchen gadgets, but I'm guessing that items that have been untouched for 5 years are no longer entitled to their dusty shelf in the closet. Such was the fate of one KitchenAid Mixer.

The KitchenAid Mixer is ubiquitous on bridal registries. It is found in the kitchen appliance section of the registry and is typically followed by the numbers zero and one. This means that the bride has requested one mixer and that her request has yet to be "fulfilled." At approximately $300 a pop, this is one serious gift. When I registered for my own tawny colored mixer, I had big plans. My sundaes would be topped with dreamy whipped cream and my meringues would have perfect snowy peaks. I was giddy upon actually receiving the mixer, a generous gift from the women who organized my bridal shower. Little did I anticipate that so much time would pass before its first use.

So here it is, my big confession. I just (for the very first time) used the mixer this week. It has been in my possession for over five years, and there is no good excuse. I love to cook, and I bake every week. It is embarrassing to admit, but the mixer daunted me. I was comfortable with my dinky handmixer and intimidated by its stunning rival. I was afraid of the voluminous instruction manual and certain that the thing would take forever to clean. That said, I never contemplated getting rid of the mixer. I had every intention of using it, one day.

That day arrived without warning. It was raining outside, and I had decided to bake with Elijah. We settled on a recipe for oatmeal raisin cookies, and I had already begun pulling out ingredients when I noted that the recipe required use of a mixer. I hesitated. Should we use the handmixer? Should we select a different recipe? I was about to "discuss" this with Elijah when I realized that it was time to overcome my fears.

Needless to say, my concerns were entirely unfounded. The mixer's operation was virtually self-explanatory and no special clean up was required. The cookies were a hit, and I have already whipped up a second batch. Imagine, a device that actually makes baking easier. I feel a bit foolish for having waited so long to use it, but I am excited about the recipes I can finally try.

Elijah and friends

At the park with our pals from the JCC. Beautiful weather, great friends and snacks... what more could one need?

Aiva and Elijah

Dani and Kara
Terri and Shayna

Another fun day

Elijah sure loves his Savta

Adin helps Clarissa make matzo pizza

Adin and Elijah, happy as clams

Spring

The first spring flowers have bravely poked out of the ground and sandbox season is in full swing. Elijah and I spent a good bit of the weekend excavating at our favorite sandy spot. We always bring three buckets, a green shovel, a pink rake and big dump truck. The truck is part of a $5 set of plastic sand toys purchased two summers back. The green wheels are well worn and the cargo bay requires frequent repairs, but it is always a hit with the five and under crowd. I like to bring alot of toys because it affords Elijah the opportunity to practice sharing with other kids. We've also been working on the concept of trading, "Can I have the green shovel please? I'll give you the pink one!" Elijah still love the swings, and he even went down the slide today!! It's been about a year since he's shown any interest in sliding, and I was quite proud to see him fly down into a pile of woodchips.

I am so happy that spring is here!! Elijah's third year has brought about some unique challenges, and we are all happier when he has plenty of time to run wild in the park. His constant need for movement has caused a few injuries to Mommy and Daddy. That said, he is exceedingly affectionate. He loves to kiss us, and "hold me" is one of his most frequent requests.
Just two more months until I begin residency and I am savoring every day with my little pal.