there is a main ingredient theme this week because...

we went apple picking!

so far, I have posted recipes for apple pie, savory roasted apples...and there will be more to come!

pizza with a tiny purpose

Last winter break, we were making our way back up north from Williamsburg & Washington D.C., when lo and behold, what did we spot at a Maryland rest stop?! None other than the "pizza mobile"!!! To say that my boys were excited would be an understatement. My older son played it cool, staying in the car. (But I'll be the first to tell you he's now got a Laughing Pizza sticker (permanently) adhered to his "office" window. Teenage lead singer, Emily, gave it to him that fateful day...) And thankfully, everyone appeared to be in line at Starbucks and not pulling out just then because my younger son went zipping off through the parking lot, squealing at the sight of Emily. Those who have little ones in the Fairfield County, CT or Westchester, NY area and are not yet well versed in "the pizza dance" take note: Laughing Pizza is putting a benefit concert on at Wee Burn Beach Club this Sunday from 2-5pm, rain or shine!! The family event is being hosted by, The Tiny Miracles Foundation, a non-profit that is near and dear to our family. Now, I'm no dancer...but you just might see me doing the pizza dance alongside the boys this weekend.

Online ticket sales go through Sunday, 9am. You can also try to get a ticket at the door. Here are the concert details. Come join us!!!

getting back into a groove

What a fabulous week away. Re-entry to full-time motherhood was a little bumpy so new posts were put on the back burner an extra week. I'm still muddling through a posting schedule that makes sense for me in terms of balance, and for you in terms of new ideas and inspiration. I'd bookmarked this post before I left. Those thoughts combined with a week away with my mom where we talked about what I remember from my own childhood really hit home. I realize that I need to take a step back and prioritize. Not to sound too serious about all of this...but the truth is, my kids aren't going to remember if I had some rockstar blog ratings. I like having this project to keep me focused on something other than "mom drama" but I need to think long and hard about what I miss out when I hole up in my office writing. I know there's a happy balance. I just need to strike it.

Many friends have asked about my week away. It was amazing. It's hard to put into words though, so here are a few photos. Just a few, because I didn't have my camera at yoga, chi gong, meditation, aqua zen (and even if I did have it that day, I would post a shot in my bikini doing tai chi in the water, thank you very much). Anyway.

I dined outside whenever possible.

I ate very, very well.

I let a horse whisper to me.

And I pushed my limits.

Really pushed them.

I did not necessarily go out of my comfort zone gracefully, or quietly.

I hiked to the top of mountains, and took lots of deep breaths.

Then I came home, and everyone was sick. Everyone needed me at once. Meals needed to be made again. Laundry needed to be washed. A tornado had ripped through the playroom. A birthday was to be celebrated. I jumped right back in and that week away was a distant memory. But having given myself a week to get back into the rhythms of home, I appreciate the time away immensely. And I am thankful for all I have back here as well. I look forward to getting back into a groove, and finding a little-- but not too much-- time to write up some simple recipes and meal ideas to share with you.

The Perfect Family Vacation (again)

Tyler Place. Just saying it makes me smile. This was our third year at the Vermont family camp, and each year it gets better (if that was possible?). My children frolic around with their camp groups, while Jeff and I have a chance to truly relax knowing they are both under expert care—and having a ball.

As a mom, when my kids are happy, I am happy. It’s a simple equation for me.

It helps that camp is not an option, it’s what all of the kids at Tyler Place do (and very, very happily). When we've visited other resorts that have optional children's activities I have been known to do the "mommy martyr" gig, and only send them a little bit while I spend my vacation, um well, not really on vacation. Oh, and did I mention that the children's camp groups include dining with their peers each day? (While you all know I place a lot of value on family meals, I also think every parent needs a break from then every once in a while. The fact that I can eat 3 meals a day for 7 days in a row, with my only responsibility/decision being whether or not I'll have another helping of dessert is an extra bonus.)

The first morning back, I packed up my littlest one’s requisite gear for story time, gymnastics, the wading pool, and a gold rush treasure hunt and my older one’s backpack for his camp group’s time doing gymnastics, the lake trampoline, a pontoon cruise and pool/splash pad time. I knew I’d be getting two happy, tuckered out kids back—especially since all of that was happening the first day, before pick-up at 1:30pm! (And what you wonder were we doing while the kids were at camp? Well, I’d wanted to try out a Nei Kung class, but instead joined the group of parents tackling the climbing wall. One trip up was enough for me, thank you very much. So, I retreated to an Adirondack chair and read the newspaper cover to cover, without interruption. Jeff opted for a round robin tennis scramble. Then we met for a relaxing lunch before picking up the kids.)

The children’s camps go from 8:30am-1:30pm, and then again from 5:30-8:30pm daily. (Should you have an infant, as we did the first two years, you are given a one-on-one Mother’s Helper for the same hours above but this delightful caregiver can adhere to your baby’s sleeping/feeding schedule back at your cabin, in addition to taking the baby for walks and the wonderful age-appropriate playhouse.)

Families enjoy an afternoon activity together, and offerings include everything from pony rides to farm visits, art classes and fishing trips to nature walks—or they can just enjoy the swimming pool, kayaks, paddle boats, sailboats, playgrounds…unless the excitement of the morning wears them out, and they need a little siesta, as our children still do.

Cocktail hour starts right after the evening camp drop-off (again, for all children so there’s absolutely no “mommy guilt” involved). Sometimes from our perch on the deck, we’d spot the kids romping down the giant lawn down to the lake for a campfire, a BBQ, or scavenger hunt. Other nights, we’d have to wait to pick them up to hear about the gnome dwelling they built, the marionette show they got to see, or the hayride they took. All the while, we were having relaxing evenings with new friends and ones from years past.

A side note: The Rachel Ray Show was filming an episode about vacation destinations the first night we were there, which I think is due to air this winter. So, if you’re thinking about a Tyler Place vacation for your family I’d definitely contact them before the show airs!

And away we go!

Didn't want anyone to think that potential stardom had gone to my head. If I am rather silent these next several days it's simply because our family is returning to Tyler Place for the third year in a row and I think I am leaving my computer at home. Maybe.

So, while my children are having all sorts of adventures with their camp groups, I will be taking some (well earned) time in an Adirondack chair, reading a book...or maybe I'll be taking a yoga class...learning how to throw a pot...doing a low ropes course perhaps...canoeing on Lake Champlain...or going for a long bike ride with Jeff, before we get ready for cocktails and the parent-only dining room. (Can you say bliss?)

But, you can rest assured that I'll come back from this vacation rested, and invigorated to cook up a storm so I can share more ideas for simple family-friendly meals with all of you!

Little trip to Rowayton

I’ve been meaning to post this and it totally skipped my mind. Seeing as how summer is flying by, I wanted to make sure I mentioned this to my local friends... While I gave up all regularly scheduled babysitting in ’09 (part of my financial prudence program), this summer I splurged (since my sanity was at stake) and found two wonderful drop-offs for my little one. One is Green Moon in Rowayton. Run by “Miss Veronica” and “Miss Lorena”, I knew it was a great find when my little one basically runs down the stairs to smooch the big photograph of these two wonderful gals before actually getting to hug them in person. Any place where my child is happy makes me happy.

The game plan was for me to go for a long walk while he was doing art, taking a walk to look at the boats and singing songs with other little people. But since the sprained ankle put a damper on that, I’ve rediscovered Rowayton Market. The food is just ok, but the setting is fabulous. (Actually, I take the ok comment back: Dough Girl’s cupcakes are fabulous…so yummy they’ve become our weekly happy habit.) The Friday before the Fourth of July, my husband took our older son out kayaking from there, and I have known at least one couple who did this as a late afternoon activity before an early date night at Rowayton Seafood. How civilized. And if you go down there on a Friday, don't miss the Farmer's Market. The setting can't be beat, and they've got some great vendors you might not find anywhere else. (My personal favorite is the pickle guy.) For being so close, Rowayton feels like a world away.

On The Road Again with a 2-year-old, Day 5 (Little Bo Peep Has Found The Sheep)

The three of us rode home from the last day of Farm Camp both exhausted and invigorated. What a week-- for all of us. The camp was phenomenal...and (achem) I gave myself a pat on the back for staying sane while occupying my 2-year-old from 9:00am-3:30pm in an area I didn’t know for five days in a row. As Dan Zanes rocked us on through traffic, my car smelled of lavender, garlic, and dirty little boys.

We stuck around the farm the last day, visiting all of the animals and enjoying Blue Hill Cafe's treats. The sheep were loud and fun to watch as they alternated between lolling in the shade and moving en masse around the field the campers had moved them into earlier in the afternoon. When asked about his favorite activity for the week, "moving sheep" was my older son's hands down winner.

Also within easy walking distance for little feet, there's a nice loop around Swan Lake in Rockefeller State Park Preserve. Ask for a trail map at Stone Barn's info desk, and enter the Preserve down by the greenhouse. The walk is nice and shady, and for added excitement you'll probably see some turtles and a horse or two along the trails. The loop can easily be completed by a little one in an hour.

The week long journey out there was worth it, for sure. Before he fell asleep, my older son announced that next year he hopes he can "go to Farm Camp for two weeks!"

Adventures with a 2-year-old, Day 4 (Stone Barns on little feet)

Today was all about cows. While our older son was at Farm Camp meeting the sheep dog, making ice cream from scratch, planting seeds, picking lavender, and going on a scavenger hunt in the doorway garden of Stone Barns, I took our little one on a hike. A small hike, just enough for two-year-old feet to manage on their own. We passed very loud cows...

We heard a tractor in the distance and rounded bends hoping to catch a glimpse of it in action...

We saw cows out lolling in a shady pasture...

And when we came back to the farm, we got a latte (me, thank you cows for that creamy deliciousness), scone (him) and some citrus-infused granola (us, amazing be sure to pick some up if you visit the Cafe) and picked a nice place to sit and relax. I didn't take it personally that our little one wanted to sit solo in the courtyard. This has been a lot of mom/child together time. I relished the New York Times for 10 uniterrupted minutes and he, well he gave me 10 minutes.

Oh, and did I mention that we also enjoyed cows at lunch time? (Oops, did I just say that?! So crass but so true.) We picked up House Made Bologna and Pickled Veggie sandwiches for our afternoon of exploring. (I normally wouldn't relish a bologna sandwich but it came recommended and oh my, it was good. Of course I came home and made the mistake of looking up just what bologna is exactly...yucky. Now I know why I was never ever given a bologna sandwich growing up.) Anyway, somehow I couldn't bring myself to eat the picnic in the company of cows so we ate in the company of sheep.

Directions for the cow loop (easily walked by a 2-year-old): walking, head left out of the "Hardwood" parking lot, around the backside of the stone barn, along the "do not enter" one-way part of the driveway. When you reach the gate by the cow pen (the guard house will be on your right, slightly downhill) you pick up the wide trail. After visiting the cows head straight out and veer left up the hill. You're basically going to stay left each chance you get. When you see a red barn down the hill in front of you on your right hand side, take a left onto the trail that runs in between Stone Barns and this other red cow barn. Then at your next chance, take a left and Stone Barn's gardens will be on your right hand side and the Stone Barn will be off in the distance (as pictured above). You'll wind downhill from there, coming out again right by the cow pen. This will probably take you about 30-40 minutes if you're walking with a little one.

Adventures with a 2-year-old, Day 3 (Hanging Around the Farm)

I was craving one of Stone Barns' Blue Hill Cafe (truly amazing) lattes made with milk fresh from the cows once we made it to Farm Camp. No such luck, as they'd given the cooking staff the day off after working on the Fourth of July. I packed light today, planning on enjoying our lunch from their too. Hmm, slight glitch in our plans of staying around the farm, taking a hike, and visiting the animals. A little detour into the town of Pleasantville, and we found a cute patisserie and gourmet take-out place. Latte and picnic dilemna solved, we headed back to the farm.

You can easily spend a whole day here as a family outing. In addition to Stone Barn's gorgeous grounds, the animals grazing in the fields, the Cafe (when open), a gift shop with thoughtfully chosen toys, books and the like, there are also two access point for Rockefeller State Park. Talk about a well maintained trail system. The carriage paths are wide and easy to navigate with a jogging stroller. A perfect adventure if you have a little one in tow!

I managed to twist the same ankle I'd (finally) painstakenly healed, so our hike was shorter than planned. But, I am feverishly icing and elevating it in the hopes that we can continue to explore the trail system tomorrow...and at last enjoy Blue Hill Cafe's offerings.

Day Tripping with a 2-year-old, Day 2 (West Point & Bear Mountain)

I have to admit that I was a tad bit jealous that my 6-year-old was going to get to spend the day at Farm Camp, and I was responsible for road-tripping with my 2-year-old. "Moving sheep", going on a nature hike, seeding pots and making a bug box sounded like fun.

But I was only there to drop-off, since Stone Barns is open just to the lucky campers on Mondays and Tuesdays. I'd printed off a bunch of different maps, and the weather looked good. How about some cannons?

The major glitch was that I hadn't visited West Point post-9/11. So, while my memory was of popping on the grounds and taking in the breathtaking views...the reality is an $11, hour-long official bus tour. It was interesting (for me) and snack-filled (for my little one)...and we sat at the back of the bus so as to not totally interrupt the rest of the passengers.

Then we zipped over to Bear Mountain for a picnic, a carousel ride, and a walk through their little zoo. Note before you make any promises: the carousel is not open on Mondays or Tuesdays. Then it started pouring. And I don't mean drizzling. I mean torrential downpour. Thankfully the rain was short-lived so we got to visit the pleasant little zoo (highlighting local birds and animals) that meanders through the park, strike up a game of peek-a-boo with a Bald Eagle (really, you cannot make this stuff up)...

and take in the absolutely amazing views.

When we returned to Stone Barns, the children had done their task of moving the sheep, and they were bleating and romping in the fields.

Then we did a little exploring around the green houses that were wide open to let in the beautiful afternoon air,

and lo and behold, look what we found! The garlic the children had picked yesterday!

Exploring with a 2-year-old, Day 1

Today was my older son's first day of Farm Camp. So, while he worked in Stone Barn's "dooryard garden", collected fresh eggs (which he "thinks went to the restaurant...some really big kitchen next to the silos?" yep, little fellow you procured the eggs that some ridiculously lucky diner will be enjoying), harvested garlic ("which grows in the ground and is about this big" he says with his little hands), baked fresh muffins with the berries they picked and romped around the grounds all day longwith other little people...

I took our little one on an all day adventure, using Dobbs Ferry as our launching point. We visited Old Croton Aqueduct State Park where we oogled the Hudson (remember, we're land-locked in New Canaan). We also stumbled upon Memorial Park, which has nice play equipment and a wading pool for the little ones.

After a picnic lunch, we walked back down to the river and the Dobbs Ferry train station and hopped on a train heading north, taking it to the end of its' run. The view from the train was amazing. Good entertainment for $2.50. I can't remember the name of the town we ended up in, but it was nothing to write about. So, we bought a ticket heading the opposite direction and stopped in Tarrytown, NY for some homemade ice cream from Main Street Sweets.

Our bellies full, our noses a little sunburned, we hopped back on the train in Tarrytown to end our journey back in Dobbs Ferry. This photo is of us riding under the Tappan Zee Bridge...pretty neat. Four more days of camp, four more adventures to be had!