Saturday, July 30, 2011

Happy Birthday

Christian Harry Codding!!!



Eight years ago today you entered this world with more force, gusto, guts, glory and volume than I knew was humanly possible in an 8 lb. 10 oz. body.  You narrowly escaped being born on a rural highway in the middle of the night, only to shock our doctor and all of the nurses on duty by exploding into the world five minutes after arriving at the hospital.  The car was still running outside the front door of the emergency entrance.

"Wow.  This one has some lungs," the nurse said in a matter of fact tone of voice after you officially made your entrance.  And there you were- 
rosy, round, and starving.  
My beautiful baby boy.


You were named for our dear friend Christian who passed away three years earlier.  He never knew you, but there is something about the original Christian that we believe lives inside of you.  We used to call him "C-Money" and when your Godfather held you for the first time he said, "It's C-Mini".  Mini morphed into Tiny, and Tiny C you have become.




But there is nothing tiny about you.  
You are a big personality with big ideas, and even bigger dreams.  You are smart, handsome, industrious, and sassy.  You are wise beyond your years.  And may I add incredibly sensitive, brave, and kind.  You seek approval, acceptance, affection and admiration from those around you, and typically, you get it.  In the situations where you don't, I know you will learn how.
Patience, my boy.  
Patience.

That is one thing you have definitely taught me.  You look at me with your green eyes and freckled nose and beg me to be patient with you, to understand you.  And I want you to know that I do- much more than you know.  You have taught me so much in your eight years- most importantly how to love big, live big, and to grab everyday like it's your last.  
You are amazing boy and I am so proud of you; so proud you're mine.
Happy Birthday!!
I LOVE YOU!!!





Friday, July 29, 2011

Margarita, no salt. Please!!



It's time to go out for Christ sake.  It's Friday and not like that actually means anything around here because I feel like we have been out every night for a month, but I'm crabby and stressed and I need a drink.  Or 12.

This has sort of been the summer of impromptu's, so in the spirit of going with the flow of even more impromptu's, we're goin' out and it ain't with the kids. 
We are slowly skidding into the dog days of summer around here and frankly we are all a little sick of one another. 
 It's been busy, it's been fun, it's even flown by, and yet...
Here. Comes. The Craziness.

Stay Tuned.
Bottoms Up.
Happy Friday.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Magic in the Field


Riverbend Farm- Delano, Minnesota

Last night we headed to Riverbend Farm in Delano for the Outstanding in the Field dinner and let me tell you, Mr. Jim Denevan, in signature straw cowboy hat and flip-flops, along with his traveling team of hospitable hosts/servers/haulers/stokers and sommeliers (there are seven of them that do everything) as well as co-host Scott Pampuch from Corner Table did not disappoint.  I posted a few months back when I secured the tickets and have seriously been counting the days on the calendar since.  Check out the post here as it explains a little more about the movable coast to coast feast that is Outstanding in the Field.  The young team arrived the night before in their 1962 vintage bus that is packed to the gills with books, laundry, blankets, pillows, socks, backpacks, you name it.  I thought they seemed like a contemporary version of Robert Mitchem's The Drifters- carefree young souls looking to explore the US (and Europe this fall) through it's farms, local growers, and good times; ultimately creating a magical, memory laden evening for those that are seated at their table.  I think there might also be a few other things happen' on that bus, but who I am to speculate...let's just say if I was a lot younger it looked like a fun way to see the country and beyond.

The storied vintage bus that takes the team from farm to farm

So I haven't been to Delano in a long time, at least not since a lifelong friend of mine used to be married to a horsey fellow out there, otherwise I really don't have any reason to drive 30 miles west of the cities unless I want to ride a horse or visit a farm.  My friend is no longer married to the horsey guy which means she certainly no longer lives in Delano, which means last night was the first time I have been there in oh, at least 15 years.  But I have to say I was surprised at how picturesque it was.  Soft, green pastures; row upon row of corn and wheat; pretty red barns dotting the fields.  Sounds cliche, but Minnesota farmland is pretty much what you imagine.  It was an absolutely glorious evening and the energy of the event unfolded just like the courses of beautiful food that hit the table.

The signature long, white clothed table 

It's always interesting when you sit down to a meal, whether at a dinner party, wedding, whatever, and you don't know the folks next to you.  I figured that anyone attending this dinner would be of the food/wine/restaurant/interesting-type-to-chat-with crowd and I wasn't far off.  We were seated next to a recently transplanted couple from Santa Cruz, California (the place founder Jim Denevan calls home) who have been here all of three days and are artists and musicians.  To my right were a darling young couple (and newly pregnant!!!) and his parents from Minneapolis who were charming, interesting, and loads of fun.  We quickly got acquainted and exchanged some dirty gossip about people we knew in common, while another young lady from Wayzata (also with three boys and all bearing Biblical names, I might add) chirped in with her white eyelet dress every now and then.  They were all great neighbors and we enjoyed the conversation, amazing food, and delicious wines together.



It is definitely true that a certain magic happens when perfect strangers bond over food and drink in the middle of an open field.  Throughout the meal there was a happy, satiated glow at that long white table in the wheat- both literally and figuratively.  As the sun began to set (and the bugs began to bite!) the path to the "parking lot" was lit with candles.  You could hear the laughter across the field of new found friends and feel the energy of a crowd that was not only well fed, but whose souls were generously nourished.

Goodbyes were said and hugs were sincerely exchanged, and off into the night we went.  There was a kinetic buzz that lingered over that farm and we have Jim Denevan and his team to thank for creating a memorable, delicious, magical, outstanding evening in the field. 



Me and Jim Denavan- founder of Outstanding in the Field


To learn more about Mr. Denevan, his art, and Outstanding in the Field, check out this video.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Relaxation and Appreciation

It's hot here and we are heading north to hopefully catch some cooler climes. Given the forecast it's not likely, but we will have fun giving it a shot.  
Our generous hostess (and there is none like her!) is prepping to host four Moms, twelve boys, two girls, one niece, one dog, and this doesn't even include 3/4 of her brood that are away at hockey camp.  Come Thursday she will welcome two Dads.  Friday morning will see her husband and an additional couple who has been out west whom we can't wait to see.  Saturday morning we head back to town for the U2 concert.  
Tired, yet?  
I promise you, we will be relaxing in spite of ourselves.

I don't know how she does it, but she does.  Our lovely hostess and her high school sweetheart Hubby do it together and their family retreat represents hospitality, love, warmth, friendship, memories and wide open arms.  The beds are fluffy, welcoming and cozy; the fire constantly roaring; the music blaring; beer flowing; and the conversation, laughter, and love never ending. 
 In the morning the kids are fishing, coffee is brewing, the Bloody Mary's are enticing and the views are constantly spectacular.  
It is the feeling of treasured family, cherished friends, and truly wonderful memories. 




Thank You!!!
XXXOOO



Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Tin Fish with a Splash of Mild Peril




So now that we've covered metal chickens I thought we should talk about Tin Fish.  As part of my get out about town initiative to live up to the title of this blog, I dragged Mr C and the boys from our air conditioned freezer box on Sunday for a little bit of good ole' fashioned "family time".  In 100 degree heat coupled with record humidity levels higher than the Amazon, the crew was not exactly thrilled to be doing anything outdoors.  But seriously, we only have a few fistfuls of these days left until all hell breaks loose and we are buried in snow again so I pushed them all huffing and puffing and pissed off into the hot car and down to Lake Calhoun for some fish tacos and cameoing.  
Doesn't that sound fun??!!



Due to the "Extreme Heat" that we Midwesterners have been experiencing over the last week, Tin Fish was only serving the cold items on their rather extensive menu, and to be honest, hot steamy fish would not have been my first choice anyway.  (Can you imagine the smell in the garbage cans?)  So shrimp ceviche, tuna jalapeno sandwiches, and fish tacos were absolutely perfect with a cold beer.  This spot located in the Lake Calhoun Pavilion was the first stop before we decided to pile our sweaty selves into one canoe and a kayak.   
So far so good on the family fun meter.




I gotta say the canoe started out so peaceful.  So tranquil (with the few exceptions of when my inexperienced captain would accidentally splash us in the face when his paddle only skimmed the top of the water) and seriously gorgeous, lush, and green.  We marveled at the fact that we were in the middle of the city and we felt worlds away from it all.  Even the kids seemed taken with the scenery and the momentary silence with nothing but the sound of their paddles splashing against the water.  It is truly a rare, sacred moment to have our entire family SILENT and AWAKE at the same time, which of course didn't last long.  Mild peril began to set in as a fierce wind kicked up and we had to hightail it back to the Calhoun Beach Pavilion.  The clouds began to look ominous so the boys picked up speed and with the wind at our backs we were cruisin'- so fast that we actually hit each other a couple of times, sending canoe and kayak rocking back and forth.  The kids panicked slightly but managed to keep their cool, only shouting "Fatlord" or "Poopsack" at eachother a few times while swinging their paddles in the air.  More mild peril for me as I held on for dear life.  


The wind finally pushed us onto the beach and I crawled out of the bowel of the canoe, happy to be on land and happy to see my boys splashing and having a good time once again.  Like pirates weathering a fierce storm and plundering foreign territory, they hopped out of their boats with relief on their faces saying how cool it all was.  

Apparently good ole' fashioned family time with boys needs to include a little good ole' fashioned mild peril for all, especially Mom.



Saturday, July 16, 2011

Trying to Get About Town and Metal Chickens

So I am thinking of changing the name of this blog because truth is, I don't really get out all that much.  For real.  You may think I do, but actually I don't.  And when I do get out, it is almost never by myself, which is exactly why I flew the coop this morning and headed down to the Lyndale Farmer's Market to check it out and grab a few things for dinner with some friends and their kids tonight.  So here's where this is going- I got lost.  So embarrassing.  All of a sudden I am driving downtown and find myself fighting with my own backseat driver self about which exit to take and before you know it I am on the West Bank of the U of M campus.  True, and very sad.

Luckily I like to be by myself and quite enjoy my own company, and truthfully during summertime, I miss me.  Other than being just slightly embarrassed in front of myself for my navigational error this morning, it was OK.  Sometimes I think it would be pretty funny to follow me when I'm out by myself because I do stuff that I don't normally do when I am with other people, and this is what scares the crap out of Mr. C.  And for good reason, I suppose.  He actually gets nervous when I head out into the world unchaperoned, for fear I will, God forbid, get lost.  Or back my car into something- check.  Or perhaps get a speeding ticket- check.  Possibly pull a u-turn in the middle of the road illegally.  Did that- this morning.  
Don't get me wrong, Mr. C is not possessive or controlling or anything of the sort, but he seriously thinks I am going to do some Bozo move when he's not around, and sadly, he's correct and today was no exception.  Here's the way it went down- I missed the farmers market exit, arguing with myself about the turn all while playing the music super loud and signing "Girl Got Back" by Sir-Mix-Alot (no joke it was actually on the radio today!) while driving under an overpass and having a sizable amount of rainwater runoff dump on my head through the sunroof.  I must be pretty funny out there in the world all on own.

I really don't know how to get anywhere because I really never drive (for a lot of different reasons, umm, like parking tickets and illegal u-turns) so when I do try to go somewhere alone, I end up going in circles and normally I would be totally pissed at myself but today it was OK.  I got to see the new inflated top on the Metrodome.  Very impressive.  I saw a very frightening billboard about bed bugs right smack in the middle of downtown- very weird.  I thoroughly enjoyed the shiny new parking meters where you have to remember the number of the spot where you parked and then go feed the ultra slick credit card meter- of course I didn't have any quarters on me so I would have gotten a ticket.  Very grateful.  And I must say, I was totally laughing with myself.  Not sure if it was leftover from last night- we went to Masu with some friends and it was rockin' and so were we in our 1980's stretch limo that the car company sent for us.  I don't know why but today the whole thing was crackin' me up. 

And when I finally reached the farmers market I saw this.


And this...



which is weird because my week seems like it has been all about over sized chickens. 
 Why, you ask?
  Because a friend sent me this and we have been hysterical about it all week.  You must read it.  You will pee your pants.  For sure.

And then I get this texted to me.



I am beginning to feel a little paranoid- like there is some sort of metal chicken conspiracy going on.  I think we need to get Jesse Ventura on this one. 

Anyway, it is one of my goals to improve my directional capabilities (and ok, my driving performance all together before my very nice insurance agent dumps my ass.  We actually got a letter on the matter.) and when I have more time on my hands this fall I plan to get reacquainted with greater Minneapolis (and maybe even St. Paul!) and step out of my small suburban bubble. 
I just hope Mr. C let's me go.
(that's a joke.)

Monday, July 4, 2011

Signs of Summer

Happy Independence Day 2011!





Summer Lovin'


Ice Cream Smilin'


Summer Drivin'


Summer Grillin'

Little bit o Chillin'


Catchin' Air


Salt Water Taffy Stickin'


Summer Snoozin'


Brotherly Lovin'


Happy Stars and Stripes Day!