Garden Totems

Our neighbor Kathy is a Master Gardener and she has been creating these unique "garden totems" that she makes out of ceramic plates, cups, teapots, vases and whatever else that will come together to create an interesting design.

I loved the teapot that now sits in my garden near the tomato plants...but, I actually got this one for my mother and until I see her next, I will continue to enjoy its violent presence here with us. I couldn't decide between the teapot and the blue glass totem so I purchased both. I love blue glass and it called to me as soon as I saw it.

Steve's Fathers Day Sanctuary

For Father's Day, the kids and I unveiled our meditation garden as our gift to Steve. The bricks were left over from the patio that was torn out to build the 3-season room. Before laying the brick we had to clear the space (do you see those thick plant like vines in the background...) we layed plastic, I wheel barrowed load after load of the bricks to the site and Jake and Shaye created their design. We ordered the hammock chair from Hammocks.com and we purchased the Buddha from Target.

Steve loves it and it expanded our usable backyard space to include much appreciated relaxation options.

All Things Spring

Easter was the start of "birthday blitz week!" A relaxing and enjoyable day of savory appetizers, an easy dinner and a full week ahead. Steve and Shaye spent much enjoyed time picking out our future dog. They even have a list of names ready to go.

The day after Easter was Shaye's birthday. She is very serious about her day beginning with her choice of breakfast, chocolate chip waffles and presents set out at her morning eating spot. She is quite sentimental and its one of her beautiful qualities.

Shaye had a very special family birthday celebration.

The BIG 13! birthday party came later in the week. A 12 girl sleepover with chocolate fondue.The new 3 season room was a perfect place for all the girls to hang out. Being spring break week we had lots of time to set up.

Jake's birthday was 2 days later, tax day! And, that's Leslie's mom's birthday too! Leslie, you are soooo good at keeping up with your blog. I love it!! And, as much as it may not seem so, since I am so bad at keeping up with mine, YOU INSPIRE ME! To the Patty's of the world, I am sorry I am so sloooow.

And then there was me. I had the worst allergy attack of my life and spent our whole vacation week congested and sort of miserable. But, nothing tops the love of my family and the joy I receive from them so it was a good week nonetheless.

We are in the final weeks of school and now looking forward to the summer. Can't wait to see everyone. We love you.

Eating Well and Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Barbara Kingslover is one of my favorite authors so I naturally picked up her last book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle - A Year of Food Life, eager to read. To my surprise, her story is part memoir about how she and her family make a promise to only buy food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it.
As I read, I sometimes felt this premise seemed plausible but at other times, absolutely ridiculous. I did actually wonder living a life where our family could pre-pare (i.e. store, freeze, can, preserve) in season fruits and vegetables to eat in the deep freeze of winter.
While I did imagine this feat as doable, I also was drawn back to reality by the simple fact that preparing food for my family sometimes seems next to impossible. Jake still verges on not wanting any of his foods to touch on his plate, Shaye hates Chicken, a staple in any household, and Steve would simply love to eat take out if he had his choice. Myself, well, I have the fantasy of eating well but coming home after a long day on my feet, making a turkey and cheese sandwich on toasted rolls is a feature menu items for us. But I try. I love to make new seasonal recipes from Bon Appetit, my favorite magazine. I try to make dishes on the weekend that can take me into the week...Spinach Quiche, soup - I recently made a great Creamy Tomato, last night, to my surprise, a Stir-fry Steve and Shaye loved - Jake was at a Student Council Meeting -he would not have liked it.
So, I fall back on family favorites often and am grateful the food store is around the corner to offer a world of variety any season of the year. Here is one of our favorite family recipes filled with some nutritional extras the kids know I sneak in but don't seem to mind. If you make them for your family, I think they will enjoy them as much as ours.
Bon Appetit!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins - A Northern Alviene Favorite.

1 stick butter - room temperature
3/4 cup sugar - I use raw cane sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups of flour - I use whole wheat white
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed, very ripe bananas
1/2 cup yogurt-sometimes I'll use probiotic keifer
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup ground walnuts
1/2 chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs (in a stand mixer if you have). In separate bowl sift dry ingredients. Mash banana is separate cup, add yogurt. Add dry ingredients with butter mixture till just mixed, add bananas/yogurt, vanilla and nuts and chocolate chips. Blend just slightly, add nuts. Spoon into lined muffin tins. Bake approx. 35 mins.

Jake's Wrestling Season Ends

Let me share something about Jake. He is incredibly brave and continues to impress us with his willingness to try something new (except food-but that is changing). Last year he tried out for the school play, this year it was Wrestling. I must admit, I was worried about this choice but surprisingly, I came full swing around to appreciate the benefits he actually gained from this physically demanding sport.The beginning of the season started with the official "weigh-in" which secured each wrestler's base-line weight for the season - Jake at 112lbs. Wrestler's could only fluctuate a slight bit from that original weight BUT on days of meets, they had to weigh in at or below this original weight and then, could not put on more than 3 lbs. over the course of the day. At first, this was not a problem for Jake but by the end of the season it did become difficult. Two reasons, 1) he was developing incredible muscle mass from his training and, 2) his body is growing leaps and bounds. The consequence of not "making-weight" meant you wrestled "up" to the next weight class. This was cause for a mother's (my) anxiety! He was brand new to the sport and was just learning maneuvers. The players are strong, quick and knew their way around the mat. Jake, a quick study who always recognizes the strategy of a sport, was still learning what to do and if he then had to move up to a higher weight class because he was just SLIGHTLY over his weight, I would worry for his safety. But, this became our family's learning curve to this new sport. Jake worked incredibly hard this winter and his training paid off. He was stronger, he learned the moves and by the end of the season understood what he had to do for a pin. We learned to pace his eating a couple of days ahead of meets which actually forced Jake to eat more nutritiously.
While I did not like that he didn't eat the morning of a weigh in, we packed him bagels, peanut butter, and powerade to eat right after he weighted in at 7:30 a.m. He began taking a multi-vitamin and nutritional soy drinks and he grew into a serious athlete. Jake ended the season at his last meet with a pin in the next weight class above his original weight! I proudly watched him at the edge of the mat and got pictures to share. Wrestling is a very rigorous sport but it taught Jake mental and physical discipline that I believe will serve him his life time. And, while I wasn't the fan of wrestling at the beginning, I now would like him to continue next year because of the benefits it brought him. Steve and I couldn't be more proud of his sense of self and the strength he possesses as a person.

Mid-Winter Recess

This past week 2/16 -2/20 the kids and I (and Steve, taking time from work), were all off for President's Week. Last year for our mid-winter recess we went to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas. While not the elaborate trip of last year, we still enjoyed time home keeping busy with local activities.

We started the week last Saturday, Valentine's Day with a performance at Proctor's Theater - a gem of an old theater that

generally draws Broadway plays - to see "The Five Browns." A family of 5, twenty-something siblings-playing 5 grand pianos, all trained at Julliard with incredible talent. We hoped it would inspire our novice two with their own piano playing.

Then on Sunday, Shaye and I went to my sister Sandy's house and spent our first day in NYC exploring SOHO with all its cool shops, street vendors and artists. Monday, Shaye and I went back to IKEA and added some pieces to the kids newly staged rooms with Ryan who then came home with us for two days (Ryan was off from school but Sandy was not). Tuesday we had lunch out and explored a new children's museum - for Ryan's sake. Wednesday we went to Hyde Park (about an hour south of us) to see the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Presidential Library and a tour of his home and then we went to the Culinary Institute of America for lunch. The campus was beautiful. Lunch was in the cafe/bakery. We had delicious soups, sandwiches and baked goods that truly were out of this world! In the same building as the cafe, you can walk around to see students through large windows preparing foods in various kitchens, lecture classes - (this one on Herbs) - and where the fine dinning restaurants are for hopefully a future visit. Thursday, I took the kids with one friend each snowboarding for the twilight ski that starts at 3pm. I like this time because the lift ticket is less expensive and I can still do things around the house before sitting in the lodge for up to 6 hours. But, I do make good use of the time when I am there and found a spot by the large fire place and did all my school planning for next week. Friday, a quiet day at home. Saturday we went to the New York in Bloom Flower Show at the NYS Museum which did bring the feeling of spring in the air.

Tomorrow we are back to school and our full routine. Our next break from school is April 13-17, the kids birthday week and I'm hoping we might be able to take a trip to North Florida for some location scouting... just out of curiosity and a visit with the Florida half of our family.

What A Winter Its Been

We have had more snow this winter than any I can remember! My last posting told of all our snow days from school before Christmas. The week we went back to school after Christmas, we had 2 more snow days in the same week. Last week we had yet another snow day and yes, that means, OFF from school!! And then, that Ol' Ground Hog predicts another 6 WEEKS of WINTER!!!! We've been buried. BUT - THERE IS HOPE!

Jake told me this morning that everyday another minute is added to our day light time. We are just beginning to see Spring around the corner. But I won't jinx that since its a mere 4 degrees this morning.

Happy Season and the joys of each day...

Our last snow and ice storm caused quite an irregular week of school just before our Christmas break. The kids did not have school Friday (12/12), were off again on Monday (12/15, I had school). Then we all had a 2 hour delay on Wednesday(12/17) from a new storm that hit and Friday, yet another snow, sent Jake and Shaye home mid day (12/19) while I worked my full schedule. If you don't check Steve and Shaye's blog, you should. We are all keeping updated postings for a full family report. Steve took some great photo's of the ice storm we had but my photo's are from the inside-out, sort-to-speak. While snowed in, Shaye and I baked a lot over the weekend and here are some pictures of her gingerbread house that we started last week end and finished mid week.

This holiday season has been very enjoyable. I feel relaxed, as organized as I can be and most importantly, have enjoyed time to bake, my long time hobby. Shaye is discovering all my baking tools and now takes out my stand mixer, petite cookie cutters and recipes to make her own creations. If you don't know this about Shaye, she is incredibly artistic and when she rummages through my baking tools she inevitably finds something new to create with. Jake on the other hand will pop his head in, see what's up but generally moves quickly on to his own thing. He never hesitates to give me a "I love you Mom" on his way through and so I'm happy with his brief appearances.

I hope you all are enjoying a wonderful Christmas season; that you will visit all of our blogs to keep in touch with our family. We love you and miss seeing you all and I hope that this avenue of contact keeps us in touch.

Thanksgiving

We celebrated a different kind of Thanksgiving this year. Instead of our regular wake up time (7:30'ish on weekends), we all unexpectedly slept in till 9:30 a.m. This definitely is an indication of our schedules catching up with us. The parade had already started and my 21 lbs. turkey, that I had seasoned the night before, thank goodness, was all set to go into the oven. My sister Sandy came up Wednesday night with her son Ryan and then my sister Sherry joined us for dinner at 4:30. Steve's brother Tom, his girlfriend Beth and daughter Kristy have joined us the past few years, but with only Thanksgiving off, an 8 hour round trip drive was just too much for them.
We watched only parts of the parade, usually a big part of our Thanksgiving morning tradition and had a lazy and slow going afternoon till turkey time. My sister attempted to take a family photo for a Christmas card and what a trip that was. None of us feel any one was the perfect picture. Which one would you vote for?
All in all, with five days off from school, we enjoyed a nice break to appreciate all that we are thankful for in our family.

Soccer and School Sports

As many of you know, Jake and Shaye both play soccer. This year was very different for us with both kids on the "Columbia" school teams. Jake played for the second year at the Freshman level and Shaye played for the first time at the Modified level (which is for 7th and 8th graders). So, instead of Steve or I jockeying schedules and separate cars, they each went straight to practice after school. This has been great because it cuts down on our chauffer time and the kids schedules are more under control. But, as always there is more. Shaye will continue to play on the Travel League soccer team through the winter that is nighttime and weekend practices and games.
Jake went out for a completely new winter sport and is on the Wrestling team. I will save the story of our skinny boy coming home his first week of practices to tell me he had to LOOSE weight for another time. There will be lots of wrestling stories, I'm sure. Bottom line though, he moves into his next sport through school, goes directly to practice from school and we pick him up on our way home from work and not the extra driving that comes with winter travel soccer.


To end the school soccer season, Shaye was one of two girls on her modified team recognized individually. Shaye was awarded the "Overall Team Player" award and as part of the celebration was awarded sew-on patches indicating her graduating class year - 2014. Jake was unable to go to his end of season banquet because he had three major homework projects due the next day BUT, I had to go because I was asked to help serve at the banquet. Some days seem they just don't have an end but Steve and I couldn't be more proud of both of them.

My First Grade Class

What a joy this school year is. Very different from my previous years, this year I have what is called the "inclusion class" which means I have 6 students with individual education plans or as we say "IEP's". Along with this classification, I get a full time aide who is meant to support my special 6 but she does so much more. Her name is Michelle and she loves to bake and cook and I am the recipient of her new or tried and true recipes. The other morning she brought me a delicious piece of pecan bread just because she knew I had to be at school early. It's like having a mother there to take care of me.

My school district is also known as a District In Need of Improvement - or DINI and with that comes funding to improve student performance. While that is an unfortunate standing for us, it set an agenda for reduced class sizes and my other joy this year is that I only have 16 students. This is a walk in the park and I am rocking as a teacher this year (I don't mind saying)! With the training I took over the summer at Lesley University's Literacy Institute as well as piloting a fabulous new reading series, my class is reaching levels I never would have anticipated for first graders.

They can tell you the difference between fiction and non-fiction genres, they can write stories with voice and logical sequence, they are what I tell them, "literary genius' and can have conversations with each other about stories I read aloud to them and make connections to themselves, other books and to the world.

They are very sweet and loving. I get an " I love you Mrs. Alviene" everyday and special pictures almost every morning starting our new day that they have drawn the night before at home. I feel I have come into my own as a teacher this year and it has been truly wonderful.