Feeling Blue?

Working June Vacation

The neighbors had some potential saw-logs near their house and barn that my dad and husband collected. When I say neighbors, there really is only one neighbor, one couple. They live to the west of my parents, but own(ed) the land on both the east and west, the two directions with road access. With two tractors and two chain saws, my dad and husband are quite efficient. The day before this, they collected saw logs and fire wood at my parents' cabin (to the north). So, there is not any shortage of wood.

The next-door neighbors, ages 86 and 86, recently donated their 800+ acres to the Department of Natural Resources to be used as wildlife refuge. The state land surrounds my parents'. This is the barn that still stands on that land about a mile east of my parents place. When my dad and I used to make square bales, we'd take them over here to store in this barn. We drove over there on the 4-wheelers and the guys collected the old fence-posts so that they can be reused.

One day we prepped the horse barn for stain, by removing nests and pounding nails in that had popped out a bit. Staining it with a sprayer was messy, but it saved a lot of time and worked fine for the barn. My dad built the barn in summer 2007 after he returned from Alaska. I think he said that helping us build our house gave him the itch to use his pile of sawed lumber. The first winter, the barn was used to cook sap for maple syrup and the next fall, 2008, they purchased two horses.

As soon as we arrived in Minnesota, we fell into our usual roles. My husband went behind the garage to split the wood he didn't get around to splitting the last time we were here, last November, and to make room for the new harvest. I jumped on the lawnmower and snapped photos of our boys finishing the vegetable garden planting with my mom and dad.

My Farm Favorites

Our sons are 5th generation on this farm.

Our sons with cousin Jennie on my aunt Janet's horse, Josie

My uncle Ron and my aunt Laurie, my mom, and our very exhausted son, just before sundown

The others are over at the bonfire. Jennie surprised us by riding out on a saddled horse

These are some of my favorite people, the night of a family get-together at my parents' farm

Our son with uncle Ron and aunt Janet

A bit earlier in the evening just before sunset, my dad and our son, the first to board the second hay ride

The Farmall H. It has lived up to its name.

From Cold to Hot and Back Again

One day it's in the 90s, the next in the 50s. Good ol' Minnesota! It keeps things interesting.

We had our first Minnesota playdate yesterday. My husband had to run to a town to get some plumbing parts because he was replacing my parents' water pressure tank, so we quickly called up the local cousins Jennie, Chrissy, and Beth (Aric's wife) and everyone showed up atthe playground with their kids: baby Riley, the youngest, only one-month old. My son and his older cousin Hailey have become quite fond of each other. I think it's because they have the same attitude. Just look at their faces. So far, the playgrounds we've visited have been quite impressive with very fast slides, tall tree forts, and other interesting gadgets. Even though the boy climbed the rock wall a few times, he mostly stuck here with the three excavators. Little boys.

His little brother on the other hand was quite fond of the steep ladders, tunnels, and swift slides. Moose Lake, the name of the town, is in the background. It has a Dairy Queen, which we all, kids and adults, thoroughly enjoyed afterward even though it was a cool day.

Going back in time a week or so, here's Grandpa Greg and his right-hand-man digging up some rose bushes that had been growing in the field for five years. They brought them to my cousin Jennie's because she has a new place with lots of space in need of vertical vegetation. You can't tell by how they're dressed, but this day was very, very hot. This is just one example of many, many outdoor projects that have been completed already.

The next day was cool again, but that didn't stop the kids from playing in the pool for as long as we allowed them. My son assumed the role of water monster, which the other kids happily played into. My dad also took everyone on a hay ride and all who didn't have little kids stayed late for a bonfire. The kids (almost half of whom are pictured) enjoyed chasing the chickens and playing other yard games. The blueberries, in the background have massive amounts of blossoms; it's going to be a big year. We only invited a couple of families to this party for my graduation/my husband's birthday/our anniversary, but with all of the marriages and kids that have sprung from my generation on my maternal side, it was quite a large group.

Last Glimpses of Spring

I've had the luxury of packing our bags leisurely over the last couple of days for our longest vacation yet--a month-long stay at my parents' farm in rural Minnesota. Our family has stayed there three weeks, but never four and never yet during the month of June. I think it will be wonderful. The only challenge during preparation for travel was figuring out how to fit two large suitcases, four people, and a BOB child stroller into a Toyota Corolla. It's the first time I had a space-challenge with my tiny, efficient car, but I think I figured it out. Someone will have to pick up our car at the airport since we are on the (only flight these days) 1am flight, and several people will allow Harley, the sleepy yet energetic pug, to stay with them while we are away. The neighbor will water my garden from time to time. She promises to work miracles.

It is DRY. You can see that without watering the lawn it is brown. It is the end of May and it hasn't really started to grow yet. People who care for nice lawns are sprinkling like crazy. I planted my garden a week ago; salad greens and radishes and some other things appeared within just a few days. It's been 80. I hope to have a garden and greenhouses like my retired neighbor someday. Although her electric bill is outrageous because she has to keep light and heat on her vegetables from January to May, her tomato plants are taller than I am and she feeds her family the entire year with her preserved produce.

The White Spruce trees are self-sufficient. I know that they were reluctant to show new growth this spring, but toward the end of May they finally did. They must be finding water somewhere down there.

Here is where the color is. A wonderful graduation gift from a friend, this fruitless Plum bush was. I hope it fares better than the 3 spruce trees did that surround it. I won't know if they, last years transplants, made it through the winter until I get back. This pink bush has been attracting bees and butterflies, and I will have to be sure to bag it in fall so the moose don't mow it. This and a Late Lilac I recieved from the electric company for Arbor Day are my babies this year.

There is some life in other places too. And I'm not taking about mosquitos, which we have plenty of this year. The trees that we planted when we were married, 2 birches and 3 bird cherries are thriving. This 3rd year I have stopped babying them. They'll have to fend for themselves like the spruces do from now on.

The "sticker bushes" that will produce pink roses are growing wild and large, along the sides of the driveway. Seeing their flowers is one thing I'll miss when we're away. Elm and Willow are rapidly taking over the bare areas where spruce have been taken down by beetles. And the riverbanks are green and have wilted blue and white wildflowers. Even the banks are in need of rain. It's perfect forest-fire weather. This morning, there is the slightest smell of smoke and it looks hazy in the distance.

I hear Minnesota is about 20 degrees cooler and has been getting plenty of rain. I always feel like I'm flying into a tropical rainforest when we go there from here in the summer. There are so many degrees of the color green. I'm sure coming home to this arctic desert after being in sandy desert would seem lush and green also.

This is some of the summer work that awaits us. We also plan to build a composter, 6 garden beds, and a wood shed. Also, with my boys and while they nap, I will pick raspberries, blueberries, and high bush cranberries to my heart's content . . . until the snow falls.

Over It

Alright, 31.5 nights down and 3.5 to go without dad, my husband, the man around. I'm over it. It's not fun anymore. Now, I want someone to pack my bags and clean my kitchen. Not going to happen but still nice to dream about. Nap? Sign me up. Who's crabby? Oh, that's just me, the mom. I've been crabby for two nights now. Not bad, but still complaining.

The baby's asleep. The toddler's smacking quietly. The dog is snoring. Grandma is down the road is watching television. The neighbor is reading a book on his deck, the other neighbor's staring at the television, I'm sure. I can just imagine my husband at work, on the radio, running around, "putting out fires." A great friend went off to Anchorage to do a friend's taxes, another is packing for a Valdez fishing adventure. Who the heck knows what the rest of my friends are doing, but it would be nice to hear from them now. I shouldn't have returned that kid backpack that was loaned to me yet . . . could've brought the kids on the night hike.

You know, I think that is what my problem is. I haven't been hiking in 7 days (correction, only 3)! Eureka! I've been spending too much time outside not hiking. I've stacked wood, picked up the yard. My garden is growing. My trees, new and old are cared for. I've had plenty of retail therapy. Playgrounds . . . which one haven't we visited? I guess tomorrow we should walk to the playground to meet our friends. Not drive. I think that will make me feel much, much better.

Spring Hikes 2011

Mmmm coffee. I am addicted. We've spent a lot of quality time outside during the last two months, an excuse to stay busy and enjoy the beautiful Alaskan spring while my husband works, sleeps, splits wood and before we spend June in the midwest. We're tired, in a good way. It's great to be able to get some good sleep even when it's light outside. And it's also great that my husband never forgets to make me a cup of coffee in the morning, no matter how hard he's worked all night.

I'm mentally prepared for vacation. I ordered my son, who because of two bee-stings in the fall is terrified of mosquitoes, an Original Bug Shirt. He is so excited about it that when the cashier at Fred Meyers grocery started telling him about mosquito "kisses," he told her, "My mom got me a bug coat!" I also ordered nylon insecticide-treated gaiters for my husband who'll be working outside and new rubber boots for both boys, who needed them anyway, which ticks have trouble climbing. For myself, I got a couple of books. My son talked, sang, giggled with his grandparents on the phone for about 30 minutes last night. My husband traded a gun for a chain saw and sent it along with a moose antler mount with his dad and grandma, who recently drove to my parents house on the way to moving his sister from law school to her new working life in Seattle. Everyone's excited.

We hiked the last 4 days in a row. My friend Ashley took the photo above right and more. Usually twice a week is normal for us in spring, summer, and fall, and last year because we had a two year old too heavy for me to carry and too small to walk himself we had to base our family hikes around my husband's schedule. But, this year, I can take them both myself on any hike up to about 2.5 miles. Today, we're tired from all of the fresh air, and are just going to relax, attend a party in the evening, and get ready for another at least 3 hikes next week.

You can really tell how warm and dry it's becoming. Yesterday, there was a strong breeze, and during our hike at 3:45pm a fire emerged maybe 40 acres to our northwest, on the ridge next to us. They call it Moose Mountain, and it has our best downhill ski hill. I was on the green ridge in front of it and happily skipped the playdate after the hike to run home, a safe distance away from the blaze.

I'm thankful to my friend Bre, who loaned me her Deuter Kid Comfort II pack, which made all these great hikes enjoyable. I have a bum shoulder, which usually acts up from a kid pack, but it's been just fine. This kid pack feels as good as my regular backpacking pack, an XS Women's Gregory pack, and I'm carrying around almost the weight. Some of the first hikes we did there was still snow, so we stuck to the hard pack on the Chena River (photo, right, by Sadie).

I've done a couple night hikes with the Fairbanks Area Hiking Club and wasn't the only one carrying a kid. My friend Loda introduced me to this club and the Fairbanks Cycle Club a couple of years ago and both have really opened my eyes to local outdoor opportunity. You don't have to plan an overnight adventure to have a lot of fun outside around here. Some of my favorite short hikes that are right in the Fairbanks area (or they could be long) are on the

Equinox Trails, UAF Trails, Chena Lakes/Flood Plain/Moose Creek Bluff Trails, Ester Dome (pictured below left), Birch Hill, Isberg Trails, and Skyline Trails.

One of the books I will read on vacation is Outside in the Interior by Kyle Joly. It is supposed to be the best book out there on hikes in the Interior of Alaska, so I'm hoping to plan some late summer and fall hikes and camping trips based on it.

When our older son was one, we backpacked the Kesugi Ridge and camped and hiked Tangle Lakes. Last summer, with two kids, my husband took a fishing trip with his dad on the Chitina River and we as a family camped at Cripple Creek. We've done day hikes on Chena Dome Trail and Wickersham Dome Trail. I have some new ideas for this year. I can't wait until my two boys are big enough to carry their own packs and explore on their own two feet. I hope we are financially able to take them around the world like my parents did with me. This is an advantage of having fewer kids, and I think its well-worth it.

We've done some solo hikes as well. My son ascended Moose Creek Bluff on his own two feet. He was so proud. The last time we went, about 6 months ago, he was on his dad's back. He is so much bigger now. Here's my little dinosaur atop his mountain, probably a couple hundred feet high.

Graduation Day #3

I want to remember this day forever. When I think back to details of my high school and undergraduate graduation days, I don't remember the little things. I was valedictorian and magna cum laude with honors. We had big parties and for one even my mom had someone come to tell my fortune in front of all of the guests. We hung tons of photos and video taped them to music. My mom's best friend made a gorgeous quilt displaying all of my memorable tee and sweat shirts.

"Mommy, you have 3 boys?" he asks. He holds his fingers up and counts: "me, baby Dikodai, n daddy." "Bobbi's boy, baby Sate's a boy, Artur, Tedar, Wiwyam, Mista Ben," he continues to list every male he knows. "Juya's a girl. Misses Hale, gamma Dinda . . . "

Kissing a wet, soft baby head, while feeding a bottle of cold milk. Sun streaming through the windows. A little hand open wide caressing a blue, green and white soft blanket with soccer balls and a comfortable wool striped sleepsack. Downstairs, a toddler playing happily alone: roaring like a dinosaur, stomping, and banging toys around.

In a steamy bath, watching a wet 3yo slowly dump water onto a 1yo's head and carefully smoothing out his thin hair. Enjoying sounds of pretend rockets, shells clacking, fists pounding, simple conversation.

Intervening while two boys fight over who gets to sit in a white wooden rocking chair. Baby cries of frustration.

The dry heat of bright sun on brown grass and a slight breeze blowing bubbles away. Sticky fingers and dusty faces.

A peaceful picnic by a front yard river that husband made for us. Four tired bodies with full bellies and happy faces.

A phone call mom, who watched the long ceremony live on her computer, while she did chores, such as hung laundry out on the clothesline.

Balloons falling, a surprise. Thirst. Hunger. A speech on climate change. And a lot of engineers. Fixing master's hoods for nervous guys. Being proud.

Prepping food for kids' babysitters, dressing boys in cute clothes, eating breakfast late, changing my outfit to jeans because not having all the items I need, showering, sleeping in, husband on nights waking with the kids.

It's all about my 3 boys. And Harley. And my parents too. My friends. Other family. I feel so blessed today. And every day.

Good Friday

Today was good for many reasons. My husband came home with news of high praise from his boss during the 6 month evaluation of his recent supervisor role. It was deserved, but was not expected so soon. I went to an Aveda salon and had my hair fixed. My husband cut it straight across the last couple of times because I was short on time and patience, and I haven't had it foiled at least for the last four years I have been studying and growing children. My head feels three pounds lighter, and I in general feel a tad bit like I am starting to regain care for my appearance. To make up for lost time, I asked for blonde, red, and black all at once. I received news that my degree has been awarded. This is news that I never thought that I would hear for some reason. There are so many loopholes to obtaining a degree from a university you've never even been to and through people you have never met. I give myself credit for creativity and persistence. Its been cold, so I started a fire in the house. Soon after, the sun came out, and the kids and I enjoyed a warm evening outside playing in the yard. After tonight, my husband has three nights off. While we are sleeping, on those nights off, he will split and stack the 10 cord of word that is sitting in our driveway. And I'm sure that we will all go out to dinner.

I keep journals for my kids. I have a lot of entries early on, but lately the entries are about 6 months apart. Writing to two kids is much more work than writing to one, and there are twice as many distractions. The main problem for me is actually that since the only thing I write on paper with a pen is grocery lists, I have a hard time writing as quickly as I think anymore. Here is what I type to you tonight, my dears.

My older boy, you can dress yourself. You take commands like a champ and give them just as well. You are beginning to become quite inquisitive and are taking things to the next level. Lately, you are interested in feeding your brother and washing his hair in the bath. While we were outside playing tonight, you weren't anymore interested in playing in the sandbox, riding bike, or exploring the playground. You wanted to explore the woods with me instead. You've been always up for an adventure, which makes you my kind of guy. The other night you walked a mile and half with me in less than an hour without effort. You just announced "Just me and my mom,"from my bed, where you are waiting for me to read. It is the title of one of the books from your grandma Gigi. This series of "Little Critter" books by Mercer Mayer books are the only books you will allow me to read anymore. Even though you don't admit to liking hugs and keep your distance, I know you are a sensitive guy because of all of the demands you make and because these books are all about feelings and dealing with tough stuff in life. You have the best imagination in the world and you definitely don't get it from me. You have beautiful, thick, white hair that grows really quickly, which you obtained from both me and your dad. You are dense, which means you probably have good bones and muscles, and you still have some baby chub on your cheeks, which makes you particularly handsome. If you're like me, you'll have that until you're in middle school. You're starting to take a liking to songs although I don't think you will have much rhythm or ear; maybe you'll prove me wrong.

My sweet baby who loves hugs and kisses, you are sleeping so well since I weaned you just before 15 months. I can't believe how quickly you've grown. You learn new skills before I can even think of them because you're smart, you have an older sibling to watch, and because you were born 2 months ahead of your brother in the calendar year. You can entertain yourself extremely well. You have no problem tackling the outdoors. You can already shovel sand into a cup, bathe in the big bath with your brother, and walk up and down hills. You like to climb things and are pretty brave, but sometimes you get upset when you can't figure out how to get out/down by yourself (right). You to my surprise are extremely well-adjusted around new people, even adults. Some say you are a flirt because you have a great smile that you aren't afraid to show. You have said a few words other than Mama and Dada. I think Da for Dog. Caca for Cracker. And Shh for Fish or Shoe, maybe a few others. You hold your feet up and ask me to put your socks, pants and shoes on. You get me some food from the cupboard if you're still hungry after I've stuffed you. You can really pack away the food. You're almost 16 months and you show when you're upset but scrunching up your face. I think for the most part we communicate well and I don't see you becoming a child who throws tantrums but a patient one instead. Your hair is thin, soft, a bit curly, and light brown. You have your brother's light hazel eyes and my thin body, but you are larger in overall build than your brother was at your age. I give you probably a hundred kisses every day. When you won't let me anymore, I'll have to do it when you're asleep, like I do to your brother sometimes.

School's Out for Good

9pm, the sun's high, and all I can hear is the sound of the little guys chomping away on their cereal treats. We took a trip to Walmart and Lowe's, mostly to get out of the house but also because I found some things I had intended to return but had forgotten about until I cleaned out my cupboards. I'm not used to running errands with the kids so it was fun to take them out; everyone thinks they're the cutest things on earth so we end up engaging in conversation with many.

School was done yesterday. De-cluttering began yesterday also. After two full days at home (albeit 2 trips to great-grandma Carol's and 1 surprise visit from grandpa Bob), we all needed to get out. School, these last 4 years, has been wonderful for me. Deadlines, challenges, and a community of people. Looking forward, I will have to accomplish a new set of goals.

Now, they're communicating in quiet screams. One says, "Aaaah." The other says, "Eeeeh." It's cute, not annoying. They do this in the car also, little screeches and talking in gibberish, which is highly entertaining for both of them. They giggle at each other a lot while I'm driving.

30 minutes later . . . we've relocated to the bath. 4th bath today. Apparently, the organic whole cow's milk yogurt is a bit too high in lactose or fat because something upset the babe's microbes and he's been pooping every time he eats, which is pretty much all of the time. He drinks a lot of organic whole and eats a lot of fruits and veggies anyway, so actually I'm surprised this hasn't happened sooner. Poor red butt. And being the sensitive child he is he screams bloody murder each time he poops. When I pick him up he holds his legs together. He is not a happy camper, but I am sure all will be well with the world by tomorrow or the next day. It's reminiscent of the new-born days, except this time he's crying for a real reason.

The boys are pretending they are driving a "choo choo" train, making train noises and giggling, in the bath.

Now, 9:45. One is asleep and the other is going to help me clean downstairs before his bedtime.

Dad has been working for almost 2 weeks now on his 35 night stint and we're quite adjusted. The first 2 nights for me were hard, just as during any of his normal 7 day nightshifts. We see him in the mornings; he makes me coffee and sometimes breakfast and a fire.

I rejoined "Mod Mamas and Trendy Tots" today, a Meetup.com group that I was kicked off of 2 years ago due to my lack of participation. I have a great group of mom friends, but one lives far away, one has a newborn, two more are very pregnant, and others are busy with work, school, and older children. I am becoming quite bored and unsatisfied with Facebook and think often of quitting. This is a group of about 50 moms, who are quite active in the community. I'll go swimming with them on Friday. Just like the hiking club or the biking club or going to yoga, doing something with a group for me is impetus to get out, even if I would be just as happy doing the activity alone with my kids or solo.

Waiting for Spring

Well, there actually hasn't been any waiting for anything around here. I'm not sure where the last 6 months of winter have gone, but they're gone. There's little snow, and the river is fluid again.

Refineries age and every three years or less there is a "turnaround" maintenance period where everyone works every day or every night for over a month. So, I'm not too proud to say I'm at the library blogging while my kids are at the babysitter, just so I can have a break. It's only day 3 of 35 so that's not saying much for my single-mom capabilities. I know I will learn to do just fine, but not having my better half around has left me quite sleepless at night and tired during the day. I am thankful that today it is finally cloudy and a bit rainy and that the everlasting sun decided to take a short break. It's nice to have a lazy, rainy day every so often.

Soup season is gone and puddle season is flying by us. The front yard is very wet, but the quickly thawing ground and trees are happy to absorb the moisture. Harley and his little buddy are happy to sport their new wagon from grandma Linda around the neighborhood. Seriously, I've never seen a baby so happy. And the brother in blue is having quite a time splashing, throwing rocks in puddles, and discovering reflections and shadows in water that until recently didn't exist. In two days, he's already fallen and drenched himself three times.

Oh, the taxidermy. Yes, my husband's hobby from time to time. This one is special 1) because it's a buffalo instead of a moose 2) getting a buffalo tag in AK is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity 3) his uncle and grandfather got one the year before his grandfather passed away on his uncle's birthday, St. Patrick's day. I ordered the metal plaque for it to display a photo of the two of them with their kill, so I feel like I made a small contribution.

Grrrrrrr, a Day at Home

I had been looking everywhere for three days for my largest glass pans. It never occurred to me they would be in the oven, but there they were full of boiling grease when I went to insert my fish and veggies. When I moved them to the sink they shattered, exploded more like, hot glass all over the place. Luckily, no chunks landed on the baby at my feet, but it sure did make a mess. Apparently, I need to keep better tabs on what is happening in the kitchen.

The toddler is at my side whining. He wants to play "hide and seek" or "follow the leader" or "dinosaurs talking to one another" all of which I'm bored.

The baby has climbed to the top of a toy car ramp and is asking for help down. Thank goodness, this morning, I taught the toddler how to get him down. And, in fact, the toddler just rushed over and is saving his brother's life as I type. It looks like he's sticking by the car ramp to play. Oh, nope, he started whining again. I think I whined a lot as a kid, bored, wanting mom and dad to play with me. It's worse for him today because he's been staying up too late and sleeping in too late (we all have actually), so it was my idea that he didn't have a nap today, which he still needs at age 3.

The first thing my kid asked me this morning was, "Where are we going?" We are usually pretty busy. Last week the boys went to their grandpa's to play, two mornings they went to play with kids at the daycare, swimming twice, one hike/bike ride, a pizza party, lots of outdoor play, dinner at another friend's place, and one day they had their friends over to play all day long. Oh, and another day with grandpa. This week we have 4 birthday parties to attend.

So, today, the farthest we went was down the street on the sleds. It was nice, but I can tell we are all missing the action.

Oh brother. Little brother just ripped up the toddler's favorite tiny notepad. "Fix my book, please, mommy girl." Yes, he calls me "mommy girl" and calls "daddy boy."

The oven's calling. Time for dinner. And then an early bedtime.

Another Happy Bum

I'm telling you, this cloth diapering is spreading like wildfire.

Four covers, 30 diapers, a washable pail liner, a snappi, and some soap: $100. My cousin Christina in MN and I gave this gift to my cousin, Christina's brother, and his wife for the arrival of their new baby, because they too wanted to save time, money, space, and chemicals.

I can't wait to meet baby Riley's cute bum when we go to visit her in June.

I Can Even Cook

I am over a major hurdle. I have almost (besides the budget) finished a mock-research proposal for a class. I chose a topic that is dear to my heart (antibiotic contamination in milk and its effect on infant immune system) and here I sit surrounded by reams of printed publications in analytical chemistry, microbiology, and immunology that I am very excited to burn. I will not always readily accept a prescription from our physicians, eat a non-organic meat, vegetable or by-product, or trust the FDA like I did before. There is this whole world out there when you start reading written work that is only available through password protection vs what you can find on the open-access internet. I just have to figure out how to maintain this access to the library after I graduate so that I can continue to make educated decisions about our family's lifestyle. I knew this work was going to take me a long time and that is why I started it just after christmas. I am almost done spending every waking moment on this project and focus on the other remaining school work (and there is a lot).

I think that this tough semester came at a good time in my life. My three-year old can play by himself, sleep well, obey well, and lend a hand. The one year old requires a lot more supervision, but he takes a nap and sleeps through most of the night, and I am healed enough from the pregnancy and birth now that I have enough energy. If I don't exert myself physically or mentally throughout the day I lie sleepless at night. That is normal for me and I'm glad to be back there. Although the house has never been as tidy as it was with only one kid, I can keep it together even when my husband isn't around to help. He's been working for 8 days (actually nights) now and I've managed to vacuum our too big house a couple of times (dog shedding season + baby phase throw food off of highchair), read to and bathe the kids each night, attend their activities, socialize with friends, exercise, and the most challenging for me: cook some great meals. Yes, even with a broken cooktop or maybe because of a broken cooktop, I've enjoyed some ham + sweet potato fries, salmon chowder, moose steak peanut broccoli stir fry, sausage red cabbage spring rolls, squash and kidney bean sofrito soup, and my favorite which was the most simple and spur of the moment: baked rock fish with fresh onions and tomatoes along with salted and buttered brussel sprouts.