Poole Party of 5

Gratitude

Published on April 11, 2013April 11, 2013 by poolepartyof51 Comment

There is a man in my life that deserves some thanks.

Every morning my kids make a bit of a stink about getting ready for school and then an even bigger stink about getting in the car. What is it about transitions that are so universally difficult? I remember back to when my first son was around two or three years old and we realized that “getting out the door” was one of the great hurdles of parenthood. Well, I take that back… at birth there is a realization that you cannot just walk out the door like a normal person anymore. There is process, procedure and packing to contend with upon every departure. But, once toddlerhood arrives, not only are you packing snacks and making sure the diaper bag is stocked, you are also dealing with a little person that has his or her own ideas of how the day should go. Most likely, you are screwing up their plans.

So, when “getting out the door” becomes enough to make you not want to leave the house, it is time to come up with a new strategy. Usually this involves distraction. The distraction I am currently employing with abandon is helped by this man I mentioned. My husband is wonderful, but this is not the man I speak of. Right now, the favorite “other man” in our house is someone named Chris Ballew. It is true, we don’t even know him, and yet this morning he made “getting out the door” to go to school a dream.

Chris Ballew is a member of the alternative band The Presidents of the United States of America, but he has an alias (which makes him even more popular in my house). He is Caspar Babypants and he is awesome. Since 2009, Chris (or Caspar) has been singing children’s songs that are palatable to adults. There are other great groups who achieve this, but he is the first I learned of and my favorite. Caspar Babypants has released at least six albums and if you don’t know about him yet (and are a parent, an aunt, a grandparent or friend of a child), you need to! One of the things I love about his children’s music project is that he makes his performances very accessible to children around Seattle and many are free to the public. We have gotten to see him perform a few times and my kids go crazy. He is so creative and enthusiastic – it is contagious. Another cool thing about Caspar Babypants is that it is a family run business. His wife, Kate, does all the artwork on the album covers!

So, without further ado… Thanks, Chris, for making my mornings a little easier!

One more thing, if you see us rocking out on the way to school, it is probably to this song:

Youtube links:

Baby’s Getting Up

or maybe this one…

Run Baby Run

Happy Listening!

Newest Album:

Giant Floor Pillows

Published on March 30, 2013April 4, 2013 by poolepartyof55 Comments

So I was wandering the intoxicating halls of Pinterest the other day and came upon the neat project of sewing giant floor pillows. Since my children adore all things associated with forts and pillows, this seemed right up our alley! I am envisioning using these goodies for cozy movie nights, pig piles and all things requiring a bit of cushioning… The awesomely graphic fabrics make them even better! The directions and inspiration are found on Mandy Made’s creative blog and I’m sure you will find all sorts of other things you want to make once you take a stroll through her pages!

I loved the idea of how simple this project looked and couldn’t wait to begin. I happened to have some home decor weight canvas hanging about, just waiting for the right project! As I began this project, I felt like Mandy’s directions were very good and nicely simple. I had a little trouble getting the corners just right, but I still think the pillows turned out well. I made two giant cushions; one following Mandy’s plan of using scraps to fill the pillow (#1, grey with white sides) and one with a little more structure using a foam rectangle covered in batting (#2, yellow with grey sides). If I make more (which I will, since I have three children and currently two coveted pillows), I will follow the second strategy. I like that pillow #2 ended up a lighter in weight and more reliably full. We’ll see if I end up remaking pillow #1, or leave it as is.

I also worked on a different closing method on pillow #2, as I realized that it would be nice to to wash the exterior case. In a house with three kids and a dog who has a penchant for all things soft (and a tendency to shed), these will need to be washed periodically! I ended up using an iron-on velcro closure, which worked like a charm!

The best part about these pillows is I had barely finished closing pillow #2 before the cushions were being put to use in a serious play session! The kids could not keep off of them, as evidenced by these photos (below). I could barely take a picture before the pig piles began! A true sign of success!

Happy Pillow Making!!

Defining Success

Published on March 26, 2013April 4, 2013 by poolepartyof51 Comment

“Making the decision to have a child – it is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ”
― Elizabeth Stone

Along the way I’m sure you have heard a version of this quote by Elizabeth Stone. Sure, it can be thrown in the category of cliche, but it is also very, very true. As parents, our hearts break when our baby emits his or her first cry or when our toddler falls down while taking first steps. It is the seemingly impossible idea of separating from these little ones that causes us pain. The underlying realization is that we are, actually, separate people. Parents cannot protect their children from every form of hurt. We know that growth is the goal, yet growing pains, by definition, hurt. As my children experience new things and grasp growth opportunities, I feel their vulnerability at a visceral level.

We’ve made a push to get our oldest son swooshing down the slopes by participating in weekly ski lessons at our local hill. I won’t lie – it has not been pretty. The experience has been fraught with extreme push back and small successes. Lots and lots of effort, put forth, with a smile, by my lovely husband. I think it is also safe to say husband considers himself part sherpa at this point in the game, with all the toting of gear involved. Throw in a healthy dose of anxiety and tears, and that pretty much sums up the season! As we recount this experience to friends, we remind them (in obnoxious voices full of authority) that the key to teaching kids to ski is to keep expectations low. We are laying the foundation… (said over and over like a mantra). This is a necessary element of sharing this sport with our family. We realize that it will probably be many years until we are actually all skiing together, but this weekend we experienced our first glimpse of success!

We decided to commemorate the end of the season by heading to Canada. In a carefully orchestrated dance, with little one hanging out with a fabulous Australian babysitter, we attempted to ski for the first time as a family! We put the boys in lessons for two days with the experts at Whistler. We skied together in what felt like an actual “date” on the mountain. We saw the boys coming away from their lessons feeling successful. And on the last morning of our trip, Gus and I took both boys (ages 3 & 5) skiing down actual mountains. I don’t even mean the bunny hill! We took them up quad ski lifts, on purpose. We rode the lift together. We executed getting off the lift successfully. We watched the boys make turns. We actually skied together!

It was exciting.

It was exhilarating.

And... It was absolutely terrifying!!

There was the immediate fear: If something happens, can I get to them fast enough?

Then there was the bigger underlying realization: My heart is currently skiing down this mountain!!

This was not the topic I was expecting to write about upon our return. I expected to expound on our feeling of success. Something like… “We did it! We remembered all the gear! We rock!!” Also true. But, in the moment of witnessing my oldest “fearlessly attacking the steep” (as his instructor eloquently put it)… I experienced fear. Why, you say? He was having fun. He was truly skiing. He was going faster than me. And at some point I realized I was totally out of control. I don’t wish to parent my children in a bubble (as much as the idea conceptually appeals to me), not really. I am truly excited to see how they grow, where their passions lie, and what makes them laugh… Danger exists every single day. I know that. And, as you know, I like to think that is is possible to find joy in the everyday.

There was just something so remarkable about experiencing such combating emotions in the same, exact moment. To feel the pride associated with success, right alongside the fear of what might happen in the next instant. Awesome and scary. My mind jumped to what it will be like when our children learn to drive… when they make decisions about drugs and alcohol… and, when they become adults. I had one of those crystal clear moments realizing, “My mom and dad must have felt this exact same feeling… Wow.” I guess this is all part of growing up!

Epiphany

Published on March 15, 2013April 16, 2013 by poolepartyof51 Comment

I realized something this week. In the moment it felt monumental. On this Friday morning, it still feels relevant enough to share. As parents of young people I think it is safe to say, we try to retain a little bit of cool. True, we are not frequenting bars as we might have at one time. True, to stay up past eleven feels like a holiday (that we will eventually pay for). And true, we prefer clothes that are washable. But, we strive to have fun and don’t feel THAT different than we did BC (before children). We know that someday this might not be true. Someday we will probably feel old. Let me be clear that I am speaking of a state of mind, not an actual number. We won’t understand our kids’ choice in music and might use words like whippersnapper. I just haven’t been clear, up until now, what will happen that will make this transition occur.

It is possible this awareness of “departing cool” is what inspired the purchase of five pairs (yes, five!) of awesome boots the very same day we decided we would purchase a minivan. Like so many others before me, I vowed never to own a minivan. And now here we are, defending the purchase to anyone who asks, totally happy with the purchase, and realizing that things do change. (We will also get rid of the thing the minute its useful life in our family is over.) But, still.

Okay, so back to my point. With three children, sleep is a commodity that we want. We want it desperately. We want it for ourselves and we want it for our children. Heck, we’re not selfish, we want it for you! What we would do for it!!! At our house the first step in achieving IT is getting our three children down for the night. Goodnight rituals can feel like they go on forever. There is a lovely feeling that goes along with being so needed, but at a certain point, you just want the little monsters to go to sleep! Then add to that anything out of the ordinary… for us, right now, the youngest is teething and is quite distraught at bedtime. So a few nights ago we reached Near Nirvana with three kids asleep. Yay! (High fives all around.) Minutes later, we hear the loudest motorcycle ever go by our house. Possibly “Hog” would be a more suitable name for this particular machine. Little one wakes up… “Okay, okay, no problem. She’ll go back to sleep,” I tell myself. And she does. Then the Hog goes by again… and again. I find myself letting loose a stream of expletives that has my husband looking at me wide-eyed. And there it was. I am old.

Custom Gifts

Published on March 14, 2013April 4, 2013 by poolepartyof53 Comments

One of the most fun things I get to do with this mini-business / hobby is hear when people have something exciting going on in their lives. My girlfriend called the other day because a new baby had been born in her family! She wanted to celebrate the birth by giving a gift to her nieces when she goes to visit next week. She asked if I could help and we came up with a plan. The new sisters share a letter, both of their first names start with “H”. We decided to make them a coordinating t-shirt and onesie combination with a big “H” for big sister and little “h” for baby.

I love how they turned out and I hope that the girls enjoy sporting their special letter around town. Sisters get to share so much – how fun that they also share a letter! This gift will look fantastic in pictures with the new baby. I love that it celebrates both the family’s new addition and also big sister’s new role!

Remember that Poole Party Designs is happy to work with you on special projects and gifts. If we can help you come up with the perfect gift for a special someone in your life, that makes our day! Hopefully it makes your life easier too…

On another note, the blog has a new look! Spring is around the corner and the blog needed some freshening up! I am still working out some kinks, so please excuse me while we transition! I love hearing your comments, so feel free to let me know your thoughts on the new format!

In Between

Published on March 7, 2013April 4, 2013 by poolepartyof57 Comments

There is a phase in friendship where all feels natural and wonderfully close, but there is a phase right before all that loveliness that feels like a lot of work. As thirty-somethings with three kids, there is not the abundance of time that we once had during college days to forge friendships – through all night gab sessions over beer and mediocre pizza. Most recently we were making baby friends. This is a special phase where new parents support one another with bleary-eyed conversation fueled by coffee and wine, all while googling over our new little lovelies. But time goes on, and relationships shift. Families begin to reallocate time and energy resources to the school community. It makes sense, I get it. We’ll be there soon. With Sam starting kindergarten this fall, I am really looking forward to settling into that new community and being a part of things too.

But right now, this minute, we are in a funny place. We have friends, lots of great friends – some near and some far. Yet, I see that we (and they) are all in transition. Everyone is so damn busy! It is tough to actually carve out time to see one another. People talk about the times in one’s life when close friends are made: early childhood, high school, college, post-college work, when babies are born, and when those babies start elementary school and you meet those kids’ parents… The cycle goes on and on. Plus, add to that the many geographical moves that take us away from loved ones, and there you have it. We’re currently in between. It feels like we are starting over (again).

I yearn to jump forward to a place with a cozy group of friends that feels comfortable, like your favorite hoodie. The one you reach for when you just want to be yourself, to be known. Lately, as we meet new folks and try to find our way, it feels like wearing beautiful heels all the time. The ones that you take off the minute you walk through your front door… And maybe that’s the problem. Eureka! Maybe I have solved it after all! We need to go out into the world with a big smile and favorite-sweatshirt-attitude versus a high-heels-attitude. We’re nice people. Yes, a bit sleep deprived, but we try not to let this fact get us down. Our favorite shows are: Parenthood (well, obviously) and Mentalist (Simon Baker, enough said). We’re semi-sporty. We enjoy long walks and great conversation. We’re perfecting our creme brulee recipe in hopes of wooing you and yours. Just FYI… we’re looking for some new friends and you might be next on our list. Watch out.

I know that this bit of discomfort will pass. Like everything else, it will shift and change. In a few weeks, or months, or years (please god, no), we will nudge each other and say… “Wow! Look at this group of friends we are a part of! I don’t even remember a time when George, and Sally, and Sue weren’t around!” Its probably just around the corner…

Milestones

Published on March 2, 2013April 4, 2013 by poolepartyof51 Comment

My favorite projects start out with a custom request!

My wonderful friend Andie said, “Hey Lesley, I have a god son who has begun losing his teeth. I would love to be the one to give him a tooth fairy pillow. Any chance you could make one?” What a fabulous idea!! I played around with a design until I was satisfied and now Andie’s god son has a sweet little home to keep those baby teeth safe until pick-up from The Tooth Fairy.

And now, the pillows are available for your little ones as well on Poole Party Designs!

As I look at what I am creating these days, it has a lot to do with milestones. Shirts that recognize how many years a child has under his or her belt or a onesie that announces the letter or name that is bestowed at birth. We celebrate birthdays at our house with quite a lot of hoopla and other milestones seem to be the same. As time passes in both a whirlwind and quite imperceptibly, it feels like the only thing I can do is notice, document, and celebrate!

One milestone that we are inching ever closer to, but have yet to hit is the losing of baby teeth. This rite of passage officially moves a child from baby years into kid years and is one more thing to relish and celebrate. The Tooth Fairy. Yikes. As a parent I look at it this event with a bit of trepidation as well. Here is yet another imaginary individual who we, as parents, will answer questions about with false confidence in an effort to make this legend appear magical versus creepy. The fact that we allow a fairy to enter our home undetected time after time is already enough to make me lose a bit of confidence in the telling. One more legend (like the darn Elf on the Shelf) that I will try desperately to remember and try not to totally screw up. Then there is the actual execution. My children are light sleepers. I do not look forward to entering their room once they are (finally) asleep only to possibly wake them up while rummaging around under their pillow! And to remember to do this over sixty times?!?! Wish us luck!! Maybe a personalized pillow will help?!?! Here’s hoping.

Note: My husband would like all readers to know that our family does not necessarily endorse the giving of paper money if and when The Tooth Fairy visits. As I said, we have yet to cross this bridge and don’t have a clue what we are doing! Paper money has been used above for artistic purposes only!

The Perfect Granola

Published on February 16, 2013February 10, 2014 by poolepartyof5Leave a comment

So this is an oldie and a goodie. I have made this granola for Christmas presents over the years and it has been so well received that people often ask for the recipe. It is the one granola I make because it is so delicious and unexpected. Unexpected, you say? Well, yes! The key ingredient is olive oil. It is just the right amount of savory and lightly sweet. I usually add a little more salt and a little less cardamom. The fruit / nut combinations can be changed to what you have around or prefer. The amounts can be played with all day long and it still works.

Some great friends from our time in the Bay Area are coming to visit Seattle for the weekend, so it seemed like the ideal time to make some of this yummy granola. The best part? When the kids woke up super early this morning, I poured myself a cup of coffee, looked in my pantry, and was able to make it with ingredients I had on hand. Once you try this, you, too, will keep all the necessary items in your pantry, just in case.

We have been looking forward to this reunion weekend for weeks. Plotting out the best plans to show off our dear city in both rain and shine weather. As much as I am looking forward to all our fun adventures, the thing I am anticipating most is the down time, everyone waking up in the morning, chatting over cups of coffee (and bowls of granola), picking up these special relationships just where we left off… Enjoy! I know we will.

Olive Oil Granola with Dried Apricots and Pistachios

(from The New York Times, 2009)

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 1/2 cups raw pistachios, hulled

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, hulled

1 cup coconut chips

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

3/4 cup chopped dried apricots

Fresh ricotta, for serving (optional)

Fresh berries, for serving (optional).

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine oats, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, coconut chips, maple syrup, olive oil, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and cardamom. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown and well toasted.

2. Transfer granola to a large bowl and add apricots (or do this step right on the cookie sheet), tossing to combine. Serve with ricotta and fruit, if desired.

Yield: About 9 cups

Patience, Not Perfection

Published on February 12, 2013April 4, 2013 by poolepartyof52 Comments

In our house, the Valentine Season is more about the valentines kids bring to their friends at school than a declaration of romantic love. Meaning, a few weeks ago we set out to make our school valentines and have yet to finish…

The part of me that loves coming up with projects to do with my kids finds this situation completely satisfactory. We get to work on a project together and have hours of entertainment! The kids will have an end product that they get to share with their peers! Fun! The other part of me that is a bit of a perfectionist with said projects is having a harder time with the process. In my mind’s eye, the valentines we made together were finished weeks ago and were exceptionally cute (read: professional).

Then came the realization that I had a choice to make. Would these by my valentines? Or, (correct answer) would these be my kids’ valentines? We all love to show the world what we can do (me included, obviously)… And yes, I do love me a good craft project. So, we compromised. The project did involve Shrinky Dink hearts and it did involve some group stamping, but more importantly, it involved letting my kiddo practice writing names over and over again. I must admit to feeling a teensy bit proud of myself that I did not take the pen away to write all the valentines myself (in my efficient, adult penmanship), but rather I am allowing my five-year-old the time and space to practice his budding handwriting skills night, after night, after night… This may not seem like a big deal. In fact, it may sound quite insane. But each of us has things we do well and areas where we are challenged. Right? (Insert head nod here.) Small victories.

In the end, these valentines will end up in the recycling bin after a day or two, but my son will feel more confident writing his and his brother’s names going forward. As we encourage our little people to spread their wings and master new skills, it is a good reminder, that although a project may take longer (most likely), will be messier (guaranteed), and may turn out differently than imagined (quite probably), there is more to be gained from the process than from doing it all ourselves. I am hopeful that we will be done by Thursday morning… Fingers crossed. Clearly, handwriting is not the only lesson being learned from this project!

Winter Greens Pesto

Published on January 28, 2013April 4, 2013 by poolepartyof51 Comment

Another cabin fever recipe…

Last week we were stuck at home, recuperating from some bug or another that just didn’t want to leave our house. We’ve finally rid ourselves of all symptoms, so I have the time (and hands) to write this. As I was experiencing that “we’ve-been-at-home-for-5-days-straight” feeling, I attempted to add in a little spice to our program with some inspiration from theKitchn. I was intrigued when I saw that they had done a piece on winter greens pesto! What a cool idea! One typically thinks of pesto as a summer treat, while basil is growing like crazy in the garden. One doesn’t necessarily think of making it in winter. I am learning how to incorporate the likes of kale and friends into our diet, but am always looking for new ways to cook with them. Their main point was that pesto can be made out of just about anything – it is incredibly flexible, so get creative! TheKitchn had a link of “How to Make Perfect Pesto Every Time” and I really liked their description below:

“Traditional Italian pesto is, of course, made strictly with basil, pine nuts, parmesan, garlic, and really good olive oil. It’s a classic sauce, no contest.

But you can switch out the basil for another handy herb or leafy green, replace the (crazy expensive, if delicious) pine nuts with a different favorite nut, or swap the parm for pecorino or asiago. Use more or less of anything to suit your tastes. Heck, you can even make a lower-fat pesto by replacing some of the olive oil with ricotta cheese!

Bottom line: green + nuts + cheese + olive oil = awesome sauce, literally. Whiz it up in a blender and you can’t go wrong.”

I tried two different varieties last week just to test out the versatility of this recipe. First up was arugula, and next was kale; both turned out beautifully. The two best things about this recipe were that I already had most of the ingredients in my pantry and it only dirtied one appliance. Since the recipe is made in the Cuisinart, it was super simple to throw together and also a quick clean up! Like traditional pesto, these versions are great tossed with pasta, spread on a sandwich or bruschetta, or added by the spoonful to your favorite soup! The recipe I liked the looks of best was from My Homespun Home. It is delicious!

Arugula Walnut Pesto
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

2 cups loosely packed arugula
4-5 basil leaves
1 1/2 cups walnut halves
1-2 garlic cloves
1/3-1/2 cup high quality olive oil
3/4 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Finely ground sea salt, to taste

In a food processor, combine the arugula, basil, walnuts, and garlic. Blend until the mixture is a coarse paste, then slowly add in about half the olive oil as the machine is running. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the cheese, lemon juice, and zest, and continue blending, adding the remaining oil until the pesto reaches your preferred consistency–I like it nicely spreadable and creamy. Depending on how salty your cheese is (and, honestly, how finely or coarsely it’s grated), you may need to add a pinch or two of salt at the end. Or more cheese. Everything is better with more cheese.

Enjoy!

So, without further ado… Thanks, Chris, for making my mornings a little easier!

Happy Listening!

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“Making the decision to have a child – it is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ” ― Elizabeth Stone

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Olive Oil Granola with Dried Apricots and Pistachios

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“Making the decision to have a child – it is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ”
― Elizabeth Stone