not so new, but oh so cute

so i recently watched "where the wild things are," and i was really into the soundtrack done by karen o. and the kids (her kids? random kids? just a name? anyone know?). the movie was okay. it was pretty depressing through most of the movie, but i still recommend everyone see it at least once. it's an interesting take on the classic book, and it's still a pretty good movie.

i'm tangenting back to music now. so i was thinking about that music and whether or not i wanted to get that soundtrack or whatever, but i only heard snippets of songs in the movie obviously. while looking at the soundtrack info for the movie on amazon, the site gave me a recommendation for this album:



i know it looks like it could be a really long name for an indie band, but it's actual recordings a teacher did of his students back in the 70s. they covered songs from the beach boys, fleetwood mac, bowie, the eagles, and so much more. it sounds soooooooo good and darling that it made me want to cry. i am totally buying a copy of it for our family, so i can sing these songs with my kids. (i don't know about you, but i've got a lot of music with inaudible words that are not that fun for izzy and i to sing in the car.) the original songs are great, don't get me wrong. but hearing kids sing songs like these is completely amazing and heartfelt to me. it's like hearing angels sing your favorite songs in heaven or something. anyway, the kids singing is accompanied by them playing instruments too, so it's a billion times better with the different arrangements that mr. ferger (the teacher) put together. this only makes me hope that whatever school we put our kids in still has a music program and that there is an innovative (rockin') teacher like mr. hans ferger.

p.s. i may or may not get the "where the wild things are" soundtrack. guess you will have to find out later.

grunge rock, coffee and microsoft

did you guess it? if you're not my facebook friend too, then you might be confused.

PETE GOT AN INTERNSHIP IN SEATTLE!!!



yes! finally! after all his hard work and "rejections"-poor guy, things finally paid off and he got an offer this past friday. i waited a little while to say anything, because he still had to call today for the particulars. it starts may 16th, so we will probably drive up a few days before that to get settled. not really sure where we will live yet, but i am excited nonetheless. we want to keep it within a budget, since his internship is commission-based (there is high potential to earn mad money, though. wish us luck on that one!). however, we do know we would like to live somewhere fun and close-ish to the city. afterall, this is our only internship and one chance to experience urban living finally (been suburbanites for so long). i want to walk to the grocery store, park and library as much as possible. i don't think that's too much to ask for in a neighborhood...

pete's brother and sister-in-law, 2 cousins and grandma all live up there too, so it will be faleschini funhouse this summer! i can't wait!

what to do if:

you spill nail polish on the carpet

1) don't use nail polish remover. it only makes it worse.

2) don't cut out the stain with scissors. you'll only leave a bald spot.

3) look it up on the internet, because someone always post something about everything. use window cleaner or vinegar-water. it takes some elbow grease, but it will come out and look normal again.

none of these on your tray tables, please.

so on my recent vacation to georgia and florida, izzy got a rash which i am pretty positive was food-related. i am extremely diligent about reading every label known to man, and i make it easier on myself and my kid by eating mostly things that are minimal to no processing at all. i have a theory that some sort of food processing may have played into my child developing or being born with food allergies (specifically peanut).

anyway, she got a rash on her face, arms and legs. not a terrible one, but she is old enough to tell me that she is itchy, and i am a sufferer of many skin issues--so i know how uncomfortable it can be. poor kid.

as we were flying on the plane back to utah, i noticed her face and arms getting irritated and red. and i know that i did not give her anything with eggs or peanuts. everything was checked. everything was read. everything was organic or minimally processed. then i realized, most everyone on the plane including the guy sitting next to me was eating this:




so...would it be mean of me to ask the lead flight attendant--when i fly next--to keep peanuts off the complimentary snack choice?

Grey Gardens

so i recently streamed "grey gardens," the 1975 documentary about jackie bouvier kennedy onassis' relatives--big edie and little edie beale. they were high society women who squandered their fortune and ended up living in squalor.

I came upon the documentary, because someone had mentioned it on this blog when talking about hoarders and weird people and the things they do. i have had this obsession with "hoarders" on a&e lately, and i can't get enough of it. it's so mesmerizing and jaw-dropping. i mean, i collect stuff and have a hard time getting rid of a cute shirt or other item, but some people are really attached. but...i digress.

anyway, "grey gardens" was really interesting. you don't really learn a lot of back-story on how this mother and daughter get to the point of living among raccoons and cooking their meals on an electric stove by their bed. i was so intrigued with their story that i was hoping to find a book about them, but lo and behold! hbo did their own version of "grey gardens," and aptly named it "grey gardens." it stars drew barrymore, jessica lange and jeanne tripplehorn to name a few. there was a lot more research into these women's lives and the docu-drama (as i call it) brings more to light of their life stories. and i gotta say, jessica and drew did an amazing job channeling big edie and little edie.




so if you want something new to watch, check these 2 out. the use of headscarves is very inventive, and cats make a cameo.

there's a party in my tummy. so yummy. so yummy.

one of my favorite indian dishes is lamb saag from "bombay house," but i have tried this dish at other indian restaurants--and it's tasty everywhere. those of you who don't know what that is, it's basically a dish made with pieces of tender lamb and spinach and garlic and tomatoes and ginger and lots and lots of other spices. it's like a taste explosion in your mouth.

i do want to warn you that this has to cook for 1.5 hours. the prep time is nothing, but you have wait for the lamb to tenderize. if you are hesitant to try this because of the aversion to the gaminess of lamb, please don't be. the cooking and all the spices really take all that way, and it's really worth it.

i got up some courage and decided to try it at home, especially once i found a place that i could purchase some lamb. here is the recipe that i got from food network. it was delicious, i couldn't stop eating and sort of made myself sick to my stomach. not good. learn to control.

i took no pictures of my own, cuz i was too busy eating. here is a random one from the web.


now, i gotta take a stab at some naan.

just breathe...

so i had to take izzy in for a well check-up today, because she had an ear infection last month and her weight and height are quite minimal. some of you already know this, but i am not a huge fan of my pediatrician. she is a little terse and has talked to me like i'm an imbecile before. a friend of mine reassured me that this is common in utah, especially the county i live in, due to the amount of (dumb) young mothers. after knowing this, it makes me want to go in and show her my drivers license, the parenting books i've read and the classes i took izzy to as a baby (called ecfe-early childhood family education-it's like a pre-preschool for you and your baby and is sort of a support/play group too. this is why i love minnesota).

anyway, izzy is quite normal and i think even better than some of the other kids in nursery as far as mental development goes. she can do everything that she is supposed to do for her age and even a tiny bit more, and i don't credit any of it to milk or the numerous amounts of fat that my pediatrician has prescribed i give her. yes, i understand that babies/toddlers need it. yes, i know that there are certain vitamins and nutrients in milk and other dairy products that other foods don't have. BUT i don't see why my kid has to be in a specific percentile to be healthy.

she is not malnourished at all. she eats things that most kids won't ever eat until they're grown-ups. she is happy and vibrant and smart and responsive and sociable and can sign and talk. so seriously, pediatrician?! what am i doing wrong?!!!!!