mojitomama’s Neighborhood

I post this rather sheepishly because I know it's not extraordinary to grow tomatoes.  I've read they're some of the easiest vegetables to grow.  But, for me the following photo does show a gardening feat (as I tend to kill anything green)...or at least vast improvement from where I was in garden cultivation a couple years ago.

They taste amazing.  Which is definitely worth the little bit of work it takes.  Also, in the age of the salmonella scare the peace of mind knowing these were grown in my backyard helps.

I will definitely be growing more of these babies in subsequent years. Now if only I could move to a new residence with a little more land...

Before 8 o'clock this morning, I changed my clothes twice (not including pajamas). Yes, that's right - I'm in my third outfit of the day.

My sweet little boy decided to throw applesauce at me at breakfast as his way of letting me know that his teeth hurt. After a stern "We do not throw things at Mommy", he started crying and promptly finished his applesauce. Once he was done with breakfast, I changed my clothes.

While I did that, I let him play for a while. Before long he came to me, arms open and a big grin on his face... and a certain odor emanating from his rear. I hugged him tightly, then put him down to change his diaper. (After all, I had no intention of letting him sit in a dirty diaper for any length of time.) He put up a good fight, but I succeeded in getting his diaper off... only to have him reach over and throw it (and all its contents) at me. This resulted in another stern "We do not throw things, especially at Mommy!" and a hasty cleaning and rediapering from me and a few additional water works from The Boy.

Let's just say I've never been so happy to drop him off at school and come to work.

.:What I'm Watching:.

30 Days, Season 2. [What better way to give people a crash course in empathy than to have them inhabit somebody else's life for 30 days? That's exactly what Super Size Me director and star Morgan Spurlock does on this popular FX Network show. Season 2 opens with "a border-patrolling minuteman" moving in with an undocumented Mexican family and continues with episodes on abortion, New Age healing, prisons (with Spurlock himself spending time behind bars) and more. ~netflix] the first story was truly touching and amazing. the other ones were entertaining for sure, but didn't pull on my heartstrings like the first one did. looking forward to the second disc. this show is way better than the other trashy reality tv shows. 4 stars.

Cannibal! The Musical. [Featuring riotous tunes, crass humor and sight gags galore, this hilarious genre bender set in 1873 chronicles the tale of Alferd Packer (Trey Parker of "South Park" fame) -- the only American ever found guilty of cannibalism. With Packer at the helm, a party of gold prospectors gets stranded in the midst of a savage Rocky Mountain winter, and next thing you know, ribs and liver are on the menu. "South Park" co-creator Matt Stone also stars. ~netflix] schpadoinkle! before there was South Park, there was Cannibal! The Musical. and seriously, i LOVE this movie. i don't know that anyone else really does. but i LOVE it. 5 stars, damn it!

The Incredible Hulk. [Edward Norton stars as Bruce Banner in this version of the classic comic book tale about a doctor who searches for a cure for his exotic condition, which causes him to transform into a huge green monster when under duress. Drawing closer to finding a remedy, Dr. Banner becomes sidetracked as he's pursued first by the military and then by a rival monster known as the Abomination. Robert Downey Jr. co-stars as adversary Tony Stark. ~netflix] okay. i was kinda disappointed in it. i wanted less talky-talky and more hulk-smashy-smashy. and i seriously wanted to hulk-smash liv tyler's face EVERY TIME SHE TALKED. there were a lot of moments where i just had to roll my eyes and just ignore them because it just annoyed me so much. 2.5 stars. also, the netflix synopsis there makes it sound like robert downey jr actually co-stars. uhm. he doesn't. he's in it for all of ... MAYBE 5 minutes. at the very end.

The Middleman. [A struggling artist is recruited by a secret agency to fight against evil forces. Based on the graphic novels by Javier Grillo-Marxuach and Les McClaine. ~imdb.com] way fun. i was a little iffy about it because the promo posters totally sexed up Wendy Watson's character, but the show is really fun with really good dialogue. i'd suggest reading the comic it's based on, as well. 4 stars.

Penelope. [Penelope Wilhern (Christina Ricci) is cursed, and the only way out of it is to fall in love with someone of suitable stock. But how can she possibly find her soul mate when she's sequestered inside her family's sprawling estate with only her parents (Catherine O'Hara and Richard E. Grant) to keep her company? Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon co-produced this unconventional fairy tale about a girl who bucks convention to make her own happy ending. ~netflix] it was cute. not a great movie, but i liked it. i thought it was kind of sweet, and at the same time still having that girl empowerment thing going on. oh, and also, Burn Gorman (Owen in Torchwood) makes an appearance. i love him. too bad they didn't give him more to do in this movie. Nick Frost (Spaced, Shaun of the Dead, Hyperdrive) is also in it very briefly. 3 stars.

Samurai Jack, Season 2. [The Emmy-winning series' sophomore season finds the young samurai again wrestling with a bizarre future universe and trying desperately to return to the past. Meanwhile, he continues to do battle with malevolent wizard Aku (who transported the Japanese warrior to the future) and his many minions. Boasting amazing animation and action-packed story lines, this compilation of 13 episodes will keep the kids riveted. ~netflix] i think this season is less focused than the first season. sometimes they'd have completely unrelated things in an episode and i'd get slightly confused. still giving it 4 stars, though.

Wild China. [This six-part series from the BBC uncovers some of the most exotic and uncharted natural habitats hidden within the vast and diverse topography of China, including Yunnan's forests, the Tibetan plateau, the Silk Road and the Mongol steppes. Through high-definition and other cutting-edge camera technologies, the footage presented here captures stunning wildlife sequences, along with a plethora of breathtaking landscape photography. ~netflix] fascinating. really. i'm serious! it's really interesting to watch. i am enjoying the heck out of it. 4 stars.

.:What Mia's Watching:.

The Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation. [The Care Bears (NobleHeart, TrueHeart, TenderHeart, SwiftHeart, FunShine and Grumpy) fight an evil demon named DarkHeart who wants to stop all caring and loving on Earth. In a pact with DarkHeart, an unhappy girl agrees to help capture the Care Bears using a magical crystal. Will the warm and caring bear clan prevail over the evil DarkHeart and his misguided minion? ~netflix] mia really liked watching the fuzzy, chubby bears. hehe. at the end, she was totally doing that audience participation thing... they ask if anyone else cares and she started chanting, "we care! we care!" hehe... and THEN she started really getting into yelling, "i care! i care!" yeah. it was funny as hell. also, she was totally dancing during the end credits to that bad 80s music they had going on. hehe. she'd probably give it 4 stars. hehe.

Clifford's Really Big Movie. [Colossal canine Clifford (voiced by the late John Ritter) lives with his wonderful owners, the Howard family, whom he loves. But soon, the lovable red dog wonders whether his oversized stature is becoming a burden on his family. Hoping to rid them of the responsibility, Clifford joins a traveling animal circus with his buddies Cleo (voiced by Cree Summer) and T-Bone (voiced by Kel Mitchell). ~netflix] mia still informs me every now and again that, "it's a good day to go watch the clifford movie!" she really enjoyed it and had a fun time at the movies. mia would give it 4 stars... if she knew how to rate movies. hehe. the animation in the movie is much better than the animation on the PBS television show.

An old college housemate of mine, Emily, runs some safari lodges in Uganda, and just sent us the most amazing photos of lions, which she took herself. The photos are just too amazing to not share, so, with her permission, here they are, with the text of her message:

"Dear All,
 
Well for anyone who has been with me to Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, knows that I didn’t believe that the tree climbing lions existed, I thought it was all marketing (just kidding!)…..for years I have tried numerous times seeing them….taking a ranger….driving around all day looking for them…..i finally spotted them! And saw them up really close….almost a little to close for comfort….except for the photo op!
 
These are beautiful photos, taken right at the base of the tree…..the females were not paying attention to us because there was a herd of antelope near by and I think they were getting hungry…..!  Wow…..what an experience!  It made our day and made the long drive we were on completely worth it!
 
Enjoy!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other day I was at Whole Foods, quaffing a coffee and bakery samples (oh you've done it too) and I noticed a new reusable shopping bag they were selling. The Feed 100 Bag is produced by FEED Project*, and for every bag that is sold, 100 meals are provided to school children in Rwanda through the World Food Program. The bag is $30, so for that you get what I feel is the best reusable bag I've ever owned, and you get to provide 100 kids with a meal (and come on, when was the last time you fed 100 people with $30, let alone at Whole Foods). Only downside: no tax receipt. But let me tell you why this bag rocks: First of all, it folds into a wallet-sized pouch, so it fits in your purse/diaper bag, but the pouch is made of burlap, and becomes a sturdy base for the bag, so you can actually set it down without everything falling out, and it offers some protection. The next great thing is that the inside has a bunch of large pockets, so you can divide out your stuff, or even use the bag to comfortablly carry your wallet, keys, etc., which is impossible with mesh bags, and awkward with flimsy cotton bags. Thirdly, The wide straps actually sit comfortably and securely on your shoulder. They are also secured with grommets, so you can expect the handles to last a while. I've been looking for a reusable bag that I could use exclusively for non-food purchases, and I think this one is it. I took it to the mall today for some clothes shopping for my son and husband, and I fit a lot of stuff in it, and because of its sturdy square shape, the folded clothes stacked nicely and didn't get crumpled (one of my pet peeves). I'm thinking it would make a great gift for an environmentally- and socially-aware friend.

* Yes, FEED Project was founded by Lauren Bush, who is the President's neice and a former model, but I'm not holding that against her. This bag rocks.

And two more on the way. It turns out, The Boy was waking up in the middle of the night with teething pains. This would also explain why he would put both hands in his mouth, his pudgy little fingers pressing down on his bottom gums as he tried to relieve some of the pressure. It's the canines this time. It figures; we breezed through his first molars and his upper canines, so why shouldn't he torment us with the lower ones?

So, he's back on Tylenol before bedtime. It worked marvelously last night; he didn't wake until just after 6 this morning and I was able to get a (relatively) good night's sleep. I kept having weird dreams.

It's so weird to think that just a year ago, he didn't have any teeth, and that he'll have half of his teeth in just a few short weeks. Isn't that crazy? I mean, I know he'll start losing his baby teeth in a few years and all, but almost half of his teeth are in!

[sigh] He's growing up too fast.

If you could take a class right now and learn anything in the world, what class would you take?

Sewing.

Or Photography, but since I already took photography classes in college, I really do want to learn to sew.

Show us a music video that tells a great story.
Submitted by notreallylois.

One of the funniest songs ever that would be deemed inappropriate these days.

I miss the '80s. Back then, people had a sense of humor.

I really like my Classic Rock station on Pandora, but for some weird reason every other song is a break-up song! Check it:

• "Second Chance" by .38 Special
• "Lyin' Eyes" by the Eagles
• "Bringin' on the Heartbreak" by Def Leppard
• "Alone" by Heart (okay, not a breakup song, but not exactly upbeat, either)
• "Black" by Pearl Jam (not exactly classic rock, I know, but Pandora says the musical stylings are similar)
• "Say You Love Me or Say Goodbye" by REO Speedwagon
• "Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad" by Def Leppard (you gotta love Def Leppard)

You know, I already have an Angst station. I don't need my classic rock station to make me want to curl up in a ball and cry, too!

And before I forget...

This was what I saw when I turned around to check on The (all-too-quiet) Boy en route to school this morning:

(Sorry about the awful blurriness. It's hard to hold the phone steady while driving.)

Anyway, what totally made me laugh out loud this morning (and the reason I needed to capture it) was that he quietly was flipping through his book and actually looked like he was reading it because it was properly oriented and everything.

Here's hoping I've got a bookworm in the making!