Day 1212 | Podcasting

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As of today, I'm officially a podcaster. You might remember that I did some guest appearances on my friend Mary Catherine's podcast. I always had a blast doing it with her (who doesn't love an excuse to chat with a dear friend?!?). When she asked me to join as a co-host with her new mommy-podcast, I jumped at the opportunity. 

The first episode dropped today and our goal is to record two episodes per month. You can listen to the new episode here (there are also details included here about how you can win a free tank top!). Or, if you're new to the world of podcasting, see below for helpful tips to start listening. 

Thanks for listening! We really appreciate your support.

STARR STRUCK RADIO FAQs:

What is a podcast? 
A radio show or audio file that you get from the internet and can listen to at any time. You can listen on Mary Catherine's website (listen to each episode HERE), or you can SUBSCRIBE to get the podcast (directions below) so that it is automatically downloaded to your phone, tablet, or computer each time a new episode comes out. 

How do I get your podcast?
This is the BEST video I've ever seen explaining how to get a podcast (from the great folks at Serial). If you want to subscribe, as they explain in the video, you can do so through the Podcasts app on an iPhone or iPad, or in the Stitcher app on an Andriod device. Or, you can just listen by playing straight from the site, using the player embedded in the shownotes for each episode, which can be found here. 

How do I rate your podcast? 
If you want to rate us (thank you!) but don't know how, here are some simple directions. The only tricky part--if you're already a subscriber, you still have to search for the show in the iTunes store (search "Starr Struck Radio") in order to review it--you can't just select it from your podcast library. 

Day 1211 | The Inversion Table

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After six weeks in PT with limited relief, I'm getting a little annoyed and very frustrated with the fruitless process of attempting to find some relief for my back pain. These days, I've moved onto a new chiropractor in hopes he can shed some light on what's going on.

His diagnosis? Degenerative disc disease (aka a bulging disc). I guess the space between two of my vertebrae (where the arrow is) is much thinner than it should be. If you have any experience reading X-rays, I'd love to hear your thoughts. :)

In the meantime, the chiropractor has recommended 15 minutes/day (for forever) on an inversion table (see above) in hopes it provides me with some relief. That, coupled with regular chiro appointments, is my best bet right now. I'm trying to stay optimistic about it but after so many failed attempts at treatment strategies, I'm not going to lie, I'm feeling a bit dejected.  

On a positive note, I'm spending my 15 minutes/day on the table meditating. This has been on my list for years now and finally I have some dedicated time where I literally can't do anything else. No excuses! Maybe I'll be able to help my back and cure my "monkey mind".   

Day 1209 | Lego Letters

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I fully realize that I haven't done a great job focusing on the big *must-learn* topics with Robbe. He and Chase are just so happy to be playing together that interrupting that to talk about letters and numbers just doesn't seem fair. He does have to learn them eventually, I guess, so I'm hoping to muster the motivation to focus on it now that Chase is in school. (Side note, Robbe is in school two days a week, too, but he's got bigger things to focus on there). 

The boys have been borderline obsessed with building with legos lately so I took our alphabet lesson to the lego bin this morning. I would build a letter, we would say it together, and then Robbe would trace it. I'm no teacher, but that seems pretty good, right?!? We didn't make it through all 26...far from it, actually...but it still counts as progress! 

Day 1206 | Sick Day

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Sweet Robbe has been fighting a little something for over a week now. Today the fever came out. Luckily, we could have a low-key recovery day. In case you're wondering, this is what a sick day looks like at our house: lots of books, lots of liquids, lots of snuggles, and some movie time. If they weren't so pitiful, it wouldn't be that bad of a way to spend a day. 

His 103° temperature subsided after a dose of Tylenol and a four hour nap. Let's hope we're through the worst of it. 

 

Day 1205 | Soap-Powered Fish

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Robbe was begging for a science experiment the other day (do other kids do that?!?) so we pulled out our trusty Big Book of Science Things to Make and Do and managed to find the perfect sciency-activity to squeeze in before dinner: the soap-powered fish.

Soap-Powered Fish

What you'll need

  • thin cardboard
  • wax crayons
  • a large clean dish (we used a cookie sheet with a decent rim)
  • a toothpick or kabob skewer 
  • liquid soap (we used Dawn)

Directions

  1. Draw a fish's body on the cardboard. Add a v-shaped tail then cut out the fish. Use wax crayons to decorate the fish.
  2. Fill a large dish with water. Then, use a toothpick or skewer to dab a blob of liquid soap around the "v" part of the fish's tail.
  3. Hold the fish flat above the water, with its tail near the edge of the dish. Carefully lay the fish on the water, then watch to see what it does. 

**If you want to do this project more than once, thoroughly rinse and dry your dish each time or your fish won't move.**

Why does the fish move?

The skin on the surface of the water is held together by a force called surface tension. When the soap on the fish's tail touches the water, it forms a soapy film behind the fish that pushes the skin on the water away. This propels the fish forward in the water.


Science is cool. And this experience had all the elements of a perfect project: quick + household supplies + no-mess + the excitement factor. It's just sad the fish don't really survive the swim. Prepare your little ones accordingly.

Day 1204 | 36 Hours in Madison

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We had a beyond dreamy weekend in Madison. The weather could have been *a bit* more fall-like, but otherwise, we have no complaints. Interested in what the perfect 36 hours in Madison looks like to Chris and me? I'm glad you asked...

Friday

  • Late afternoon arrival. Check into The Graduate. We loved the hotel. A perfect location between Memorial Union and State Street. Fun rooms with all kinds of unique touches. They even had bikes to use for free!
  • A leisurely walk down State Street to Graze restaurant with views overlooking the Capitol. Hands down, my meal was one of my top-five favorites of all time. I had the Pan Seared Gnocchi which was served with squash, kale, chèvre, apples, and other yummy stuff. Mmmm...my mouth is watering just thinking about it.
  • Meet up with an old college friend to walk to Memorial Union for a beer on the Terrace (probably the #1 thing we wanted to do on this trip) and some live music.
  • Round out the night at the cozy rooftop bar at our hotel.

Saturday

  • Super yummy breakfast at the Bassett Street Brunch Club (which just happened to be right next to one of my college houses...it appears to have seen no love over the past 10 years).
  • Saturday means Farmers' Market so we headed that way to meet with some friends and snack on some Hot & Spicy Cheese Bread (another item high on our list). 
  • After parting ways with our friends, Chris and I meandered down State Street stopping at some fun boutique shops (which I can never do!).
  • The afternoon wrapped up back at Memorial Union for a alumni tour of the newly renovated facility. I just love this building and all the memories it holds.
  • Before we met up with a friend for another drink on the Terrace, we braved the heat + sun to tour some of the upper campus. It was nice to see that at least that part of the University looked familiar.
  • Onto dinner at Mirch Masala (right off State Street). Man, this Indian food really hit the spot. Eau Claire is definitely lacking any Indian restaurants so this meal has been a long time coming. 
  • We took advantage of the hotel's free bicycles for an evening biking tour to wrap up our day. Although the upper campus hadn't changed that much, the southeast part of campus, where we lived in the dorms, is almost unrecognizable. UW-Madison seemed totally acceptable when we went to school there but now it's absolutely gorgeous.

Sunday

  • One more delicious meal in Madison before heading home. Short Stack Eatery is a great addition to State Street. The line out the door can attest to the quality of the food. There's even a "Blind" option on the menu where you don't get to know the details of what their special is. You can ask if it's savory or sweet but that's it. I decided to be brave and risk it (it was savory today!) and it totally paid off. What a fun twist to breakfast!
  • Oh, we *might* have made one more stop to round out our culinary tour of State Street: Dough Baby Bakery helped power us through the drive home. The toasted coconut was my favorite. 


Whew, we definitely ate our way through that city, as any good tourist should do, I guess. Being back in Madison brought back so many fun memories and surprising flash-backs to a version of myself that is hard to remember these days. Ah, we all need a good break from reality sometimes. 

**Special [HUGE] thank you to my mom and dad for taking care of the boys for the weekend. It sounds like they might have had more fun than we did (and after reading this post you should realize that seems impossible), and for that we're grateful.**

 

Day 1203 | The Terrace

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We managed to be outside all day and [barely] survived the heat. Seriously, it shouldn't be 90 degrees at the end of September. Boo! 

Highlights include: spending time with college friends,  a trip around the Capitol Square farmer's market, a tour of the newly renovated Memorial Union, a couple of beers on the Terrace (photo above), a yummy Indian dinner, and an evening bike ride around the city. I'm exhausted. 

Day 1202 | Madison!!

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Chris and I are in Madison for the weekend--get this--without kids. It feels like one of my limbs is missing, but I won't say it's a bad feeling. We had a blast walking around and checking out our old 'hood (including a stop at Casa de Lara where we had our first date 14+ years ago...whoa). 

A big [HUGE] thank you to my parents for watching the kids for the weekend. It's hard to say who was more excited: them or us. For that, we are beyond grateful. 

Day 1201 | A[nother] Donation

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I finally did it! My long hair has been driving me crazy for awhile now and I finally decided that I didn't care how short it had to be, I was going to cut it for a donation. Thanks to Lexi at Design West, I'm super happy with my new do. It's short (I can't even put it in a ponytail...eek!), but I'm ok with it. 

And here's the last time I did a hair donation, if you remember that. I guess I'm on track to donate every 1100 days. I'll put it in my calendar for next time.

Day 1200 | 1200!

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It's been a big 100 days for us. We've expanded our social network through meeting some wonderful friends and joining a church. Both boys have started school after a glorious summer. Chris and I are both enjoying jobs that challenge us (remember...he's at a wealth management firm and I'm working with Mary Catherine). It almost feels too good to be true. As I've learned through years and years of parenting, though, everything is a phase (both the smooth patches and difficult times), so I'm just trying to love every second of this happy, peace-filled time in our lives. With that said, settle in and enjoy a quick update on the team:

SARA:

FAVORITES: getting back into yoga (my goal is once a week and I've done it twice so far!), wearing jeans on a regular basis again (I’m not much of a shorts person), biking to school for pick up, bargain hunting at second-hand stores (which is absolutely not Chris's favorite, by the way), posting photos and blog posts to Instagram (this is new...see photos along the right-hand side of my page)
BIGGEST HURDLE TO OVERCOME: Fitting 15 minutes of inversion table time into my daily routine. More on this in a future post.
DREAMS FOR THE FUTURE: Find *a bit* more space in my days. I feel like I'm running non-stop these days and can seldom find time to carve out me-time (does this sound familiar?). I know our schedule is just going to get busier as the boys get older so I need to figure this out asap.
 

CHRIS:

FAVORITES: Badger football, morning snuggles with the boys, perfecting over-easy eggs, a good cup of coffee, bike rides on crisp mornings, listening to his Natalie Imbruglia Torn playlist on Pandora, being able to take Uber + Lyft around Eau Claire (which has happened exactly twice)
BIGGEST HURDLE TO OVERCOME: staying on top of his Fantasy Football teams. It could be a full-time job.
DREAMS FOR THE FUTURE: A trip to Madison (this weekend!) without our boys. It’s going to be glorious.

CHASE:

AGE: 5.5 years old
FAVORITES: memorizing his lunch money code, gym class at school, watching movies, playing legos with his brother, getting two options to choose from at lunch, picking out chapter books to read with mom + dad, getting haircuts (so he can watch a movie), pasta pillows (ravioli), staying inside (takes after his mom!)
BIGGEST HURDLE TO OVERCOME: making friends at school. None of us are particularly worried about it, but Chase seems to be spending his days focused on learning the routines + following directions more than being a social butterfly.
DREAMS FOR THE FUTURE: Accumulating more presentations at school. At a Montessori school, you need a presentation (usually one-on-one) from a teacher to use the materials that are constantly taunting the kids from bookshelves at eye-level throughout the room. Chase waited 1.5 weeks for his first presentation which finally happened on Monday. He's anxiously awaking additional presentations to really dive into the new materials.

ROBBE:

AGE: 3.5 years old
FAVORITES: school (he wishes he could go every day), the color green (this is a new revelation), watching movies, his friend Arianna, playing little legos with his brother, Lego character books, perusing the Target toy aisle, going for walks (well, scoots for him), his new jellyfish shoes, pepperoni pizza, not missing momma at all during school (he tells me every day...so sweet, but, hey, I deserve to be missed!)
BIGGEST HURDLE TO OVERCOME: deciding on his Halloween costume. At the moment, he’s vacillating between bumble bee, cow, puppy, and fireman.
DREAMS FOR THE FUTURE: Meeting his new school friend. Right now, Robbe only has one other student in his class. A second friend was supposed to start this week (and Robbe's been super excited to meet him), but the new student was sick, poor little guy. Fingers crossed for Monday.
 

And here's the rundown of how far we've come:

Day 1199 | Bruschetta

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I've had a corner of my counter dedicated to housing my harvested tomatoes for the last few days and, try as I might, I couldn't come up with the perfect recipe for them. Finally, I remembered my go-to favorite bruschetta recipe and knew immediately that was the solution. I might be breathing a garlic-fire right now, but it was totally worth it.

Bruschetta

Ingredients:

6 or 7 plum tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP + 1/4 cup olive oil
6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
salt + pepper to taste
1 baguette

Directions:

  • Prepare tomatoes first. Bring a pot of water (enough to cover the tomatoes) to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat and add the tomatoes for one minute (parboil them, if you're familiar with the term). After the minute, remove from the water and cool until able to handle.
  • Remove skins of tomatoes. Once peeled, cut in quarters to remove seeds.
  • Preheat oven to 450° with the rack at the top.
  • While oven is heating, chop up the tomatoes finely. Put tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar in a bowl and mix. Add chopped basil and add salt + pepper to taste. 
  • Slice baguette about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Coat one side with olive oil and place oil-side down.
  • Toast for 5-6 minutes, until golden brown.
  • Heap a healthy serving of the bruschetta on top of the slice bread and enjoy!

*Special note: if you're making this for a gathering, make sure you plate the bread and bruschetta separately. The bread will get soggy if you plate them together. 

Day 1197 | Dark Chocolate Marbled Banana Bread

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The bananas in my freezer have been taunting me for weeks. Chase and I have been craving banana bread for a similar amount of time. Thankfully, Smitten Kitchen published an appealing enough recipe to get me motivated to make all of our dreams come true.

Don't worry, my tried-and-true sugar-free banana bread recipe from years ago (look how little Chase is!), remains my favorite for *most* occasions. Today, though, the Dark Chocolate Marbled Banana Bread recipe was calling my name. As an indulgent alternative recipe, I couldn't ask for more. Oh, and one super cute side note...Robbe kept calling it monkey bread (Get it? Because monkeys eat bananas!!). We thought it was adorable.

I did make a few modifications to the original recipe, but the foundation remained. Here's what I did...

Dark Chocolate Marbled Banana Bread

Ingredients:
3 large very ripe bananas
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoonvanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table or fine sea salt
1 cup  plus 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

  • Heat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or coat it with a nonstick baking spray.
  • Melt butter in the bottom of a large bowl in the microwave. Mash the bananas right into it until mostly smooth. Whisk in brown sugar, egg, vanilla, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly combined. Add 1 cup of the flour, stirring just until it disappears.
  • Pour half of batter into a second bowl.  Into one bowl, stir the remaining 1/4 cup of flour and ground cinnamon. Into the other bowl, stir in the cocoa powder and chocolate chips.
  • Dollop batters in large alternating spoonfuls into bottom of prepared loaf pan. Attempt to “checkerboard” the rest in, roughly meaning that you’ll drop a chocolate batter dollop on top of a chocolate-free one and vice-versa until both batters are used up. Use a butter knife or small offset spatula to make a few figure-8s through the batters, marbling them together — but just a little, say, 2 to 3 figure-8s. Any more and the swirls may not look distinct when you cut the cake. As you can see from my photo, I didn't do *the best* job of marbling, but it still tastes good!
  • Bake 55 to 65 minutes, until a tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out batter-free. (A melted chocolate chip smear is expected, however.) Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert it out onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.