Ass-tons of Dishes

Nicaragua is starting to make me pretty fricking domesticated. Since we are a solid forty-five minutes from a grocery store, and a major river crossing away from two good restaurants, meals don't just appear before us like the good ole days of takeout from the vast array of eateries in Kailua. We (I) make all of our meals. Ian pulls out the occasional breakfast for dinner and he's always elbow deep in ass-loads of dishes. We have a term for an exceptionally big kitchen mess. We call it "getting Jenn Marred." I used to live with a good friend of mine named Jenn Marr. (As if half of you reading this right now, don't know who the hell Jenn Marr is ....) Anyways, she is an insane cook but every time she makes food, she uses every damn dish in her kitchen. Of course, it's customary for the non-cooker to be dish bitch. Being Jenn Marr's dish bitch sucks. So, when Ian gets stuck with a heavy dish load post-dinner, I have to apologize for Jenn Marring him. So, yeah. Anyways ...

Just this week I've made, six loaves of bread, two batches of granola, two batches of peanut-butter, and yogurt for effffff sake. Yogurt. That's right. I made homemade Greek yogurt. When I want something, I want something. And I've wanted Greek yogurt for a long time. When I tried my batch, a tear came to my eye.... I had done it. I had made thick, creamy, Greek-god-like goodness. But of course, all these fun afternoon cooking escapades incidentally lead to ass-loads of more dishes. This piled on top of breakfast dishes, on top of lunch dishes, iced coffee cups, hot coffee cups, water cups and the dinner dishes, makes for a fun-filled day of washing dishes. So, anyways, things take time down here. A majority of my days I wonder, "what did I do today?" I think the answer is, washed dishes.....But then I remember, I'm a stay at home mom living in the jungle of Nicaragua. What the hell else am i going to do? Learn how to make yogurt....and wash dishes...obviously.

Oh yeah, and drag my ass back into the ocean. I finally surfed again and this old hag can still stand up. Bonus. And now, some photos ...

Homemade Greek yogurt. I rule.

Everything the light touches is yours ....

Lots of sewing projects happening too...

 

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Some Photos

 

 

Thanks for the photos, Aunty Seeeees!

 

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The Denture Dilemmas of a 35 year old Female - Installment 1 - Earthquakes

Life with a denture is indeed, a journey. This series sheds light on some of the unforeseen challenges that go along with it.

di·lem·ma n.

1. A situation that requires a choice between options that are or seem equally unfavorable or mutually exclusive.

2. A problem that seems to defy a satisfactory solution.

3. An argument that presents two alternatives, each of which has the same consequence.

Generally, when I'm nursing Liv, my teeth are out. I'm not sure why, it's just the case. Probably because we're both relaxing, and I'm most calm and comfortable when there isn't a giant plastic prosthesis taking up space in my mouth. So, I stash it under a pillow so Liv can't find it. Some of you may recall we had a 6.6 earthquake about a week ago. I happened to be nursing her at the time, upstairs in her bedroom, and as usual, my teeth were under the pillow.

It's interesting how humans react in an emergency situation. Upon realizing what was occurring, I jumped out of bed, scooped Liv up in my arms, and started to head out. As soon as we got to the door, I stopped in my tracks and realized I didn't have my teeth in. My natural reaction was to go back and grab them. And I did. If the townhouse were to collapse, could that extra four seconds it took me to grab my teeth have been the difference between life and death? Did I risk our lives because I'm too ashamed for people to see me without my teeth? Does this make me the worst mom on the planet, or what? Of course, nothing came of the earthquake and everything was fine but, seriously. It's like going back for your cat in a fire. You leave the cat. You leave the teeth. Lesson learned.

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Pitaya Smoothies

One of the hugest benefits of living in Nicaragua is the abundance of inexpensive, tropical fruit. We are fortunate to have a similar selection in Hawaii, but frequently, your sweet, sunrise papaya comes with a bit of a price tag. Farmer's markets have always been the best way to shop for produce on the islands and they're often enough to keep your produce supply flourishing all week long.

But here, in Nicaragua, we are even luckier because the farmer's market comes to us! Look at the cornucopia that was delivered to our front door this morning!

Do you see the pitayas, or as they say in Hawaii, dragon fruit? While researching the health benefits of pitaya this morning, I came across this interesting organization. Pitaya Plus works directly with Nicaraguan pitaya farmers to help them earn their organic certifications. They process fruit in a solar-powered facility and hire only single-mothers.  Reading a little bit about where our pitayas were coming from, made me appreciate this morning's smoothie that much more.

A while back, I promised a smoothie recipe or two. Since we're celebrating the pitaya today, I thought I'd share the contents of this mornings blender with everyone. While not everyone has the opportunity to pick up a fresh pitaya and a nice ripe passion fruit, if there ever is a time, go ahead and try this recipe.

Pitaya Smoothie

makes 3 - 12 oz. servings

2 ripe bananas

1/2 ripe pitaya or dragonfruit

1 1/2c. mixed frozen fruit

4 T. chia seed (soaked in water)

1 c. yogurt

1/2 c. Acai juice (or other liquid)

the pulp of one passion fruit

Pitayas are an excellent source of vitamin C. They are rich in iron, high in fiber, and full of antioxidants. Studies have shown that antioxidants may be effective at lowering the risk for certain types of cancer. The seeds of pitaya contain omega-3 fats which helps fight inflammation and certain autoimmune diseases.

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Books We're Reading

Today I'd like to sing the praises of author Eric Carle, writer and illustrator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you See?  These books have all the stops and there's a reason they've sold millions and millions of copies. They both have bright beautiful pictures in a collage medium that makes me nostalgic for Ezra Jack Keats', The Snowy Day. The Hungary Caterpillar teaches the days of the week.  It teaches numbers.  It promotes healthy eating.  It demonstrates metamorphosis.  And Liv loves putting her little fingers in the holes as he eats his way through the pages.   When she picks up the book she goes straight to the last page and coos at the beautiful butterfly.  She adores Brown Bear, Brown Bear, equally.  She loves the sing-song rhythm of the verses and the big animals on every page.  Mom loves the idea that horses can be blue and cats can be purple.  It promotes imagination and simple, clean design.  Not only is it fun to read aloud, it is visually stimulating, as well.  We brought a handful of English board books down for Liv, and these are the two she spends the most time with.

Some of my clearest first memories were reading books with my mom.  I'm excited to perpetuate this important tradition with my own little girl.  She shows great interest in her books and I can't wait to cultivate the richness of language in her life.

Aunty Sarah is here!

Aunty Sarah came into town on Tuesday! The family headed into Managua a day early for a change of scenery and to do a little shopping. We always stay at Managua Hills which is right near The Galleria Mall where there are fun things like a proper coffee shop, a fancy kitchen supply store, and American brand baby gear. We mainly re-upped our food supply but also got Liv a red, bear-shaped potty in hopes of sparking some early interest. We shall see ... Sarah brought Mommy and Daddy a replacement gasket for our stovetop Bialetti espresso maker, a couple of bags of Starbucks French Roast, and some surf wax. She also gifted Liv a puzzle that sings songs when you put the pieces in their place. It's great to have family amongst us and two extra hands in the house are always a plus when there's a baby around.

Last week marked one year since my e-day, as they call it in denture forums. Yes, denture forums. E-day, or extraction day, seems like a millenium ago and I'm working on a proper recap of the misadventures of this whacky time period. I'm just now ready to share some stories and of course, there are some good ones. So, keep your eyes out for those. I think I'll start a series.

Anyways, here are some photos by sister Sarah.

 

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6.6 Earthquake off the Coast of Masachapa, Nicaragua Today

6.6 earthquake off the coast of Masachapa, Nicaragua today!  Liv and I were laying in bed when all of sudden, I thought people had begun moving furniture next door.  But, then it persisted and I realized what was happening.  We could actually see the townhouse moving!  Liv and I ran outside and the neighbors were on their doorstep, as well.  Exciting, indeed.  Ian has taken me in the golf cart on the tsunami evacuation route a number of times.  Hole 5 on the golf course tees off from the highest point in Iguana.  It's a two-minute ride, up the hill.  Ian is playing in a golf tournament today and I gave him a call to let him know that his earthquake/tsunami text message alert that he recently signed up for actually worked!  So, everyone is safe and sound here.

Sweet Water Fund and Maui Totes

As I've mentioned in earlier posts, the rains have begun here.  Sadly, with the first five inch plus night, the rivers swelled and deposited a dry season's worth of trash onto our beach which subsequently, got pulled out to sea with the first high tide.  With so much attention that has been brought to light about the effects of single-use plastic items in our ocean, it was a tough morning to be a consumer.  I love Nicaragua because the groceries stores here have been charging people for plastic bags probably since the beginning of time.  Nicaragua still has the trash plague of most other third world countries.  We have however, noticed a recent shift in awareness.  The streets are cleaner in Rivas and Granada.  Gigante has trash cans at the beach now.  This is also a country that fixes everything instead of throwing it away.  Give a guy a broken fan, he'll make it blow air again.

Here is a progressive and very special project that was facilitated by the Sweet Water Fund in the town of Gigante.  The people of this community built a kitchen for the primary school using earth-filled plastic soda bottles.  The moms of the students take turns cooking for the kids here during the week.  

 

                                           photos by sweetwaterworld.org

Since we're on the topic of the environment, I thought it would be an appropriate time to share a photo for our friends over at Maui Totes!  They just released this year's line of their popular market bags and I got my two rushed in the mail right before I left Minnesota.  Thanks so much guys.  We use them in Rivas all the time.  

What do you do to minimize your use of single-use plastic items?  Are you like my sister and shove all your groceries in your tiny little purse during checkout?

Breaking the Mold

How sweet are these little Roxy slippers that Ian bought Liv for her first Christmas?  They finally fit.

A funny thing happened last week.  Ian came on an early morning beach walk with Liv and I.  Generally, this is surf time for Daddy but that day, the waves didn't look good.  I've used an Ergo carrier as a fifth limb since Liv was born.  She's always mellow when she's snug up against my body and I appreciate the hands free aspect of the whole system.  You don't see much baby wearing here in Nicaragua.  In fact, I've only seen it once and I got very excited.  Well, of course Liv was in the Ergo this morning, as she always is, and we started to walk.  Then Ian said, "take her out."  Take her out?  This, of course, had never occurred to me before.

The tide was low and the sand was hard-packed.  Her little Roxy slippers hit the ground and for a second, she looked down at them like she was thinking, "Ready guys?  Let's do this." And then, she was off.  She walked all the way to Jack's house and back.  She pointed out rocks along the way.  She stopped to stare at the waves.  She laughed at the dogs playing with a giant stick.  She did human things.  Things that Ian and I do.

The lesson in this is simple.  Break the mold.  Welcome change.  Moms work so hard to establish a routine that they sometimes fail to recognize when it's time to alter it.  I underestimated my daughter.  I didn't think her little legs were ready to keep up with mom and dad on the beach.  Maybe, subconsciously, it was easier for me to keep carrying her because I wasn't ready to make the change yet.  I wasn't ready for my baby to be a full fledged walking humanoid.  I wasn't ready to shake up my predicatable mornings.

I'm learning that change occurs frequently in our little ones and just when you think you have it all figured out, some new thing comes into the picture and makes everything you've established, obsolete.  So, yes.  Welcome change.  Because having a baby means it's happening all the time.  Good thing for daddies or I may have been carrying Liv in the Ergo, up the stage, to receive her high school diploma.

When was the last time you underestimated your own child's abilities?

Melandia

I needed this today.  Momastery is such a great place to go for a good ole' fashion kick in the inspirational pants.

My kind and gentle partner has been coaxing me out of the fetal position for the better portion of a year now. He  has given me a six-foot folding table to create a zone to work on my Thing.  It came here yesterday morning.  With this space, will come great Things.  Great Things for you all, too.  I'm sure of it.  Plus, I'm finally out of excuses.  I call it Melandia.  Do you have a private work zone in your home?  A place where you can go to get your creative juices flowing?

Lunch at Santana

Last year, the International Surfing Association held their masters tournament right here in our neighborhood at Hacienda Iguana. I guess it was a complete mad house but it gave the area some great exposure, and helped to secure Nicaragua as a future destination for other surfing events. Well, this year they're back and Rancho Santana is hosting the Juniors event. The family headed over there a couple days ago for a little lunch and the place was buzzing. Rancho has an excellent restaurant that sits right above the shore. We're constantly impressed by their impeccable service and great, reasonably priced food. We're squeezing in as many visits as we can before the rivers fill up, and getting a little dinner becomes more like risking your life. The rains have certainly begun. Ian requested a raingage on my recent trip back to Minnesota and two nights ago it went over its five inch capacity mark. Drying laundry is a bit of a game, especially Liv's diapers which take forever. I'm constantly shifting them from the line on the covered balcony to the line in the yard or propping them up under the ceiling fan at night. The air is thick with moisture now. The afternoons are overcast and the nighttime is stormy. Winter in Nicaragua....

 

 

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Smoothies by Papa

One of the greatest parts about living here in Tola, is the abundance of good, cheap fresh fruit. Every morning, Daddy blends up a big batch of smoothies packed full of healthy goodness. Our weekly grocery run to Rivas always includes a trip to the market for one giant papaya, two cantaloupes, one pineapple, two pints of strawberries and two dozen bananas. (yes! strawberries - a recent find.) We also discovered a woman in the market who sells one pound bags of chia seed for sixty cordoba, which is about $2.50 and a gringo named Salad Steve who sells huge bags of fresh kale for $5 - which is a little bit of a splurge but definitely worth it, as its hard to find good hearty greens down here. We also found acai juice at Pricesmart so, we'd pretty much rival any Jamba Juice if they happened to move in up the block. I think I'll write a post and share some of our smoothie recipes with you. We think we've got some good ones.

 

 

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Early Morning Walk

Since our townhouse is taken over by the workers building our pasomano (handrail), we decided to head out for an early morning walk. It is also the start of Semana Santa, the busiest beach holiday of the year for Nicaragua. By midday, our peaceful, uncrowded beach will be filled with Managuan families enjoying the warm rays and cool ocean. We thought we'd catch it before the madness ensued.
On our jaunt, we hung out at a fun little estuary that runs along the foot of a small sea cliff, meets the tide line, and eventually flows into the ocean. It's a great place for the dogs because the water is calm and the swimming is mellow. Even Lea plays fetch here! This afternoon we're headed to Gigante to fill our propane tank and grab some lunch. Here are some photos from our walk...

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Liv's First Birthday

We threw a little fiesta to celebrate Liv's first trip around the sun, as Daddy puts it. Nothing fancy - nachos and cupcakes. We had around twenty neighbors drop by in their post St Patrick's Day stupors and we explained to Liv, that she has the rest of her life to enjoy birthdays where your friends are too hungover from the night before, to get wild on your special day. It was a really fun Monday though, starting early in the morning with back to back cake follies.

So, everyone keeps saying to me ..."oh, your baby's one! Didn't it go by so fast?" But honestly, for me it really didn't. It felt like forever. So many of the last 365 days were so momentous and I feel like I stopped to smell every rose on the block. It's been exhausting and humbling and at times, overwhelming but, she truly is our guiding light. And thats just the truth. Happy First Birthday, Liv Aloha. Your love is radiant.

 

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Morning In Rivas

Rivas is a place to go for things you need, not things you want. It is the closest town to us and even though they're paving the road towards our development, it's still a solid forty-five minute drive to gas, ATMs, and a crappy (but recently upgraded) grocery store. Maxi Pali went in about two years ago and it's gotten even better since we left. It's your Nica equivalent of a small scale Walmart. They actually do have everything you need but not fun American items like they have at my favorite grocery store, La Colonia, which is a two hour drive to Granada. This little gem has things like oyster sauce, fish sauce, rice noodles, couscous, arborio rice, and other exotic delicacies that help broaden the menu since we now cook seven dinners a week. One of the greatest parts about living in Nicaragua however, is that there is always someone willing to bring stuff to you for a nominal fee. Our driver in Managua will bring us whatever we need with a simple phone call. It's pretty much totally awesome. We also have a fish guy that comes to the house, a fruit and vegetable truck, and a water, milk and juice guy.

Here are some photos from our trip to Rivas today.

We came the day after payday and opted out of this ridiculous ATM line ..

 

The mercado ...

Fun at lunchtime.

 

The new road is much easier on everyone's cars!

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