Squash love, smart people

Today has been as calm as Wednesday was busy. Both wonderful, and three cheers for balance!

I found this morning that a recipe of mine, Roasted Delicata Squash with Bacon-Shallots, Pomegranate, and Yogurt Sauce, was chosen as a community pick on Food52. I adore this new photo of it. Thank you F52 and Mark Weinberg. 

As awful as this election has been, I have to say that there are some very.funny.very.smart.people out there making hilarious lemonade out of the preponderance of lemons DT is throwing at us. Observe, should you need/want a laugh.

Pretty much everything Alexandra Petri has written for the Washington Post.

And, the fact that someone purchased the URL nastywomengetshitdone.com which links DIRECTLY to hillaryclinton.com. GENIUS!

Waltzing and cupcakes

I know you have all been champing at the bit to hear how the first night of cotillion was. Did J's clothes hurt all evening? Was learning to waltz horrific?

I am thrilled to share that his shoes and stiff collar quickly ceased inflicting pain, "the waltz is not very hard. I can teach you, Mom!" and my dear child learned the six steps of proper self-introduction.

Can I get an amen for this latter feature of cotillion? Stand up, smile and make eye contact, extend hand, shake firmly and pump twice, and introduce self. I was so overjoyed by this lesson that I may have issued some sort of bribe: I'm going to be watching you, honey, and every time I see you introduce yourself OR, if you already know the person, smile/make eye contact/inquire about their well-being I will make a mental note and you may very well receive some sort of reward after some time passes.

As it turns out, Jack started a business yesterday, Jack's Silver Polishing, and made business cards. He was going to drop them in people's mailboxes, but I said, "Honey, you'd be better served by knocking on doors, using your new introduction skills, and handing out cards that way."

"OK, Mom. I'll try it." Will wonders never cease?!

He felt well-received so I do believe cotillion is and will continue to be a grand success. 

We had dinner with friends last night, by the way. Look at my cupcakes. Cute and festive, yes? 

Two-year-olds and eating well and going to bed

Y'all!

I have SO forgotten what it's like to live with a two-year-old. As such, this is what I feel like right now.

Snore!

Two-year-olds are adorable but they are very messy and often loud, despite having relatively few words. They like to drag food around the house with them, discarding like tiny Hansels bits and pieces as they go. Unlike Hansel, no toddler intends to return along his meandering path, not least with a dustbuster. 

I adore my precious nephew, but I have forgotten about tee-tee fountains and the utter delight of made up names for things. I am now hazy on obsessions with things like helicopters and the associated sound effects that go along with frequent reminders of them. Dunh-dunh-dunh-dunh say the chopper blades. 

Memories of the very emphatic ways that two-year-olds can express "No!" burbled up from the recesses of my mind in recent days. I was reminded of the genius of Mo Willems describing a melting down toddler as "going boneless" in Knuffle Bunny. If ever I describe anything so perfectly, I'll feel accomplished to the max.

I have somewhat forgotten about watching young tots learn stuff. How they practice and practice and then one day say "turtle" in the most endearing "tuh-tle" way. And there is nothing like the gut laugh of a little one. I love, love, and will do anything for the moments my boys still guffaw like toddlers do.

Mom left yesterday, and before taking Elia and Leone to the airport this afternoon, we had a little birthday party (Leone likes Baked & Wired cupcakes as much as we do) as he is officially 2 in a few weeks. It seems like a long jump from here:

to here:

Beautiful mama and darling nephew!

Last night, I cooked dinner, and Tom and I raised a glass to Elia. She is doing such a good job in motherhood, and I am so proud of her. We ate well, watched the debate (if by debate one means a large, rude child following a thoughtful candidate around stage and lying), and then tucked in. 

Don't those sunchokes look good?? Yum!!! Pan-roasted and then dressed with rosemary brown butter and aged Balsamic (thank you, Bon Appetit). We also had salmon and brussels sprouts and, duh, this.