$41.39

Beginning October 1, we've been on a kick to eat through the food in our freezer, fridge, and pantry. The only groceries we've bought since then are milk, yogurt, and some veggies and fruit. I have a favorite store, called the Superstition Ranch Market - below you can see today's booty, purchased for the total price of $41.39.

Included:
3 heads of lettuce
3 eggplant
2 heads of cauliflower
4 artichokes
8 zucchini
cilantro
4 red peppers
2 bags of organic grapes
4 heads of broccoli
butternut squash
green onions
6 large yams
bananas
4 lb bag of oranges
golden honeydew
cantaloupe
4 kiwi
4 tomatoes on the vine
6 heirloom tomatoes
8 organic apples
5 other apples

And while I'm at it...

Today is obviously blog-o-rama time, as I'm starting entry #3 now. A little update on our lives...Gma and Gpa J came to town last Thursday night. We all (minus D) drove over to the LA area for Great Gma J's memorial service, which was also a fantastic family reunion of sorts. I saw cousins I haven't seen in over 15 years (one of whom I last saw when I was 7)! E had a blast with her cousin (second cousin, officially) of similar age, C. Baby L was in fine form as always, charming folks left and right. He happily was passed around for hours on end, even falling asleep with various cousins and family members holding him...sadly, I didn't bring my camera, so I'll have to post once I get some electronic pics from others.

The kids traveled very well - over 6 hours each direction (Friday morning to Sunday morning - quick trip). My dad left town for home this morning early; my mom took E over to San Diego until Sunday...so we have two kids only for the next few days. I can tell you already - it's QUIET!

Best husband ever.

Do I really need a caption? He's pulling laundry from the line while wearing the baby, standing in the yard that he mowed. Ah...spoiled me.

Five months

This morning...in the same tub where he was born:

...yet another reason to love IKEA: storage tubs that double as baby tubs!

So at five months, baby L weighs 17 lbs 11oz (dressed - so more like 17lb5oz). He rolls, he laughs, he giggles, he pushes up on his knees, and he's growing some relatively dark hair back finally! He has blue eyes and has recently started sticking his tongue out a lot. He sits in a hook-on chair at the table and enjoys noisy toys and anything that can go directly into his mouth.

Turtles

D's coworker gave us these turtles last week. They're soon to be relocated to Aunt B's pond, so as to better enjoy life. The girls have taken very good care of them all week - feeding, changing the water, and checking up on them.

Oh, their names are Sarah and John.

First horse show

E got to ride in the class 13 "lead liners" competition with Aunt B last night - and she won a blue ribbon!

There was a whole show at this arena in Apache Junction, so we spent our evening at our first-ever horse show. Aunt B did this all growing up, so D was familiar with it. I was not...I look forward to many more evenings of horse competition as the girls get more familiar with horses and riding...

The pictures follow below (as always, click on them to see nice big versions!).

The cowgirls and cowboy at the arena, before competition (please note their fancy new shirts):





Getting ready to show:



The competition:

And the prize:

And my first shot at a slideshow...the whole evening on film:

Call me super-mom

That's Baby L on my back, and my friend's son C on my front. We'll just neglect to mention this was only for a few minutes. C was not so into a strange woman trying to do his mama's job!

Little/Big

Baby L wearing his cashmere Grateful Buns soaker...at four days:


And today, at 19.5 weeks:

Nocturnal visitor

And for once, I don't mean the kids :)

This little guy was hanging out on the dining room window a few nights ago. I put the big window picture in for some element of scale...the lizard was translucent enough to see the "guts" show up, darker. Pretty cool.



In other news, a friend from IC was here on her way through town...she's actually the daughter of our former childcare guy, and it was wonderful to see this sweet, kind young woman! She left us some prickly pear fruit syrup, which is simply gorgeous. I haven't tried it yet...

The fruit on the plant:
The fruit processed into syrup:

Grandparents J will be here soon. Weather is lovely (highs in the 90s, cooling into low 70s, high 60s).

My sister is getting settled in Jaipur. Her description of the city's smell was this (hope you don't mind, A):

"It smells like dust, sweat, incense, rotting garbage, All Out (mosquito killing plug-in), hot cooking oil, animals (pigs, cows, and dogs), garlic, paan (look it up on Wikipedia!), fruit, beedis, ganja, sometimes cardamom, sometimes jasmine, leather, phenol...Oh, I also forgot urine and petrol fumes..."

Sleep

Here is Baby L's new way of falling asleep:



He's now done it twice - just checking email with mom!
Crazy boy :)
He's also porking up quite nicely...my beautiful, happy, fat baby (if I say so myself...)!

Four months!

...and 16 pounds, 6 ounces!

Have you...

...ever seen Bill Staines in concert? Heard of him? D and I are wondering who of our friends and family are "in the know." :)

I'm a proud *gulp* grandma

Let me introduce you to my daughter Serena (age 18), her daughter Popcorn (1), and their kitty Zappo:



(the world, according to E this morning)

Nurse-out wrap-up

This video is circulating on one of my mama-groups. Thought some of you would enjoy the wrap-up from our Applebees nurse-out.

New trick

...and I'm talking about me, not the kids. With help from Rixa, I figured out how to take, upload, and broadcast a home video all using my digital still camera! So, presented for the first time ever, Baby L in "like-live action."

Nurse-out

The Applebees nurse-out was a great success! Over 100 supporters (moms, babies, dads, and others) converged on a busy intersection in Phoenix, outside an Applebees. News coverage can be seen on local Fox and CBS stations as video, and on AZCentral and the East Valley Tribune papers.

Thanks to MB for the pics!

Applebees Protest

FACT SHEET ON:
PUBLIC PROTESTS APPLEBEE'S RESTAURANTS NATIONWIDE


WHAT : Breastfeeding advocates will gather across the country to protest Applebee's Restaurants standing corporate policy of discrimination against mothers with nursing babies.

WHEN : Saturday, September 8, 2007 at 7:00 pm

WHERE : Applebee's Restaurant

WHO : Sponsored by Birth Without Boundaries, International; and local grassroots organizers

WHY : On June 14, 2007, while Ms. Ryan was breastfeeding her baby discreetly in a corner booth during an anniversary dinner with her family, an Applebee's Manager asked her to cover her baby with a blanket. Ms. Ryan responded by producing a copy of the Kentucky law that states that "no person shall interfere with a woman breastfeeding her child." The manager, after reviewing the statute, continued to insist that she had to "cover the baby with a blanket" if she wanted to breastfeed in the restaurant, and that nursing her child was "indecent." The family left the restaurant in tears before being served their meal.

"When I go to a restaurant, I am not forced to eat under a blanket. I don't understand why my baby isn't given the same respect," said Diane Targovnik, a Phoenix attorney who helped organize the local Applebee's nurse-in. "We are here to normalize breastfeeding. When breastfeeding becomes normalized, then issues like blankets becomes irrelevant and we can then focus on why human breastmilk is the best food for human babies," said Targovnik, who will attend the protest with her seven-month-old exclusively breastfed nursling, LeahHadas Targovnik Jacobs.

In the spirit of the existing diversity and inclusion policy published by Applebee's Restaurants, Birth Without Boundaries, Intl. is asking the corporation to adopt and implement an official breastfeeding friendly policy.

"Because most public breastfeeding laws do not provide a clear remedy for women who are harassed or discriminated against," said Salem Hamilton, Executive Director of Birth Without Boundaries, International, "we are asking for breastfeeding supporters across the country to encourage their legislators to add enforcement provisions to their state's laws that would provide the protection women and babies need."

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Here's how YOU can help!

• Forward this info to your friends & family;
  
• Call your pediatrician and obstetrician to encourage them to come out in support of their clients!;
• Email your state legislators and let them know that the offending company (Thomas and King) owns the Applebee's restaurants in their constituencies, so this could easily happen here!;
  
• Show up on Saturday ready to be loud!

Dream come true

Auntie B got a pony for the girls! We spent yesterday at the Ranch, getting to know Zoui Rose (Zowie, that is). The girls came up with the name thanks to their favorite dinosaur name, Caudipteryx zoui, and their favorite play name, Rose.

At the Western town (part of the ranch):

Comparison with Nikki, who they used to ride (yikes!):

And washing her up after riding:

Wait, who got washed?? Zoui Rose stomped in the puddle created under her, and C got covered! Of course, at 113 degrees it's all the more fun to then wash off herself!

And the little guy, hangin' by the chickens and goat...

Oh no, not again.

Ugh. Just got this message from a friend:

"If you're not familiar with the current issue, a breastfeeding mom was asked to cover-up at an Applebee's Restaurant in Kentucky (where mothers nursing their babies in public are protected from harrassment by a new state law). She has made complaints to the Applebee's franchisee and national corporate management, and received the response that "We believe that this franchisee made a reasonable and lawful request of this guest in order to promote a pleasant and comfortable experience for all of its guests." They have even gone so far as to say that they may stock baby blankets in all the restaurants in case a mother didn't bring one with her so she can cover-up.

Since their response was neither reasonable nor lawful, there is now a national nurse-in being planned to protest Applebee's so-called policy."

Nurse-in, here we come. This will make three in three years for us :( First, the Hoover House in West Branch, Iowa; then the Delta Airlines fiasco last November...and now this. What is the big deal folks? Can't Americans just get over it? We are so frickin' backwards sometimes. I guess I'll add Applebees to my boycott list. *sigh*

ETA: I found the story from the mom herself. I am posting it with the permission she granted at the bottom of her correspondence (the bolding is mine). Sorry the text font and size are screwy - I can't seem to fix it):

On June 14th (my anniversary) a few of my children (I have 8) took me to Applebee's for lunch. For my own privacy I asked for the corner booth. I sat facing into the corner not facing the room. My then 7 month old baby boy needed to nurse so we did. A server (Jessica Balswick) came to me and stated that the manager asked her to come speak to me because she was a female. She said the manager said if we wanted to breastfeed we had to cover the baby's head with a blanket. I told her since it was hot out that I didn't have a blanket. She reiterated so I stopped nursing and asked to speak with the manager.

As we waited the baby cried so I passed him across the table to my oldest son (almost 18 yrs old) so he could help comfort his as I was a bit shook up. The baby was inconsolable so I told my son to take him to the van and I would come to nurse him as soon as I spoke with the manager.

When the manager (Justin Arnolds) came I handed him a copy of the KRS 211.755 law that I keep in my diaper bag. I said "I would like you to educate yourself and your employees of this law that protects breastfeeding mothers." He handed it back to me after glancing over it and said "I know but somebody complained it was indecent exposure so you have to cover the baby with a blanket if you want to breastfeed here". I again held out the paper saying "look at part 3 of the law, it says no person shall interfere with a woman breastfeeding her child". He said the same exact thing as before "I know but somebody complained it was indecent exposure so you have to cover the baby with a blanket if you need to breastfeed here." At that exact moment our server came back with our meal and I said "We can not eat this because I have to go breastfeed my baby." As I exited the hostess asked what was wrong and I told her very briefly and said "I don't see anyone else eating under a blanket in here."

I went to the van, nursed my baby, cried, and called my local LLL leader Karen. She told me to get the manager and servers name. She gave me names and addresses of people I needed to let know about this incident.

Our lawyer wrote a letter on June 27, 2007 to Applebee's restaurant (4009 Nicholasville Rd., Applebee's Corporate Headquarters 249 E Main St. (Mike Scanlon) The Lexington-Fayette County Health Dept. (Doraine Bailey), The KY Breastfeeding Promotion Coordinator (Becky Derifield) and the LLL Karen Brown.

The letter was ignored.

Our lawyer wrote another letter on July 25, 2007.

On August 3, 2007 Thomas & King, Inc. Legal Department finally responded. Mr Jonathan R. Weatherby, Jr. Associate General Counsel wrote "we regret that Ms. Ryan left without being served and would like the opportunity to personally invite her to return" .... "we are also considering keeping blankets in the restaurants for use by breast-feeding mothers that may not have them readily available as a result of this incident."

My husband gasped when he read this response. They just don't get it. It is like saying "Rosa Parks still has to sit at the back of the bus but we will give her a pillow so she is comfortable back there."

My midwife suggested I speak with the Senator that spearheaded getting the KRS211.755 law. I left a message for Senator Tom Buford and the next day he called me back. I asked him what recourse I had. He said "If you take them to small claims court you could get up to $1,500.00" .... "if you take them to a higher court you may not even get enough to cover your legal fees." I told the Senator I was not interested in money. I want things to change. I want public attention on this cause. I have daughters that will someday breastfeed. I want action not money.

I told Senator Buford about my nurse in/out idea and he thought it sounded great. In fact he said "let me know the date and I will come by and support you" .... he also said "hold a sign up saying -small children are not allowed to eat in this restaurant." I said "can I quote you on that" and he said "yes!" Senator Buford said "next time any one does this tell them to call the police and get a police report written up on it."

Since August is "World Breastfeeding Awareness Month" I am having one nurse-out at the Fayette Mall just to raise awareness. This is not in any way to attack the mall .... it is just a place to hang out at. I am late arranging this so it will not actually be in August but then again what is one day. It will be September 1st.

The second event is actually to draw attention to Applebee's restaurant. Friends and supporters will decorate posters and display them for all to see.
I will paste a copy of the flyer for each of the two events here for all to copy and share.

NURSE-OUT
SPEAK-OUT
Applebee's violated KRS 211.755

Educate Lexington that KY law protects public
breastfeeding and mothers should never be
asked to move, hide, cover up, or leave.

Decorate posters and display them
at a peaceful Nurse-Out.

THEME: Breastfeeding in public is Legal
DATE: Saturday, September 8, 2007
(in case of rain date 9/22/07)
LOCATION: 4009 Nicholasville Road
Lexington KY

On the public sidewalk
in front of Applebee's
Exercise caution and do not block the right of way.
News crews will be reporting.
Do not park in Applebee's parking lot!

I hope everyone can pass this on to as many as possible.
Every "quotation" is in the exact wording.
I am also willing to share copies of the actual correspondence between our lawyer and Applebee's.
Thank you for your support,
Brooke Ryan

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And, this was indeed the corporate response from Applebees. This morning, the following was posted on mdc: "I'm the one who posted the official corporate response from Applebee's. Yup, it was from the corporate headquarters itself, from the "International Guest Relations Manager." He also clearly stated that this was indeed the "corporate response."
So, re-post as needed. "

Careful now!

We wouldn't want to scare new mothers into *gasp* breastfeeding! Thanks E for passing this article along...what a sad commentary on politics running and often ruining public health :(