Lulu's Pins and The Pin Winner

Lulu celebrates President's Day everyday with her cool collection of political buttons. She has them displayed on a her giant 13th birthday sign from a couple of years ago.
The lucky winner of the giant safety pin is Suzy!!!!

Victory Gardens

Last night we had the most delicious Caprese salad, and I was able to use fresh picked basil from my herb garden! A couple of weeks ago, I planted loads of different herbs, strawberries, peppers and tomatoes, and I just cleared more space to add different types of lettuce and edible flowers.
Victory Gardens like mine were huge during World War II, people felt patriotic planting gardens in whatever small space they had to help combat food shortages.
I enjoy growing my own food because I know that no chemicals are on it, and nothing is more convenient than having fresh produce available in the backyard. I love that Michelle Obama has started a vegetable garden at the White House, too!!

By MARIAN BURROS, NY Times

Published: March 19, 2009

WASHINGTON —Michelle Obama will begin digging up a patch of the South Lawn on Friday to plant a vegetable garden, the first at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt’s victory garden in World War II. There will be no beets — the president does not like them — but arugula will make the cut. Virtually the entire Obama family, including the president, will pull weeds.

Whether there would be a White House garden had become more than a matter of landscaping. The question had taken on political and environmental symbolism, with the Obamas lobbied for months by advocates who believe that growing more food locally, and organically, can lead to more healthful eating and reduce reliance on huge industrial farms that use more oil for transportation and chemicals for fertilizer.

Then, too, promoting healthful eating has become an important part of Mrs. Obama’s own agenda.

While the Clintons grew some vegetables in pots on the White House roof, the Obamas’ garden will far transcend that, with 55 varieties of vegetables — from a wish list of the kitchen staff — grown from organic seedlings started at the Executive Mansion’s greenhouses.

The Obamas will feed their love of Mexican food with cilantro, tomatillos and hot peppers. Lettuces will include red romaine, green oak leaf, butterhead, red leaf and galactic. There will be spinach, chard, collards and black kale. For desserts, there will be a patch of berries. And herbs will include some more unusual varieties, like anise hyssop and Thai basil. A White House carpenter, Charlie Brandts, who is a beekeeper, will tend two hives for honey.

The total cost of seeds, mulch and so forth is $200, said Sam Kass, an assistant White House chef, who prepared healthful meals for the Obama family in Chicago and is an advocate of local food. Mr. Kass will oversee the garden.

Cristeta Comerford, the White House’s executive chef, said she was eager to plan menus around the garden, and Bill Yosses, the pastry chef, said he was looking forward to berry season.

For urban dwellers who have no backyards, the country’s one million community gardens can also play an important role, Mrs. Obama said.

May I Douse You With Lysol?

We have been crazy throughout history!

Start printing these bibs!

My big plans today consist of stockpiling hand sanitizer and Lysol. I have already perfected the art of opening doors with my foot and using my elbow at cash stations, now everyone seems to be acting as crazy as me! I'm not alone.

Here's an excerpt from "The Audacity of Hope," where then-Sen.. Obama wrote of his first meeting with President Bush.
“Obama!” he said, shaking my hand. “Come here and meet Laura. Laura, you remember Obama. We saw him on TV during election night. Beautiful family. And that wife of yours – that’s one impressive lady.”

“We both got better than we deserve, Mr. President,” I said, shaking the First Lady’s hand and hoping that I’d wiped any crumbs off my face.

The president turned to an aide nearby, who squirted a big dollop of hand sanitizer in the president’s hand.

“Want some?” the president asked. “Good stuff. Keeps you from getting colds.” Not wanting to seem unhygienic, I took a squirt.

Dresses

All dresses from J. Crew
Thanks to our lovely First Lady, I have had such a hankering to go dress shopping. It seems like the perfect attire for our vacation next week. I am hoping a dress, will lessen the schlubby, midwestern, tourist vibe I give off.

Oh Happy Day!

I plan on being glued to the television today watching all of the inaugural coverage. I will also make The Obama Family Chili (see below), and try my hand at sweet potato pie. I have two big boxes of decorations for the Fourth of July that I will rifle through to decorate our dining table. We are all a little giddy!!!

MLK & BHO

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?"

Martin Luther King, Jr.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Barack Obama with his Mother

Barack Obama with his Grandfather

"Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love." Martin Luther King, Jr.

Move In Condition

Nancy Reagan decorated this bedroom, it has a bit of a Plaza Hotel suite, circa 1960 vibe.

Sister Parish decorated this room for Jackie Kennedy, notice the books on the floor.

I was rather surprised to see these rooms in the White House Residence. I always think of it as having heavy brocade curtains and navy blue or red furnishings. I wonder what impact the Obama's will have on the decor. Will they make their private rooms more casual because of their young daughters?

The White House has:

• A main residence and architectural wings on the east and west sides
• 4 stories, plus a basement and sub-basement
• 55,000 ft of floor space (67,000 ft including the wings)
• 132 rooms and 35 bathrooms
• 412 doors
• 147 windows
• 28 fireplaces
• 8 staircases
• 3 elevators (main, pantry, and a lower-levels elevator under the Grand Staircase)
• several gardens
• a tennis court
• a basketball court
• a putting green
• a bowling alley
• a movie theater
• a jogging track
• a swimming pool

Not Exactly A Swanky Ball

Do you have big plans for inauguration day? We tried to go to D.C. for the big event, but we couldn't find a hotel. I am still going to try and make this a memorable day for my children. The menu is easy, Barack's favorite food chili! I have also heard him sing the praises of his Mother-In-Law's sweet potato pie, so I guess that should be our dessert.

Obama Family Chili Recipe

1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
Several cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground turkey or beef
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground basil
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Several tomatoes, depending on size, chopped
1 can red kidney beans

Saute onions, green pepper and garlic in olive oil until soft.

Add ground meat and brown.

Combine spices together into a mixture, then add to ground meat.

Add red wine vinegar.

Add tomatoes and let simmer, until tomatoes cook down.

Add kidney beans and cook for a few more minutes.

Serve over white or brown rice. Garnish with grated cheddar cheese, onions and sour cream.

(Recipe Courtesy of The Huffington Post)

Better times in Illinois

The Governor of our state was arrested yesterday, joining the previous Governor, who is currently serving a lengthy jail sentence. It would seem that our capitol in Springfield functions as a reverse halfway house for future felons! What saddens me about Rod Blagojevich's shadiness is the impact his actions will have on his two young daughters. We attended an outdoor event a few years ago and Lulu struck up a friendship with his daughter Amy. While the Governor was giving a speech, Lulu and Amy entertained themselves in the Governor's SUV and listened to tunes with the bodyguards. I wonder how his kids will deal with their father's fall from grace and likely imprisonment ? I wish he had been thinking about them when he was selling Barack's Senate seat. The entire state needs a shower, we all feel kind of tainted.

Perfect

Thank you America. I don't ever remember feeling this type of hope and joy over the outcome of an election. I also don't remember 70 degree weather in Chicago during the month of November. It feels pretty close to perfect tonight!

Vote

People are quite willing to wait in line for the new i-Phone, Star Wars tickets and cheap crap from Walmart the day after Thanksgiving. Pack a snack for the kids, wear comfortable shoes and don't let the long lines stand between you and voting! It is those of us who can least afford to wait in line all day, that need to get out and vote.

Oh, Baaaama!

Watching Barack Obama in the last Presidential debate I was reminded of Rob Petrie from The Dick VanDyke Show. When Barack was sitting while McCain spoke I couldn't help think of Dick VanDyke's lanky elegance. I have always loved that show, there was a modernity to the Petries that you had to admire. I wonder if Michelle says Oh, baaaaama the way Laura would say "Oh, Robbbbbb"?

We'll Be There!!!

We are loading up the car and heading down to Springfield! We want the kids to see Barack Obama introduce his running mate, and witness what is sure to be an exciting event and an eloquent speech. I have actually never seen a President in person, or a person that I hope will be President. Mr. Man had to escort Vice President Cheney around Super Great Doll Place as he shopped for dolls. They had to awkwardly ride an elevator together, eeew. Tough making small talk. Anyway, we are all very excited about going to our first political rally. Lulu will most certainly be adding to her political button collection and Deke is hoping for an Obama action figure, I told him not to get his hopes up on that one.