Christmas With Our Toddler

Leif's toddlerdom has made his second Christmas entertaining, to say the least. Last year, he couldn't do much. This year, he enjoyed unwrapping gifts, even if he did take 3 minutes per gift, and he had moved on to other activities before all his gifts were unwrapped. He loved seeing what was inside each box or bag. Unfortunately, he's developed a theory that every box with something inside is a gift to be unwrapped. I had bought him some toothpaste at the grocery store one day recently, and he grabbed it out of the bag and shoved it in my face, complete with gasps of excitement. When I took the toothpaste out of the box, he gasped while covering his mouth. It was cute, but what have we created?! This too shall pass, right? Did I mention that he woke up on December 26th, looking for gifts under the Christmas tree? Sorry, bud. Christmas only comes once a year.

With that said, I wanted to share some Christmas memories that these first-time parents championed... and by that, I mean we want to continue these with our children in the future.

+ Making sure Leif spent ample time with both sets of grandparents, and all the aunts and uncles and cousins.
+ Letting Leif experience Christmas morning/day at his own home. In the midst of the chaos of Christmas, this is the one special day we can spend together, just the three of us.
+ Giving Leif practical gifts from Santa, with a couple of fun toys. He's a toddler who's excited about any gift he opens, so as parents, we're taking full advantage of that! He received plenty of sticker books, coloring books, a couple of cloth diaper covers, forks and spoons, rain boots, some sensory balls, and a big stuffed frog.
+ Limiting the volume of gifts he received. Although our funds were in short supply this year, we also didn't want to set a standard that's difficult to meet each year thereafter.

Dining with Davis on YouTube

Your love for my Dining with Davis videos appears to be unremitting. My desire to create these same videos is equally interminable. Rejoice! Not only will I continue to create them, but that nonplussed expression you wear at my incessant use of words longer than three syllables will have no place on your face when you watch these videos. My working vocabulary shrinks measurably when I speak.

Therefore I have created a YouTube channel to upload our videos. Previously they appeared on Facebook, which has the wide, wide audience of my immediate friends. There is a chance I will upload these older videos to the YouTube channel at some point in the future, but don't hold your breath. You'd last, what, half an hour? We're talking months here, probably years.

So if you want to watch Dining with Davis videos, follow THIS LINK.. Be sure to subscribe, blah blah blah all that basic shilling stuff people have to do.

When Husbands Get Sick

It is a common occurrence for husbands to revert to infancy when they acquire some sickness.  Yes, I said it.  They can be downright babies.  (I love you, Davis!)

With that said, a couple weeks ago, Davis came down with what we thought were just allergies.  He acted like he had something much worse.  He used a whole box of tissues in a matter of a day and a half.  His body was lifeless on the couch, or in the bed when I could get him to rest.  He whined.  He obviously was sick, that I had no doubt.

...but I thought we was just being dramatic.  You know, like husbands do when they get sick.

Fast forward a week when I get the same illness.  I take it all back.  I feel your pain, Davis.  I will never jump to conclusions ever again (that's a lie).  I missed 4 days of work.  It was awful, I'm telling you.  Davis did not have the opportunity to miss work, because he stays home and takes care of our 11 month old.  You know that commercial that shows the sick mom asking for time off with her "boss", the toddler?  It's accurate.

My lesson from this situation, wives, is to be a little more compassionate when your spouse gets sick.  Make them a cup of hot tea.  Bring them the tissues.  Make sure they take their medicine.  Send them to bed early and assure them that you've got it handled with the baby.  This is my spousal advice for the week.

Adventurous Eating (Pictures Not Included)

I was not originally an adventurous eater. Chicken was my go to meat, cheese and french fries were staples, and anything different was gross and icky. I only ate new foods when I had to, and exotic foods from other cultures were out of the question. So if I was eating dinner at a friends house and they served tilapia, I’d have to grit my teeth and eat it. Free meals were always welcome, as was the tail end of potluck lunches, no matter what they had cooked up.


But my non-American eating expanded as my personal contacts expanded. I’m not counting Chinese buffets or Mexican food; those are, if you have traveled to either of those countries, a strongly Americanized version of their cuisine. I got my first taste when I traveled to Mexico in high school. We had dug a waterline for a village or put in concrete floors in a house (although, being a teenager, I’m sure I did very little actual work.) Around lunchtime a woman from the village had prepared a lavish meal for us. I could not name a thing that she had made, but some of them looked like tamales. After diplomatically avoiding the ice in our drinks, we dug in.

And life has never been the same. Again, I have no idea what I ate, but it was unlike any Mexican food here in the States that I had ever had. She spoke no English, I spoke ten words of Spanish. But thankfulness through service needs no language to express itself.

I returned home and thought little of my expanded palate until college. In 2010 I traveled to Uganda for 6 weeks and was forced to eat anything and everything they had. Posho, plantains, jackfruit, sugar cane, peanut sauce, and much more that I’ve since forgotten made me into an eater of anything put in front of me.

I worked with international students through the later half of my college career and they would bring snacks for their teacher or invite me to come eat with them. One of my friends from Iran introduced me to Sultan’s in Stillwater (get the chicken tikka masala). It was glorious. I learned that there were not only good places to eat foreign food outside of America, but even within our country as well. By the time Courtney and I went to live in China, I knew my taste buds could handle the challenge if not my stomach.

But it’s not always exciting. That same friend introduced me to a yogurt drink, which like drinking warm, liquid yogurt that’s a little expired. When we lived in China, we ate some open-faced grilled eggplant that made us both get food poisoning. I cannot handle tons of spice either, so dishes would often be too hot for me to eat more than a few mouthfuls of. I never ate the stinky tofu though; some names are deserved.

That’s why tonight I’m writing this as I eat golden curry chicken in my own home, cooked in my own wok, by my own hands (just kidding; by my wife’s hands. I did cut the chicken). As you can tell, other people are usually the reason for my adventurous eats. I could extrapolate on how expanding what you eat is a microcosm for how opening up your mind and heart to those that are different than you makes you a more empathetic and understanding person, but you’re smart enough to draw that conclusion yourself. You don’t need to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes; just eat their food.

Remembering the Past

Today, my thoughts take me to a time in Davis and I's not so distant past, when we were traveling in Asia.  I'll try to provide a few *brief* highlights, so as not to overwhelm or bore you.

If you are unaware, Davis and I lived in Hangzhou, China in the 2012-2013 school year.  We taught at a 3-year University.  We laughed.  We cried.  We went through the whole slew of emotions.

I can't speak for Davis, but I think he would agree that these were some of our fondest memories while overseas during that year.

Beijing:

We traveled to Beijing during the first week of June, and soon discovered that it's one of the best times to travel there.  We had been told there is a never-ending smog that consumes the city, but our time there was filled with blue skies and 70 degree weather.  

See?

We also think very fondly of our time at The Great Wall.  It consisted of a 3-hour commute by van to Jinshanling, a 3-hour hike on the wall, and a 3-hour trip back to the hostel.  I can't imagine hiking the wall during inclement weather.  Yikes.

I really can't contain this experience in one picture.

Shanghai:

If my memory is accurate, we traveled to Shanghai in May.  Once again, the weather was great.  With the help of a Chinese friend, we purchased tickets for the fast train to Shanghai.  It took just under an hour to get there.  We didn't even get to see everything we had planned.  We took the subway from the airport to the Science & Technology Museum, and slowly worked our way back to the airport, stopping at several places along the subway route.  This trip was the most convenient experience we ever had in China.  Shanghai is on top of their game.

The chaos of people at a train station.

The subway route.  We took the #2 route.

Buying tickets at the subway station.

The fast train to Shanghai.

Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai

Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand:

During the new year holiday in January, Davis and I had 30 marvelous days of travel in Southeast Asia.  We spent 10 days in Vietnam, 10 in Cambodia, and 10 days in Thailand.  Fun fact - 10 days is the maximum for traveling visitation in Thailand.  We met our max.  If I had to do it over again, I think we would spend more time in Vietnam.  It was by far my favorite of the three.  

Here are some of our highlights.

Ha Long Bay near Hanoi, Vietnam

Mỹ Sơn temples near Hoi An, Vietnam

This is a staple breakfast for Western travelers in Vietnam.  Also, my go-to was always banana smoothies!

A nice dinner in Hanoi, Vietnam.

We had to ride several overnight double-deck buses in Southeast Asia.  Some were nicer than others.

We walked 3 miles to this beach in Hoi An, Vietnam.  It was well worth it.

This is my favorite picture of Davis from Hoi An, Vietnam.

Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia

One of 2 elephant rides.  It's higher than it looks!

Koh Chang island in Thailand

Dinner on the beach in Thailand

Walking around Chiang Rai, Thailand

Yes, you can pet tigers in Thailand.  My instinct told me NO!

Tom Yum soup in Thailand is the best.

Elephant ride #2 in SE Asia.  Animal lovers, you have to visit Chiang Mai if you're ever in Thailand.

Thus concludes my reminiscing.  If you have someone in your life that's lived or traveled overseas, take the time to sit and visit with them about their time there.  It would probably mean the world to them!

What will Leif be when he grows up?

Dear Leif,

Hello, future. How are all the self-driving cars? Son, right now you’re ten months old. You don't have a job yet, but I think I can make some informed guesses.

You love nature. When you see a dog on our walks, you squeal. Ophelia the rabbit is never safe from your leaping clutches. When we take you outside, you stop crying/fussing and just stare at the leaves/grass/sun. Obviously this love of all things natural means you’re going to be a veterinarian. As you’re reading this between massive textbooks on animal physiology, know that this was meant to be since childhood. Or perhaps this love translates into plants and you’re a forester, scaling trees and watching for forest fires. Or a dog sitter with two dozen dogs of your own. A landscaper. A dirt salesman.

But then again, you love kids too. I think children have so much energy that you can’t keep your eyes off of them. You could be babysitting right now, scrolling through mom and dad’s old blogs on your 3D holographic smartphone implants. Maybe you’ll grow up to be a teacher, with kids to entertain you all day. Or work for DHS, ensuring kids get treated with the love and care they deserve. Or a pediatrician, making enough to take care of old mom and dad in our retirement. A children’s book author. A circus clown.

Your interests are not all puppy dogs and roses, however. You also love the toilet. As in, every time we accidentally leave the bathroom door open, you make a beeline for the door. The side of the tub can sometimes be enough to occupy you for a few minutes, but usually that porcelain bowl is too tempting to resist. You’ve yet to actually touch the toilet (praise the Lord), but this may be an interest that does not fade with time. Are you a plumber now, relaxing after a hard day’s work and laughing at how your love of bathrooms began at an early age? An upper class toilet bowl designer? A septic tank repairman?

I can’t predict the future. But I know whatever direction you choose to live your life, I’ll be right behind you, supporting you the whole way. Maybe not literally behind you if you go into toilet-related jobs, but you get the idea.

So go for it. Get that doctorate degree. Drop out of school to start a business. Run for president. Live in Uzbekistan (but come visit!).

Maybe don't be the next Napoleon though, okay?

Love, your (younger) old man,

Dad

Hello Again

The Kecks are back to the blogging grind, so expect to see posts from both Davis and me.  We want to cover all things parenting, cooking, home remedies, gardening advice, spousal advice, and maybe even a few other categories Davis comes up with.  

What do you want to hear about first?  Our sweet, energetic 10 month old?  Gardening? Recipes we've enjoyed?  I can't decide.

...10  minutes later.  Let's go with gardening advice.

I always find opportunities to take pictures for my job as a horticulture educator.  Ask Davis.  This past week, here is what I've found:

Can we talk about these crapemyrtles?  I had to run to Target the other day and of course my eyes go to these poor crapmyrtles (intentional spelling).  Let me offer this advice: one should never commit crapemurder - that is, to cut back a significant amount of branches, making them look like stubs all the way across.  Crapemyrtles are meant to keep their seed pods on (although you can remove them if you wish).  Really, the only pruning that should be done on these beauties is to cut the suckers growing from the ground, leaving about 5-7 permanent trunks.  Also, remove any dead and diseased branches, any branches growing inward, crossing branches that rub together, and any branches growing on the lower part of the trunk.  Still apathetic?  Check out this research-based information HERE, from North Carolina State University.  

 As an Arkansas girl, I found this to be funny.  Okies have to pay for their rocks?  That. Is. Very. Unfortunate.

Last week, I planted our one, and only tomato plant.  This is a Juliet tomato.  It is an indeterminate tomato.  You may have heard this label before.  Indeterminate tomatoes are ones that keep growing and keep producing all season long.  Determinate tomatoes are the ones that grow to a certain height, usually the bush tomatoes, and produce one time during the growing season.  A single growing season for most plants will last from May to September.  Now, when I planted this, I stripped the bottom three stems and planted it pretty deep.  Tomatoes are one of the few plants you can do this to.  Provided enough moisture, the hairs along the stalk will grow into roots.  Why do we do this?  It provides more stability for the plant, as well as lets the plant put more energy into rooting and top growth.

I caught this on the news Tuesday night while storms were rolling in.  (See, I can find opportunities anywhere.)  To the untrained eye, nothing is wrong in this picture.  My eyes went to the double staked trees in a storm.  Trees need to learn to be flexible (much like ourselves), so normally, if a tree absolutely has to be staked, it should have one stake and only for the first year after planting.  Why?  Because Universities say so.  

Left: You guessed it, poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans).  

Right: Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)

Both of these were found in abundance at the park near our house.  Don't confuse the two, and when in doubt, avoid them both.  Poison ivy has 3 leaves, whereas Virginia creeper usually has 5 leaves.  If you're having trouble identifying it, send me a picture and I'll help: courtney.sidwell@okstate.edu

You may be noticing these pretty flowers on the side of the road.  This is showy evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa).  It can have white flowers, as well.  Aren't they beautiful?

If you look really close at the dead spot in the center of the photo, you will notice some white mushrooms growing around the edge.  Most likely, a tree was cut down at some point, and now the mushrooms are benefiting from the decaying wood underneath the soil.  What should you do when you see this in your yard?  Absolutely nothing.  Let the fungi do its work.

That's about all of the horticulture wisdom I can impart today.  I hope you've enjoyed our revived blog.