Going Once...

I want to invite all of you here in town to attend the 3rd annual auction at Elliot's school, School of Autism. The school is a private nonprofit, so the proceeds from the annual auction are integral to the school's budget. This year, the school plans to use a portion of the proceeds to buy land and build a larger school so that they can eventually expand to serve children on the autism spectrum aged preschool through 8th grade (the school currently has students in preschool, kindergarten, and 1st/2nd grade).

Here are the details for the auction:

Saturday, February 28th, 2009
6-10pm
Portland Art Museum, Sunken Ballroom

We've received many fabulous donations, which you can read about on the website linked above. Tickets are $75 each, and you can purchase them here. Please tell all your friends! We hope you'll support this worthy cause, even in these tough economic times. The school is the only one of its kind in the region, and it has made a huge difference in the lives of many families with children on the spectrum.

I don't know what we would have done without the school these past couple of years. Elliot has made amazing progress while at the school, and he just loves attending. As proof, I offer you this photograph of Elliot with his best friend, Sammy.


Thanks to all of you who donated items this year:

Thomas - preparation of a simple will through his law firm.
Dad - signed books by Barbara Kingsolver and Larry McMurtry and two limited edition prints by illustrator Shaun Tan.
Vic - original shadowbox mixed media artwork.
Phyllis - framed needlework Holly Hobby picture.
John - gorgeous 1950s earrings and brooch set from Decades Vintage Company.
Kevia - beautiful gold and blue topaz necklace and matching earrings from her collection.
Kate - 4 handmade skirts from Hazel Blue.
Chris - two gift certificates for classes at Lost Arts Kitchen.
Allegra - Feldenkrais session and bodywork from her colleagues at Anisha.
Kent - skateboard deck signed by Tony Hawk.
Christopher & Nancy - Peter Yarrow Puff the Magic Dragon gift basket and model ships from The Monkey & The Rat.
Mitch - hair cut and color from Spank! salon.
Pat - symphony tickets, Opera broadcast tickets, and classical CDs.

We hope to see y'all at the auction! Heck, if nothing else, it's a great excuse to get dolled up, and how often do you get to do that in Portland? I'm already excited about donning my velvet dress and hip stockings. I'm even going to wear heels. Y'all gotta show up to see that!

Handed Down

Most families have some sort of unique tradition that is handed down from one generation to the next. And I'm not talking about holiday traditions or family recipes. I'm talking about something more unique and unusual. One of the traditions in my family has to do with a sailor suit that belonged to my grandfather (on my mother's side) when he was a boy in the 1920s.

This particular sailor suit has been impeccably preserved. My favorite part about it is the label, which reads, "Jack Tar Togs. Rub 'Em, Tub 'Em, Scrub 'Em. They Come Up Smiling."


Every boy on my mother's side of the family has been photographed in this sailor suit: my grandfather, my uncle Tom, my cousins Rory, Tim, and Peter, my nephew Grayson, and now Elliot. I imagine my cousin Meghann's son Tanner will be next, but he's still too little. My aunt Sandy is in the process of putting together a collection of all of the photos, and I can't wait to see it.

I confess, I had the sailor suit in my possession for more than a year before we photographed Elliot. I was completely overwhelmed by the prospect of getting him to put something unfamiliar on his body and then to sit still in it and hopefully smile. But we promised him Play Doh afterward, and Elliot did an admirable job (especially since we had to tuck the shorts into the elastic of his underwear to hold them up - they were several inches too big!). We managed to get a couple dozen photos in the span of five minutes. Here are some of my favorite shots.





My mother then hand-carried the suit back to Colorado with her (we never ship it or pack it in luggage - it's always accompanied by a chaperone!). My very favorite picture, though not the one that will be used for the compilation, is this in-between poses moment.


You'd never know he was covered in Play Doh and singing Modest Mouse songs at the top of his lungs five minutes later. That's our boy.

Forced Simplicity

I've recently become acquainted with the term forced simplicity. It's something a lot of us may find ourselves experiencing in this rough economy. Y'all may be familiar with the concept of downshifting, which is a type of voluntary simplicity that pays attention to sustainability and environmental impact in our daily lives. Forced simplicity involves taking a look at how we live our lives and what we can change because, well, we need to pinch some pennies. We're living simpler lives because we have to. And some of us are finding that we kinda like it.

Here are a few ideas our family has implemented or is considering that save us money as well as lessen our impact on the planet.

***Buy locally, and buy in bulk.*** It's cheaper to buy locally, since the cost of transport is not a factor. And no transport means no gas, and that's good for our environment. Supporting your local farmers and business owners also makes for a stronger community and creates jobs in your own neighborhoods. And you don't have to go to Costco to buy in bulk. Many areas have farm delivery services such as Azure Standard which bring local produce, meats, and natural products directly to you. And consider making an investment in a large freezer so you can buy a portion of a cow, pig, lamb, or several fresh chickens directly from the farmer.

***Garden and preserve.*** Even if you don't have space in your own yard to plant a garden, you should be able to find a community garden in your neighborhood. Seeds and starts are cheaper than a weekly trip to the market, and if you're so inclined, you can learn to can and preserve your bounty to last you through the winter months. If this idea strikes your fancy, I highly recommend the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.


***Use cloth.*** You don't need to buy lots of paper products when you can use cloth for diapers, napkins, towels, and cleaning rags. And you can recruit your old socks, t-shirts, and other worn-out clothing for this purpose.

***Repurpose.*** Why throw something out when you can turn it into something useful, or into artwork?

***Reduce, Recycle.*** We just switched our garbage service to once monthly instead of weekly. We've cut the cost of our service in half, and we're making less garbage. Our recycling still gets picked up weekly, so we are conscious of recycling as much as possible and keeping what we throw out to a minimum.

***Pass it on!*** Instead of throwing something out that may still be useful to someone, pass it on! Give it to a charitable organization for a tax deduction or sell it on ebay or craigslist if you need some extra moolah. This tactic is especially great when you have kids.


***Buy used.*** Why use more plastic and other resources to create brand spanking new stuff when you can find the same thing used? Utilize ebay, craigslist, and your local consignment and thrift stores.

***Eat in.*** Cook! Invent! Use up all that food you grew yourself. Make your own coffee. Bring your lunch to work. Invite friends over for dinner.

***Cut out.*** Get rid of your land line. Get rid of cable (ok, we're actually not considering that one - I love me my cable). Get rid of a car!

***Make stuff.*** The best presents are the ones you make yourself. Sew, knit, crochet, collage, paint, photograph, sculpt, write, sing and play. Be creative!

***Barter and trade.*** Have a skill or a service to offer? Your friends probably do, too. Trade a massage for a painting, a meal for darning socks. Oh, the possibilities!

***Get a roomie.*** Roommates aren't just for college anymore. They can help with the bills! They can pay part of the mortgage! They can cook! They can babysit!

Happy simplifying!

Ah, Distinctly I Remember...

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each McElroy household member was too busy to blog more.
Eagerly our readers waited; - curiosity unabated
For a blog entry much belated -were there McElroys anymore?
Where were the rare and radiant children who appeared herein before?
Quoth the blogger, 'Nevermore!'

But seriously, we're back. Can you ever forgive such a long hiatus, oh best beloveds? And now that I'm mixing my literary references, I'd best get on with it. I have quite a few new photos and videos to share with you today, and then I promise to get back to posting once or twice a week. Hold me to it!

We've had a busy January. First up, the end to the holiday season is here encapsulated in this video of the demise of our Christmas tree.

And here are some shots of the antics Elliot and Imogen have been up to this month. I call this first one "macaroni head".

As you can see here, Imogen has learned to climb into and on top of just about everything in the house, the dining room table and the dishwasher included.


And here's a little dress up fun - Elliot in an outfit he created himself (you can never wear too many hats, I always say), and Imogen in the super cute dress the Mazzaras gave her for Christmas.


This past week we had a fabulous visit with Nana and Atman. After days and days of rain, we finally got a little bit of sunshine.


On their last night in town, Nana and Atman got to enjoy the holiday concert at Elliot's school, which had been rescheduled due to the snow before the break. The kids did a fantastic job, and Elliot loved singing with all of his friends in his first concert ever. Here are a couple of numbers from the grand event.

And last up, here are the 16-month sibling comparison photos. Imogen turned 16 months old this week, and her latest tricks mostly involve climbing (see above) and pointing at things while exclaiming "dat!" until someone gives them to her. Here are Elliot and Imogen, each at 16 months old.


We'll see how Miss Idgie (who Elliot is now calling "Idg", which we just adore) is looking next month, but this may be where the comparison photos diverge a bit, since Elliot got his hair cut for the first time when he was 16 months old, and I just can't bear to snip a hair on Imogen's pretty head. Here is Elliot after his first haircut.


A very Happy New Year to all of you! More to come soon, I promise, promise, promise!

Fa La La La La

We had a lovely Christmas here at the McElroy household. We had an easy-going day, watching the snow, opening presents, and snacking to our hearts' content. Here's a little sample of our holiday.

Deck the halls with boughs of holly.

'Tis the season to be jolly.

Don we now our gay apparel.


Troll the ancient Yule tide carol.


See the blazing Yule before us.

Strike the harp and join the chorus.


Follow me in merry measure.

While I tell of Yuletide treasure.



Fast away the old year passes.


Hail the new, ye lads and lasses.



Sing we joyous, all together.


Heedless of the wind and weather.


Fa la la la la, la la la la!

Take 5

Hello from Snowpocalypse 2008! On days like this when I lived in Colorado, I would hunker down with a good book. That's hard to do with two cabin-fevered children running about, but it inspired me to share my top five book lists with you, in case you need some recommended reading for the next time you're snowed in. So, here are my top five top fives (interspersed with new snow photos for you).

Top 5 Novels

1. In the City of Shy Hunters by Tom Spanbauer, a Portland local. It's the story of a gay man who moves to New York City during the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and the people he befriends there. But it's oh so much more, and brilliantly written.

2. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. I think this one is her masterpiece. It's the story of an Evangelical Baptist who takes his family on a mission to the Belgian Congo in 1959 and is told from the perspective of his wife and daughters.

3. The Bone People by Keri Hulme. It's the story of an unusual friendship between a Maori woman artist and a little boy that takes place along the New Zealand Sea.

4. Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie (and it's short story companion, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven). The stories of Thomas-Builds-the-Fire and the other members of the Spokane Indian reservation.

5. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. It's the story of what happens when an opera singer and several other guests are taken hostage by terrorists during a dinner party at the vice-president's home in an unnamed South American country.

I'm cheating. I can't do novels in less than 10. I tried, but I just can't.

6. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. The biblical story of Jacob from the women's points of view.

7. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. The story of a twin sister and brother set in India in the 1960s.

8. The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx. The story of a newspaperman living on the Newfoundland coast.

9. A Yellow Raft in Blue Water byMichael Dorris. A story of three generations of women, set in Seattle and a reservation in Montana.

10. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. Set in Alabama in the 1930s, the story of Idgie Threadgoode as told through the eyes of a relative at a nursing home to a younger woman at a turning point in her life.

Top 5 Books of Poetry

1. Words Under the Words by Naomi Shihab Nye.
2. In Mad Love and War by Joy Harjo.
3. Vesper Sparrows by Deborah Digges.
4. The Dead and the Living by Sharon Olds.
5. Transformations by Anne Sexton.

Top 5 Non-Fiction Books

1. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt. His memoir of growing up in Limerick, Ireland.

2. Everyday Acts and Small Subversions by Anndee Hochman. Profiles of women doing extraordinay things with their daily lives.

3. The Autism Trail Guide: Postcards From the Road Less Traveled by Ellen Notbohm. A collection of essays about raising a child on the autism spectrum.

4. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. Her account of the year her family spent growing their own food and eating locally and how it permanently and positively impacted their lives.

5. First Comes Love by Marion Winik. Her heartbreaking memoir of her husband who died of AIDS.


Top 5 Young Adult Novels

1. Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye. The story of an Arab-American 14-year old girl who moves from St. Louis back to her father's home in Jerusalem.

2. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. No explanation necessary.

3. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. Again, no explanation needed (what is it with young adult novelists and using initials for their first names, anyway?).

4. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. Part of a sci-fi series I loved as a child.

5. Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie. A fantastical adventure tale.


Top 5 Children's Book Illustrators
(Again, I'm cheating. I have a huge collection and couldn't pick just five books.)

1. Shaun Tan.
2. Christopher Myers.
3. Lizbeth Zwerger.
4. Gennady Spirin.
5. Barry Moser.


What's missing? Let me know which of your favorites I left out!

Ice, Ice Baby

Well, perhaps I should not have mocked the weather in my last post. Because now Portland has been blasted with one of those ice storms we get every few years that completely shuts the city down. The last ice storm I remember was 5 years ago, when Elliot was 3 months old. It was the first week of January, 2004, and I was due to go back to work from maternity leave. I went back for one day, and then the ice storm hit. I got to work from home for the rest of the week, which was fantastic.

This time around, though, I'm ready for spring to come to Narnia. It's a bummer to be iced in with two young children. We've already played in the snow, watched Blue's Clues, created fantastic works of art, played on the computer, banged on the drums, and played hide-and-seek more times than I can count. Not to mention endless rounds of the elevator game. I would now like to go somewhere. However, this is what my car currently looks like.

It is snowing again now, and it's supposed to continue snowing for the rest of the week. Looks like those holiday cards I was going to mail tomorrow aren't going to make it to their destinations in time for Christmas (sorry, y'all!). I'm hoping it will at least get warm enough to melt the ice so we can get some groceries for Christmas dinner (and that Nancy, Vic, and Patrick will all make it over here on Christmas Eve - where they may have to spend the night!).

But it is completely gorgeous outside. Here are a few photos for you of our winter wonderland.


And here is Thomas having a little fun with the 1/4 inch thick sheets of snow and ice blanketing our lawn.


Elliot has been having a great time in the snow, though. Here he is bundled up and then making snow angels with Nona.



When we're not out playing in the snow, we're keeping warm and cozy inside. Here is Imogen riding around in Papa's overalls (who needs a baby carrier when you have Carhartt's?).


And last but not least, here is the super fly elevator panel I scored from an elevator repair company to give to Elliot for Christmas.


It is going to completely blow his mind, and I really can't wait to give it to him. The guy at the elevator company (who shall remain nameless) was just fantastic, finagling a way to get a real elevator part for me. Since there are liability issues, the company isn't allowed to give away parts removed from elevators they've worked on, but we of course just found this little puppy by the side of a dumpster (wink, wink). Thomas is going to build some sort of frame around it to make it safe and stable (it's about 2 feet tall and weighs quite a bit). But I'm still on a high from the score. Snow or no snow, ice or no ice, it's going to be the best Christmas ever!