Growing Up Savvy Posts
Sophia has lots and lots of toys. We’re fortunate though because most of them have been hand-me-downs and we have not had to spend a lot of money on toys. We did purchase a little red kitchen for Sophia because we cook a lot and she loves to help. We wanted her to have her own space where she can be a master, too. The kitchen was half off on Cyber Monday … and came in just yesterday. Evan spent a few hours putting it together and Sophia “helped”, of course. Here she is organizing all her faux foods…
It is hard to imagine that I’ve been working in my field for over a decade… seems just like yesterday I was trying to decide on my major and visiting Drexel University (my alma mater) with my sister who was trying to indoctrinate me into the field.
Years have passed, computers are faster than ever and computer scientists play a key role in all modern fields of technology. Computer scientists develop software to help medical research, design new algorithms that help find social connections, create software to penetrate nuclear projects, develop advanced algorithms that determine the best stock market moves in fractions of a second, and more, much, much more.
Programming and computer science are not exactly one and the same, but they are tightly intertwined; Programming is the application of computer science principles. This week is Computer Science Education Week and I wanted to highlight that computer science and programming have been recognized to have made an incredible impact on humankind. They are here to stay, here to make a difference, and as a society we must embrace both to compete on the global stage in innovation.
S(cience) T(echnology) E(ngineering) and M(athematics) are key in computer science and sadly, fewer and fewer high school seniors are enrolling into college degree programs in STEM. It is our responsibility as the parents of this new generation to guide and encourage that they pursue careers in STEM, that they learn programming and perhaps make a career out of computer science. It is the future. If you don’t believe me, look here for what world and industry leaders have to say about computer science and programming.
And in case you’re a bit lazy… here are some quotes…
“At a time when people are saying “I want a good job – I got out of college and I couldnt find one,” every single year in America there is a standing demand for 120,000 people who are training in computer science.“ – Bill Clinton
“Whether we’re fighting climate change or going to space, everything is moved forward by computers, and we don’t have enough people who can code. Teaching young people to code early on can help build skills and confidence and energize the classroom with learning-by-doing opportunities. I learned how to fly a hot air balloon when I was 30,000 feet up and my life was in the balance: you can learn skills at any age but why wait when we can teach everyone to code now!“ – Richard Branson
On a personal note: shortly after I graduated from college a close relative remarked that I was nothing more than a programmer and there would shortly be no jobs for programmers. We never know what will happen, we never know how economic downturns will impact our society, but as we saw in this latest economic downturn, computer scientists were hired by the dozens despite sky-high unemployment.
Finally, computer science isn’t just my job, my bread and butter – it is my passion, a craft I love. I look forward to sharing programming the very same way I share my knitting and sewing with Sophia. She is free to choose her major, but nothing would please me more than a career in STEM and perhaps computer science.
[Sophia sculpts a piece of Play-Doh]
Sophia: Papa, you want to eat it?
Evan: Sure. What did you make?
Sophia: Fah gwah.
Evan: Foi gras?!
Sophia: Yes, papa, it’s fah gwah. Now eat it.
Moments after Evan comes inside after a day’s work…
Sophia: Hello, Mr. Papa!!!
Gearing up for a mall excursion … to get out of the house.
Nadya: What do you want to buy?
Sophia: Orange pants!
Winter made its presence known this weekend with a cold and wet snow storm. We are not getting as much snow as our families up north, but it is still beautiful to wake up on a weekend to the sight of white flakes blanketing our trees in the back yard. Expecting snow, we hunkered down and cooked, crafted and spent lots of time together. Here is how the weekend started.
After a lazy start on Saturday, we hunkered down and cooked, cooked and … well, cooked. Chicken parmesan, southwestern pulled brisket, lentil and kale soup/stew, mushroom and potato soup, slaw and picked onions. All that Saturday cooking left Sunday wide open for more leisurely pursuits.
This is my lunch for Monday 😉 leftover lentil and kale soup and some red pepper hummus… healthy and satisfying.
Sunday mornings must start with coffee, unless it snows, then they must start with hot chocolate.
Not store bought, powdered and grey stuff. Homemade on the stove top with milk, dutch processed cocoa and … wait for it, bittersweet C-H-O-C-O-L-A-T-E. Thick, rich and bitter … grown up.
This was also the first time Sophia tried it and she liked it… as much as any child can enjoy bittersweet chocolate.
A quick excursion despite the inclement yet gorgeous weather, a lunch from leftovers and the Pièce de résistance…
Southwest pulled brisket served with homemade cabbage and scallion slaw and pickled onions served on tortillas. Satisfying.
First hot chocolate for Sophia, first time making pulled brisket, first snow of the season … a weekend of firsts.
Very few things are just about us once we become parents. While at times overwhelming, it is endearing and entirely worth it. Evan’s birthday was this Sunday and we celebrated it just as we intended — with his parents and grandmother. My mother-in-law baked a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting which is Evan’s favorite.
Sophia helped ring in Evan’s new year.
As for what to get a man who has everything? A cookbook, of course! It is a rather selfish gift, I know. I am sure to benefit from this over the years when Evan prepares delicious dishes artfully described in this bright text. Actually, there is a story behind this cookbook; Back when we lived in Philadelphia, we used to attend dinners hosted by Shola Olunloyo, an excellent and famous chef who at one time co-hosted a dinner with Alex Talbot who one of this cookbook’s authors. The techniques they both used were very unique and each dish was packed with flavor. We were inspired and have since experimented with some of the methods used by both chefs. Anyway, though this book is not an experience (which is what we like to gift each other) per se, it will lend itself to many culinary experiences.
I alluded to the secret crafts my sister and I were working on for our little cousins for Hanukkah and I can now finally share what we’ve been up to for the last few weekends. We have six little cousins (four on my side and two on Evan’s). We thought that instead of getting books or toys, we’d do something a little more personal; Something from the heart. Fall is finally here and there is a chill in the air. What can be better than a cup of hot chocolate and home-made cookies made with your brother or sister? So… we made hot chocolate and cookie mixes for everyone to make and sewed aprons to ensure no outfits were dirtied in the process. 
The hot chocolate mix requires very little work — just add hot milk. While enjoying their hot chocolate, the young chefs need to mix oil, eggs and vanilla adding those to the dry ingredients we provided in the mason jar. Finally, I want to highlight the special food stylist at the photoshoot to capture the Hanukkah gifts. 🙂 
I have a tradition on this blog to, around Thanksgiving, share what I am most grateful for. Of course like most other people I am grateful for my family, Evan and Sophia. I could produce a top 10 list, but will refrain because that’s very boring and you can probably guess what is on my list, anyway.
This Thanksgiving I am grateful for my in-laws who are hosting my parents and sister and in effect ensuring that Sophia’s Thanksgiving is shared with everyone in her family. Families aren’t chosen; We are born or marry into them, but we choose how to make ours extraordinary.
Hanukkah is one of my all-time favorite holidays. For one, it features latkes and jelly filled donuts. Secondly, it is celebrated for E-I-G-H-T days and nights. Last year, my sister gifted Sophia EIGHT presents. They were such a hit and Sophia loved the attention her Aunt showered her with. The winner was a hand-made color book where each of the primary colors was quilted into a page and its name was cross-stitched on the opposing side. She still reads it and loves it. This year, I caught the crafting bug and tried my best to spread the crafts around.
This year, my sister who’s a genuine balabusta — a perfect homemaker and gracious host — hosted a Hannukah dinner for my parents and us. She made latkes, khatchapuri, sufganiyot and a few other dishes, too. After all, whoever said that Hanukkah couldn’t feature a few Georgian dishes? To compliment all the fried dishes, there was my mom’s to-die-for beef stew and a few others, too. Let’s just say this was a practice run for tomorrow’s Turkey Day dinner hosted by Evan’s parents.
As we were celebrating the festival of lights and gifts were on the kids’ minds, we delved in. Evan and I held off on giving Sophia any gifts just yet as she was yet again a lucky recipient of my sister’s generous gifts. I will reveal some of my own crafty creations in due time as Sophia opens them. Until then, I am especially grateful to Evan for watching Sophia while I crafted not only for Sophia but for our cousins (all six of them!!!).
