Forever and For Always

Part of this is a repeat of my post from July 2, 2009, exactly a year ago. This day last year was the 15th anniversary of my dearest friend Tyra and her wonderful Steve, and their last one together before he passed away in September.

In honor of their beautiful marriage, here are some images of that special day in 1994 that I was privileged to be a part of as the Maid of Honor:

Fourth of July Wedding Weekend: Wedding Day, Post-Wedding Party & Texas Rangers Game with the entire wedding party

Tyra and Steve, taken on the balcony of their hotel room hours after their wedding, Dallas, Texas

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life

which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart

i carry it in my heart


~ e.e. cummings

Scout's Honor

Last week, two things I read reminded me of something that happened almost exactly 10 years ago. One was an old post I stumbled upon from October 2008 at More Than a Minivan Mom, a Mom-blog that I've been following. (Post is no longer available online; I was backreading through my subscription on my Google Reader page). Another was an article, a minor item, on the Huffington Post's site. The topic of both of these pieces was the Boy Scouts of America's ban on gays and atheists from membership and leadership in their organization. Ten years ago, the Supreme Court basically ruled that the BSA has the right to exclude people they don't want, such as a gays and atheists, because they are a private organization.

At the time of the Supreme Court ruling, I was a newly minted Girl Scout leader, still in training, and had yet to lead my first meeting. I remember feeling totally disgusted that the Boy Scouts organization was institutionalizing discrimination, and I have "officially" disliked the Boy Scouts ever since. This excerpt from More Than a Minivan Mom's post reminded me that the Boy Scout organization has unfortunately not changed their official tune, in almost exactly 10 years:

According to the poll on my blog over the past few days, 17% of you have no clue that the Boy Scouts actively and purposely discriminate against atheists and gays. According to the poll on my blog over the past few days, 22% of you know this and still think they are a wonderful organization.

Interesting.

At first glance, the Boy Scouts seem like a wonderful organization promoting family values (a phrase that involuntarily invokes my gag reflex) and charitable good deeds. According to the Boy Scouts of America National Council, the purpose of the Scouts is to "to provide an educational program for boys and young adults to build character, to train in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and to develop personal fitness". The Boy Scout mission, "is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law". The Scouts are the largest male youth organization in the country, and as of 2007, nearly 3 million young boys were involved in Boy Scouts.

My two sons will never be one of those 3 million young boys, as long as my husband and I have anything to say about it.

As the Boy Scouts of America website proudly states, you cannot be an atheist or openly gay individual and join the Scouts or serve as a troop leader.

Quite frankly? There's no way in hell I will ever condone that type of mentality by allowing my sons to participate in an organization like that.

Don't get me wrong - I agree with the courts that the Boy Scouts, as a private organization, have the right to enforce those guidelines (it's their Constitutional right to be bigots, I suppose), and I can also agree that there are elements of Boy Scouts that are wonderful. But for me, and for my husband, all the leadership training, camping trips, and volunteerism in the world cannot excuse an organization that so openly and proudly flaunts their narrow mindedness.
Coincidentally, the BSA were in the news again, same topic, different twist: Many Scout groups receive free or discounted use of public, as well as private, meeting places around the country. But why should public government--your tax dollars--support an organization that discriminates against certain sectors of the public? Just because the Supreme Court said it was okay to discriminate if you're a private organization, the government is under no obligation to extend special benefits to your organization. It's interesting that the Boy Scouts' ban has held for so long, but I wonder if these kinds of local challenges will finally make them realize that just because it's legal to discriminate, it doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.

In theory, if I had a son, I'd say NO to him joining Boy Scouts. But I'll bet it would be hard to do so in the face of everyone else's kid being in it and also being known as that kind of parent. You know, the kind that values inclusion and diversity and sticking to what you believe in. I'm glad I only have a "hypothetical" son to consider.

But what about choices your friends make as parents of boys? Now that I'm a Mom and many of my friends are as well, I have since shifted from strong dislike to tolerating Boy Scouts because of my many friends who are Moms of Boy Scouts. Shockingly, I have even given them money for their ridiculously overpriced popcorn. The first time I bought their popcorn, I felt like I was giving money to the devil. But it was my friend's son, and he is a sweet, kind and loving boy, the total antithesis of what the BSA has institutionalized for a decade. Then the next year it was another very good friend' son, and the same thing--he is sweetest little boy ever. And these boys still are, despite being Boy Scouts.

It's interesting that the BSA are still officially focused on excluding people from their membership and leadership, while the Girl Scouts perspective on the same issue contrasts greatly. Ten years ago, the Girl Scouts of the USA Communications Director stated: "It's a non-issue for us. We don't ask people to declare X, Y, or Z. It's not in our makeup to have to define people like that. The Boy Scouts believes that to be gay is somehow immoral. That is not our feeling." Girl Scouts don't ask members or leaders if they're gay. They also don't expect everyone to believe in the same God, or any for that matter. Ten years later, I am so proud to be a part of an organization that continues to value inclusion and openness.

I still "officially" dislike what the Boy Scouts say they stand for. I don't hate any little boys though. I wish more parents of Boy Scouts would stop thinking it's okay for an organization that has such an impact on so many young boys to exclude anyone they don't like and demand change. Life is too short to systematically dislike/exclude/hate someone because they're not who you want them to be.

Putting It All Out There

A little "what if?" game to play in your head. What if your spouse of over a decade tells you that he no longer is in love with you/has had an affair with someone else/is ready to move on? No, it's not my spouse. Or even a close friend or relative's.

What if the people involved in this situation are people you read about in a blog? I've been following a Mom-blog by a friend of a friend, not religiously, but now and again because I liked reading about her life as a working Mom of 3 kids in Austin, and then later in a Dallas suburb, and because her stories were funny and clever. She has a way with words and is a truly gifted writer. But what can you say when her words become too uncomfortable and heartbreakingly sad to read? And you don't even know this person? You go from innocently catching up on Mom-stories to knowing waaaay too much about this woman's marriage, and even worse, it's like an accident on the side of the road-- you can't not look.

She wrote, at first, that her husband said that "maybe this isn't working for him." That was Valentine's Day. Then she wrote that she could not elaborate more about her marriage, except that she did exactly that--about their couples' therapy, her feelings, frustrations, insecurities. And then the other shoe fell--her husband's confession of infidelity--and even more of her intimate thoughts came out on her blog. Until the day she decided not to write anymore, that "my marriage means more to me than my blog." However, only a week later, her marriage had pretty much ended, and the blogging started once again. That was this past Monday.

I feel so much sadness for this woman who I've never even met, because she was blindsided, and her life was already full and challenging enough. When you read a person's blog, you get to know them a little bit, and only 7 days before everything started to fall apart for her in February, she wrote of her marriage:

So far, perhaps the greatest accomplishment of my life. More than my degrees, my career, even my three children... I am proud of our relationship.

It felt more than a little voyeuristic to continue reading this woman's blog after it went from being a thoughtful, funny snapshot of modern family life to a one-sided view of the unraveling of a relationship. But I was hooked, I'll admit it. It was like a real-life suburban soap opera unfolding before my very eyes. I cried through several of her posts. What would I do in her shoes? How would I feel or react?

All the while I was catching up on her posts, I also cringed for her and her family's privacy. At this point, it's almost non-existent. She had upwards of a thousand hits per day on her blog sometimes when her life was "normal." And while there is an awesome online community of strangers who are supporting her through this, it's unnerving to think about the sheer numbers. I send prayers her way, that she will get through this and be stronger, not broken, from the experience. I also pray for her precious children. She and her family have been in my thoughts very much this week. But I also wish, despite how much I admire her ability to put into words exactly what she going through, that she would not write about it at all. So much is out there about her and her family, and these are children whose ages are the same as my kids', whom we now know more about than just what their Halloween costumes looked like or that they love Chuck E. Cheese. I write this a little bit hypocritically of course, as I am still keeping up with this woman's posts. But if her blog finally goes dark, I will respect her silence all the more.

Blogs are such strange creatures in the online world. Kind of like your own personal diary broadcast to everyone and anyone. A tribute to one's own healthy bit of narcissism, in a totally different way than updated-every-second social media sites are. Perhaps that's why my own blogs have never quite moved beyond the merely-out-there-occasionally-updated-rarely-read status: I can't bring myself to write about anything particularly private or intimate from my own life or those of my family members. And sometimes I think that has a stultifying effect on my blogs overall. I don't own my family's thoughts, actions, feelings, words, even as they affect me. They each exist apart from me and our collective "family." They deserve their own private lives.

So my posts are as random as the thoughts and ideas I feel comfortable sharing with the wider world (whoever you are!). I wish I could write everything in my life, maybe my life would make more sense to me(!), but I just can't give up my family and my privacy for that.

I Give Up

At the beginning of the year, I lamented the sorry state of my four (yes, four) blogs. They suffered from benign neglect with a very few posts showing up now and again. I decided that my blogs needed some "structure." Hence, the five-days-a-week schedule of stuff I thought everyone needed to know about me and mine.

Okay, since I haven't blogged in over a month at pretty much all my blogsites, I'm throwing in the towel. Hell, I threw in the towel long, long ago. Structure is SO overrated.

I loved the idea of it. I still do. But with the exception of the couple of weeks spent on my couch while recovering from surgery, our family's lifestyle (that would be code for 'my personal laziness') is too busy to allow for regularly scheduled posts. I admire greatly blogs such as Heather Binkley's Did You Remember Your Pill Today that manage to entertain us each and every day with her very busy family's antics. And countless other Mom-blogs out there do the same, in spite of their collective busy-ness. But as for me and my blogs, it's just not gonna happen.

So the new blog schedule goes like this: Recipes, retail love, book reviews, daily blessings and creative writing attempts will continue to appear, but only when I have time for them!

So if you've been a loyal follower of my personal 'rants and raves' blog, thanks for sticking around and don't give up on me yet! I may surprise you all (and myself) with a little less structure!

Portions of this blog post also appear on With Four You Get Eggroll

52 Blessings: A Coke and a Smile

Wow, I only seem to blog on '52 Blessings' days! It's been a busy two weeks since I last blogged. Been too busy, but in a good way, I suppose.

Today's blessing is also possibly my worst vice! I am thankful for my first sip of Coca-Cola each day (usually morning.) Yes, my daily Coke is a blessing! It helps jump-start my day if I have one in the morning, or revive my flagging energies if I have it in the afternoon. It's a craving that coffee can't fix; I need that sugar rush.



I love Coke so much that I recently taught my Girl Scouts the Coke 'I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing' song for World Thinking Day! All we were missing were the candles and Coke bottles!

I've been obsessed with Coke since I was a very small child and they came in family-sized glass bottles. I would beg for Coke for breakfast! Drinking it makes me feel happy, just like it did when I was three years old. I travel with my own Coke if I know I won't be able to get to a convenience store anytime soon. Good friends have a six-pack waiting for me in the fridge when I visit.

Although I prefer an actual Coke, I'm not such a cola snob that I won't drink other brands when they're on sale or put in front of me. I recently had a Boylan's Natural Cane Cola with a shot of Black Cherry--not bad at all. But I'll take my high fructose corn syrup-infused Coke any day. It's a blessing to be able to buy and drink a Coke pretty much whenever I want one.

Pic from Coca Cola website; video from YouTube.

52 Blessings: Libraries

Today I'm grateful for the blessing of Libraries, specifically libraries that are freely available to the public. The first time I remember going to a library was when I was a young child in the suburbs of Chicago and there was a bookmobile parked near the grocery store parking lot. It was amazing. I checked out a Barbie chapter book.

My favorite library ever will always be the Carrollton Public Library that was located on Jackson Road and Josey Lane. The library opened the same month our family moved to Carrollton, Texas, in March 1981. It was brand-new and filled with books! Whenever I think of the library, the Carrollton Public Library pops into my head. It's no longer there, relocated to much larger location after we moved away and Carrollton's population exploded along with all the other North Dallas communities. But it lives forever in my memories. For six years, I frequented the library with my Mom and my brother, or browsed by myself for hours, or met my friends there for study groups, or walked there with my high school pals after school to hang out (yeah, geeks do that). Being at the Carrollton Library was like being at home--comfy, cozy and I knew where everything was.

Ever since we decided to proactively trim our family budget in October 2008 in the face of the still-to-get-worse recession, the public library has been a treasure trove of entertainment in all forms of media.

I've successfully resisted the urge (usually) to buy new books since our "money diet" and yet haven't suffered things to read thanks to the San Antonio Public Library! I can browse the stacks, if I have time, but usually I just put books (and CDs and DVDs) on hold and pick them up a few days later. It's like my own personal media concierge service!

A few weeks ago I submitted library purchase suggestions for two non-fiction books that I wanted to read but were not in the library catalog. The library has already ordered both books and I'm first in line to check them out! Cool.

I also love that my kids are getting to know the ins and outs of the library as well. I want them to understand that it's a privilege to have such a great library system available to us. Not every city invests equally in their public library system. Our library is not perfect, of course, but it's ours, paid for with our tax dollars. And more than ever, it's a blessing.

52 Blessings: Normal

Aack! The whole week's gone by and no blogging since Monday. I've been caught up in everyday life, which I am now officially back to and can no longer use the excuse of my 'recuperation' to avoid doing stuff. And we started our taxes this week. *Sigh.* One of the two things we all want to avoid (the other being death), and I do my best to avoid doing them until my husband starts nagging continually. We are due a refund, you see, but that still doesn't make me want to do my share of the taxes (Schedule C for my business). On a brighter note, I've been writing up wedding invitation orders, working on cake designs and once again participating fully in my kids' school and after-school lives!

Anyway, I have a myriad of choices for blogging this week, as I've not blogged anything on schedule. A recipe? Some retail love? No, today I'm writing about another of my 52 (and more) Blessings.

I am very thankful this week that my children are "normal." Your typical, average kids living in Suburbia, USA. When I say normal, I mean that they are on track as far as their physical and mental growth and development. (Otherwise, they've got their little quirks and oddities about them in spades!) Neither has ever been diagnosed with anything that requires complicated medications, therapies, special assistance or additional help at home or school. They've walked on time. Learned to tie shoes on time. Talked (way too much sometimes) with the appropriate number of vocabulary words at the right times. Expressed emotions at every age.

I thought of all this in the past week after talking to my Mom about a distant cousin of mine whom everyone in the family has known to be "slow" for practically his entire life, but whose parents did not seek additional help or resources to help him become more independent or cope with every day life. His condition seems fairly mild and he could probably, with the right kind of help, do much more for and by himself. He is a young adult now, but still lives at home and requires his parents to help navigate life each day. I wonder what will happen to him when his parents are no longer able to do so. It scares me to think about it.

A dear friend's son was identified as autistic last year. He is a great kid, but of course requires a different kind of education and more resources now than they had ever planned on. I could feel my friend's stress through the phone lines last year, as she related the decisions they had to make about who would care for their child while they both worked, or if they could even find a place willing to care for a child with special needs. This school year, he started elementary school, introducing another kink into the big picture. I wondered how I could ever cope if I were in her same shoes.

It is a blessing to have kids that are so normal that they're basically like everyone else's in matters of health and development. We take it for granted too often, especially when the situation can change in a heartbeat. Only God knows what He has planned for my children. I pray for their continued "normalcy" and count it as one of my many blessings.

Creative Writing 101: High School Days

Freshman - Sophomore Years

Churchill High School: Junior - Senior Years

I was out of town Friday to Sunday, so Creative Writing 101 is a bit late, but here it is! FoodieLicious is off this week (still can't decide if I liked the brownie recipe I made up last night enough to share with others.)

Describe a typical day during your high school years:

For the first three years of high school, my typical day consisted of classes, classes, classes and then after-school varied, depending on whether or not I had any after school activities. I played no sports, so my activities were related to various clubs and councils. such as Future Teachers of America, Key Club, Anchor Club and National Honor Society. I was an officer of several organizations.

My senior year was more frenetic than the previous years due to the added burden of working on college admissions applications, an after-school job as child care provider for a local Jazzercise instructor and being a member of the Academic Decathlon team. This was in addition to my other school clubs and activities.

I was on the self-chosen honors graduation track, requiring certain honors courses and more science and math than the regular degree. So my schedule typically consisted of: English, History, Math, Science, PE or other elective, and Art or other elective. Academic Decathlon was also a class. Lunch was somewhere around 4th period. Not enough passing period time to even go to my far-away locker after each class, so shared lockers with friends who had advantageously-located lockers.

Now that I'm "old and gray", I am amazed by how much we packed into a typical high school day. So much learning and activity in 7 hours. And then more activities and homework well, well into the night. My typical bedtime became later and later each year, so that by senior year, I was up all the way through the David Letterman Show, which ended past midnight, and went to bed halfway through Sally Jessie Raphael!

52 Blessings: Health Insurance

While the battle rages on in Washington, DC, over health care reform, I am thanking God and all of my lucky stars that my family has decent health care coverage. By extension, of course, I am thankful that my hubby has a kick-ass job that offers this insurance for him and his dependents!

I've been to two doctors this week, wrapping up my 'Health Care February' that began at the beginning of the month. I've had a double surgery, which should be pretty much covered, minus my deductible. My very nice gynecologist told me that this week's appointment was 'no charge.' My meds (thank God for the meds!) were even reasonably priced thanks to insurance-negotiated rates.

In addition, my Mom and I took Carys to the after-hours minor emergency clinic on Monday night, after three days of earache complaints. No ear infection (hooray!) but the doctor thought it might possibly be strep (boo). An exam and strep test later, Carys was clear and just needed some OTC meds. Her doctor visit, although not to her regular pediatrician, was covered by our insurance as well.

I shudder to think of what my life would be like without health insurance, knowing full well that so many people in this country are not as lucky as I am. This week's blessing is truly one that cannot be taken for granted. If we were to lose our coverage through loss of employment for example, could we afford the outrageous COBRA premiums? I can't think about it! So I will just be extra thankful for what I have at this moment.

A Woman's History Turned Upside Down

Pic from Amazon.com

Finally! A new book on my nightstand and I'm actually reading it. I finished up two books in the past week that I'd started weeks ago. Now I'm reading a very interesting, sort-of feminist take on about 500 years of historical research on a very elusive person: Shakespeare's wife.

The book, aptly named Shakespeare's Wife, is Germaine Greer's attempt to turn history on its head as it pertains to Will Shakespeare's better half. Publisher's Weekly notes that "generations of critics" have purported that Ann Shakespeare "being eight years older than Shakespeare, was an unattractive woman who seduced and trapped him in an unwanted marriage, from which he escaped as soon as possible. His abandonment of his wife and three children supposedly without support is generally regarded as their just desserts, as is his will, leaving her with nothing but his second-best bed."

I'm only into the first part of the book, but already we see that Shakespeare's family, his father in particular, were kind of losers, and Ann Hathaway's family had land and money and much more going for them. Hmmm. What crazy female would want to seduce that?

I'm very interested in how this will unfold, how Greer will address all the different points of the supposed myth built up over centuries around this mysterious wife. Her research seems to be very thorough; her sources are logical and, not to be sexist, but the ones that a woman would think of. Like, for example, a list of Ann's possessions to ascertain how she was doing at a certain point in her life. But then again, I've been away from academic life for almost 14 years, so what do I know?

I do know that I'm enjoying this book, which is a departure from the stuff I've been reading of late.

Retail Love: Birthday Wishes

Thalia and Carys talk constantly about their birthday parties, no matter how many months away their actual birthdays are. No doubt this is a byproduct of having a Mom who is always creating birthday cakes or printing party invitations! Likewise, they keep a running 'Birthday Wish List' of things they really want for their birthdays, again with no thought to how far away their big day may be. They want odd, random things: Playmobil wedding set. Chinese food. Bath toys. A dog. Whatever catches their fancy.

Well, I'm a bit like my kids too. (Or rather, are they a bit like me?) I keep a running Wish List in my head of odd, random things that catch my fancy as well. Some items on my List have been there for years, things I have a deep affection for. Sometimes, I'll forget that I thought something was really cool until something jogs my memory.

A benefit of reading other people's blogs is finding out about more cool things to add to my Wish List. For example, I just added these to my mental list today after reading about them on someone else's blog:

Clearly she has good taste! Charbonnel et Walker Pink Marc de Champagne Truffles from the UK

Hmm, what's not to like? Pink chocolates made with champagne?! I love chocolate and I love champagne. And I love the UK. Good thing my birthday's in 2 weeks! I may have to buy myself a gift from my Wish List.

Photo from SaksFifthAvenue.com

FoodieLicious: Spicy Chicken Dip

Key ingredient: Spicy Chicken Dip

One of my foodie delights is to eat an entire meal made up of snacks and appetizer foods, all of which are totally bad for me. Chowing down on spicy, cheesy, creamy snacks--what could be more decadent? Televised sporting events give us good opportunities to do this. I missed the Superbowl, but I celebrated UT being in the National Championship Game with an impressive (given that it was just for me, my hubby and kids) menu of yummy junky food:

Shrimp Cocktail Dip
Guacamole
Kid-friendly Queso
Mini Fish Tacos
Hot Wings
Honey Wings
Salmon Mousse
Tortilla Chips
Potato Chips
Crackers
Crudites (gotta throw in something healthy)
Beer
Hot Chocolate
And . . . Spicy Chicken Dip!

Spicy Chicken Dip is this awesome dip I had at our Troop's Holiday Party in 2008, made by my friend Pam. I could eat it all day if it weren't so spicy! But it's still soooo good.

So if you're inclined to have a sybaritic meal of snacks soon, try this one:

Pam's Spicy Chicken Dip

8oz cream cheese
2 cups cheddar cheese
6oz hot sauce
8oz ranch dressing
2 chicken breasts cooked and diced up

Melt together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, hot sauce and ranch dressing. Stir in the diced chicken.
Serve with tortilla chips.

My Notes: Pam serves this with homemade fried tortilla chips. Whatever. I have also added a small package of blue cheese, thus making it a Spicy Buffalo Chicken Dip!

Creative Writing 101: Five Things

Me and my Pink Giraffe, a gift from my godmother, in 1971.

You can only keep five things you have. What will they be?

Well, if I'm taking this prompt literally, then aside from my husband and kids, the "things" I would keep are:

• My wedding ring
• Thalia's baby book
• Carys's yellow ducky blanket (any one of the four she owns)
• My oversized pink giraffe stuffed animal from 1971
  
• The external hard drive attached to my computer (Is that cheating? It technically holds more than 5 files.)
  

Each is meaningful in its own way. If my house ever caught on fire, I hope I could at least save one of these '5 things.' However, in the end, the most important things in life aren't "things"; the most important things in my life are my family.

Prompt from Imagination Prompt Generator

52 Blessings: Mom

My Mom and my girls, wearing gifts from Mom!

This week I am really, really thankful for the woman who made my entire existence even possible, my Mom! She rode in days before my double surgery like a Lady in shining armor and took charge of hearth and home. In the past two weeks, she has cooked, ironed, laundered, shopped, chauffeured and run errands for us all, with love of course. We would be quite literally lost without her!

Along with my Dad, my Mom is the most self-less person I know. I try to be like them, but fall far short of their example. They give and give and give of themselves, often with little thought about receiving for themselves.

So while I've been hanging out on my couch this week, I've been blessed with having my Mom here to literally lend me a hand up. And that part of my week has been a blast.

Retail Love: Lilly

From my perch on the living room couch, which I have to admit I am really getting tired of, I have been shopping online since I got home from the hospital last week! I'd been saving up catalogs and coupons for the past month for just this moment-- when I'd be forced to "take it easy."

But shopping, in whatever form, is always good for the soul, I say. I'd decided a few weeks ago, with positive input from Thalia and Carys, to finally redecorate our second bathroom. We've had two full baths in each house we've lived in, a total of three in 13 years. In each house, the second bath decor has never changed: leopard, leopard, leopard. In fact, it's not just the same theme, but the same stuff that's moved from house to house to house! Same towels, rug, shower curtain, decorative accents. Even after the addition of two kids, the bathroom has stayed the same! So now I'm finally sick of the leopard bath. Hooray!

I suggested the idea of a Lilly Pulitzer bathroom after receiving a mailer from Garnet Hill announcing their new Lilly bed and bath collection. The girls were soooo happy we were retiring the leopard kitsch. (Honestly, you'd think I'd been torturing them their entire short lives.) And they looooove Lilly.

So this week I am tackling the bathroom project by ordering new everything from the Garnet Hill Lilly collection, using my Garnet Hill coupon code, and from other online sources. The Lilly towels are so cheery in the midst of winter, I can't wait until they arrive! And the monogramming was free!

Lilly Pulitzer Home Collection

I always think white eyelet goes perfectly with anything Lilly, so I found a lovely white eyelet shower curtain that will really pop after we (Dylan) repaint the walls a Lilly-ish green color.

Eyelet shower curtain--sweet.

I'm also sick of the bath accessories after 13 years, so I also have my eye on this bamboo wastebasket, which is even lined with natural cotton. Eco-friendly and wallet-friendly on sale.

Friendly bamboo.

I'm sure more ideas will present themselves as I further browse online. We're going to need some Lilly-ish artwork for the walls, maybe some floral-fruity knobs for the cabinets, etc. Shopping in my PJs from home rocks.

Pics from Garnet Hill.com and Sears.com

FoodieLicious: Fat Tuesday Treats

I'm a little sad about being laid up this week because there are so many February holidays and special days to celebrate with friends and food! In previous years, I have hosted celebrations for the Super Bowl, Chinese New Year, Valentine's Day, Mardi Gras and Girl Scout Thinking Day. Not to mention San Antonio Rodeo-themed possibilities. Oh well, at least I can think about all the yummy treats I would have cooked up!

I missed the Super Bowl completely due to icky pre-op prep required by my doctors. I kind of forgot about Chinese New Year, it being eclipsed by Valentine's Day. I did as much as I could, given my current limitations, for Valentine's Day, but even failed to take a single photo of our family! The heart-shaped homemade pizza was pretty much not going to happen either, although delivery from Domino's did.

The next holiday up is Fat Tuesday--this Tuesday--and I will especially miss serving up some Cajun favorites to everyone. However, in honor of Mardi Gras, I am sharing one of my recipes that I like to make on Fat Tuesday. This one is from Emeril Legasse of the famed New Orleans restaurants, so it's pretty authentic.

Classic Remoulade Dressing
Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse, Food Network

Yield: 6 servings

For the Dressing:
1 egg
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
3 tablespoons Creole or whole-grain mustard
3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt
Cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil

For the Salad:
Lettuce leaves
Onion slices
Cooked shrimp
Fresh parsley

Combine the first 10 ingredients in a food processor with a metal blade and process until smooth. Season with salt, cayenne, and pepper. While the machine is running, slowly add the oil, a little at a time, until thick. Reseason if needed.

To assemble, toss the lettuce with half of the dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Mound the greens in the center of each serving plate. Lay the onions slices over the greens. Place 3 piles of the shrimp around each mound of greens. Garnish with parsley.

My Notes: I omit the raw egg from the recipe. I sometimes leave out the cayenne pepper. I use less oil than called for in the recipe. I have also served this with chicken instead of shrimp.

A Valentine Just for You

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all! Trying to be more eco-friendly and going digital with my greetings whenever I can, despite the fact that I sell paper!

Had an low-key, uneventful Valentine's Day with my kids and hubby. It feels kind of strange on a Sunday! Dylan built new shelves for our kitchen pantry today--the best Valentine's gift ever! I requested them just a week ago! Excellent storage for my ever-growing stash of cake decorating supplies.

Another gift from our friends Genevieve and Robert--the girls are gone tonight through tomorrow afternoon at a sleepover at their house! They wanted to give me time to rest and relax. So thoughtful!

I hope everyone had a bit of peace and relaxation today and lots of love!

LAYOUT CREDITS:Scraplift of 'A Day to Remember' by Lea L. on Two Peas in a Bucket; All papers: Creative Memories ''Sending Love' and 'Delight Fashion Diva' kits; Embellishments (some recolored): Creative Memories 'Freebies', DSP 'Angel Whispers 2' page kit by Nicole Young, C Smith, Scrap Girls 'With Love' by Brandy Murry, Scrap Girls 'Calendar Year Brush Set 2010' by Brandie Valenzuela; Fonts: 1942 Report by Johan Holmdahl, 2 Peas Billboard by Melissa Baxter for Two Peas in a Bucket

Creative Writing 101: Fridays

Fridays make me . . .

take a silent sigh of relief! The week is over, mostly, and I can finally catch my breath. Sit down for a second. Relax. Although in reality, our weekends are often as packed as our weekdays. But mentally, Friday is the portal to precious stretches of hours that can be spent doing whatever we want to do. T.G.I.F.

It's funny how kids learn early on that Friday is the most special of all weekdays; they can usually stay up later than usual, parties happen, family movie nights are instituted, weekend trips begin as soon as school or work is over. Friday, how do we love thee?

Prompt from Imagination Prompt Generator

52 Blessings: Life, or Avoiding the Complications

This week I'm back to counting my blessings. As many of you know already, I'm in "recovery" from my double surgery earlier this week. Before the surgery, I signed page after page after page of legal documents informing me of nearly everything and anything that might go wrong during my fairly low-risk procedures. In fact, I had to sign extra papers just minutes before surgery to remind me of what I had already read and signed a few days earlier!

One can either choose to read carefully all of the possible complications or simply skim through them. I went for somewhere in between, and can I just say that the few heart-stopping phrases I did read were enough to scare the you-know-what out of me?! So today, I am really thankful that I am alive and have, as far as I can tell, avoided the really bad possible complications that could have happened earlier this week. Because, as the physicians always preface any conversation about surgery, there are always those "risks." I thank God for being here and whole for yet another day.

Valentine {Retail} Love

And just like that, another week or so goes by without any blogging! But I really have a good excuse this time--hospital stay and recovery time! I had my surgery (appendectomy and hysteroscopy) on Monday, was released on Tuesday and now slowly getting back to my regular self. Prior to the surgery, I had a few days of annoying, required pre-op tests and "prep." Thus, these procedures have consumed my life for several weeks already!

So now I am confined to bed/couch this week with no heavy lifting or driving allowed per doctor's orders. Ha! Just moving from room to room is a monumental effort, forget doing anything else. Here's the thing about recovering from abdominal-area surgery: bending, walking and sitting, which usually require no thought whatsoever, must be done very, very carefully. Even breathing is a bit more labored, post-surgery. I also have a fancy breathing tube to practice deep breathing again. In any case, it's nice to be back in my own home again and surrounded by my favorite people and things.



Today is my book review day, but not having finished any good books since last week (although I did bring them to the hospital), I will just pick up blogging with some retail love in honor of upcoming Valentine's Day. Have you seen the Paperchase line of paper and gifts at Borders? Paperchase is a UK company, but you can find their stuff stateside at Borders book store, sometimes on sale. On Saturday, Dylan treated me to an early Valentine's Day date night, and after dinner we browsed Borders. They had a whole display of Paperchase Valentine products for 40% off! Although my favorite find was a set of pink and red heart-shaped plastic chopsticks (no pic available), here are some other too-cute things they had:

Vintage LOVE design tealight holder

Heart key caps

Vintage LOVE design mug

If you're lucky enough to be over the pond, you can buy their stuff from Amazon.uk too. Otherwise, a stroll through Borders can turn up some of their adorable designs. I also scored some whimsical plastic heart-shaped champagne flutes (sorry no pics yet) for my kids; they'll be charmed, I'm sure!

Chalice of Roses: The Holy Grail Across Time

I am just about finished with a brand new anthology of linked novellas about the Holy Grail. As in Jesus and the Last Supper, Arthurian legend, Celtic tradition, etc. I love Grail stories, and can only remember reading one other romance that uses the Grail legend as a backdrop, so I really looked forward to reading this anthology. I also like these particular authors, whose novels and short stories I've read before.

What is most notable about Chalice of Roses is that the four stories have the same premise, the same Holy Grail story as a starting point. Since there are many versions of the legend to draw on, these four authors chose one version and therefore their stories are linked across time and history. It's been interesting to see how each author incorporates the basic Grail "facts" they've agreed upon into their storyline. For example, one story is set in the Middle Ages, another in the present day, yet both are connected despite the vast differences in setting and time periods.

One of the novellas, set in WWII, is by my absolute favorite romance writer Mary Jo Putney. Ms. Putney's One Perfect Rose was the book that got me hooked on the romance genre in the first place, 11 years ago! So anything by MJP is always an extra special read for me.

Image from Word Wenches blog

Fashion With a Conscience

Blogging came to a complete standstill almost a week ago! I had several major projects and issues going on and then went out of town Friday through Sunday. My blogs were very neglected, I'm sad to say. But now I'm back.

Today's Retail Love is more about a retail fashion trend than a particular product. It's an idea that I've never fully thought about until I happened upon a Vogue UK blog written by Livia Firth, wife of my Secret Boyfriend Colin Firth. (Secret only because my obsession is one-sided of course; Colin is oblivious to my intense admiration.) I should hate Mrs. Firth, but really, I think I like her as much as I like her husband! As some of you may know, Colin Firth has been nominated for a slew of acting awards for his turn in A Single Man. Livia Firth's blog, The Green Carpet Challenge, is about her desire to dress with a conscience, to only wear environmentally sustainable, repurposed, recycled, vintage or organic materials for the many red carpet events she'll attend between January and March. This includes the accessories, such as the shoes and jewelry. So basically, she will do the complete anti-thesis of every other Hollywood female during awards season, which is to have multiple gowns designed just for them with accessories to match. And the biggest part of her challenge? To still look as completely stylish and elegant as the rest of the ladies on the red carpet, not a small feat in Hollywood! 
Beautiful Livia Firth went to the Golden Globes in a repurposed wedding dress (not her own)! Who would have thought?!

Livia Firth's commitment to eco-friendly fashion is genuine: she is the co-owner, with her husband, of Eco-Age in London, which in their words "offers inspiration, ideas and specific domestic solutions for all those who want to lead a greener and more energy efficient life." On fashion, Eco-Age's founders "feel passionately about clever design that keeps both environmental and social justice in mind while proving that fashion can have a destiny other than landfill (which is our enemy). But, in common with many fashion lovers we are all disenchanted with fast, cheap fashion and consider its impact to be not just off-putting but downright unacceptable." Ha! Take that, Walmart.

So her blog has made me think twice about the half-dozen $4 t-shirts I just bought for Thalia, no doubt made from cheap fabrics destined for the landfill once they start falling apart. And the not-so-cheap jeans I bought her that were certainly sewn together in an overseas factory by someone nearly Thalia's age and paid the tiniest fraction of its retail price. *sigh.* Can I afford to develop a fashion conscience?!

What would it be like to live in a world where you bought clothes designed and made by people who were like you and lived, not in another country far away, but possibly in your own region or state? Alabama Chanin, a company featured on Livia's blog, is an interesting example of how much it might cost to dress in environmentally responsible clothing made in your own country. The company employs stay-at-home Moms who sew the clothing in their own homes and are paid decently for their work. The fabrics used are made from Alabama cotton. The designs are limited edition or one-of-a-kind. Not mass produced for your local discount store, but made just for you (almost)! A t-shirt, hand-made, is $75.   Description of $75 t-shirt: "100% Organic Cotton with 100% Recycled Cotton backing. All of our products are Fair Trade and Made in the USA." 
Does knowing that a Mom, perhaps someone with kids my age, created that t-shirt make the price seem more reasonable? I don't know, maybe.

Food for thought, the next time I go shopping. While my closet will never be full of awards-night gowns, perhaps it's time I started paying more attention to the where/what/who of my wardrobe?

Book in Progress: The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder

I am halfway through Rebecca Wells' 2009 novel, The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder. The title itself is a mouthful. I have read her Ya Ya trilogy ((Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Little Altars Everywhere, and Ya-Yas in Bloom) and after loving one, disliking one and feeling somewhere in between on the last, I wasn't sure if I wanted to read her newest book.

However, am really enjoying the characters in this book. I like the way Wells writes from the point of view of a child, as she did in the Ya Ya books. Since I haven't finished the book yet, I can't give my complete impression of the book, but already in the past 7 days I have twice found myself poring over its pages and crying my eyes out over it at a restaurant during lunch. (A guilty pleasure--lunch and book somewhere else.) The good kind of tears. A good kind of book so far.

Image from HarperCollins.com

Cooking Powered by the Sun

Solar Hot Pot by Solar Houshold Energy

The other day, Thalia told me that her class had a special guest-- a parent who owns a solar oven that she and her family built themselves. They cooked homemade granola in the solar oven, which the kids thought was pretty cool. Well I thought the idea was pretty cool too.

Yesterday I researched solar ovens online, knowing very little about them. I already knew that you could craft one out of a pizza box and some foil, a great Girl Scout project idea or something to do with your kids when they're bored. But I didn't know anything about solar ovens that are for sale for camping or everyday use. I was curious.

This is what I learned: Solar ovens, which are almost unbelievably simple in their design, are definitely under-appreciated for what they can do. Yes, they cook food and boil water with nothing but the rays of the sun, year round, which are totally and completely free. But beyond that, I never thought about how solar ovens could be used in places where fuel needed to cook a meal costs more than the food itself. It never occurred to me that a solar pot could make the difference between drinkable water and contaminated water that causes disease. Even more significant, the fuel sources used in many countries give off extremely toxic smoke, which contributes to global warming. In countries where wood is the primary source of fuel, deserts exist where trees once grew. Over half of the world's population rely on wood, animal dung and crop residue as fuel to cook their food. A solar oven can change much of that.

I was thrilled to know that the profit from solar ovens sold in North America and other "developed" countries fund many more that are sent to countries that can desperately use them. It was heartwarming to read a personal testimonial from a Haitian woman about the different foods she could cook in her new oven. Haitians needed these ovens before due to deforestation, and now, post-earthquake, with practically no resources or infrastructure, they can use them more than ever.

So what started out as search for photos of these ovens and some recipes ended up as a completely eye-opening experience for me. I will never underestimate our sun's power again.

FoodieLicious: Tyler Florence's Galumpkis

I did not grow up eating stuffed cabbage rolls. Distinctly non-Asian and not "American" enough either. Our meals were either uber-Filipino or really mediocre American kiddie foods. Like Pancit or Hot Dogs. Kare-Kare or Hamburger Helper. Cabbage rolls were too "ethnic."

I first discovered a recipe for cabbage rolls in 1998 when I bought a slow cooker recipe book to go along with our recently received Crock-Pot. We registered for it ($10 at Target!) for our wedding. Stuffed Cabbage Rolls is one of those recipes that sounds gross when you say it out loud but seems more intriguing when you read the list of ingredients. And complicated too; you have to actually roll up the filling in leaves of cabbage. But I was up to the challenge! I made them at night, and slow-cooked them for hours. They were delish when they were finally done! And as with many slow-cooked foods, they looked kind of pale. I mean, the main ingredient was cabbage!

Fast forward about seven years, and I was watching my then-favorite Food Network show and caring for an infant at home. Tyler Florence's Food 911 featured an Eastern European version of stuffed cabbage rolls called galumpkis. The other recipe I had made was more of a German style with sauerkraut in it. Tyler's recipe had a sweet and sour tomato sauce. Also, his recipe is baked in the oven, not slow-cooked. Again, very intriguing. Again, lots of work. But totally worth it.

I am in the mood for Cabbage Rolls again, although the moment will probably pass before I get to HEB Central Market for the ingredients! Here is the recipe for anyone who wants to try it. It's comfort food that I never grew up with but wish that I had!

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Galumpkis)
From Tyler Florence's Food 911 on the Food Network

Yield: about 1 dozen

Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 1/2 quarts crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cabbage Rolls:
1 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Splash dry red wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups steamed white rice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large heads green cabbage, about 3 pounds each


To make the sauce:
Coat a 3-quart saucepan with the oil and place over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and sugar; simmer, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
Place a skillet over medium heat and coat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sauté the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the tomato paste, a splash of wine, parsley, and 1/2 cup of the prepared sweet and sour tomato sauce, mix to incorporate and then take it off the heat. Combine the ground meat in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg, the cooked rice, and the sauteed onion mixture. Toss the filling together with your hands to combine, season with a generous amount of salt and pepper.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Remove the large, damaged outer leaves from the cabbages and set aside. Cut out the cores of the cabbages with a sharp knife and carefully pull off all the rest of the leaves, keeping them whole and as undamaged as possible, (get rid of all the small leaves and use them for coleslaw or whatever.) Blanch the cabbage leaves in the pot of boiling water for 5 minutes, or until pliable. Run the leaves under cool water then lay them out so you can assess just how many blankets you have to wrap up the filling. Next, carefully cut out the center vein from the leaves so they will be easier to roll up. Take the reserved big outer leaves and lay them on the bottom of a casserole pan, let part of the leaves hang out the sides of the pan. This insulation will prevent the cabbage rolls from burning on the bottom when baked. Use all the good looking leaves to make the cabbage rolls. Put about 1/2 cup of the meat filling in the center of the cabbage and starting at what was the stem-end, fold the sides in and roll up the cabbage to enclose the filling. Place the cabbage rolls side by side in rows, seam-side down, in a casserole pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Pour the remaining sweet and sour tomato sauce over the cabbage rolls. Fold the hanging leaves over the top to enclose and keep the moisture in. Drizzle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 1 hour until the meat is cooked.

My Notes: In the TV show, he uses a larger, leafy green cabbage that I think is called Savoy. Much easier to roll because they're so much bigger. Also, I think the 1 1/4 cup of EVOO might be a typo on the Food Network's website; I use however much oil I think I need, which is always much less.

Creative Writing 101: The Small Stuff

"Don't sweat the small stuff" means...

nothing to me! Ha! Because in my world, it's all small stuff. I think one of my biggest strengths is my ability to focus on the tiniest of details in all things. Whether or not they matter. I can't not do so; it's who I am!

I married someone who is the opposite of me, whose strength lies in seeing the big picture. We're a good team that way.

My strength is also a curse sometimes. I can get really bogged down in pointless minutiae. I expect perfection when I shouldn't. So, yes, I really shouldn't sweat the small stuff at times. But it's a challenge to do so!

Blog prompt from Imagination Prompt Generator

52 Blessings: Health

I've come to the conclusion that "good health" is all relative. I found out last week that I'll be having a double surgery in a few weeks' time. Minor, low risk procedures for the most part, but still requiring the necessary pre-op prep, a trip to the hospital and an overnight stay. Today, at my third visit to a doctor in a week, my ob/gyn told me I would likely need additional surgery in the next 5 years or so as well. Then he told me I was "very healthy." I found that last comment amusing and full of irony.

Healthy. Am I? I notice every little ache and pain that I experience. I notice if it's something that comes and goes regularly or if it's something out of the blue. I notice the way I feel when something seems off, not quite right. Moreover, I've been diagnosed with at least four different chronic conditions/syndromes in the past 4 years. Some are managed ok with meds, some are not. The pains, the little twinges, the changes in my body that I can't control are always there in the background. Honestly, I wouldn't have called myself "very" healthy.

But really, am I? I am healthy enough to hop out of bed each morning. I can drive myself in my car wherever I need to go. I can work out (if I choose). I don't have food allergies and can eat anything (although I shouldn't). I can (for now) decorate cakes with intricate detail and designs. My mind is sharp enough to allow me to do (most) of the things I need to do on a daily basis, things that my family and others count on me to do. I can enjoy the little things in life that make it meaningful. I'm alive!

So yes, I am counting my health, even as it is now, as one of my many blessings. One that I have not been thankful enough for. God has surely blessed me with the health I have for a reason. And I am grateful.

Pink Retro & Some Good Books

I didn't blog yesterday because I didn't feel like it. I think I'm battling the winter blues, although ironically it no longer feels like winter outside. Just inside myself.

So onward to yesterday's topic, Retail Love, and today's as well.

Yubz Retro Handset for Mobile Phones
Photo from Yubz.com

This cute handset has been on my secret wishlist for several months now. It's adorable and useful! I hate using my cell phone all the time but wouldn't mind it as much if I had this retro handset. In pink. I love that it can rest on your shoulder just like old-school phones did. The only thing is they don't seem to sell it for my particular cell phone (yet). Although I've sent a few emails politely requesting that they add an adapter for mine! Meanwhile, I'll just continue to covet one until I get a new phone or they add my current one.

The Book Nook (is that too cutesy and dumb-sounding?)

So what's on my nightstand these nights (and days)? I started Nora Roberts' Key Trilogy during the summer, got really into books 1 and 2, and then real life got in the way. I didn't pick up book 3 until last week, and I'm remembering now what I liked about this particular series.

I've only been reading Nora Roberts for about two years, despite the fact that she always has a new bestseller out as well as rereleases of dozens and dozens more of her older titles. She writes romances as Nora Roberts, her real name, and murder mysteries as J.D. Robb. With the exception of her MacGregor series, which I somehow ended up reading while in London 10 years ago, I purposely avoided reading her books since for the better part of eight years because I just couldn't believe that anyone who could churn out new novels that quickly would be any good. Ha! Her books are generally great, and she excels at creating believable characters who you want to know more about. I particularly enjoy her trilogies and series, where the characters recur and you really get to know them quite well over several novels.

Although I am a few chapters shy of finishing the Key Trilogy, what I liked most about it are the quirky female protagonists (Malory, Dana and Zoe) in each book, the female bonding among them across the series, and the fact that magic, sorcery and otherworldly souls are intricately involved in the storylines. And the males, as always in good romances, are exactly the kinds of males you dream of but at the same time are also regular "guys" with their typical endearing foibles. Another thing about this particular trilogy is that you don't necessarily know how Roberts will take you to the preordained happily ever after that all romance novels must have. I like that element of suspense. So excuse me while I go finish my book!

FoodieLicious: 1980s Jello Blocks

Today's recipe features a taste of my childhood. Jello Squares or Finger Jello is what I think we called them, but not entirely sure. In any case, these were the staple finger-food dessert that my Mom made for several years for potlucks, summer get-togethers, birthday celebrations and classroom parties. Unlike regular Jello, the Blocks were extremely firm and would hold their shape forever and could be picked up and eaten by hand. I loved when she would make several flavors of Jello Blocks at once and serve them as a rainbow, a shimmering, scrumptious display in the eyes of a child.

About nine months ago, I was feeling nostalgic for Jello Blocks and looked up the recipe online. They are also called Knox Blox, which refers to to the ingredient that makes them extra-firm. I'm pretty sure this is the recipe my Mom used as well. Kraft Foods touts a 'Jello Jigglers' recipe, but it's not the same thing--too jiggly.

Knox Blox Finger Jello
from Cooks.com

3 pkg. Knox gelatin
4 sm. (3 oz.) boxes Jello (any flavor)
4 c. boiling water

Put Jello and Knox gelatin into a bowl. Add water and stir until
dissolved. Pour into 9x13 inch pan. Cool in refrigerator. When firm, cut into squares.

Jello disappeared from my life when my teenage tastes changed. It resurfaced into my life during college with the simple recipe of Jello + Water + Vodka + tiny plastic salsa containers from Taco Cabana = Jello Shots! And since college, Jello gelatin has been pretty much off the radar. I think I was last served Jello at the hospital when I delivered my youngest child. Interestingly enough, I haven't seen Finger Jello at any kids' parties in the last 8 years either.

Jello Blocks popped into my head today when Thalia, Carys and I were at Luby's. The girls were eating their super-jiggly Jello cubes desserts, and I mentioned how much I loved Jello when I was a kid. I told them I had an even better recipe that they would love too. We're going to make Jello Blocks soon, and Carys has already requested Peach.

Oh Jello, how I've missed you and I didn't even know it!

Image is of Jello Jigglers because I couldn't find a good one of Finger Jello! From Kraft Foods' website

Creative Writing 101: Ten Favorite Scents

 

I blew off my creative writing prompt on Friday night because I was too tired to even turn on the computer! So here is my creative writing bit, prompted by Imagination Prompt Generator:

My 10 favorite scents or smells (in no particular order):

1. tropical fruity scents, especially on candles
2. cinnabons
3. garlic
4. freshly laundered sheets and towels
5. coffee
6. roses
7. honeysuckle
8. gardenias
9. new batch of fudge at the fudge factory
10. spring air

Whew! That was easy until I got to #9, and then I ran out of favorites! But I do love spring.

52 Blessings: Food

Thursdays will now feature 52 Blessings, every week for 52 weeks! I am borrowing the idea from Tracy Kosofsky's Resistance is Futile blog. Last year she scrapped a '52 Blessings' mini-album highlighting one of her blessings each week. I loved the idea last year, but just didn't have time for it, so this year I'm making time. The blessings won't be in any particular order, not in order of importance for sure as every blessing is important!


My blessing for this week: Food. There are two absolutely full refrigerators in my house right now. How lucky I am to have fresh, healthy and affordable food available to me whenever I want. And to have so many food choices each day. Yesterday I complained to myself that there was so much food in the fridge that I couldn't fit it all in; how fortunate I am to be grumbling about something as wonderful as that.

Book Nook: Tinsel

Image from www.hankstuever.com

About a month ago, I requested that the San Antonio Public Library purchase a copy of Hank Stuever's new book Tinsel because I wanted to read it. I could have bought it myself, but wasn't sure if it was the kind of book I'd want to read and reread over and over again. (It isn't.) The nice librarians at the SAPL must have liked my suggestion because in just a few weeks they contacted me to let me know my book was ready to be picked up and borrowed!

It's a bit difficult to tell you what Tinsel is about. Tinsel is a book that seems to touch on everything in modern society. Ostensibly, it's about Christmas in America in the 21st century. Specifically, it focuses on Christmas in Frisco, Texas, in the years right before the current recession. Frisco is in some ways is like every other suburb of a major American city and other ways distinctly different. It's about suburbia, mega-churches, "keeping up with the Joneses," consumerism, "made in China," families, genuineness and finding meaning in a holiday that celebrates an event that may or may not have happened exactly as we have been taught to believe it did.

I loved the book. I would recommend it to anyone because it's about so many things, not just Christmas. Just as Christmas itself is never solely about the birth of baby Jesus. I learned so much.

I learned so many new things about shopping and the retail sector, some of which I wish I didn't know. I learned that even as we're herded into lines that snake around big box stores in the wee hours of Black Friday, there is joy and humor to be found among those who are there. We may be programmed, and not so subtly, to be there, but we can still enjoy it.

I learned that Americans invest so much emotional work and energy into "believing" at Christmastime. Believing that a miracle will happen for someone who needs one. Believing that Santa is real, or at least making him real for their children, even if they don't want to believe anymore. Believing that decorating for Christmas serves a higher purpose. Believing that all their spending and giving will make them feel better about themselves and others.

I learned that I'm glad that I don't live in Frisco. That surprised me. One word that kept popping up in my head as I read Stuever's descriptions of Frisco was 'sterile.' I may grumble about where I live now, but I don't know if I could handle the shiny newness and perfection of a community that grew up so quickly in the middle of nothing and nowhere. There's obviously some of that in any new community, but it seems even more intensified in Stuever's Frisco.

I laughed and even cried through Tinsel. There's just enough snark here and there to make you laugh out loud. (And Stuever does a masterful job of not turning his book into a total snark-fest given some of the stuff he witnessed for three years in a row.) There is also sadness, the kind that calls for a Christmas-sized miracle to make better.

I hope Stuever tackles something else about modern American life in his next book. I'll never think about Christmas the same way again and I'm glad for it.

FoodieLicious: Tyler Florence's Mac & Cheese

The blog schedule is doing me in already, only 2 days into the new blog year! I posted today's topic yesterday and forgot all about Monday's food bit. *sigh* Is this a bad sign?!

Anyway, here is yesterday's topic today:

Tyler Florence's Mamma's Mac and Cheese
from the Food Network's Food 911

1 pound elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups plus 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar

Cook the macaroni in boiling water for about 10 minutes until tender but still firm. Drain well and set aside.
In a deep skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour to make a roux and cook, stirring, to remove any lumps. Pour in the milk and cook until the mixture is thick and smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in 2 cups Cheddar and continue to cook until melted. Add the cooked macaroni and stir. Transfer the mixture to a 2-quart casserole dish. Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 20 minutes. Remove the casserole from oven, top with remaining 1/2-cup cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

My notes: I like to use garlic salt in place of regular salt. I also add a squirt of yellow mustard for "color." For a twist, I sometimes substitute half of the cheddar with another good melting cheese.

Thalia's drawing of her favorite food

This is my kids' favorite comfort food that I make. It's a kid-friendly mac & cheese, unlike other recipes I have that call for cayenne pepper and other "exotic" ingredients. I have served it countless times ever since I got the recipe in 2004 at birthday parties, holiday celebrations and potlucks. Even the adults like it!

I also heart Tyler Florence! (Although I've noticed he's not as cute as he was in the Food 911 episodes due to the extra weight he's packed on since then. Occupational hazard, I'm sure.) Nevertheless, he's a great cook.

Hope someone else tries and loves this one too!

Post-Holiday Shopaholic

I have a large Rubbermaid tub, okay several, filled with gifts that I buy throughout the year for Christmas and other important holidays. I would estimate that a large percentage of these gifts are purchased in the days immediately following a major holiday. No one loves a good after-Christmas sale as much as I do!

I used to shop post-holiday with very much enthusiasm but very little strategy, and would sometimes regret these purchases about 11 months later. I once got so caught up in the "everything's 75% off!!!" hysteria at Target after Christmas that I filled up two carts with stuff--Christmas cards, ornaments, wrapping paper, bows, gift baskets of coffee and tea, tree-shaped soaps, gift tins, Santa socks, etc. I pretty much bought out the store, except that I didn't need quite that many decorations or gifts. I eventually did use or "gift" most of the great stuff I bought that day, although it took a few years of gift-planning and giving to just the right person who would appreciate them.

Nowadays, my birthday, Christmas and other holiday shopping is much more streamlined and well thought out compared to those early years. I keep a spread-sheet where I record everything I buy to give to others as soon as I bring them home. This (almost) eliminates the "Oh, I already bought her a gift!" surprise months later. I buy birthday gifts throughout the year, whether or not a friend's birthday is coming up, if something just reminds me of her and it's on sale. (Then I buy her another gift with the extra money I saved!) I wrap 90% of our Christmas gifts by Veteran's Day (just some random date I picked out about 10 years ago and have stuck to it) and label them so I know who they're for. I also wrap birthday gifts two to three months in advance; this always cheers me up if I'm blue, to know that I'm planning for someone's special day.

Here are two successful shopping strategies that I've used in the past few years, now that I have school-aged kids and their friends are also past the toddler years:

1) Holiday Gifts for Kids-- I no longer buy toys to give our close kid friends like I used to. Too confusing to remember who had what or what I'd already given the year before! And getting more and more expensive as our friends' families expanded in size as ours did as well. My big idea: Christmas books for the kids. I love Christmas books, as I've already mentioned, and love even more giving them to other families. And the best part is they always go on sale at bookstores nationwide and online after Christmas! A few days after Christmas last month, Carys and I had so much fun selecting several books each for the kids on our Christmas list. Board books for the chubby hands little ones who are just discovering words, holiday puzzle books and Mad-Libs for the beginning readers, and really cool chapter books set at Christmastime for the older kiddos. And since they are all on sale when I buy them, I just buy more of them to give! Books, by the way, are not cheap. A mere paperback for kids can set you back up to $10. So books on sale are always a good thing. The only sad thing was having to pack them away in the Rubbermaid box until November!

2) Teacher Gifts--This may not be much of an issue for those whose kids go to very small schools or have few teachers. However, my kids go to an elementary school with upwards of 1,100 kids. Lots of kids = lots of teachers! When you factor in the number of rotation teachers (art, gym, music, etc.) and specialists in addition to their homeroom teachers, that's alot of teachers. Each of my children are taught by 10 teachers or specialists. When I was growing up, my brother and I always gave gifts to our teachers at Christmas. I loved picking out the boxes of Whitman's Sampler or French pastille candy tins for my teachers. I did this through high school! Even the teachers I didn't like. (That whole Asians-respecting-elders thing.)

Thalia and Carys love giving to their teachers as well. Each year, we start weeks ahead and make hand-made Christmas cards for each teacher. This year was quite a challenge for Carys, going from three pre-school teachers from last year to this year's 10! Card-fatigue set in quickly! Thalia decided to make scrapbooked cards for her teachers using my scrapbooking supplies such as buttons, ribbons, glitter, pop-ups, etc. They looked great! (She gets it from me.)

On my end, I am in charge of selecting gifts for the 9 rotation/specialist teachers and 2 homeroom teachers without breaking the bank! And I like the girls to be part of the process, so they go with me in search of fabulous treats at fabulous prices. Our go-to store: Michael's. Hooray for the $1 bins at Michael's! For the past four years after Christmas, we've found awesome office supplies to give as gifts to the teachers. Some years they've been holiday themed (ie. Mary Engelbreit Christmas) and some years not (last year's colorful flower motif). We've found decorative binder clips, post-it notes, notepads, magnets and purse-size tissue packs, all of which a teacher friend has confirmed they can all use more of! And since they're 50 cents instead of $1 each we buy several of each and mix and match for each teacher, creating a useful gift with zero calories. I like to think that months later, when they're reaching for a binder clip in their desk, they think of our family!