Patty and I took our kids to Market Square yesterday for ice skating. The girls and I had so much fun and truly enjoyed their company. I’m not sure she and I would ever run out of things to talk about . We are two peas in a pod—from our mutual love of indian food —-to our obsession with coffee —-to our creative/ADD /photographer tendencies.
There was lots of fun had by all and her children are wonderfully kind and engaging.
I tend to think mine are pretty wonderful too. But I guess I’m a little biased.
Surprisingly enough, the kiddos weren’t all that hungry when we got home. (I’m such a pushover.)
Thanks Patty (and Jordan and Lexi) for a wonderful afternoon. And for the samosa suggestion. We loved them!
Archives for December 2009
My Big Fat Greek Goulash
I have tendency to be a little over-zealous when the New Year rolls around. I want to train for a marathon and read 52 books in a month and reorganize my whole house and take sewing, photography and dance classes. All today. Right now. And I usually set lofty goals only to be reminded a year later that I’m only one person—with plenty enough to do everyday—aside from visit the Sistine Chapel and learn to quilt. So while I work on a very bold and bright ’40 Things to Do While I’m 40 list’ (in photoshop) I thought I’d share with you one of my favorite recipes. And if you have any wonderful suggestions for my 40’s list, leave them in the comments section and maybe I’ll add them to the list. And now, lest you think I have no recipes that aren’t laden with butter and cream, I give you
1 ½ pounds ground beef
1/3 pound bulk sausage
1 large eggplant
2 large onions
2 cloves garlic
1 can tomatoes
¼ t. Cayenne pepper
AND
Tzatziki Sauce (16 oz greek yogurt mixed with 2 T. lemon juice, 2 T. olive oil, 2 T. honey and chopped cucumber)
Brown beef and sausage together adding salt and pepper to taste and a little olive oil if the meat is ultra-lean. Add cayenne and chopped garlic. (This photo makes me almost want to be vegetarian.)
Photoshop and Lounge Pants
I’m sitting in my lounge pants, drinking the world’s best coffee, in my very quiet house (all kids are somehow briefly gone), desperately trying to figure out how to use my new Christmas present (photoshop cs4). It’s kinda complicated—with a very steep learning curve. Any suggestions?
So far, with Cindy’s help, I can make a simple collage, resize it, posterize it, and fiddle with the saturation and exposure. I was able to add text an hour ago and can’t seem to make that work at the present moment. Maybe by next Christmas I’ll have the hang of it. Hope you get to spend lots of time in your lounge pants today! Stevie was kinda disappointed that he didn’t get a new pair so I may have to venture out later. We decided we either need a new exercise and diet regimen or some new lounge pants. I vote for lounge pants.
Christmas Brunch 2009
We gathered to eat and open a few goodies with my extended family. Oh what fun!
and Grannie and her new Northface jacket! (she said three times “What are you calling that, North what?” She’s the same dear mother of mine who says “I need to go to the Walmart.”
Things I learned while Christmas Crafting
1. There’s hardly anything more endearing than pictures of little ones crafting. The actual real life crafting is a little more stressful than the photos reveal.
2. When 75% of your crafts involve straight pins, there will very likely be screams of pain…..and 8,765 straight pins on your floor.
3. There’s hardly anything more endearing than pictures of little ones crafting.
4. When 50% of your crafts involve gum drops, there’s a good chance you will find gum drops in odd places for the next 5 days.
but it will most definitely be worth it!
5. When you plan too many crafts in one day……
the children will leave you for dead in a pile of straight pins, gum drops, fabric scraps and felt birds to……..
make some fun of their own.
6. Those of your children who are very diligent and slightly perfectionistic will continue the ‘creating’ and complain that the “snow” is very runny this year.
7. Everyone works better if the projects are edible.
Decking, Wrapping, and Christmas Card Woes
I’m still decking the halls in preparation for Christmas Eve Brunch (I’m hosting my extended family), which includes a little cleaning, a little table setting, and a lot of snipping from my magnolia, holly and pine trees. It took all morning to clean the gum drops and toothpicks off my kitchen floor from crafting day (yesterday). You can visit here to see the crafts we made and I’ll post about it soon. I’m collecting recipes for the brunch (which shall include the lightest fluffiest angel wing biscuits and my blueberry coffee cake among others yummies) and wondering if I should add homeade waffles to the already bulging menu?! I’m gathering my hodge podge of dishes and adding festive touches with Christmas napkins and mugs.
And then there’s the wrapping. Did I mention we have eight kids? And every year, we purpose to scale down the commercialism and focus our attention on the blessed work of Christ on our behalf. But we also want to use this opportunity to give with a cheerful heart to our kids and to our family. So, there’s a certain amount of commercialism that creeps in, despite our best efforts. If all goes well, most of the ‘work’ will be done this weekend, which will leave plenty of time for movies and board games and ‘rocking around the Christmas tree’. We’re looking forward to ‘time off’, Christmas and Advent services, time to knit and read and enjoying the company of those we love most.