Holiday Letter 2011

We had a great 2011, my little family. 

Cole started high school, and played his first year of football.  He's a lean, mean Falcon machine, and we're super proud of him.  He's on the A honor roll, and he's a pretty nice kid.  We have a lot of conversations now, but I'm convinced he never really listens to me talk.  He just sits silent thinking of the next smartass thing he can say.  He hangs around the kitchen and pesters me non-stop, unless he's pestering his brothers.  Or playing XBox Live.  (I adore this stage.  I never want him to grow up and leave.)

Matthew learned to read this fall.  That business makes me thrilled.  And proud.  And amazed.  His whole world is opening up.  He lives and breathes Pokemon.  And video games.  I am proud to say I know absolutely nothing about the PlayStation or the Xbox or the Wii.  Or the DS.  Or the computer.  "Hey, Mom, can you get me to the next level?"  Uh...nope.  Sorry dude.  There are lots of big boys in this family who have that covered (see photo above.)

Jack is doing great in his final year of preschool.  (Remind me to schedule his kindergarten screening!).  He's still my super hero.  I'll be sad when he inevitably stops pronouncing his brothers name, "Maffew."  And when he stops saying things from the bathroom like, "Hey, Mom!  When I say "Praise the Lord!" come wipe me, okay?"  

It's hard to see the taillights of my children.  Because one day they're four year olds who need me to zip their jackets and the next day they're fourteen and I'm starting to look at driving schools. 

The captain is still the world's hardest-working, most-adored man.  He takes incredible care of all of us, and overlooks my many faults and fits.  He loves his boys and shares so much of his valuable time with them.  I'm thankful. 

It was a good year.  And next year is shaping up to be even better.

If you were a client this year, I am thankful for your business.  If you referred a client to me, thank you for believing in me.  If you were a friend...from the very bottom of my filled-up heart, I love you.  My life is better for all these bits and pieces.

If you lost a loved one this year, my condolences.  May the love of the Creator surround you and give you peace. 

God bless you and your family this holiday season!
Joy to the World!

Occupy Wallstreet

Do you miss my political blog posts?  Me too.  I've been silent, but I'm not sure why.  Partly because I don't want anyone to dislike me for my worldviews. Partly because the biggest thing going on right now is Occupy Wallstreet and people are downright mean about this protest.  Even reasonable people who are generally kind, are rude and unwilling to look past the people who are causing trouble to see that there is an actual movement here.  But in the last three days, two people have sparked conversations with me regarding this current event, so I thought I'd tell you how I feel.

I think people are going a little crazy.  It's been five years now since the market started to fall.  In that time, people started to lose their jobs, their retirements, their homes.  If they've been lucky enough to hold their jobs, their pay hasn't increased and their costs of benefits have skyrocketed (see: health insurance premiums).  They are struggling, and they are frustrated.  There is a group of people who are experiencing an opposite phenomenon, however.  The bankers and the CEOs of major corporations are taking home record bonuses.  In the hardest economic times since the great depression.  Our government continues to protect them and their tax loopholes, because -- in theory -- they're creating jobs.  We've actually labeled them "Job Creators."  But the people in the first group I mentioned...well, they're not seeing those jobs.  So they're not mad at people for being rich, but they're mad at the disparity between the situation of those thriving financially and the majority of the people who are struggling financially, and who are hurting.

Occupy Wallstreet (OWS) isn't sponsored or promoted by anyone.  No big corporation or corporately-funded group is building smooth websites and putting out the OWS message.  There is no group of billionaires behind it.  Therefore, the message hasn't been clearly distributed.  But that doesn't mean that it's not legitimate.  It just means you're going to have to dig a little deeper to find it.

Increasingly, corporations and politicians are in bed together.  The corporations pay politicians to protect their interests by way of funding their campaigns, and then the politicians make policy that does just that.  They have to, so they get money for their next campaign.  And the cycle continues.  And I think people are sick of it.  I think they're becoming aware that the corporate voices are more powerful than the peoples'.  And know what?  That's not democracy.  That's a corporate oligarchy.  I think that most Americans, right and left, liberal and conservative, are interested in preserving the democracy as laid out by the Constitution. 

Therefore, I do not understand the anger against the protestors.  I don't understand why we don't support not only their right to assembly, but their message. I don't understand why we can't all get behind what is happening here. 

The very best part of this movement, in my opinion, is that people are involved.  Probably the best way to make a difference, and promote good change, is invested citizens.  Tea Party, OWS, doesn't matter.  Be informed.  Learn the issues.  I think we'll find that we actually agree on some of this.

One friend posted this article today.  It's written by a conservative blogger (columnist?) in the UK.  They have a big battle going on over there, not completely different from the OWS movement in the US.  They're calling it an extension of ours, but the conservative legislature in the UK is trying to take away many rights of the people in the name of budget reduction.  They're as frustrated as Americans are.  But this author said basically the same thing I've been saying:  I think we actually all agree on much of this.  We'll make more progress united. 

So there.  That's my political opinion du jour.  You're welcome to comment here or by email or on the phone or come on over.  I'll pour you something to drink and make you something to eat.  And between us, we'll solve this thing. And I'll convince you that you don't actually have to delete me from your friend list this time.

Sharing the Love: Monster Cookies

This is a half batch of my mom's recipe.  And yes.  I do juggle the shells to estimate half an egg.  Make it work.  Or double the batch and use five eggs.  But you're gonna need a monster bowl for that!

Monster Cookies:
1 c shortening
1 c brown sugar
1 c sugar
1 c peanut butter
2 1/2 eggs
1/2 T vanilla
2 1/4 c flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 c oatmeal
1/2 lb m&ms
1/2 c chocolate chips

Mix sugars with shortening, eggs, and peanut butter until creamy.  Slowly add dry ingredients until well blended.  Add vanilla.  Stir in oatmeal, and then candy.  Drop on cookie sheet.  Bake for about 10 minutes for 350 (do not overbake). 

*Do not be tempted to double the candy/chocolate.  The cookies will not stick together well.  Lesson learned the hard way. More than once. 

Enjoy!

With Gratitude

what i am thankful for,
the short list.

the captain.
the rugrats.
the teenager.
the teenager's mom.
summer.
cheese.
hope.
god's grace.
my siblings.
all five senses.
books.
ellen.
the show parenthood.
my friends.
my clients.
teachers.
the president.
california.
the color green.
childrens' artwork.
facebook.
forgiveness.

and you, my readers.

be happy.  be thankful!

Sharing the Love: Chicken Pot Pie

Alternate Title:  Longest Recipe Post Ever

This might be my all-time favorite recipe.  It's not super simple, so it's not generally my style.  But there are definitely ways to cut down the prep time, which I have listed at the end.  I also wrote down a whole bunch of miscellaneous suggestions for your culinary convenience.  The first time I made this, it took me an entire afternoon.  But today, from idea to oven, it took 50 minutes!

This is the BEST meal to make for someone who is sick, or had a baby, or is going through a hard time.  It's comfort food, it's a one-dish meal, you can make it ahead and they can refrigerate it or freeze it, and it's delicious.  I strongly suggest you use my crust recipe, but if you have to use a frozen premade one, please use Trader Joes. 

I hate this photo.  I shouldn't even post one.

Corn.  I'm sure.  You have to use peas and carrots.

Here you are, my mother's Chicken Pot Pie:

CHICKEN POT PIE:

Filling:
1/3 c flour
1/3 c butter
1/3 c chopped onion
1 - 2 chicken breasts, cooked, cubed
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 3/4 c chicken broth
5 oz peas and carrots
2 small cooked potatoes, cubed
2/3 c milk

Melt butter. Add onion, cook for a minute or two. Add flour gradually until cooked together. Remove from heat. Add broth & milk. Bring to a boil until it starts to thicken, stir pretty constantly, or milk will burn. Season with salt & pepper. Stir in vegetables and chicken.

Crust:
3 c flour
1 c shortening (Crisco)
1 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 c water
2 tsp vinegar

Blend flour, shortening and salt until crumbly. Add egg, water, and vinegar. Mix together (I use my hands!). Roll out with rolling pin. I use 2/3 for bottom crust and 1/3 for top crust.

Place bottom crust in greased 9x9 pan (or 9" pie pan). Leave some hanging over the edges. Scoop filling into pan until about 3/4 full (or a little more, just don't fill all the way to the top). Lay top crust over entire pan. Pinch the top and bottom crusts together to seal. I then take a fork and push with prongs all the way around the edges to complete the seal. Poke holes in the top of the crust either with a fork or knife to allow it to breathe while cooking. 

Bake at 425 for 30 minutes.
(If frozen, bake at 400 for 50 minutes)
ENJOY!

Tips and suggestions:
- To make in a 9 x 13 pan, triple the crust and double the filling

- I sometimes buy the disposable mini loaf pans at the grocery store and make individual pot pies. They're putzy, but then I can freeze them and make them one at a time. Or I give them for gifts to my friends!

- I never use more than 10 oz of peas and carrots, even when I triple the filling. Just add the amount to your liking.  Today, as you'll see from my photo, I used frozen corn because I didn't happen to have peas and carrots.  Also, frozen are way better.  Canned will do in a pinch, but they don't look very colorful after you cook them for half an hour.

- To speed things up, you can bake the chicken the day before or buy a rotiserrie chicken at the grocery store.

- If you're making this for a weeknight, you could always prepare it on Sunday and store it in the fridge overnight and cook it the next night. If it's going to be longer than one day, though, freeze it so the crust doesn't get soggy. Or you can make the filling on the weekend and put that in the fridge for up to a few days and make the crust on the day of.

- If your crust seems too "wet" and doesn't handle well, just slowly add more flour until it's easy to handle and rolls out well. I always have to flour my counter surface and my rolling pin. To make consistently good, flaky crust, you need to follow these measurements exactly.  I learned the hard way that estimating does not a good crust yield.

If you have any questions, please call or email me anytime.  I'd be happy to walk you through it.

Full Potential

I was watching Ellen just now.  I tape it every day, and I admit that I fast-forward through some stuff (don't tell Ellen).  Look.  My time is really limited.  I always watch the monologue and then most of the guests.  But if there's someone I don't know, as a time-saver, I skip them.  Anyway...

I almost accidentally fast-forwarded this segment on the Collins family, who adopted four boys from Ghana.  They adopted the three brothers together, at once.  The mother sold everything she had, including her car, and has taken three jobs to raise these boys.  When they went back to Ghana to pick the boys up, the best friend of the oldest brother asked if he could come with.  He said he'd only eat one meal and clean her house if they'd take him too.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
*sob*

What am I doing with my life?  Who am I affecting?  Am I making anyone's life better?  It's moments like these that I ask myself if I am living my full potential.  And usually the answer is "I don't know," which likely translates into "Probably not." 

A lot of things touch me.
I'm pretty emotional.
I'm pretty passionate.
A lot of things make me cry.

But they also inspire me to be a better person.  To have an open mind and an open heart and accept what God has in store for me.  I'll find it yet...by the grace of God.

Project Happiness

It's late fall in Minnesota.  Most of the leaves have fallen, and it's chilly.  Like, really chilly.  If you stand really still and smell deeply, you know that the living things are going to sleep.  That they've paid their annual dues and are taking a well-deserved hiatus.  They're also going to play dead so what's coming next doesn't kill them.  SNOW.  ICE.  BITTER COLD.  Whoa.  I even hate those words.

Last year, after the holidays, in the heart of winter, I got super bummed.  SADD?  Who knows.  I call it winter blues.  I just get tired of being cold, and spring feels so long away.  So I went to the store, and I bought balloons and I took this photo.

And I named it Project Happiness.  I vowed to look hard for things that made me happy.  I vowed to focus on them.  And if I couldn't see anything, then I created it.  And I regularly posted photos and thoughts that made me happy. 

This year, if the w****er gets to you and the s**w chills you to the bones, and you think there is no end, look around.  Find something that makes you happy and share it.  With me, with your loved ones.  And call it Project Happiness (with no credit to anyone but youself).  Yeah.  It'll help (me and you).  I promise!