A Fairy Tale Hodgepodge - 12/7/11

Joining Joyce and friends for the weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge.

1.  Will you be hosting any house guests between now and the end of December? Does that thought make you happy or crazy? Do you do anything special for your guests to make them feel at home? How long should a house guest stay?

As far as I know we will not be hosting any house guests between now and the end of December, but who knows, we may have some impromptu overnight guests while my son is on winter break.  I don't think much of not having guests because we never have had guests over the holidays, although sometimes I think it would be nice. I've always wanted to make little guest baskets, but not having guests, I've never had the opportunity to.

2. Walter Elias Disney was born this week (December 5) back in 1905 ...what's your all time favorite Disney movie? Here's a list in case you're struggling...and yes, you have to pick one.

I would have to say my favorite Disney movie is Cinderella.  You can't go wrong with a classic like Cinderella, it has to be the quintessential fairy tale of all time; poor orphan girl meets, falls in love with and marries a prince. Every girls dream. Her ball gown is what I thought prom and wedding dresses were suppose to look like until a few short years before my first prom.  I can't mention the movie Cinderella without mentioning my favorite line, which is when Cinderella says "and look, glass slippers."  Plus,  I love the mice, they always make me laugh.

3. What was the last thing you purchased that you realized was a mistake after the fact?

It happened last night as a matter of fact, an acquaintance of mine brought me 5 pounds of  locally caught, freshly smoked, salmon, which I purchased from him.  Upon getting it home, I tasted it, found it over-smoked to my taste (and my family's). Now I have 5 pounds of smoked salmon I need to figure out what to do with (I've vacuum sealed it and tossed it in the freezer for now).

4. What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done online?

Very little if any of my Christmas shopping is done online. I think last year I may have purchased a few hard to find DVD's for my husband, step-dad and father-in-law. This year, we may end up purchasing another DVD for my father-in-law and possibly an Amazon gift card for my niece to buy books for her kindle. But, so far, none of our shopping has been done online.

5. Amaryllis-snowdrop-poinsettia...your favorite winter blossom?

Poinsettias without a doubt. As you can see above I used poinsettias in my bridal bouquet. (One last mention here of our 17th Wedding Anniversary which we celebrated this past weekend - yay us!)  We also spent part of our honeymoon on the Caribbean rain forest island of Dominica, where the poinsettias were growing wild all over the place.  It was beautiful. 

6. What is one thing on your personal Christmas wish list? I think we all want peace on earth so let's make this answer an actual item.

It is always so hard for me to think of things for myself, as a matter of fact, just yesterday I decided to start a board on pinterest for just this purpose.  There is one item on it so far, an immersion blender.

7. If you could only use one word today what would it be?

Love.  I firmly believe that you need to tell the people you love that you love them every day.  So if I could only use one word today, I'd have to say love.  Even if I can't say I and you, I think they would understand if I just looked at them and said love.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

We usually do Christmas Eve at my Mother-in-law's house. (Pictured above is Christmas Eve 2004, a 16 month old Dominic enjoying ritz crackers and cheese) Peggy is retired and my Father-in-law is planning to retire soon.  For over 17 years I've been a part of this family and every year my Peggy makes all the food. Granted, it's snack type foods, but it's a lot for one person to take on, especially financially.  This year my niece and I decided enough was enough. We've left her two things to make and divy'd up the rest of the food between the family members, some just need to pick up a bag of chips or a box or crackers. The menu has been pretty set for years, but I suggested if someone wants to bring something new in addition to their assigned item they are welcomed to do so... I'm excited to see if any new food traditions develop... (I've got one in the works that I'm sure will be a big hit - if I can pull it off that is!)

Oh, Christmas Tree!

One thing I love about blogging, is the more blogs you read, the more topics you come up with.  I hope no one gets offended when I use their topics. Once again, this great blog topic came from Amiee. Her blog Promises and Secrets  is one of my favorites.

The Christmas tree is one of my very favorite Christmas traditions. (I mean, who doesn't love a Christmas tree!) Starting in the late 70's or early 80's my Grandma began doing themed Christmas tree's. She would change the theme every few years.  One year we spent hours poking fabric into styrofoam balls to make "quilted" ornaments.  One year it was all "sugared" toy ornaments,  toy soldiers, rocking horses etc, very cute.  The last themed tree my Grandma had was very beautiful, it was all gold and ivory, she used this for several years before she died, and when she was gone, I took over with that theme, which I kept, adding and deleting ornaments, for almost 10 years after she was gone.  The pictures above are from 2003, the last year I had the "fancy tree" (Dominic's first Christmas).  Hubby and I agreed that once we had kids, we would switch to a "fun" tree (as he called it). 

12/7/11 Revision: So while working on my next entry I pulled up the 2004 Christmas pictures and low and behold, there was my lovely ivory and gold tree.  So, now a quest to determine when we actually switched to the "fun" tree... ( I think maybe for the first few years I allowed "fun" ornaments like Star Wars ornaments etc on the fancy tree... the colored lights thing was hard for me to swallow)

We've had a few live trees,  one year, hubby even impressed the man at the Christmas Tree stand by fitting a 9 1/2' Christmas tree completely inside our tiny little Ford Festiva.  He shoved it in the hatch back, trunk first until the trunk of the tree was on the dashboard, then folded the tip top of the tree over and closed the hatch. (They did wrap the tree in one of those nets or else it probably would never have worked).  Last year, we also had a live tree (pictured above) because our humble farm house does not boast the cathedral ceilings that our house in Las Vegas had, and our 9' artificial tree would not fit.  Personally, I prefer the artificial anyway, no watering, no needles all over the floor (or in your feet). So after Christmas last year we hit the after Christmas sales and bought a smaller pre-lit tree.  We got one for Dominic's playroom too (an even smaller and not pre-lit, we paid under $10 for it.) He loves having his very own tree in his playroom,  it is pictured below.

The fun tree has retained a few fancy ornaments, but now boasts colored lights (in addition to the white lights that came on the Pre-lit tree).  Of course the most "fun" things about this tree are the ornaments. Each has its own story, which is a blog topic in itself, sounds like a good one for tomorrow.
And finally, this year's tree...

So with that, I'll leave you to begin taking pictures of some of our favorite Christmas ornaments. Merry Christmas to you and happy decorating!

5 Things you may not know about me.

What a crazy week it's been! I've been itching to get back to blogging, but have been having trouble coming up with a topic. Today, while cleaning the kitchen, a topic popped into my head, so here we are... 5 Things you may not know about me...

1.  I collect copper cookie cutters. I think they are so pretty.  I love them so much that I really dislike buying cookie cutters that aren't copper, but sometimes I just can't find the shape I need in a copper cutter.

2.  I can not stand the taste of peanut butter.  According to my mom, I've never liked it... I do however like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup every once in awhile (especially the dark chocolate ones), the addition of sugar really changes the taste, doesn't it.

3.  I have a webbed toe.  No, seriously... I do. The second and third toes on my left foot are joined up to the first knuckle.  No picture, some people (namely my little sister) are really freaked out by it.

4.  I own a pink assault rifle. One of a kind, custom paint job. Cute, isn't it. Yep, a little redneck, but, that's me.

5. The gray streak in my hair stems from a scar received in a minor car accident my senior year of high school.  I cut my head open on one of those little mirrors you clip on your sun visor. 

OK, so, not the best topic, it was really hard to come up with 5 things. Even hubby couldn't think of anything unusual about me, (other than I listen to Christmas music all year long.) I guess after 17 years of marriage, he's use to my idiosyncrasies.

Until next time...

A Thankful Hodgepodge

Joining Joyce & Friends for the weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge....

1. Let's start with something controversial...dressing or stuffing? What's it called at your house and what's included in your recipe...cornbread? oysters? sausage? chestnuts?

At our house we call it stuffing and it is a simple but delicious combination of bread, onion, butter and poultry seasoning.  Simple, but amazing.

2. Who do you sometimes compare yourself to?

Sometimes I compare myself to my mother.  We have lead such different lives that I sometimes find it interesting to compare where I am at my age to where she was at the same age. Sometimes I compare where I am now to where she is now. And sometimes I compare the choices I am making to the choices she made.   

3. When were you last inside an airport?

The last time I was in an airport was in February 2010, when we flew home to Las Vegas (McCarran Airport) from our family vacation in Orlando & Ft. Lauderdale. 

Pictured here is my husband, my sister, me, my brother, my nephew and my son before a show at Sea World in 2010. 

Pictured here are me, my mom, my nephew and my sister after the show... we unwisely sat in the "Splash Zone" on a very chilly February day. Brrrr!

4. What is one side dish that absolutely must be included in a turkey dinner?

At our house there are two things that must be included in a turkey dinner.  The first is the stuffing mentioned above and the second is broccoli cheese casserole with a ritz cracker crust on the top.

5. What Christmas song do you dread hearing?

I love Christmas music but I absolutely dread "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer." Unfortunately this is my husband's favorite Christmas song, so even if I am lucky enough to miss it on the radio. I end up hearing it anyway as he has the CD.

6. If someone approaches you and asks for money do you give it to them? Do you drop money 'in a tin cup' that belongs to a person on the street? Do you have a specific charity you support during the holiday season and/or year round?

I have a dilema every time someone approaches me for money.  Most of the time I do give them a few dollars and pray that they will actually use it for what they said they needed it for and not drugs or who knows what.  If they happen to be near a fast food restaurant and say they want the money to buy something to eat, I always buy the food.  This way I know it is going for the intended purpose and that they are getting a full meal.  I do drop money in the "tin cup" for street performers... extra if they are playing the Saxophone. When we lived in Las Vegas I supported the Las Vegas Rescue Mission, here I support the Harbor Country Food Pantry year around.

 

7. Share a favorite Thanksgiving memory. If you live in a country that doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving share a favorite memory associated with food.

I cannot think of one specific favorite Thanksgiving memory.  One thing I really love about Thanksgiving is that we do not spend Thanksgiving running all over the place.  We have a quiet dinner for three and after dinner we spend the day decorating for Christmas. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.

It can't be said often enough;  I thank God every day for my husband and my son. 

My husband knew all of my flaws, shortcomings and idiosynchracies before he married me, and yet, he married me anyway.  And after 17 years of marriage and 20 years as a couple, he still holds my hand in the car. We still eat breakfast together every day, we still enjoy being together.  I cant wait to get home each day so I can see him, and get hugs and kisses from him.

I am so thankful for my son, he is such a wonderful child.  He has the biggest heart, and his father's sense of humor. For years we wondered if we would ever have children, it seemed like it would never happen. We were married for 8 years before we finally had our son. Sometimes with the hectic schedule of day to day life it is easy to forget that we are lucky to even have him, but when it is quiet and I look at my son, or he is cuddling with me, or making me laugh I always pause to thank God again for blessing us with him.

The two loves of my life.  Father's Day 2009.

Adventures with Fergie

This is Fergie. Her full name is Fergie, the Duchess of Yorkie.  Fergie is my baby girl, literally. She is my consolation prize for not having any more human children. I get to put pretty bows in her hair and dress her up, and she tolerates it (most of the time).  

Fergie is not a teacup Yorkie.  In fact, she is quite large for a Yorkie, tipping the scales at 12 lbs.  When I first decided I wanted a Yorkie, I thought I wanted a teacup, but one major factor changed my mind and his name was Cody.  At the time we decided that I could have a baby girl puppy, hubby had a 110 lb Doberman Pinscher, if he (or one of us for that matter) accidentally stepped on a little bitty teacup Yorkie -  crunch - major broken bones and life threatening injuries. So I settled for, based on the size of her parents,  what we all assumed would be about an 8lb Yorkie. Well, I guess she was the husky girl of the litter.

So, at 5 mos of age,  Fergie came to live with us at our home in sunny Henderson, NV where she promptly won the hearts of mommy, human brother Dominic and canine brother Cody, even Mimi and her dog Cotton who were visiting from Michigan loved her immediately.  Daddy on the other hand... well it took awhile to win him over (but now she has him wrapped around her little paw).

Here is a picture of Cody & Fergie cuddling.

The first two years of Fergie's life were quite adventurous for me.  She really was (as my mother in law liked to say) a toddler with fur.  Potty training was a big issue for her, as well as chewing and tearing things up (which did not help her win daddy's heart).  One day, she discovered the guest bathroom....

unfortunately, the evidence pointed directly to her...

 

so, she was put in "time-out".

When Fergie was about one year old, she had double surgery, she was spayed and had dewclaws removed from all four paws.  As was her custom, she found the most comfortable spot she could to recuperate... a fluffy couch pillow.

a few days later Dr. George decided to remove the bandages from her paws... and... she decided to chew at the stitches.

enter the "cone of shame".

When Fergie was about 1 1/2 we moved from sunny Henderson, NV back to our home state of Michigan.  This was something very new for Fergie, she wasn't use to grass, and she really didn't want to go potty on it, maybe it tickled her, who knows, but thankfully, she's OK with it now.  Then the leaves started to fall... oh what fun she and Dominic had becoming acquainted with autumn.

But that was nothing compared to what she discovered in mid November of that first year. 

She wasn't sure what to think of it... but she was very sure to check it out as closely as possible. By mid December when the big snows came... she decided that she LOVED IT!

This is where daddy came up with one of her nick names, "Snow Lion."

Fergie has many more adventures in store for her.  I think next summer I will take her to my brother's and see how she likes to swim.  But right now she is content to snuggle on the couch.

Wednesday Hodgepodge 11/16/11

1. What song reminds you of a specific time in your life and what is it about that song that makes you remember?

This one is very hard, there are a lot of songs that remind me of specific times in my life. Most songs take me back to the time in my life when they were popular and to what I was doing a specific time the song was playing. I've been racking my brain trying to think of a good example and right now all I can think of is the song Footloose. Believe it or not, this song does not bring happy memories. When I hear this song, I remember being at a family function and yet again being compared to the cousin who everyone seemed to love most... "____ can do the footloose dance. Chrissy, do you know the footloose dance?"  It seemed I was always being compared to her, and she seemed to always be better at everything.  Now, however, the tables have been turned, but believe me, I take no satisfaction in the poor choices she's made as an adult and the troubles that came along with them. Who knows, maybe she felt she was always being compared to me and wishing everyone didn't wonder why she wasn't a good girl like Chrissy.

2. What's something you've given up on?

Trying to please everybody.  As you may have gathered from question #1 I spent most of my life looking for attention and affection, and never feeling good enough.  I spent most of my time trying to do what I thought would make other people happy and doing what other people wanted me to do.  This continued as an adult and even up to a couple of years ago when everything came to a head.  Trying to do everything perfectly and please everybody started affecting my health and my sanity.  With the help of a couple of doctors and my husband I've been able to overcome these issues and am much happier for it. 

3. What's something you'll never give up on?

I'll never give up on learning.  I love to learn new things. There is always something new out there to learn and it gives me a great sense of self worth and accomplishment every time I learn something new.

4. If you had to cook something from scratch in the next hour what would it be?  Well, since I have chicken defrosted in the fridge, I would make chicken and rice. It just so happens that is what is on the menu for dinner tonight.

5. Have you started Christmas shopping? Decorating? Listening to Christmas music?

Yes, No & Yes... Our Christmas shopping is pretty much done, I pick up little things for nieces & nephews throughout the year, and we put our major purchases for Dominic on layaway a few weeks ago. We just have a few little things to pick up now.  Much to Dominic's chagrin, we do not begin decorating until Thanksgiving.  (Although he did sneak a Christmas figurine onto one of the end tables the week of Halloween).  I start listening to Christmas music sporadically in October, and full time the first of November, and if the radio station gets switched by hubby at some point, Dominic is sure that it gets changed back as soon as possible.

6. What do you know about your parent's wedding?

It took place in the courthouse sometime in December shortly after my dad turned 18.  I have a "family" picture taken in my grandparents family room that I'm pretty sure is of the day, so I know that my dad's brother and sister where there as well as my dad's aunt and uncle as well as my maternal grandparents who are not in the picture.

From left to right, Uncle Delmar & Aunt Toni Grove (my dad's aunt & uncle) My Dad, My Mom, Uncle Gene (my dad's brother) Aunt Ellie (my dad's sister) Uncle Harvey (Ellie's husband) and Aunt Marty (Gene's wife)

7. I can't believe I __________.

I can't believe I have been married for almost 17 years (anniversary is December 3rd).  Sometimes it seems like such a long time, especially in this day and age, I know very few people who have been married as long. Most of the time it doesn't seem like that long at all, it seems like just a few years ago we were on our honeymoon in the Caribbean, I guess time flies when you're in love and having fun.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Somehow I have found myself with a free day today. I've spent most of my day stopping every few minutes to wonder what I am really suppose to be doing, its so odd to not be running around doing one thing and thinking about what I need to be doing or where I need to be in an hour.  So I've decided that this afternoon, I will work on organizing the "office" which is basically a catch all three season room, so I've just turned on a space heater in there and I'm off to grab some trash bags.  Hmmm. Maybe a before picture would be appropriate... hopefully I'll be able to add an after picture this evening.

So here's before...

Adventures in Homesteading - Emergency preparedness in winter

I've been asked why I decided to start a blog.  Well, I did it mainly to have a place to put my thoughts down. I tend to lose journals and notebooks, but I can always find my laptop.  Secondly, the idea just kind of popped into my head while I was processing those pumpkins.  I wanted a place to journal my processes and findings, a place that I would be able to find next year if I forgot what I did.  (Yes, I tend to be forgetful)

So while pondering the idea of a blog and a title, homesteading came to mind, my first idea for the blog title was Adventures in Homesteading, but we're not technically homesteading yet, and I didn't want to be limited on what I wrote about... but, I figured Adventures in Homesteading would make a good post series.

So, you may be wondering, "what exactly is homesteading?"  Well, in a nutshell, it means adopting a more sustainable, self sufficient lifestyle. Like everything there are varying degrees of homesteading; from what I would term very lax (like myself) to uber homesteaders who grow almost all of their own food & livestock and live off the grid.  My goal is to move from the very lax position we are in now to as close to the uber homesteader as I can get.  Baby steps though.

Sounds like a major undertaking, huh.  Well, I don't usually look at the big picture. Right now, I am focused on food preparedness and emergency preparedness.  Remember, sustainable and self sufficient.  Are you ready for a power outage for three days or more in the cold of winter?  Would you be able to stay in your home or would you have to leave? 

Lets start out easy.  You're going to need light... Flashlights & batteries, candles & lighters/matches, oil lamps, oil & extra wicks.  We have all of these within our reach in the house for regular power outages already.  We also have, in our camping supplies, battery powered lanterns.  Gather them up and keep them in a centralized location. (I also have a flashlight on my bedside table in case of a power outage at night, this way I can get to the other light sources without stumbling around in the dark).

Back to batteries, we are big into Cub Scouts, and one of Boy Scouting's newest fund raising partnerships is with Interstate Batteries, the battery sales usually take place in the spring. Yes, they are a little more expensive than buying Duracell at the store, but the big selling point for us? (Other than supporting scouting).  These Interstate alkaline batteries have a 7 year shelf life.  So stock up, they will be good when you need them! I'll let you know when the spring sales start and give you some help locating a scout selling batteries in your area. But check around, you don't need Interstate Batteries, we were buying them to support the Scouts anyway, the long shelf life was just a bonus.  The bottom line is; have  a lot of batteries on hand, and keep their shelf life in mind.

The biggest issue for most of us in a winter emergency will be heat, and while we don't have the best solution in place, we do have a solution.  The Mr. Buddy Heater.

Mr. Buddy has been our friend on many a camping trip and,if necessary, we can bring it in the house and use it to heat the bedroom which we have designated as the room we would use as a living room in an emergency.  The one we have heats about a 200 square foot area and uses the small propane gas bottles or can be hooked up to a 20lb tank(like you use for a gas grill) with an attachment hose. Be sure to make sure you have extra tanks on hand, you can pick up one or two of the small cans a month on your trip to Wal-mart, and if you don't have an extra gas grill tank, why not pick one up, you know it will come in handy in the summer (make sure both tanks are full now for emergencies).

OK, so what about food prep? If you have a gas range, you can still cook, but what if, like us, you have an electric range.  Again, we looked to our camping equipment and our propane camp stove, but don't forget about your grill, you can use that too if it is in a location you can get to in severe weather.  Our combination gas/charcoal grill is on a covered back porch so we should be able to get to it and use it in inclement weather if need be.

So now we can cook food. Do we have food? For short term probably. But what if you are snowed in for a week or more? The good news is you won't lose anything from your freezer.  If need be, you can place items in a plastic tub and put it out in the snow.  However, when thinking of emergency food preparedness, think canned goods, and warehouse clubs. I buy my tuna at Sam's Club in packs of 12+ cans, granted, we use a lot of tuna, but I always have one pack in the pantry for every day use and one in the laundry room (our current back up food storage location) for emergencies.  When I run out in the pantry I take the one out of laundry room and then add it to my list to replace on my next trip to Sam's.  Occasionally I pick up a large pack of canned chicken as well.  Spam is also a good idea if you can stomach it.  You can also buy dehydrated foods at the warehouse stores, sometimes they even have emergency packs that contain several different varieties of dehydrated food.  Also make sure you have "comfort foods" available.  Dominic's favorite soups are the chicken ramen noodle (cheap for food storage) and Campbell's Chicken Noodle, I always try to have lots of these on hand. Think of your families favorite comfort foods and prepare now so they are available in an emergency situation.  Watch for sales and stock up! Don't forget tea, coffee and hot cocoa. (pick up a camping coffee percolator or buy instant coffee; old fashioned tea kettle is a good idea for heating water too). Lets face it, you're not going to be very happy if you're snowed in for a long period of time, so think of little things that will make you feel better in this situation and keep them on hand... I think I'll pick up a few extra packs of Dove Promises for my stash.

Don't forget about entertainment.  The batteries in the Nintendo DS are not going to last long at all, what will the kids do with no video games?  What will you do with no computer or TV? We have assembled a library of books, a closet full of board games and several decks of cards for just such a purpose (and some other purposes I will discuss in a later blog).

Remember, you don't have to be a Boy Scout to live by their motto: "Be Prepared".  It's never too early to start.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Of all the tools and gadgets you own which do you most enjoy using?

I would have to say my Kitchenaid stand mixers.  Yes, mixers plural, I enjoyed using my first one so much, that when my Aunt wanted to get rid of hers, I bought a second, it has come in handy having two!  Whenever I am using my mixer I know something good will soon be arriving (even if I don't always get to eat it).

2. When (if ever) is impatience a virtue?

I think impatience can be a virtue (defined as moral excellence and righteousness; goodness) if it keeps you from being lazy.  If you are busy doing things because you are impatient for them to be done, or impatient for a little "me time" thats goodness in my book.  

3. What temperature do you keep your thermostat set to in winter? Do you have another way to heat your house besides a furnace of some type?

We usually keep it 72 degrees and we use electric space heaters in a few areas for extra warmth when needed.  This year we are trying something new however.  We have purchased an electric infared heater and so far, even though it has been in the low 30's several times we have not turned on our furnace yet this year.  This infared heater is touted to maintain your home's temp with low electric costs.  So far it has done a great job of keeping the temp at 72 degrees.  So, we've decided to try to not turn on our furnace this year as the cost of propane is so outrageous.  "But your electric bill will skyrocket," you say.  Well,  we are figuring the electricity cost of running the infared should be no more than the electricity cost of the furnace blower (which seems to run constantly in the winter) so in theory this will actually save us money as we won't be using any propane.  This is an experiment, we'll see how it goes.

4. Do/did you have a close relationship with any of your grandparents?

I had a very close relationship with my maternal grandmother before she passed away when I was 23.  She was always there for me and my siblings. 

5. When did you last have a family portrait taken?

Our last family portrait was taken about a year ago, we will be taking another one very soon.  We always try to have a family portrait done around Christmas.

6. What does the word patriotism mean to you?

Oh what a tough one.  I think patriotism means supporting your country in the spirit in which our founding fathers created it.  Even though I do not agree with most of the things going on in our country today, this is still a great country where we are free to make choices and free to try to change the way things are done if we don't like it. 

7. Do you like to play cards and if so, what's your favorite card game?

I am more of a board game person, although I do spend a lot of time playing Spider Solitaire on the computer, however, I would probably be disowned by several family members and most of my former classmates and kicked out of the state of Michigan if I did not say that Euchre was my favorite card game.  I do love to play, I'm just not very good at it. LOL.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Veterans Day is Friday.  Although neither my husband nor I served in the armed forces, we both have several relatives and friends who did.  I wholeheartily support the men and women who are serving and have served this country.  You may not agree with the politics and policies of the current or former administrations, you may not agree with the wars we are involved in, but these men and women put their lives in danger and their families on hold, to protect the freedoms that make this country so great (and get paid very little to do so). 

This will be our second Veteran's Day since we moved back to Michigan from Las Vegas, and I am really missing the annual air show at Nellis Air Force Base, we never missed it when we lived there.  Maybe next year we'll take a vacation to Las Vegas in November for the air show and to see some great friends.

It's a Monster of a Hodgepodge

1. Who taught you to cook?

The answer to this is a hodgepodge in itself, I learned a bit from my Grandma Pike, a bit from my mom a bit from my mother-in-law, a bit from The Food Network and a lot by trial and error, and, I must say I've learned well. I really enjoy cooking, I just wish I had more time to do it. Which is one of my short term goals... eat out less, cook more. 

2. Have you been told you think too much? Are you a perfectionist? Are you too sensitive? Were they right?

Have I ever been told so? I don't think so... but...
Do I think too much? Yes, I'm always running through scenarios in my head. Whether it be what is the most appropriate response to a real life issue, a "what should I have done" in retrospect to a real life issue, or what should I do in a worst-case scenario that will probably never happen.
Am I a perfectionist? A lot of the time, yes. I want everything to be perfect and I aim for perfection, usually with one of the following results. A) I come pretty close, as I've come to accept in the past 20 years, nothing is ever perfect. B) I've determined that there is no way it will ever be even close to perfect so I've given up and no longer try for perfection.
Am I too sensative? I think so. I think I take everything too personally, and if someone slightly raises their voice or uses the wrong tone, I immediately feel like a scolded child. I should probably work on that, but I have no idea how to grow a tougher skin. Do they make a lotion for that?

3.  As a child did you have a favorite blanket or toy? Tell about it.

Nothing long term, I have a picture with a "Mrs. Beasley" Doll, Do you remember her from a Family Affair? Buffy had one.  My mom said she was my favorite, I was about 3 in the picture, I do have some vague memories of her, but I think I'd outgrown her before kindergarten and other than that I do not recall having another favorite toy.

4.  What "institution" do you have the most faith in.

I have to thank Amiee for this answer because when I first read the question, my reaction was "I don't beleive in any institution."  But then I read Amiee's answer, and she believes most in the institution of marriage.  That's right, marriage is an institution, and it is the only institution I believe in.  Granted, I have seen very few marriages stand the test of time, but the few I have, are the ones I look to.  I know it's not easy, but it is worth it.

5.  Chrysanthemums-pansies-burning bush-ornamental cabbage... your favorite in an autumn garden?

My favorite would have to be the burning bush. Here in Michigan where it seems to be so gloomy most autumn days, the fire burning in those leaves always brings sunshine to my heart. 

6.  What superpowers do the kids in your neighborhood seem to possess?

There is only one child in my neighborhood as we live in the country, and that is my son.  His superpowers are too numerous to list, but I think his most powerful superpower is love, I don't think I've ever met a more caring 8 year old boy.

7.  Are you a fan of the cranberry?

Yes! I love cranberries; cranberry juice, cranberry jelly, cranberry apple jello salad, but my absolute favorite has to be the craisin and white chocolate chip oatmeal cookie (you can find the recipe on the craisin package).

8. Insert your own random thought here...

Dominic started playing basketball last week.  When we signed him up, the flyer touted it as a "clinic" type program through the after school enrichment program, and although one of the scheduled practice days interfered with one of our Cub Scout days, we decided it would be ok, since we do Cub Scouts twice a week. After two practices, they tell the boys the practice days are changing, (mind you, there was no formal notice to the parents, I had to verify it with the director of the after school program). Ok, I guess I can handle that, just a minor bit of juggling to do but it's handled.  And then today, a schedule of games gets sent home... what? games?  AWAY games? that we have to drive him to... on random days of the week, which end up interfering with both Cub Scout days.  And to top it off, no note letting us know which team (B or C) he is on. I'm really not happy.  Scheduling is an issue with us as it is, our plates are very full.  But, we'll get through it with more juggling and hopefully a little car pooling help on the day's Terry and I can't make it. Dominic is enjoying it and that is what matters to us.

Adventures in Pumpkin

This month I decided to take advantage of the great deals on after Halloween carving pumpkins and freeze some pumpkin puree for baking fall goodies.  The internet reviews are mixed on using carving pumpkins for baking, so I figured I'd see for myself. 

On Monday, November 1st I purchased four carving pumpkins of various sizes for $1 each at Walmart. On Tuesday the 2nd I processed the two smaller pumpkins.  I started by cutting the first pumpkin in half and scooping out the seeds and pulp into a scrap bowl (I'll get to the seeds later).  The pumpkin was so large that I ended up cutting it into quarters so it would fit in the pans.  I placed one quarter in a glass 9x13 pan added some water, covered it in plastic wrap and microwaved it for 15 minutes and checked for doneness.  It needed another 5 minutes.  To save some time (I thought) I also processed two quarters in the oven in my enamel ware roaster for about 45 minutes.  Taking a spoon, I scooped the meat out of the pumpkin shell and placed it into my food processor and processed until uniformly pureed. My food processor was able to handle 1/4 of a pumpkin at a time.  I found the puree from these pumpkins a bit watery and decided to strain the future batches.  I packaged 16 ounces of pumpkin (a little bit more than in a standard can of pumpkin) in quart sized food saver bags and placed in the freezer.  Yield 112 ounces of pumpkin - equivalent of 7 cans of pumpkin for only $2.00.

I then proceeded to separate the seeds from the pulp and place them in a bowl of water, after several rinses, I spread them out in the cleaned 9x13 to air dry.

I didn't return to my pumpkin project until Sunday November 6th, and as you may have guessed on of my pumpkins couldn't wait and was too soft to process.  I tossed it out into an overgrown section of field behind my house, hoping for some volunteer pumpkins next year.  However, I had also picked up a pie pumpkin at the grocery store that day for $0.25/lb (I spent $0.69 for this pumpkin).

This time I knew a bit more what to expect, I took my remaining pumpkin (the largest of the four carving pumpkins), cut it and cleaned it. This time, I separated the seeds from the pulp as I cleaned the pumpkin, and put them in a bowl of water.  I then put one cup of water in the bottom of the glass 9x13 and microwaved one quarter of the pumpkin for 20 minutes. I then scooped the meat into a strainer before placing it in my food processor. This created a much better consistency of puree that was again frozen 16 ounces per food saver bag. Yield 96 ounces of pumpkin - equivalent to 6 cans of pumpkin for $1.00

On to the pie pumpkin...this pumpkin had such a hard shell I could not cut it.  It was even difficult for Terry to cut into, he got it about half cut and was able to crack it open the rest of the way.  The good thing about this pumpkin was that both halves fit into the 9x13 baker. I again microwaved it with 1 cup of water for 20 minutes. Yield 16 ounces of pumpkin - equivalent to one can of pumpkin for $0.69.

Initial comparison... The pie pumpkin appeared a bit more orange before cooking and the puree seemed to have a bit more flavor.  The meat of the carving pumpkins was a bit stringy before cooking, but that did not seem to affect the end product.  The seeds of the pie pumpkin were a bit smaller, but plumper.  But unless there is a major flavor difference in the baked goods, I don't think the extra time, cost and lower yield bode well for the pie pumpkin.

Now for the pumpkin seeds.  I kept the seeds from the pie pumpkin separate from the carving pumpkin so these could be compared as well.  Both batches of seeds were soaked for several hours (after the intial cleaning and drying) in salt water and allowed to dry another 24 hours.  I had three cups of carving pumpkin seeds, I mixed these with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and two pinches of salt and spread on a baking sheet and baked at 300 degrees for 45 minutes stirring every 15 minutes or so.  I had 3/4 cup of pie pumpkin seeds, mixed with 1 tablespoons of melted butter and one pinch of salt, again baked at 300 degrees for 45 minutes. Photo shows the carving pumpkin seeds on the left and the pie pumpkin seeds on the right...the verdict is still out on the pumpkin seeds, both are very good, there is a bit of a taste and texture difference, but I can't say one is better than the other. 

I hope you enjoyed my very first post...I'm off now for more adventures, I can't wait to share them with you.