Memorial Day 2015

Oh, man! It was a GOOD ONE!

I was just beginning to think nothing could contain my sadness at missing the Annual West Chester, PA Ward Memorial Day Breakfast (at which I was pregnant the last two consecutive years) when we were invited to the epic Enoch Chapman Memorial Day Picnic!

So, Matt's sister, Alison, is married to Caleb.  Caleb's younger brother is Enoch.  And so while not technically being related, I did tell my kids we were going to "Uncle Enoch's" house for a BBQ. Because, hey, he's family in my book!

Lest you think this is an ordinary Memorial Day Picnic (hereafter MDP), let me stop you right there with the following photo...

Enoch gets custom-engraved trophies for the winners of six different MDP awards. AND the trophies lit up, my friends. And THAT'S what we call "Commitment to Partying". Besides our distant relation, this alone would make me consider Enoch family.

We arrived with two desserts in tow.

(Left) White Chocolate Cranberry Almond Blondies and (Right) a crazy recipe I made up last night at 12:30 AM which consisted of a crushed pretzel crust, a layer of chocolate, a layer of caramel, and topped with a buttery oat topping.  We called them Caramel Chunkies.

We had an amazing time!  Good food, amazing company and the bestest Host ever.  

My desserts came in 2nd and 3rd place, but I didn't mind one bit! The Raspberry Cream-cheese Brownies that won were divine and I will be plotting and planning for next year's desserts.

We also got to see more of Matt's family who attended and hang with cousins (always a favorite)!  It was the first time since moving here that I felt really present, I think. I feel guilty just writing that.  It's been a harder move for me than I imagined and up until now I have still felt out of place.  This weekend we had a fantastic Saturday with family and then today with more family and I felt comfortable and grateful and more at home.

Now, listen, I know Memorial Day is NOT about picnics.  I spent a lot of today thinking about and speaking with our kids about the amazing service men and women who defend our Country and have given their lives to do so.  I thought of the many friends I have who serve their families at home while there spouse is away fighting on the battlefront.  I thought strangers I have never met who died for me and my family. And I am humbled and grateful for them.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

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Brave Women | Alexandra "Alex" Scott

I shared this video on my blog last year that makes me cry every time I see it. Despite my tears, I realized I am not totally familiar with each of these amazing women's stories. So I decided to share them here in case you aren't familiar with all of them either.

I have now profiled each woman in this commercial, but there are so many more amazing women to share. I am now adding my own list of inspiring women who have inspired me and made me want to be a stronger, more brave, force for good in this world.

I plan on sharing these stories with my daughters.

ALEXANDRA "ALEX" SCOTT

Alexandra "Alex" Scott was born to Liz and Jay Scott in Manchester, Connecticut on January 18, 1996, the second of four children. Shortly before her first birthday, Alex was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer.

On her first birthday, the doctors informed Alex's parents that if she beat her cancer it was doubtful that she would ever walk again. Just two weeks later, Alex slightly moved her leg at her parents' request to kick. This was the first indication of who she would turn out to be - a determined, courageous, confident and inspiring child with big dreams and big accomplishments.

By her second birthday, Alex was crawling and able to stand up with leg braces. She worked hard to gain strength and to learn how to walk. She appeared to be beating the odds, until the shattering discovery within the next year that her tumors had started growing again. In the year 2000, the day after her fourth birthday, Alex received a stem cell transplant and informed her mother, "when I get out of the hospital I want to have a lemonade stand." She said she wanted to give the money to doctors to allow them to "help other kids, like they helped me." True to her word, she held her first lemonade stand later that year with the help of her older brother and raised an amazing $2,000 for "her hospital."

While bravely battling her own cancer, Alex and her family continued to hold yearly lemonade stands in her front yard to benefit childhood cancer research. News spread of the remarkable sick child dedicated to helping other sick children. People from all over the world, moved by her story, held their own lemonade stands and donated the proceeds to Alex and her cause.

In August of 2004, Alex passed away at the age of 8, knowing that, with the help of others, she had raised more than $1 million to help find a cure for the disease that took her life. Alex's family - including brothers Patrick, Eddie, and Joey - and supporters around the world are committed to continuing her inspiring legacy through Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.

When my niece got leukemia at age four my sister and her family became immersed in the childhood cancer culture.  Sadly, they experienced cancer foundations that were not above board. Some even used pictures of my niece on their posters without permission.  Others, like Locks of Love, are FOR PROFIT and charge recipients for their wigs or sell the donated hair to cosmetics companies for profit. I asked my sister what charity truly helped their family, was above board, and honest.  Her answer was Alex's Lemonade Stand.

There is a fantastic children's book about Alex.  It has great illustrations and rhyming, rhythmic, text that my kids love. You can buy a copy of Alex and The Amazing Lemonade Stand on Amazon. You may remember that I shared this with Evangeline's Girl Scouts Troop last year and we made a fun wall-hanging as a reminder of Alex and her courage (see that post here). 

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To donate to Alex's Lemonade Stand CLICK HERE.

*To read all posts in my BRAVE WOMEN series click here.

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Recipe Testing Fun

Last year I was asked to help a cookbook author test recipes for an upcoming book (no, I can't tell you who it is...sorry!). I agreed to test one new recipe each week and I told our kids about it at the beginning of the process.  Holy cow, did they run with this idea!  Each Monday they would ask "What's the recipe test this week?!!"

After almost 5 months of testing I am finished with helping her.  Some recipes were good, some we didn't care for, and some are new favorites!  On the day of the final testing (earlier this month) our kids were a bit forlorn.  I decided to actually DO something about the 10 gazillion ripped out magazine pages, unopened cookbooks, and pinned recipes so we can keep this fun tradition going.

Here's what I did.

1. Get a binder - I got a 1" binder and 8 tabbed dividers. Then I grabbed my three-hole punch and my insane stack of magazine pages that were shoved in my cookbook bookshelf (yep, I have an entire bookshelf just for cookbooks) and we went to work.

2. Label your dividers - First I labeled the dividers using the system we use in our personal recipe files (which are stored on the computer and in hard copy).  This is just what works for me.

Starters&Salads, Breads, Sides & Veggies, Soups&Stews, Beef&Poultry, Pork&OtherMeats, Desserts (Cakes, Cookies&Bars, Pies, Other), Misc.

3. Collect your recipes - Then we went through and hole punched our magazine pages right on the torn page. I used a highligther to highlight the recipe title if there was more than one recipe on a page.  I also hole-punched a few blank pieces of cardstock and used washi tape to attach recipe that were not on a full page (like cards, etc). Then we put each page into it's category.

But that's not all.  I then went to FoodNetwork.com and Pinterest and printed out copies of 5 recipes from each source to add to the folder.  Having them printed out is vital because getting on the computer or tablet to re-browse every time seems crazy AND our kids are going to take a turn and choose the new recipe to test each week, so they need a clear visual.  I also like that you can glance at the ingredients on the printed page and assess a needed grocery store trip.  

I also had Ella (10) look through a recent cookbook and mark any recipe she thought looked good.  When she chooses we will photocopy that page and add it to the binder.  I like to add notes as we go along with a new recipe so it's nice to have a copy outside of your cookbook.

4. Make a schedule - You can choose to test a new recipe once a week, once every two weeks, etc. Whatever works for you! This shouldn't be a chore...it's fun!

We are all kind of giddy about this.

This past week we tried The Pioneer Woman's Pan Fried Porkchops. Confession: I have exactly ZERO pork recipes in my recipe file. It was a HUGE hit with everyone!  And so we added her recipe (with our slight modifications...we replaced cayenne pepper with garlic powder) to our permanent recipe files.

I am excited to share our culinary adventures with you here!

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Brave Women | Deb Cohan

Last year shared this video recently that makes me cry every time I see it. Despite my tears, I realized I am not totally familiar with each of these amazing women's stories. So I decided to share them here in case you aren't familiar with all of them either. I will just give a very brief overview and then provide links where you can get more information on these inspiring women.  I plan on sharing these stories with my daughters.

DEB COHAN

In 2013, Dr. Deborah Cohan had a double mastectomy. But moments before, in the operating room, the mother of two turned up Beyonce’s “Get Me Bodied,” and she and the entire masked and scrubbed surgical team danced.

Cohan's idea was to have a sort of worldwide, virtual dance party with her family and friends in the minutes before her surgery on Tuesday. "My fantasy is for you to play the song ... and dance wherever you happen to be ... ideally at 7:30am but really anytime Tuesday," she wrote last week. "Nothing brings me greater joy than catalyzing others to dance, move, be in their bodies. Are you with me people?" On her Caring Bridge page, where people can keep up with her recovery, Cohan asked other patients to do the same — and record it — so she could watch them. And they did, from doctors at San Francisco General Hospital to a family in Connecticut.

Cohan's joy and energy in the video has lifted the spirits of people around the world. The video has been viewed on YouTube more than 8 million times. Cohan said, “Perceiving my diagnosis, actually, one of the activities I had started doing as part of my job as a physician at UCSF is I had started dancing with the obstetrics and gynecology residents after rounds, and had started incorporating teaching principles of movement and dance as a way for them, as physicians, to get into their bodies, as a way for them to cultivate their own physical listening skills, to be better physicians and to be better surgeons. So there was a small ulterior motive: as I was dancing with my O.R. staff, I wanted them to be in their bodies as well, and for their physical listening skills to be fully activated.”

Dancing through the hard times seems to be a family thing. In a post dated Oct. 29, Cohan wrote about telling her kids, Dahlia and Ben, about her breast cancer. The kids asked some questions, and they talked about their mom’s upcoming surgery.

“Then spontaneously, as if on cue, Ben stood up and started singing the 90’s pop song ‘Everybody Dance Now’ as he and Dahlia started shaking it on the living room rug (appropriately called the dance floor in our house),” Cohan wrote. “Okay then. We are all going to be okay.”

Deb is now cancer free and continues to treat patients as an OB-GYN at the University of California-San Francisco.

*To read all posts in my BRAVE WOMEN series click here.

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RECIPE >> Oven-Cooked Bacon

Mmmmmmm.....baconnnnnn.....

Cooking bacon in a pan is the worst. Splattering grease, flipping, making smallish batches. Lame.

Here's how to make perfect bacon in your oven.

1. Preheat oven to 400* F.

2. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

3. Lay desired number of bacon slices side my side on baking pan (they can touch, but not overlap)

4. Bake for around 15 minutes for standard bacon and around 20 minutes for thick-cut bacon*.

5. Remove bacon slices to paper towel lined plate to drain excess fat. Set pan aside.

6. Once pan has cooled completely remove foil lining and clean pan as needed.

*different bacon brands and thickness will cook at different rates. Also, some prefer well done bacon and others like it a bit chewy. Start checking bacon 4 minutes before suggested cook time and leave in until desired done-ness.

Some recipes for oven-cooked bacon suggest cooking it on top of a cooling rack on the baking sheet or weighing it down with an additional foil-lined cookie sheet on top while baking. My thought is: this is supposed to be EASIER than pan coking. No need for all of that madness. Just keep it simple.

COOKING FOR A CROWD? Go ahead and bake more than one pan at a time, just be sure to rotate the pans halfway through baking.

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A Few Happenings and Random Thoughts

I documented "A Day in the Life" this week.
If you follow me on Instagram you probably saw it,
but I will also share it here this week.

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I had a GREAT night last night. I drove to Logan and had dinner with my friend, Cindy.
Then I picked up Lolly and we went to a girls' craft night
where my sister-in-law, Michelle, taught everyone how to crochet.
I actually didn't completely suck at the crochet this time
(as I usually do when I try to crochet).

I still need a network of girlfriend close to where I live,
but these hour-away girlfriends are awesome.

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As if this Theo James kid isn't dreamy enough as
"Four" in Divergent, now he SINGS too?!
Check THIS out at 0:40 and prepare to swoon.

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This week I was just watching MTV (I love "Catfish")
and I saw a movie trailer for the new Melissa McCarthy movie called "Spy".
The clips from the film were unedited and the 60 second ad contained FOUR f-words!!
Can they even do that on TV?

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It's embarrassing how often I wonder about this:
How come any other color mixed with white makes "light __________"
But PINK gets it's own unique name?

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I think I may have arthritis.
So lame.

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If we're going to be friends
you're gunna have to be cool with jumping into
crazy situations just to get a funny picture.
Like climbing onto a statue or
climbing onto a bench in a public place to
get really close to a painting of Frieda Kahlo.

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This week I am exploring the world of Podcasts.
I have been enjoying The Lively Show so far.
The sound quality is good and the two episodes
I have listened to have been well done and very inspiring.
(episode 46 and episode 74)

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I still feel a bit lost in the shuffle in my own life.
During the second half of this year I am focussing
on cultivating a life with more meaning behind routines,
emotional balance, and self-enrichment.

Women generally suck at this and I am no exception.

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I have been having horrid bouts of insomnia this past week.
Ugh.

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I heard a quote today that I loved.
"Good Enough is the New Perfect."

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REBLOGGED >> For Those Longing for Children.

you're gunna think this is lip service because all women who don't have children think so when women with children say this around mother's day, but just trust me...i mean it.

we have a good friend (we'll call her Sarah) who we hang out with often.

she is amazing with children.

my kids very much prefer her over me.

she is loving, nurturing, sweet, fun, caring and everything else a mother should be.

but she doesn't have her own children yet.

and this month i have been thinking of her and all of the other women i know who have not yet started a family or the many many women i know who long to start one (or complete one) and are having infertility issues.

and i have come to this conclusion:

when sarah actually does give birth (or adopt) and has a child in her arms, what will have changed? she is still the same woman, with the same spirit and the same loving heart. nothing will have changed from the day previous to having a baby to the day after.

and so, to me, she is already a mother. she mothers and loves and cares for my children. they ask for her by name. they invite her to their birthday parties. they love her and she loves them. isn't that exactly what a mother is?

so, if you are reading this and do not or cannot have children at this moment, know that i celebrate you this day. for every child you have taught, loved and cared for...i celebrate you.

happy mother's day.

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Brave Women | Edith Windsor

Last year shared this video recently that makes me cry every time I see it. Despite my tears, I realized I am not totally familiar with each of these amazing women's stories. So I decided to share them here in case you aren't familiar with all of them either. I will just give a very brief overview and then provide links where you can get more information on these inspiring women.  I plan on sharing these stories with my daughters.

NOTE: I realize this is a slightly controversial post.  Regardless of what side of this issue you are on, the main point of this series is to highlight women who stood up for what THEY believed in, against all odds and against social pressures.

EDITH WINDSOR

Edith (Edie) Windsor was born in 1929 in Pennsylvania, shortly before her parents lost their home and business in the Depression. As a teenager, she was, by her own account, very popular with boys. And after graduating from Temple University, Windsor got married. But at the movies, she secretly identified with leading man Dick Powell, not his frequent co-star Ruby Keeler. So, after less than a year, Edie told her husband the truth about her sexuality and they divorced.

After moving to New York City, Windsor worked as a secretary, got a master's in mathematics from New York University, and soon was on her way to a career as a top programmer at IBM. Edith's friend took her to a Greenwich Village restaurant called Portofino, where Windsor met Thea Spyer, a prominent psychologist. In 1967 they became secretly engaged, using a circular brooch to symbolize their engagement instead of rings for fear of persecution. At the time, of course, there was no place the two could actually marry. Edith and Thea were together for 40 years.

In 1977, aged 45, Spyer was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. As Spyer's health deteriorated, Windsor eventually became her full-time care giver. Getting ready for bed could take an hour, preparing to leave the house in the morning three or four. Edie eventually took early retirement to help care for Thea, and they waited and hoped for the day New York would legalize same-sex marriage. As her disease progressed she knew the end was near. One day in 2007 Thea woke up and said, 'Do you still want to get married?' " Edie said yes. Thea said, "Me too." And they did, flying off to Toronto where gay marriage was legal. Thea Spyer died 21 months after the couple's marriage.

When Spyer died in 2009 Windsor, in the midst of her grief, was ordered to pay $363,000 in estate taxes as the federal government did not recognize the pair's marriage. Edie had a heart attack a month after Thea's death, but she recovered, to fight the injustice she sees in the federal law that does not recognize her marriage. Two lower courts had already ruled that it was unconstitutional for Windsor to have to pay the federal estate taxes. Attorneys representing Windsor argued in the supreme court that DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) violates the constitution in not recognizing her marriage to Spyer.

Edie said, "I really believe in the supreme court. First of all, I'm the youngest in my family and justice matters a lot – the littlest one gets pushed around a lot. And I trust the supreme court, I trust the constitution – so I feel a certain confidence that we'll win."

In March of 2013 won her case and was awarded the return of her paid taxes. Right now Windsor is the matriarch of the gay movement. She has accelerated a positive shift that was already taking place. The Supreme Court decision in her case smoothed the way for New Jersey’s high court to legalize gay marriage there in October. When Windsor’s lawsuit was filed in 2010, gay marriage was legal in five states. Now it is legal in 36.


*To read all posts in my BRAVE WOMEN series click here.

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This & That Thursday...and a return to more regular blogging.

He's sitting in a sunny spot,
reading a chapter book,
upside down.

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Cecilia showed her first signs of stranger-danger yesterday.
I constantly forget she is actually 7 months old because she is so small.

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Evangeline is BLAZING through the
Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.
It's really nice to have a bookworm like me in the family.

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I don't remember my 70's Mother spending any time
with me during the day.
So why are my kids desperate for time with me?
Seriously wondering.

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Love the Royal Baby's name.

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Have you seen this clip from
Inside Amy Shumer?
Pretty funny.

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Oh, Costa Vida.
It's not your fault that you're NOT Cafe Rio,
but I still resent you for it

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Me: Ugh. Let's give away these kids and start over with new ones.
Matt: Well, we could, but we don't have functioning equipment anymore.
Me: Blast!

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I have a MAD MEN finale prediction:

Don Draper throws himself out of the windows of McCann/Erickson.
My thought is that this was the plan from the series beginning
and that explains the opening credits.

Thoughts?

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Thanks for staying with me through my blogging absence.
Wait, ARE you still with me?
Are you there?
tap-tap-tap...is this thing on?

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Hey Utah Girls!
I'm gunna be at THIS event on Saturday.
Wanna join me?

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The last fish died this week. 

We're 0/6 and I'm done. 

I threw the tank in the garbage - 

that's how done I am. 

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Recipe: Cilantro Lime Rice

Okay, this is one of those recipes that is ALL OVER the internet.  It seems to have originated from the restaurant chain Cafe Rio (which we - and ALL Utahns- love).  Everyone has a version they like and this is ours.  With the perfect blend of lime and cilantro, we love this rice on the side of any Mexican main dish.

I always try to credit sources for recipe's beginnings, but I honestly can't remember where we got the initial recipe that we then adapted for our family's tastes.  Sorry internet!  

Cilantro Lime Rice

Serves: 4-6 as a side dish

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, chopped

2 cups long-grain rice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup water

Zest of half a lime

Juice of 2 limes (or 4 Tbsp. lime juice…I Tbsp. reserved)

Chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until onions are completely softened. Add rice and salt.

2. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly to make sure the rice toasts, but doesn't burn.

3. Add broth, water, lime zest and the lime juice and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the rice is done.

4. Just before serving, stir through the reserved lime juice and lots of chopped cilantro.

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Mother's Day Gift Guide 2015 - Stuff I Love

With Mother's Day right around the corner I thought I would share some of my very favorite products with you. These are all things I have purchased myself and fell in love with and highly recommend.

THE CRAFTY MOM

Silhouette Cameo Starter Bundle - Okay, let's discuss how obsessed I am with this machine. OB. Sessed. I have had a Cricut (both the small and large versions) and this really kicks their butts. I use this so often it's more than paid for itself.

Brother CS6000i Sewing Machine - I have mentioned this machine before.  It's a great machine for a great price. Good for beginning to intermediate sewists.

Stitch Love -I recently got this book and it is adorable.  I read Mollie's blog and her style is so perfectly cute.  Everything in this book is easy to make and sheer cuteness overload.

THE FOODIE MOM

Silpat Silicone Baking Mat - Half Sheet Size - This is not a joke.l I have had the same Silpat mats (2 of them) for 12 years.  They're still going strong. These are perfect for baking (especially for making parmesan crisps....which you MUST make or else).  You need this in your life.

400 Calories or Less with Our Best Bites - I have long trusted the girls from Our Best Bites for dependably fantastic recipes every time.  I just got this cookbook of theirs last month (it's brand new) and it's amazing.  

Mrs. Anderson's Pie Crust Shield - Another kitchen item that I have had for years and years.  Probably 15.  Every cook needs one.  I prefer this to the newer silicon versions.  It's so simple: If you notice just the edge of your pie crust getting to brown you slip this right on top and it perfectly protects the edges from burning.

THE TECHIE MOM

Epson PictureMate Charm Photo Printer - This thing is pretty awesome.  It's especially good if you're doing Project Life. You can print lab-quality 4x6" photos at home. And I thunk it's pretty epic that the prints are waterproof. Like you can dunk them in water and the ink won't run.  Seriously.

TDK Wireless Weatherproof Speaker - This is the best purchase I have made in years.  I have the white version of this speaker and I use it almost every day.  I just use my iPhone to listen to music through Amazon streaming (if you have Amazon Prime), Tune-In streaming radio or my iTunes playlists.If my kids want to hear a certain song I just look it up on YouTube and it plays right through the speakers!

THE MUSIC LOVING MOM

The Finches - Human Like a House - I looove this album.  It's folksy, mellow and delightful.  Perfect to sew along to or to play in the background of a chill night at home.

Minnutes - Sweet Tooth - This is a bit more cutesy.  I'm a sucker for song's with triangles, ukele's and hands clapping.  This is definitely a feel-good little album.

Mindy Gledhill - Anchor - This entire album is strong. Beautiful songs, great lyrics, not too over-produced and an all-around great listen.

THE BOOKWORM MOM

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet The best book I read in 2013. It's totally engaging and sweet and taught me a lot. Two years later I still think about this book and it's characters.

Big Little Lies - The best book I read in 2014. It's a great beach read!

Mitten Strings for God - I love giving this as a gift to any Mom with small children. it is inspiring and magical and touching and changed the way I parent.  This would be lovely to give to your sister or friend for Mother's day.

THE FASHIONISTA MOM WITH GENEROUS CALVES

Women's Galvin Motorcycle Boot If you want cute boots, but feel like you have large calves

then these boots are the boots for you. The back is completely elasticized so they will fit any calf.  I have this pair and I love them.

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