King of the jungle

We were packing up Christmas decorations this morning, including the Adorenaments (ornaments representing different names of Jesus). I thought it'd be a good time to review some of the names. When we got to "Lion of the tribe of Judah," Benji said, "Lion of the tribe of jungle."

A good cookie recipe to try

The boys and I made these cookies last Friday and we have all really enjoyed them. I needed to type up the recipe for a friend, so I thought I'd share with everyone.

Chewy Chocolate-Raisin cookies

1 c. golden raisins, coarsely chopped
1/2 c. brandy (I didn't have any on hand so I just used water)
1 1/2 c. flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour but all-purpose would be fine too)
3 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. gr. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup light-brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
6 oz. white chocolate chips
1/2 c. fine sanding or granulated sugar

Bring raisins and brandy to boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, and let stand for 20 min. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, cocoa, 1 tsp. cinnamon, the baking soda, and salt. Preheat oven to 325. Beat butter and brown sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy and bout 2 min. Add honey, and beat until creamy. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, and beat until combined. Drain raisins, discard liquid. Add raisin and chocolate to dough. Mix to combine. Whisk together sanding sugar and remaining 1/ tsp. cinnamon. Scoop 2 Tbsp. dough. Roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture, and shape into a ball. Roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture again to coat completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart, as you work. Bake until just set and starting to crack, 18 to 20 min. Let cool on sheet. (Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

My beautiful new quilt

I mentioned on Facebook a few weeks ago that I like this quilt but was unqualified to make it. To my utter surprise, my friend Ruth presented it to me this evening for my Christmas gift. I am so grateful for her hard work and her sweet gift. It just might be the sweetest gift I've ever received. Here are two photos of her handiwork.

one word tag

1. Where is your cell phone? purse
2. Your hair? curly
3. Your mother? down-to-earth
4. Your father? handy
5. Your favorite food? sugar
6. Your dream last night? unknown
7. Your favorite drink? coffee
8. Your dream/goal? shine
9. What room are you in? living
10. Your hobby? knitting
11. Your fear? failure
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? clueless
13. Where were you last night? home
14. Something that you aren’t? tall
15. Muffins? blueberry
16. Wish list item? clothes
17. Where did you grow up? Arkansas
18. Last thing you did? read
19. What are you wearing? pajamas
20. Your TV? non-existent
21. Your pets? none
22. Friends? lovely
23. Your life? busy
24. Your mood? tired
25. Missing someone? Chihiro
26. Vehicle? Civic
27. Something you’re not wearing? shoes
28. Your favorite store? Banana
29. Your favorite color? green
30. When was the last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? months
32. Your best friend? several
33. One place that I go to over and over? Wal-mart
34. One person who emails me regularly? Bekah
35. Favorite place to eat? Amelia's

Cranberry coffeecake recipe

My friend asked for this recipe so I thought I'd share with everyone.

Cranberry coffeecake (from The Joy of Cooking)

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare streusel and set aside.

Streusel: Blend with a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
2/3 cup sugar or brown sugar
5 Tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp. gr. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt

Whisk together:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine in another bowl and set aside:
1 1/4 cups sour cream or yogurt (I use yogurt)
1 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl, beat on high speed until lightened in color and texture, 3-4 min.:
4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup sugar

Beat in 1 at a time:
2 eggs

Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the sour cream mixture in 2 parts, beating on low speed. Last, add 2 1/2 cups cranberries (or diced peeled apples for a variation). Scrape the batter into greased 9x13-in. baking pan. Bake for 40-45 min. or until toothpick comes out clean.

Corn maze

This morning we woke up early, had breakfast and were dressed by 7:30 a.m. - which is nothing short of a miracle in our household. The reason - we were heading with our homeschool group up to a Corn Maze in southern Missouri. At first the weather was looking suspicious... but the sun ended up coming out for our trip up north. We got to shoot corn cobs out of "guns," ride a cow train, find our way through the maze, go on a hay ride, and have a fun time with our new homeschool friends.

Benji riding the "cow train" (a.k.a. a tractor pulling small little cows around a pasture)

Benji and Zac trying to find their way in the corn maze - easier said than done. It actually took us a long time!

Here is the boys' first hay ride. We rode around for about 20 minutes and they seemed to enjoy the scenery the whole way. I enjoyed talking with the other parents as well - so it was a win-win situation.

The final analysis, the Corn Maze and associated activities were a lot of fun. We'll be back next fall for an encore.

Smart, very smart

We could just remove escalators, or just make stairs more fun!



Update: Looks like there are more than one experiment to this "fun theory". Follow them at this site: http://www.rolighetsteorin.se/en/

Happy birthday Zac

Zac turned 3 on Monday. We had a family dinner that evening but the kid party this morning. We are so proud of our little guy who isn't so little anymore. He is a good sharer, loves his big brother and parents, and is one of the sweetest 3 year olds I know (yes, I am biased of course).

Build-A-Bear - What a Concept

As most of you have known, Laurel posted on Facebook that Benji finally got his very own Build-A-Bear. To those who doesn't Facebook (like yours truly), yes, Benji has a Build-A-Bear after seeing his good friend strutting around with one. No, we didn't just say, "OK. Let's go get you one". Instead, we took the opportunity to challenge him to a money-saving initiative, teaching him to value saving money. It was hard for him in the beginning and we are very proud of him to come through with the challenge. We did not make him save every penny the bear would cost, we padded the difference, but we were still very proud of him to be able to save $15.50 towards it on a weekly net allowance of 90 cents (after 10 cents being set apart for God's Kingdom). Putting that into perspective, if he have not spent a dime since day one, it would have taken him 4 months to get to $15.50. Since he was learning the ropes of saving, he obviously took longer than 4 months. That's the quality I guess I'm the proudest of all - that Benji had set the goal and persevering towards it for over 4 months without losing that perseverance or just plain giving up. A friend once observed that, "he's very spirited". I couldn't agree more.

I guess I could say I should thank Build-A-Bear for providing an initiative for my son to save. However while I was there to witness Benji building his very own bear, I was thinking to myself, "Wow! What a simple but very, very profitable business model". This really is a million-dollar idea in my books. To those who don't know the Build-A-Bear concept, let me fill you in just a little. Fundamentally, Build-A-Bear is just a teddy bear shop with a twist - you get to see a teddy bear being filled with the "stuffing". The hook-line-sinker to this is the personalization part of it. They get the little ones to personalize EVERYTHING. You pick your very own bear; you pick a voice for it; you get to help stuff it up; you bring it to "life" by putting a heart shaped token into it; you "bathe" it; you pick the outfit of your choice; you can further accessorize it; finally you give it a name. Having kids of my own, I know kids love these kinds of stuff. Every kid in this world has an imaginary friend of some sort - the privileged ones typically have theirs in the form of their favorite stuffed animal. This is where Build-A-Bear capitalizes on - sure you can get a plain naked bear for as little as $10. But what kid would want a naked bear - look at that Razorback football outfit! Oh look here, it's a firefighter (what Benji decided on) or a police bear. Hey, cheerleader bear if girls fancy that. It's almost halloween, how 'bout some halloween costumes for your bear? A car? They even have a car for the bear???!!! Wow! OK, I'm being a little sarcastic here, but you get my point. Every little accessorizing adds up and it's no longer that, "Oh, it's only $10". I'm not being bitter or negative about this at all, I'm really marveling at the genius of this business model. It absolutely works, and I wished it was MY million-dollar idea! They really put a lot of thought into how to make this very, very attractive to children. The personalization highlight of all this (in my opinion) is the part where the store employee helped Benji bring his bear to "life". With the heart token, she asked him to follow this little ritual with words (I don't remember all of it):
(put it on one eye): So he sees everything you see;
(rub it on the nose): So he smells like you;
(rub it on the forehead): So he is smart like you;
(rub it on the arm): So he is strong like you;
(rub it on the tummy): So he is never hungry;
(rub it on the feet): So he will go wherever you go;
(rub it on the heart and give it a kiss): So he knows he is loved.

Then she put the heart token into the bear (even at the anatomically correct location, mind you!) and stitch the bear up. There you go, the bear is now alive. Wow!

The marketing genius doesn't stop there - they also put a lot of thought into how to make the store "acceptable for consideration" to parents shopping for their children. They know there are two kinds of parents in this world: the ones that walk in and are very good about keeping to the budget, the ones that walk in and just let the children go for it, and all the ones in between (OK, more than two then, but that's good news for them). With that in mind, all accessorizing are optional and come in a range of prices to cater to every kinds of consumer. But you know and I know that Build-A-Bear definitely gets the better end of the deal. It just becomes a huge playground for them to try many things to see what sells and what doesn't. Of course, since the bear is accessorizable, that means there's a long term value to the bear. See, you don't have to buy the bear again to get that brand new, must have outfit. But it is these accessories that rake in the profit. They also market the fact that each bear has it's very own unique ID tied to the owner, so that if Mr. Kind returns the lost bear to the store, the store can contact Benji and return the bear to him. That's an insurance sell to the parents right there.

So there you have it. My take on it. No, I wasn't drifting off thinking all these while Benji moved eagerly from one station to another. I was there because I wanted to witness and affirm the fruit of his effort and wanted to see his joy of working to own things he wants. The final lesson (for completion's sake) we hoped Benji would learn was the feeling of handing over the hard-earned money to the store employee. We did not convert all his coins to bills - we wanted him to hand over that weighty little money bag on his own. And by golly, if Build-A-Bear is going to take my son's money, I'm gonna make them work for it too!

Ramblings of a Tech Geek

My decision is cemented.

After weeks of watching, I finally saw a good deal last weekend on a Windows laptop for my mom-in-law, so I ran to my local Office Depot store and grabbed one.

The laptop itself is pretty decent - more than sufficient for her need and hardware-wise, ready for Windows 7 whenever it's released and should last her for the next 5 years.

But man oh man, after working on prepping the laptop for her, I swear by my iMac I personally will never go back to a Windows PC again, ever. Nope. Not a chance.

Vista itself was.. meh. I haven't spent a great deal of time with it, but I'm just not impressed by my experience navigating around this system. That whole file/folder structure in Explorer is just so weird and confusing. What's up with all these "virtual folders" (don't know the official Softie term for this *cough* *super-wonderfully-great-feature*) that point to some place else but you can't get to that some place else by clicking on the virtual folders. It just throws the error "Access denied" even as admin??!!! Really???!!! If you know where the actual location is, can't you just tell me even if you can't take me there automagically???!!! On top of that, the Start Menu redesign is just not that usable.

Which brings me to the nail - the final nail in the Windows PC coffin. I'm talking about all the Trial-/Crap-/Free-/Share-/Whateverchamacallit-wares. That was what I meant by working on prepping the laptop for her. I spent hours (hours!!!) removing all these stuff. Boy did I work! Did I hear you say, "why don't you just grab the disc and reinstall the system, ya dummy?!" I would if the package came with a restore disc in the first place. No, the vendor decided disc is not the way to go. Instead, they created a restore partition, which you have to launch this handy dandy software to do something (for about 15 minutes) to prep stuff from this restore partition before it is ready to burn onto 3 DVDs. 3 DVDs??!! I thought off-the-shelf Vista Home Premium comes in 1 DVD maybe 2? But of course! It's prepping the restore discs to include restoring ALL the Whateverchamacallit-wares back onto the computer, exactly the things I was fighting hard to remove. I wasn't going to attempt wasting more time just to see if I actually have the option to NOT install the wares during the restore procedure.

My mom's need is uncomplicated - internet and office productivity on a computer that's not bogged down with layers and layers of software complexities. I have no problems with Linux myself, but it might get some getting use to for my mom. A basic netbook (a little less wares) is physiologically not a good solution for her and doesn't make sense in the long term because I can't get a free Windows 7 upgrade. Most netbooks run Windows XP. So I needed to pare down the laptop I got her so that it wouldn't overwhelm her. That is why I spent so much time in Windows Explorer trying to clean things up that gets left over after the uninstalls so that there won't be a 50+ menu items staring at her from the Start Menu. The new Start Menu is, in my opinion, just not a good design for those who have tons and tons of software. Unfortunately, you WILL get tons and tons of software when you buy a new Windows-powered computer. That is why you could always get a Windows PC so cheap. PC makers get kickbacks from all the vendors of these wares they install. I'm glad they have the scruples to pass the savings on to the consumers instead of hording the profits, but at the cost of consumer experience that would have otherwise improve their image and brand. Like I said, they make decent computers, it's what they chose to put in it that they fall short on. The analogy I can come up with is if Ferrari details the interior of its F430 all over with cheap plastics and fit in a 4 cylinder instead. Still a Ferrari, but the experience is not one of Ferrari's.

Honestly, my time and sanity is worth more than the few hundred bucks saved. Alas, it was not a computer for myself! Don't get me wrong, mom. I don't despise your decision to get a Windows PC nor did I mind helping you out. I'm a tech geek at heart. I live for these kinds of opportunities. I'm saying I wouldn't have gone the Windows PC route if it was my own decision to make. From what I learned from this last opportunity, I'm even more inclined to stay a Mac user. So maybe when you shop for your new computer in the future, I might press the issue to get a Mac more than ever! :)

So what's so great about Mac? Simply put, it's simple. I remember when I set my iMac up, it was setting up my bluetooth keyboard and mouse, setting up wireless connection, creating a user, register product and I'm ready to go. There is nothing left to do. If it was a MacBook, you just skip the keyboard and mouse setup entirely, meaning you're ready to go in 3 simple steps. 3 simple steps!! Now you tell me which typical consumer wouldn't want this kind of simplicity.

The other thing is pricing. Since Apple controls the prices, prices are the same anywhere you get one. Sure, some retailers may have slightly better prices by doing some software bundling, but not by much. What does that mean? That means I don't have to spend too much time watching for the "right" price to come like I did with a Windows PC. That means a typical user can walk into any store that sells Macs and doesn't have to worry about the store "sticking it" to them, as long as the user says, "no, thank you" to all the "value-add" propositions the store employee is trying to sell.

So while mom plods around in Vista for now, I'm just waiting for Windows 7 to arrive. Will 7 carry over some of the things I dislike about Vista? Probably. 7 will also have some improved navigational features (I'm thinking the new taskbar) useful for simple users. The biggest plus is that I will get to totally wipe the current setup and replace with a clean, clutter-free install. That, I can't wait to do.

The strange place called the county fair

A county fair is a strange occurrence, if you really think about it. If it was just Shearn Yoong and me, we would have let this week pass in normal fashion and no special trips to fields in the middle of nowhere. But it is not just Shearn Yoong and me. There are two small boys who absolute DELIGHT in the county fair. Benji asks about it every couple of months and looks forward to it all year long. Zac likely will follow in suit this year since he is more verbal now.

The county fair is one of those things, those things that seem to be increasing in number, that really would hold no interest whatsoever to us adults but suddenly holds immense interest because they give joy to our children. (Note: Touch-a-truck is another such event. I mean, touching trucks - totally doesn't do anything for me. Also parades with emergency vehicles. Okay, I'll stop, but you get the picture.)

Seeing animals in small stalls, riding rickety rides, and eating funnel cake never was so much fun ... until we had kids. Just another reason for all of our childless friends to get with the program!

Benji looks miserable but I swear he wasn't really. I included this picture of Zac since his smile was just so cute.

Who needs to go to Disney world (another place I would never voluntarily go unless under coercion from my kid) to ride in tea cups? Just head to the Washington County Fairgrounds.

This picture is not that great but perhaps you can see the sense of fun in the face of both Daddy and son's faces. Zac was too short to do bumper cars, even when accompanied by an adult, but we had fun watching from the sidelines.

Don't worry

Two nights ago I was late coming home for dinner because I spent the afternoon with my mom. The boys went ahead and ate without me. So I sat down to eat by myself once I arrived home, asking if either of the kids wanted to join me to keep me company. Zac was too busy playing with toys, but Benji said he'd come sit with me. But after a few minutes, he thought of some pressing concern that he needed to attend to (probably involving toys as well), so he told me, "I'm going to go, but don't worry - God will be with you." And let me tell you, God was a great dinner companion that evening! :)

The bare necessities

Yesterday afternoon was less than perfect - for a variety of reasons which don't need to be re-hashed here. However, it got me thinking... what are "essential" for me to have a "good day?" Of course, I realize that I live in a first world country, which means my day is filled with luxury, so I really should just shut up and be grateful... that being said....

Essentials that I need in my day to make it a "good day":

1) a cup of coffee
2) some silence in the day (too much noise is just not good for me)
3) a few moments of prayer (even if it's a few minutes here and a few minutes there)
4) a short rest period mid-afternoon (again, only a few minutes is necessary but it's vital)

Now, for other things that are not essential but still VERY nice:

1) a glass of wine
2) Bible reading time
3) exercise of some sort

Now, if anybody still reads this blog (which is debatable due to our lack of posting), I'd love to hear what are your "essential" list and your "very nice to have" list.

California 2009 Vacation

Here's a photo slideshow of our recent (by that I meant one month ago!) trip to Cali. As always, it was fun to see old friends and families. We had a great time!!!!

Observations from the mall

My lovely mother took care of the boys this morning to let me get a run in and also do some errands by myself. Lots of in and out, which is just more fun without two kids in tow. (Plus I'm sure they had more fun swimming and going to the park than getting in and out of the car with me.) One of the stops was the mall. It's been awhile since I've been to the mall and several things stuck out to me:

1) I am just too old to shop at some stores. I perused Forever 21 and Charlotte Russe and did not find a single item that looked good on me. Yes, I'm technically still in my 20's until next year, but I guess it's just too far above 21 to work for me.

2) Why does Abercrombie and Fitch feel it necessary to pump so much cologne into their store that it causes that entire wing of the mall to stink??

3) I do not know why people bring kids (sometimes many kids) shopping with them to the mall and expect to have fun and/or actually do shopping. I see a lot of people stressed out. I guess this is why I don't make it very often... but when I do go, it's a pleasurable experience.

Okay, enough thoughts about the mall... off to get something actually accomplished!

Zac the camera man

We bought ourselves a new camera "for Christmas" (an excuse to buy ourselves a camera, right?). I don't really want the boys to use the new one, but I'm fine with them using the older one, which is still in perfect working order (just less pixels per inch and all that stuff). Here are two shots from Zac from yesterday. There were lots of others not worth posting here, but I thought these two were quite nice.

Benji with his seal pup

Self-portrait of Zac's eye

Swim lessons for Benji

The teachers let the kids jump off the diving board or go down the slide at the end of every lesson. It was definitely the highlight for Benji. He is one fearless boy.

Future graduates?

The reason why I need to wear foundation everyday

Recently Benji was coloring during his "rest time" (what he does instead of "nap time" since he has gotten too old for naps) and he came to ask me what color he should use to color the astronaut's face. I suggested yellow since we have no cream colored markers - just the typical Crayola colors. He said, "No, it should be red since you have a red face." Great! Even my kid thinks my face is red. All the more reason to not skip foundation any day. It takes a lot of work to be presentable - even if it's a "home day" just with the kids. :)

Yummy recipe

Benji and I cooked this for dinner tonight, and it was enjoyed by all.

Crispy Zucchini and Potato Pancakes

Ingredients

• Vegetable cooking spray
• 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and grated
• 2 medium zucchini, grated
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves, plus leaves, for garnish
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• 1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

Directions

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet, liberally, with vegetable cooking spray. Set aside

Lay the potatoes and zucchini on 2 kitchen towels. Bring the corners of the towels together and squeeze out the moisture from the vegetables. Place the vegetables in a large bowl. Add the garlic, chopped rosemary, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, egg whites, salt, and pepper. Mix well until all ingredients are combined.

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the vegetable mixture to the pan. Using a spatula, press the mixture evenly into the pan. Drizzle the top with olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Cook for 8 minutes or until the edges of the mixture begin to brown. Slide the pancake, cooked side down, onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top of the pancake starts to brown and the edges are crispy.

In a small bowl, beat the mascarpone until smooth and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Cut the pancake into 1 1/2-inch squares and arrange on a serving platter. Pipe or spoon the seasoned mascarpone on top and garnish with a few fresh rosemary leaves.

(notes: I used sour cream instead of the mascarpone and also needed to cook the pancake longer on the stove AND in the oven to achieve a crunchy texture)

Dress-up birthday party

We attended a friend's 4th birthday party this afternoon. The birthday girl enjoys dressing up, so everybody was asked to come in costume. A very fun idea for a party! (And the goody-bags were decorated with a mask to take home as well.) Here are a few pictures of our boys from the host.

Dr. Zac is bringing a wooden cake to the birthday girl

Mommy had to check the doctor's heart beat as well

Fire fighter Benji enjoyed eating the princess cake

A man of many talents, the doctor is ironing an apron here with a toy iron and ironing board ... while wearing sparkly pink shoes borrowed from the birthday girl. If you've got to iron, you might as well wear cute shoes, right??

My mom is famous

I was on the Fayetteville library website and accidentally found this page honoring my mom

here

The highlight of Benji's summer is....

...mowing the lawn with Daddy. He is so happy to finally be old enough to help.



Hopefully his enthusiasm will not wane with the years... that way one day he can do it all by himself and give Daddy a break!

Big apple

Shearn Yoong and I went on a 5 day trip to New York City, arriving back home yesterday evening. My mom graciously watched our two little guys while we were gone. This was the first time we ever left them for more than a night. They didn't seem to miss us, though it seems that one of them gave Nona a run for her money in the attitude department. We were sad to hear the attitude problems and plan on spoiling her rotten for a belated Mother's Day treat. We, on the hand, had a great time. It was kind of like a second honeymoon. Since we don't normally splurge everyday, it was a chance to just do what we felt, when we wanted, and have a good time. I thought I'd share a few random thoughts and events from the trip.

* I bought 2 pairs of shoes on my last trip (California in November) and 2 pairs on this trip. I think this might be a trend worth keeping - my feet will be happy with this idea.

* If I lived in New York I would not have to worry about gaining weight from all the delicious food - the walking would help me stay trim.

* I have serious awe for the many women of NYC who seem to walk for hours and hours in VERY high heels. I wish I had your stamina. Perhaps someday. But for now, I was very pleased with my new Chaco's sandals - no blister to be seen on my feet anywhere!

* I cannot reconcile the fact that I was shopping for clothing and shoes in the morning on Thursday ... and then crying that afternoon at the UN when seeing the pictures of Rwandan women who were raped during the genocide and their children who came from those rapes.

* Time Square just has too many people for my taste.

* I now want to learn to cook Middle Eastern food (inspired by my delicious Afghani lunch on Sunday before catching the flight back to NWA).

* People watching is a lot more fun there than in Arkansas. I saw some great fashions.

* Where are all the pregnant ladies in New York? Seriously, there is a shortage of pregnant women. Will they be able to re-populate the city? Or maybe they're counting on Arkansans moving?

Moroccan chicken recipe

We had this for dinner tonight (grilled not baked though). Though it sounds somewhat spicy, it was not, which is good because our two boys are sissies when it comes to spicy food - something we're trying to work on since they are half Malaysian afterall!

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 whole chicken (4 pounds), quartered, skin on
• 1 lemon, quartered

Directions

1. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the center rack of oven, and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix spices, 2 teaspoons salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper, and the oil in a small bowl. Rub spice paste all over chicken.
2. Carefully arrange chicken in a single layer on hot sheet, and arrange lemon wedges around chicken. Bake until chicken registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer and juices run clear, 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and serve with pan juices and roasted lemon wedges on the side.

Gone with the Wind

Our book club decided to read it this month, and though I knew it was a classic, I was unsure how much I'd actually like it, thinking it might be dull and antiquated. Oh... my... word.... it is a beautiful book. If you have not read, go to the library RIGHT NOW and start reading. I have not enjoyed a book this much in ages.

I started it last Monday and finished all 1,000+ pages by Saturday night. I tend to be a fast reader but that might set a personal record for me. I was up past midnight every night - ending at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday (well, technically Sunday). It was that good!

All well and good, but here is the problem. The author, Margaret Mitchell, did not write a sequel. The ending begs a sequel, so why didn't she write one? She died in 1949 after she was struck by a speeding automobile. But according to extensive internet research (haha), her untimely death was not the reason for no sequel. She refused to write one (though her estate authorized Alexandra Ripley to write the sequel "Scarlett" in 1991). I keep on pondering what Mrs. Mitchell wanted for the characters. Would Scarlett and Rhett eventually get back together? Will Rhett ever recover from the death of their dear daughter? Would Belle play a larger role in their futures? (She would pop into the story here and there but never became as large of a character as I thought she would eventually become.) Will Scarlett ever become a better mother to her children? Is Ashley out of Scarlett's life forever?

I cannot get the story out of my thoughts ...

I do plan on reading the sequel "Scarlett" (my name is on the list for that book at the library in fact), but what I really want is Margaret Mitchell's sequel. I guess this would be called unrequited love because I know my wish will never be fulfilled.

What's a girl to do

I am going to the Walton Arts Center with my dear hubby tonight and spent the morning rummaging through my closet to see what still fits, what looks good, etc. I found several nicer dresses that both fit and look good (yipee)... but the problem is that I am ALWAYS cold - especially inside where people seem to love to blast the A/C (even if it's 100 degrees outside in August). So often I just opt for dressy slacks instead of dresses and skirts, since it's not fun to eat fancy food or see Broadway plays if you're shivering so bad you can't sit straight.

So that's where you all come in (if there is anybody reading this poor neglected blog, that is). Any advice in looking good but staying warm at the same time?

(Or maybe I should just wear the sexy clothes but bring a portable heater with me??? Hmmm, this is not a bad idea!)

Happy Easter

A few pictures from our family egg hunt in our yard. We decided to do it a day early because of the weather forecast. It was beautiful yesterday for the hunt ... and today is rainy and cold, so I am glad we listened to the weatherman!

Zac: "See my amazing stretching ability... I'll do anything for chocolate!"

Benji: "I'm so glad Daddy told Mommy that they should buy M&M's this year instead of all that healthy stuff. Daddy is smart!"

Check Out My Woman - The Half Marathon Runner

So all the training over the last 3/4 months came to this - Laurel's inaugural half marathon, together with good friends Kristin and Britni. They finished the race!!!! Yay!!!!

Here's me and the boys cheering them on.


Look at them go. Hardly breaking a sweat.

Tackling one of 'em killer hills. No problemo.

(Rocky soundtrack as the background) The triumph of finishing the run!

Laurel did it, and I'm so proud of her! Congrats, sweetie!

Recent pictures

The boys climbing a tree that fell from the ice storm

Benji

Here are my serious boys

Here are my normal boisterous boys :)

Sweaty Samson

This morning during our Bible time we were reading about Samson in the Old Testament. The picture showed how he had long hair. Out of nowhere, Benji said, "He must have been hot with that long hair. He would need to take lots of showers." Benji is a very clean boy if you did not know. :)

I need to do more ab exercises

I was doing some crunches this afternoon, so of course both of my children were trying to get on top of me and all over my bended legs, making it very difficult to complete any actual exercise. But I did get two more reasons to keep up the work...

Zachary felt my tummy and said, "Your tummy is really soft."
Benji didn't even have to touch it to say, "Your tummy is also really wrinkly."

I felt compelled to point out to them that there are two reasons why their statements were true ... and their names are Benji and Zac.

Back to the floor to keep crunchin'

Vegan cake recipe

This recipe is for Heather but I thought others might like it too. My dad is a vegan so this is my go-to recipe for birthday cakes for him. And I swear, it tastes good! I once served the chocolate version at a church picnic and no one knew the wiser.

Vegan cake

Dry ingredients:
1 ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt

Wet ingredients:
1 cup cold water
1 Tbsp. vinegar
¼ cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8 or 9 in. baking dish. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl mix wet ingredients together. Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix with a fork or an electric mixer. Bake for 30-35 min.

Variations:
Chocolate chip cake – sprinkle 1/3-2/3 cup chocolate chips on top of cake before baking.

Chocolate cake – add ¼ cup cocoa powder for dry ingredients.

Spice cake – add 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. allspice, ½ tsp. ground cloves & ¼ tsp. nutmeg to dry ingredients; omit vanilla.

Ginger molasses – reduce sugar and water to ¾ cup. Add tsp. cinnamon, 15tsp. allspice, 1-3 tsp. ginger to the dry ingredients. Add ¼ cup molasses to wet ingredients and omit vanilla.

Banana cake – reduce sugar to 2/3 cup. Instead of water, use 1 cup mashed banana and a little milk.

Comments that make it all worthwhile

The process of getting a child to go to sleep by themselves in their own bed AND stay there all night is a very long process. Benji is there and has been for awhile. Zachary not so much.

Currently one of us (normally Mommy) lies down with Zac until he's asleep - occasionally he is fine with me sitting in the hallway and knitting or reading (that way he can still see me). Since Zac and Benji now share a room, Benji has started requesting me lie down with him for a few minutes too. It's a nice time to snuggle, so that's been fine with me. Two nights ago, when I was lying down with Benji, he told me, "When you lie down with me or take me on dates, I feel so special." As you can imagine, my heart melted right then and there.

Pictures from the Ice Storm

Here are some pics and a video of our house and around the neighborhood:

From the driveway - the entire neighborhood has a new treeline now!

Hello tree. This limb is from a tree that my dad has been bugging me to get cut down every time he sees it. I suppose now he's saying, "I told you so".


Some closeups. Though the ice brought lots of damage, I have to say it's quite pretty to look at. Can't tell for sure, but I don't think any of the tree limbs punctured the roof. I suppose when the ice starts melting starting Thursday, I'll find out quickly if this is true! Here's a video to cap it off.

Quote from Eudora Welty

I finished Eudora Welty's book "The Optimist's Daughter" tonight and loved this small section concerning memory:

"It is memory that is the somnambulist. It will come back in its wounds from across the world... It will never be impervious. The memory can be hurt, time and again - but in that may lie its final mercy. As long as it's vulnerable to the living moment, it lives for us, and while it lives, and while we are able, we can give it up its due." (p. 179)

Poor Arkansan boys have to make do with such a pitiful snow offering

We got a slight dusting of snow today... but that did not deter us from heading out to play in it! Zac only stayed out for about 15 minutes before heading inside to drink hot cocoa and watch us from the window. But Benji and I played outside for quite awhile, having a great time together.

This picture is misleading - no actual sledding occurred.

We were able to make 3 whole snow balls - one of them lobbed at Zac at the kitchen window.

Benji was able to drag Zac in the sled for awhile - but there was no traction for actual sledding.

Benji, our snow angel

Ouchie healed

Zachary noticed that his ouchie on his hand was all better, so I told him he should thank God for healing his ouchie. He said his version of "thank you" (which is only understood by our family because it does not resemble "thank you" whatsoever at all). Then he said, "God not home" (as if he called God and He wasn't home so Zac was leaving a message) - hope God got the message!

Benji's ideas about worms

"God didn’t make worms really good. Because if you pull on them, they will break in two. So God did not make them really good."

(said at lunch, when for some odd reason, we were talking about worms)

Facebook

I joined Facebook a few months ago and have been spending more time over there than here. If anybody is on Facebook and hasn't added me as a friend, I'm more likely to communicate with you there. I'll still put things up here from time to time but not as much as before.

Happy new year!