Observations on the Holidays

On Holiday Parties:  Under the right conditions during a holiday party, a chocolate fountain can rotate loose from its moorings and spin wildly, spraying chocolate for yards in a circular pattern. Chocolate is a viscous substance and does not wipe up easily. Chocolate sprayed on the wall, however, is easily accessible for dogs or small children to lick. For dogs, chocolate acts like a happy drug in their systems. Trust me, this is not a good thing. Especially when they come down off their high and vomit on the rug. In front of the company.

A chocolate fountain, finding itself in good humor from the previous catastrophe, will gladly repeat the offense a second time during the party, this time waiting just until the hostess comes to the table to get some food before it breaks loose and sprays all over the place. When this happens, it is perfectly acceptable to just walk away from the mess, change into a clean shirt, and sit down with an adult beverage to enjoy the rest of the party. The dogs will help with the cleanup, anyway.

On Christmas Cookies:  No matter how much time and effort you put into creating home-made morsels of love, the kids will prefer the store-bought versions of cookies they are used to. They will even ignore the lovely goodies sitting right on the kitchen table and actually scale several shelves up into the pantry to reach the shiny commercialized packages.

Christmas cookies left on the counter will also be ignored by one’s husband, who prefers salty snacks anyway. The choice is then whether the cookies will go to waste, or to waist. Vigorously perusing the ads for sales on elliptical machines, treadmills and exercise bikes in the newspaper while eating cookies will increase your heart rate but will not reduce caloric intake.

On In-Laws:  No matter how much time and effort you spend cleaning your house and slaving over a hot stove, the in-grates (or is it out-laws?) will consume every morsel you prepare, not lift a finger to help clean up, and demand the very dessert they brought with them as a gift. Plus they will completely ignore you throughout the evening, never say thank you for the meal or your efforts, and when they leave they will comment that their own cooking is better. Not to mention that they never bothered to call to confirm they were coming over until your husband finally contacted them the day of the dinner, and when they did come, they brought extra uninvited guests with them. (True story.)

On Christmas Gifts:  Toy manufacturers do not actually want children playing with their toys. What with all the twist-ties, plastic restraints, and industrial-strength tape in toy packaging, parents need a degree in engineering to remove said toy from said package. Hours later, when the toys are finally freed and assembled, the children will prefer to play with the twist-ties and boxes. Neatness does not count with gifts for kids. Children don’t pause thoughtfully on Christmas morning to admire how carefully the packages are wrapped. It’s what’s under the wrap that matters. Providing that the parents can get the toys out of the packages for their children after all that neat wrapping paper has been ripped to shreds.

On Stockings: it is unnecessary to wrap every little item that goes into the stockings. Not only is it frustrating and time-consuming, it just delays the whole process. Also: even if it’s been a family tradition for generations, putting a fruit in the toe of a Christmas stocking will only prompt an annoyed roll of the eyes. But it’s worth it just to see the irritated look on the children’s faces when they pull out an apple as their final stocking gift.

Giving a ‘bean box’ (a large container filled with dried beans, scoops, funnels and measuring cups) to a  two year old with no history of throwing things, virtually guarantees that the two year old will suddenly discover a deeply repressed need to fling handfuls of dried beans all over the carpet, at the dog, her sibling, her parents, and into the heater vents.

And finally, whoever it was that came up with the saying, “It is better to give than to receive” never had days’ worth of picking up and cleaning to do after the whole gift-giving fiasco was over.

All the Difference in the World

by guest blogger,

Nicholas J. Fedele

Well it’s that time of year again. The colors run green and red, interspersed with gold twinkling lights and silver threads of tinsel.  Children's eyes are wide with wonder and magic, and for a couple weeks they’re all on their best behavior. Families reunite, feasts are prepared and everyone wishes for peace on Earth and goodwill towards men, if just for a little while.  Christmas is coming!

Then there's the glorious music!  The choruses ring out all over the world, beckoning the faithful and the curious to come and adore Him on this silent night.  But inevitably some boy comes to the stable banging on a little drum which wakes the sleeping baby, making him cry.  Annoyed, the shepherds throw the little drummer boy out on his keyster for disturbing the newborn babe in the straw.  At least that’s my version of the story.

Ah yes… 'What Child is this who laid to rest on Mary's lap is sleeping?' asks another timeless carol.  Good question.

When we think about it, everyone in some way is faced with that question every Christmas season.  The Child in question is everywhere!  He's unavoidable!  So who is He?  What do we do with Him?  Do we even give it any serious thought in the midst of all the busyness?  Does it really matter?  What difference does He make for our lives anyway?  For anyone’s life?

I'm thinking now of most of the people I encounter in my day-to-day.  Family, friends and acquaintances who are what we would call genuinely good people.  The salt of the earth.

From all appearances, they seem to have got it all together.  They have a loving marriage and 2.5 beautiful kids.  They say grace at their meals and go to church on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, just like proper believers should.

They're content with where they are in life and where they're going.  They have real joy in their hearts, sometimes despite their circumstances, again just like believers do.

They grow and mature in character through hardship and trial, what do ya’ know, just like believers grow! 

But here's the rub… They feel no need for true relationship with Christ.  Why should they?  What difference does He make?  What Child is this?

I've found these dear people to be the most resistant to the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The reason often is that they have heard it all before many times.  And for the most part, not only have they heard it all before, but they’ll swear that they most certainly believe it to be true!  And again, for the most part, they actually do.

Where the problem arises is in this:  There is an insidious indifference present in their mindset.  A failure to connect their own goodness and righteousness to its focus and end point in a vital, life changing relationship with Jesus.

The apostle Paul speaks about people who are like this in Romans 10:1-4:

Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.  For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.  For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Jesus Christ is the source of all righteousness and recognizing and accepting the Lordship of Christ is what makes all the difference in the world.  As human beings, it is only in knowing Him that we fully become who we were created to be.

So can people be content and have a ‘got-it-all-together-life?’  Sure, but ‘Christ has come that we may have life, and have it more abundantly’ (John 10:10).

Can a person have joy in any circumstance?  I imagine so, but only in maintaining relationship with Jesus will His ‘joy be in you, and therefore your joy will be made full and complete’ (John 15:11).

Can people grow and mature through the hardship and trials that come their way?  Of course, but when God puts us through the fire to stretch and purify our character, His word states that our maturity is moving toward perfection.  We become more and more the person God designed us to be;  mature and complete, not lacking anything’ (James 1:2-4).

It is a deadly deception of Satan that allows a person to accept contentment, joy and maturity, but only for this life.  “It is enough,” they think.  Here and now.  This is all there is to existence.

We must understand that there is no temporal or eternal purpose in living life apart from God.  Vanity, vanity, all is vanity and life is futility, the wise man wrote.  Nothing lasts and nothing matters.  Not without Him. 

So what do we do this Christmas for people who feel no need for Christ but are awash in the ‘Christmas spirit’ and the ‘hope of the season’ as it were?  When that hope disappoints and the post-holiday blues set in, we can be there to quietly point the way past the manger scene to a ‘hope that does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us’ (Romans 5:5).

The Lord desires all of us to know Him and break free of the lie of superficial religiosity and so called ‘Christmas spirit.’  Let us just pray for wisdom and opportunity from the Holy Spirit to draw our loved ones to Him this Christmas season.  Be His hands and feet.  Be His eyes and ears.  Listen to His still small voice.  Be a living example of His love.  People are especially open to the gospel during this time of year.  So go tell it on the mountain – that Jesus Christ is born!  Remember, He makes all the difference in the world.

GOD BLESS US, EVERYONE!

Thanksgiving ... thanks for what?

Hidey ho there, fellow feast goers! Are you all geared up for the big T-day event? Got your table set, turkey brining, crafts for the kids ready, and everything running according to schedule? Okay, maybe someone out there has it all planned down to the last salad fork … but you can bet it’s not me.

This is one of those annoying holidays where you work like a slave (unpaid, and likely unshowered) for days, only to produce a meal that will be eaten in 19 minutes flat. Your kitchen will be trashed and the house will look like a tornado hit after the whole affair is over. Thanksgiving? Thanks for what??

I tend to look around and look inward at this time of year and wonder what in the world I’m really thankful for. It seems like the proper thing to do. Introspect. Retrospect. Try to make some sense 

of the yearly drudgery.

But honestly, how thankful can I be when my husband hates the very foods that make Thanksgiving the eating holiday of the year? He detests turkey, mashed potatoes and pie. Don’t ask me why; there’s no rhyme or reason to it. He’s not fussy with any other kind of food. Kind of puts a damper on the whole feast thing. Of course, that doesn’t stop me from cooking any of those dishes. Just means there’s more pie for me.

Let’s see, how about my kids? Well, I am thankful that my two daughters are pretty good eaters. But the thankfulness index plummets when it comes to their sleep habits. Or should I say the lack thereof. Neither of the girls seems to need more than a thimbleful of sleep each night. I've had big-time sleep deprivation for over thirteen years. In a row. Yet these are just minor irritants in my daily life. 

These things, in the end, don’t mean a whole lot. There’s just too much going on in the world nowadays to get upset by little stuff like food and sleep. What with terrorism, hurricanes, floods, fires, financial disasters, tsunamis, earthquakes, epidemics … and heartbreak from one end of the world to the other, the quote of the year is from a TV host who said:  "Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

He’s certainly got a point. The news during these last few months has been rife with strife. But as we enter into the holiday season it’s easy to get so frazzled and unfocused that we forget the reason behind the season. When we take God out of the equation it reduces holidays like Thanksgiving to a meaningless exercise. It’s not about football and full tummies. Truly.

I’m thankful I have a God who knows me fully and still loves me, a God who cares about the little details in my life. I know there are many in the world that aren’t as fortunate as us. People who would be thankful for even a tiny portion of the feast we’ll have this year on Thanksgiving, much less the plenty we have from day to day.

So when I’m washing my millionth dish, or folding my billionth pile of laundry, or cleaning up the trillionth mess in the house, maybe I can do so with a little more grace. Because when I do stop long enough to count my blessings, you know what? I’ve got plenty to be thankful for.

And I bet you have too.

Push Through the Pain

If I had to summarize what motherhood means to me, and try and pin it down to one defining word that pretty much captures the whole experience, I would have to say … pain.

Yep, PAIN it is. (What, you were expecting ‘fulfillment’ or ‘love’?) Nope. Children come into this world, bringing joy and excitement and a w-h-o-l-e lot of pain. And they keep on bringing it, in one form or another. With some woman the pain of motherhood begins with a difficult pregnancy; with others, it’s the excruciating labor of childbirth. Everyone has their own little horror stories to share - especially if there is a pregnant lady within earshot. The tales we tell can range from the blood and guts hospital variety to the twisted red tape of adoptions. Women are all about relationship, and instead of trying to one-up each other with our stories, we typically use them to commiserate with each other. We bond, we sympathize, we relate. Perhaps you can relate to my story.

With my first-born, Jaime, it’s a tale about a broken tailbone. And Jaime loves to tell it to anyone who will listen. “When I was born I broke my mom’s tailbone. She was pushing hard and I was pushing harder inside and then there was this snapping sound. Everyone was like, ‘What was that noise?’ And wham! snap! out I came. And I’ve been a pain in the tush ever since!” That’s my sweet Jaime. As for my second, my little Delia, well, that was no picnic either. Though the labor was much shorter (5 hours compared to a full 24) the pain was far more intense. For my first labor I chose to have no meds; with the next pregnancy, I put in my order for an epidural at my first pre-natal check-up. The second time around I knew what was coming - and I was more than a little apprehensive about going through labor again. But the nurses knew I could get through it, and they kept encouraging me. “Push through the pain! Just push through the pain!”

To be honest, that wasn’t what I wanted to hear in the middle of the worst pain I’ve ever had. At the time, I would have preferred a little more sympathy, an understanding look, an assurance that it was going to be all right. But those nurses knew a thing or two, I guess, because I did manage to “push through the pain” and get the job done. And thus my little peanut, my Delia, came into the world. I’m pretty sure she was worth the effort. And the same with Jaime (though my tailbone is still a little sore.)

Pain doesn’t end with the beginning of Motherhood. Oh, no. The fun is just beginning. There’s the recovery from pregnancy. The sleep-deprived nights. All of the endless, thankless, mindless tasks mothers have to do every day, multiple times a day. Not to mention all the repetitive training, nagging, and teaching that comes into play as the kids get older. It’s all rolled up into motherhood. Being a mom is a struggle.  

Of course, I’m not saying that it’s all hardship. There are wonderful moments with your kids (brief, shining moments) when you heave a contented mommy sigh and understand all the love in the universe. We need 
to focus on the good stuff, those happy little carrots that
get us through the slogging dreariness. Because it is worth it. All the pain they give us, in whatever form, in whatever shape it comes, is still worth it. Pain is wrapped up in us and transforms into something better, deeper, more profound. It changes us as women, builds character, and teaches volumes. 
So pain isn’t a bad thing in itself. It’s a springboard for better things.

So when your little ones are hanging on you, trashing the house and talking with their mouths full and pulling the dog’s tail and breaking your crockery … just sit down, take a beverage break and let it roll over you.

Because it’s all good. Bring it on.

Price Chopper Holiday Showcase Event

Mouth-watering mini desserts

I had my first experience as a food blogger at an event: The Price Chopper Holiday Showcase,
held on Friday, November 4th in Schenectady, NY. Bloggers from near and far attended, which included sampling from a variety of departments,  food demonstrations and a mini-seminar on tips for entertaining during the holidays.

Price Chopper obviously emphasizes value for their customers, but they also stress quality for the consumer as well. Who wouldn’t want time-saving apps, entrees and desserts to make their party rock without all the work? Everyone's time is at a premium these days, and Price Chopper offers amazing deals from soup to nuts to make your life during the holidays that much easier. And I should know... I sampled everything from the roasted chestnuts to the butternut-apple soup.

Wreath display

Of course they also have all the gizmos, gadgets and gift ideas you need to deck your halls out in style and splendor. Here's a nice pic of the wreath display. We were treated to a mini-seminar on Tips for Holiday Entertaining.

Key pieces of advice: organize in advance, make a timeline for purchase and preparation, and do as much as you can in advance of the party. Write out a list of your dishes for your event, so you won't inadvertently leave something in the fridge - or the microwave, as my mom is famous for doing every year! We got tips on presentation, like napkin folding (try an accordion style, served in a glass) traffic control (two-way buffet tables are best, napkins out of the way, and easy access to trash cans) and general party hints, like how much ice you need per person (1 pound!) and having disposable cups to cut down on the spread of germs (have a marker out so folks know which cup is theirs.) And have your serving area set up - labeled, so you know where your dishes are going, with the serving pieces and utensils ready at hand. It's no fun scrambling last minute for that slotted spoon or pie server!

Cheese platter with grapes

The food demonstrations were informative and interesting as well. 
For the apps we learned how to build a cheese tray. Pick about five or so cheeses, starting with mild and ending with the stronger flavor profiles. Cut the rinds off one side, arrange on a cheese board or plate along with assorted crackers, breads, and fruits, like figs or grapes. And make sure you take your cheese out of the fridge an hour before your party starts, because cheese tastes better at room temperature. The cheese department at your local Price Chopper is glad to let you sample different cheeses so you can learn what you like, so that you are able to make an informed purchase. Always a good choice for a party. Who doesn't like cheese and crackers? 

Certified Angus Beef demo

From the meat department, we learned all about Angus beef. Angus is a breed; Certified Angus Beef is the best of the best. The great flavor in Angus beef comes from the marbling (the fat running through the meat) and that is made by corn-fed cows, which gives them the starch in their diet to get their meat oh-so-tasty. I tried samples of the different meats, from the prime rib to the strip steaks... and wow. Tender, flavorful, melted like butter in my mouth. So they absolutely know their stuff. One of the things I liked was that Price Chopper offers a roast made from NY Strip Steak. They slice it length-wise and tie it off with butcher string, which shapes the meat and gives it a nice uniform slice. They have this available for purchase in smaller sections, for smaller families. Nice!

Dessert Table, with the luscious limited-time layer cake seen at the top.

And hey, when I heard about this showcase I was of course the most excited about the Decadent Dessert line. The pics speak for themselves... drooling yet? Price Chopper wanted to offer customers amazing desserts with the same taste and creativity found in upscale bakeries. And they have certainly done that.

I sampled a cannoli - the shell still crispy because they make them to order, not hours or days in advance. For parties you can also purchase the shells and the cream and pipe them yourself at your party, and as the presenter said, "And look like a rock star." Can't argue with that! I also sampled a natural berry pie and an eleven layer cake made with red velvet and whipped cream, and if that wasn't enough - a middle layer of cheesecake with a graham cracker crust layer. Decadent, delicious, to dye for. And also only available for a limited time ... so get it fast! They showcased many other amazing looking desserts, like the unique 'cake in a cup' - monthly creations too big to be called mere cupcakes. And Peanut Butter Pie, and Lemon Berry Bliss and Tres Leches Cake, and glossy fruit tarts. What makes those babies shine like that? But all oh-so-tempting!

Super cute specialty breads

And the Decadent Dessert presentation didn't end there, no ... the bakery also makes custom design specialty breads for your holiday table. They had a turkey made from rye bread, with dip
(that was gobbled up pretty quick!) and assorted other shapes and creatures. Got a special request? Check with your local Price Chopper bakery, and they will be happy to accommodate you!

All in all, the Price Chopper Holiday Showcase was a big hit. The food was fabulous and the demos were right on point. Everyone on the Price Chopper team made us feel right at home.
So if you are looking for quick and easy ways to entertain in YOUR home this holiday season, 
and want good food for good value ... I think you know where you'll find it!  

Turkey bread with dip

Loved the prosciutto-wrapped crunchy bread sticks! On the far right.

Appetizer table with an amazing brie en croute!

Pork crown roast ... imagine cooking that for your guests. You can't get any fancier than that!

A very shiny berry pie, cannoli, chocolate dipped pineapple ...
and an inside shot of that luscious red-velvet/cheesecake...

The Candy Conundrum

And so it begins. The kick-off to the holiday season starts with a one-nighter anticipated all year by children and dreaded by parents who sigh and shell out money on ludicrously overpriced costumes and stockpiles of bite-size candy for the hordes of children that will descend on their doorsteps.

On this night, it’s a giant scavenger hunt, masquerade, and free-for-all, bundled together with the enthusiasm of sugar-crazy kids on a quest to score as much candy as their big bags and little legs can carry.

Candy from strangers … it really goes against the grain of everything we teach our children. Any other day of the year this is a no-no. But on this night, rules are relaxed, belts are loosened, and common sense goes out the window like so many discarded wrappers.

Aside from the hunter-gathering activities, Halloween is also a big social event. My older daughter is now at the age where she has separated herself from the family unit and wants to go trick-or-treating with just her friends. Friends meaning, a ‘mixed group’ with both girls and boys. By far, that was definitely the scariest thing I saw this Halloween. At 13 she has officially reached “the teen-aged years.” Years that inspire terror in parents across the globe. It’s not a trick and it’s definitely no treat when your kids want to go off and do their own thing. It means a whole new set of worries when your kids reach that age and that new stage in their lives. But it’s part of growing up, and if I want my daughter to learn to do that well, I guess I need to let go of her hand a little.

Speaking of ‘Little,’ I had a totally different experience with my younger girl. 

This year my also-growing seven year old made it her personal mission to collect candy that I like. Can’t say what prompted that (and no! I didn’t ask her to do it!) but when she gets something set in her mind, she is unshakeable. It was truly wonderful to see her chatting up the neighbors and showing off her costume and just being her sweet little self. So we had a really good time together, and as tired as I am today from all the walking, it was worth it.

Now we have a pretty sweet stash of candy between our two girls’ collective efforts. And I’ve decided this is a good thing. If you can’t trust a skinny cook

(and I do love to cook!) then maybe I shouldn’t worry so much about my weight. So if I eat a little candy each day, I ought to start bulking up. Winter hits pretty hard in Central New York, and I might as well appreciate the built-in padding that will help keep me warm during those long, cold months.  

So really, there’s no reason to worry going into the holiday season. Don’t fret about your kids’ teeth or the future dentist’s bills. Don’t obsess about the crick and crack from your back every time you have to stoop to pick up another dropped candy wrapper.

Think about it this way: you want to be able to pack it in on the mother of all eating holidays, right? So go ahead, sneak a few extra of your favorite treats from the kids’ candy stash, and enjoy the pre-Thanksgiving stomach stretch. Cut yourself a little slack and learn to indulge your inner child. Just don’t forget to brush regularly between steals.

A Day in the Life of Little

Kids can suck the life right out of you. If they also sucked the fat out, at least I would be exhausted and skinny. But no such luck. Once upon a time, I was healthy, active, and upbeat. Now, a mere 13 years after I've had my children, I'm a crumpled shell of my former self.

You always hear folks saying about children, "I wish I could bottle their energy!" Ain't that the truth. And the more hyper, the more intense, the more 'spirited' those kids are ... the more rapidly they age you. I am old before my time. Both my girls stopped napping at 12 months. Not because I wanted them to! They just didn't need the sleep. My girls are energized bunnies, running on some internal power source that defies my ability to find the 'off' switch. Every hour those kids don't sleep, is one more gray hair on my head. I have a lot of gray hair.

At times as a parent you might think, "I can't wait to get through this stage." Like those early baby years - the sleepless nights, the endless diapers. But it doesn't last forever. Some of the most beautiful sounds you can hear are the toilet flushing and the sink water running … as your child outgrows diapers and moves forward into a new time of life. Every age and stage has both its challenges and its joys.

It's funny ... we used to call our younger daughter "Little" because she was just a peanut. And now we have friends with younger kids who call her the big kid. Life marches on. Sometimes it marches right over you.

When my kids were small, I did publicity for our local M.O.P.S. group (Mother's of Preschoolers.) I found an article I wrote in one of our newsletters about "Little" that still cracks me up. So I'd like to share it. It's a reminder that they do grow up fast. So try to enjoy your kids, even if they can make you a little crazy!  

______________________________________________

A Day in the Life of Little

We call her "Little." Little is our two year old daughter. The nickname indicates her diminutive size but does not describe the incredibly huge amounts of trouble she gets into. 

A typical day for Little will include:

• Trying to climb into the oven (thankfully cold) while my back is turned. "While my back is turned" can vary from 10 seconds to a minute, but no longer, because as our 8 year old commented, "When she's playing and we can hear her, it's fine. When it’s quiet, you better find her fast 'cause there's sure to be trouble."

• Stacking my glass spice jars 5 high while perched precariously on a shaky little plastic 4-drawer organizer jammed between the kitchen table and the kitchen counter.

• Having a party with the sugar bowl, after climbing on the above kitchen counter. Sometimes this includes making her way across the entire length of the counter and the sink to peek into the cupboards above the (thankfully cold) stove top.

• Commandeering "read: stealing" tea from my teacup. I haven't had a cup of tea to myself in months. Little has several tiny plastic play teacups in her arsenal. She will get one and dunk her cup into my ceramic tea cup. She's a precise child, always turns her cup so the rose pattern faces her and she can grasp the tiny handle on the right. Drinks her thimbleful of tea. Then she dips, and repeats. Dips. Repeats. I don’t believe the expression "tea for two" meant quite this. When Little has drunk her fill all that's left is backwash and a memory.

• Then there are the frequent escapes from the house. We have had to install deadbolts on certain doors to prevent our little Houdini from escaping unexpectedly. If the front door isn't latched tight with the extra lock fastened, she will pop out of the front door like a jack in the box. Whoever is closest will charge out after her and retrieve the wayward child. My favorite of her escape attempts was during a particularly severe nighttime rainstorm. There was of course no time to put on a coat (much less shoes) for the chase. Squishy, squinchy, squelchy socks.

• Little enjoys water play when she can get it (rainstorm or tub, it doesn't matter.) In between regular baths she likes to scale up the bathroom vanity, toes clinging to the drawer ledge to play with the water in the sink. Splashing happily away on the walls and the floor as well. Good way to get me to mop, I guess.

• Pantry raids are a favorite activity, too. If we are watching TV, Little will bring us all sodas. She will conveniently have her tiny teacup at the ready, waiting for us for serve her the coveted beverage. If we do not open the soda, she will raid the pantry again and bring more sodas. We call this the "take the hint" technique. This also applies to any snack food she can reach. Raid. Repeat. 

Then there's the whole potty training fiasco. I repressed the whole experience from my first daughter. Now I get to 'potty' all over again with the new kid on the block. I know that Little is ready for this stage: she's quite aware when her diaper is wet (or worse). Sometimes if we're lucky she will gleefully take it off and carry it to us to show us the contents. She’s happy as a clam to wave bye-bye to the poopy pebbles as they go down the toilet. I can't say the potty chair is completely ignored, though; she uses it as a step stool to reach the light switch in the bathroom. On, off, on, off. Repeat endlessly. But to actually use the potty? Not going to happen any time soon. Regardless of the fact that I am ready for her to be ready. Ah, well.

This is a typical day in the life of Little. I thought my older daughter was difficult at that age; I now know she was just a warm up to prepare me for the real deal. I wonder sometimes which of my kids is going to get me first, one from an ulcer, or the other from a heart attack. But for all the craziness in my life, I really am thankful for both of my girls. I'm also really thankful that they’re not twins.

Patience Unraveling

Long lines and short tempers...  instant coffee in the microwave... frozen “convenience” foods that cater to the “I need it yesterday” mentality as a culture. I’m late! I’m late! I’m late! we scream as we dash out into rush-hour traffic. Seems like everyone’s patience these days is worn thin with all the hurrying, scurrying and worrying.

Patience. That’s one of those little ‘object lessons’ that I definitely object to. I’ll give you an example. I found a cool decoration for our basement rec room, one of those retro beaded curtains that hang in a doorway. 
I wanted to string them along the open space going down our cellar stairs.

The individual beaded cords had to come off the hanging rod, since the area was wider than the rod. So I did that. But then … those beady little strings managed to get intertwined into a big, knotted mess. It was unbelievable. I had to disentangle each twisted string from the heap.

So, naturally, I copped an attitude while I was doing this. What is the point of this … nothing is ever easy... why, Lord, whhhyyyyy? Thoughts turn cosmic when things make no sense.

But after a while, I got into a groove working on those silly strings, unraveling the knots one at a time as if they were wound into a kind of puzzle. And rather than hang on to my frustration, I began to see that even the most ridiculous of situations can be turned into a lesson in patience.

It's one of the "fruits of the spirit" talked about in the Bible (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness... found in Galatians 5:22-23) we often think we acquire instantaneously when we begin a relationship with God. But fruit takes time to ripen and grow, time to cultivate its sweetness. There’s no shortcut, no easy way to learn patience. It must be developed in us. And that only happens when we allow God to teach us through the trials (major, minor, or just plain annoying) that we experience daily. 

No express lane thinking for me, thanks. I’d much rather take the scenic route, and learn to enjoy my life instead of just rushing through it.

Well, the beaded curtain did get up after a while... and I have to say... 
it looks great. Though only a small lesson in patience, it may yet prove handy. Winter’s not too far away. And I can’t wait to see what our box of Christmas lights looks like.

The Wrong Line at the Wrong Time

Let’s talk food shopping. You know when you’re at the grocery store, finished with the hunting and gathering and in a hurry to leave? You scan the checkout lines, trying pick which looks the fastest. This may seem like a no-brainer decision, but in reality it takes a very scientific approach to correctly choose the lane which will most likely get you and your groceries home the quickest.

There are important factors to calculate:

1) How alert is the cashier (upright or slumping?)

2) Number of customers already in line

3) Quantity of groceries in the carts ahead

4) Whether those customers look like they will either: a) argue with the cashier over expired coupons and non-existent sale prices, b) or worse, try to chat with the cashier

5) Whether those customers have their kids with them, which means they will be distracted and slower to unload their groceries and sort out their coupons and beverage-return slips, all while trying to keep the younger child safely in the grocery cart seat and focused on the free cookie snagged from the bakery to keep them out of meltdown mode during the tedious check-out process, while the older child is busy sneaking forbidden items onto the conveyer belt which go unnoticed because the harried parent is otherwise occupied. (This being a hypothetical situation and not one I’m familiar with myself…)

Unfortunately, even the most astute assessment can backfire, because at the exact moment you commit your cart and move into a checkout lane, that lane will reverse polarity from warp speed and grind down to a crawl. As every line but yours moves forward in a forwardly direction, there’s nothing you can do but grit your teeth and sweat into your coat. You know that feeling? I feel like that all the time.

And then, of course, we have the shopping horror-stories. These are typically not as gruesome as pregnancy/childbirth stories from veteran moms to expecting mothers-to-be, but it’s a shared experience we can all relate to. My favorite three shopping stories are all grocery store mishaps. The first is from a few years ago, as I was checking out, and the woman behind me in line had a child who was touching and handling my groceries as I was putting them onto the conveyer belt. This child was definitely old enough to know better than to touch someone else’s stuff and I politely asked the woman to have her stop. This mom – obviously a strong disciplinarian - responded with, “She ain’t got no germs!” Charming. Ain’t got no manners, either.

My second story (which happened quite recently) continues on the conveyor belt, where again I was unloading my groceries and the woman behind me began unloading hers before I was even halfway finished. The plastic stick divider did nothing to keep her stuff from squashing my poor groceries as the cashier and I struggled to keep up. This is one of those times where we wonder if it will do more harm than good to say something. Hey, lady, turn on your “clueless” light and warn us all that you’re coming.

My last trip is a visit down Amnesia Lane, and one incident I would rather forget. I was newly married and doing some grocery shopping on a very limited budget. I had maybe $30 dollars in my pocket at the time, cash only, without a credit card or bank/ATM card as a backup. I don’t know what I was thinking but I had loaded up my cart without keeping any kind of mental tally. I checked out and it added up to something like a hundred dollars. Reality hit, and hit hard. Had to explain I only had $30 and started the tedious (and embarrassing) business of voiding pretty much my entire order. That’s one store I never visited again.

Sometimes food shopping is great, where I get to slay dragons and battle giants and come home with fabulous deals on meals for the family table. It’s a hard fight, but one I enjoy winning. Other times, not so much. Shopping can be at best an outright drag, or at worst… well, you fill in the blank. Which reminds me, the fridge is empty and I’m pretty sure I saw tiny tumbleweeds blowing around in the pantry. I’ve got to suit up for battle and get out there to do some serious shopping. I’ll likely have my kids and my coupons with me, so if you see me in the checkout line at the store, I give you carte blanche (freedom of the cart) to pick any line other than the one I’m in. It will guarantee you’ll get home in record time.

It's chili out there

As a child, I was as fussy about food as you can find. Though my mother was an excellent cook, it didn’t matter. I wouldn’t try anything new. No Chinese or any other ethnic food, no to anything that looked suspiciously vegetative… heck, I wouldn’t even eat pizza when I was young. I would scrape everything off and just eat a wet triangle of bread. Yep, I was that bad.

In college when I lived off-campus and had to cook for myself, I survived on ramen noodles. But once I got married I realized I had to man up and learn some basic cooking skills. And when I started that… my love of cooking took off. The more recipes I tried, the more pride I had, and the more curiosity I developed about food and cooking. So in time I turned into quite a good cook. I’ve catered some awesome parties, and I am now a foodie through and through. So, if you have a fussy eater out there (of any age!) there is still hope. They can be taught, and turned.

Funny back story about my chili recipe. My girls are six years apart, but at separate times, each girl has brought home Thanksgiving schoolwork with their thanks for different things in their lives… and BOTH girls have artwork proclaiming, “I am thankful for my mama’s chili.” Warms you right up inside!

Now, chili can be a very regional kind of dish, with as many recipes as there are regions. So I don’t make any claims to say mine is the end-all of chili recipes. But when your kids cite your chili as one of their "thankful for's" … then you can bet it’s a good one!

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                       Simply Delicious Chili

1 pound hot Italian sausage links, removed from casings

2 pounds ground beef

1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 28 ounce can kitchen cut or diced tomatoes

2 soup size cans dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 soup size cans light kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 medium onion, chopped finely

2 red peppers or 1 red and 1 green pepper

1 box Carroll Shelby Texas chili seasoning 

Pour the two cans of tomatoes into a large cooking pot along with two cans worth of water. Add the chili seasonings and mix together. Crumble the sausage meat and cook in a sauté pan until browned.

Add cooked sausage to pot. Brown ground beef in the sauté pan with a little salt and pepper. Drain and add to sauce pan. Chop up onion, add to sauté pan with a little olive oil and cook for 5 or so minutes. Cut red/green peppers into small pieces and add to pan with onions. Sauté until softened, then add vegetables to pot. Add drained cans of kidney beans. Let simmer approximately 1 to 2 hours on the stove top, or load all ingredients into a large crockpot and cook about 4 -5 hours on low.

Serve over cooked white rice, and top with shredded cheddar or Mexican style cheese if you like. Cornbread and a leafy green salad make great side dishes.

Please note: I have specified Carroll Shelby’s chili seasoning in this recipe. You can certainly do your own spicing, or buy a different package of chili seasoning that you prefer. This brand comes with a really impressive amount of seasoning, plus separate bags of mesa flour (for thickening) salt and cayenne pepper, so you can spice it to taste.

Chef’s notes:

You can use ground sausage for this recipe, or get sausage links and just take the meat out of the casings. If you do the second option, have a little water in the pan you are going to cook the meat in, and use your hands to break up the sausage into small pieces in the water. It will cook up much more evenly that way.

Chili is a great dish to play ‘hide the veggie’ for those fussy eaters in your house. I use a micro-grater and grate a couple carrots right into the pot of chili. It gives the dish a touch of sweetness, and adds an extra veg to the dish. And no one will ever know! ;)

Serving tips: our family loves chili over a nice bowl of white rice. You can certainly use brown rice to sneak in a few extra vitamins - and even fussy eaters won’t notice the difference under a steaming scoop of savory chili. You can also top it with a little shredded cheddar or Mexican-style cheese, some sour cream, or whatever you like!

Cook smarter, not harder: this recipe works wonderfully in a crockpot. Just prep your ingredients in the morning and come home to a hearty dinner. Also, chili freezes well. So go ahead and make a double batch, and freeze half for an easy-peasy freezy meal!

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Perfecto Cornbread 

1 cup cake flour

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 egg, room temperature

½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 cup milk, warmed

  

Preheat the oven to 400° degrees.

Grease a 9-inch round, 1½-inch deep cake pan.

With a fork, stir together the cake flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and sugar.

Beat the egg, melted butter, oil and milk in a large mixing bowl until well-blended. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir until blended. The batter will be somewhat thin and light.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 15 minutes, until a straw inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Press the center of the bread; if it feels slightly firm the bread is done. Be careful not to overbake.

Serve warm wedges of the cornbread with honey butter.

  

Yield: one 9-inch round loaf. Batter may also be baked in a corn-muffin pan or regular muffin tin for approximately 10 minutes. Makes several batches.

Cook smarter, not harder: An easy make-ahead shortcut: sift together the dry ingredients and keep them in a container. Then when you are ready to cook, grab the wetworks, mix ‘em together, and pop your cornbread in the oven.