Everyday Food

I thought I was done being distracted, but it looks like clarity of mind isn’t anywhere in the near future. Even though my distracted mind is still plaguing me, I did commit to doing a better job at feeding my family. Now that my kids are home all day for summer vacation I’ve really got to step it up and feed people! My children are hungry! Just because mom can’t focus doesn’t mean the kids (and husband) should have to starve.

In comes Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food magazine to the rescue!

I’ve been receiving Everyday Food for years. I’ve subscribed to many a food magazine and this one is by far my favorite. The food is simple, easy to make and delicious. Everything I’ve made from the magazine (and I’ve made plenty) has been tasty. Many of my staple meals are Everyday Food recipes.

Because I’ve been a fan for so long I was super excited when my cousin Stephen recently got a job as the Deputy Art Director for Everyday Food. Now I love the magazine all the more. Yeah Stephen!

And now for the best part of all….if you go to Everyday Food’s website you can sign up (all you need is your email address) for a free daily email that includes a short video of Sarah Carey (new Editor of Everyday Food) making a  mouthwatering recipe EVERYDAY!

I met Sarah in person once on a visit to New York and she was just as delightful in person as she is on the videos. I watch her everyday now and I’ve learned a bunch (and I thought I was already pretty well versed in kitchen knowledge). Sarah is a good teacher.

Go here to see a sample of what comes in your email if you sign up.

Sarah Carey –Editor and Chief

Oh yeah…and the recipes are delicious and easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy!

You’ll like them.

Mary Kate took this picture while lounging on the grass under our tree.

I’ve missed blogging these last few weeks. This blog has become a place were I come and write about things that matter to me, a place to collect and organize my thoughts, a place to record memories large and small, a place to celebrate the good things in life. Lately though, I haven’t been able to think of exactly what to blog about. It’s not that there isn’t anything going one, quite the contrary; life is busy, good busy, full of random happenings and goings-on.

The problem is, I seem to take after my mother, in that I tend to have a serious one-track mind. If I get an idea stirring up there, an idea(s) about important things (like a big, life changing decisions that needs to be made for instance) I can’t seem to think of anything else. These last few weeks I’ve been in that type of head space. Distracted is not a strong enough word for what I’ve been lately. Thankfully the idea/decison that was consuming me has been put aside for now and I feel like I can focus on other things. I feel like myself again. What a relief.

Now back to the business of day-to-day. I’ve got things to do baby!

Like…

-planning the boy’s baptism day (coming up very soon)
-staining our fence and deck (they need it BAD)
-working out a summer chore plan for my kids (summer is just days away and I need to be ready)
-organizing the ginormous stack of papers and files that are piled up and tipping over in my office
-playing tennis with Michelle and Claudia (I really stink at tennis, but I’ve signed up for lessons and I’m determined to improve)
-cooking meals for the fam (oh boy have I been way lazy about this, cooking is always the first things go when I’m distracted)
-figuring out what to the get the teachers for end of year gifts (I think I have a pretty good idea)
-getting my visiting teaching done (miss my visiting teaching sisters)
-preparing my talk for sacrament meeting on Sunday
-getting a hair cut (I’m about to shave it all off myself because it’s so terribly in need of TLC, Bryan here I come!)

I’m going to be checking things off my list and getting them squared away. I’ve been looking over our summer calendar and it’s going to be a busy, full of good times, just as summer should be. I want to be ready to savor it!

Bring it on, summer!

M.O.M

My boys have taken to addressing me as M.O.M., spelling it out in place of saying the word.

“Hey M.O.M, can I have a go-gurt?”

or

“M.O.M, do you have any Stella Starfishes?”

“No, J.O.N.A.T.H.A.N.” I reply. “Go Fish!”

I actually kind of like them spelling it out. Those three little letters, M.O.M, have quiet a weight to them, no? I’ve been thinking about motherhood quite a lot these days, and not just because it was Mother’s Day.

I’ve been thinking about moms because my own is finally back in my everyday life and I’m loving it! I missed her, but I’ve realized just how much these last two weeks. My M.O.M, is a wonderful person. People always tell me how lucky I am to have her as my mother, and I reply, “You don’t need to tell me that, I already know!”

I’ve been thinking about moms too, because of my sweet friend Alice who lost her life last week in the process of becoming a mother for the third time. I saw her beautiful baby girl today at the funeral, and she looks so much like Alice. Alice gave up many worldly accolades -and so much more- to be a M.O.M. She is a beautiful example to me.

I’ve been thinking about moms because I met baby Colette on Sunday; and she is beautiful and sweet and she has swept her mother completely off her feet. My cousin is totally smitten with her new little one and it’s a beautiful thing to see and to hear Emilie talk about it. Becoming a mother changes your whole world in everyway. Every single way.

I’ve also been thinking about my own life as a mother.

I love my kids. Love.my.kids.

My boys had Cub Scouts today. It was only their second time. They love it so much! They can hardly contain themselves when Monday rolls around. As I was helping them into their Scout shirts today, I could barely get the buttons in the right button holes because the boys were so bouncing and wiggling with anticipation. They recited their newly memorized Scout Oath to me (they’ve got it down pat, and they say it with incredible enthusiasm).

They were so happy…and that means…so was I.

When my kids are happy I’m happy, because that’s how things work when you’re a M.O.M.

______________________________________________

My daughter wrote me a letter for Mother’s day. It was beautifully written. I could tell she had put some serious thought into what she wrote. It made me very happy. She makes me very happy.

Her letter included a list. It goes like this….

You have been my mom for almost thirteen years…

For thirteen years you have helped me be a better person
For thirteen years you’ve cleaned my messes
For thirteen years you have helped me get over hard things
For thirteen years you have cared about my moral being
For thirteen years you have been there to cheer me up
For thirteen years you have dealt with my random complaints
For thirteen years you have tried your hardest to keep me away from the dangers in the world
For thirteen years you have fixed my messy hair
For thirteen years you have made me shower and brush my teeth
For thirteen years you have tried to keep my healthy
For thirteen years you have made me happy
For thirteen years you have wanted me to be safe
For thirteen years you have been my mom

Mary Kate…for thirteen years I’ve wanted to do those things for you every single day, because that’s what moms do.

I’m so glad I’m a M.O.M.

Alice

Today has been a sad, sad day. Today my sweet friend Alice passed away, only a few days after giving birth to her third child, a beautiful baby girl. Alice was only 33 years old. (She is pictured above with her second baby, Edward)

I met Alice after she joined our book group several years ago and have admired her ever since. She is kind, sensitive, positive, beautiful, bright, and talented. She is also the most unpretentious, unassuming person I have every met. I had known her for over two years before I learned (from someone else) that she had a Doctorate in Musical Arts and was a concert pianist. She had many reasons to be bragging, but never would she.

Alice loved her two little boys and was very excited to finally have a baby girl.

She died due to complications after a traumatic birth. The story is tragic and I won’t scare you with all the terrible details, but Alice will be very much missed. Especially by her husband, her three little ones, and her large, loving extended family.

By me too. I feel very lucky to have crossed paths with her on this earth.

Life is precious. When things like this happen so suddenly, it reminds me of that important fact.

Accidental Perfection

Last week Mary Kate had a friend over and they decided they wanted to bake cookies. Mike and I were leaving to go out to  dinner with friends. We left the girls gearing up in the kitchen. As soon as we were seated at our table we received a phone call from Mary Kate. She had been searching and searching for her go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies (one she had gotten in a summer cooking class years ago) and couldn’t find it anywhere. I told her where she could find some other recipes to choose from and sent her on her way.

We returned home to the delicious sent of freshly baked cookies. Even though I was stuffed from dinner, I had to try just one, to see if Mary Kate and Lauren were the gourmet bakers they claimed to be.

Oh my, YUMM-O!

Their cookies were the best homemade chocolate chips cookies I had ever tasted, much better than any I have ever made myself. I know what recipes I normally use and none of them were this good. I asked Mary Kate which one she had used. She brought me an old recipe I had come across in college; one that I hadn’t made in years because it called for shortening, which I never use or buy anymore (all those trans fats). Of course I asked Mary Kate what she used in place of the shortening.

“I used shortening, Mom.”

“No, you didn’t, there isn’t any in the house.”

“Yes I did. Isn’t this shortening? Lauren said this was shortening.”

She handed me a bottle of canola oil.

So…it looks like Mary Kate and Lauren have stumbled on the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe by accident. The best part…it’s much healthier than a cookie made with shortening (depending if you fall in the “canola oil is good for you” camp, or the other one).

Here’s the girl’s recipe for you. Mary Kate said she did add some extra flour because the dough seemed too “runny.” (That was her word). You’ll probably have to do the same. Also, this recipe makes a TON; you may want to half it.

MK and L’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened to room temp
1 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar (I only used 1/2 cup)
3 eggs

Cream butter, oil and sugars. Add eggs one at a time until well mixed.

Add:

2 T. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp. soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
5-6 cups flour (until the dough looks the right consistency)

Add one pkg. of chocolate chips (or more if you like them really chocolaty).

Add chopped walnuts (if you’re me), or leave them out (if you’re any of my kids or my husband).

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes (it took 11 minutes in my oven).

*Cookie trick: If you put the cookies in an airtight container before they are completely cool, they stay softer longer.

A Joyous Homecoming

I apologize right from the start because this post contains an over abundance of photos; but I just couldn’t narrow it down. I want to remember and share every moment!

My parents arrived home Tuesday night. Their plane was over a 1/2 hour late, so by the time they actually arrived, the anticipation was almost unbearable; spilling out of us like a deep pot of soup boiling over. I think missionary homecomings are some of the sweetest experiences of life. I imagine they are similar to how it will be in heaven when we are finally reunited with loved ones who have gone on before. So much joy!

I felt all kinds of happy emotions Tuesday night, but mostly I felt intense gratitude for the safe return of my dear parents. Heavenly Father has truly blessed us all during these last 18 months.

Tuesday night is a night I will always remember. We had all waited so long for this day.

We watched those escalators with focused intensity. I’ve never seen the kids concentrate so hard! (Obviously Jeffrey was using his waiting time wisely, cleaning out his nose so it would be ship-shape when Grandpa and Grandma arrived.)

My cousin Paul was at the top of the escalators with a video camera, watching and ready to signal to us when he spotted my parents.

Finally they came.

We clamped eyes on them, they on us, and the ruckus began…

The hugs felt so good…

Sister-in-law Emily

Sister-in-law Laurie

My parents missed the birth of two grandchildren (both born to my sister-in-laws who missed my parents terribly when their babies were born). So there were some much anticipated introductions…

Hello Baby Sam!

Hello Baby Cate! (Mom’s pointing out to Uncle Paul and Aunt Jill just how much Cate looks like her Dad)

Mom said that Mary Kate has changed the most of all. I thinks she’s right about that. Mary Kate was only 11 when they left and she will be 13 next month. Those are some significant years of growth and change. I’m so happy mom and MK are reunited. They are kindred spirits.

My niece Lydia was the most physically demonstrative about her excitement that night. She could not contain herself. She bounced and squealed, red faced and delighted. Way to represent the feelings of all of us, Lydia girl!

I got my Mama back!

Not sure what’s going on with my expression in this one? Jonathan isn’t either.

I was grateful for Skype for those 18 months. It was good to at least see an image of my parent’s faces while I talked to them; but I much prefer face to face.

My parents were so exhausted from traveling and going on several days with very little sleep, they could barely even pull their suitcases behind them. The boys took care of that right away. I think they may have suspected that there might be present from New Zealand hidden somewhere in those bags, so they should be treated with care.

After the airport we went to my parent’s house to continue celebrating.

During the months my parents were away, it often felt as if they had been gone forever and ever. But, as will all gathered at the house, chatting, laughing, the kids running everywhere, treats from New Zealand being sampled, presents being opened…it felt like they had never been away.

Only with family could it feel that way.

We all survived this mission experience (even thrived in many ways), but now everything can go back to normal.

And that’s how we like.

*You don’t see Mike in any of these pictures, but he was there; just behind the camera for most of it. He got hugs too though.

*We are also  grateful that Paul and Caitlyn were willing to come and man the video cameras that night. They got some good footage and when I can pin down my technical assistant (Michael) for a moment, I will post some of it.

Today’s the Big Day

Right now as I type this, my parents are in an airplane, somewhere over the ocean, winging their way to the U.S. of A. In less than 12 hours we will see them face to face. We are all so excited we can barely stand it! We’ve been waiting for this day for 18 months.

My parents have served an honorable mission. They have worked tirelessly and with so much dedication and love. I know their freely-given service has blessed the lives of many in New Zealand (I’m sad for those whom they will leave behind); also our lives at home have been blessed in many ways by their missionary service.

One of the greatest blessing I enjoy in this life is the love of these two amazing people.

I can’t wait to see them!