My planned cookie swap didn't work out this year, mainly because we all decided too late that we wanted one and then couldn't find enough people willing to bake or able to come.
But today's article in the NYTimes on butter made me wish we managed to pull it all together. I had great fun playing in butter last night to make my butter mints, and I know I would just love the Orange Butter Cookies included in the paper. But I'm pretty much done making sweets this year, except maybe one more batch of sugar cookies to decorate with Gommie and Pop next week. Even as I type, the kids are inhaling the last of last week's sugar cookies. Sis likes this with "sugar inside, not on the outside" (meaning, "Mommy, don't put colored sugars on my cookies before you bake them, like you did for the bake sale!").
The best part of the article was the link to The Cookie Exchange website. Robin Olson, the woman behind the site, has been organizing cookie swaps since I was in high school and lists a series of successful rules and tips, which I've seen in numerous other articles and resources. I'm going to sign up for her cookie exchange newsletter so maybe next year I can organize a successful swap. And I'm going to make these cookies.
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Orange Butter Cookies
Adapted from “The Sweeter Side of Amy’s Bread” by Amy Scherber and Toy Kim Dupree (Wiley, 2008)
Time: 1 hour
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 2/3 cups cake flour or more all-purpose flour (cake flour gives a finer texture)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
2 packed teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
1 large egg plus 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
FOR THE ICING (SEE NOTE):
1 orange
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons whole milk
2 drops almond or vanilla extract
Pinch fine salt.
1. Position two oven racks in top and bottom third of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, whisk flours, baking soda and salt together. In a mixer, cream together the sugar, butter and orange zest at medium speed until light and smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of bowl frequently. Add egg and mix. Add one egg yolk and mix. Add remaining egg yolk and mix. Stir in dry ingredients just until combined.
3. Scoop tablespoons of dough onto parchment, leaving more than 1 inch between cookies. Press each one down lightly with 2 fingers to flatten to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Leave any ridges and valleys on top of cookie intact, but smooth the edges.
4. Bake about 15 minutes, rotating cookie sheets halfway through. Cookies should be pale but baked all the way through. Cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool before storing in airtight containers up to 1 week.
5. When ready to serve, make icing: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Peel orange, being careful to remove only outer orange zest, and cut into thin strips. Blanch in boiling water 1 minute; drain. Sift confectioners’ sugar into a bowl. Whisk in 2 tablespoons milk. Whisk in more milk if needed to make mixture thin enough to spread. Add extract, salt and zest, and whisk to combine.
6. Place cookies on a rack and drizzle icing over each one (make sure there is some orange zest in each spoonful). Icing will settle into cookie crevices; let harden.
Yield: About 4 dozen cookies.
Note: Instead of icing, cookies can be sprinkled with coarse crystal sugar before baking.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Advent: Snowflakes
It started sometime on Monday, this obsession with paper snowflakes. I'm not even sure really how. But when I came home from errands, the babysitter and the kiddos were up to their eyeballs in paper snippies, finished snowflakes, and smiles. Even after she left, we continued to make snowflakes: I was in charge of squaring the colored construction paper and then folding/cutting it into a triangle/square/circle and then they would make little snips in the paper, open them up, and tape them on the back window.
Then Tuesday at school they must have asked to make more snowflakes and came home with a whole new pile of white ones, plus two marble-painted evergreens, which were all added to our back deck door in a winter wonderland scene. Then I pulled out the square origami paper and they went to town cutting more snowflakes. I even contributed a few lines of paper dolls. The cats loved it, as they chased bits of paper all over the kitchen.
There must have been some magic in those snowflakes that we made--we're supposed to get 1-3" snow!
Then Tuesday at school they must have asked to make more snowflakes and came home with a whole new pile of white ones, plus two marble-painted evergreens, which were all added to our back deck door in a winter wonderland scene. Then I pulled out the square origami paper and they went to town cutting more snowflakes. I even contributed a few lines of paper dolls. The cats loved it, as they chased bits of paper all over the kitchen.
There must have been some magic in those snowflakes that we made--we're supposed to get 1-3" snow!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Mommy's Candy Castle
We did it! We finished our teacher gift candy-making marathon. Two sessions of Christmas pretzels (where the kids would name each teacher who got each pretzel. "This one is for Mrs. Director. And Mrs. Teacher . . . "), plus chocolate dipped apricots, rocky road with cherries instead of nuts, and two batches of peppermint bark (their favorite because of the smashing of the candy, even if Bud said it was too spicy to eat). And then, in the evening I made toffee (too dangerous with boiling sugar in butter. And, as always, fond memories of the deceased coworker whose recipe it was) and double-decker fudge (ditto, plus it has off-limits peanut butter) and butter mints (which I just thought the kids would think were boring). The butter mints were the new candy for me and I loved kneading the crumbly mess into this light yellow, soft dough with this incredible smell. But it made 200+ mints, which took up a lot of time this evening. Still, they came out wonderfully and I'll definitely make them again. Thank goodness for Google though, because, when my oil wouldn't "drop," I managed to discover that 20 drops of peppermint oil equals 1/5th of a teaspoon! Now, we just have to assemble the tins and finish the cards for everyone. The kids are really looking forward to delivering them. And that was the goal, to share a little of our holiday joy with everyone.
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I. B.'s Easy English Toffee
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1 cup sugar
Cook in saucepan. Stir until mixture changes color; it’s done when mixture turns caramel color (the butter will separate out; stir until it is reabsorbed).
Pour on greased cookie sheet. Spread out as best you can.
Sprinkle on about ¼- ½ cup chocolate chips. Sprinkle on ¼- ½ cup nuts.
Refrigerate.
Break into pieces.
Easy Rocky Road
2 cups (12 oz. package) chocolate chips
¼ cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons shortening
3 cups miniature marshmallows
½ cup coarsely chopped nuts—we used 10 maraschino cherries instead!
Butter 8 inch square pan. In large microwave-safe bowl place chocolate chips, butter, and shortening; microwave at medium for 5 to 7 minutes or until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Add marshmallows and nuts; blend well. spread evenly into prepared pan. Cover; cill until firm. Cut into 2 inch squares. About 25 squares.
Double-Decker Fudge
About 2 pounds fudge.
1 cup Reese’s Peanut Butter chips
1 cup chocolate chips
2 ¼ cups sugar
7 oz. (1 jar) marshmallow crème
¾ cup evaporated milk
¼ cup (1/2 stick butter)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Line 8 inch square pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. In medium bowl, place peanut butter chips. In second medium bowl, place chocolate chips. In heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine sugar, marshmallow crème, evaporated milk, and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Immediately stir half of the hot mixture (1 ½ cups) into peanut butter chips until chips are completely melted; quickly spread into prepared pan. Stir remaining hot mixture into chocolate chips until chips are completely melted. Quickly spread over top of peanut butter layer. Cool to room temperature; refrigerate until firm. Use foil to lift fudge out of pan; peel off foil. Cut into 1-inch squares. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.
Peppermint Bark
Makes about 32 pieces
12 oz. white baking chips
½ cup crushed peppermint candies or candy cane
Microwave white baking chips 1 minute and then in additional increments of 20 seconds, stirring after each, until almost melted. Stir until completely melted.
Add crushed peppermint candies, stirring until mixed. Spread mixture thinly onto aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet.
Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces.
Miss B's Butter Mints
1 pound confectioners sugar
1 stick butter plus 2 tablespoons
20 drops oil of peppermint (get at pharmacy)
Cream together sugar and butter. Add peppermint oil. Mix together with hands. When together, knead for 5 minutes. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired to any portion of mixture. Snip off size of mint desire (I like the size of a marble). Place on a cookie sheet or flat surface and press down with a fork. These will keep for weeks in the refrigerator, or they may be frozen.
Our “Christmas Pretzels”
mini pretzels (or whatever pretzel you like; big sticks are pretty but the chocolate ratio isn't always good)chocolate chipssprinkles/jimmiesMelt the chocolate chips in the microwave (1 minute; stir; 30 seconds; stir; and the last two steps until almost melted--they will melt when stirred. Don't over microwave.) Dip pretzels in chocolate. Roll in sprinkles. Let dry on rack or aluminum foil. Store in airtight container.Or just eat them all right then.
Chocolate-Dipped Apricots
See above recipe, but use dried apricots instead of pretzels, without the sprinkles or jimmies.
-=-=-=-=-
I. B.'s Easy English Toffee
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1 cup sugar
Cook in saucepan. Stir until mixture changes color; it’s done when mixture turns caramel color (the butter will separate out; stir until it is reabsorbed).
Pour on greased cookie sheet. Spread out as best you can.
Sprinkle on about ¼- ½ cup chocolate chips. Sprinkle on ¼- ½ cup nuts.
Refrigerate.
Break into pieces.
Easy Rocky Road
2 cups (12 oz. package) chocolate chips
¼ cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons shortening
3 cups miniature marshmallows
½ cup coarsely chopped nuts—we used 10 maraschino cherries instead!
Butter 8 inch square pan. In large microwave-safe bowl place chocolate chips, butter, and shortening; microwave at medium for 5 to 7 minutes or until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Add marshmallows and nuts; blend well. spread evenly into prepared pan. Cover; cill until firm. Cut into 2 inch squares. About 25 squares.
Double-Decker Fudge
About 2 pounds fudge.
1 cup Reese’s Peanut Butter chips
1 cup chocolate chips
2 ¼ cups sugar
7 oz. (1 jar) marshmallow crème
¾ cup evaporated milk
¼ cup (1/2 stick butter)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Line 8 inch square pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. In medium bowl, place peanut butter chips. In second medium bowl, place chocolate chips. In heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine sugar, marshmallow crème, evaporated milk, and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Immediately stir half of the hot mixture (1 ½ cups) into peanut butter chips until chips are completely melted; quickly spread into prepared pan. Stir remaining hot mixture into chocolate chips until chips are completely melted. Quickly spread over top of peanut butter layer. Cool to room temperature; refrigerate until firm. Use foil to lift fudge out of pan; peel off foil. Cut into 1-inch squares. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.
Peppermint Bark
Makes about 32 pieces
12 oz. white baking chips
½ cup crushed peppermint candies or candy cane
Microwave white baking chips 1 minute and then in additional increments of 20 seconds, stirring after each, until almost melted. Stir until completely melted.
Add crushed peppermint candies, stirring until mixed. Spread mixture thinly onto aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet.
Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces.
Miss B's Butter Mints
1 pound confectioners sugar
1 stick butter plus 2 tablespoons
20 drops oil of peppermint (get at pharmacy)
Cream together sugar and butter. Add peppermint oil. Mix together with hands. When together, knead for 5 minutes. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired to any portion of mixture. Snip off size of mint desire (I like the size of a marble). Place on a cookie sheet or flat surface and press down with a fork. These will keep for weeks in the refrigerator, or they may be frozen.
Our “Christmas Pretzels”
mini pretzels (or whatever pretzel you like; big sticks are pretty but the chocolate ratio isn't always good)chocolate chipssprinkles/jimmiesMelt the chocolate chips in the microwave (1 minute; stir; 30 seconds; stir; and the last two steps until almost melted--they will melt when stirred. Don't over microwave.) Dip pretzels in chocolate. Roll in sprinkles. Let dry on rack or aluminum foil. Store in airtight container.Or just eat them all right then.
Chocolate-Dipped Apricots
See above recipe, but use dried apricots instead of pretzels, without the sprinkles or jimmies.
Catching Up
Lots to tell from our busy weekend, only about an hour left to tell it in (Mama's at yet another office party tonight):
Friday--My birthday playgroup, pinatas, and purple frosting
I had a great birthday playgroup, even though lots of people cancelled at the last minute. The remaining few fit perfectly in my house and made the day very happy. Sis had decided minutes before the party that we could indeed use the pinata instead of keeping it as a pet and so we stuffed it full of M&Ms and Tootsie candies (including, Aunt H, the fruit kind, since you had asked). We had fun knocking its head off, literally, with everyone getting a turn and my delivery the final blow (with lots of help from the other moms--this was one stubborn pinata). We then enjoyed chocolate cake with deep purple frosting and rainbow sprinkles, with all the kids helping me blow out the candles (it's a wonder the next plague didn't get its start that day)--one candle for each guest (instead of one for each of my 38 years). Oh, and did I mention that we decorated sugar cookies with frosting and sprinkles? Yep, it was sugar overload at my house. With sherbet punch too! No wonder I've sworn off the stuff now.
Friday--Kids' party at Mama's office and Frosty's sneakers
That afternoon, we headed to Mama's office for the company party, also with cookie decorating (but with brushes to put on the Royal Icing--I'm going to try this at our next groundhog party!). Plus foamie ornament making. And face painting. And Santa, of whom Sis is still deathly afraid (she said all week that she didn't even want to go to the party because he'd be there, but Mama was her protector and Santa was kind enough to steer clear when he saw her cowering). And Frosty, whom Bud befriended right away. He showed Frosty his Thomas the Train "tattoo" and the cookie he decorated and his own picture with Santa. He thought Frosty was cool. Sis, clever Sis, was suspicious--why would a snowman wear shoes? Maybe there was a person in there. She didn't make friends with Frosty, but nor did she cry. He intrigued her, from a distance. And she even braved the clowns to have a white bunny painted on her arm. They both loved the fiber optic wands they took home, waving them in the dark car all the way.
Saturday--see "Christmas in the City, Expanded"
Sunday--Decorating the church for the holidays
This was the final touch of our jam-packed, festivity-filled weekend. We participated in the pageant at church and then attended the soup potluck (I liked the cheesy corn chowder. Didn't realize there was bacon til I got the recipe, below. But yummy!) and tree trimming. Oh what fun the kids had helping with that! We'll be putting up our tree this weekend.
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CHEDDAR CORN CHOWDER (this serves 10 to 12)
8 ounces bacon, chopped
1/4 cup good olive oil
6 cups chopped yellow onions
4 tblsps unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
12 cups chicken stock
6 cups med.diced white boiling potatoes(about 2 pounds)
10 cups corn kernels (fresh 10 ears) or (frozen 3 pounds)
2 cups half-and-half
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese grated.
In large stockpot over med.high heat, cook the bacon and olive oil until the bacon is crisp, about 6 min.. Remove bacon with slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to med. add the onions and butter to pot, and cookfor 15 min, untill onions are translucent.
Stir in the flour, salt....... pepper and turmeric and cook 3 min. Add the checken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 min, until the potatoes are tender. Add the corn to the soup, then add the 1/2&1/2 and cheddar, Cook for 8 more minutes, until the cheese is melted, season to taste with salt and pepper.
serve hot with a garnish of bacon.
Enjoy
Friday--My birthday playgroup, pinatas, and purple frosting
I had a great birthday playgroup, even though lots of people cancelled at the last minute. The remaining few fit perfectly in my house and made the day very happy. Sis had decided minutes before the party that we could indeed use the pinata instead of keeping it as a pet and so we stuffed it full of M&Ms and Tootsie candies (including, Aunt H, the fruit kind, since you had asked). We had fun knocking its head off, literally, with everyone getting a turn and my delivery the final blow (with lots of help from the other moms--this was one stubborn pinata). We then enjoyed chocolate cake with deep purple frosting and rainbow sprinkles, with all the kids helping me blow out the candles (it's a wonder the next plague didn't get its start that day)--one candle for each guest (instead of one for each of my 38 years). Oh, and did I mention that we decorated sugar cookies with frosting and sprinkles? Yep, it was sugar overload at my house. With sherbet punch too! No wonder I've sworn off the stuff now.
Friday--Kids' party at Mama's office and Frosty's sneakers
That afternoon, we headed to Mama's office for the company party, also with cookie decorating (but with brushes to put on the Royal Icing--I'm going to try this at our next groundhog party!). Plus foamie ornament making. And face painting. And Santa, of whom Sis is still deathly afraid (she said all week that she didn't even want to go to the party because he'd be there, but Mama was her protector and Santa was kind enough to steer clear when he saw her cowering). And Frosty, whom Bud befriended right away. He showed Frosty his Thomas the Train "tattoo" and the cookie he decorated and his own picture with Santa. He thought Frosty was cool. Sis, clever Sis, was suspicious--why would a snowman wear shoes? Maybe there was a person in there. She didn't make friends with Frosty, but nor did she cry. He intrigued her, from a distance. And she even braved the clowns to have a white bunny painted on her arm. They both loved the fiber optic wands they took home, waving them in the dark car all the way.
Saturday--see "Christmas in the City, Expanded"
Sunday--Decorating the church for the holidays
This was the final touch of our jam-packed, festivity-filled weekend. We participated in the pageant at church and then attended the soup potluck (I liked the cheesy corn chowder. Didn't realize there was bacon til I got the recipe, below. But yummy!) and tree trimming. Oh what fun the kids had helping with that! We'll be putting up our tree this weekend.
-=-=-=-=-
CHEDDAR CORN CHOWDER (this serves 10 to 12)
8 ounces bacon, chopped
1/4 cup good olive oil
6 cups chopped yellow onions
4 tblsps unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
12 cups chicken stock
6 cups med.diced white boiling potatoes(about 2 pounds)
10 cups corn kernels (fresh 10 ears) or (frozen 3 pounds)
2 cups half-and-half
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese grated.
In large stockpot over med.high heat, cook the bacon and olive oil until the bacon is crisp, about 6 min.. Remove bacon with slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to med. add the onions and butter to pot, and cookfor 15 min, untill onions are translucent.
Stir in the flour, salt....... pepper and turmeric and cook 3 min. Add the checken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 min, until the potatoes are tender. Add the corn to the soup, then add the 1/2&1/2 and cheddar, Cook for 8 more minutes, until the cheese is melted, season to taste with salt and pepper.
serve hot with a garnish of bacon.
Enjoy
Good Morning, Korea!
Miss T and son J have been in Seoul, I'm figuring, about 12 hours now, after what must have been a grueling 14+ hour flight. She's there for her brother's wedding, which is in the next day or so. I hope you are having a wonderful time in your old home and can't wait to hear all about it.
Christmas in the City, Expanded
Here are some notes and observations on what is now our annual trip to the city for the holiday season. The kids have proudly told everyone about their trip to New York City, which means we'll be going again, both for the holidays but also sooner. I guess we're all New Yorkers at heart now (even if Sis said she wouldn't want to live there because of the noise and the number of people).
This year's tree at Rockefeller Center
It didn't seem as tall as in years past but it was just as brightly lit and welcoming. And crowded as time passed. The kids were amazed to see it but, once they had acknowledged that it was the largest Christmas tree they'd ever seen, they were more interested in the . . .
The Zamboni
As Bud has told everyone who asked, he didn't see the skaters because they were making ice with the Zamboni. I think it was his favorite part. Sis's was . . .
Teuscher chocolates
"The chocolate store" is what she's said was her favorite part of the day, when asked. She got a chocolate cat. Bud got a chocolate-dipped apricot. I walked away with a bag full of dark chocolate orange peels/wedges/slices, marzipan, Grand Marnier truffles, and the like. Plus the champagne truffles which are the reason for this annual pilgrimmage. Bud missed half of the visit to the chocolate store because he wanted to see the . . .
Salvation Army tuba player
He loves music. And gave the man a few dollars for his pot. Then I ducked off to visit . . .
Metropolitan Museum of Art bookstore
We couldn't squeeze in a visit to the museum and it's Neapolitan creche, so this was the next best thing. I tootled around looking at various things, until I was late to . . .
St. Patrick's Cathedral nativity and pipe organ
Not as crowded as previous years, and with children old enough to enjoy it, we spent some time admiring the architecture. When we pointed out the rose window to Bud, he noticed the grand pipe organ instead (but wasn't that intersted in hearing it when it started to play later). Sis loved the nativity, even if the baby was missing (I understand that this is a Catholic tradition of not bringing out Jesus until Christmas), and marveled at the size of it and all the animals and the angel. Bud was, however, impatient to get to the . . .
Train at Citigroup Cener--its final year
Our third year to visit with the kids, the train is a highlight of our holiday season and unfortunately is now a victim of the failing economy. Ailing Citigroup says it can't afford to put on the $1 million/year extravaganza next year (I say, charge a small fee and donate any profits to charity and you'll create a lot of goodwill). So this was our last visit. The kids didn't understand that, really, and so just enjoyed looking at the 30+ trains zooming along the 4 different areas, with their different time periods, geographical locations, seasons, and times of day. I tried to soak it all in, remember all the little details. Luckily, we have the DVD and can watch it, because I won't be able to remember all the bits that make it so marvelous. TV can be a great tool, especially when it's . . .
"Mippy" statues
(okay, so that was an inelegant transition) We saw giant white welded metal statues of Miffy the bunny from the TV show Sis likes as we walked to the train. There were also metal sculpture of Hello Kitty and My Melody (i.e. Hello Bunny). Sis and Bud were fascinated. It was our little bit of lagniappe for the day as we had no idea they were there (at the Lever Building on Park). If that was the best unplanned part, the most frustrating was . . .
The bus
On the whole, the bus is a great way to see the city especially when it's freezing outside and the sidewalks are crowded. But we missed a bus as we walked up to the stop, the next one was a limited and didn't stop, and it was then a long time til the next one. We could've walked the 5+ blocks but the kids were tired and cranky. And we thought it would be fun. Which it was when we finally got on, but then we overshot our stop on the way to . . .
FAO Schwartz--bears, hippos, and penguins. Oh, my!
Yes, I did confiscate Mama's credit card as we stood in what seemed a long line (around the building, to the next block!) but actually took no more than 7-10 minutes. I didn't take her parents' cards though and they ended up buying a hippo for Sis and a penguin for Bud. Sis tried to buy me one of the big furry $120 FAO Schwartz bears we saw in the window--she ran inside, told me to wait right there, and then tried to pick it up (I imagine it was 2x as tall as she was and weighed more too) and hand it to me so I could have it. I almost paid for it myself (because, of course, I had all the credit cards!), so sweet was that gesture. But I settled for a momento of the occasion, a small FAO Schwartz bear-in-a-bag for $7 (Sis has since named it Amy the bear and takes care of it for me). On our much more successful bus ride to lunch we saw . . .
5th Avenue--parade of Santas??
That's right, 100s of young men and women (i.e. not professional working Santas) dressed as Santas, plus some elves and even a Grinch. I bet there were 300-500 of them on the sidewalks. Was it a lark? Some kind of charity walkathon? I googled but can't find it. Sis and Bud were fascinated. We all were. And hungry for . . .
lunch at Virgil's
I know, I know, what does a vegetarian eat at her favorite BBQ restaurant 3 buildings down from where she used to live? Lots of french fries with blue cheese dressing and hush puppies with maple butter and sweet tea and some of a shrimp po'boy (because under diress, I did order some seafood. Even I can't order a grilled veggie sandwich at a BBQ joint). Sis devoured her crunchy chicken. Bud loved the pickles, onion rings, flat dogs and bun (which he ate from the side!!), but not the spicy coleslaw (which he otherwise loves). Then we wandered around . . .
Times Square, my old neighborhood
The lights are much brighter there . . . and Bud and Sis were amazed at all the flashing neon signs and tall buildings. I enjoyed seeing what had changed (my old crappy dorm is now a hotel), what was the same (Red Flame diner!). Weirdly, Times Square will always be one of my "homes." But when I was there, it didn't have . . .
Crumbs cupcakes
I finally got to go. And Miss T would've loved it (the cupcakes, anyway. It was just counter service, with not quite enough space for that). We ordered 6 giant gourmet cupcakes, including eggnog (my favorite), hostess (just like those cupcakes, my 2nd favorite; for Sis but she decided not to eat it), mint (kinda creme de menthe-y, my 3rd favorite and Mama's first), M&Ms for Bud, and blackout (for me, but it was mediocre). There were other flavors, but they mostly had nuts, which we weren't getting cos of the kiddos. Across the street was . . .
NYPL--Beedle the Bard, the original manuscript
Oddly, the lions weren't wreathed this year, one of my favorite holiday traditions, but the kids still enjoyed seeing them. Budget cuts? Damage to the lions? We left the kids eating cupcakes outside with Ma and Gong (or so we thought, turns out they waited to eat them at home with us) and ran upstairs to see J.K. Rowling's handwritten and illustrated original manuscript in the catalog room (which still gives us both palpitations from diss time). It was small, beautifully bound, and drawn in . . . blue ink! The page we saw doesn't exist in the mass reprint, and included a bridge over water, a shield, and other details. Just a little treat for us, from our pre-kid selves. Can't wait to share Harry Potter with them. But until then, we shared a . . .
Taxi cab
Yep, after visiting the children's room in the library (a new addition and a welcome one!), where we read Lionni's Tico and the Golden Wings, we knew it was time to head home so we hailed a cab on 42nd and headed back to our car uptown. Bud and Sis loved riding in the cab, with Bud saying "I've never ridden in a cab before." I love riding in cabs, too, Bud. We piled in our own car, parked across from the MoMA and headed out of town, past . . .
Horse-drawn carriages in Central Park
We must have seen 50 of these clip-clopping along CPS, much to Sis's delight as she squealed with each new horse, "a white one! a brown one! another brown one! hey, that one's brown and white!" I think we'll have to add that to our list of things to do next year. And so, with Bud sound asleep and Sis chattering away in the backseat, we watched the rise of . . .
The BIGGEST moon ever
The perfect end to a wonderful day.
This year's tree at Rockefeller Center
It didn't seem as tall as in years past but it was just as brightly lit and welcoming. And crowded as time passed. The kids were amazed to see it but, once they had acknowledged that it was the largest Christmas tree they'd ever seen, they were more interested in the . . .
The Zamboni
As Bud has told everyone who asked, he didn't see the skaters because they were making ice with the Zamboni. I think it was his favorite part. Sis's was . . .
Teuscher chocolates
"The chocolate store" is what she's said was her favorite part of the day, when asked. She got a chocolate cat. Bud got a chocolate-dipped apricot. I walked away with a bag full of dark chocolate orange peels/wedges/slices, marzipan, Grand Marnier truffles, and the like. Plus the champagne truffles which are the reason for this annual pilgrimmage. Bud missed half of the visit to the chocolate store because he wanted to see the . . .
Salvation Army tuba player
He loves music. And gave the man a few dollars for his pot. Then I ducked off to visit . . .
Metropolitan Museum of Art bookstore
We couldn't squeeze in a visit to the museum and it's Neapolitan creche, so this was the next best thing. I tootled around looking at various things, until I was late to . . .
St. Patrick's Cathedral nativity and pipe organ
Not as crowded as previous years, and with children old enough to enjoy it, we spent some time admiring the architecture. When we pointed out the rose window to Bud, he noticed the grand pipe organ instead (but wasn't that intersted in hearing it when it started to play later). Sis loved the nativity, even if the baby was missing (I understand that this is a Catholic tradition of not bringing out Jesus until Christmas), and marveled at the size of it and all the animals and the angel. Bud was, however, impatient to get to the . . .
Train at Citigroup Cener--its final year
Our third year to visit with the kids, the train is a highlight of our holiday season and unfortunately is now a victim of the failing economy. Ailing Citigroup says it can't afford to put on the $1 million/year extravaganza next year (I say, charge a small fee and donate any profits to charity and you'll create a lot of goodwill). So this was our last visit. The kids didn't understand that, really, and so just enjoyed looking at the 30+ trains zooming along the 4 different areas, with their different time periods, geographical locations, seasons, and times of day. I tried to soak it all in, remember all the little details. Luckily, we have the DVD and can watch it, because I won't be able to remember all the bits that make it so marvelous. TV can be a great tool, especially when it's . . .
"Mippy" statues
(okay, so that was an inelegant transition) We saw giant white welded metal statues of Miffy the bunny from the TV show Sis likes as we walked to the train. There were also metal sculpture of Hello Kitty and My Melody (i.e. Hello Bunny). Sis and Bud were fascinated. It was our little bit of lagniappe for the day as we had no idea they were there (at the Lever Building on Park). If that was the best unplanned part, the most frustrating was . . .
The bus
On the whole, the bus is a great way to see the city especially when it's freezing outside and the sidewalks are crowded. But we missed a bus as we walked up to the stop, the next one was a limited and didn't stop, and it was then a long time til the next one. We could've walked the 5+ blocks but the kids were tired and cranky. And we thought it would be fun. Which it was when we finally got on, but then we overshot our stop on the way to . . .
FAO Schwartz--bears, hippos, and penguins. Oh, my!
Yes, I did confiscate Mama's credit card as we stood in what seemed a long line (around the building, to the next block!) but actually took no more than 7-10 minutes. I didn't take her parents' cards though and they ended up buying a hippo for Sis and a penguin for Bud. Sis tried to buy me one of the big furry $120 FAO Schwartz bears we saw in the window--she ran inside, told me to wait right there, and then tried to pick it up (I imagine it was 2x as tall as she was and weighed more too) and hand it to me so I could have it. I almost paid for it myself (because, of course, I had all the credit cards!), so sweet was that gesture. But I settled for a momento of the occasion, a small FAO Schwartz bear-in-a-bag for $7 (Sis has since named it Amy the bear and takes care of it for me). On our much more successful bus ride to lunch we saw . . .
5th Avenue--parade of Santas??
That's right, 100s of young men and women (i.e. not professional working Santas) dressed as Santas, plus some elves and even a Grinch. I bet there were 300-500 of them on the sidewalks. Was it a lark? Some kind of charity walkathon? I googled but can't find it. Sis and Bud were fascinated. We all were. And hungry for . . .
lunch at Virgil's
I know, I know, what does a vegetarian eat at her favorite BBQ restaurant 3 buildings down from where she used to live? Lots of french fries with blue cheese dressing and hush puppies with maple butter and sweet tea and some of a shrimp po'boy (because under diress, I did order some seafood. Even I can't order a grilled veggie sandwich at a BBQ joint). Sis devoured her crunchy chicken. Bud loved the pickles, onion rings, flat dogs and bun (which he ate from the side!!), but not the spicy coleslaw (which he otherwise loves). Then we wandered around . . .
Times Square, my old neighborhood
The lights are much brighter there . . . and Bud and Sis were amazed at all the flashing neon signs and tall buildings. I enjoyed seeing what had changed (my old crappy dorm is now a hotel), what was the same (Red Flame diner!). Weirdly, Times Square will always be one of my "homes." But when I was there, it didn't have . . .
Crumbs cupcakes
I finally got to go. And Miss T would've loved it (the cupcakes, anyway. It was just counter service, with not quite enough space for that). We ordered 6 giant gourmet cupcakes, including eggnog (my favorite), hostess (just like those cupcakes, my 2nd favorite; for Sis but she decided not to eat it), mint (kinda creme de menthe-y, my 3rd favorite and Mama's first), M&Ms for Bud, and blackout (for me, but it was mediocre). There were other flavors, but they mostly had nuts, which we weren't getting cos of the kiddos. Across the street was . . .
NYPL--Beedle the Bard, the original manuscript
Oddly, the lions weren't wreathed this year, one of my favorite holiday traditions, but the kids still enjoyed seeing them. Budget cuts? Damage to the lions? We left the kids eating cupcakes outside with Ma and Gong (or so we thought, turns out they waited to eat them at home with us) and ran upstairs to see J.K. Rowling's handwritten and illustrated original manuscript in the catalog room (which still gives us both palpitations from diss time). It was small, beautifully bound, and drawn in . . . blue ink! The page we saw doesn't exist in the mass reprint, and included a bridge over water, a shield, and other details. Just a little treat for us, from our pre-kid selves. Can't wait to share Harry Potter with them. But until then, we shared a . . .
Taxi cab
Yep, after visiting the children's room in the library (a new addition and a welcome one!), where we read Lionni's Tico and the Golden Wings, we knew it was time to head home so we hailed a cab on 42nd and headed back to our car uptown. Bud and Sis loved riding in the cab, with Bud saying "I've never ridden in a cab before." I love riding in cabs, too, Bud. We piled in our own car, parked across from the MoMA and headed out of town, past . . .
Horse-drawn carriages in Central Park
We must have seen 50 of these clip-clopping along CPS, much to Sis's delight as she squealed with each new horse, "a white one! a brown one! another brown one! hey, that one's brown and white!" I think we'll have to add that to our list of things to do next year. And so, with Bud sound asleep and Sis chattering away in the backseat, we watched the rise of . . .
The BIGGEST moon ever
The perfect end to a wonderful day.
Advent: Small Packages
They say the best things come in small packages.
Today, I received two small packages: white paper lunch bags decorated with green-stamped trees and gingerbread cookies and filled with red paper. Sis made me sit on the couch with my eyes closed while she unwrapped the insides for me and held them up. Bud stood by helpfully.
"Open your eyes!"
And there were two homemade, glitter-filled, painted, wooden wreath ornaments with Sis and Bud's pictures inside. Sis jumped up and down with the ornaments swinging in the air so that I could hardly see the cute pictures, clearly taken on election day when they had their "I voted today" stickers on (that's a good day to commemorate). Sis is staring thoughtfully at the camera in her picture, Bud is laughing and looking away in his, which is pretty typical for both of them. We hung the ornaments on their little fabric trees, that is until Mama came home and was presented with them both all over again.
Good things really do come in small packages.
And in paper bags too.
Today, I received two small packages: white paper lunch bags decorated with green-stamped trees and gingerbread cookies and filled with red paper. Sis made me sit on the couch with my eyes closed while she unwrapped the insides for me and held them up. Bud stood by helpfully.
"Open your eyes!"
And there were two homemade, glitter-filled, painted, wooden wreath ornaments with Sis and Bud's pictures inside. Sis jumped up and down with the ornaments swinging in the air so that I could hardly see the cute pictures, clearly taken on election day when they had their "I voted today" stickers on (that's a good day to commemorate). Sis is staring thoughtfully at the camera in her picture, Bud is laughing and looking away in his, which is pretty typical for both of them. We hung the ornaments on their little fabric trees, that is until Mama came home and was presented with them both all over again.
Good things really do come in small packages.
And in paper bags too.
Monday, December 15, 2008
For All the Cookie Monsters
(from a recent email)
Christmas Cookie Rules
1. If you eat a Christmas cookie fresh out of the oven, it has no calories because everyone knows that the first cookie is the test and thus calorie free.
2. If you drink a diet soda after eating your second cookie, it also has no calories because the diet soda cancels out the cookie calories.
3. If a friend comes over while you are making your Christmas cookies and needs to sample, you must sample with your friend. Because your friend's first cookie is calories free - rule #1 applies to your friend. It would be rude to let your friend sample alone, and being the friend that you are makes your cookie calorie free.
4. Any cookie calories consumed while walking around will fall to your feet and eventually fall off as you move. This is due to gravity and the density of the caloric mass.
5. Any calories consumed during the frosting of the Christmas cookies will be used up because it takes many calories to lick excess frosting from a knife without cutting your tongue.
6. Cookies colored red or green have very few calories. Red ones have 3 and green ones have 5 - one calorie for each letter. Make more red ones!
7. Cookies eaten while watching Miracle on 34th Street have no calories because they are part of the entertainment package and not part of one's personal fuel.
8. As always, cookie pieces contain no calories because the process of breaking causes calorie leakage.
9. Any cookies consumed from someone else's plate has no calories since the calories rightfully belong to the other person and will cling to their plate. We all know how calories like to CLING!And finally...
10. Any cookies consumed while feeling stressed have no calories because cookies used for medicinal purposes NEVER have calories!
Christmas Cookie Rules
1. If you eat a Christmas cookie fresh out of the oven, it has no calories because everyone knows that the first cookie is the test and thus calorie free.
2. If you drink a diet soda after eating your second cookie, it also has no calories because the diet soda cancels out the cookie calories.
3. If a friend comes over while you are making your Christmas cookies and needs to sample, you must sample with your friend. Because your friend's first cookie is calories free - rule #1 applies to your friend. It would be rude to let your friend sample alone, and being the friend that you are makes your cookie calorie free.
4. Any cookie calories consumed while walking around will fall to your feet and eventually fall off as you move. This is due to gravity and the density of the caloric mass.
5. Any calories consumed during the frosting of the Christmas cookies will be used up because it takes many calories to lick excess frosting from a knife without cutting your tongue.
6. Cookies colored red or green have very few calories. Red ones have 3 and green ones have 5 - one calorie for each letter. Make more red ones!
7. Cookies eaten while watching Miracle on 34th Street have no calories because they are part of the entertainment package and not part of one's personal fuel.
8. As always, cookie pieces contain no calories because the process of breaking causes calorie leakage.
9. Any cookies consumed from someone else's plate has no calories since the calories rightfully belong to the other person and will cling to their plate. We all know how calories like to CLING!And finally...
10. Any cookies consumed while feeling stressed have no calories because cookies used for medicinal purposes NEVER have calories!
Advent: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Maya, Mary, and Ching-Tsae.
Elephants, angels, and dragons.
Angels, musicians, sages, immortals, shepherds, wisemen, counselors, unicorns.
Buddha, Jesus, and Confucius.
And the friendly beasts, including a hippo and a penquin.
Yep, we were in our first Christmas pageant today. And we didn't even know we were going to be.
Focusing on the miraculous births of these three great teachers, the pageant used volunteers from the congregation instead of rehearsed actors. Sis and Bud sat mesmerized for the first half of the show, watching the costume changes behind us in the back of the sanctuary (we always sit in the last row, which was taken up by props today) and by all the people we know acting silly. And Bud liked the hymns. When they called for volunteers to be the musicians, I asked Sis and Bud if they wanted to participate. A big no.
But when they asked for "friendly beasts" towards the end, they were ready to go. They didn't need the stuffed beasts they offered. No. They had their own. So we marched up the center aisle with Bud carrying his new penguin "Pengin" and Sis carrying her new hippo "Hippo," both adopted from FAO Schwartz yesterday and introduced to everyone we met this morning (they are so proud and excited). And they marched them up the aisle and held them tightly as we all sang "Friendly Beasts" (which, for coincidence's sake, was the song I sang a solo in for 5th grade choir. I was the dove)--Bud was busy watching his RE teacher play an instrument and sing while Sis was absorbed by the entire congregation in front of her. By the end of the play, when we sang "This Little Light of Mine," they had relaxed some and Sis even swayed some to the music. It really was the best pageant ever.
And when it was all over, like probably every young pageant participant in the history of Christmas plays, they rushed the food table.
Elephants, angels, and dragons.
Angels, musicians, sages, immortals, shepherds, wisemen, counselors, unicorns.
Buddha, Jesus, and Confucius.
And the friendly beasts, including a hippo and a penquin.
Yep, we were in our first Christmas pageant today. And we didn't even know we were going to be.
Focusing on the miraculous births of these three great teachers, the pageant used volunteers from the congregation instead of rehearsed actors. Sis and Bud sat mesmerized for the first half of the show, watching the costume changes behind us in the back of the sanctuary (we always sit in the last row, which was taken up by props today) and by all the people we know acting silly. And Bud liked the hymns. When they called for volunteers to be the musicians, I asked Sis and Bud if they wanted to participate. A big no.
But when they asked for "friendly beasts" towards the end, they were ready to go. They didn't need the stuffed beasts they offered. No. They had their own. So we marched up the center aisle with Bud carrying his new penguin "Pengin" and Sis carrying her new hippo "Hippo," both adopted from FAO Schwartz yesterday and introduced to everyone we met this morning (they are so proud and excited). And they marched them up the aisle and held them tightly as we all sang "Friendly Beasts" (which, for coincidence's sake, was the song I sang a solo in for 5th grade choir. I was the dove)--Bud was busy watching his RE teacher play an instrument and sing while Sis was absorbed by the entire congregation in front of her. By the end of the play, when we sang "This Little Light of Mine," they had relaxed some and Sis even swayed some to the music. It really was the best pageant ever.
And when it was all over, like probably every young pageant participant in the history of Christmas plays, they rushed the food table.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Advent: Trimming the Tree
What fun the kiddos had at church today decorating the tree! Bud and Sis must have put up 50 ornaments each--all on the lowest branches of the tree! At least there were adults who could then decorate the upper branches. Even when all the ornaments were gone, Bud kept looking for things to hang on the tree. Poor boy. He just ran out of decorations. Sis really enjoyed handing ornaments to the adults on chairs, as well as hanging them up herself.
We were hoping that by decorating the church tree, we could avoid makng a big deal out of our tree. See, the cats, while 1 1/2 years old, are still quite kittenish and will eat the tree, the lighting wires, and any ornaments. We'd talked about covering the tree with sheets or moving it to the porch at night when we can't watch the cats. But none of it was satisfactory. We finally decided, after talking to the kids, that we would put up the tree close to Christmas Eve and let Santa decorate it that night, at least for this year. The kids were excited about this idea so that was our plan. So, we were excited to give them the chance to decorate the church tree at least. The kids loved decorating so much, however, that now we are revisiting the best way to have a tree.
My mom always installed? set up? the tree while we were at school, getting it in its place (it was always a plastic tree when I was a little girl, then mostly a real tree once we moved when I was in high school), getting all the boxes of decorations out of the attic, and stringing the (always colored) lights. Sometimes we would help with the ornaments; during the college years, I think she did them. There were always some . . . disagreements . . . between my sister and me over the felt-and-sequins ornmanents my great-grandma M had made, mainly whose were whose. Sometimes that made group decorating a little stressful. I'm not sure it's ever been resolved; it seems to matter less now. But then, we haven't shared a Christmas tree since, what, 1999? I don't remember when my last holiday in Houston was (it was after Mama and I got together by at least a few years).
There were always ornaments that I thought of as special (read "mine"): the glass nativity my "aunt" D gave me years ago; the painted wooden angel that Mom made me when I was little, as well as the painted wooden heart with my name on it; those great-grandma ornaments (I will not detail which sets here so as not to reopen that). I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting. And then there was always the porcelain angel from Bammie (Gommie's mother) that sat on the mantle that she had given me before she died (when I was 4). It's beautiful and plays lovely music.
I also had my own little tree, usually kept in my bedroom, from my great-grandma M, complete with little tree skirt and homemade puffy fabric hearts ornaments. I love those puffy hearts. Except I haven't seen them in awhile and don't know if they are in Houston or are here. We need to find those. We got the kids their own little Hallmark trees made of fabric with big buttons that have sets of puffy animal ornaments. They've discontinued selling the trees and ornaments, but you can use almost any fabric ornament with a bit loop.
Maybe I need to look for those puffy hearts again . . . Not that we're going to hang them up--the cats would love all the lace!
We were hoping that by decorating the church tree, we could avoid makng a big deal out of our tree. See, the cats, while 1 1/2 years old, are still quite kittenish and will eat the tree, the lighting wires, and any ornaments. We'd talked about covering the tree with sheets or moving it to the porch at night when we can't watch the cats. But none of it was satisfactory. We finally decided, after talking to the kids, that we would put up the tree close to Christmas Eve and let Santa decorate it that night, at least for this year. The kids were excited about this idea so that was our plan. So, we were excited to give them the chance to decorate the church tree at least. The kids loved decorating so much, however, that now we are revisiting the best way to have a tree.
My mom always installed? set up? the tree while we were at school, getting it in its place (it was always a plastic tree when I was a little girl, then mostly a real tree once we moved when I was in high school), getting all the boxes of decorations out of the attic, and stringing the (always colored) lights. Sometimes we would help with the ornaments; during the college years, I think she did them. There were always some . . . disagreements . . . between my sister and me over the felt-and-sequins ornmanents my great-grandma M had made, mainly whose were whose. Sometimes that made group decorating a little stressful. I'm not sure it's ever been resolved; it seems to matter less now. But then, we haven't shared a Christmas tree since, what, 1999? I don't remember when my last holiday in Houston was (it was after Mama and I got together by at least a few years).
There were always ornaments that I thought of as special (read "mine"): the glass nativity my "aunt" D gave me years ago; the painted wooden angel that Mom made me when I was little, as well as the painted wooden heart with my name on it; those great-grandma ornaments (I will not detail which sets here so as not to reopen that). I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting. And then there was always the porcelain angel from Bammie (Gommie's mother) that sat on the mantle that she had given me before she died (when I was 4). It's beautiful and plays lovely music.
I also had my own little tree, usually kept in my bedroom, from my great-grandma M, complete with little tree skirt and homemade puffy fabric hearts ornaments. I love those puffy hearts. Except I haven't seen them in awhile and don't know if they are in Houston or are here. We need to find those. We got the kids their own little Hallmark trees made of fabric with big buttons that have sets of puffy animal ornaments. They've discontinued selling the trees and ornaments, but you can use almost any fabric ornament with a bit loop.
Maybe I need to look for those puffy hearts again . . . Not that we're going to hang them up--the cats would love all the lace!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Advent: Christmas in the City
. . . was today. But we're exhausted. I'll post later on:
And a get well soon to Mama Teacher.
- this year's tree at Rockefeller Center
- the Zamboni
- Teuscher chocolates
- Salvation Army tuba player
- Metropolitan Museum of Art bookstore
- St. Patrick's Cathedral nativity and pipe organ
- Train at Citigroup Cener--its final year
- "Mippy" statues
- the bus
- FAO Schwartz--bears, hippos, and penguins. Oh, my!
- 5th Avenue--parade of Santas??
- lunch at Virgil's
- Times Square, my old neighborhood
- Crumbs cupcakes
- NYPL--Beedle the Bard, the original manuscript
- taxi cabs
- horse-drawn carriages in Central Park
- the BIGGEST moon ever
- my birthday playgroup, pinatas, and purple frosting
- kids' party at Mama's office and Frosty's sneakers
- decorating the church for the holidays
And a get well soon to Mama Teacher.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Hooked on Mama
My whole family knows I'm terrible about waiting til my birthday to open presents (which is why I'm guessing Gommie has hidden my package amid all the ones we've received for the kids' Christmas! Come on, I've only opened Pop's card, Aunt P's package, and Mama Teacher's gift card!!). But Mama is worse than I am: she made me open my birthday present this evening; she was so excited she couldn't wait any longer (mainly because she had warned me this wasn't a gift I could open in front of the kids).
Stop your dirty mind.
She gave me a beautiful handmade oak case with 5 hand-turned, nineteenth-century inspired crochet hooks in different woods. Gorgeous. And easily broken by enthusiastic three-year olds. I can't wait to use them.
Thank you, Mama. I love them. And you.
Stop your dirty mind.
She gave me a beautiful handmade oak case with 5 hand-turned, nineteenth-century inspired crochet hooks in different woods. Gorgeous. And easily broken by enthusiastic three-year olds. I can't wait to use them.
Thank you, Mama. I love them. And you.
Advent: Holiday Birthdays
Don't feel sorry for those of us with December birthdays. I've always been convinced that more people remember because they have something tangible to connect it to. It might not be the exact date they recall, but they know it's around here somewhere. And oftentimes, at least when I was a kid, I think that meant I got more birthday presents from people who might not otherwise remember. Now, it just means that my gifts all come to me in one month and by, say, May or June, I'm tempted to buy things for myself because it'll be six months until I get another present (though, now there's Mother's Day, which means I'm covered!) It's not really about presents for me anymore; I just like to celebrate. Which is why I'm hosting my own birthday party with the kids. And making chocolate cake with purple frosting!!! And Sis has requested games . . . it'll be great. "It's my birthday and I'll party if I want to!"
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Planning a Wedding in One Day
7:00 a.m. While brushing teeth, decide with Mama that we will play "Lover's Waltz" by Jay Ungar (which we have on CD) during the ceremony.
9:00 a.m. Stop by bakery, order cake: two-tier (with Grecian columns!), all white, except a few deep purple roses with dark green leaves (purple for me; dark green for Mama). Chocolate cake for Sis, with strawberry jam filling for Bud--having kids changes how you plan a wedding. This takes about 10 minutes. Note to self: buy a cake topper. Remember my Vera Wang cake service set, one of our only civil union gifts--take that to church. Or not.
9:15 a.m. Stop by florist and discuss nosegay for Sis to carry.
10:30 a.m. Confirm pastoral visit with minister to discuss final plans. Mainly, that the ceremony will be sometime in the afternoon of Christmas Eve, before Vespers, but using the existing decorations which will be up by then (candles, flowers, lit tree). Just us, pretty much. Maybe someone from church to take pictures. With two 3 year olds as ring bearer/flower girl/attendants, the ceremony won't take long at all and will be very casual. Then Vespers, then potluck supper with congregation--the wedding cake is our potluck contribution. And then we have to do Christmas lights with the kids, finish off Christmas Eve, and get ready for Christmas. The honeymoon is over.
[parenting takes place the rest of the day]
7:00 p.m. Go wedding dress shopping with Mama Teacher (thanks a whole bunch!!), surprise staff with a). decision to wear a color, i.e. a bridesmaid's dress, and not white b). date of wedding in 13 days and c). wearing flats, specifically my tennis shoes--it's my wedding and I'll wear what I want to (we didn't even get to "there are two brides" but that would've surprised them too.). Choose the first dress I try on, though I tried on a few more, including a white merengue one. It's perfect, and since I'm not superstitious and have told Mama already, it's purple with a fitted bodice and a train!! (Bud will be disappointed when he realizes that word has two meanings, but he's wearing trains on his sweater that night.) And it was on super sale!!! Alterations cost more than the dress did. (Gommie it was even faster than buying my bridesmaid's dress this summer!! And cheaper.)
8:00 p.m. Head to craft store: buy ring bearer pillow and cake topper (two entwined silver hearts). Spot a few baskets for Sis's flowers. Will let Mama decide between nosegay or basket.
10:00 p.m. Get home. Talk with Mama. We need to find readings or vows. Or not. I realize I should've bought a wedding cake stamp to make a few invitations/annoucements. I did buy a wedding cake cookie cutter, in case the mood strikes me to make some cookies for the evening. Or the reception. Not sure about a reception yet, but that would be later in the spring anyway. Maybe a big picnic in May?? Something extremely casual, family-oriented, outside with things for the kiddos to do, even potluck??!! Who knows. As for registering, I'm just not sure that's us (though we laughed and said that we could register at the bookstore and be more than happy!).
11:45 p.m. In bed blogging about it all. Pretty much done. Good night.
9:00 a.m. Stop by bakery, order cake: two-tier (with Grecian columns!), all white, except a few deep purple roses with dark green leaves (purple for me; dark green for Mama). Chocolate cake for Sis, with strawberry jam filling for Bud--having kids changes how you plan a wedding. This takes about 10 minutes. Note to self: buy a cake topper. Remember my Vera Wang cake service set, one of our only civil union gifts--take that to church. Or not.
9:15 a.m. Stop by florist and discuss nosegay for Sis to carry.
10:30 a.m. Confirm pastoral visit with minister to discuss final plans. Mainly, that the ceremony will be sometime in the afternoon of Christmas Eve, before Vespers, but using the existing decorations which will be up by then (candles, flowers, lit tree). Just us, pretty much. Maybe someone from church to take pictures. With two 3 year olds as ring bearer/flower girl/attendants, the ceremony won't take long at all and will be very casual. Then Vespers, then potluck supper with congregation--the wedding cake is our potluck contribution. And then we have to do Christmas lights with the kids, finish off Christmas Eve, and get ready for Christmas. The honeymoon is over.
[parenting takes place the rest of the day]
7:00 p.m. Go wedding dress shopping with Mama Teacher (thanks a whole bunch!!), surprise staff with a). decision to wear a color, i.e. a bridesmaid's dress, and not white b). date of wedding in 13 days and c). wearing flats, specifically my tennis shoes--it's my wedding and I'll wear what I want to (we didn't even get to "there are two brides" but that would've surprised them too.). Choose the first dress I try on, though I tried on a few more, including a white merengue one. It's perfect, and since I'm not superstitious and have told Mama already, it's purple with a fitted bodice and a train!! (Bud will be disappointed when he realizes that word has two meanings, but he's wearing trains on his sweater that night.) And it was on super sale!!! Alterations cost more than the dress did. (Gommie it was even faster than buying my bridesmaid's dress this summer!! And cheaper.)
8:00 p.m. Head to craft store: buy ring bearer pillow and cake topper (two entwined silver hearts). Spot a few baskets for Sis's flowers. Will let Mama decide between nosegay or basket.
10:00 p.m. Get home. Talk with Mama. We need to find readings or vows. Or not. I realize I should've bought a wedding cake stamp to make a few invitations/annoucements. I did buy a wedding cake cookie cutter, in case the mood strikes me to make some cookies for the evening. Or the reception. Not sure about a reception yet, but that would be later in the spring anyway. Maybe a big picnic in May?? Something extremely casual, family-oriented, outside with things for the kiddos to do, even potluck??!! Who knows. As for registering, I'm just not sure that's us (though we laughed and said that we could register at the bookstore and be more than happy!).
11:45 p.m. In bed blogging about it all. Pretty much done. Good night.
Like Mommy, Like Daughter
We went to the store this afternoon to buy supplies for my birthday party. And we ended up on the birthday aisle with the pinatas. Sis and Bud have seen a couple of pinatas in action and were excited about my having one. So, we chose a rainbow horse/donkey.
Oh, if only I had remembered my own childhood faster, I would never have bought it.
See, I had a Raggedy Ann pinata as a little girl. I think we bought it in San Antonio because I have this strange memory of it in my aunt's house. But it got back to Houston and remained unused. For years. In my closet. Safe.
Well, Sis doesn't want us to use her horsey, now. We can put the candy we bought in a bowl to pass out at the party, she said. I really should've seen this coming. Only, Sis doesn't have a closet. The horse is on the piano. No doubt it will have a name soon.
Sigh.
Oh, if only I had remembered my own childhood faster, I would never have bought it.
See, I had a Raggedy Ann pinata as a little girl. I think we bought it in San Antonio because I have this strange memory of it in my aunt's house. But it got back to Houston and remained unused. For years. In my closet. Safe.
Well, Sis doesn't want us to use her horsey, now. We can put the candy we bought in a bowl to pass out at the party, she said. I really should've seen this coming. Only, Sis doesn't have a closet. The horse is on the piano. No doubt it will have a name soon.
Sigh.
Advent: Christmas Songs
"There was one, there were two, there were three little angels in a band. Oh wasn't that a Tuesday morning?"
This has been the refrain at our house since preschool on Tuesday, where they sang this song about angels in a band on Tuesday morning. I'd never heard it before and it sounded like quite an odd song, but I just googled it and found out it's a real, traditional Christmas song:
TEN LITTLE ANGELS(Traditional / Arr. Hap Palmer)
One glorious Christmas morning
Ten angels did appear
And each one held an instrument
Carefully made by hand
First they counted off to ten
Playing one by one
Then they played together
In a joyful Angel Band
There was one, there were two,
There were three little angels
There were four, there were five,
There were six little angels
There were seven, there were eight,
There were nine little angels
Ten little angels in the band.
Oh, wasn't that a band, Christmas morning
Christmas morning, Christmas morning,
Wasn't that a band, Christmas morning
Ten little angels in the band
I shouldn't have doubted. There are a bajillion Christmas songs. I've even heard about two new ones this year, "Christmas in East Haven" and one called the "Twelve Days of Christmas" about all that can go wrong. Sure, these are comic songs, not traditional ones, more in the vein of "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" or even Adam Sandler's hilarious "Hanukkah Song." But every now and then that's great. For me, it beats the thousandth rendition of (one of my favorite carols) "O Holy Night" by this year's diva.
Which is to say, I don't usually listen to the Christmas marathons on the radio. I can only hear my favorites "Last Christmas" and "Do They Know It's Christmas?" so many times in one day. Back when those songs came out, they were about the only Christmas tunes that got play on Top 40 radio (why was it 40?), which didn't switch formats for a month back then. I think I like the olden days.
But I love Christmas music. "O Holy Night," "Here We go a Wassailing," "Good King Wenceslas" (the first song I could play on the piano), "Winter Wonderland," "Greensleeves," "Holly and the Ivy," and "Carol of the Bells." My favorite artist is Johnny Mathis, whose album my folks frequently played. Then there were the popular renditions of Christmas standards from their youth and young adulthood--"White Christmas," "Jingle Bell Rock," "Frosty the Snowman,"--you know, the songs that Time-Life puts together on one CD. Those are the "right" versions for me. At the time, radio would go all-Christmas just for Christmas Eve and Christmas day, and we'd listen to it as we drove around looking at lights, with Dad or Mom changing the station if a song we didn't know and couldn't sing to came along.
Because that's the point with Christmas songs: singing along together. It's pretty much the only time of year that we still encourage amateur singing in groups, besides birthdays. No one cares if you aren't a virtuoso when you're singing "Rudolph;" it's all about how well you know the cutesy add-ons (you know, reindeer playing Monopoly or Christopher Columbus and all that). It's about passion, enthusiasm, fearlessness, joy. Which is why the most popular part of my family's annual big Christmas gathering (which happened last weekend, though we missed it for the umpeenth time) is the singalong that my mom started years ago with photocopied songsheets. The favorite carol? "Twelve Days of Christmas" and how well you can cheerfully sing the "5 golden rings" part. If memory serves, each family or grouping gets a number and sings it as their turn comes up. My parents are both great singers in that they love to sing, can carry a tune (not, you know, in a professional way but they aren't tone deaf either; sometimes they've been known to try harmony), sing out, and remember (most of) the words. As I've said, I'm a great Girl Scout singer for the same reasons--indifferent voice but with lots of happiness and a memory for a wide range of songs (Mama is much more shy but sings very well, not that I think you'll ever get to hear her, unless you catch her singing with the kids. And if she were to sing, it would be "Do You Hear What I Hear?" with the little lamb).
And so, we're trying to do a lot of singing around here this year. Yesterday, "Frosty" came on the radio (I guess those Christmas marathons are coming in handy this year) and I pulled out our book and we followed along. Sis and Bud were mesmerized. I'm not sure they thought that other people sang our "Frosty" book song. It was fun, even the second and third times. And Vespers at our church is all carols that pretty much everyone knows. So we'll have a good time singing there.
I hope it carries over into the new year. I just bought a book, Rise Up Singing, that has the words (but not the music) to 1500 popular songs (Gommie, I'll bet you know a lot of them). I'm hoping it will help me remember to encourage group singing. And give me the words to lead by. Until then, I'm safe with most Christmas songs. And I'll be practicing this little angel band one.
This has been the refrain at our house since preschool on Tuesday, where they sang this song about angels in a band on Tuesday morning. I'd never heard it before and it sounded like quite an odd song, but I just googled it and found out it's a real, traditional Christmas song:
TEN LITTLE ANGELS(Traditional / Arr. Hap Palmer)
One glorious Christmas morning
Ten angels did appear
And each one held an instrument
Carefully made by hand
First they counted off to ten
Playing one by one
Then they played together
In a joyful Angel Band
There was one, there were two,
There were three little angels
There were four, there were five,
There were six little angels
There were seven, there were eight,
There were nine little angels
Ten little angels in the band.
Oh, wasn't that a band, Christmas morning
Christmas morning, Christmas morning,
Wasn't that a band, Christmas morning
Ten little angels in the band
I shouldn't have doubted. There are a bajillion Christmas songs. I've even heard about two new ones this year, "Christmas in East Haven" and one called the "Twelve Days of Christmas" about all that can go wrong. Sure, these are comic songs, not traditional ones, more in the vein of "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" or even Adam Sandler's hilarious "Hanukkah Song." But every now and then that's great. For me, it beats the thousandth rendition of (one of my favorite carols) "O Holy Night" by this year's diva.
Which is to say, I don't usually listen to the Christmas marathons on the radio. I can only hear my favorites "Last Christmas" and "Do They Know It's Christmas?" so many times in one day. Back when those songs came out, they were about the only Christmas tunes that got play on Top 40 radio (why was it 40?), which didn't switch formats for a month back then. I think I like the olden days.
But I love Christmas music. "O Holy Night," "Here We go a Wassailing," "Good King Wenceslas" (the first song I could play on the piano), "Winter Wonderland," "Greensleeves," "Holly and the Ivy," and "Carol of the Bells." My favorite artist is Johnny Mathis, whose album my folks frequently played. Then there were the popular renditions of Christmas standards from their youth and young adulthood--"White Christmas," "Jingle Bell Rock," "Frosty the Snowman,"--you know, the songs that Time-Life puts together on one CD. Those are the "right" versions for me. At the time, radio would go all-Christmas just for Christmas Eve and Christmas day, and we'd listen to it as we drove around looking at lights, with Dad or Mom changing the station if a song we didn't know and couldn't sing to came along.
Because that's the point with Christmas songs: singing along together. It's pretty much the only time of year that we still encourage amateur singing in groups, besides birthdays. No one cares if you aren't a virtuoso when you're singing "Rudolph;" it's all about how well you know the cutesy add-ons (you know, reindeer playing Monopoly or Christopher Columbus and all that). It's about passion, enthusiasm, fearlessness, joy. Which is why the most popular part of my family's annual big Christmas gathering (which happened last weekend, though we missed it for the umpeenth time) is the singalong that my mom started years ago with photocopied songsheets. The favorite carol? "Twelve Days of Christmas" and how well you can cheerfully sing the "5 golden rings" part. If memory serves, each family or grouping gets a number and sings it as their turn comes up. My parents are both great singers in that they love to sing, can carry a tune (not, you know, in a professional way but they aren't tone deaf either; sometimes they've been known to try harmony), sing out, and remember (most of) the words. As I've said, I'm a great Girl Scout singer for the same reasons--indifferent voice but with lots of happiness and a memory for a wide range of songs (Mama is much more shy but sings very well, not that I think you'll ever get to hear her, unless you catch her singing with the kids. And if she were to sing, it would be "Do You Hear What I Hear?" with the little lamb).
And so, we're trying to do a lot of singing around here this year. Yesterday, "Frosty" came on the radio (I guess those Christmas marathons are coming in handy this year) and I pulled out our book and we followed along. Sis and Bud were mesmerized. I'm not sure they thought that other people sang our "Frosty" book song. It was fun, even the second and third times. And Vespers at our church is all carols that pretty much everyone knows. So we'll have a good time singing there.
I hope it carries over into the new year. I just bought a book, Rise Up Singing, that has the words (but not the music) to 1500 popular songs (Gommie, I'll bet you know a lot of them). I'm hoping it will help me remember to encourage group singing. And give me the words to lead by. Until then, I'm safe with most Christmas songs. And I'll be practicing this little angel band one.
Another Miracle?
Several years ago, it snowed in South Texas on Christmas. They dubbed it the "Christmas Miracle."
Well, folks, it snowed in Houston last night!
Well, folks, it snowed in Houston last night!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Advent: Decorations
I grew up in a house that decorated in a minimalist way for Christmas: lights on a few bushes using Pop's famous castnet approach, maybe a wreath on the door, only later a cute wooden cutout snowman (after the painted newspaper angels from my grandmother that used to sit in a window had deteriorated). Inside, we had a tree, later a nativity, some candles, a little greenery, a Santa Christmas card holder. Spare, tasteful, effective.
But nearby, there was a neighborhood renowned for its lights extravaganza. I understand you were required to agree to decorating when you moved in, something about the homeowner's association. It was fantastic . . . to visit, though we always wondered how the neighborhood coped with traffic from dusk til late, to the point that emergency vehicles would never be able to get in. But as a kid, I didn't care: there streets featuring the Night Before Christmas, Twelve Days of Christmas, Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, Christmas around the world, stuff like that--10-12 houses on a block all with matching cut-outs and a progressive narrative. One house, though I don't remember it being a whole block, even had carousel horses. It was beautiful. Fantastic. Spirited. And every year, even if we didn't often visit that crazy neighborhood, we would drive around singing carols and drinking eggnog, appreciating the decorating enthusiasm of our neighbors.
But we don't decorate like that. First, because we don't have an external plug for any decorations in front (or a doorbell), unless we run it from the back porch. Secondly, there aren't many decorations we like. I like those wooden cutouts over any inflatable or lit, moving wire critter now popular, but you can't really seem to find them up here. I wonder if it's a Texas thing? Maybe because snow would rot wood pretty quickly?? Thirdly, we never seem to get organized in time. This year, I just erased the ghosts and spiders off the front windows today. But we did spend the morning painting on a tree, a mantle with stockings and presents below, a snowfriend, and Santa (which Sis promptly decided I should remove, after she had lobbied heavily for it). We remembered to hang out our snowman twirly-whirly flag yesterday. But our wreath is still on the front porch, waiting for Mama to affix to the house. And since Albus tried to eat that wreath when he got out on the porch, I imagine it will be awhile til our tree goes up.
While I miss the wooden cutouts of my youth (which don't "die" in the mornings--our whole town looks like some kind of Christmas massacre until dusk--or blow over when it's windy), I do love the look of those 18th-century houses with the single candle in each window and perhaps a wreath on the door, especially if there is snow on the ground. Really, snow is the most beautiful decoration there is, though there is rarely a white Christmas. And, since we don't have a colonial, we'll keep painting the windows with bright illustrations and maybe string some lights if we can work out the wiring. I'll leave the inflatables to my neighbor across the way, who now has seven. And his isn't the most in town.
It's great by me . . . as long as traffic doesn't increase!
But nearby, there was a neighborhood renowned for its lights extravaganza. I understand you were required to agree to decorating when you moved in, something about the homeowner's association. It was fantastic . . . to visit, though we always wondered how the neighborhood coped with traffic from dusk til late, to the point that emergency vehicles would never be able to get in. But as a kid, I didn't care: there streets featuring the Night Before Christmas, Twelve Days of Christmas, Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, Christmas around the world, stuff like that--10-12 houses on a block all with matching cut-outs and a progressive narrative. One house, though I don't remember it being a whole block, even had carousel horses. It was beautiful. Fantastic. Spirited. And every year, even if we didn't often visit that crazy neighborhood, we would drive around singing carols and drinking eggnog, appreciating the decorating enthusiasm of our neighbors.
But we don't decorate like that. First, because we don't have an external plug for any decorations in front (or a doorbell), unless we run it from the back porch. Secondly, there aren't many decorations we like. I like those wooden cutouts over any inflatable or lit, moving wire critter now popular, but you can't really seem to find them up here. I wonder if it's a Texas thing? Maybe because snow would rot wood pretty quickly?? Thirdly, we never seem to get organized in time. This year, I just erased the ghosts and spiders off the front windows today. But we did spend the morning painting on a tree, a mantle with stockings and presents below, a snowfriend, and Santa (which Sis promptly decided I should remove, after she had lobbied heavily for it). We remembered to hang out our snowman twirly-whirly flag yesterday. But our wreath is still on the front porch, waiting for Mama to affix to the house. And since Albus tried to eat that wreath when he got out on the porch, I imagine it will be awhile til our tree goes up.
While I miss the wooden cutouts of my youth (which don't "die" in the mornings--our whole town looks like some kind of Christmas massacre until dusk--or blow over when it's windy), I do love the look of those 18th-century houses with the single candle in each window and perhaps a wreath on the door, especially if there is snow on the ground. Really, snow is the most beautiful decoration there is, though there is rarely a white Christmas. And, since we don't have a colonial, we'll keep painting the windows with bright illustrations and maybe string some lights if we can work out the wiring. I'll leave the inflatables to my neighbor across the way, who now has seven. And his isn't the most in town.
It's great by me . . . as long as traffic doesn't increase!
Three's a Curse
1. I came down this morning and noticed that the fridge door was ajar. The light wasn't on, but it was open. Hopefully, I called Mama, who had already left for work, to see if she had opened the fridge this morning. Nope. (It has a lock, so only an adult could have opened it.)
The fridge thermometer read 54F.
Ugh.
Searches on the web told me that everything but the jams and jellies and eggs and hard cheeses should go. So much food from a recent trip to the wholesale wharehouse: 2 cartons of milk, 4 cartons of eggbeaters, yogurt, ricotta, deli meat, and other things. Oh, the food. Oh, the money. And we'll be lucky if we didn't burn out the motor of the fridge.
But each time I put something in the trash I felt it. Too warm. Even the stuff in the back of the fridge, like that spare carton of milk, weren't all that cold as I poured them out. The butter is the room temperature that you bake with. I guess we'll be making sugar cookies later today, as long as they don't need milk. I haven't tossed the American cheese yet--it's not really food. We'll see if it smells in a day or two. I've turned down the temp and closed the door with hopes that the temperature drops soon.
Extra-frustrating? We haven't had breakfast yet, so no yogurt, no milk with cereal, no coffee with milk.
2. So, I was maneuvering to take the two bags of garbage down the basement stairs and out the door (into the rain) and Albus got into the basement. Never a good place for the cat, or for the person trying to catch him. It's got great hiding places and stuff everywhere like an obstacle course.
But I eventually caught him and got him back upstairs. And got the garbage out the door.
3. Only to lock myself out of the house. In my rush to catch the cat and get the garbage out, I closed the side door, which locks automatically. The kids were inside. I had no key, no open door, no unlocked window, no cell phone.
I went around front and luckily the porch door was unlocked. I went inside and knocked on the window. What a fun game, the kids thought. I asked Bud, who knows how to open the front door if it's unbolted, to open the front door. It was bolted. He came back to the window and I asked him to try to swing the very stiff latch.
Thankfully, with two hands, Bud could unlock the window. And I managed to crawl through.
At least there was applause.
The fridge thermometer read 54F.
Ugh.
Searches on the web told me that everything but the jams and jellies and eggs and hard cheeses should go. So much food from a recent trip to the wholesale wharehouse: 2 cartons of milk, 4 cartons of eggbeaters, yogurt, ricotta, deli meat, and other things. Oh, the food. Oh, the money. And we'll be lucky if we didn't burn out the motor of the fridge.
But each time I put something in the trash I felt it. Too warm. Even the stuff in the back of the fridge, like that spare carton of milk, weren't all that cold as I poured them out. The butter is the room temperature that you bake with. I guess we'll be making sugar cookies later today, as long as they don't need milk. I haven't tossed the American cheese yet--it's not really food. We'll see if it smells in a day or two. I've turned down the temp and closed the door with hopes that the temperature drops soon.
Extra-frustrating? We haven't had breakfast yet, so no yogurt, no milk with cereal, no coffee with milk.
2. So, I was maneuvering to take the two bags of garbage down the basement stairs and out the door (into the rain) and Albus got into the basement. Never a good place for the cat, or for the person trying to catch him. It's got great hiding places and stuff everywhere like an obstacle course.
But I eventually caught him and got him back upstairs. And got the garbage out the door.
3. Only to lock myself out of the house. In my rush to catch the cat and get the garbage out, I closed the side door, which locks automatically. The kids were inside. I had no key, no open door, no unlocked window, no cell phone.
I went around front and luckily the porch door was unlocked. I went inside and knocked on the window. What a fun game, the kids thought. I asked Bud, who knows how to open the front door if it's unbolted, to open the front door. It was bolted. He came back to the window and I asked him to try to swing the very stiff latch.
Thankfully, with two hands, Bud could unlock the window. And I managed to crawl through.
At least there was applause.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Art on My Mind: Marie Spartali Stillman's Love's Messenger
Weeks ago I added a new gadget to my blog, with a painting I've been thinking about. I mean to update this regularly, but figured I should first tell you why I have been thinking about Marie Spartali Stillman and Love's Messenger. Stillman was a nineteenth-century painter influenced and inspired by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in England who created canvases featuring lone woman in medieval or Renaissance settings (much like Dante Gabriel Rossetti). A beautiful member of London's Greek community, she also frequently posed for other artists. I almost wrote my dissertation on her at that Ivy League school, but didn't (and that's a long story). Anyway, with thoughts of teaching again and discussions of grad school with Gorgon, I got to thinking about Stillman again. Hence, the painting on my blog's sidebar. The Delaware Art Museum has quite a collection of her works, though I can't recall if I've actually seen this one in person. I've never researched it (the diss was squashed in the early stages), and so can't provide any real illumination of the generalized romantic subject or particular symbols, beyond that the cupid/Eros/angel on which she is stitching is strongly reminiscent of the figures of Edward Burne-Jones.
Advent: Teacher Presents
(SPOILER ALERT: Okay, those of you among my readers who teach my children at preschool, read at your own peril).
Mama Teacher, I hope you approve of my teacher gift idea (and since you don't teach my kids, formally anyway, you can read ahead). Maybe you should blog about teacher gifts for us newbie parents searching the aisles for ideas. I'll need a new one next year!
-=-=-=-
My goodness, I bought teacher presents today. We were told we didn't have to, we were told we shouldn't, but everyone will and I did. As a child, I loved giving teachers their holiday (well, it was Christmas back then) presents. Because my dad owned a print shop, we would often give personalized notepads to the teachers, something that they could actually use. Dad's in Texas, so it isn't as convenient an idea anymore--notepads are heavy to mail, and, besides, I only just thought of it and there isn't enough time (though, it's still a great idea, and he still owns that print shop; maybe I can figure something out next year. Don't retire, Pop!). So, today I found myself at the store buying teacher gifts.
Teacher gifts. My kids have teachers.
Anyway, we're donating to the collection at school and I got them little Scholastic free book certificates but that's not quite enough of a thank you. But I didn't want it to be just some random thing I purchased at the store without the kids' help--candles, soap, candy, a mug, anything with an apple on it. I realized as I was wandering the aisles that the teacher gifts should come from my kids, whose teachers they are. And since we just had some great success making Christmas pretzels, perhaps we should make food. Now, I realize that teachers do not really need any more sweets during the holidays because every third students is buying candy or baking cookies. But it's the one thing we know how to make (pizza, the other thing we know how to make just isn't practical, though I considered a gift certificate for delivery for them). I could have made cookies or quick breads, but I want the kids to really feel ownership of the gift we're giving (and not just the homemade card!) and do more than watch me make it. So, we'll make candy: rocky road (with marshmallows and cherries), peppermint bark, and Christmas pretzels (maybe one more thing, though fudge and toffee involve boiling sugar which isn't kid-friendly. Butter mints? Too much peppermint? I can change the bark . . . ). With this new revelation, I headed to the container aisle of the store and bought out their selection of non-religious snowflake tins. For the preschool teachers, the Sunday school teachers, even the pediatrician (our minister can't have gluten so we'll probably do something else for her). Everyone who teaches and helps us.
And as I was standing in the line to check out, a mom beside me looked in my basket. "Teacher gifts?" she said. I nodded. "Mercy, I'm glad I'm passed all that."
Bah, humbug. I think it's lots of fun. I hope the kids and the teachers do too.
-=-=-=-=-
Easy Rocky Road
A standard and reliable candy. I have recently seen an alternate that adds 8 chopped candied cherries—might be good.
2 cups (12 oz. package) chocolate chips
¼ cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons shortening
3 cups miniature marshmallows
½ cup coarsely chopped nuts (we will omit these)
Butter 8 inch square pan. In large microwave-safe bowl place chocolate chips, butter, and shortening; microwave at medium for 5 to 7 minutes or until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Add marshmallows and nuts; blend well. spread evenly into prepared pan. Cover; cill until firm. Cut into 2 inch squares. 16 squares.
-=-=-=-=-
Peppermint Bark
Makes about 32 pieces
12 oz. white baking chips
½ cup crushed peppermint candies or candy cane
Microwave white baking chips 1 minute and then in additional increments of 20 seconds, stirring after each, until almost melted. Stir until completely melted.
Add crushed peppermint candies, stirring until mixed. Spread mixture thinly onto aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet.
Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces.
-=-=-=-=-
Butter Mints
1 pound confectioners sugar
1 stick butter plus 2 tablespoons
20 drops oil of peppermint (get at pharmacy)
Cream together sugar and butter. Add peppermint oil. Mix together with hands. When together, knead for 5 minutes. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired to any portion of mixture. Snip off size of mint desire (I like the size of a marble). Place on a cookie sheet or flat surface and press down with a fork. These will keep for weeks in the refrigerator, or they may be frozen.
Mama Teacher, I hope you approve of my teacher gift idea (and since you don't teach my kids, formally anyway, you can read ahead). Maybe you should blog about teacher gifts for us newbie parents searching the aisles for ideas. I'll need a new one next year!
-=-=-=-
My goodness, I bought teacher presents today. We were told we didn't have to, we were told we shouldn't, but everyone will and I did. As a child, I loved giving teachers their holiday (well, it was Christmas back then) presents. Because my dad owned a print shop, we would often give personalized notepads to the teachers, something that they could actually use. Dad's in Texas, so it isn't as convenient an idea anymore--notepads are heavy to mail, and, besides, I only just thought of it and there isn't enough time (though, it's still a great idea, and he still owns that print shop; maybe I can figure something out next year. Don't retire, Pop!). So, today I found myself at the store buying teacher gifts.
Teacher gifts. My kids have teachers.
Anyway, we're donating to the collection at school and I got them little Scholastic free book certificates but that's not quite enough of a thank you. But I didn't want it to be just some random thing I purchased at the store without the kids' help--candles, soap, candy, a mug, anything with an apple on it. I realized as I was wandering the aisles that the teacher gifts should come from my kids, whose teachers they are. And since we just had some great success making Christmas pretzels, perhaps we should make food. Now, I realize that teachers do not really need any more sweets during the holidays because every third students is buying candy or baking cookies. But it's the one thing we know how to make (pizza, the other thing we know how to make just isn't practical, though I considered a gift certificate for delivery for them). I could have made cookies or quick breads, but I want the kids to really feel ownership of the gift we're giving (and not just the homemade card!) and do more than watch me make it. So, we'll make candy: rocky road (with marshmallows and cherries), peppermint bark, and Christmas pretzels (maybe one more thing, though fudge and toffee involve boiling sugar which isn't kid-friendly. Butter mints? Too much peppermint? I can change the bark . . . ). With this new revelation, I headed to the container aisle of the store and bought out their selection of non-religious snowflake tins. For the preschool teachers, the Sunday school teachers, even the pediatrician (our minister can't have gluten so we'll probably do something else for her). Everyone who teaches and helps us.
And as I was standing in the line to check out, a mom beside me looked in my basket. "Teacher gifts?" she said. I nodded. "Mercy, I'm glad I'm passed all that."
Bah, humbug. I think it's lots of fun. I hope the kids and the teachers do too.
-=-=-=-=-
Easy Rocky Road
A standard and reliable candy. I have recently seen an alternate that adds 8 chopped candied cherries—might be good.
2 cups (12 oz. package) chocolate chips
¼ cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons shortening
3 cups miniature marshmallows
½ cup coarsely chopped nuts (we will omit these)
Butter 8 inch square pan. In large microwave-safe bowl place chocolate chips, butter, and shortening; microwave at medium for 5 to 7 minutes or until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Add marshmallows and nuts; blend well. spread evenly into prepared pan. Cover; cill until firm. Cut into 2 inch squares. 16 squares.
-=-=-=-=-
Peppermint Bark
Makes about 32 pieces
12 oz. white baking chips
½ cup crushed peppermint candies or candy cane
Microwave white baking chips 1 minute and then in additional increments of 20 seconds, stirring after each, until almost melted. Stir until completely melted.
Add crushed peppermint candies, stirring until mixed. Spread mixture thinly onto aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet.
Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces.
-=-=-=-=-
Butter Mints
1 pound confectioners sugar
1 stick butter plus 2 tablespoons
20 drops oil of peppermint (get at pharmacy)
Cream together sugar and butter. Add peppermint oil. Mix together with hands. When together, knead for 5 minutes. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired to any portion of mixture. Snip off size of mint desire (I like the size of a marble). Place on a cookie sheet or flat surface and press down with a fork. These will keep for weeks in the refrigerator, or they may be frozen.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Advent: 'Twas (Not Yet) the Night Before Christmas
"'Twas the night before Christmas
when all through the house . . . "
I imagine you can finish the rest of the stanza, if not several more. I memorized it for extra credit in my 8th grade English class, practicing by singing most of the beginning to "Chopsticks," the piano ditty.
We have two or three illustrated versions of this iconic poem at home right now (plus the Cajun version!). And I've read each of them several times, sometimes several times a day, during the last week. Today, they dramatized the poem in their own way, asking me to fall asleep while Santa Sis (she might be scared of him in person because he is a "big guy" and hairy, but she knows who the power player is) and her helper elf Bud pretended to eat the cookies I had left, to stuff my stocking, and to leave presents, and then to wake me up with "Merry Christmas" to start the celebration. I would ooh and ahh over my gifts and eat the candy in my stocking, to much acclaim and exclamation, then be told to go back to sleep to start all over again, ending with a "Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!" Later versions of the game, played also with our babysitter, and then with me and the babysitter, and later even still with Mama and me, had Santa wearing a kleenex taped to her nose to form a mustache and beard (babysitter's cute touch), Santa and the elf making the hoofbeat sounds of the reindeer on the roof, Santa presenting the helper elf with presents such as an elf hat and a drum, and Santa and the elf taking us on rides on the sleigh to visit their house in the North Pole. For fun, I would throw in quotes from the poem (as I'd fall asleep, I'd note the "visions of sugarplums", then I would hear the "prancing and pawing of each little hoof," and when we woke up there would always be "new-fallen snow."), which would make them laugh.
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night. . . .
when all through the house . . . "
I imagine you can finish the rest of the stanza, if not several more. I memorized it for extra credit in my 8th grade English class, practicing by singing most of the beginning to "Chopsticks," the piano ditty.
We have two or three illustrated versions of this iconic poem at home right now (plus the Cajun version!). And I've read each of them several times, sometimes several times a day, during the last week. Today, they dramatized the poem in their own way, asking me to fall asleep while Santa Sis (she might be scared of him in person because he is a "big guy" and hairy, but she knows who the power player is) and her helper elf Bud pretended to eat the cookies I had left, to stuff my stocking, and to leave presents, and then to wake me up with "Merry Christmas" to start the celebration. I would ooh and ahh over my gifts and eat the candy in my stocking, to much acclaim and exclamation, then be told to go back to sleep to start all over again, ending with a "Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!" Later versions of the game, played also with our babysitter, and then with me and the babysitter, and later even still with Mama and me, had Santa wearing a kleenex taped to her nose to form a mustache and beard (babysitter's cute touch), Santa and the elf making the hoofbeat sounds of the reindeer on the roof, Santa presenting the helper elf with presents such as an elf hat and a drum, and Santa and the elf taking us on rides on the sleigh to visit their house in the North Pole. For fun, I would throw in quotes from the poem (as I'd fall asleep, I'd note the "visions of sugarplums", then I would hear the "prancing and pawing of each little hoof," and when we woke up there would always be "new-fallen snow."), which would make them laugh.
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night. . . .
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Advent: Let It Snow
"Mama, Mommy, come quick. It's snowing!! Is it Christmas?"
White, fluffy, powdery snow. Beautiful as it sticks to trees and wires and cars. Not the right kind of snow, but fun for making snowfriends that look more like cats and become "snow kitties" with grape eyes, pine cone ears and paws, and carrot nose. And then for snow angels. When you slide down the slide in snow pants, the snow flies up everywhere. And as the wind blows, the trees make it snow again. Later, with lots of packing, the snow becomes snowballs for a backyard, "tummies-only" snowball fight.
Christmas cookies for breakfast, with hot chocolate.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
White, fluffy, powdery snow. Beautiful as it sticks to trees and wires and cars. Not the right kind of snow, but fun for making snowfriends that look more like cats and become "snow kitties" with grape eyes, pine cone ears and paws, and carrot nose. And then for snow angels. When you slide down the slide in snow pants, the snow flies up everywhere. And as the wind blows, the trees make it snow again. Later, with lots of packing, the snow becomes snowballs for a backyard, "tummies-only" snowball fight.
Christmas cookies for breakfast, with hot chocolate.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
In a Nutshell
Our weekend has been jammed packed, and so, instead of a very long narrative about all the fun things we've done, I'm breaking it down . . .
. . . by the food we've eaten!
Office Party Extravaganza, where Mama and I actually danced:
. . . by the food we've eaten!
Office Party Extravaganza, where Mama and I actually danced:
- tons of sushi
- mushroom profiteroles
- polenta squares
- dried pears with Stilton mousse and a red wine reduction
- white pizza with truffles
- gnocchi with pumpkin-sage cream sauce
- mushroom mac-n-cheese (with lobster)
- asparagus crepes with hollandaise sauce
- fried pb & j
- cheesecake lollipop
- chocolate truffles
- mini-banana split
Cookiepalooza--so many cookies, so little time (Bud and Sis each filled their own tins):
- molasses cookies (Sis's favorite)
- mini M&M cookies (Sis's 2nd favorite; Bud's favorite)
- jam thumbprints (Bud's 2nd favorite)
- eggnog cookies
- apricot-coconut macaroons
- Welsh teacakes
- Hermits
- coconut bobbers
- raisin spice cookies
- almond brown sugar cookies
- chocolate shortbread stars
Birthday Party #1, featuring Abby Cadabby:
- carrots and hummus with olives
- cheese and crackers
- grapes
- pizza with sundried tomatoes and spinach
- vanilla cake with frosting
- chocolate Amish Friendship Bread
- animal cookies
- our Christmas Pretzels
- pizza
- cake
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Advent: Busy, Busy, Busy
Tis the season to be extra-busy, trying to do "everything." No wonder the holiday season now stretches from Halloween to New Year's Day! Just this weekend, we have an office party, two birthday parties, a church bake sale, church, and, if we have time (ha, ha, ha), a winter festival at the nature center.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Our Tribe's Music
I liked Suzanne Vega's post on the NYTimes yesterday about music as cultural and ethnic identity. I listened to my parents' Broadway showtunes growing up and also loved the pop of the 1980s. Mama liked GWG (girl with guitar) music particularly the Indigo Girls. We still listen to both of those but have added world music, folk music, and opera. Our kids? When we're not listening to Laurie Berkner, Sis prefers the "Bubbly Nose" song and Bud adores sea chanteys, Bob Marley, Zydeco, "Shame on You" by the Indigo Girls, and The Sound of Music. It makes for a great iPod shuffle. And I guess it means we're in the Heinz 57 musical tribe.
Tidbits
Bud and Sis have been playing silly dress-up. They combine as many costumes together as they can and then give themselves titles. While Sis usually combines some great clothes (Tiara, sunglsses, paper bunny mask, Thai "dancing costume"), she doesn't say much more than "I'm the queen." Bud, however, has been the "dancing baseball player train conductor" and the "dancing Chineser firefighter." Yep, the boy likes to dance. Which is why he put on his pink tutu for the grandparents on Thanksgiving Day!
-=-=-=-=-=-
Bud was fascinated with my digital alarm clock this morning. He said, "Mommy, why does your clock say 6-E-E?" It was 6:33 a.m. Then he watched it change to :34. And :35. Wow! This was cool.
"How long until it changes again?"
"Just a minute."
"What are the dots for?"
We watched the clock, off and on, until the big finale: 7:00.
Usually when I watch the clock, it's not a good thing. Today, it was just fine.
-=-=-=-=-=-
Bud was fascinated with my digital alarm clock this morning. He said, "Mommy, why does your clock say 6-E-E?" It was 6:33 a.m. Then he watched it change to :34. And :35. Wow! This was cool.
"How long until it changes again?"
"Just a minute."
"What are the dots for?"
We watched the clock, off and on, until the big finale: 7:00.
Usually when I watch the clock, it's not a good thing. Today, it was just fine.
-=-=-=-=-
Sis has a new imaginary place called Lazytown. Apparently, it is somewhere else where people just don't move. They "laze." Lots of "lazing." I asked if I could go there. No. "You're here. And you move." When I asked if she'd been, Sis said, "No, don't you want me here?" Of course. It's come up several times, and they even built the town in blocks at preschool apparently. Bud is in on the delusion. But Sis seems to own the details. I'd love to go. I could laze with the best of them.
Knit One, Save One
Gwyneth Paltrow is doing it. Rebecca Romijn is doing it. So is Debra Messing. And Mischa Barton. Are you?
Save the Children is sponsoring its now-annual caps for children campaign, Survive to 5: Knit One, Save One. Every year, in developing countries around the world, nearly 4 million babies die from preventable and treatable diseases. This campaign seeks to raise awareness and aid for those babies by providing millions of caps to keep them warm and healthy in their critical first hours of life.
I participated last year, or was it two years ago, crocheting several caps and teaching women in my local mommy group, too. We sent in a bundle of them and I was even invited to the celebratory "wrap" party at the end (the organization is based in nearby Westport). Anyway, Mama Teacher forwarded me a link about it and asked if I could help her make a cap. We don't have much time until the deadline on December 31, but it'll be fun. If you read this and want to join us, let me know.
Save the Children is sponsoring its now-annual caps for children campaign, Survive to 5: Knit One, Save One. Every year, in developing countries around the world, nearly 4 million babies die from preventable and treatable diseases. This campaign seeks to raise awareness and aid for those babies by providing millions of caps to keep them warm and healthy in their critical first hours of life.
I participated last year, or was it two years ago, crocheting several caps and teaching women in my local mommy group, too. We sent in a bundle of them and I was even invited to the celebratory "wrap" party at the end (the organization is based in nearby Westport). Anyway, Mama Teacher forwarded me a link about it and asked if I could help her make a cap. We don't have much time until the deadline on December 31, but it'll be fun. If you read this and want to join us, let me know.
Advent: Christmas Won't Be Christmas without Any . . . Cookies
My mom tells me that my earliest holiday cookie making experience was one that left her frustrated: while she made the cookies, I counted the various shapes and instructed her on how many of each kind we needed to be equal.
Come on, Mom, weren't you proud I could match and count??
I've gotten much more relaxed about cookie making, not even minding so much (except the sheer waste) when I spilled an entire jar of red sprinkles on the floor last night. Yep. It's baking time at my house and the broom is at the ready. Right now, we aren't going to any cookie swaps, though I'm trying to plan one. I used to daydream about cookie swaps when I was an urban professional without any domesticated friends. And now that I live in suburbia, most of my friends still aren't that domesticated. Reality is rarely as fun as fantasy. So, right now, we're baking for ourselves and our church's annual holiday bake sale.
Besides making Christmas pretzels together yesterday, I finished off the last of our sugar cookie dough last night after the kiddos bedtime--these needed to be cookies my church could sell at its bake sale tomorrow. I cut out 36 near-perfect stars and decorated them with colored sugar before baking. I then iced with Royal Icing the best of the sugar cookies that the kids and I had made the day before (I had rolled several of them too thin and so they kept breaking). Channelling dear Miss T, I did a fair enough job with my first solo decorating attempt, even if my outlines weren't steady and my flood icing had some bubbles and took forever to dry. But they're dry this morning and good (enough) to go to the bake sale. Then--that's right, it was a Cookiepalooza over here--Mama sliced very thinly (no more than 1/8") and baked the Almond Brown Sugar cookie dough I'd put together the night before. These turned out less delicate than we feared (yay! they won't break before the bake sale) and tasted incredible. We finished off the late night with a batch of White Christmas Fudge for her swanky office party tonight; it's a homemade touch and the idea of the guy in charge. I was only too happy to participate. And Mama suggested this candy favorite from our Chicago fudge making days (it is not, though, a true fudge, if I understand the qualifications correctly). Are we done? Nope. The kids were back at it this morning, with the leftover Royal Icing (which does keep if covered in the fridge) and remaining thin sugar cookies. There are again sprinkles all over my kitchen floor.
Not the first time, not the last. It's a family tradition!
-=-=-=-=-
A quick grumpy note: The Pampered Chef decorator bottles sold as child-appropriate aren't. In fact, they aren't much use for adults either. They are hard to fill with icing. Once filled, it is difficult to exert enough pressure on the plastic accordion to get the icing out--I popped the screwed on tip twice. Even when I could get icing out, there would be air pockets that made the icing sputter all over my cookies. And there's no way my kids could squeeze it, either because of the size of their hands or their hand strength; it was even cramping my hand quickly. Add to that, it's hard to get perfectly clean. Definitely not worth the money I paid and no doubt destined for the giveaway (no regift, but Goodwill) pile.
-=-=-=-=-
Come on, Mom, weren't you proud I could match and count??
I've gotten much more relaxed about cookie making, not even minding so much (except the sheer waste) when I spilled an entire jar of red sprinkles on the floor last night. Yep. It's baking time at my house and the broom is at the ready. Right now, we aren't going to any cookie swaps, though I'm trying to plan one. I used to daydream about cookie swaps when I was an urban professional without any domesticated friends. And now that I live in suburbia, most of my friends still aren't that domesticated. Reality is rarely as fun as fantasy. So, right now, we're baking for ourselves and our church's annual holiday bake sale.
Besides making Christmas pretzels together yesterday, I finished off the last of our sugar cookie dough last night after the kiddos bedtime--these needed to be cookies my church could sell at its bake sale tomorrow. I cut out 36 near-perfect stars and decorated them with colored sugar before baking. I then iced with Royal Icing the best of the sugar cookies that the kids and I had made the day before (I had rolled several of them too thin and so they kept breaking). Channelling dear Miss T, I did a fair enough job with my first solo decorating attempt, even if my outlines weren't steady and my flood icing had some bubbles and took forever to dry. But they're dry this morning and good (enough) to go to the bake sale. Then--that's right, it was a Cookiepalooza over here--Mama sliced very thinly (no more than 1/8") and baked the Almond Brown Sugar cookie dough I'd put together the night before. These turned out less delicate than we feared (yay! they won't break before the bake sale) and tasted incredible. We finished off the late night with a batch of White Christmas Fudge for her swanky office party tonight; it's a homemade touch and the idea of the guy in charge. I was only too happy to participate. And Mama suggested this candy favorite from our Chicago fudge making days (it is not, though, a true fudge, if I understand the qualifications correctly). Are we done? Nope. The kids were back at it this morning, with the leftover Royal Icing (which does keep if covered in the fridge) and remaining thin sugar cookies. There are again sprinkles all over my kitchen floor.
Not the first time, not the last. It's a family tradition!
-=-=-=-=-
A quick grumpy note: The Pampered Chef decorator bottles sold as child-appropriate aren't. In fact, they aren't much use for adults either. They are hard to fill with icing. Once filled, it is difficult to exert enough pressure on the plastic accordion to get the icing out--I popped the screwed on tip twice. Even when I could get icing out, there would be air pockets that made the icing sputter all over my cookies. And there's no way my kids could squeeze it, either because of the size of their hands or their hand strength; it was even cramping my hand quickly. Add to that, it's hard to get perfectly clean. Definitely not worth the money I paid and no doubt destined for the giveaway (no regift, but Goodwill) pile.
-=-=-=-=-
Almond-Brown Sugar Cookies
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole blanched almonds (2 1/2 ounces) (*see blanching instructions below)
Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then beat in egg and vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until a dough just forms. Stir in whole almonds. Divide dough in half. Using a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper as an aid, form each piece of dough into a log 9 to 9 1/2 inches long (about 1 1/4 inches in diameter). Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until very firm, at least 4 hours. Freeze 30 minutes to facilitate slicing.
Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut 1 log of dough crosswise into slices less than 1/8 inch thick with a thin sharp knife, rotating log after each slice to help keep round shape. (If dough gets too soft to slice through nuts easily, freeze briefly.) Arrange cookies about 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets. Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through, until golden brown all over, 12 to 15 minutes total.
Transfer cookies on parchment to racks to cool. Repeat with remaining dough (cool baking sheets and line with fresh parchment).
Cooks’ notes: •Dough can be chilled up to 3 days or frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap, then foil, 1 month (thaw in refrigerator just until dough can be sliced).•Cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week.
Gourmet, December 2008
How to Blanche Almonds
Buy almonds with skins on at your local grocery store.
Step2 Fill a medium saucepan half full of water and bring to a boil. Slide the skin-on almonds into the boiling water for about 30 seconds. Drain.
Step3 Grasp the warm almond between your thumb and forefinger and slide the skin off the almond from the wide end of nut.
Step4 Pat almonds dry and store for up to one week in the fridge.
eHow.com
-=-=-=-=-
White Christmas Fudge
Makes 36 squares
2 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
2/3 cup milk
¼ cup butter
12 oz. white chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon almond extract
¾ cup dried cherries, cranberries, or apricots, coarsely chopped
¾ cup toasted almond slivers
Line an 8 inch pan with foil; grease. Mix sugar and milk in heavy saucepan. Over medium heat, add butter and bring to a boil; stir constantly. Without stirring, boil constantly for 5 minutes.
Over low heat, add chocolate and almond extract. Stir then whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Stir in dried fruit and almonds. Pour into prepared pan.
Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Invert pan, peel off foil, and cut into 1 inch squares.
To toast almonds: Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F for 5-10 minutes, shaking pan occasionally, until they begin to brown and turn fragrant.
Six Degrees of Happiness
"A cheery next-door neighbor has more effect on your happiness than your spouse’s mood."
This probably comes as no surprise to Mama Teacher, but a new study reported in the NYTimes today says that you are more affected by the emotions of your friends' friends' friends than you are by events that happen to you directly. In other words, the emotions of my neighbors and local playgroup moms have more effect on my happiness that my parents or sister in Texas. "You have to see them and be in physical and temporal proximity." It's the "socially contagious" theory, also applied to obesity and smoking, which has many detractors who note the effects disappear when researchers factor in shared environmental factors. Final word, from the study's supporters: how you feel (and act) has a widespread influence. Still, they note, "We are not giving you the advice to start smiling at everyone you meet in New York. That would be dangerous.”
This probably comes as no surprise to Mama Teacher, but a new study reported in the NYTimes today says that you are more affected by the emotions of your friends' friends' friends than you are by events that happen to you directly. In other words, the emotions of my neighbors and local playgroup moms have more effect on my happiness that my parents or sister in Texas. "You have to see them and be in physical and temporal proximity." It's the "socially contagious" theory, also applied to obesity and smoking, which has many detractors who note the effects disappear when researchers factor in shared environmental factors. Final word, from the study's supporters: how you feel (and act) has a widespread influence. Still, they note, "We are not giving you the advice to start smiling at everyone you meet in New York. That would be dangerous.”
Thursday, December 4, 2008
While Visions of "Christmas Pretzels" Danced in Their Heads
We made "Christmas Pretzels" today.
You see, I had run out of activities, but realized while we were eating lunch that we had pretzels, chocolate chips that I desperately wanted out of the house, and jimmies. Sis had wanted to make yet another batch of sugar cookies, but I wasn't up to the task. So I suggested chocolate-covered pretzel "candy" with colored sprinkles.
Big hit.
With cookie sheets under them and bowls of rainbow, red and green, and chocolate sprinkles arrayed before them, the kiddos joyfully dipped mini-pretzels in melted chocolate dips, wiped off the excess, and dredged them in jimmies (which we called sprinkles where I grew up. I don't know who this jimmie is but when in Rome . . . ). Sis was meticulous in her chocolate dipping and sprinkle distribution; she also carefully lined up her finished pretzels on the rack. Bud ate his first six pretzels and then began feeding them to me. Eventually, he decided that chocolate-sprinkles-chocolate again was the best technique and, when he'd come to hand me a pretzel, he'd drip chocolate-sprinkle goodness all over the floor. It was he who decided that these weren't pretzel candies but "Christmas pretzels."
Meanwhile, Sis said, "I'm making some for Mommy, for Mama, for Bud, and for all my friends in the life!" I'd say that's the spirit of the Christmas pretzel.
-=-=-=-=-
Chocolate Pretzels
mini pretzels (or whatever pretzel you like; big sticks are pretty but the chocolate ratio isn't always good)
chocolate chips
sprinkles/jimmies
Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave (1 minute; stir; 30 seconds; stir; and the last two steps until almost melted--they will melt when stirred. Don't over microwave.) Dip pretzels in chocolate. Roll in sprinkles. Let dry on rack or aluminum foil. Store in airtight container.
Or just eat them all right then.
You see, I had run out of activities, but realized while we were eating lunch that we had pretzels, chocolate chips that I desperately wanted out of the house, and jimmies. Sis had wanted to make yet another batch of sugar cookies, but I wasn't up to the task. So I suggested chocolate-covered pretzel "candy" with colored sprinkles.
Big hit.
With cookie sheets under them and bowls of rainbow, red and green, and chocolate sprinkles arrayed before them, the kiddos joyfully dipped mini-pretzels in melted chocolate dips, wiped off the excess, and dredged them in jimmies (which we called sprinkles where I grew up. I don't know who this jimmie is but when in Rome . . . ). Sis was meticulous in her chocolate dipping and sprinkle distribution; she also carefully lined up her finished pretzels on the rack. Bud ate his first six pretzels and then began feeding them to me. Eventually, he decided that chocolate-sprinkles-chocolate again was the best technique and, when he'd come to hand me a pretzel, he'd drip chocolate-sprinkle goodness all over the floor. It was he who decided that these weren't pretzel candies but "Christmas pretzels."
Meanwhile, Sis said, "I'm making some for Mommy, for Mama, for Bud, and for all my friends in the life!" I'd say that's the spirit of the Christmas pretzel.
-=-=-=-=-
Chocolate Pretzels
mini pretzels (or whatever pretzel you like; big sticks are pretty but the chocolate ratio isn't always good)
chocolate chips
sprinkles/jimmies
Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave (1 minute; stir; 30 seconds; stir; and the last two steps until almost melted--they will melt when stirred. Don't over microwave.) Dip pretzels in chocolate. Roll in sprinkles. Let dry on rack or aluminum foil. Store in airtight container.
Or just eat them all right then.
Little Men and Little Women
Today's post on Motherlode really bothers me. The guest blogger writes at length about how she wanted daughters and got sons. I'm going to quote at length:
My goodness, anti-feminism and latent homophobia all in one post. I think this woman wanted Barbie Dolls and not daughters. It's a distorted gender politics which decrees that the sex of your children dictates your own personal identity and, apparently, happiness; what a burden to lay at the feet of children.
Of course, I have one of each and am glad, but not because I wanted a Barbie and a George Bailey. With no other men in our immediate family, I wanted to have a son and Sis to have a brother. And not having grown up with brothers myself nor having many male friends, I felt more comfortable thinking about raising a daughter and relating to issues girls and women face in our society. But in the end, I didn't much care what sex they were. I just wanted two so they could have each other.
My future daughter had a lot of Anne of Green Gables and Ramona Quimby to look
forward to, as well as French braids and tutus and Mary Janes and apron dresses.
She was going to watch “Felicity” marathons with me and ogle the new J. Crew
catalog and have annual viewings of “It’s a Wonderful Life” with me under a
blanket with hot chocolate and lots of whipped cream. She was going to be, I
thought, my best friend. You know, until she reached her teenage years and all.
But that would take a loooong time, and then she would come back to me and we
could plan a wedding together and I could watch her fall in love and have babies
of her own.
My worst nightmare, back then, was that I would end up being a
Mom of Boys, one of those women with a “practical” haircut and flat shoes who
spent her afternoons at the baseball field and washed a lot of sweaty athletic
clothes. A Mom of Boys bought a lot of boring clothes for her children — polo
shirts and khaki shorts and Nike trainers. She was looked on with pity by the
Moms of Girls, who color-coordinated with their daughters and took them on trips
to the American Girl store and “The Nutcracker” and who had princess birthdays
and tea parties with their mommy friends.
My goodness, anti-feminism and latent homophobia all in one post. I think this woman wanted Barbie Dolls and not daughters. It's a distorted gender politics which decrees that the sex of your children dictates your own personal identity and, apparently, happiness; what a burden to lay at the feet of children.
Of course, I have one of each and am glad, but not because I wanted a Barbie and a George Bailey. With no other men in our immediate family, I wanted to have a son and Sis to have a brother. And not having grown up with brothers myself nor having many male friends, I felt more comfortable thinking about raising a daughter and relating to issues girls and women face in our society. But in the end, I didn't much care what sex they were. I just wanted two so they could have each other.
Advent: Christmas Shopping
It's no secret that I don't particularly like to shop. I missed all the sales in the stores on Black Friday and I didn't shop on Cyber Monday. I'm just starting to think of what exactly I want to buy particular people. You know, the quintessential hard-to-buy-for people. The kids are easy, too easy. But Mama is hard: she either likes really expensive electronic gadgets that she needs to choose, or, well, not much else. My mom is sometimes hard to buy for, only because her hobby is reading and she has everything from the half-price, used bookstore. Dad doesn't even want presents. Buy for that! My brother-in-law loves sports, which makes it easier, but I imagine he's going to tire of t-shirts, calendars, hats, and sports stuff from us eventually. Not this year, I hope! As for my sister, she's so busy with school and work that she doesn't have much time to relax and so I don't want to send her things she can't use, which is just frustrating. Mama's in charge of her parents and brother and is done, I think. Maybe it's just me. Of course, as I had posted earlier, we are trying hard not to go overboard with spending this year, but I will get everyone something. As soon as I find it. Any suggestions?
Of course, I think I'm super-easy to buy for. If you don't believe me, you can ask me for my list!
Of course, I think I'm super-easy to buy for. If you don't believe me, you can ask me for my list!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Book Watch
One of our favorite novelists, Sarah Waters, who has a lesbian-Victorian bent, will be publishing a new book in April entitled The Little Stranger. Her last book,The Night Watch, dramatizing the effects of WWII on a community of women, was a finalist for the Booker Prize. Her earlier novels, Tipping the Velvet, Affinity, and Fingersmith, are all novels centered on strong female characters and their (oftentime dysfunctional and even cruel) relationships with each other in the 19th century.
And so, while we were looking for information about her new novel, we came across this article in The Guardian about her Top 10 favorite Victorian novels. Now, I remember her recommending Eliot's Middlemarch at some point, but if I had known these were her favorites, I'm not sure I would've read her novels! Which just shows how closed-minded I am, because I love her books (but then, I do also like Jane Eyre, The Woman in White, and The Picture of Dorian Gray). It's not my list, but she's the English professor and it certainly does contain some heavy hitters. I think I've read almost all of them but Gissing.
And so, while we were looking for information about her new novel, we came across this article in The Guardian about her Top 10 favorite Victorian novels. Now, I remember her recommending Eliot's Middlemarch at some point, but if I had known these were her favorites, I'm not sure I would've read her novels! Which just shows how closed-minded I am, because I love her books (but then, I do also like Jane Eyre, The Woman in White, and The Picture of Dorian Gray). It's not my list, but she's the English professor and it certainly does contain some heavy hitters. I think I've read almost all of them but Gissing.
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
- Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
- Vanity Fair by W.M. Thackeray
- New Grub Street by George Gissing
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
- Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens
- Dracula by Bram Stoker
- The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
- The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
You've Got Owl
The Tales of Beedle the Bard, the original, handcrafted and illustrated J.K. Rowling manuscript is on display until January 4 at the NYPL (oddly, I can't find a word about it on their website tonight; I think it opens to the public tomorrow), the NYTimes reports. Copies for the rest of us muggles go on sale tomorrow (and we actually don't have one ordered, but are hoping Santa pulls through).
Mama, wanna go on a date to see it?
Mama, wanna go on a date to see it?
Advent: Fruitcake
I love fruitcake.
I didn't always, even though that round red tin with incongruous scenes of a Victorian snowscape and also a cowby in front of the Alamo containing Corsicana's best from the Collins Street Bakery was at my house every year, with its vivid green and red maraschino cherries studding a thick, heavy, pecan-laden cake. I didn't much like nuts as a kid and so didn't often partake, despite the beautiful "cathedral cut" that my mom tried to imitate from my paternal grandad. He also soaked it in alcohol, apparently. Maybe I wouldn't have noticed the nuts then!
Anyway, as I grew older and learned to like nuts, I learned to love fruitcake. And not just that Texas specialty, but fruit-and-nut desserts from all over the world. In fact, our annual shipment of fruitcake from Simply Delicious in Shropshire arrived earlier this week, complete with standard English fruitcakes covered in marzipan. Mmmmm!
Sure, there are a lot of jokes about fruitcake, deservedly so. Some of the loaves you can buy in the stores--and I'm thinking of that small, rectangular block one with the unnaturally-colored fruit bits that some monks or somebody makes--are, forgive the pun, God-awful. But done well, by bakeries, or even at home (and I'm going to try to find my recipe for icebox fruitcake and fruitcake cookies), as long as you don't use that plastic container of cancerous-colored fruit, you'll be fine. But keep telling those jokes: then there will be more fruitcake for you!
-=-=-=-=-
Ice Box Fruit Cake
1 lb marshmallows
1 can Eagle Brand milk
1 lb pecans, chopped
1 lb cherries (candied), chopped
1 lb walnuts, chopped
1 lb orange slices, chopped
1 lb raisins, chopped
1 lb graham crackers, rolled
Microwave marshmallows 2 minutes. Stir and repeat until melted. Pour in milk. Mix well. Pour oer all other ingredients and mix well. Pack in a well-buttered bundt pan and refrigerate overnight. To unmold, place pan in hot water to soften butter. Turn upside down on heavy foil and wrap. Good for months in ice box.
Note: You can also make mini-bundts, which is how I first had this.
-=-=-=-=-
Thanksgiving Cookies aka "Fruitcake Cookies"
3 cups raisins
½ cup bourbon
¼ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
½ cup whole-wheat flour (pastry)
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup each coarsely chopped: cranberries, walnuts
In a medium bowl, soak raisins in bourbon for at least 1 hour. ½ hour before preparing cookies, place butter in a large bowl to soften at room temperature.
Gradually cream brown sugar into butter until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Stir in raisins along with their liquid. Set oven at 325°F.
Rinse and dry raisin bowl. In it, wire-whisk together flours, soda, and spices. Stir dry mixture into liquid mixture to almost completely moisten. Stir in cranberries and walnuts to finish.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto buttered cookie sheets and bake for 14-15 minutes—or until firm. Transfer to cool cookies on wire racks.
museum docent
I didn't always, even though that round red tin with incongruous scenes of a Victorian snowscape and also a cowby in front of the Alamo containing Corsicana's best from the Collins Street Bakery was at my house every year, with its vivid green and red maraschino cherries studding a thick, heavy, pecan-laden cake. I didn't much like nuts as a kid and so didn't often partake, despite the beautiful "cathedral cut" that my mom tried to imitate from my paternal grandad. He also soaked it in alcohol, apparently. Maybe I wouldn't have noticed the nuts then!
Anyway, as I grew older and learned to like nuts, I learned to love fruitcake. And not just that Texas specialty, but fruit-and-nut desserts from all over the world. In fact, our annual shipment of fruitcake from Simply Delicious in Shropshire arrived earlier this week, complete with standard English fruitcakes covered in marzipan. Mmmmm!
Sure, there are a lot of jokes about fruitcake, deservedly so. Some of the loaves you can buy in the stores--and I'm thinking of that small, rectangular block one with the unnaturally-colored fruit bits that some monks or somebody makes--are, forgive the pun, God-awful. But done well, by bakeries, or even at home (and I'm going to try to find my recipe for icebox fruitcake and fruitcake cookies), as long as you don't use that plastic container of cancerous-colored fruit, you'll be fine. But keep telling those jokes: then there will be more fruitcake for you!
-=-=-=-=-
Ice Box Fruit Cake
1 lb marshmallows
1 can Eagle Brand milk
1 lb pecans, chopped
1 lb cherries (candied), chopped
1 lb walnuts, chopped
1 lb orange slices, chopped
1 lb raisins, chopped
1 lb graham crackers, rolled
Microwave marshmallows 2 minutes. Stir and repeat until melted. Pour in milk. Mix well. Pour oer all other ingredients and mix well. Pack in a well-buttered bundt pan and refrigerate overnight. To unmold, place pan in hot water to soften butter. Turn upside down on heavy foil and wrap. Good for months in ice box.
Note: You can also make mini-bundts, which is how I first had this.
-=-=-=-=-
Thanksgiving Cookies aka "Fruitcake Cookies"
3 cups raisins
½ cup bourbon
¼ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
½ cup whole-wheat flour (pastry)
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup each coarsely chopped: cranberries, walnuts
In a medium bowl, soak raisins in bourbon for at least 1 hour. ½ hour before preparing cookies, place butter in a large bowl to soften at room temperature.
Gradually cream brown sugar into butter until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Stir in raisins along with their liquid. Set oven at 325°F.
Rinse and dry raisin bowl. In it, wire-whisk together flours, soda, and spices. Stir dry mixture into liquid mixture to almost completely moisten. Stir in cranberries and walnuts to finish.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto buttered cookie sheets and bake for 14-15 minutes—or until firm. Transfer to cool cookies on wire racks.
museum docent
A Dyke to Watch Out For
My favorite cartoonist, Alison Bechdel, was profiled in the NYTimes today. She has drawn the "Dykes to Watch Out For" comic strip, featuring big, beautiful, countercultural lesbians for more than 20 years. Mama and I used to walk to the lesbian, feminist bookstore Women and Children First in Chicago and buy her cartoon collections or pick up the free papers with her latest strips.
Mom, I know you didn't get into "The 'L' Word" (thanks for trying, and we will check out Puccini for Beginners) but you can check out some of these cartoons when you come up (though we don't have the recent ones or the new essential collection. Hint. Hint.). They have the humor and humanity you thought was missing from the tv soap opera.
But, um, just as much sex.
Mom, I know you didn't get into "The 'L' Word" (thanks for trying, and we will check out Puccini for Beginners) but you can check out some of these cartoons when you come up (though we don't have the recent ones or the new essential collection. Hint. Hint.). They have the humor and humanity you thought was missing from the tv soap opera.
But, um, just as much sex.
Big Surprise
The NYTimes reported a study today that adults who nap perform better on tasks than those who take caffeine. No real surprise there. What is surprising is that anyone thinks that a 2 hour nap between 1-3 pm is a viable solution to performance problems versus a cup of coffee that can be drunk on the job (whatever that is). Sure, I'd love a nap, but sometimes I barely get that cup of coffee.
If only my kids could read . . . .
P.S. Yes, I'm sure those of you who know that I only drink decaf are laughing. But apparently it's all mental. People taking a placebo did as well as those on the caffeine!
If only my kids could read . . . .
P.S. Yes, I'm sure those of you who know that I only drink decaf are laughing. But apparently it's all mental. People taking a placebo did as well as those on the caffeine!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Pot Pie Perfection
I made up my own pot pie recipe tonight, based on church Miss L's own recipe and my own changes. I liked it; the kids didn't, but I think they were in a mood. I like it almost as well as those Swanson individual pot pies, you know, the ones in their own foil containers. My mom always served those to us by turning them out upside down. For me, that's the quintessential childhood pot pie. But mine is a pretty darned good adult version.
My Pot Pie
2 refrigerated pie crusts, at room temperature
appx. 3 potatoes, diced
appx. 4 carrots, diced
appx. 4 stalks of celery, diced
1 can corn kernels
1 cup green peas, frozen
4 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons oil
4-5cups stock (I used vegetable)
salt and pepper
Boil potatoes in salted water for 10-15 minutes, until just tender. Meanwhile, boil carrots, celery, and corn in vegetable stock. When potatoes are just tender, add them to carrots, etc. Also add frozen peas (no need to defrost or cook ahead of time because they'll just get mushy. I only heat the corn ahead of time to drop the canned flavor and sweeten the broth). Simmer.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Then make a roux with flour and oil. When roux is done (i.e. brown but not burnt--if it burns, toss it out and start roux again. You can't get rid of that bitter burnt roux taste), add approximately 4-5 cups stock from vegetable pot. Allow to boil; the "gravy" will be thick. Drain the vegetables and then add them to "gravy." Salt and pepper to taste.
Spray inside of 9" pie plate with cooking spray. Roll out and lay down bottom pie crust. Fill with vegetables and "gravy." Top with remaining pie crust. Vent. Put pie plate on cookie sheet to prevent spillover. Bake for approximately 1 hour or until crust is brown and filling is bubbly.
Notes: You can, of course, add chicken or other vegetables. Miss L sprinkles her crust with nutmeg, which is good but makes me hunger for a fruit pie instead. And I imagine you could add cheese to that vegetable "gravy" for added flavor. Or you could add herbs, but since the kiddos don't like flecks of things in their food, I didn't add any. Next time I'll add some minced garlic to the vegetables. Mama suggests a splash of Worchestershire sauce. Miss L also purees some of her vegetables to thicken her "gravy." She uses the bag of frozen vegetables (squash, zucchini, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli) from the warehouse store as the mainstay of her pot pie.
J
My Pot Pie
2 refrigerated pie crusts, at room temperature
appx. 3 potatoes, diced
appx. 4 carrots, diced
appx. 4 stalks of celery, diced
1 can corn kernels
1 cup green peas, frozen
4 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons oil
4-5cups stock (I used vegetable)
salt and pepper
Boil potatoes in salted water for 10-15 minutes, until just tender. Meanwhile, boil carrots, celery, and corn in vegetable stock. When potatoes are just tender, add them to carrots, etc. Also add frozen peas (no need to defrost or cook ahead of time because they'll just get mushy. I only heat the corn ahead of time to drop the canned flavor and sweeten the broth). Simmer.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Then make a roux with flour and oil. When roux is done (i.e. brown but not burnt--if it burns, toss it out and start roux again. You can't get rid of that bitter burnt roux taste), add approximately 4-5 cups stock from vegetable pot. Allow to boil; the "gravy" will be thick. Drain the vegetables and then add them to "gravy." Salt and pepper to taste.
Spray inside of 9" pie plate with cooking spray. Roll out and lay down bottom pie crust. Fill with vegetables and "gravy." Top with remaining pie crust. Vent. Put pie plate on cookie sheet to prevent spillover. Bake for approximately 1 hour or until crust is brown and filling is bubbly.
Notes: You can, of course, add chicken or other vegetables. Miss L sprinkles her crust with nutmeg, which is good but makes me hunger for a fruit pie instead. And I imagine you could add cheese to that vegetable "gravy" for added flavor. Or you could add herbs, but since the kiddos don't like flecks of things in their food, I didn't add any. Next time I'll add some minced garlic to the vegetables. Mama suggests a splash of Worchestershire sauce. Miss L also purees some of her vegetables to thicken her "gravy." She uses the bag of frozen vegetables (squash, zucchini, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli) from the warehouse store as the mainstay of her pot pie.
J
Pray For [insert name here] Now and at the Time of [insert problem here]
There is an article in the NYTimes today on online intercessionary prayer websites. You log into various websites, type in your problem, and then people note if they have prayed for you. The sites are apparently non-denominational, though the ones covered in the article seem to be predominantly Christian. Interestingly, the Unity Church began an intercessionary prayer phone line in 1907, so this has a long history and is just embracing new technology. The article doesn't delve too deeply into studies about intercessionary prayer--of course, some say it doesn't work, others say it does.
Looking for Love?
Mama heard something on NPR about niche online dating. Check this out:
Farmers Only
Tagline: "City folks just don't it."
Seriously.
And yes, I am one of those urban types that the owner of the site disdains so much.
Farmers Only
Tagline: "City folks just don't it."
Seriously.
And yes, I am one of those urban types that the owner of the site disdains so much.
"My Kid Could Paint That"
In 2005, a young art star made headlines around the world for her abstract canvases, which had their first showing at a gallery in Binghampton, NY and were soon mentioned in The New York Times.
A very young art star. Marla Olmstead was then four years old.
A 2007 documentary entitled My Kid Could Paint That by director Amir Bar-Lev follows Marla's early success and the fallout from a devastating investigation by 60 Minutes into whether she really painted the works all by herself. Besides being an exploration of the definitions and meanings of modern art, with several good segments with the Times's art critic Michael Kimmelman, the documentary problematizes child celebrity, parental ambition, and journalistic motivation, including the director's. In the end, the question that remains is not really whether Marla completed the works alone (and the documentary suggests that she didn't), or even if modern art is meaningless because a child could do it, but whether adults should ever draw children into an otherwise grown-up world.
A very young art star. Marla Olmstead was then four years old.
A 2007 documentary entitled My Kid Could Paint That by director Amir Bar-Lev follows Marla's early success and the fallout from a devastating investigation by 60 Minutes into whether she really painted the works all by herself. Besides being an exploration of the definitions and meanings of modern art, with several good segments with the Times's art critic Michael Kimmelman, the documentary problematizes child celebrity, parental ambition, and journalistic motivation, including the director's. In the end, the question that remains is not really whether Marla completed the works alone (and the documentary suggests that she didn't), or even if modern art is meaningless because a child could do it, but whether adults should ever draw children into an otherwise grown-up world.
The Grossest Thing About Parenting
We all have our boundaries regarding the gross and icky, past which we comfortably dare not go. For some it's vomit, or diarrhea, or snot. Not me. Now, none of those are my favorite things, but it doesn't ruin my day. Want to know what grossest me out most about parenting? Wet food.
Oh, ugh.
And today, Bud was dipping his ham sandwich in his water glass and sucking the water off it.
I could've puked.
I did take away his water glass. Because it's my only totally arbitrary house rule: no food in water. That means no putting food in your cup and no pouring water from your cup on your plate. I even long delayed moving to lidless cups so I wouldn't have to see the backwash. I still can't look when I wash out their glasses, which go in the sink immediately after meals. And I throughly scrape plates before washing.
I just can't bear it. I've never been able to stand it. Worse than nails on a chalkboard or whatever else really bothers other people. This really bothers me. I'm not even sure I can write anymore. It's just the grossest thing about parenting for me.
I might just have to go buy some more cups with lids.
Why Do I Celebrate Christmas?
My friend Lambeth emailed me today with a question that I don't get very often: why do I, a non-Christian, celebrate Christmas in a Christian style?
Good question.
Easy answer: because we always have.
My parents aren't Christians, particularly. My mom is an atheist. My dad is a naturalist in the manner of Thoreau and other transcendentalists (hey, Dad, they were all UUs, you know). But, we still had Christmas every year, complete with a tree, Santa Claus, and the reading of the biblical story every Christmas morning. True, there was an absence of nativities in my house, until my mom purchased a pretty blue and white ceramic one later in my childhood. And the Christmas cards never really mentioned Jesus.
So what were we doing? Celebrating family, recognizing tradition, participating in the dominant culture of which we were definitely, except for the religion, a part. It's what were still doing, though from a little further outside of the mainstream than when I was a child. Now, with a more Universalist/all-souls bent, we are celebrating the birth of a baby, the birth of all babies, the inherent worth and dignity of all people. The children have a nativity and we talk about how special babies are, how special families are--whatever they might look like (be it a young woman who became pregnant by mysterious or uncertain or even all-too-common means before marriage to her older husband, or your local bi-racial, lesbian-led family). We've explained our understanding of Jesus as a teacher but that hasn't sunk in yet. In that UU vein, we've also mentioned Diwali, Hanukah, and Kwanzaa. Because we lean pagan, we'll also discuss Yule and celebrate Solstice (though we won't be staying up all night. This year). As devoted Anglophiles, with a Victorian bent, there will be steamed puddings and fruitcake from across the pond (Shropshire, I think) and, later, readings of A Christmas Carol (hey, Dickens was a Unitarian.) And as members of our church, we'll attend Christmas Eve services, where we sing carols, light candles, and have a potluck supper (oh, and this year, our wedding beforehand). Did you know that "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" is a UU carol about peace from the time of the Civil War?
We'll try to avoid what Christmas can become, specifically the rampant materialism, though there will no doubt be Christmas lists and requests for Santa. Even as a non-Christian, I actually have more trouble with Santa than Jesus. Part of me feels dishonest in participating in this great cultural deception--in no other aspect of their upbringing (except, similarly, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny), do I lie them--not about death, things I don't know or can't explain. I've never said that Santa was real, never said he wasn't. The children just absorb the fact that he exists and is bringing presents. But I also don't want them to miss out on the joy Santa brings to the very young, nor do I want them to be the little misfits on the playground who aren't included or, worse, ruin it for everyone else. I wonder, do people of other faiths say that Santa doesn't come to them or that Santa is a myth? Those are totally different answers. I don't believe Jesus was the Messiah (or that there is/will be a Messiah) but I do say that other people believe he is. Which answer is that? So, in the end, I'd like to talk to my kids about Santa as a metaphor for generosity, charity, love, just as Jesus is a teacher. But they're just a little young to grasp "metaphor." Maybe that's why we tell these great human truths as stories, so that the very young, so that we all, can understand. And so, Santa is coming to our house and the baby Jesus is in our nativity. And later, probably around the time they figure out who Jesus is (and how important he is to many people), we'll have to talk about who Santa is, too.
Advent: Calendars
"Is it Christmas?"
We've woken up to this chorus now three days in a row, progressively earlier in the morning. The kids have no concept of time, particularly how far off Christmas is, so we might have made a mistake pulling out the decorations this early. It's hard to squish their Christmas hopes every morning.
So we have started our advent calendar; hopefully, that will help. We had several from which to choose. Gommie's beautiful quilted tree wall hanging with little ornaments was too tempting to playful cats. So we went with my quilted "Twas the Night Before Christmas" wall hanging with little puffy decorations as well as a paper calendar with little doors, the standard calendar from my childhood. That way, both kids have something to do in the morning.
It didn't help. Right after we did the calendar, Sis asked if there were treats from Santa in her stocking.
I loved advent calendars as a child. The cheapy paper ones with the cutesy Christmas scene on the front were my favorites. Sometimes, I'd save them from year to year so I could have more than one to open. I'm sure if you looked in my mom's Christmas boxes there would be at least one old calendar. I never really liked the ones where you got chocolate or candy--it was never very good anyway. Now there are all sorts of trinket-laden advent calendars. Or those calendars that are actually numbered drawers in a box. Gift-giving for 24 days in December, plus the big one? I prefer the tease of the other calendars.
It might actually make me happy to wake up so early in the morning.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Advent: On the First Day
Yes, I know, the twelve days of Christmas actually occur after Christmas and run to Twelfth Night in January when the Wise Men finally showed up. But I'm going to be counting the 25 days of Christmas, my own blog advent calendar so to speak.
Today's holiday theme is a little one: I started Mama's stocking this evening. I had crocheted red and green stockings for the kiddos two years ago but had never gotten to mine or Mama's. Now, no worries, we have other stockings, but I want a family set. And I had bought the yarn back then. I even relocated the pattern, realizing though as I started that I hadn't followed it precisely. And my technique as a crocheter has changed, tightened, somewhat. So, the stockings will be similar but not exactly the same. Besides, Mama's is this great slate blue and my is a dark, dusty rose, all in Lion Brand's Wool Ease. Once I finish the stockings--and I do hope to complete them both before Christmas Eve--we'll put the novelty buttons on them that we've been gathering these last two years. It's a nice gentle way to kick off the holiday season.
World AIDS Day: Day With(Out) Art
Beginning in 1989, artists and arts professionals have recognized December 1 as Day Without Art (DWA) in response to the global AIDS crisis. In the past, museums where I've worked have covered key collection pieces with black drapery, dimmed the lights in the galleries for the first hour of public admissions, and provided special programs. For the 20th anniversary of DWA, also World AIDS Day, museums are continuing to honor and mourn the effects of AIDS on the arts community. The Metropolitan Museum of Art will drape or remove works in their collection as well as tie black ribbons around the vases in the Great Hall on Tuesday, December 2, since they are not open on Mondays.
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