Mobile, August 2007

While cleaning out pictures on my hard drive, I realized that I never posted photos of our August trip to Mobile. A pesky little thing called a move got in the way. Since most of you hear me talk about my Meme and Harry Daddy a good bit, here's proof that they exist.

Harry Daddy giving Harry swim lessons. I have great memories of this pool; it's so warm there we'd often swim on Christmas Day, and Harry Daddy is very much a teacher:

I took a zillion photos of Harry with his namesake. This is one of the few good ones:

The following photos are of the backyard. Meme has embedded objects all through the walkways:

Within the last 5 years they've added the railing:


About 10 years ago Meme went around spraypainting all the garden sculpture blue. And then this trip they were all gathered in one spot:

Here you see the glass covering the pool, and in front of that is a pond that Harry Daddy has faithfully maintained. I have great memories of feeding those fish.
The formal living room:

My Meme sleeps late, and Harry Daddy is up really early making breakfast for everyone, so I have fond memories of time with just him. My mother said she and Harry Daddy would eat breakfast together just them every morning growing up.


Another big memory for me - reading in this chair that hangs from the ceiling:

Jacksonlocution

Arising from his nap he tells me, "My head hurts."

Me: "What does it feel like?"

Jackson: "Mexico water."

Me: "What does that feel like?"

Jackson: "When you have a headache Mexico water sprays you." -????

Jacksonlocution

Today began cold and wet, they way the weather has been all week. So when late morning turned warm and sunny, we headed outside to the playground. It was beautiful - everything sparkled, just a hint of crispness in the air, and we all felt the joy of it after a week of being inside. As I pushed Jackson on the swing, he was looking up to the sky with the warm wind in his face:

"Hello Sky! Hello Clouds! Here comes the little boy!" as he soared high into the air.

That just encapsulated the feeling of freedom we all felt, as well as the charming egocentricity of a 3-yr. old. The little boy. The sky. The clouds.

Thank you, Lord, for a delightful morning! And thank you, Lord, for naptime!

Movie Recommendation

Josh and I watched a movie last night (Yes, in the middle of the week.  I'm sick again--what can I say?) that I thought everyone might enjoy.  It's called Sweet Land and you can watch the trailer here.  It is a great movie for a date night:  the story of a German mail-order bride and her American farmer husband.  It is rated PG and is refreshingly clean.  It is also beautifully filmed and the soundtrack is great too.  Enjoy and let us know what you think.

Turtle Mist, Toppling Snow Cakes, and Frosty Hinges

Sophie caught a nasty cough that just won't go away, so the dr. prescribed a nebulizer breathing treatment. She kicked up a big fuss during her first treatment in the office, but that one was done with a plain old plastic tube. It's amazing the difference a little animal characterization will make to a three-year-old...she LOVES her "turtle mist" and we're hoping the regular treatments will get rid of this cough for good.
Here is our patio table after our first snow. Looks good enough to eat, doesn't it?
And here it is after a bit of a thaw...
I thought this was kind of funny.
And just to make all of you wimpy Southerners in your balmy climes feel sorry for us roughin' it up here in the frigid mountains of Northern Arizona, this is a shot of the hinge of our kitchen door....from the INSIDE of the house, first thing in the morning. (The sole heat source for that room is a wood pellet stove that we turn off at night, so this is the result. Aren't y'all impressed with our fortitude? It's a tough life, but someone has to live it!)

Here's to 1980!

A great year for elections (Reagan), SciFi movies (Empire Strikes Back), and Sisters-in-Law. Happy Birthday, Lynn!

Happy 4th Anniversary to Cody and Keri!

Tonight for the anniversary dinner Keri and I made yet another Cooks Illustrated recipe, this time one under "Improving Glazed Chicken Breasts," p. 18 of Sept/October. The featured recipe is Orange-Honey Glazed Chicken Breasts, but because we didn't have orange juice we made one of their alternatives, Pineapple-Brown Sugar Glazed Chicken Breasts, using boneless skinless instead of bone-in skin-on, which may be why we didn't (well, I didn't) care for it. It was far too sweet (the fat of the skin may have mellowed the sweetness? Also, without the skin fat you can't brown it like they tell you to). Next time I'll try the featured recipe, but this is my first "Don't make it!" recommendation. Well, the vegetable curry was "Make it if you have lots of time and don't eat meat." Behind the chicken is one of Cody's presents to Keri. Apparently the 4th anniversary is Fruit and Flowers. Classic Cody. 

Daytrip to the Grand Canyon

C'mon, already! Are y'all still there??? Well, yeah, but we do leave tomorrow, Friday. What can I say? We like these guys. Yesterday Keri and I took the kids to the Grand Canyon:
See the gap under the fence in the following picture and how low it is to begin with? Yes, I look happy and relaxed, but I was freaking out:

Sophie got hold of the camera and took this artsy shot of Jackson running in the Visitors Center:

Eggplant Stackers

Okay, so maybe you're tired of my blogging recipes, but too bad. I started this blog and I'll do what I want! And I want to record this recipe for safekeeping because it was so good. It's a Martha recipe that Emily made last summer and Keri made for us the other night. Instead of oil-frying, she roasted the eggplant with Pam and sprinkled it with Cavendars (Sarah's contribution b/c she introduced it to us all).

More fun in the snow pictures

Maybe it's mean that I think this is funny, but don't you?:
Cody (and Matthew?) shoveled the sidewalk the next day:
We took the big kids out while Harry napped and built a snowman:

The view from Cody's Office

An Easier (and Better) Bran Muffin, p.24 of May/June

These were truly fabulous muffins, and after trying my 3rd recipe in this Cooks Illustrated compilation I'm wondering why I'm reviewing these recipes. I mean, it's Cook's Illustrated. They've reviewed dozens of recipes to get to this one.

And these bran muffins are marvelous, worth me writing out the recipe for anyone who doesn't have this cookbook. They are SO good. But I must say not easier (as in faster) than the bran muffins I've made before; I think they call it easier because you don't have to go to the health food store. MAKE THEM! Both the texture and flavor were perfect. And thanks again, Bill.

Another note: Keri figured out that each muffin has about 8 grams of fat, and I used full fat everything, so next I'll try half fat butter and low fat yogurt. I think those egg yolks are really needed, though.

1 c. raisins (I used white raisins, which I think is better in bran muffins)
1 tsp water
2 1/4 c. All-Bran Original Cereal (we didn't have enough so used 1/2 c. wheat germ)
1 1/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. table salt
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
2/3 c. packed light brown sugar
3 T mild or light molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 3/4 c. plain whole milk yogurt

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray standard-sized muffin pan with nonstick spray. Combine raisins and water and microwave them with plastic wrap w/ steam vents for 30 seconds. Let them stand for about 5 min. and then dry with paper towel.

2. Process half of the bran cereal in food processor until finely ground. Whisk flours, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to combine. Whisk egg and yolk together in medium bowl until well combined and light colored, about 20 seconds. Add sugar, molasses, and vanilla; whisk until mixture is thick, about 30 seconds. Add melted butter and whisk to combine; add yogurt and mix to combine. Stir in cereal and let mixture sit until even moistened, about 5 minutes.

3. Add wet ingredients to dry and gently mix just until combined and evenly moistened. Gently fold in raisins, divide into muffin tins, and bake about 16 to 20 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins. Best bran muffin EVER.

Life through the eyes of Sophie

When we downloaded the photos we discovered Sophie's photographic genius. Take a tour with me of life through Sophie's eyes:

Mommy making me eggs:

The inside of Aunt Ruthie's purse:

My new birthday blocks:
A toy for baby Harry:

Flagstaff Snow Day

This morning we woke up to THIS and we're having a marvelous time!

Soph eating snow:

Epiphany Celebration

On Saturday we toured Sedona and then on Sunday night Cody and Keri hosted their 2nd Annual Epiphany Party. We all dressed up as kings, read scripture about Jesus as King (Cody pondered that at his birth may have been the only time Jesus was worshiped by kings on earth, as the King of Kings) and marched around the house singing "We Three Kings" bearing gifts that we laid in front of the nativity on the piano. I wish I had captured Jackson and Sophie marching with their gifts.

Guests Jeremy and Kacie with baby Evan and Sophie:

Gifts for the King:

Jackson's kingly shoes:
Keri the Gypsy Queen reading scripture:
Matthew our African King:

Me winning the prize for the "best use of a baby item to be royalty" with my sling scarf:

King Cody looking ahead with his cross necklace:

For dinner I made the Vegetable Curry recipe in the Cooks Illustrated compilation given to us by Bill. Everyone thought it was great, but it took so long that by the time I was done I was disgusted with it, so in my weariness over it, I won't be writing out the recipe here. Vegetable Curry was nice, but I prefer meat-based ones. We served it with yogurt, cilantro, peanuts, pineapple, raisins, and coconut. For dessert we had a marvelous rice pudding, with a prize going to the guest who found the whole almond in theirs (Matthew!):

Yay for Three Kings Day!

Sophie turns 3

January 1 we celebrated Sophie's Bday here in Flag with a beautiful cake made by her creative genius of a father. The biggest gift was a super-duper tricycle from Essie and Big Bill.

Dave & Lynn's Wedding

I'm not even going to try to describe the wedding for those of you who weren't there. It was wonderful and we're thrilled they're married! And I can't wait for the professsional shots! The photographer left a laptop up with rotating pictures after the ceremony, and there were truly beautiful ones. Here are a few Keri got of Sophie and the other flower girls: