I think everyone who's a parent said something pre-children they later wish they hadn't.
Mine is this: when Cinderella came out on video the first time, I was in my early teens. After we watched it for the first time, I sighed happily and said, "I don't think I could ever get tired of this movie."
Riiiiiiiight. :)
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Rain: A Beatles Experience
Last night, Josh took me out to Fuddrucker's for dinner, and then to a Rain concert. They were absolutely incredible.
The auditorium was packed. (which made me think. If there were that many people there who like The Beatles' music that much, don't you think we could have a real "oldies" station?? The former oldies station is now supposedly "variety," though their favorite genre is 70s love songs (i.e. the stuff I had to hear when I worked at JoAnn's and hated!) It seems like there's enough interest to keep it going, but maybe I'm wrong.
They started with the first American performance: it was as though we were at the Ed Sullivan show (just older and not all women!), down to the "applause" signs that lit u
There were big screens on the sides of the stage that went along with whatever era they did. So during the "Sgt. Pepper" era, they had psychedelic colors flying around. It really added to the whole experience.
And they played and sang amazingly well. Looking at their faces you knew it wasn't the real guys, but you really wouldn't have known otherwise. (well, and "Paul" wasn't left-handed!) They played everything perfectly!
As someone who was born after everything happened, this was an incredible experience for me. Between each "era" they showed TV clips (and a couple commercials! I didn't realize people actually ironed their hair to get it straight!!!) and the music made more sense to me. Learning the music independent of the rest of what went on when they sang it, I missed out on a whole layer of the music.
For any Beatles fans, I'd strongly recommend Rain. And I'd love to go again if they come to the area!!
The auditorium was packed. (which made me think. If there were that many people there who like The Beatles' music that much, don't you think we could have a real "oldies" station?? The former oldies station is now supposedly "variety," though their favorite genre is 70s love songs (i.e. the stuff I had to hear when I worked at JoAnn's and hated!) It seems like there's enough interest to keep it going, but maybe I'm wrong.
They started with the first American performance: it was as though we were at the Ed Sullivan show (just older and not all women!), down to the "applause" signs that lit u
There were big screens on the sides of the stage that went along with whatever era they did. So during the "Sgt. Pepper" era, they had psychedelic colors flying around. It really added to the whole experience.
And they played and sang amazingly well. Looking at their faces you knew it wasn't the real guys, but you really wouldn't have known otherwise. (well, and "Paul" wasn't left-handed!) They played everything perfectly!
As someone who was born after everything happened, this was an incredible experience for me. Between each "era" they showed TV clips (and a couple commercials! I didn't realize people actually ironed their hair to get it straight!!!) and the music made more sense to me. Learning the music independent of the rest of what went on when they sang it, I missed out on a whole layer of the music.
For any Beatles fans, I'd strongly recommend Rain. And I'd love to go again if they come to the area!!
Dinner and some Pictures
Tonight's dinner (not started yet). For those who think MSG-free means a lack of options...this is soooo yummy!
Chicken Bosciaolla
1 chicken breast per adult sliced as if for stir fry
1/2 slab bacon cut into small pieces
1 bunch green onions diced
1 T chopped fresh garlic
1 medium carton heavy cream
2 cups grated fresh parmesan (Do not use Kraft-type cheese) **I grate my own and use high-end stuff for the good flavor***
Fry the bacon until nearly done and add the chicken pieces. Cook until very done and add the onions and garlic. The onions should start to wilt, then turn heat to low and add the cream. Slowly add the cheese until it's all together. Do not overheat or the sauce will break. Meanwhile, boil a pot of water and add linguini noodles. Cook and drain. Pour noodles into sauce and serve immediately.
Here's a new Bekah layout. Really, could she be any cuter??
And here's me! One of the assignments for this week was a self-portrait. So with the help of the tripod and self-timer, I got a couple I liked. Here's one of them!
And Jasmine!
(click on them to see in the gallery with credits and (hopefully) comments!)
Chicken Bosciaolla
1 chicken breast per adult sliced as if for stir fry
1/2 slab bacon cut into small pieces
1 bunch green onions diced
1 T chopped fresh garlic
1 medium carton heavy cream
2 cups grated fresh parmesan (Do not use Kraft-type cheese) **I grate my own and use high-end stuff for the good flavor***
Fry the bacon until nearly done and add the chicken pieces. Cook until very done and add the onions and garlic. The onions should start to wilt, then turn heat to low and add the cream. Slowly add the cheese until it's all together. Do not overheat or the sauce will break. Meanwhile, boil a pot of water and add linguini noodles. Cook and drain. Pour noodles into sauce and serve immediately.
Here's a new Bekah layout. Really, could she be any cuter??
And here's me! One of the assignments for this week was a self-portrait. So with the help of the tripod and self-timer, I got a couple I liked. Here's one of them!And Jasmine!
(click on them to see in the gallery with credits and (hopefully) comments!)
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Cappuccino Muffins
Ready for an amazing recipe? I made these yesterday, and they are worth the trip to the store for the instant coffee! (unfortunately I only have one muffin tin and this makes 14, so I put the last two in cupcake papers in an 8-inch cake pan...so we had 12 muffins and two blobs. Yummy blobs though!)
Cappuccino Muffins
Espresso Spread:
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
1 T sugar
1/2 t instant coffee granules
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/4 c mini choc chips
In a food processor/blender, combine. Cover and process until well-blended. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
Muffins
2 c flour
3/4 c sugar
2 1/2 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 c milk
2 T instant coffee granules
1/2 c butter, melted
1 egg
1 t vanilla
3/4 c mini chocolate chips
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, stir milk and coffee until coffee is dissolved. Add butter, egg and vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chips. Fill greased or paper-lined cups 2/3 full. Bake at 375* for 17-20 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool for 5 min. before removing from pans to wire racks.
Yields: 14 muffins
Cappuccino Muffins
Espresso Spread:
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
1 T sugar
1/2 t instant coffee granules
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/4 c mini choc chips
In a food processor/blender, combine. Cover and process until well-blended. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
Muffins
2 c flour
3/4 c sugar
2 1/2 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 c milk
2 T instant coffee granules
1/2 c butter, melted
1 egg
1 t vanilla
3/4 c mini chocolate chips
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, stir milk and coffee until coffee is dissolved. Add butter, egg and vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chips. Fill greased or paper-lined cups 2/3 full. Bake at 375* for 17-20 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool for 5 min. before removing from pans to wire racks.
Yields: 14 muffins
Monday, January 14, 2008
Recipes?
Tomorrow, I'll try to write out a recipe I made today. Yummm!
Make sure you check out my photo blog; lots of cute pictures there (while you're at it, you could join my two other readers and get it sent to your inbox!) (how's that for a shameless plug?)
So I'm making it a challenge to see if we can skip out of going to Wegmans this week (that's the supermarket, for any non-Western NY-ers who read this). We may need to pick up some milk, but I'd love to make it a whole week on what we have. Here's a rough list of the foods in our fridge and pantry. I've already gotten a couple fun ideas from friends, but I'd love to see what else we could do with what we've got!
Fridge/fresh:
lots of minced garlic
some parmesan
cream cheese
butter
other cheeses: sharp cheddar, some mozzarella/provolone, and shredded cojack
6 eggs
2 cups of beans, soaking at the moment
hot dogs
milk
bread
yeast
basil
1 onion
apples
oranges (which really need to be eaten!)
muffins (this is the recipe I'll try to write out tomorrow)
honey-mustard, plus the normal condiments
Pantry:
orzo
lasagna noodles
oats
normal baking supplies (cornmeal, flour, sugar...)
mac-n-cheese
canned soup (lentil and minestrone, no cream of ______ because Josh can't have those)
Freezer:
whole-wheat tortillas
frozen veggies (spinach, broccoli, a little bit of mixed veggies)
So...what can we make? Can we go the week without a trip out?
Make sure you check out my photo blog; lots of cute pictures there (while you're at it, you could join my two other readers and get it sent to your inbox!) (how's that for a shameless plug?)
So I'm making it a challenge to see if we can skip out of going to Wegmans this week (that's the supermarket, for any non-Western NY-ers who read this). We may need to pick up some milk, but I'd love to make it a whole week on what we have. Here's a rough list of the foods in our fridge and pantry. I've already gotten a couple fun ideas from friends, but I'd love to see what else we could do with what we've got!
Fridge/fresh:
lots of minced garlic
some parmesan
cream cheese
butter
other cheeses: sharp cheddar, some mozzarella/provolone, and shredded cojack
6 eggs
2 cups of beans, soaking at the moment
hot dogs
milk
bread
yeast
basil
1 onion
apples
oranges (which really need to be eaten!)
muffins (this is the recipe I'll try to write out tomorrow)
honey-mustard, plus the normal condiments
Pantry:
orzo
lasagna noodles
oats
normal baking supplies (cornmeal, flour, sugar...)
mac-n-cheese
canned soup (lentil and minestrone, no cream of ______ because Josh can't have those)
Freezer:
whole-wheat tortillas
frozen veggies (spinach, broccoli, a little bit of mixed veggies)
So...what can we make? Can we go the week without a trip out?
Friday, January 11, 2008
The throes of the Terrible Twos
Jasmine is now 2 1/2. That must mean we've dealt with the "terrible twos" for at least the last 6 (7) months, right?
I love her even more today than I did when she was taking her first steps, saying her first words or taking her first breath. She is a constant joy. She tells me everything on her mind now. She has a terrific sense of humor. She loves to help me (yesterday I was vacuuming the radiator with the attachment, and she was helping as I did it). Yesterday she decided Bekah's baby doll was tired, so she "nursed" her to sleep.
She is still high-needs (or at least higher-needs than Bekah). She still needs to nurse to sleep for her naps. She has definite ideas about what should be done, when it should be done, and heaven help anyone who doesn't understand her (though most of the time a complete stranger could understand her, as long as they remembered that "Esla" is Cinderella and "uppadupt" is pullup. Everything else is pretty accurate, with 90% of her R's and L's in the appropriate place)
We have moments. Every so often, more often when she's short on sleep or hasn't had enough snuggle time, we have a meltdown. She does test us, kicking gently when I tell her not to kick, just to see how much she can get away with.
But those moments are very infrequent.
I know when I'm having a bad day, it's easy to focus on all the "bad stuff" in my life. And when I worked at Wegmans, it was the one cranky customer I remembered instead of the 19 pleasant, normal people. So I know how easy it would be to focus on the meltdowns, and to say, "Oh yeah, she's in the terrible twos."
But that would be short-changing her. I love how sweet she is. I love her games. I love her voice (and almost inaudible whisper). I love that she prays for us when we're hurt. I love that she says "snuggle daddy" if we're outside and it's windy. And that she likes to choose the shopping cart to ride in.
On that note, here is the top ten list of life with Jasmine.
10. did you know you can get a milk mustache drinking from a sippy cup?
9. better learn what "baydayday" means (bandaid)
8. some of the more obscure lines of movies may become her favorites ("Mary Poppins. Is that your name? it's lovely.")
7. batteries make everything work.
6. remote controls ("clickers") make all DVDs play, even when she wants one that's not in the player already.
5. all parallel lines (pinstripes) mean Yankees.
4. All card games should sound like Pit. ("two-two-two-two-two")
3. "spider" is not an 8-legged critter. (It's apple cider)
2. Just because Jenny is a doll doesn't mean she shouldn't look at herself in the mirror when she has a hat on.
1. one word: "jumpoline"
I love her even more today than I did when she was taking her first steps, saying her first words or taking her first breath. She is a constant joy. She tells me everything on her mind now. She has a terrific sense of humor. She loves to help me (yesterday I was vacuuming the radiator with the attachment, and she was helping as I did it). Yesterday she decided Bekah's baby doll was tired, so she "nursed" her to sleep.
She is still high-needs (or at least higher-needs than Bekah). She still needs to nurse to sleep for her naps. She has definite ideas about what should be done, when it should be done, and heaven help anyone who doesn't understand her (though most of the time a complete stranger could understand her, as long as they remembered that "Esla" is Cinderella and "uppadupt" is pullup. Everything else is pretty accurate, with 90% of her R's and L's in the appropriate place)
We have moments. Every so often, more often when she's short on sleep or hasn't had enough snuggle time, we have a meltdown. She does test us, kicking gently when I tell her not to kick, just to see how much she can get away with.
But those moments are very infrequent.
I know when I'm having a bad day, it's easy to focus on all the "bad stuff" in my life. And when I worked at Wegmans, it was the one cranky customer I remembered instead of the 19 pleasant, normal people. So I know how easy it would be to focus on the meltdowns, and to say, "Oh yeah, she's in the terrible twos."
But that would be short-changing her. I love how sweet she is. I love her games. I love her voice (and almost inaudible whisper). I love that she prays for us when we're hurt. I love that she says "snuggle daddy" if we're outside and it's windy. And that she likes to choose the shopping cart to ride in.
On that note, here is the top ten list of life with Jasmine.
10. did you know you can get a milk mustache drinking from a sippy cup?
9. better learn what "baydayday" means (bandaid)
8. some of the more obscure lines of movies may become her favorites ("Mary Poppins. Is that your name? it's lovely.")
7. batteries make everything work.
6. remote controls ("clickers") make all DVDs play, even when she wants one that's not in the player already.
5. all parallel lines (pinstripes) mean Yankees.
4. All card games should sound like Pit. ("two-two-two-two-two")
3. "spider" is not an 8-legged critter. (It's apple cider)
2. Just because Jenny is a doll doesn't mean she shouldn't look at herself in the mirror when she has a hat on.
1. one word: "jumpoline"
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
I've been neglectin this blog...
I was worried that would happen!
Here's today's picture for my "photo a day" challenge.
Isn't she gorgeous?! I know I'm partial, but she really is beautiful.
Jasmine decided to wear her Yankees shirt today so I put Bekah in hers as well, and then decided I'd wear my jersey! So, on top of the gorgeous weather, we're pretending it's not still January, but could be baseball season! (it's 65 out right now. Crazy!)
I'm working on layouts for the Creating Keepsakes' Hall of Fame contest. No, I don't really think I'm at the level to consider myself a real competitor, but it's a fantastic push for me. I've made 3 layouts and am working on another three (ten are required for it). So my "best" layouts (I hope) and pictures are all under wraps for who-knows-how-long. It's hard to keep those to myself, but it's worth it. I'm having fun and am excited to find that I'm getting more creative outside-the-box ideas than I ever thought I could have! (I think this is one of those talents like in the Parable of the Talents, where it's not there at first but is around now!)
Oh. This is a tangent, but it's something I've pondered for awhile now. I know God blessed me with my music, and the ability to learn languages. So I studied music for 13 years. I studied and spoke Turkish for 2+ years. But now that I'm not around Turkish people, and not in a position to play, those talents are kind of by the wayside. Instead I'm focusing on learning to be a better mommy, hopefully a more organized, less cluttered one, and stretching my creativity (and flexibility). So is it okay to let those first ones kind of relax? Is it okay that I've forgotten most of the Turkish I knew and my clarinetting is, uh, very rusty? Or does God hope we keep those original talents fresh?
Here's today's picture for my "photo a day" challenge.
Isn't she gorgeous?! I know I'm partial, but she really is beautiful.
Jasmine decided to wear her Yankees shirt today so I put Bekah in hers as well, and then decided I'd wear my jersey! So, on top of the gorgeous weather, we're pretending it's not still January, but could be baseball season! (it's 65 out right now. Crazy!)
I'm working on layouts for the Creating Keepsakes' Hall of Fame contest. No, I don't really think I'm at the level to consider myself a real competitor, but it's a fantastic push for me. I've made 3 layouts and am working on another three (ten are required for it). So my "best" layouts (I hope) and pictures are all under wraps for who-knows-how-long. It's hard to keep those to myself, but it's worth it. I'm having fun and am excited to find that I'm getting more creative outside-the-box ideas than I ever thought I could have! (I think this is one of those talents like in the Parable of the Talents, where it's not there at first but is around now!)
Oh. This is a tangent, but it's something I've pondered for awhile now. I know God blessed me with my music, and the ability to learn languages. So I studied music for 13 years. I studied and spoke Turkish for 2+ years. But now that I'm not around Turkish people, and not in a position to play, those talents are kind of by the wayside. Instead I'm focusing on learning to be a better mommy, hopefully a more organized, less cluttered one, and stretching my creativity (and flexibility). So is it okay to let those first ones kind of relax? Is it okay that I've forgotten most of the Turkish I knew and my clarinetting is, uh, very rusty? Or does God hope we keep those original talents fresh?
Thursday, January 03, 2008
A year in pictures
I'm joining Andrea at TDC in taking a photo a day (actually, well more than one a day. Just aiming for one "decent" photo a day). I won't put them here though, because I'm sure not everyone wants to see pictures of the magnetic alphabet on our dishwasher!
If you'd like to see them, I have a blog set up here. I'll set up Feedblitz there too. I'm going to try hard to keep it up-to-date, but everyone knows that life sometimes gets in the way!
I also got something yesterday...one of my Christmas presents is now on my computer! I can type in my handwriting! So now all of my journaling on my layouts can be my handwriting, instead of other people's!
A couple Jasmine-isms to leave you with:
On her toy phone a few days ago:
"Hello? This is Chareen. I don't fink so. So, so, so, so. It's time for lunch. I can't find it. Okay. Bye!"
And lying in bed:
"Oh, a pwesent? Fank you so much."
And just now:
She asked for Goji. I got her a sippy cup of juice from the fridge, figuring it had to be Goji. I handed it to her, and a second later she was vigorously shaking her head. "it's not Goji." I smelled it: it was cider! So I got her the other sippy cup, and said "this is Goji." After testing it, she said "this is Goji! That's silly."
If you'd like to see them, I have a blog set up here. I'll set up Feedblitz there too. I'm going to try hard to keep it up-to-date, but everyone knows that life sometimes gets in the way!
I also got something yesterday...one of my Christmas presents is now on my computer! I can type in my handwriting! So now all of my journaling on my layouts can be my handwriting, instead of other people's!
A couple Jasmine-isms to leave you with:
On her toy phone a few days ago:
"Hello? This is Chareen. I don't fink so. So, so, so, so. It's time for lunch. I can't find it. Okay. Bye!"
And lying in bed:
"Oh, a pwesent? Fank you so much."
And just now:
She asked for Goji. I got her a sippy cup of juice from the fridge, figuring it had to be Goji. I handed it to her, and a second later she was vigorously shaking her head. "it's not Goji." I smelled it: it was cider! So I got her the other sippy cup, and said "this is Goji." After testing it, she said "this is Goji! That's silly."
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