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| #44 Heavy |
Saturday, January 12, 2013
#44 Heavy
It has been awhile since I have posted any pictures toward my 100 snapshot challenge. I think that me taking better pictures was a goal when I first started my list and while the challenge has helped me look for photos where I might not have before, the photo a day challenge has taken front seat in my focus. But, when we were in Sunriver on the sleigh ride, I remembered that I thought there was the word "heavy" on my list. So I snapped a few (ok, more than a few) pictures of the snow weighing down the trees. It was something I remembering seeing often growing up in Montana, but it has been awhile since I have been there during a snowy season.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
anchor: an object used to hold something else firmly in place
As I was laying down to go to bed tonight I realized that I had yet again forgotten to share with you one of the rocks I ordered to use as an anchor for my "one little word".
I ordered three little ones that had the word "grace" in lowercase. A simple little reminder. One for home. One for work. One for the car.
Imagine my surprise when I opened the package and found a little extra surprise! I love them all and hope they serve as the anchor that am hoping for.
If you like what you see head over to http://www.rocksteadystonewear.com/index.htm
She does custom orders and delivered mine really fast! She also has an Esty store under the same name.
I ordered three little ones that had the word "grace" in lowercase. A simple little reminder. One for home. One for work. One for the car.
Imagine my surprise when I opened the package and found a little extra surprise! I love them all and hope they serve as the anchor that am hoping for.
If you like what you see head over to http://www.rocksteadystonewear.com/index.htm
She does custom orders and delivered mine really fast! She also has an Esty store under the same name.
Brown Rice...in bulk!
I have transitioned our family entirely to brown rice, with the exception of Chinese take-out and my chicken and rice casserole, and done so without too much pain. Except for how bloody long it takes brown rice to cook. 45 minutes? Seriously? I don't want to spend that kind of time for rice. Months ago, I found precooked brown rice at Trader Joe's that took 3 minutes to reheat in the microwave...3 minutes! Now we are talking.
The problem...I was paying a lot for the convenience. So, I started looking for a way that I would be able to get the brown rice I wanted to eat in the time I wanted it for a price that works better. (Typing that out makes me sound kind of snotty.)
I found a blog that had a recipe that was SUPER easy using a crockpot. I tried it last week and it was excellent! The recipe had more spices and oil than I wanted to use (it was for a specific recipe) but I took the basic ratio for a crockpot, which was really what I was looking for, and it worked great! For some reason I thought I would need to be different in the crockpot. :/
Clearly it is nothing fancy, but it worked so well I thought I would write it up and see if it might help anyone else.
Ingredients:
olive oil spray (I used my Misto)
5 cups of brown rice
10 cups of water
Directions:
1. Spray the bottom and sides of the crockpot with the olive oil spray (I suppose you could use whatever you wanted.)
2. Add rice and water to the crockpot and mix.
3. Turn on high for three hours. At this time turn off the crockpot and check on it every once and awhile until the water it absorbed. Fluff it up a bit so that the rice at the bottom doesn't turn into rice paste.
4. Cool the rice in the fridge overnight (I just waited until my crockpot was not really hot and then just stuck that in the fridge).
5. The next day, break up the rice and then package it up in whatever size you want and put it in the freezer. The next time you need some, just take it out and reheat in the microwave until warm enough.
We had brown rice with a stir-fry on the day that I made it and then I packaged up leftovers for two days for me. Then I had 9 bags of about 2 cups each of brown rice to put in the freezer! Amazing!
The problem...I was paying a lot for the convenience. So, I started looking for a way that I would be able to get the brown rice I wanted to eat in the time I wanted it for a price that works better. (Typing that out makes me sound kind of snotty.)
I found a blog that had a recipe that was SUPER easy using a crockpot. I tried it last week and it was excellent! The recipe had more spices and oil than I wanted to use (it was for a specific recipe) but I took the basic ratio for a crockpot, which was really what I was looking for, and it worked great! For some reason I thought I would need to be different in the crockpot. :/
Clearly it is nothing fancy, but it worked so well I thought I would write it up and see if it might help anyone else.
Ingredients:
olive oil spray (I used my Misto)
5 cups of brown rice
10 cups of water
Directions:
1. Spray the bottom and sides of the crockpot with the olive oil spray (I suppose you could use whatever you wanted.)
2. Add rice and water to the crockpot and mix.
3. Turn on high for three hours. At this time turn off the crockpot and check on it every once and awhile until the water it absorbed. Fluff it up a bit so that the rice at the bottom doesn't turn into rice paste.
4. Cool the rice in the fridge overnight (I just waited until my crockpot was not really hot and then just stuck that in the fridge).
5. The next day, break up the rice and then package it up in whatever size you want and put it in the freezer. The next time you need some, just take it out and reheat in the microwave until warm enough.
We had brown rice with a stir-fry on the day that I made it and then I packaged up leftovers for two days for me. Then I had 9 bags of about 2 cups each of brown rice to put in the freezer! Amazing!
Monday, January 7, 2013
What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman
It isn't really too surprising to me that it has taken me such a long time to pick up a book. I had a really good run of fantastic books and December had me running crazy. But I thought I should be able to say that I read at least one book over my break so I took this book with me when we went to Sunriver. There was actually a time where Taelin and Joe were both taking a nap and I was able to sit down and start it.
Overall, I only gave this book three out of five stars on Goodreads. It was pretty much "ok". I think it was supposed to be a suspenseful book with a twist of an ending and, for me, it didn't really accomplish that. I did keep reading though, not because I had to find out the truth, but because I had to find out if I was right...which I was.
I don't even really want to try and summarize it. It is kind of mystery. There are two girls that go missing in 1975 and years later, after a car crash, a women is brought to the hospital and claims to be one of the girls. The rest of the novel unravels the story of the woman and the others that have been effected, either in the past or the present. That is as best as I can do right now. It was an "ok" book.
Photo A Day Jan 1-6, 2013
The first week of 2013 is in the bag! It was a great week of catching up after Christmas and then vacation. We caught up on some sleep, we caught up on some laundry and just in general, got back to whatever it is that passes for normal in this house!
I did get a new phone on Saturday (with a really great camera) only to find out today (Monday) that my main lens for my Nikon was somehow jammed. So I took the lens to the camera store and they have sent it in to see if they can fix it. They told me it would be 3-4 weeks before I even heard what was wrong with it and then would have to wait on top of that if I decide to get it fixed after they give me an estimate. ...sigh... I am not completely dead in the water because I have different lens for my Nikon, it just isn't the one I use everyday. Well, it is now I guess, but you know what I mean. While a bit of a bummer, I am choosing to look at it an opportunity to use this other lens more. Who knows what I could learn?!?
Anyway, here are this past week's photos!
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| jan 1, 2013 On our way home from Sunriver |
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| jan 2, 2013 the unhappy chore of putting everything away |
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| jan 3, 2013 Pampered Chef party...I may have pampered myself a bit |
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| jan 4, 2013 the never-ending chore |
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| jan 5, 2013 |
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| jan 6, 2013 my 2012 December Daily album...or at least the beginnings of it |
Friday, January 4, 2013
Photo A Day Dec 26th-31st
In the spirit of beginnings and endings, I thought I would post the rest of my December photo a day photos even though it isn't a full week. (It may also be in the spirit of my OCD and tidiness of my photo organization.)
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| dec 26, 2012 in her new shoe size Taelin's shoes no longer fit two deep on the shoe rack without overlapping. It is the little things like this that make me smile and cry a little all at the same time. |
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| dec 27, 2012 |
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| dec 28, 2012 all packed up for Sunriver |
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| dec 29, 2012 |
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| dec 30, 2012 |
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| dec 31, 2012 Taelin definitely had the best hook up ever during our snowshoeing |
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Kids believe in Santa; adults believe in childhood. ― Cate Kennedy
Christmas 2012 has come and gone and I honestly can say that is was one of the best that I have ever had. I don't remember much (fondly or not) about Christmas as a child. We didn't have a ton of traditions for Christmas or leading up. There was always a lot of church during December, including the Christmas program. We opened presents on Christmas Eve and stockings were for Christmas morning. We never traveled anywhere for Christmas, my guess is mostly out of practicality because we were in the Montana and our extended families were in Oregon and North Dakota and the weather/road conditions just didn't make travel reasonable.
Once Joe and I started celebrating together, we mostly stuck to Oregon because time off for Joe was hard to get. Once infertility became a cloud in our lives I kind of wanted to cancel Christmas all together and for a couple of years did the bare minimum to get by and still call it Christmas. And then...along came Taelin...and Christmas took on a whole meaning.
This year we did a lot of things in December to prepare for Christmas. I tried to balance what we did so that she understood this time of year isn't about her and what she gets. I tried to make it about the time we have with the people that are important to us. I tried to make it about helping those that we don't even know that need help in some way.
We followed some of the list that I had planned but plans have a way of changing and I just tried to roll with it. We made homemade gifts. We decorated the house with hand-printed Christmas trees and paper snowflakes. We baked for our neighbor, teachers and friends. We shopped for the perfect presents and used A LOT of tape and paper to wrap them. We shopped for the fire department's toy drive, purchased gloves and scarves for the service project that was going on at work and donated food to the food bank. We hung Christmas lights, read Christmas books, watched Christmas movies and sang Christmas songs. And of course, there was Santa.
One of the things I do remember from my childhood was going to visit Santa at the bank when I was in 4th or 5th grade. I don't remember which year for sure, but I do remember that we were living in Terry, MT at the time so it had to be either 4th or 5th. I don't remember whether I was a believer at that point or not but I do remember that my sister was being five years younger. Really the only thing I remember was that we lived in Terry and my sister was downright terrified of sitting on Santa's lap. Like crying-screaming-you-can't-make-me and we didn't get the picture that I think my mom was hoping for. I don't remember any big reveal or feelings of betrayal when I learned Santa's real story but I did remember Lorie's terrified feelings about Santa and had my own feelings of guilt when we started to tell Taelin about Santa.
We downplayed a part of it. We don't tie Santa's present bringing to whether she has been bad or good. There is nobody watching to see what she is doing to see if she is deserving. (Quite frankly I think that is a little creepy.) She does think though that Santa lives at the "North Cold" and has elves that make presents and then he brings them. He likes cookies and he likes reindeer. This year was the first year that we actually wrote a letter (I dictated it). It is adorable.
Here are my most favorite parts:
1. She wanted a princess castle and a tool work bench. What can I say, she wants balance.
2. She liked Christmas because she got to pass out presents.
and
3. She is writing her own name, one letter at a time, and it melts my heart.
We sent the letter (to my pile of scrapbook stuff) and then planned a visit to go see Santa. Between the two, a friend of mine posted a letter on Facebook that she sent to her niece after being the recipient of her niece's Santa letter. The letter was to her niece from Santa and had some personalized details about her niece and her wishes. She had so much fun she offered to write similar letters for any of her friends with small kids. I jumped at the chance and after our visit with Santa shared some of the details of Taelin's list and visit. Not a few days later we received this.
I would have never guessed in a million years the excitement that followed.
First of all, her reaction:
I knew it was coming and so when Joe brought the mail in and I saw the letter I did was any scrapbooker would...grab the camera. Joe clicked away and we got some great pictures of the range of emotions. I was right that she would be excited but I had no idea what would come next.
That night I think I reread the letter 20 times. It was what she picked for her bedtime story. The next day I lost track around 30 sometime before lunch. She has showed that letter to every person that has come into our house and told anyone that would listen from cashier at Fred Meyers to the barista at Dutch Bros. She even told a couple of people that weren't really interested.
It was absolutely magical and I will forever be grateful to my friend who took the time to create those moments for my daughter.
On my own list there was kind of funny little item. Take a picture with Santa. I don't know why, almost three years ago, I thought it was important. Maybe because I don't have any from when I was a kid. Maybe it was because I thought it would make a cute holiday picture. Who knows. But what I do know is that when we were there, watching Taelin visit with Santa, it just didn't matter that I get a picture of Santa. Sure I could have done it. I could have paid my three bucks, hopped up in the sleigh and had Joe take a picture. But it just didn't matter. That item on the list will go undone and that's ok. I did take a picture of Santa though, and in a very big way I guess I was sitting right beside him.
What did matter was the joy and magic that I saw in the children (not just in my daughter) the day we went to see Santa and the happiness and delight she felt every time we reread that letter. I know that Christmas is more that just Santa but I think it would be hard to argue for most people that there isn't something just a little magical about kids and Santa.
It was a wonderful Christmas season. The best one yet. I can't wait to sit down with my December Daily album to add pictures and journal about our time together and the moments she melted my heart with her kindness, generosity and thoughtfulness.
Once Joe and I started celebrating together, we mostly stuck to Oregon because time off for Joe was hard to get. Once infertility became a cloud in our lives I kind of wanted to cancel Christmas all together and for a couple of years did the bare minimum to get by and still call it Christmas. And then...along came Taelin...and Christmas took on a whole meaning.
This year we did a lot of things in December to prepare for Christmas. I tried to balance what we did so that she understood this time of year isn't about her and what she gets. I tried to make it about the time we have with the people that are important to us. I tried to make it about helping those that we don't even know that need help in some way.
We followed some of the list that I had planned but plans have a way of changing and I just tried to roll with it. We made homemade gifts. We decorated the house with hand-printed Christmas trees and paper snowflakes. We baked for our neighbor, teachers and friends. We shopped for the perfect presents and used A LOT of tape and paper to wrap them. We shopped for the fire department's toy drive, purchased gloves and scarves for the service project that was going on at work and donated food to the food bank. We hung Christmas lights, read Christmas books, watched Christmas movies and sang Christmas songs. And of course, there was Santa.
One of the things I do remember from my childhood was going to visit Santa at the bank when I was in 4th or 5th grade. I don't remember which year for sure, but I do remember that we were living in Terry, MT at the time so it had to be either 4th or 5th. I don't remember whether I was a believer at that point or not but I do remember that my sister was being five years younger. Really the only thing I remember was that we lived in Terry and my sister was downright terrified of sitting on Santa's lap. Like crying-screaming-you-can't-make-me and we didn't get the picture that I think my mom was hoping for. I don't remember any big reveal or feelings of betrayal when I learned Santa's real story but I did remember Lorie's terrified feelings about Santa and had my own feelings of guilt when we started to tell Taelin about Santa.
We downplayed a part of it. We don't tie Santa's present bringing to whether she has been bad or good. There is nobody watching to see what she is doing to see if she is deserving. (Quite frankly I think that is a little creepy.) She does think though that Santa lives at the "North Cold" and has elves that make presents and then he brings them. He likes cookies and he likes reindeer. This year was the first year that we actually wrote a letter (I dictated it). It is adorable.
Here are my most favorite parts:
1. She wanted a princess castle and a tool work bench. What can I say, she wants balance.
2. She liked Christmas because she got to pass out presents.
and
3. She is writing her own name, one letter at a time, and it melts my heart.
We sent the letter (to my pile of scrapbook stuff) and then planned a visit to go see Santa. Between the two, a friend of mine posted a letter on Facebook that she sent to her niece after being the recipient of her niece's Santa letter. The letter was to her niece from Santa and had some personalized details about her niece and her wishes. She had so much fun she offered to write similar letters for any of her friends with small kids. I jumped at the chance and after our visit with Santa shared some of the details of Taelin's list and visit. Not a few days later we received this.
I would have never guessed in a million years the excitement that followed.
First of all, her reaction:
I knew it was coming and so when Joe brought the mail in and I saw the letter I did was any scrapbooker would...grab the camera. Joe clicked away and we got some great pictures of the range of emotions. I was right that she would be excited but I had no idea what would come next.
That night I think I reread the letter 20 times. It was what she picked for her bedtime story. The next day I lost track around 30 sometime before lunch. She has showed that letter to every person that has come into our house and told anyone that would listen from cashier at Fred Meyers to the barista at Dutch Bros. She even told a couple of people that weren't really interested.
It was absolutely magical and I will forever be grateful to my friend who took the time to create those moments for my daughter.
On my own list there was kind of funny little item. Take a picture with Santa. I don't know why, almost three years ago, I thought it was important. Maybe because I don't have any from when I was a kid. Maybe it was because I thought it would make a cute holiday picture. Who knows. But what I do know is that when we were there, watching Taelin visit with Santa, it just didn't matter that I get a picture of Santa. Sure I could have done it. I could have paid my three bucks, hopped up in the sleigh and had Joe take a picture. But it just didn't matter. That item on the list will go undone and that's ok. I did take a picture of Santa though, and in a very big way I guess I was sitting right beside him.
What did matter was the joy and magic that I saw in the children (not just in my daughter) the day we went to see Santa and the happiness and delight she felt every time we reread that letter. I know that Christmas is more that just Santa but I think it would be hard to argue for most people that there isn't something just a little magical about kids and Santa.
It was a wonderful Christmas season. The best one yet. I can't wait to sit down with my December Daily album to add pictures and journal about our time together and the moments she melted my heart with her kindness, generosity and thoughtfulness.
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