Sammy Scissorhands

Since Sam missed school yesterday for our mountain adventure, this afternoon he had a bit of make-up work from school. After lunch I sat him down at the kitchen table to get it all done while Nathanael took his nap. Let's be honest, most of his school work he doesn't need my assistance with. It's mostly a matter of tracing, coloring, and cut/paste. So, I had gotten his supplies out for him, got him started, and went to check email (etc) while he did his work. He had completed 90% of it, and I had just settled back at the computer desk after instructing him on the last page, when he started to approach me. With one hand on his head and one hand holding his shirt up, exposing his belly, he asked me, "do you notice anything different?" He had the biggest grin on his face and was slowly walking toward me. But my eye-sight isn't that great, and the pulled-up shirt had me confused, so I couldn't tell right away. Then I thought I saw scalp shining through where hair should be and I said, clasping my mouth, "oh no", followed by both of us bursting into laughter. Sam's laugh was some giddy laugh I had never heard before. Perhaps he was a bit nervous about what he had just done.

Later, when I asked him why he had his shirt pulled up, he told me it was so I wouldn't see the hair on his shirt. I suppose he wanted me to notice what was different about him without it being given away by the evidence on his shirt. Silly boy.
His feelings about his new style have spanned the spectrum this evening. At first he thought it was so funny. Then, when I suggested we stop by to show Mimi and Pop Pop, he was terribly embarrassed. Next, after stopping by Yaya's house, where at first he cried because he didn't want her to see it, he then became quite proud of his 'do after she told him he looked like a leopard. When I tried to buzz it when we got home, he became hysterical and insisted he wants to keep it how it is. And finally, at bedtime, he conceded that in the morning we can try to even it out.
I guess we will have to wait even longer to get our family pictures made...

All aboard the choo-choo train

For the last few weeks I have been trying to get our little family up to North Carolina to enjoy the fall weather and foliage. The first two attempts had to be aborted due to rain on the last two Thursdays. Finally, yesterday we were able to make our trip. We got ready to go first thing yesterday morning and took a 2.5 hour drive to Bryson City, NC to ride the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day. It was a little chilly in the morning, but with a light jacket and a big bright sky, it was just right.
As we were walking through town to the train depot, I couldn't help stopping to take a couple of cute little pictures. They didn't come out perfectly, but the kids are still cute.

The boys really enjoyed riding on the train and did amazingly well on the 1 1/4 hour ride each way. Nathanael actually sat still, which I could hardly believe. Ok, so maybe he fell off the bench a time or two and whacked his head on the floor, but it didn't leave any marks, so all is well. The train was mostly empty, which was nice, and, even though most of the leaves had already fallen, the scenery was still beautiful.

We had a lay-over in a sleepy little mountain town called Dillsboro. It was absolutely adorable. There were only a handful of eateries, so we chose Kostas Family Restaurant. It was delicious and we were all satisfied. As we were walking out of the restaurant, Nathanael hopped up on a straw bale and asked me to snap his picture. He's such a poser.
After lunch, we walked around the town a bit, stopping at a general store for a sample of fudge, and a chocolate store. Then it was time to board the train once more.

It was a wonderfully slow day spent with my three boys. I wish there could be more days such as that.

All is not lost.

Over the last few days I've been visiting my grandfather in the hospice house. The initial visit was taken with much trepidation on my part. I didn't know what to expect, I knew I wasn't going to like seeing him in such a vulnerable position, and I was nervous about how he would look. But in the couple of days since, I have felt a need to go back, to be with him during his final days in this mortal probation. I haven't had much experience with the death of loved ones during my life, but I have learned that death brings some degree of sadness regardless of how or when it comes. My grandfather is not a young man, and though, until recently, his body was still strong, he has suffered from dementia for about a decade now, with the last few years leaving very little of the grandfather I once knew. So, of course this time was coming, but it still greatly grieves me that these are the last days I'll have to spend with him, and he isn't even aware of my presence. And so, I take comfort in the knowledge of a loving, merciful Father in Heaven, and I trust that one day I may be reunited with the grandfather who was such a wonderful part of my life. Though my grandfather was not a man of faith during this life, though he found religion to be quite confusing and difficult to believe, I trust that he will yet have an opportunity to accept Christ, and I have faith in him that he will recognize truth when finally he is taught it.
John 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
1 Peter 4:6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
This is one of the first things that resonated with me about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I remember the first time I came to the knowledge that all is not lost for my dear, sweet grandfather, tears ran down my face. And so I am filled with hope for a joyful reunion with this man, whom I adore, at a time when he is freed from the mortal body in which he is currently suffering.
I will forever cherish the many memories I have of my Papa Bob. He was the best grandfather I could imagine. He never failed to show his affection for me any time I saw him. He was always a goofy man and had his little routine lines that he would say; for example, "be a good little boy" at every parting. When we were younger, he would always tense up his stomach and let us kids punch him as hard as we could in the gut. We never could hurt him, or so it seemed. I'll always remember him when I see root beer barrel candies, which he would carry around in his front shirt pocket, and I'll always remember the bottles of Tums he kept everywhere. As kids, we thought getting one of his Tums was like getting a piece of peppermint candy. He always ate the white ones. It seemed like he was more than happy to do things purely for my (or any of the other grandkids') entertainment. Once, when I was quite young...maybe 5 or 6...I was spending a weekend with Mema and Papa Bob at their lake house. Mema had run to town to do some shopping, leaving Papa Bob and me to entertain ourselves. For some reason, Papa Bob decided he was going to do a little demonstration for me so I could see how gunpowder worked. So, he made a little pile of it by a tree, then he made a little trail of it leading to the pile, lit a match, lit the trail, and nothing happened. So, he went closer to investigate and all of a sudden KAPOW! He was still holding the can of gunpowder in his hand and it had exploded, leaving him with burns all over most of his body. It could have had a terrible ending, but instead it just ended up being a funny/crazy family story for all these years. He spent quite some time all bandaged up like a mummy and certainly has carried many scars from that event to this very day.
For much of my youth, their house was like a second home for me. I spent many weekends with them and would frequently show up at their house unannounced. Papa Bob and I would have long conversations about all kinds of things, and he often talked about what a wonderful woman Mema is.
I'm lucky that I had 4 grandparents for so many years of my life and with whom I was able to experience so many wonderful things. Soon I'll be losing my second grandfather, and he will be missed sorely. Until we meet again....

Messy Eater

I wonder when eating will cease to be a full-contact sport for Nathanael.

Chicken Cacciatore
Recipe by OurBestBites.com


1 lb. chicken breasts or chicken breasts and thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 c. white flour
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. olive oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and either crushed or halved
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
1 c. white cooking wine, or apple or white grape juice.1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. salt (omit if using cooking wine)
1 bay leaf
1 c. sliced mushrooms (or more if you love them.)
1 green bell pepper, chopped


Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onions and garlic and stir frequently until onions are tender and garlic is fragrant. Remove with a slotted spoon (this is why you need to keep the onion and garlic pieces big), shake off excess oil (you don't have to go crazy here, a little olive oil never killed anyone!), and transfer to your blender. Increase heat to medium-high.


In a large Ziploc bag, combine flour, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. black pepper. Add chicken pieces, seal bag, and shake to coat pieces with flour. Dump the entire bag into the hot pan and stir quickly to prevent pieces from sticking together. Saute until chicken is golden. Remove chicken with slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.

While chicken is draining, add wine, chicken broth, tomato paste, thyme, and marjoram to the onions and garlic in the blender. Blend until smooth. Place chicken and bay leaf in your slow cooker and then pour the sauce over the chicken. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on high for 3.5-4 hours. When you have about 1/2 hour to go, add the mushrooms and the chopped green pepper. Cook until mushrooms and pepper are tender. Remove bay leaf and serve over pasta.
Serves 6-8.


FREEZER MEAL INSTRUCTIONS:
Complete steps through browning the chicken. Instead of placing chicken in your slow cooker, place it in a freezer-safe container and cover with sauce. When ready to eat, place frozen mixture in your slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours. You can either cut the mushrooms and peppers ahead of time and freeze them separately from the chicken and sauce or you can just plan to have those in your fridge when you're ready to make this.

Asian Flavor

The cooler fall temperatures have arrived this evening. It rained all day, and the sun finally decided to come out just as Paul was getting home from work. Despite the saturated ground and chilly, breezy conditions, Sam had his heart set on playing football with Dad in the front yard. Initially Sam was in a tee and jeans, refusing a jacket. But after a while, the boys bundled up in jackets, mittens and hats. They played outside until the sun was setting.
Now that it is getting colder outside, it's time to bring back the warm winter meals! Tonight I tried a new recipe. My finished product didn't quite resemble the picture from the magazine, but it tasted great and, better yet, Nathanael ate it. Once my food vacuum, Nathanael has become nearly as picky as his brother. He's not a huge fan of meat, so I'll consider this meal a success simply because he ate it! The fact that it is incredibly simple (slow-cooker!!!) is an added bonus.
I'm not sure if mine looked so different because I didn't use the same cut of pork, but I couldn't find a pork shoulder, so I used some other chunk of pig instead.


Asian Braised Pork
April 2011 Woman's Day

Active: 10 min
Total: 6 hr. on high or 8 hr. on low
Serves 4

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1-in. piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
2 1/2 lb boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 2-in. pieces
1 cup long-grain white rice

In a 5- to 6-qt slow cooker, combine the soy sauce, allspice, red pepper, brown sugar, and ginger. Add the pork and toss to coat. Cover and cook until the meat is tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours.
Thirty minutes before serving, cook the rice according to package directions.
Serve the pork over the rice.

Tonight, when it was time for the boys to go to bed, Sam reminded me that tomorrow is Paul's birthday. He told me "you better get some presents quick!" When I asked him what we should get Daddy for his birthday he whispered in my ear "a Pillow Pet....because he always uses mine." I love that kid.
I love Nathanael too, but his "funny" stories for the day are a bit more menacing:
A) At nap time today, I could hear him in his room rustling around after he'd been in there atleast 15-30 minutes. Plenty of time to have fallen asleep, in other words. So, I went to see what he was up to. He was standing at his window, with the blinds pulled back, watching the garbage truck. Ok, well that's legit. Kinda hard to fall asleep with that noisy thing rumbling down the block. That's when I noticed the empty bag of wipes for about the 5th time this week and diaper cream rubbed into the carpet. "I was putting cream on my toe." Well, you see, recently Nathanael had a little battle with some sort of fungus on his toes (is it possible for a baby to get athlete's foot?!) and we had been treating his toes with a cream. So, that's where he got that crazy idea. So cute, isn't it?! Can you detect sarcasm through a blog?
B) Later, after his nap, I found him carrying around a small piece of wall. Yes, that's right, a piece of wall. A very small piece, mind you, but still, he had torn a piece of the wall off. It came from a dent in the stairwell which needed to be repaired long ago. Well, it got fixed tonight, alright. Minus the painting. So, in other words, it just got patched. Any who, after Paul spackled it, Nathanel decided to dig his fingers back into the original dent, recreating it and getting spackle stuff all over his shirt, his fingers, and the carpet. Have mercy!
After we put him to bed tonight, we heard him trying to come out (like he does every night). When we opened his door to send him back to his bed, he requested a different place to sleep because his bed is "too cozy". He kills me.

My Kind of Guy

I like a manly man. I'm grateful that Paul enjoys sports instead of reading poetry, or worse yet, writing me poetry. I look forward to the weekends and the watching of football. It reminds me of my childhood and the Clemson games we attended year after year as well as the endless games my dad and brothers watched on tv. Football has always been a major part of the fall in my life. And now it is already a major part of my son's life. Sam has developed quite a fondness for sports and football, in particular. Throughout the day, he plays multiple "football" games by himself. He picks which two teams are battling it out each time, he plays all positions, tossing and catching the ball, running across the "field", and then announcing a final score. He even gets sweaty, really sweaty, during these "games". He lives for Saturday football, watching it right beside Dad. This evening Sam watched the Clemson vs. Maryland game until bedtime. He was not pleased to have to go to bed before the end, but he was obedient. After several minutes, however, he started calling for us. When Paul went to go check up on him, he claimed he was hungry. He was NOT hungry. I fed that child quite a healthful dinner- chicken, rice, grapes, and plantain chips. Yes, that's right, plantain chips. So, Paul took him downstairs (sucker) and gave him some cheese. Then he claimed he was full (of course he was) and came upstairs to check the score. Duh, who didn't see that coming? He's a little sneaky boy, that Sammy. And I was kinda annoyed that he was still up, an hour past his bedtime. But then I walked out of the room to put some laundry away and I heard, "OOHHH NOO! Arrggg! Moooommmm?" What, Sam? "Maryland just scored!" Then I realized how I love that he is so interested in football. He already gets it and enjoys watching it, and that's just the kind of guy I like.

A Lovely Day for a Picnic

One of the greatest regrets Paul and I have carried with us when we moved away from each of the cities we have lived in during our marriage is that we didn't enjoy to the fullest everything that each city had to offer. So today, since Paul didn't have to work, Sam had the day off school, and the weather was so wonderful, we decided to go enjoy Greenville's beautiful downtown.
First we picked up some additional passengers, then we set off to find some good grub so we could enjoy a picnic in the park.
When the dining was done, Nathanael made a quick friend...
Dad and Sam played a little football...
Max lost his pants...
Nathanael jumped around....
and played with sticks.
After a nice stroll across the bridge, where the half-naked baby picked up many compliments, we recognized that the children were beginning to show signs of fatigue. So, we headed back home. Cap off the day with a bowl full of Publix brand blueberry-pomegranate fro-yo and you've got a successful day.

Field Trip

Probably one of the best things about being a stay-at-home mom is the opportunity to fully participate in the kids' school activities. Maybe it's one of the best and worst things. It's great because I get to look on as Sam enjoys time with his new friends and I get to participate in fun events that an adult wouldn't typically do sans children. But then there's the factor of feeling like the new kid who doesn't quite fit in. This was the first time I'd met many of the mothers and it seemed like they all knew each other already and, well, I'm kind of socially awkward. It's true; I know, I hide it so well. haha Luckily, so far for Sam, although he tends to be a bit timid in new situations, particularly involving adults, he seems to be more outgoing with his peers and has made new friends quickly.
Today we took a trip to Fisher's Orchard. Boy have we really had some great fall weather for all of these activities lately! Again, it was a beautiful day- cool in the morning, but warmed up to a perfect temperature by afternoon. At the orchard, the kids got to participate in several fun acitivites. First, they had a wagon ride around the orchard, where there were all sorts of Halloween and fall decorations scattered about.
Next they had a little lesson about different fruits and vegetables (apples, corn, potatoes, pumpkins), and what can be made from each. Sam really got into this part, shouting out all kinds of different answers. After their lesson, they got to pet bunnies and feed goats and a cow.
Then it was on to a slightly ghetto, but kinda cool, maze.
They actually loved it, running through several times, until it was time to go "pick" apples. Picking the apples was actually just taking a plastic bag over to two crates of pre-picked golden delicious apples to find the best looking ones. Picking out their pumpkins was a quite similar process; scattered on the ground in one area were a slew of less than perfect, tiny pumpkins. The goal was to get the one with the least imperfections. I think Sam and I were able to find a fairly cute one.
And I have to say, it was a wonderful way to spend a morning....I only wish we could have had Natey and Daddy along too.

Call me a braggart

I don't care. So what if I'm a little proud of my crafty creations. I've admitted before that I do not have original ideas. I'm a great copy-cat and I'm ok with that. It still makes me happy to recreate someone else's original idea. And it's another one of my favorite things about this time of year. With so many special days crammed into this last quarter of the year, there are plenty of reasons to craft. And there are a couple of things that make crafting more fun.
1) Crafting is always more fun with friends!

Last week some girls and I got together to make candy corn wreaths. What could be easier or better than friends, a hot glue gun, and a bag full of Halloween candy? I love the way it turned out and I think my foyer mirror may be my new favorite spot to hang a holiday wreath.
2) Crafting is always more fun when you are creating something for someone else to enjoy.
This is a Halloween version of the Easter baskets I made earlier this year. I love the way the fleece ghosts/pumpkin turned out and how they add texture to the bag. It didn't turn out perfectly; there are several spots that are not exactly straight. But I was anxious, the whole time, about breaking a needle....which happened twice on this bag. I've got a few new tips from a more seasoned sewer that I'll try next time. I definitely want to try to get a couple more of these done for my own boys. This one was for sweet Myah.

Each year in our neighborhood, someone starts the "boo-ing". Once you've been "boo-ed" it's your job to doorbell ditch some goodies on another neighbor's porch along with a sign for them to hang on their door/window notifying everyone that they have already been "boo-ed". This year I found a really cute version online that I wanted to recreate, so I decided to make myself the initial boo-er and delivered these three buckets to my three favorite neighbors on the first night of October. Since two of them already guessed it was me and the third doesn't read my blog, I figure it's safe to post.

Oktober ferst

Today was a perfect example of why I love fall. We crammed as much activity into this day as possible. First thing in the morning Paul headed off to help the Johnsons move into their new home (congrats y'all), but that didn't take very long. The next item on our agenda was Sam's soccer game. Tigers vs. Fire. Boy am I glad we didn't get stuck with that name! We might lose every game, but atleast we're the Tigers! Sam played hard; he had several runs down the field with the ball, but they were still unable to pull off a win. According to Sam, he scored the only goal of the game for the Tigers, but apparently that goal didn't count for a reason that I'm not exactly sure of.
After soccer we headed home after stopping by Robin and Chris's house to pick up Max. They were trying to prepare for their Oktoberfest and claimed Max was being a hindrance. However, he was a perfect jewel at our house. I wanted to snap some pictures of him hanging out with us, but I didn't.
Later it was time to enjoy the festivities at the Ludwig (LUWD-vig) extravaganza! Though the morning was a bit chilly for observing a soccer game, the afternoon was absolutely beautiful for a backyard party with lots of yummy German food.


The party had a very authentic feel, complete with a real German grilling brats.
And a lederhosen-clad mini-German serving beverages (later in the afternoon he stole a soft pretzel right out of my hand). There was a little something for even us Mormons- diet cola for me, juice pouches for the wee ones, and plenty of water for those free of addictions (I'm pretty sure that only applies to Paul).
Though there were loads of people I didn't know, it was nice to see family, who unfortunately we don't see as often as we'd like. The boys got to see cousin Benny and Sam got a cool new rocket from Aunt Les and Uncle Ben.

No one could have asked for better weather for the event. The sun was warm and bright, and the breeze was gentle and cool. Perfect football weather. Sam enjoyed a little ball tossing and tackling during Oktoberfest and Clemson kicked Virginia Tech's butt to cap off the night. A good day was had by all.