Kid Crafts: A Magnetic Turtle Toy

Have you ever looked at those pretty little wooden boxes that cheese comes in and wondered what to do with them? Not that I'm confessing anything here, that would be kind of an odd thing to think about. But regardless, here's what we did with one of the little boxes.

If you can't see it, it's lined with felt and that's a piece of a toilet paper tube as the little turtle's house.  We glued flowers for his garden and put a few tiny sea shells just because.

The turtle is made from Sculpey clay and he's glued to a string and a magnet that is threaded through a little hole in the back of his house. On the other end of the string underneath the box is another magnet and when you put the two magnets together through the wood they make him toodle around his garden magically. I suppose he doesn't need a string to do his walking but it kind of keeps it all attached so he doesn't get lost.

8 Ways to Be the World's Greatest In-Law

If you ever get with a group of women and want to start the conversation off with a bang there are two topics guaranteed to get things going: pregnancy and mothers-in-law. Every woman's got a story about her labor and an even worse account of her mother-in-law.

But the funny thing is, I have a great mother-in-law. In fact, both sides of the family could write a book on how to be a good in-law so I'm sharing a few things I've noticed that my mother-in-law and my parents do that get them big points in the "Greatest In-Law" category. Some may seem pretty obvious but I'm continually surprised by how many families have problems incorporating these "obvious" suggestions.

1. You're not a parent any more.
You're a friend, a confidant, a helper, a support system, a cheerleader, whatever you want to call it but once your child has become an adult your days of parenting are over. At least they should be. Once your kids reach adulthood they don't stop needing you but the way they need you should be very different from when they were children. You have to starting thinking of yourself as a resource, not as a parent.

You can expect that whatever person you have produced after 20 years of parenting is a finished product--so far as you are concerned. You've done your part and the rest of the burden for improvement, correction or adjustment is with them. Besides, if your child hasn't learned a principle after you've tried to teach it to them for 20 years it’s pretty sure that your nagging isn't going to fix the problem. Once adults, children need to live their own lives regardless of how you feel about things--after all, isn't that the whole point of parenting?

2. Don't give advice.
Even when you're asked for it--or at least very reluctantly. Many times when someone asks another person for advice they already know what they want to do, they're just looking for validation in which case advice is pointless. Other times they don't know what to do and want you to tell them the answer in which case advice keeps them from learning to find their own answers to life's problems.

Occasionally you might have a time when advice is sought and when it would be appropriate, as a friend, to offer it. But advice is like salt--it's fine in very small amounts but too much and it makes things unpalatable and too much could kill you. Of course here am I, giving out all sorts of advice in this post. How ironic is that?

3. Give your kids and their spouses your approval when it's earned.
Even as adults we still want to think that our parents are proud of us so don't stop telling your grown children when they're doing something well. In fact, I'd say that as an adult I care more than I did as a child about what my parents think. I want them to approve of the way I'm a mother or a person because I understand life and the importance of one's character more than I did as a child.

Tell them that you love them, tell them that you're proud of them. All those years when you told them that you want them to grow up to be better than you were? Well now is the time to tell them that they've succeeded. And that goes double for your children's spouses--be sure to compliment them. And not those back-handed compliments that really mean something completely different (i.e. "Wow, you've actually learned to cook and it's not half-bad!")

4. Don't interfere with child rearing.
Of course if there are extreme issues where grandchildren are in physical danger intervention might be appropriate but otherwise you should be completely invisible as a disciplinarian. Your job was to raise the parents NOT the grandchildren. To undermine parental authority, however well-intentioned, is a serious, serious infraction--one that de-stabilizes a family and turns members against each other so don't ever be guilty of getting between your children and their own children. It will just harm things in the end and push them away from you.
You may think that your grandkids don’t get enough discipline and that you’re the only one standing between them and prison and that as such you have an obligation, nay, a moral imperative to get involved but I’m still going to go with my “stay out of it completely” policy and tell you to leave it alone. Believe it or not your children really pick up on criticism well (to say nothing of their spouses) and that is what this will be interpreted as: criticism of their parenting. Which, coincidentally, it is.

Besides? Who wants to be parents forever? Being a grandparent is much more fun anyway. My Dad says that the whole reason you have kids is so that you can some day be a grandparent.

5. Do nothing to harm the unity of your children's marriages.
It is not a contest to see who your grown children love more: their parents or their spouse. Don't make them choose because if they must they darn well ought to choose their spouse, no exceptions.

I can see that for some people--particularly mothers whose lives revolve around their children--it might be painful to allow kids to grow up, move away and build a life with someone else but that's the way it's supposed to be. It's what's healthy for everyone concerned and what will build stronger, happier marriage and families.

A good parent would never want to jeopardize their child's marriage or relationship with their spouse so don't do it.

6. Accept their spouse unconditionally.
There is a tendency, as a parent, to see your child in a rosy light. Love has a way (as it should) of dimming our vision of imperfections. Because of this, it's easy once our children get married to think that everything they do is right and that their spouse is the outsider who doesn't deserve the same benefits of affection as your own blood relation.

However, once children marry and make a choice to join their lives to another person legally and morally it's time to get on board. It doesn't matter how you feel about this new person, it doesn't matter if you like them or hate them or are ambivalent. You owe it to your child to welcome the new spouse into the family in full fellowship, with all the love you'd give to your own children.

So many of the problems you see between in-laws and married spouses are because parents take the part of their child and treat the spouse as an outsider and it's just wrong.

7. Don't make demands.
Not in time, money or emotion. Yes, your children should honor, respect and help you but you have no right to demand a certain kind of treatment you think you deserve. And this includes the not-so-subtle guilt tactic.

Remember for a moment what it was like to be a parent with young children. Did you feel pressure? Were there lots of demands on your time? From work, church, children, and spouse? We all lead busy lives and have lots of pressures but loving parents don't increase the pressure on their children by making demands and insinuating that their children don't love them unless they play the game their way. Parents are supposed to be the mature ones, right? This tactic doesn't usually have the effect you want anyway, it just pushes your children away.

8. Be involved in your grandchildren's lives.
With the caveat: let their parents decide how much. Yes, retirement is nice. Yes, you've deserved a break (perhaps), but don't check out on life completely. It's hard raising kids today and parents need all the support they can get--having extended family as a support network is a great blessing today and being there to lend a hand or take a minute for one-on-one time with a grandchild is wonderful.

One of the reasons we decided to move to Alaska was for the benefits of having a strong extended family around--so that when we told our kids that living a certain way would make them happy we could point to examples in our family circle and say, "See? It's not just your parents who believe this stuff--it works for them too."

While being a parent may be behind you, being a good example and role model is not.

Preparing Our Kids for Life: Part Two

Continued from Preparing Our Kids for Life: Part One from September 21, 2010.

***

So if college isn't the way to guarantee a job, riches and success that it might once have been and if the cost-benefit ratio has faded I'm very open to the idea of learning good trades and skills that are more concrete and (sometimes) more in demand.  But college or tech school, whatever path one chooses, getting that certificate of completion isn't enough anymore--there needs to be something else, something much more important than a slip of paper and most people nowadays are missing it because it's so elusive. We need goals.

Set Those Goals
Too many people use college as a way to "find themselves" while lost in wasted semesters, sabbaticals and aimless travel. The funny thing is, of all the people that have told me that they're taking time off to find themselves I've never heard anyone who later claimed to have been successful at the endeavor. They're often as lost after as they were before because all they were doing was putting off the difficult and painful requirement of making a decision and moving forward.

The fact is, college is too darn expensive to waste it by wandering--people plan road trips with greater assiduity than they plan their college years.  The hunt-and-peck method of education has never been efficient and while it might have be adequate fifty years ago such casual and accidental attempts at the target are risky endeavors.

No one should go to college undeclared.  Surely, after 12 years of education and studying one has at least a smidgen of an idea of what area would suit (and there are ways to promote this which I'll describe next week) and if, after high school, you still have too many interests, all the better.  That just means that you have a better-than-average chance of enjoying one of those many, many interests in an actual career. So pick one.

Get some goals and stick to them, for goodness sake.  Spend a lot of time thinking about what you want to accomplish and aim high (people often underestimate their abilities) because ultimately that's what will most influence success or failure. But what your goals are isn't so important as the fact that you have them.

But the problem is: people usually don't set goals. They don't set them, they don't write them down, they don't think about them or keep them in mind and consequently they drift wherever life takes them. Drifting isn't immoral, it's isn't unethical, it's just dangerous because when you drift you run aground or get blown out to sea or get swamped and sunk. Pardon my extended metaphor but life is full of problems and disappointments and setbacks that have the potential to sink your boat but making it through life's storms is 150% easier with goals to guide you.

And most people don't have them.

Close Some Doors
Decisions are funny things because once you've said yes to one thing you automatically say no to an infinite number of other possibilities and, as human beings, that's incredibly difficult to accept. We will do practically anything to keep all our options open, thinking I suppose that options are the way to happiness when, in fact, options merely keep us from anchoring, directing and succeeding. One only needs one option--ONE--to be successful but vacillating between two ensures failure. How many times have I heard someone say, "I can't decide what to do! I have so many interests! I just can't settle on one thing." It makes me want to shake them and say, "You HAVE settled on one thing--you've settled on doing nothing which is the only thing that guarantees failure." The worst decision is making no decision. That's what my dad always says and he's right.

People are able to decide what to eat for breakfast, what to wear to school, whether or not to do their homework, what car to buy, what book to read, what class to take and while I'm not insinuating that the decision of a career should be taken as lightly as Fruit Loops v. Cocoa Puffs, it bears many similarities, making it nearly as easy to decide.

Both Fruit Loops and Cocoa Puffs are tasty, both have the same nutritional value (or lack thereof), both have the same ability to fill one's gut, both have about the same price and benefits.  Barring a vicious allergy to fake chocolate flavoring I don't know that it would matter to anyone which cereal one chose.  Careers can often be like this.  If you have two that are equally interesting, have equal potential in the job market, have similar lengths on course requirements and cost to achieve then it really doesn't matter much which you choose.  Just pick one and get on with it.  It's more important that you pick one than forever wavering between the two. Don't kid yourself that there's magic involved and one leads to happiness and bliss while the other leads to unfulfilled dreams and suffering.  Being happy in one's career usually is more contingent on the situation of a particular job rather than a career itself. Don't get the two confused.

And then, once you're nearly done and are four months from graduation don't get freaked out and think about jilting your major at the altar.  Everyone gets that far and wonders if they've made the right decision. But who cares? Maybe it's the perfect choice, maybe it's a good choice, but the point is . . . you made it! Going back to square one is a waste of time and money. At least finish things out and then if you insist on rethinking everything you have a way of providing for yourself while you go back on through the system a second time.

So forget the idea that one needs to find one's passion as if a career is a soul mate. Instead, find something that interests you (if you have lots of things, all the better, it'll be easier to come up with something) and consider if you can expect to make money from it. Then consider whether you can expect to make enough money to fit the lifestyle you'd like to have (i.e. will you be a single income family? Will you need your spouse to work as well? Will you be flying home to Australia every year to visit family? Will you require a mansion on the hill?) Once you've been able to answer these three questions satisfactorily you're on your way and have accomplished something huge . . . but you're not yet done.

Get Some Experience
Too many kids finish college with a degree and nothing more. No experience, no job record, no letters of recommendation, no skills and no proof to a future employer that they are employable. Whether or not you feel a college degree is worth the price it's hard to disagree that a degree without experience is in a different league than a degree with solid skills and training.

I think this may be because many parents think that teenagers shouldn't work. Personally? I think that's insane but I've heard enough otherwise rational adults say, "It's just more important that they focus on their grades and not be distracted by having a job" or (my personal favorite) "They're only a kid once and they need to be able to enjoy this time." The same parents who insist on ballet, violin, soccer and drama lessons suddenly balk at the thought of little Mary working the drive-through at Taco Bell though when it comes to whether ballet or Taco Bell will influence her future ability to provide for herself it seems pretty obvious which is the more valuable. I'm not sure if they feel it's beneath them or what but I've seen enough people head into college never having held a job in their life only to find that employers have problems with blank resumes.

College is not the place to get your first job, it's the place to train for your career, you should be well past the Taco Bell phase, and never has it been more important that young adults face the world armed with active experience beyond the classroom.

So how does one get that experience and set those goals? And how can you help your children do it?

To be concluded next week.

Goat Cheese Frittata

I told you we were going to spend the weekend celebrating . . . well I've been fantasizing for about eight months of having a celebration dinner with the family where we'd have our traditional and festive raclette but then with a crazy and wonderful twist.

You see, I'm kind of a cheapo. Andrew says it's better to say "frugal" but I'm one of those types that tends to think you can't save enough and cheaper is always better.  If you couple that with my parenting style it means that I don't buy my kids fancy stuff. They get enough obviously but I think it's better for kids not to be lavished with gifts so we usually keep things simple. And cheap. Have I said I'm cheap?

But this time . . . after the year we've had and after having to skip birthdays and Christmas presents and after having the kids be so supportive I wanted to do something wild. I wanted to surprise them in a way that they'd never been surprised before.  We went and got them each the thing that they wanted most in the world, something that they'd never even hope to get for a regular birthday or Christmas then I wrapped each gift and stuck it on their chair at the dinner table so that the tablecloth hung down to hide the bows and wrapping paper.

I was so excited about my plan that I had a hard time sleeping the night before but at dinner when they went to sit down and each pulled out their chair they blinked a few times and looked at the packages as if they hadn't a clue as to how a fancy box could have grown out of the seat. Once they realized what it was, it was like all the Christmas mornings we've ever had wrapped into one. We'd invited Grandma and Grandpa over to join in the fun and as each child opened his or her gift they couldn't stop saying thank you and how they never expected anything like it (which is part of the reason we could treat them--if they'd expected it we wouldn't have done it).

Anyway, it was probably the most memorable family celebration ever and a great way to say thank you to the kids.  And you know what? One of the things I've learned this year is how important it is to be generous, especially at the right times. But at any rate I thought you might be able to enjoy the moment vicariously nearly as much as I have.

As a conclusion to the evening we got together and watched a movie. Usually it's a disaster when we try to all watch the same movie, inevitably someone is unhappy in the selection but I'd picked up Shorts after seeing a funny preview and it turned out to be one of those movies that entertain when you least expect it.

It's made by the same director/producer who made Spy Kids (if you saw that one) and it's got a lot of the same tongue-in-cheek feel. It's about some kids who find a magic wishing rock and the crazy things they wish for and it's funny enough to be entertaining for adults too.

Some of the jokes had us rolling and the cast was great. The story is told in short segments (hence the title) that jump forward and backward in the plotline to fill in details. But I can promise that we ALL thought it was fun, from the 8 year-old up to Andrew and I. Definitely worth a rental and a great finish to our evening.

. . . and finally I get to the main subject--frittata--which is nearly as good as raclette. Though with that goat cheese it's particularly good (I love a soft goat cheese like Montrachet). More great recipes for breakfast and brunch.

1 tablespoon olive oil:
2 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 medium red pepper, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon dried sage
9 eggs
¾ t salt
½ t pepper
4 oz crumbled montrachet or goat cheese

Saute potatoes and onions in olive oil.  Cook 5 minutes, then cover and cook until tender (about 15 minutes).  Add marjoram, rosemary, salt and sage and stir to combine.

Then beat eggs, adding salt, pepper and cheese.

Pour egg mix into potato mix, garnishing with slices of red peppers in a spiral pattern on the top and cook on the stove until set, 2 minutes. Transfer to oven and bake at 350 until set in center, 15 min.

Good Things to Come

Well, it's official.  Andrew has a new job.  I won't say much about that other than, "whew." Followed by a gasp and a wheeze.

It's been a long thirteen and a half months and I'm not sure how we made it through but we're excited about the good news and are looking ahead hopefully.  The thing is, I know there are plenty of you out there who are still facing down troubles and I'm sure we'll still have plenty more to come (life has a way of doing that to you, doesn't it?) so I thought I'd share something that touched me and helped us get through.

I don't share too many "churchy" things here but honestly, that's one of the things religion does so well: help you through tough times. The message is thoughtful and hopeful. If you'd like to see the complete transcript of the sermon the video clip came from you can find it here.

 

What helps you find comfort? Anything that has given you strength you lately?

Well have a good weekend.  We'll be celebrating.

Homemade Meyer Lemon Jelly

I've been so wonderfully busy with domestic endeavors these past couple weeks. It's harvest time (for what that's worth) and I'm bringing in the crops right and left.

I mentioned the Williams-Sonoma cookbook, The Art of Preserving a while back and I was intrigued by the idea of making jellies and jams without packaged, store-bought pectin as I've always done in the past.

Well I'm here to say that it works! And not only does it work very well, if you make this lemon jelly I promise you that your house will smell magnificent.

The jelly is light and fresh-tasting and not only would it be perfect on toast or homemade bread but it would make a lovely filling for a jelly donut or a layer cake. Lemons are wonderful that way you know.

The recipe called for meyer lemons but I didn't have that kind on hand and it worked fine with a more generic variety. I'll warn you though, the recipe needs to be watched rather carefully. Making your own pectin isn't hard but when the directions are specific you'd better stick to them or things will go all wonky on you.

Take 2 pounds of the freshest lemons you can find--not overripe or stale because the younger fruit has more pectin in it. Slice off the stem-end of the lemon but leave the blossom end intact as that's the end that has more pectin in it. Using a blade on a food processor or a mandolin, slice the lemons as thinly as you can and throw them into a large stockpot with 3 quarts of water.

Bring the lemon water to a boil and then reduce your heat and gently boil things for 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the mixture set for 30 minutes (you can let it set longer if necessary--overnight if you must). Strain the lemons, seed and pulp from the liquid through three or four layers of cheese cloth. This should give you about 5 or 6 cups of liquid (the recipe said 5 but I got 6 and it worked fine for me).

Now here's the trickiest part:

Combine the liquid, 2 cups of fresh lemon juice and 6 cups of sugar back in the stockpot and bring to a boil. Immediately once everything is well combined you'll notice that the juice is suddenly light and clear and shiny. That's your pectin reacting with the sugar and the acid from the lemon juice and it's supposed to do that. Trust me, it's very pretty.

Boil the mixture fairly hard (though not too aggressively, you don't want it overflowing or going too foamy on you), stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until the jelly begins to "sheet off the back of a spoon." I had no idea what "sheeting" meant so I wasn't quite sure when the jelly would be ready. After ruining a batch I figured it out.

The best thing to do is to take a plate and stick it in the freezer, ready to go so that when you have boiled the mix for 10 minutes and it appears to be ever-so-slightly thicker on the back of your spoon you can then take out the frozen plate, put a teaspoon of the liquid on the plate and see if it sets up. If it does, that's prooof that the jelly is ready. Mine set up just a little bit on the plate but after boiling my first batch too long I decided to put the jelly in jars anyway and see if it was done despite my apprehensions.

I warn you, it may look completely runny and watery but it really only takes about 10 minutes to see a slight change in the consistency off that spoon and over boiling it is disasterous because it makes the lemons taste bitter and burnt. If you want that fresh lemon taste you can't overboil it. I know, I ruined my first batch doing that.

Once the 1o minutes have passed then immediately pull the pot off the stove and ladle the jelly into four waiting half-pint jars that have been properly cleaned and sterilized. Screw on the lids and invert them on the counter for 5 minutes, then turn them back right-side up and they'll seal themselves nicely. There is enough acid in the lemon jelly not to have to worry about a water bath.

It should keep nicely for a year or so--if you can wait that long to eat it.

Kid Crafts: A Church Doll

I think this variety of doll is called a "church" doll because it was designed for church and quiet play. With a soft, rather abstract "body" which is only stuffed head in a square of cloth (in this case satin backed with flannel--best of both worlds) it is nearly half blanket/half doll and can fit nicely into a pocket or pouch to be pulled out during the sermon.

While I edged this one with lace scraps and used an extra piece to form a little bonnet you could make it from a handkerchief or any piece of fabric--I imagine a little girl would have fun stuffing the head with batting and decorating her own doll.

I embroidered eyes on the face and used a bit of blush for the cheeks but you could use fabric markers or puffy paint and let her design her own friend.

The head is stuffed with batting and then tied around the neck with quilting thread (as it's a bit stronger than all-purpose thread) and the hands are knotted off. That's all there is to it--a head and two hands and maybe a bonnet or a piece of lace around the neck to hide the thread. Easy and quick.

Lillian grabbed this one and immediately named her Margery. Yes, Margery. Wherever THAT came from.

Preparing Our Children for Life: Part One

Why College May Not Be the Right Choice

This is a three-part series running over the next three weeks that will probably make my parents shake their heads--at least at first. Hopefully by the time I'm done they'll renew their faith in me. For the most part.

When I was in elementary school, thinking about my future, it was a given that I would go to college. Both of my parents had college degrees and we six kids were taught early on that college was not only the route to success but a necessary part of becoming an adult.

Before my parents the family tree was full of blue-collar, made-it-through-the Depression, work-by-the-sweat-of-your-brow folks who had little formal education but recognized the value of a well-trained mind and through their efforts the tree has grown to support engineers, dentists, doctors, lawyers, nutritionists, businessmen, statisticians, and educators. Andrew's family is no different with computer programmers, social workers, psychologists, and mathematicians in abundance.

Perhaps it's the recession, perhaps it's the whining of the media, perhaps it's all just sound and fury but I'm hearing more and more about how a college degree just isn't worth what it used to be. Of course we know what it's worth--on average, $80,000 for a private school, $20,000 for public (and that's conservative)--but we've all heard that those with college degrees have a greater earning potential.

However, more and more graduates are finding themselves without the jobs that a degree used to promise. It's the old law of supply and demand hitting us hard. A century ago a college degree was rare and precious and therefore worth more in salary. Nowadays, bachelor's degrees are a dime a dozen and employers set it as the bare minimum for many entry level jobs, often even looking for master's degrees in their future employees, and we're hearing more and more about how a college degree doesn't present the investment that it once did.

Our own family's experience has born this out--my parents were the first in their families to attend college but all 6 of their children received degrees, along with 5 spouses who also earned degrees. Among those 11 people there are a total of 17 degrees, yet of the 7 adults actively employed, 4 have dealt with unemployment and have had trouble finding jobs in the past year.

Again, you can blame it on the recession but I think what we've got here is a lot bigger than a mere economic trend. What many people are predicting--and I think there may be some validity--is that we have saturated the market with university degrees and the market is now swinging back the other way to the point that if you want your children to be assured of finding a job, trade school and skilled labor is the way to go.

Welders, masons, heavy equipment operators, electricians, plumbers, people who spend their days working with their hands are in increasing demand as more and more of the middle class believe that the nobler jobs are those that require thinking rather than lifting. This prejudice against the blue-collar jobs has flooded the market with expensive degrees and left a demand for labor that has driven the prices up and up.

I'm not sure I buy into the idea completely and there is more to college than just a slip of paper with some initials on it but it does make a certain amount of sense. Then, if you think about it in terms of hard dollars it starts to make even more sense. If the average middle class kid goes to college, statistics say he'll (or, more accurately, she--more women are entering college now than men, but that's another post) spend $20,000 getting his four years in. But then the average isn't four years nowadays, but six. So add another $10,000 for two more wasted years in tuition for a total of $30,000 for an ultra-cheap, state school. Not including living expenses, books, fees or frat parties. Now calculate the lost income that those five extra years of university training have cost while her blue-collar counterpart spent significantly less money and time getting a tech-school degree to become a welder.

What are we up to now? Well, welders can make $80,000 a year in some parts of the country in good conditions, so five years would equal $400,000 of earnings while the other kid shuffled around campus trying to decide whether to major in humanities or women's studies. One student is $30,000 in the hole, the other is nearly $400,000 ahead and you tell me who the smarter kid is.

Now don't get me wrong, I happen to think that there are three critical things one gets from college--how to earn money (a degree), how to think (an education) and how to be an adult (experience) and I want my children to attend in no uncertain terms. However, I am saying that perhaps we ought to rethink how we approach the college and educational experience. Gone are the days where you can pack your kid off to college, wipe your hands on your apron and say, "Whew! I'm done!" because a college degree just ain't what it used to be and there is a whole lot more out there to do if we really want to prepare our kids for the real world.

To be continued next week.

Mockingjay and Travels with Charley: Could Two Books Be More Different?

So what have I been doing this past week? Uh . . . not much writing, obviously. I'll give you two words: jam and jam. You'll hear more about that later--and you'll probably hear more about our extremely wonderful week later as news develops but suffice it to say that there was much rejoicing with all that jam and jam and unspecified, yet highly satisfying "good stuff" happening.

But besides all that I've been reading.

You see, I had my kids sign up for the summer reading program at the library and to be a good example I signed up for the adult summer program--giving them encouragement and all that. Well it turned out that I won a set of movie tickets during one of the weekly drawings and then I won the grand prize at the end of the program. The big mother prize! The big prize, that is, not the mother who won.

I was pretty excited to get that call and hear I'd won but then I had to laugh when I heard what I'd received: a gift basket from Kaladi Brothers, a local gourmet coffee shop. Heh. And me not drinking coffee. How ironic is that? But then, almost as a postscript I was told I'd also won a gift certificate to the local used bookstore for $100. WOOHOO! Now that's better than a basket full of coffee any day.

And actually, as fate would have it, the gift basket turned out to be nice too because I took it to our nice neighbors across the street who then offered me her week of veggies at the local vegetable co-op while they were on vacation (though they probably would have offered it even without the coffee). Kohlrabi for coffee, now that's a fine trade I'd say.

But the point is, I went down and grabbed a ton of books.

So today we're going to do an old-fashioned compare/contrast like you did in freshman English on two of my most recent reads: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins and Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck.

I read Mockingjay (the final installment of the Hunger Games trilogy) because of my daughter. She'd read the books and loved them and insisted that I read them too and as I've been a huge stinker about how much I absolutely HATE (yes, in caps--HATE) the Twilight series I thought that it would be a suitable olive branch to read this particular recommendation.

I've kept quiet here about my complete and total loathing of Twilight and will not get riled up now as we're not talking about that vapid (I love the word "vapid"--but not as much as I hate Twilight) set of books and Meyer should not be mentioned in the same post as Steinbeck but let the record show that I'm no friend to self-absorbed, horny vampires.

But I digress . . . see how it gets me going? Anyway, as I was saying . . . Grace wanted me to read Hunger Games and it wasn't too bad. I mean it was like watching any of a number of action flicks and kept my attention going for the whole of the plot and since I wanted to know what happened next (always a good thing in a story) I picked up the second book, Catching Fire, and read it too along with my daughter.

It was disappointing. Too many stories have interesting premises that eke out into oblivion as the teller can't figure out how to progress and it felt as if this one was weak and unoriginal. But still--what was going to happen? So out comes Mockingjay and Grace was rabid to find out how everything ended.

I finished it, but having previously read Travels with Charley the differences between the two books was staggering.

Reality Check
Travels with Charley is a travel memoir where Steinbeck takes his poodle and his truck to circle the length and breadth of our great country "in search of America." The book felt good in my hand--a quality paperback that had a thick, stiff cover and beautiful illustrations (by Don Freeman) and an artistic yet solid typeface (yes, I notice those kinds of things). I love the way a good paperback feels in your hands--the curve of the cover, the heft of the paper, the size of the layout--and this one felt as if it were built to last as much as a vintage Ford truck or a pair of Levis.

Mockingjay, on the other hand, is a post-apocalyptic novel. America is destroyed and not only is the theme far from looking for the good or for the truth in one's surroundings, the book is cynical in a cliche Hollywood, trust-no-one fashion that has been done to death. The words are spaced widely on the page as if screaming that it's padded to make you feel as if you're buying a bigger book than you really are and that's true on multiple levels.

Me, Myself and I
Steinbeck, while writing solely about himself and his travels (or maybe about his dog here and there) is far from self-absorbed and egotistical. He thinks and philosophizes and considers, but always in the context of the world around him. There is no navel gazing here, he is traveling and seeing the world with eyes that seek for beauty and depth and bring it to us in a very generous way.

Collins' main character, Katniss Everdeen (ever since Harry Potter characters must have Anglo-Saxon multi-syllabic names designed to evoke stereotypical character traits) spends most of the 200+ pages moaning about "me, me, me." Now I know she's only 17 so perhaps it's to be expected but still. Boy does it get tedious. Nothing works for her, nothing makes her happy, she supposedly loves her mother and sister to the laying down of everything else but yet her actions are completely contradictory to this bedrock character trait.

She's a bit of an anti-hero (if she can claim to be that complex, which one could certainly argue against) who uses people and has the same traits as action heroes everywhere: a complete inability to accept authority or obey rules. She is completely predictable, formulaic and flat--the embodiment of Laura Croft with a touch of Aeon Flux or Electra thrown in for variety. Or not. Sigh. It truly is, all about her and her angst and that gets tiresome.

Who Needs Literature Anyway?
Steinbeck (and I should warn you, I've been on a holy Steinbeck kick these last few months and I'm completely biased here) has a mastery of the English language that few can rival. It's really unfair to compare Collins to him but then who ever said I was fair? I read the book with a new, long pencil sporting a fine, sharp point, underlining passages I liked or found especially beautiful. There is not a page in the book that doesn't have at least one marking on it.

As an example, the opening sentence reads, "When I was very young and the urge to be someplace else was on me, I was assured by mature people that maturity would cure this itch. . . .A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us."

He writes about language, about politics, about trash, about food and about racism--and every word is crafted with ease and comfort so that you feel as if you're sitting with Steinbeck in the back of his camper over a cup, talking about his experiences. I wish I had my own talent enough to explain how beautiful it is.

Mockingjay, however, is written as most popular books are today--as a screenplay. It's plot-driven, explosive with violence and pathos, extreme in emotion and environment--all built around that most elusive of modern holy grails: our dwindling attention span. There is no depth of character, there is no reality or underlining humanity (no matter how desperately Collins tries to make us think, "There, but for the grace of God, go we") and no great conflict. Sure, the world is coming to an end but nowadays "conflict" merely means more bullets. And bullets there are aplenty. In fact, many scenes read like the script for the next Quentin Terrantino film with limbs being severed and flesh being melted in ever new and exotic ways but without any significant conflict--the kind that makes you care what happens to people and things.

Quite simply, this is a book written to entertain with action and violence (which it kind of does) without benefit of any other literary tool or unity. Fine. That's what the best-seller list has become and I'll accept that. Why rail against the inescapable? Go with the flow, that's what Steinbeck would have said. Though he would have said it much more eloquently.

Ham and Two-Cheese Spoon Bread

Have you ever had spoon bread before? It's not exactly a bread and it's not exactly a souffle, we'll call it a cornmeal souffle, shall we?

In keeping with my breakfast theme this month, this savory breakfast dish is great on its own or as a side to sausage. If you're thinking healthier, a bit of homemade applesauce on the side makes it a wholesome and hot send-off in the mornings.

2¾ cups milk
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon dried thyme
⅛ teaspoon ground red pepper
¾ cup cornmeal
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
cooking spray
1 cup diced onion
8 ounces diced ham
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan
4 large egg whites

Combine milk, sugar, dried thyme and pepper in a saucepan over medium-high heat. When mixture begins to simmer gradually add cornmeal in a slow, steady stream, stirring well with a whisk. Cook 3 minutes or until thickened and smooth, stirring constantly.

Transfer cornmeal mixture to a large bowl. Add yolks, stirring with a whisk. Let stand 10 minutes.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, saute 6 minutes or until tender. Add cornmeal mixture. Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add ham; saute 5 minutes or until ham browns. Add cornmeal mixture. Stir in cheese. Beat egg white to stiff peaks (don’t overbeat) and fold into cornmeal mix.

Bake in 1½ quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray for 50 minutes until puffed and golden brown and set in center.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Crafts for Better Reading

For some reason when I was a child I had no interest in the Little House series. My sister read it and loved it but me? No thanks. I stuck with my beloved Nancy Drew, thank you very much.

However, I ended up with the first book in my hand at the used book store while the kids were looking for something to read and decided I'd read it to Lillian. She was game and soon we were eating up a chapter before bedtime each night.

I found myself completely drawn into the story and loving it as much as Lily--probably because life back in the 1870s was so darn interesting! They made cheese, they built log cabins, they even butchered pigs (every gory detail) and it's all hugely entertaining and enriching (if that doesn't sound too weird).

So I came up with a fun idea for a bit of a Little House obsession. . . .

I dug out felt and wooden pieces and glue from my craft closet and we made our own Little House dolls (the idea came from our Quiet Family craft a year or two ago). We made Ma and Pa, Mary, Laura and Baby Carrie, complete with their names burned on their bottoms:

and then a wooden bird house ($4 at Michaels) worked as a little log cabin in the Wisconsin woods. The top was attached with little craft nails and was easy to remove so that you could take off the top and play with the pieces or store them inside. Then Lily painted the house, inside and out, and painted the bottom green. We cut out felt flowers and glued them around the base of the house.

Here's a close up of the felt pond with lily pads and the horse and cow (also at Michaels) with little peg-leg Laura.

Once we made the house and family we made a batch of salt dough (1 cup salt, 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup water) to make furniture, baking it for a couple hours at 250 degrees to harden it.

two beds . . .

five chairs and a table . . .

five teeny-tiny bowls . . .
and a bathtub/washtub for Ma's washing or Saturday night baths . . .

But here's the absolute cutest thing, the one that could turn anyone to jelly and will assure my place in history. A wagon made from popsicle sticks and wood glue:

Obviously we spray-painted everything once it was hardened or glued together, here 's a layout of the cart pieces using a dozen or so popsicle sticks, a skinny piece of dowl and two turned wooden wheels (you could use anything round as a substitute--even milk jug caps). We tied a piece of string to each front piece to drape over the horse's back as a harness.


Lillian has a great time playing with her new friends and there have already been many new adventures, usually including Baby Carrie getting lost and Laura saving her (Baby Carrie is her favorite).

You could do similar activities with other great children's books--Charlie and the Chocolate Factory could inspire an entire world of candy creations that the little people could explore, Little Women could have a similar set up to what you see here. The Chronicles of Narnia would be beautiful with salt dough lions and wolves and beavers, and the White Queen would be the best as a peg doll. King Arthur and his knights, fairy tales, the Beverly Cleary books, Winnie the Pooh, the Jungle Books, there are plenty of worlds you could create.

Why Didn't I Think of This?

Congratulations to my sister Melissa for such a great finish to her 14 hours of labor. What a cutie I've got for a nephew!

I had to tell you about something she did to prepare for the delivery. She bought one of these little pop up tents and began letting her two year-old, Lucy, sleep in the tent for naps and sometimes at night.

Then, when the baby was ready to come and Lucy had to go spend the night at Grandma's house they just packed up her little tent with her pillow and blanket and away she went. With her familiar and fun tent there wasn't any question of being nervous about sleeping in a new place or having trouble sleeping through the night, they just set up the tent on the floor at Grandma's house and Lucy crawled right in and went to sleep. What a great idea!

I was terribly impressed with Melissa's wisdom on this one. What a mom.

I need to get on the ball and make my new little nephew Calvin these booties. I just adores them.

There's No Place Like Home, There's No Place Like. . . .

I was born and raised in Anchorage, have lived in the same place for 30 of my 40 years, and while it's a nice place to raise a family and rather exotic in location (if you haven't grown up here) Andrew and I have been playing the "Where would you live if you had to live somewhere else?" game lately.

I haven't done any lists for a while but I'm giving ten places I think I'd move if I had to live somewhere else. Any thoughts? If you've got a great little place I'm all ears and, who knows? Maybe you'll find me camped out on your doorstep if you make it sound appealing enough.

Because that wouldn't freak you out or anything.

1. Bremerton, WA
I have a friend from college who moved to Bremerton and every year when I got her Christmas cards I inwardly groaned at the great things about her town. I don't like living in big cities but I do like having big cities nearby and Bremerton is a ferry ride from Seattle.

She described having horses and chickens and then going into town for a Mariners game. I like horses and I like chickens and, when they're playing well, I even like the Mariners so it sounds like a match made in heaven to me. I've always thought it would be fun to have my very own chickens. . . .

According to her letters the town had all the benefits of a rural community but close enough to Seattle to be able to enjoy the benefits there too. Maybe "Bremerton" means "paradise" in German? The only thing is having to live in Washington state--it does tend to be rather expensive there. It used to be (don't know if it still is the case) that when you moved in that they'd even charge you sales tax on the vehicles you brought with you and had already paid for. Nice. I'm not big on taxes.

Maybe I should talk to her and find out why they eventually left Bremerton for Texas. I mean, really now--is there something horribly wrong with the place that I should know before we move there?

2. Vermont
I don't care where in Vermont, anywhere in Vermont sounds great to me--and if you don't like the town you're in it's small enough that you can put your shoes on and hike it to the next town.

Why Vermont? Well I've always wanted to live in New England (but not in the cities--see previous entry on list) and I've heard nice things about Vermont, that it's rather laid-back and friendly (true or not? Someone enlighten me).

I've lived on the east coast and while it's very exciting I found (how can I say this nicely?) um . . . the people to be difficult. Status and prestige were very important, with new acquaintances introducing themselves along with their alma mater so as to truly wow you with their greatness and grandeur. Besides, customer service was horrific. No, make that non-existent, but I've heard that Vermont isn't like that.

Tell me, oh blogosphere, is this true?? Is Vermont really a land of milk and honey without the bureaucrats and government hierarchy yet with east coast (albeit wimpy) skiing? Because I picture my life there kind of like an episode of the Newhart show--inns and fall colors and quirky, delightful neighbors ready to share a hardy laugh over a cup of cocoa.

3. Bozeman, MT
I don't know if I feel as strongly about Bozeman as Steinbeck did (he was completely in love with it) but it's up there on the list for sure. Unlike Vermont, this is a place I have actually been to and it's truly a beautiful place. No, really beautiful. Even more than you're thinking. When I drove through it I remember spending the whole time with my face smooshed up against the glass, my mouth open in wonder at the beauties I was seeing but then Andrew tells me that if I'm trying to escape the cold of Alaska that Montana would not be the place for me.

I remember our North Dakota years and it was cold. REALLY cold. As in snow-flying-sideways-90-degrees-below-zero cold. But maybe if the summers were warmer than they are here I'd thaw out enough during the warm periods to make it through winter and winters can't be as long as they are here can they? Can they??

4. Homer, AK
For years I said that Anchorage is the only place in Alaska I could stand to live but that's really changed. Probably because I've grown up a bit and then the communities have too. You still have Anchorage, Juneau and Fairbanks as the only cities (and Anchorage dwarfs the other two with its nearly 300,000 people) but now places like Seward, Sitka, Ketchikan and Kodiak are making strong showings.

I've told Andrew that I think I could handle living in Homer very nicely. It's about five or six hours south of here and, while a tiny little village by many standards, it has a fun art-community feel. The ocean is accessible, the beaches are fun to comb and it's close enough to Anchorage that you could road trip-it back to the city should the need arise. Still . . . it is cold and windy. How much do I want warmth? I'm not quite sure.

5. Norwich, UK
For many, many years I've had this longing to live in an English village and while Norwich isn't exactly a village (it has about 130,000) it's a start. It would satisfy my love of history with its castle and cathedral and 30 medieval churches within the city walls but it is also near the east coast where you can go sailing and enjoy time on the ocean. Andrew St. Thorpe and other little villages are nearby for the visions of complete cuteness and, of course, London isn't that far for a really amazing weekend of theater and excitement.

I don't know--it sounds mighty fine to me. I'd even consider Scotland but then it seems a bit colder and wilder up there, though with considerably cooler accents.

6. Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City is the eighth-smallest city in Tennessee (in case you're ever assaulted by someone demanding to know that important piece of information) and was listed as fifth on the list of "Least Expensive Cities to Live" by some publication or another. Inexpensive is good.

The average cost of a home in Anchorage climbs and climbs and climbs and I can't help but think that it doesn't matter that we don't have sales tax and state income tax and get our yearly dividends if a basic house costs you $400,000, you're not exactly saving any money by living there. Especially when considering how much that extra $100,000-$200,000 works out to be over the course of a 20 or 30-year mortgage.

Of course I guess I always could be glad it's not California, right? No whining allowed after seeing their home prices. Oh, and Johnson City was also rated #8 "Best Place for African-Americans to Retire" which kind of cinches it for me.

7. Prince Edward Island
I put this on the list kind of hoping that it's not what I suspect--a total tourist place--and in my mind it's still as it is in the famous Anne of Green Gables books. But I have this sneaky suspicion that if I went there I'd find Anne on license plates, post cards and bill boards. Sigh. Is nothing sacred?

I've also heard that Anne is very popular among the Japanese, with loyal fans from Nippon traveling great distances to make the holy pilgrimage to Avonlea (or rather the town pretending to be Avonlea).

Oh well, I bet the island has been bought by Disney anyway.

8. Picton, New Zealand
Here's an island Disney hasn't got to yet--Picton is at the northern tip of the south island around the Marlborough Sounds and is part of the connecting link to the north island (if I have my info right). It's kind of quiet in the winter (i.e. summer here--isn't that just wild?) but gets cute and bustling once the summer hits.

Supposedly the area is beautiful with rivers and fjords and is one of the nicest places to visit. Andrew and I have said for years that if we couldn't live in the U.S. we'd go to New Zealand because it is just that cool. Everything that is super cool comes from New Zealand you'll notice. Including, but not limited to, Lord of the Rings, volcanoes, Russell Crowe, Maoris and Sir Edmund Hilary

9. Deer Isle, Maine
Deer Isle is a tiny community of 2000 on the southern shore of Maine nestled in one of those little inlets and coves. Linked to the mainland by a bridge, it's a place I've read about in books, a place where they still have New England accents and go lobster fishing and don't like newcomers--but they'd like me because I'd be extra nice to them and would win their trust and affections until I had become like one of the original founding fathers to them.

I'd probably do this with a lot of homemade jam and my recipe for upside apple pie but it would win them over in the end and we'd all live happily ever after. With my pet lobsters and my chickens named Harold and Stacy.

10. La Pine, Oregon
Notice there aren't too many places on the west coast here? Nothing against the west coast, except that most of it is California and I do have something against living in California. Too big, too crowded, too hedonistic, too half-naked. I really, really love the ocean and ideally would live near it but I've heard enough good things about La Pine to overlook this shortcoming.

La Pine is in the interior of Oregon but it's kind of an outdoorsy paradise, with places to fish and hike and bike and see--actually, it doesn't sound all that different from Alaska except that it's got to be warmer. The only things I really regret about Alaska are that I can't grow fruit trees and can't take road trips. Well, actually I could take a road trip but it would take five days to get to another state.

I think I could get fruit trees and road trips if we lived in Oregon. In fact, I think it's there in the fine print on their Chamber of Commerce page: "Guaranteed for all new move-ins: fruit trees and roads leading to other states."

Photo credits: Who knows? I got them from Google images and their stolen from all over the web. But at least I'm honest in my theft.

White Chocolate Blueberry Bread Pudding

With fall coming on strong I'm back in the habit of making warm breakfasts to get the kids off right so I'll be featuring some of our favorite breakfasts--or brunches. Or shoot, you can even eat these for dinner, it's not as if I'm setting any rules here, people.

With fall fruits and berries in season you could probably substitute raspberries, blackberries or cherries in place of blueberries if you so chose.

2 cups milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound day-old bread cut into cubes
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup blueberrries
2 ounces white chocolate, broken into tiny chunks
1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter, softened

Grease a casserole dish and set aside. In a large bowl whisk together the milk and vanilla. Add eggs and sugar and whisk thoroughly.

Line bottom of baking dish with a layer of bread cubes then top with blueberries and chocolate chunks. Finish with the remaining bread cubes on top. Pour the milk and egg mixture over the top until the dish is thoroughly soaked and then dot the top with the softened butter.

Leave overnight in the refrigerator, then in the morning take it out and preheat the oven to 375. Cooke for 50-60 minutes or until set and let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

Sponsored by Beau-Coup for unique baby shower favors.

Pretty Little Floral Headbands

Lily and I made these because, according to her, "All the girls have flowers in their hair"

I love the look and we did one with daisies and one with hydrangeas--how the world survived without hot glue guns all those millenia I'll never know.

We wrapped one of her old plastic headbands with ribbon from my stash and found some flowers that matched the scheme and glued them in place. Peacock feathers would be a fun one--or even butterflies like you find in the floral section of the craft store. Possibilities. . . .

Pinto Bean What??

I'm guessing plenty of you out there are going to take one look at this and say, "D'uh!"

But honestly, I really didn't expect it to be that bad. I have this explicit faith in recipes, common sense, the human palate and food bloggers--that somehow each is enough of a safe guard that together they prevent disasters like this from actually making it to your table but what can I say? Momentary insanity? Sure--that'll work.

Anyway, I found this recipe on a rather trusted food blog I frequent and I thought, "Hmmmm . . . pinto bean pie? Now that's interesting. I wonder if it's any good? How funky would that be if it was tasty?"

Which is probably where my road to insanity started. It didn't help that I was in the process of soaking beans overnight to make chili when my stove suddenly had electrical problems and shut down (turns out it was the connection to the outlet and easily fixed) but the mini disaster left me with a whole pot full of beans and nothing immediate to do with them when my cook top was out of commission.

So I pulled out this recipe and gave it a try.

I was told (and incorrectly I will add) that the "texture and flavor is like pumpkin pie." I happen to love pumpkin pie. I've eaten lots of pumpkin pie. I know pumpkin pie and you, sir, are no pumpkin pie!

Too thick, too beany in its consistency, too flavorless and too dry. The recipe claimed it was a "Depression-era pie, rather like vinegar pie" (wow, another winner--wonder why we don't see Sara Lee going to town with that one?) but historical significance didn't change the fact that it was not, I repeat NOT, a good dessert. None of us finished our piece--and let me tell you, this is a family that is addicted to sugar as bad as any street junkie. They must have their fix each night and if I don't have dessert ready after dinner they'll pull out graham crackers and Nutella for a hit but not even that was enough to get them to finish it, they just ate the whipped cream and part of the crust and left the rest to rot.

When I told them where I'd come up with such a crazy recipe and why I thought it had been worth a go as a vintage classic ripe for revival Grace piped up with, "Well there's your problem. You said it was from the Depression. Depression, Mom. As in 'depressing'? And though they call it the 'Great' Depression this pie proves there was nothing 'great' about it."

And we all agreed.

But in case you're wondering what it has in it . . . just don't say I didn't warn you.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of unseasoned cooked pinto beans (can use a one 15oz. can if you prefer)
1 cup of light brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon clove
A pinch of salt

1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the sugar, butter and eggs in blender.

Add the beans, and blend until it’s thick and smooth. Add the spices and vanilla.

Pour pie filling into an unbaked pie shell, and bake for one hour or until an inserted knife comes out clean.

Sponsored by Overstock.com for free online coupons.

Summer Kid Crafts: A Tiny Doll Necklace

I know I'm slow today--and typing isn't going so well as I burned my finger on the glue gun when we made these. Where's workman's comp when you need it?

Anyway . . . here's the latest kid craft made from a little Altoid tin and suitable for wearing around one's neck.


The tin is lined with felt glued in place and a roll of felt makes a pillow. More felt for the blanket and you've got a stylin' little doll spot.


We glued magnets on the backs and bottoms to let them stand in the tin box.

To make the necklace, we punched a hole with a hammer and awl then strung three strands of embroidery floss braided together through the hole. We backed it on the inside (and outside) with a button and knotted it on the inside where the knot is hidden behind the pillow roll.


Cuteness from scraps we had around the house. Now that's just a fun thing--even with a blister to show for it.

Sponsored by Beau-Coup for unique baby shower favors.

Sand Dunes--Nature's Amusement Park

We're back! We went up to the valley for the weekend to my parents' cabin and spent three and a half glorious days relaxing. The kids rode around on the four-wheelers and shot the .22 and floated the river but me? I read. And read some more. I'm afraid that riding the four wheelers has so lost it's thrill for me--I spend my life in a car and the kids can't grasp that to spend my vacation time driving a vehicle is just not it. But I'm happy to let them have the chance. I spent my time instead puttering around the cabin, walking down to the river, gathering cranberries and willow branches and remembering why I love Alaska. So for now let's just say I'm rejuvenated a bit, ready to tackle life for at least another week or two.

But before we left town for the holiday I went to the sand dunes. If you recall, last week I wrote about our secret beach we'd discovered a couple of weeks ago and last week one of my friends took me back to Kincaid Park with our girls' group from church to discover something else that was just about as fun and thrilling/unexpected (apparently I've completely underrated Kincaid Park until now).

If you go to Kincaid and enter through the Dimond entrance you'll see the motorcross course (which is a treat in itself--it's beyond cool to see the bikes taking jumps and shooting fifteen feet in the air and doing their motorcross thing). Walking along around to the back of the course, you'll come to this large (as in BIG) hill and if you'll climb it not only will you be greeted with gorgeous views of the inlet and park but there's a surprise waiting for you at the top.

We got there just as the sun was dipping, as you can see from the above picture, but once we got to the top we saw that the other side of the hill is one huge sheer face of sand. We were above the trees with the cliff of sand below and the girls immediately took off their socks and shoes and stood there, staring over the side.

None of us exactly knew what they were supposed to do until Tammy explained it all.

"Jump off," she said. "The sand will catch you."

Of course no one really believed her and we kind of looked at her as if she were crazy but it didn't take long for Grace and the others to give it a try. They took a running start, jumped off the edge out into space and landed softly in the sand below.

That's all it took for them to get the picture and soon they were soaring off the edge and having a great time. The hardest part is climbing up the sand once you've landed, it's so soft and shifting, climbing up is a workout.

Over and over they jumped, running off together and by themselves and trying fun aerial stunts. Who needs an amusement park when you have the sand dunes?? I am definitely bringing the kids back, they're going to love it.

Salmon Stuffed Shells

I'll be laying low until Tuesday but this recipe I made up this week ought to hold you until then . . . made it up myself and it was a huge hit. Even my non-salmon loving boy ate it and asked for more.

You'll notice that this recipe calls for a Shirley J mix which is an item I was sent to review months ago. I keep meaning to mention it to you because I've used it so much but it keeps slipping my mind.

Anyway, I can't say enough good stuff about this mix--it's a bag of powdered white "universal" sauce which is just what it says--a universal sauce. It can be used as a soup base or a white sauce base or an alfredo base, I've used it TONS of times all over the place and not only does it taste wonderful but it's just so darn handy I'm not sure how I've cooked so long without it. My large bag has lasted a long time because 1 powdered cup makes 4 cups cooked (just add water).

If you don't have it in your area though, you can substitute a simple bottle of alfredo sauce, your choice of brand. But seriously--I'd get this mix if you're at all interested. It's great to have on hand and great for home storage.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 small zucchini, finely diced
1 salmon fillet, broiled and flaked
1 1/2 teaspoon tarragon
1 1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
8 ounces Neufchatel (low fat cream cheese)
4 cups Shirley J universal sauce mix, made up and ready to go (or a bottle of alfredo sauce will do)
1 box of large pasta shells--cooked and drained. 16 ounces I think.
parmesan for topping

Saute the onion, garlic and zucchini in the olive oil until onion is soft and translucent. Add the salmon, tarragon, spinach, salt and pepper and cook just until the spinach begins to wilt. Add the cheese and heat through until it's soft and mixed in.

Spoon the stuffing mix into the waiting shells and set in a greased baking dish. Pour the alfredo sauce or Shirley J mix over the top and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Sponsored by Overstock.com for free online coupons.

Harvest Time

My garden is finally giving back. Though from the looks of this mutant you have to ask yourself, "Giving back what?" Apparently that's what I get for using radioactive waste as mulch.

Kidding.

But I'm mighty proud of my two--count them TWO--cucumbers. It's pretty well impossible to grow cucumbers here because it's just too cold but then that's what my backyard electric utility box is for. It maybe ugly, it may be annoying and in the way but with all the heat that the steel cover generates I can at least grow my cukes.

Do you think using an electric utility box to grow cucumbers is any safer than mulching with radioactive waste?


And my raspberries are the best they've ever been. I stopped canning after 30 jars of jam and still they keep on coming--the prettiest, biggest berries we've ever had in nine years.


So while I'm washing and storing berries here are a few other links for the weekend:

Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce. You know you want to see what it tastes like. Anything with "Dr. Pepper" in the title has to be good.

Potting Station from Wooden Palettes. I keep saying I'm going to build this--I have just the place for it in the backyard.

Upside Down Self-Watering Planter. How do you make a milk jug look good? This may be the way.

Sponsored by Beau-Coup for unique baby shower favors.

Summer Kid Crafts: Make a Crazy Paper Thing

I wanted to show you my own video of how to make this but then I realized that the video I saw was good enough. Why try and go beyond what has already been done? If you're looking for a way to entertain this is one of the easier and better origami projects out there and it's a good boredom buster for older children.