Redeeming Rocks

(yummy recipie to follow!)

School lunch. Ah, the days of a mass produced meals served in the compartmentalized, plastic tray, with a carton of milk and plastic silverware. A long line to get your appointed portion all while (slowly) working your way up the pecking order of tables. . . In our school lunch room there was a definite order to where people sat. Kindergartners at the end of the middle table, THIRD graders sat at the far end of the first table (prime spot) and so on.

The lunch menu was published each week in the "Snowshoe" and I could almost predict the sort of week it would be by the lunch menu. If it was a "Chili" Wednesday and "Burrito Friday". . it was a GOOD week. . throw in a Grilled Cheese Any day. . and wow LIFE WAS GOOD. Now if the menu included Beef-a-Roni (need a I say more, just the name. . ) Cold Ham & Cheese (on a homemade, a bit too floury roll. . ) and horror of horror's BEEF ROCKS. . . it was going to be a pretty disastrous week!

Beef Rocks. . . let's just talk about Beef Rocks. . . first the name. . who wants to eat something called. . B-E-E-F R-O-C-K-S?? Some of you more open minded people out there might say, "well what is it, it can't be that bad, can it?" IT CAN, my friend, picture ground beef (the school lunch room variety of ground beef. . have you been watching the news lately, can we say BEEF RECALL?) surrounded in a mushy, homemade (with that same too floury dough) roll. It sends shutters up my spine to recall. Beef Rocks always meant "sack lunch".

So, when in a recent issue of "O" (The Oprah Magazine) I saw a recipie for "Chocolate Rocks" my mind leapt to "beef rocks". . how often do you see "rock" in the name of a recipie?

Chocolate Rocks. . . ROCK! This little morsels of yummy, wholesome (really) chocolate chip cookie goodness made up for any bad association of recipes with the name "Rock". . .

Try them. . you'll see. .

Chocolate "Rocks"

2 Cups whole wheat flour
1 Cup rolled oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
8 Tbsp (1 Stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 Cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 Cup Apple Butter
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Cup Walnut pieces (I used pecans)
3/4 C Raisins (I didn't have any, so I didn't use, but next time I will)

Preheat oven to 375.

In a large bowl combine flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Set aside
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in brown sugar. Stir in apple butter, eggs, and vanilla. Add flour mixture, stir until well combines. Stir in chocolate chips, walnuts (or pecans) and raisins. Return dough to bowl, cover, and refrigerate until firm 30 minutes to hour. (I just put in freezer for about 5-10 minutes. Worked out fine)

Line baking sheet with parchment paper (or spray with Pam). Drop by rounded spoonful. Bake 13-15 minutes. Cool. Eat!

What I Love about California. . .

Yesterday I had a "I LIVE in Southern California" minute. They come much less often than they use to. It still just doesn't seem possible that a SMALLLLLLL town girl from Idaho ended up in Southern Cali. . . It hit early in the morning when I was savoring my ONE cup of coffee with carob rice milk (why, carob. . because it was on sale. . why rice milk. . because I think Reid might be allergic to soy . . . and rice milk sounded fun) and trying HARD to wake up. I've had a cold the past few days, and of course Reid's been off his schedule at night. . anyway, there was an advertisment for the local news on "Why We Love California". . and I watched the scences from Santa Monica, downtown LA, Hollywood, Chinatown. . all places I've been, I know how to get to on the freeway without really thinking (and I even know where to park!) and it hit me. . I LIVE here!

However it took a few hours for the point to really be driven home. Reid and I are flying to Idaho on Sunday afternoon for a week. (We've got lots of people to meet. . Great Auntie A in particular!)I wanted to send a few things that we'll need in Idaho ahead. Mainly just a couple of blankets, I've got quite a stash here, and I figured we could use them there and they will probably find a home there too! So there I was, a bit woozy with a head cold, standing in line with a bag of blankets and Reid cozy in his Ergo Carrier on my chest. I didn't have a box at home, so I had to get one at the Post Office. But of course I didn't have TAPE to shut the box, so I had to wait in the long line, find out the boxes were free (who knew that?!), get a roll of tape from the nice lady, then step aside to pack my box. All was going well until I dropped the roll of tape. . I COULD have picked it up, but it was all getting a bit crazy. . when my guardian angel walked up. . and older Indian man. . "Dear, let me help you". . (with a strong Indian accent). . My Indian angel knelt down on the floor, taped my box up, packed my blankets, taped it shut. . using lots of tape (we want it to be secure dear!) and sent me on my way.

As I left the Post Office, my box of blankets safely on their way to Idaho, I walked out into a clear, sunny, high 70's day and thought. . That's why I love California. . . the rich fabric of PEOPLE who live here...

And "thank you Lord for all my post office angels!" (When I lived in China, I really believe God sent me a Post Office angel. The Post Office was probably the most difficult outing I had to make in any given week, and on more than one occassion, when I was completely confounded and frustrated in the Post Office and older Chinese woman who spoke perfect English would appear at my side and say, "Amy, what do you need?". . . . Post Office Angels!

What a cutie pie. . .

"you're so vain". . . He just LOVES a mirror.



Gotta love Harry the Hedgehogs yummy nose!!

My New Favorite. . .

. . .craft project! I have a great appreciation for people who are all crafty and make cool scrapbooks, note cards, quilts. . all that cool stuff. I wish I were that talented. . or maybe it's not a question of talent, as much as patience. My attention span when it comes to that stuff is about 10 minutes. If I can start and finish something in about 10 minutes, I'm good. Beyond that, well, let's just say there are a lot of 'good intentions'. (which have all been purge in our recent 'decluttering frenzy') So I was thrilled to come up with my own little 10 minute craft project this week!

Someone recently gave me a hand-crafted journal (one of those black & white composition notebooks, with a personalized cover). This week I was putting together a couple of gift baskets and wanted to include something similar. At Micheal's I found the COOLEST product. I thought I would get some craft paper and cut out the paper to fit the notebook and be good to go (MIND YOU. . this was probably a stretch for me, because in addition to having a short attention span, I have a bit of a problem when it comes to details, so I probably would have cut the wrong size paper. . . or who knows what?!)I was THRILLED to find that they now have cute patterned "packing tape". . . YES. . they sell this tape in the scrapbook section with three or four coordinating tapes, of varing widths in a package.

The results (drum roll please). . . . .



. . . personalized journals. I might become their best customer for this stuff. Someone after my own heart thought of that! Brilliant!

Happy taping. . .

Contemplation

A future contemplative??


I’ve been “contemplating” Contemplation. It all started with this GREAT book my dad gave me called, “Eat This Book” By Eugene Peterson. (Eugene Peterson did the translation of the bible called The Message). It’s about the practice of Lectio divina which is divine reading, or the practice of reading the bible, (or anything really) in a slow, thoughtful, intentional, contemplative way.

“Contemplation means living what we read, not wasting any of it or hoarding any of it, but using it up in living. . .” (Eugene Peterson)

The practice of lectio is about finding the holy in the ordinary. Seeing God’s fingerprints displayed throughout our days.

“Lectio divina comprises four elements: lectio (we read the text), meditation (we meditate the text), oratio (we pray the text), and contemplatio (we live the text). . . Lectio divina is a way of reading that become a way of living” (and with that it’s clear WHY I love lectio so much. It spills over into everything I read: reading, thinking, praying and LIVING.)

“Contemplatives fly off the handle, make bad judgments, speak out mistakenly and regret their words, run stoplights and get speeding tickets. Contemplatives get depressed, get confused, get fat, get lost, and sometimes don’t get it at all.” (whew, because this seems to describe someone I know. . (me). . so I feel that there is hope yet that I might just might learn. .

So. . Fiat mihi . . “Let it be to me according to thy Word”

Smiles

Saturday Morning we spent some time enjoying our patio. . . We love our newest blanket from Mary-Jo!(Can you tell that he was making raspberries. . he loves to make all sorts of fun noises!)



My little Reid. . I mean Reader. . .

yummy. .

I found this recipe in a magazine called: Clean Eating.

It's really yummy (Todd even liked it, and he's not one for many baked good (sadly), or sweets (he says he is "sweet enough as it is). .)

Breakfast Fruit and Nut Cookies (as a yummy alternative to muffins)

1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 C oil
3 egg whites (I used 2 egg whites and one whole egg. . why, because the yolk of the third egg fell into my batter. LOL)
1/4 C. finely chopped dates (the orginal recipie called for figs. . I had dates on hand. . they add a nice sweetness)
1/4 C. dried cranberries (I have some good golden raisins that I'll add next time)
1 tsp vanilla (I have been using vanilla "paste" from Trader Joes. . it's really great and add a really nice flavor and color with actual vanilla bean 'flakes')
1 C flour
1/2 C whole-wheat flour (I have in my flour jar a mixture of finely ground whole wheat flour with a littl all-purpose white flour mixed in.. I'm finding that a really good quality (like King Arthurs) Whole-wheat flour works in everything and adds great texture and nutriets. I used 1 1/2 cup of that mixture)
1/2 C. Bran-Flakes (I used All-Bran, because it was what I had, I didn't soak it or anything, added great texture to the cookies)
2 Tbsp ground flax seed (This is a great ingredient, full of omega 3 fatty acids and easy to add to ANYTHING)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice (I added giner instead, because I didn't have any all-spice, and I really like ginger)
1/4 C sliverd almonds

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine sugar, oil, egg whites in a large mixing bowl. Stir in chopped dried fruits and vanilla.

Combine flour, bran, baking soda, flax seed and spices. . mix.

Add flour mixture to wet ingredients, stir until just combines. Add almonds

Drop by tablespoon onto lined baking sheet (I used parchment paper) Bake 12 minutes.

YUMMY. Next time I might add some more nuts and dried fruit, just to mix it up, they were really great, not too sweet, a good morning, noon, or evening snack. :)

clearly, i'm not one that is bound by convention when it comes to recipies. . . that's what makes it fun though.

Enjoy!

Something New. . (the verdict so far)

So, I just washed my face using the "OCM". . .(See my previous post)

I used one part castor oil and three parts extra virgin olive oil (right off my kitchen shelf)

Advantages I see so far:
1) It's like a mini-spa treatment before bed!! The oil is so luxerious on the skin. . I just had to take my time and massage my whole face and neck. It felt SOOOOO good. (I smoothed some on my lips, a great lip balm, and it totally took off the little bit of eye make up that I wear. . )
2) Then a warm/hot steamy wash cloth. . . heaven. . . and you have to "re-steam" it a couple of times to "cut" the oil. . H E A V E N. (I'm going to keep the OCM up, just for this. It's a vacation in an instant!)
3) My skin feels great. . . not at all oily, just. . I don't know, nourished, soft, balances. . . right.
4) No moisterizer needed. . . my skin right now feels perfect, clean, fed, and ready for bed!

We'll see what happen while I sleep. . . maybe a huge breakout headed my way?!

Sweet Dreams.

Something New. . .

Okay, So I don't know how this is going to work, it sounds a little strange, but enough intersting that I'm going to try it. I read on another blog about The oil cleansing method (www.theoilcleansingmethod.com)for face washing at night. . .It uses a mixture of castor oil and another kind of oil (olive oil or sunflower are recommended) you massage your face with it, then use a warm, steamy cloth to cut the oil. . . a massage and a "steam bath" in one!

I have been working hard to incorporate as many natural, chemical free "cosmetics" into my routine as possible (without getting too radical. . that fine balance) and this sounds like it could be a good alternative, completely natural and sort of fun to boot!

I have castor oil and extra virgin olive oil that I'll be mixing up tonight to see how it works. . . Stay tuned!

Naptime. . .

sweet naptime. . .

Rock-n-Roll

Tummy Time. ..



I love these little polo shirts. . .I find I like the "preppy" boy look. .

Big milestone this weekend. Reid's a roller. Two nights ago at our 2:00 feeding I found the little man laying on his tummy, sucking his thumb. I knew that I didn't lay him down on his tummy, so that meant one of two options, A) He rolled over on his own. . or B) The magic faries came and pushed him over. I'm thinking "A".
Since then we've see the rolling in action. It's quite fun to watch him; he lifts his legs and bottom and sort of rocks himself over, the one trouble point in the sholder. . but he's figuring out how to pull that out. He hasn't figured out how to get from his stomach to his back. . yet.