One Minute Writer

It's been a while since I've done this too so I thought that I would wonder over and look at the prompt du jour - I liked the way it turned out and thought I would share (It also helps me keep all my stuff in one place.)
The prompt was " If you could be the best in the world at something, what would it be?"

When I read this question a few things flitted through my mind...scrapper, mother, wife but it didn't take me too long before I thought the thing I wanted to be the best at was everything that is me...wife, mother, crafter, follower of God - and that's when I realized that the thing I want to be the best at is following God's path, ways and commandments because that is how I can be best at everything else that I am.

Withdrawls

I'm beginning to go through craft withdrawls. Because we were (are until we get paid...any day now...) one step ahead of destitution (maybe a little dramatic...) most gifts needed to be homemade this year. So for the last two months (at least) I have been very busy making one thing or another for Christmas (maybe another reason I loved it so much - I got to make so many things and put all that love out there for my family and friends...) I honestly finished up my Christmas present making on Christmas Eve (at least it was the afternoon and not late into the night). Now I'm going a little crazy 'What no projects that have to be done by a specified time? What am I supposed to do with myself if I'm not cramming to get something done.' Because of course I still have plenty of projects to work on - scrapbooks that need to be worked on (are they ever caught up?) cards to make (I've actually almost used up the stock that I've had for the last year - and I barely write to anybody) a huge cross-stitch that I set aside in October because I didn't have time to work on it with Christmas coming...things like that. The problem is none of them have a specific time frame they need to be done by - just 'soon' (whenever that is...) So I'm sitting here going a little more crazy each day because I need a project that I need to get done. If anybody can help me with this I would so much appreciate it.

Where to Start...

Goodness me I can't believe how long it has been since I've posted. Yes...I fell of the face of the planet. Luckily I'm pretty good at getting out of a scrape so finding myself back in front of the computer with a couple of minutes to try and catch up did eventually happen. So now I'm faced with the ever intimidating question of where to start catching up. Christmas seems like the obvious place to begin. I had a fabulous Christmas. It was all about family, fun and even a little bit of service. In fact I'm a little giddy still from Christmas. It's not so much that I received fabulous gift (although I'm not going to lie...I did) It's just that I had a great chance to visit with so many people that mean so much to me. I got to spend a bit of time with my dear sister who was able to come from Washington as well as another who has come from Ceder City. My dog Autumn was able to come home and now after a year we get to keep her with us. My sister-in-law who has been away at school was able to visit for longer than usual and it was a lot of fun to spend so much more time with her. Another sister-in-law announced that she is getting married and her fiance is wonderful - I couldn't be happier for her. And yet another sister-in-law is having a baby in Feb. so we were able to through a shower for her - between that and her ever growing (and beautiful) belly I'm getting really excited for her little one to arrive. It just seems like I've really been blessed in family relationships right now - to get to know more people and the one I already knew a little better - and I love that. It's great for Mycal to have a job right now. It's just comforting to know that we have that security. Especially since that job includes great benefits like insurance (we are once again covered as of two days before Christmas...) I don't know if it's really Christmas that is bringing all this together - if it had happened in June it would be just as wonderful - but it seems like the cold weather helps keep us a little more together and strengthen our family bonds a little for the year to come. Whatever the reason or the time I'm feel extraordinarily blessed and grateful for all that I have.

Following the Dream

Well I've done at least some of what I hoped to do. I spent pretty much all day making treats. Yum! What fun. I made Goldrush Brownies (a must for this time of year), Giada's Peppermint-Chocolate Sandwich Cookies ( http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/peppermint-chocolate-sandwich-cookies-recipe/index.html) as well as Alton's Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chocolate-peppermint-pinwheel-cookies-recipe2/index.html). And I still have a ton of sugar cookie dough left over so I don't know what I will do with that. I'm sure at least some of it will be used to cut out and decorate with Emmuska and Liberty. As much as they have been trying to help me it's the least I could do for them. It's been so much fun. I'm reminded how much I love baking. Yeah there are frustrating moments but overall it's so satisfying. I still have a few things to finish up in the kitchen - then must finish a couple other projects for Christmas but I thought I'd share these pictures. Don't drool too much ;) just kidding the pictures don't do the cookies justice...that's really the next thing I need to work on - mastering food photography.

Quote of the Day

I just saw that my quote of the day was by P.G.Wodehouse - "I know I was writing stories when I was five. I don't know what I did before that. Just loafed I suppose." and it made me happy. I absolutely love P.G. Wodehouse. He is one of my favorite authors of all time. He has a way of writing and using words that never ceases to amaze me. It's not just that he brings a smile to my face when I read his stories - he actually makes me laugh out loud. I think he is one of the most under appreciated authors of the 20th century. Anyhow I loved this quote. I'm always thinking of stories I want to write - mostly my own but they don't seem to get on paper often enough. I think that maybe I just loaf a little too much. Here's some motivations to write more of my stories down.

p.s. I found this quote by Wodehouse and I think he perfectly summed up why his literary status is what it is..."I go in for what is known in the trade as 'light writing' and those who do that – humorists they are sometimes called – are looked down upon by the intelligentsia and sneered at." Perhaps that is one of the reasons I enjoy his writing so much - he writes what he likes to write and the end result is completely enjoyable and unpretentious.

Food Network Rocks!

I absolutely love the Food Network. Could there be a better resource on this planet? I know there are tons of recipe websites out there but they just don't compare to foodnetwork.com for me. Every time I log onto their site I want to make something wonderful. I usually don't...but I want to. Right now I'm making a shopping list because I really want to make little cookie tins for Christmas. There are so many great recipes! Wish me the best in actually following this dream (made a little trickier with one girl who is over eager to help and another who just wants me to hold her all the time...) I'll keep you updated on what happens and which ones are my favorites.

Finally!

Mycal and I after the ceremony at the reception.

Mycal with his Granny Liz - She came all the way across the country to be there.

With Sgt.First Class Ziegelmann

With Major McVeigh

After almost two years in the program and lots of hard work Mycal commissioned last night. It was amazing. I can't even begin to describe everything I felt as I watched the ceremony and pinned the bar on his shoulder. I think that Mycal summed it up best when he said euphoric. That's really what it was. Beyond happy or glad or relieved or even giddy or excited. It is so wonderful to be on this new path in life. Of course we still have a huge journey ahead of us but it's nice to be finally be starting this journey. The ceremony was wonderful (as is to be expected - military ceremonies are always the best because they are so orderly and to the point). It was powerful to be there. Mycal had asked myself and his granny Liz to pin the new rank on. Major McVeigh, the professor of military science, led Mycal in taking the oath of office, and his mentor in the program Sergeant First Class Ziegelmann gave Mycal his first salute. The reception that followed was lovely. It was a great evening. It's even better waking up today and having so much of our lives be different.

more pictures

First Salute

Pinning on the rank of second lieutenant

Taking the oath of office.

Fabulous!

I was able to get my nails done Thurs. I had gotten them done for the ROTC Ball in Nov. so I was going in for a fill - I always get the french manicure look. I love it because it just always looks so nice. However I was torn as I sat there on what to do so I finally decided to go out on a limb and do something a little more bold. I love it!! I couldn't be happier with my nails. Brandy (my nail lady) is so amazing. I thought that the little snowflakes were the perfect touch. They look so Christmas-y! Best part is they will look great for a couple of weeks. I love acrylic nails!

What I did with my night off...

In response to a comment left - and I sure because people are generally curious what I do when I don't have kids (specifically one...) that keep me on my toes all night I've decided to tell you what we did that night the girls stayed at Grandma's house. We drove back to town and took care of errands - so nice without little voices asking for one thing or another. Then I finished up a Christmas project - which was also nice to do something without being interrupted countless times. It was a really surreal evening. I expected a phone call all night telling me Liberty was ready to come home...but it never came so I got ready for bed and was cuddling up, looking forward to 6 (maybe 8 ;) ) hours of uninterrupted sleep. Unfortunately three or four hours after I fell asleep I was wide awake unable to fall back asleep because I was feeling so sick. I had been sick the day before which was partially why we had sent the little ones to Grandma's house in the first place. I was awake for several hours before finally drifting back to sleep. The best thing was that I didn't have to drag myself out of bed minutes after finally falling asleep (which would have inevitably happened if the girls had been at home.) So it was nice to be able to rest in the morning which I think helped me kick the bug a little more quickly. There you have it - the first chance I had for a solid nights sleep since dear Liberty was born and I missed out because of the flu. ;)

To Grandma's House We Go

Because I haven't been feeling very well yesterday we asked Emmuska if she would like to stay at Grandma's house. (The answer is always yes - she loves Grandma's house). So we where getting her stuff together when Liberty walked over to Emmuska's big pink backpack that contains all the things she needs for a visit to Grandma's house and started pulling at it like she wanted it. Mycal looked at her and asked 'do you want to stay at Grandma's house too?' Liberty did her whole body nod (quick note - I love her whole body nod it's so fun to watch - it's like she wants to emphasize the fact that she is saying yes). So Mycal says 'well you have to get your own bag - that's Emmuska's bag'. Immediately Liberty left the backpack alone and found her jammies and diapers and started putting them in the diaper bag. Mycal and I were laughing so hard - obviously the girl really wanted to go. So we went up to Grandma's house with and open mind knowing that Liberty may or may not want to stay (she definitely knows her own mind... the rest of us can't figure it out but she knows it) She had been rather clingy while we had been there so I was pretty sure she was going to go back down with us. As I was getting ready to leave I looked at her and said 'I'm going now are you going with me or staying with Grandma?' She thought about it for a while before pushing herself down from my arms and walking over to Grandma. The only thing she could have done to make it more definite would have been to wave goodbye. So she stayed the night at her Grandma's last night (it's my own belief that she has wanted to do that for a while...) all night I was expecting a call to come and get her because she was ready to come home but we never got one. Mycal and I were both a little stunned as we drove back home. It was a little hard for us to believe that it would really work. But it seems to have turned out fine. My children continue to grow up.

so sick

Yeah that's right - I've been feeling a bit under the weather. It's actually been a rather drawn out ordeal. It started with Mycal feeling sick, then Emmuska then Emmuska again then Liberty then me then Mycal again then Emmuska (again poor girl...she's had it pretty rough...) then Liberty again then me again. This actually started in the middle of Nov. and we are still dealing with it - miserable. I think the worst thing is that we all feel great in between so we get a false sense of security in thinking that we are okay now...before WHAM! we get hit by it again. Still can't complain as there are many people dealing with worse. I think the best attitude comes from little Emmuska who will be throwing up violently but within minutes of throwing up look up at me and say 'It's okay mommy I feel better now. My tummy isn't upset anymore now I'm all done throwing up.' She said it every time. It's especially sweet because she will say it and before ten minutes have passed be throwing up again but as soon as she is done she will say it again. It's got to be the most hopeful attitude I have ever seen. Because she was throwing up so much I was limiting certain foods because 'even though (her) tummy doesn't hurt now it can still get upset' to which she responds 'it's okay I'll eat it (or drink it) really softly' which is of course accompanied by an open hand emphasizing the point that she will be careful. What a crack up. She is such a blessing.

and the winner is...

I am proclaiming the turkey Dieuwke and I made for dinner the winner for best Thanksgiving dish of 2008. Please - nobody else take this too hard as it was an incredibly tough (and biased) choice. Team Stohel Turkey '08 won for a couple of reasons...mainly because I have never had white meat I liked that much - especially when it came to leftovers. This turkey was still super moist after being reheated the next day for a sandwich (which ended up being so yummy that I just ate it straight). The truth is we watched Alton Brown's take on cooking turkey that landed us this super delicious bird. We even had to cut some corners and it still turned out great. This is by no means a slight to any other turkey I've ever had - the other turkey of the year was also fabulous - I'm just saying that I might try this for you guys this Christmas so you see what I mean. Anyhow here are some runner-ups.
F.B. Carmel Pumpkin Pie
D.S. Huge Tub O' Potatoes
D.K.S. Cranberry Dipping Sauce
E.B. Stuffing
If anybody feels I missed something awesome be sure to comment so I can add it - I have had so much good food in the past four days (pretty much I haven't stopped eating since my post last Wed. - now you know the truth) that my brain may not be functioning at full capacity. Leave a comment and I will add the fabulous dish to the list. Also would love to hear what others thought might have been the best dish of there Thanksgiving.

So Delinquent

I can't believe it has been so long since I've been on here...unbelievable. Sorry to any diligent readers I may have and here is to doing much better this week. Where to start...of course the last week has been fabulous - if somewhat chaotic. We had family in from out of town - my sister's family of six to be exact in an already bursting household. Added to that was an uncle later in the week...it's amazing to me that more toes weren't stepped on. Also amazing to me is how much space little people seem to need. As I sit writing I realize that there were only five people under the age of 7 (6,4,3,1,1) yet it seemed like there were so many more children here. It seems that with each added child you add exponentially to the amount of energy in a room until before long it can feel much fuller than it is. Kids...aren't they just amazing. I am glad to see Emmuska and Liberty get a chance to visit with their cousins. Family is one of the most important things you can have in life and it times when we can so easily get scattered in many directions due to jobs and what not it's nice that we can still get together and create such special bonds.