Feeling Good In The Neighborhood

When you move to Seattle it's hard not to become a salmon snob. Before you know it, you find yourself in restaurants asking, "where is the salmon from?" and getting excited about copper river season. Our family eats salmon regularly at home and when we eat out. I love the taste of salmon so much that I don’t need a special preparation. Last year I did find a new favorite preparation: grilled with pistachio and arugula pesto. The peppery lettuce and rich pistachio is a perfect combo with salmon. Love it!

And then there’s the crab. Dungeness Crab is my absolute favorite with its nutty taste. Awsumb loves simple sweet snow crab. And Kenneth’s favorite is the monster of all crab’s, Alaskan King Crab. After you have real crab you can never have imitation crab again? What is imitation crab anyway? It’s just a white fish died with a bit of red to make it look like crab. What’s the point when it tastes NOTHING like the real thing?!

The other thing I never thought I would become snobby about is apples. We are so lucky to have access to so many varieties of apples grown right here in the state of Washington. When I go to the supermarket and see apples from New Zealand I turn my nose up at them and choose something else instead. And of course we all await the honeycrisp season to get a taste of those juicy, sweet - practically caramel apples! But the year-round favorite around this house are the Fuji’s.

Here are a couple of our favorite recipes

Chicken Curry
4 breasts of chicken, cubed
2 cups apples peeled and diced (Green apples are best in this recipe)
1/2 cup chopped onion, or one small onion
3 tbsp. flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. curry powder ( to taste, I end up doubling it!)
black pepper to taste (at least 1/8 teaspoon)
1 tsp. sugar
1 -2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 -2 cups Frozen Green Beans, thawed

Brown chicken, set aside
In the same pan sauté apples and onions in 2 tbsp. butter, until soft. Add four, cook for a minute or two to develop the flavor of the flour, this is called a "roux". Add milk to thicken (bring to a boil, then turn heat back to low, stirring often). Add spices, chicken, and thawed green beans. (you may also use shrimp instead of chicken)
Serve over rice and Pita Bread. Serves 4 -6

Pork and Apple Stew

2 green apples, peeled and sliced
1 small onion diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
About 2 lbs. cubed pork
1/2 cup wine or chicken stock
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 pepper
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. dried sage

Cook about 7 hours on low

As always when cooking with a crockpot you will get better flavor from your meat if you brown it first. Coat the pork with a tsp. or so of flour before you put it in the crock pot.

Before serving use corn starch to thicken, and stir in about 1/3 cup whipping cream. SALT to taste.

I prefer to use this stuff called Thick N' Thin Non Starch Thickener- About 2 tbs. (instead of flower or corn starch). Although the cream does make is rich and delicious I have left it out and it is just fine. And used about 1 tsp. of kosher salt to season.

Serve with fresh steamed green beans and corn bread.

(When I make packaged cornbread I do a Rachael Ray trick and add 1 cup frozen corn and sometimes some pepper jack cheese, shredded and green onions to the mix.)

And after all that I think I need a carmel apple cider from Starbucks!
What are your favorite foods that are native to your area?

A Procrastinator’s New Year

Now We Can Leave Last Year Behind!
Having a January birthday can be a procrastinators dream, come true. While others might have slipped up or even already given up on a New Year’s resolution I don’t even decide upon mine until my birthday. I have always considered January 20, which is my birthday, my own personal New Year.

I was thinking, "What’s better than a resolution, which you may or may not keep?" Answer: A prediction. But often predictions are really no more dependable than the weather forecast. If so where are our flying cars and the other amenities we drew pictures of and wrote about in 5th grade as our predictions about the year 2000?

And speaking of crazy predictions- Art Bell, a quirky late night talk radio host, who spent the long nights talking about aliens and conspiracy theories, had a prediction show each year in which he would let the unscreened callers state their predictions. He would then review these predictions during the next year while he took note of the new predictions. This show always included a few crazy “end of the world” scenarios, some personal predictions and a few funny ones.

Art Bell would have loved the spirit of the “This American Life” episode “2010” in which instead of resolutions or predictions that we really have no control over, the stories focused on real predictions, things that we know for sure will happen.

So this was going to be my, “real predictions of things that are actually – no kidding, going to happen this year, to me, to people I know, etc.” And to follow their format I was going include: "A death, a birth, a 2nd graders fate in school and the fate of the middle east.”

I decided to skip the morbid thought of death for now and move onto births. My brother and sister-in-law, Jeff and Mickie will have a new baby. Kenneth’s brother Eric and his wife will also be having another baby. As I begin typing this info I think will pity, “And we will NOT be having a baby this year.” And right then I was brought back to the year 2001.

January 2001, having exhausted the fertility treatments we were willing to try at the time we had decided to adopt a baby. We had begun working with an adoption agency and had chosen an orphanage in Russia. They kept telling us, “By the end of the year, you will have your baby.” I began repeating this phrase, to myself and others. “We are having a baby, by the end of the year we will have our baby.”

In the middle of January I lost my Grandma Awsumb and by February the adoption and a baby was the last thing on my mind while I flew back to spend time with my Auntie Laurel. I wanted to help her clean out Grandma’s house, but also to just be with her during such a sad time. My relationship with my grandparents had always been pretty formal and that week I was able to really get to know them while I cleaned out their home. My Grandpa and I made up our own silly games and inside jokess - as Laurel was the boss. As I found all the mementos she kept of us grandkids I could see how proud of us she was. And as I sorted through her personal items, I got to learn more about her relationship with my grandfather and see how much they had loved one another and their personal commitment to each other for over 60 years.

On February 28th Seattle experienced a 6.8 earthquake. Later that evening we went to dinner with a friend and his parents. The food made me so sick to look that that I lined up drinks and menus to keep me from viewing the meat, which lie naked on the plates mocking me. Bonnie asked her son, “Is Wendy pregnant?” Our friend Robert answered, “Don’t ask” knowing we had been trying to have a baby without success for years.

Of course a few weeks later we found out that by some miracle I was pregnant. And after a few scares at the beginning and end of the pregnancy we were blessed with our little miracle baby.

What was so funny about that year was that I didn’t make a resolution or a prediction. I made a statement. Do I dare make the same statement for 2010?

“We will have a baby by the end of the year.”

Maybe not yet, but from now on, no more resolutions or predictions, simply statements.

What’s your statement for the year 2010?

Common Sense Media

Common Sense Media is a great resource for parents. This site review movies, games, etc. We have been using this as a reference for years. I love it because, instead of just listing "language or violence" this sight give specific info and descriptions about the language or violence in the movie. These reviews include comments from kids. They also rate how scarey or intense the movies might be. Check it out!

Responsibilities and Allowance

I am often asked my thoughts on this subject. This is how responsibilities and allowance work at our house...
Each person in the home has a main responsibility. Father – to work and provide for our family; Mother – homemaker, the one who manages our household; Children – to learn and grow, get an education. Each member of a household also has other things they must do to contribute and make the house run. These basic tasks are done because of the pride in he family and home.  No payment is earned.

"The Continuum Concept" is Jean Liedloff's observations while she lived with Stone Age Indians in the South American jungle. This became a cult parenting book appealing to many of those who believe in Attachment Parenting. One of the things she talks about is the Indians' attitude towards work. She writes,

"There appeared to be no Yequana concept of work similar to ours. There were words for each activity that might have been included, but no generic term."

Liedloff continues to discuss how these people simply went about doing their daily tasks and chores without the dread that we have come to develop in our society. Gathering water and such were simply things that needed to be done in order to live. (You can read more about this in the article WHY WORK) I knew I wanted to adopt this attitude in my own household…

Household tasks are called responsibilities. Awsumb is given new ones each year as he grows and learns to do things on his own. Also expected as a member of our family everyone helps when asked .  I have also teach him to look for things that need to be done. If we want to live in a clean, organized happy home we must ALL do our part. Awsumb is expected to help with anything that we ask such as: cooking dinner, unloading things from the car, special projects etc.

Working side by side is a very important opportunity for teaching children about responsiblities. A good friend of ours spoke in church about a time that while working in the garden, he had a wonderful discussion with his son... one that might not have come about in any other circumstance. While I am sure that his children may have sometimes complained, I have personally worked side by side their children and experienced their willingness to fully engage in the task and enjoy being together.

Start early. Since we have been doing this from the beginning our son has grown up with the attitude that it's fun to help out and even when it's not fun, that it's simply something that must get done. Awsumb started helping around the house as soon as he could walk. Even if that meant I had to slow down or he was just following me around. I have noticed that Awsumb is able to find joy is being part of simple tasks and family projects especially when working alongside elders. Do you remember a time that you might have felt accomplished and important working alongside a parent as a child?

DO NOT tie an allowance or reward system to jobs. Because we all have things we have to do around the house to keep it in order, we do not get paid for doing them. No one will pay Awsumb to clean his room when he is in college or when he is married! And who needs to take out the trash to earn $ .50 when Grandma just sent $20 in the mail? How hard you work is not always connected to how much you make. I believe being responsible for basic household tasks gives children personal responsibility and gives them a sense of pride.  When we reward them we can interfere with their feelings of personal worth.  (Read Punished by Rewards: The Trouble with Gold Stars.)


Everyone earns an allowance simply for being a part of the household. To determine how much to pay your child you must first determine how much your child needs based on what you expect him to do with the money. Awsumb earns $1 a week per year of age (this could also work once a month). So right now he gets $8. He is expected to tithe on his money, save some and the rest is spending. He spends his allowance on books, small toys and saves up for larger items. Sometimes he spends his money on activities like going to the movies with Dad. He often puts money towards gifts. Over the years we have also watched him donate money to causes that were important to him.

If there is something special he needs to earn money for we can then help him find ways to make money either by providing special things in our own home or looking for jobs in our neighborhood. Awsumb also has a lemonade stand in the summers and has done odd jobs for small change from the neighbors.

If you want children to keep their feet on the ground, put some responsibility on their shoulders.

How do allowance and household tasks work in your family?

The Sounds of Christmas!

I admit it, I am totally tone deaf! But I love music and I love to sing. Even though it's usually the wrong words to the wrong tune. One such incident of note still haunts me to this day.

About 12 years ago we were playing Cranium. If you haven't discovered this one, it was a favorite around here and we had fun introducing this mix of trivia, pictionary, name that tune, etc. to our friends. So one night we had some new friends over to play and of course I end up with a "humdinger" card. The song was Somewhere Over The Rainbow, but I hummed Kermit The Frog's Rainbow Connection and I didn't even get that tune right! So, of course my team totally lost out on that one. To this day my friend's husband will play that made up tune on the piano whenever he sees me and we all get a big laugh out of it.

That's why when it's my choice and we play name that tune I always choose Jingle Bells!

Nevertheless, I often sing silly songs around the house. Last summer when a friend was visiting I freaked her out a little when upon waking I started singing Beautiful Life at the top of my lungs!

So when it's time to break out the Christmas music it's a pretty exciting time around here. And of course, being as sassy as I am, I am also picky about what Christmas music we listen to. This past year my favorite was Relient K - Let It Snow, Let it Reindeer!, a Christain rock band Kenneth discovered. Because we coulnd't find the perfect Christmas book, we choose this one to send to all our siblings this year. This may have to become a new tradition! The best song is Celebrate The Day. Click to the link to check it out!

Some of my other favorites are Straight No Chaser (Acapella group... You may have seen them on You Tube), Maybe This Christmas (various alternative artists), Barenaked For The Holidays, The Forgotten Carols (and just like the little Angel that wasn't good enough to sing in the Angel Choir, "I will be heard!"), A Very Special Christmas (various artists, vol. 1-7, some songs better than others), A Music Box Christmas (I just LOVE music boxes!).
What's your favorite Christmas Music?

A Virtual Christmas Card

The Nativity by Awsumb

From Our Family To Yours!

A Christmas Story

For a few years now we have sent a Christmas book to our siblings and their families each Christmas. So today I thought I would share a few of our favorite Christmas books.

Red Ranger Came Calling is the story about a little boy that no longer believes in Santa, if he ever did. Until he calls on well, Santa. Set in the depression about a little boy on Vashon Island. You may recognize the author Berkeley Breathed from the funny papers. The book is hysterical and if the performance by Book-IT theater in Seattle even better!

I have seen many versions of the Nutcracker, but none of them is as good as the production by the Pacific Northwest Ballet. The sets are all designed by Maurice Sendack. This book combine E.T. A. Hoffmann's origional story and Maurice Sendack 's art. LOVE IT!

Mr. Willowby's Chrsitmas Tree by Robert Barry is one of my favorite simple stories to read to little ones. Follow the discarded tree top as it brings joy to everyone who finds it.

A Charlie Brown Christmas is a beautiful book for anyone who is a fan of the classic TV Special. The art of Charles M. Schulz is vibrant and beautiful.

If you haven't read How The Grinch that Stole Christmas you must be live under a rock. Even though it's a classic story, who doens't love Dr. Seuss?

Every year my father read The Night before Christmas by Clement C. Moore. The version we read to our son is illustrated by Mary Engelbreit. Oh, if I could only live in her artwork! Many of her Christmas cards and art appear in Believe Christmas Treasury. Including classic stories such as The Gift of the Maji, poems and the verses to favorite Christmas Carols we reach for this oone over and over again during the season.

A Creature Was Stirring is a silly story about a boy waiting up for Santa told along with the classic version of A Night Before Christmas. Totally cute.

One of Kenneth's favorites is My Penguin Osbert about a boy who writes a letter to Santa asking for a real Penguin from Antarctica. The boy gets a little more than he baragined for.

Wherever the idea of Santa came from, however paegan the symbols of Christmas might be I Believe in Santa Claus is a wonderful book telling us why we should believe in Santa and continue the tradition. As the author simply says teaching children about Santa teaches them about the spirit of giving, "From Santa we learn to give and receive. From Jesus we learn to love and be loved."

I sure you have read or at least know the story of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. One that you might not know about is, The Life of Our Lord. Dickens' testimony of Christ written for his very own children.

(Awsumb as Baby Jesus in the Church Nativity 2001)

And how could I leave out THE Christmas story found in Luke 2. I read this to Awsumb every year and have fond memories of his re-enacting the story with his Little People nativity and telling the shepards, "don't be afraid!"

This year Awsumb and I are reading The Best Christmas Pageant Ever...or as Awsumb likes to point out The WORST Christmas Pageant ever... beause we all can imagine a family such as the Herdmans and what it might be like if they took over the Christmas Pageant. I haven't read this one in a long time, but Awsumb is the perfect age for it and loving every chapter.

On my wish list... a book of beautiful illustrations that retell the story of The Little Drummer Boy, a favorite of mine since childhood.

What's your favorite Christmas book?
I love seeing the way other people decorate for Christmas. So just for you, check back for a few pictures of our home all ready for Christmas.

Celebrating Christ

I have mentioned a bit about scrupulocity being a strict regard to religious morals and beliefs such as in the book The Devil is in the Details. I related to this Jewish girl because as a Mormon I often bring on my own guilt about religious specifics. After I was diagnosed with OCD I began to separate things that actual mean something from things that are just a form of superstition of scrupulocity. But for someone who is religious and has OCD, there is no difference. The anxiety is the same.

A simple one I have been thinking about lately is writing Xmas... Yes, I just deleted and forced myself to retype it! Call me superstitious, but I just feel like it is disrespectful to use an X to write Christmas. I remember as a young child working on a needlepoint that called for this combination of letters and having a total mental block and not being able to continute. I could not force myself to permanately stitch such letters... leaving the Christ our of Christmas? How could I?

A few years ago I started spending time with a new friend. Our boys were the same age and we went to classes together. When Christmas time came around I was suprised to realize that she celebrated Xmas, but not Christmas. What I mean by this is that she loved the holiday, decorated for it, celebrated Santa, etc... but Not Christ. She was athiest. I remember feeling so because for me, there would be no celebration for me without the Christ. For Christmas that year I gave her a small framed photo of the baby Jesus and shared my feelings about why he is so important in my life.

The celebration is about the gift that Christ gave us, the give of the atonement. And without that, there is no way back to our Father in Heaven. The gift is not from Christ, but through him from our Father in Heaven. In my faith we often refer to Jesus as our older brother. Being the oldest in my family I never had an older brother to look out for me. Even better than borrowing an older brother's jacket or tagging along with him for ride in his cool car, we all do have an older brother that gave us so much more.

So, I hear a lot of people talk about putting the Christ back into Christmas. How exactly can we do this?

A few years ago my mother in law told me that her goal for the month of December was to go to the temple. Each week as other seemingly more important things came up, she knew she just had to get this done. It was one small gesture that she felt could be her gift.

The Relief Society sisters in my ward have a tradition of going to the temple together in december and calling it, "A White Christmas." Because the temple is a place where we make covenants with our Heavenly Father, this is a perfect place for us to remember to put the Christ back into Christmas.

Howard W. Hunter said "Let the temple be a symbol of our membership." At Christmas time there are many symbols all around us. And I love this quote because it reminds me to think about my personal covenants, which include following Christ's example of charity and love.

Christmas time is really a gift on it's own... an opportunity for us to serve others. Even in small ways, small acts of kindness put the Christ back into Christmas.

How do you and your family put the Christ back into Christmas?

The Present

Every year I look forward to a package from my Aunt Laurel because I know it will contain Christmas ornaments!  For the millenium she sent this Lenox porcelain gift box.  Inside she tucked a note that reads,

"The past is history, the future is a mystery.Today is God's gift, that's why it's called The Present."

I have learned many lessons from my Aunt over the years about commitment, family and love... each time I read this I know just where I should be right now. In the present. In a world of past pain and future uncertainty the comfort of the present really is a gift from God.

This holiday season I hope we can all focus less on the presents and more on His Presence... to do this we must live in the present and be present for our children and loved ones. To me this means we must stop rushing around and spend an evening home with our families. Really being present with them is the biggest gift we can give them.

This week we had a wonderful week of quiet evenings at home. Some evenings involved no television, computers or even Ipods, but a family giving the gift of themselves and their time to eachother. To really be present in our children's lives... to play with them, to teach them, to talk to them and to listen to them is something that can last even after the Christmas decor has been put away.

What does being present really mean to you?

Deck The Halls!

My heart has grown enough to declare Christmas as my most favorite time of the year. And like many people I love decorating for Christmas. The colors in our family room coordinate with Christmas so well (This was planned of course! Pear, crandberry red and green...) that it is only when the room is decorated for Christmas, that it finally feels complete.

The tree is my absolute favorite part of Christmas decor and the focal point of my family room. As we add new ornaments to the tree each year it becomes even more a part of us and our reflection on the celebration of Christ's love.

I also love the Willow Tree Nativity my parents sent piece by piece over the years. I searched for years for the perfect nativity and never found just the right one. So the first year they began this tradition I was thrilled.  I might not  have ever picked this myself, but I absolutely love the soft lines of the simple and beautifully plain figures.

My Aunt sent the most precious advent tree with tiny jewled Lenox ornaments. Awsumb received his own quilted advent tree from his Grandma Thomas and he loves buttoning on each ornament every morning when he wakes up. But, when I informed him that I would do the fancy tree from Laurel by myself he pouted! Awsumb just loves helping me pull the small ornaments out of the drawer to count day the days of Christmas.

But all the festive lights and fancy decorations fade into the background when I read the little quotes that my sister and friends have given me. The first simply says..

"Believe"

A couple years ago my sister sent me "The Magic of Christmasis Not in The Presents, but in His Presence."

And finally, "Wise Men Still Seek Him"

When the days seem short and life is busy these items make me stop and think about seeking out Christ's love and sharing it with others.

I love looking at photos of everyone's trees and other decor on all of your blogs! From the simple ones, with kid proof ornaments, to the fancy ones - I just love them all!

How do you deck your halls?