The Stove December 7, 2009

Mom’s old stove/oven…it’s seen better days, but keeps on ticking.  I’ve pulled countless pans of cookies, warm buns, caramel rolls, and bars out of that oven.  Mom’s pulled most of them, actually, but I helped with the eating part.

And I’ve stirred pots of soup, skillets of gravy, double boilers of frosting on this stove.  Mom plans to re-do the kitchen sometime, and it will probably make way for something newer and fancier, which is fine.  But it won’t be the same.  Why do I get so attached to silly things like cars, ovens, even towels?

Here’s my favorite sugar cookie recipe. So yummy!

Joan’s Sugar Cookies

350 degrees/6-8 minutes

Cream together:
3/4 c. soft shortening (Crisco)
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Sift together and stir in:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Chill at least one hour Roll out 1/8″ thick. Cut in desired shapes, sprinkle with colored sugar if desired, and bake on ungreased baking sheet. Bake until delicately golden.

Once cooled, you can frost them:
4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 lb. (one stick) melted butter
Pour butter over sugar and mix. Add evaporated milk for spreading consistency.

We also like to add food coloring or sprinkles to ours, depending on the holiday. Enjoy!

My Favorite December 1, 2009

Probably my favorite Christmas item at Mom’s is this little snow village. Anja was quite tempted to play with the people on it this year, and I can’t blame her! I think my brother and I broke them off several times each trying to make them “skate” and “sled” like real people. Isn’t it magical? It makes White Christmas float through my brain…

Speaking of White Christmas, I need to watch that movie one of these days!

Do you have a favorite ornament/Christmas decor item? What’s the story behind it?

Stockings were hung… November 30, 2009

on the closet with care?  My family never used to have a fireplace.  Mom has had one for two years now, but she still hangs the stockings in their traditional place, on the front entry closet door (thumbtacks).  They can’t be filled where they are, because hello?  One thumbtack barely holds the weight of the stocking, much less the stuff inside.  My mom’s idea of stocking stuffers are larger than most family’s main gifts, however.  She goes, shall we say, just a tad overboard.

I love our old stockings.  We’ve had them for as long as I can remember, and my aunt Barb made them.  I attempted to make one for Husband when he joined the family, and quickly learned that they are a LOT of work.  And mine turned out nowhere near as nicely as hers, so subsequent members of the family (my sis-in-law and Anja) have received store-bought stockings.  :)

That little crocheted stocking attached to mine used to be my cat’s.  Even he got Christmas gifts.

Do you hang stockings?

‘Tis the Season November 29, 2009

for lots of details.  Traditionally, when we’re at my mom’s house for Thanksgiving, we spend the day after “putting up Christmas.”  We go buy the tree (real one for upstairs, fake for downstairs), and then she gets out the boxes and boxes and boxes of stuff she’s collected over the years and we scatter it merrily around the house.  I love shooting the little vignettes, and I decided I’ll share them here again this year (like I did last year).  Speaking of which, Mom, have you noticed yet?  Heh heh…

Hope you enjoy it, and I pray you are looking forward to making your own family’s Christmas season spectacular.

Seven Quick Takes November 20, 2009

I’ve read this bloggy carnival over at Conversion Diary before, but never taken part.  Well, today it is the perfect thing for me, since I have some random things to mention, but not much of a coherent post.

1.  I missed my own 2nd Blogiversary.  Oops.  Does a blogiversary count when you only post about once a week?  These last few months have been insane, I tell you, and blogging really was on the back burner.  I’ve missed it, and I’ve missed my usual rounds and comment-making.

2. My blogroll disappeared at some point.  Maybe it was during a WordPress upgrade?  I don’t know, but all my linky love is gone.  I hope to resurrect that sometime in the near future, and maybe even update it a bit!

3. A guest poster (whom I love dearly) will be sharing here on Monday how to make lefse!  I can’t wait for you to read her tutorial and see all the fantastic step-by-step photos to go with it.  Also, remember that day will be the drawing for the Disney on Ice tickets, so sign up while you can!

4.  Pioneer Woman is here in the Twin Cities tomorrow!  Anyone else going to meet her or get your cookbook signed?

5. Another thing I’ve been slacking on is Anja’s monthly progress updates.  She has changed so much since her 23-month post (since she’s now almost 27 months!), and I have so much to share.  Be prepared for a doozy of those coming up!

6. Though I haven’t had the mind to put up any Christmas decorations yet, we’ve been listening to Christmas music around here for several weeks.  I have several favorite CDs that get played over and over.  Any you’d recommend I add to my collection?  I budgeted for one new CD this year.  Speaking of which, if you haven’t been over to see Tsh’s 12 Days to a Peaceful Christmas, I highly suggest you go.  We’ve been using it to plan our holiday season.  Probably my favorite exercise she’s had us do is describe our ideal holiday and make a plan to celebrate in such a way.

7.  What are you doing for Thanksgiving?  Do you have any family traditions?

And a photo of my girly girl, dancing in her tutu and jammies…

I Heart Faces – Autumn Beauty November 16, 2009

It’s been ages since I’ve had time or an appropriate photo to share on I Heart Faces.  I still read their posts every week, but this week I have this lovely photo of Anja in a sea of pumpkins.  Isn’t it fun?  She was just enamored, and went around telling us which ones were big, which were small, and telling us which ones she wanted.

Click on over to check out the other entries this week and/or submit your own!

Sunday Sunshine 11.01.09 – Rotund Edition November 1, 2009

This is the first time I’ve posted any pregnancy pictures anywhere this time around…I’ve gained about the same amount as I did with Anja, but I’m decidedly more rotund (as discussed earlier).  I’m 29 weeks along.  We don’t know what we’re having.  The pregnancy has been much the same as it was with her, just more water retention (lay off the carbs, said my midwife), more hip pain at night, and I’m carrying a little lower.  Could be a boy, could be a girl, and I can’t wait to meet him/her!

I’ve been really bad at updating this baby’s pregnancy journal.  I had so much more time when I was pregnant with Anja, though.  I was only working 4 days a week at my construction job, one at home, and I didn’t have a toddler to run after.  These past couple months I’ve been working 20 hours outside the home (plus about 3 hours per week of commute and picking up at daycare), 30-40 hours a week at home, plus watching Anja full time on the days I’m home.  Sleep has been lacking and stress has been plentiful—not the best conditions for growing a baby!

Speaking of which, this past Thursday was my last day at my construction job.  After many months of prayer and a unique opportunity, we have decided to take the plunge into having me home full time.  My photography business has pretty much supplanted my construction income, so it was either return to work full time when the baby arrives to be able to afford two kids in daycare or take this step of faith.  I’ll miss my co-workers, but they’ve invited me to visit anytime, and having me home with our kids is something Husband and I have wanted for our family since we got married.

Any prayers for my sanity are much appreciated!  Though it is wonderful to have 23 more hours in the week to be taking care of things at home, I don’t anticipate my photography workload slowing down much until close to Christmas (and the baby is due just a couple weeks later).  I think  I will savor my maternity leave this time SOOOO much more.  :)

Sunday Sunshine 10.04.09 October 4, 2009

Gack!  September is a goner!  But it produced some lovely things, including this post by Beck.  She is, I think, and at risk of offending others whom I like so much, my favorite mommy blog.  Almost every post she puts together resonates with my mother heart, the dissonance between holding on and letting go.  Mothers never achieve that balance perfectly, do we?

–

If (more like when) I decide to paint furniture, this is where I will go for reference.  Her dining set looks amazing!  Maybe I should’ve done that instead of order the new table and chairs.  Mmm…nope.

The Birthday Party September 11, 2009

September is quietly one-third over, and I, knee-deep in other processing duties, haven’t had time to touch my daughter’s birthday photos until today.

We kept it simple again this year, a light meal shared with family.  Her theme was Circles, since she’s very into shapes right now.  We planned most of the food and decorations around this theme: meat and cheese buns (homemade by Grandma!), grapes and banana slices, veggies and dip, chips, and cupcakes.

Circle decorations, for the most part: lanterns, balloons, flowers, a new “Happy Birthday Anja” birthday banner (thanks, Daddy, for all your time meticulously cutting out letters!).

Anja was spoiled rotten (again!) with all her gifts.  The last one she opened was a little play kitchen.  She immediately started cooking and astounds me with her continued talent for it.  She must pay much closer attention to Mama when she cooks/bakes than I realized!  Another favorite is her vacuum cleaner.  I know this passion for cleaning and cooking probably won’t last into her pre-teens, but I intend to take advantage of it while I can!  :)

Hope you enjoy being two, dearie!

Spanish is… September 9, 2009

I asked Anja what she wanted for snack tonight.  She started strongly and then trailed off, “Cereal, Spanish, cupcakes…”

She has used “Spanish” to describe things before, and I’ve never understood where she picked up the word or what it means to her.  I inquired, “Anja, what does ‘Spanish’ mean?”

“Spanish mean…counting…on your fingers,” was the enthusiastic reply.  But she wasn’t finished.  ”Spanish mean…confirmation.”  She then repeated that last line a few times, as if trying to convince herself.

Now I have two mysteries on my mind: where she learned about Spanish, and how on earth she learned to correctly pronounce confirmation!