The end of Holly's week in Richmond

Trevor and I drove up on Thursday, which was the last day of Holly's class. We stopped at the camp to pick up her luggage. This was what was left of the door decorations created by the girls in Holly's cabin.


The students were at Richmond again for the day, but left everything packed, ready for parents to pick up belongings. A few were staying one more night for an optional public speaking class on Friday.

After driving all morning, Trevor and I stopped for lunch before going to the Capitol. To my relief, parking was a cinch again. I worry about those little details.

Family was expressly invited to the afternoon portion of the class, where the students participated in another mock legislative session with all of the formal meeting rules, "Will the author of this bill approach the well?" "May I ask a question of the lady in the well?" etc. It was very entertaining, both for the class and for the spectators.

This was followed by a few speeches and other closing activities, giving another chance for the students to say goodbye to the staff.


Holly, Trevor and I spent the night in a nearby quiet and large hotel. Holly professed to living on canned fruit, mashed potatoes and granola bars during the week and opted to have pizza delivered to our hotel room. We spent the evening listening to her stories of the week, interrupting only to watch American Idol. It was an early night, only better if Robert had been there, but someone needed to stay home and take care of the pets. Maybe next year!

TeenPact

There are so many things I want to both share and remember about this week. I'm pasting parts of an email I wrote about it, and I may repeat something from my last post, or my next post. The program far exceeded any expectations we had for it, and I encourage anyone who is remotely interested to check into it further.

Students are given homework in advance to bring to class, including copies of letters written to their state rep and state senator. (Keep in mind, this is a class on state government, so all info pertains to that level, not federal.) They prepare a mock bill to present at the class and are given a sample form to model. There are a few Bible verses to memorize regarding authority; vocabulary words to look up; basic state facts to memorize (governor, lieutenant governor, how many Republicans/Democrats at your state house, etc.). They read and answer questions about the governor's most recent State of the State address; and answer a few questions about three Constitutional amendments of their choosing. There is also a dress code to which the students must adhere--ties for young men (most were in suits); mid-calf or longer skirts or dresses for young ladies (no pants!). It was a bit of a pain to shop for that, but Holly later appreciated it, saying that it made them fit right in with the other women at the capitol (none of whom she saw in pants!), and that she enjoyed dressing up.

Two-thirds of the 75 kids signed up for the week stayed at the local Boy Scout camp. The other 1/3 commuted in each day. Holly commented that it was definitely to everyone's advantage to stay at the camp, that kids who just came to the day sessions were missing out on so much of the evening activities and bonding that helped make her experience what it was.

The classes were held in a conference room a few blocks from the capitol. When we arrived, there was a short get-to-know-you exercise that had the 75 kids talking to as many other classmates as possible. At first, it was very formal, lots of hand shaking and introductions, "Hello, my name is ___________. Would you sign one of my boxes?" As the kids warmed up, it became a bit more casual and loud.

They were asked to be seated and listened to a short introductory speech or two. Immediately after, each row had to approach the front of the room, and each student had to begin reading their mock bill. Just as in our capitol, as soon as the Chairman determined which committee the bill went to, he would bang the gavel, even in mid-sentence, assigning that bill to a certain committee. And then the next student would read their own bill. Some kids read just a few words; others read several lines. It was a great way to get through a potentially nerve-wracking experience, as it was short and quick, and everyone had to do it. (There were a dozen or so kids who were returning students; the majority of the class as a whole was quite outgoing.)

The students were then assigned to one of four or five committees. They broke off into their own committees and began discussing the bills that had been assigned to their particular committee. Most kids' bills went to a committee other than where they were assigned; it was totally random, as their committee assignment was predetermined, but their bill was sent to a committee depending on its topic. After discussing each bill (with the author sometimes defending it if he/she happened to be in the committee), it was voted on by the group, either passing or failing.

That was just the first afternoon. The kids went to the camp via carpool assignments arranged by the leader. They had a bit of down time, ate at the dining hall, had a 15 minute worship session. They had a brief Bible study led by Guest Director Bob Shanks, who is a lobbyist for HEAV (Virginia's homeschool association). (Each state class has a "Guest Director" who oversees the program for the week.) There were organized games designed to yet again really engage all of the kids. They retired to their cabins, and a staffer came around to each cabin to debrief what was learned during the day and to pray with each cabin in a small group. I think each cabin set their own rules for lights out; each cabin (of 4-5 girls) also had a parent chaperone.

Tuesday and Wednesday were filled with a variety of activities, including visits to the capitol and to the legislature building. There were several trips back and forth from the conference room, and I'd been forewarned to send along a lot of bandaids for blisters in those new heels! They prayer-walked at the capitol complex. They were broken up into groups of 3-4, approaching different people in the building with the intent to find lobbyists to whom they could present specific questions. There was a Constitution drill, where the students raced to find specific sections in the Constitution as quickly as possible. The kids were assigned to different political "parties," nominating and electing their own officers, spending one evening campaigning for their party, designing posters. The winners gave speeches at the end of the program.

The kids were constantly being put into different groups--committees, carpools, games, giving them the opportunity to meet and bond with as many of the other students as possible. It was further evidence of the organization and foresight that impressed me. All of the staffers were teens who'd been through the program. They fly around to lead different state classes, making it easy to maintain the high standards of each state class. (In contrast to AWANA, where one church can be well run and a church a few blocks away can be utter chaos.) It was an amazing group of young people who actively make every attempt to reach the students, draw them in, uplift and encourage, and in doing so, change lives.

Incredible week, wonderful time, terrific organization. God is at work in these kids, and it was amazing to watch it happen.

Holly goes to Richmond

Holly's in Richmond this week attending TeenPact. TeenPact is a Christian organization for homeschoolers that offers classes on state government and leadership.

She spent Sunday rushing to finish the homework she's known about for several weeks. Months, even. It was not made easier by the fact that she was sick this weekend, although that gained her a bit of sympathy from me.



In an effort to make sure she had enough food if she was hungry, or if her stomach was bothering her, we packed enough food to feed the entire camp: three kinds of granola bars, popcorn, Chex Mix, saltines, apples, craisins. That's just what I can remember.



I also sent enough medicine to stock a small pharmacy: cold meds, pain killers, vitamins, stomach meds, anti-nausea pills, and probably more.



We drove three hours to get to the Boy Scout camp where many of the kids are staying. The setting was remarkably similar to Franklin County. The camp was pretty, including a lovely dining hall; the cabins were surprisingly small--10x12 rooms with three bunkbeds, a table, 10 hooks on the wall for clothing, and a concrete floor! We dropped Holly's things off, lunched at Chic-Fil-A in Richmond, and made our way toward the Capitol.

I'm sayin' it: I was expecting something similar to Denver. I'd heard parking was "tight" in Richmond. I guess this means you can't park in front of the building. I parked around the corner (and walked past several open spots directly in front of the building).

That's my car under the red arrow;
I was standing on the pedestrian bridge of the building.

The class was two blocks away from the Capitol. At 25 floors, it is (hilariously to me!) Virginia's second tallest building.

It rather dates itself in the early 80s, do you think?

All right. Richmond is NOT Denver!

75 kids total are attending the program, with 48 filling up the camp. Most of the rest of the kids are local, commuting each day. Upon arrival, they were given an activity to encourage them to meet as many classmates as quickly as possible.



I should add that the dress code is very strict, particularly for girls--only skirts or dresses are allowed, which must cover their knees even when sitting!

At this point, I left the room to go to the bathroom. When I returned, the doors were shut, and I could hear they had started inside. Parents were allowed to stay and watch, but I preferred to wait until a break so I could say goodbye to Holly and head home. In the meantime, I walked to the Capitol complex just blocks away.

Cool statue of George Washington.

Again, that Denver thing. I was expecting a capitol building with a golden dome, one you can't miss.

Yeah, this is it.

The Governor's Mansion is in the same complex, which is pretty neat.



And a beautiful building just outside the complex (I think it was a church).


I had Holly's two letters (homework) to deliver to the General Assembly building, and when I went through the metal detector, the security guard asked me, "Has anyone ever told you that you look like Sarah Palin?"

Actually, Sarah Palin looks like me, but I didn't tell him that.

I went back to wait outside the class. The homework included writing a mock bill to present. Knowing that most of the kids would likely choose topics such as anti-abortion, homeschool rights, or lower taxes, Holly chose term limits on House Delegates and Senators. (This was easy for her once she discovered our delegate has been in office since 1962!) The kids went to the front of the room, one at a time, and read their bill, where it was sent to a different committee depending on the topic. When the committees gathered to discuss their various bills, the kids took a break. I had a very quick chance to say goodbye, and I headed home.

Three hours, ugh. I flew (figuratively speaking) home, made no stops on the way, and got there just after dark.

The students were allowed to bring cell phones for the sole purpose of contacting parents. Holly's texts last night were completely cryptic. "wats our phone number?" "will call tomorrow. ilu"

What does THAT mean? She's surviving? She hates it? She loves it?

Tonight, there was one more message that included the words, "Tday was gud.."

Okay, I can exhale now. I think.

Basketball and sun. And son.

We put a basketball hoop on the driveway, but it's been waaaaay too cold to use it much. Trevor and I got out there last weekend, taking advantage of the only warm day we've had in what seems like four months.



I should know better but I still haven't learned. (See here and here.)



At least I didn't hurt myself.

Fun to pick up a basketball again. Robert and I used to play one on one back in the olden days, back before kids, back when I had another life. It's fun to pick it up again with Trevor; I'm very glad that we have the hoop right here!

Friday, friends

Friday night. Took Holly to soccer practice. Joined other soccer moms at one's nearby home. Chatted. Drank coffee. Uplifted. Ate chocolate. Encouraged. I am blessed by my new friends.

Weekly menu

Chicken a la King, fresh mozzarella and cherry tomato salad
Superbowl Snacks--Rotel dip; sausage-stuffed mushrooms; Knorr's Spinach Dip; potstickers if needed
Tortilla Soup
Giant Burritos
Crab and Cauliflower Soup
Chicken Souvlaki

On the back burner:

Marlboro Man sandwiches
chuck roast?
pork tenderloin roast
fish and chips (okay, french fries)

U.S. Figure Skating Championships

As one of her Christmas presents, we bought Holly tickets for the ladies' short program at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Greensboro, NC. Obviously, she couldn't go alone. Because I'm a great mom, I sacrificed and agreed to go along with her.



Holly ice skated for several years while we lived in Colorado Springs. Her best friend picked up the sport too, and the girls spent many hours at the nearby rink together, Trevor and Kelsi's brother usually tagging along. But Kelsi's family moved away; the rink turned into a Dick's Sporting Goods. And Holly's enthusiasm for skating fizzled out.


Skating has held a spot in my family for almost as long as I can remember. My sister skated for several years as a pre-teen, at the same rink where Brian Boitano got his start. Lori's earliest claim to fame was skating with Brian in an ice show, just the two of them for one of the songs. Lori and Brian shared a coach, the same woman who would later see Brian through the Olympics.


Back in 1988, I had the opportunity to attend several nights of the U.S. Championships in Denver. Tickets back then were dirt cheap, I think it cost us $6 for each show early in the week, and a friend and I eagerly went all week long.

Holly and I went to similar competitions four and five years ago in the Springs.



We drove down to Greensboro last week, intending also to take in a quick tour of Elon College. Holly's stomach acted up again, so we skipped the school and went to the hotel. She was feeling a little better already. We watched silly tv, ate a quick dinner, and make our way to the Coliseum.


Based on experience, we knew corner seats were a great choice. We were just eight rows up from the ice. Holly commandeered my camera and took over 200 shots, including those through this post.

After the show, we went back to the hotel and watched Mrs. Doubtfire into the wee hours of the night (or is it morning?). The next day, we wandered through the mall, stopped at Chili's for lunch, and made our way home to Roanoke.



Two nights later, we watched the ladies' long program on tv, which showcased the top skaters from the event we'd seen in Greensboro.


As Holly gets older, I feel that my time with her is slipping away. I treasure these special things we do, making memories for me as much as for her.

Winner Alissa Czisny

She still misses skating. She still has her skates. I continue to hope she'll take the opportunity to pick it up again here. Soon.

Snow

Perfect timing on the snow. It was a wet snow, ending tonight, and the roads will clear quickly. Holly and I are driving to North Carolina tomorrow, and this won't hamper our plans.




I called off of work today, expecting the snow. I hate doing that, worrying that I'll make the wrong choice. The alternative is to go to work, get stuck coming home, and making the more wrong choice. The snow came early, easing my guilt. Holly's biology class was canceled.



It was a pajama and soup kind of day.



Even without plans, we didn't get much school done. Trevor is reading the Percy Jackson series like crazy. He'd read all day if I let him (so I pretty much do). Both kids worked on their TeenPact homework. We found that our local delegate has been in office since 1962. Holly's changing her proposed state bill to impose term limits on state delegates and senators. Is it a bad thing when Robert's and my cynicism rubs off on her?

I noted that the delegate was born in 1928. Holly commented that he's as old as Grandma Jean. I asked Trevor how old he is, and Trevor replied, "He's as old as Mickey Mouse!"

Which leads me to believe that Trevor will at least have success on Jeopardy.

January

This month is flying by. In years past, this has been the month when the winter school doldrums strike (me) hard. I haven't been quite as affected these past two years. Perhaps it's because we no longer concentrate so much of our effort on school work from September through November; perhaps because I'm working and don't have time to feel cooped up. I've had a slew of paid holidays over the past two months (seven days), which has helped me feel less frenzied. What perfect timing, as our schedule is suddenly over-full.

We continue to drive out to Lynchburg for church a few times each month. We've been spoiled (blessed!) by Calvary Chapel Bible teachers, and it's been impossible to find that in other churches.



Robert joined a men's monthly Bible study (locally, not Lynchburg). Fifteen men showed up for the first meeting; about a third of those have also left our former church over the past four years.

Holly's stomach troubles have been alleviated by free samples of a prescription acid reducer. When we went to fill the script, the total was $300 a month. Ugh. We called the doc for another medicine--Prilosec, which was $150. If we buy this over the counter and Holly takes two pills a day (instead of one prescription pill, equaling the same dose), the total is just $25 per month. It's so stupid and frustrating, and to top it off, the Prilosec does not seem to be working as well.

Meanwhile, she's been working hard at pre-season soccer practice, so far twice a week for a couple of hours each night. She's already noticed an increase in her stamina and is feeling that she can compete with this team. One of the practices is far enough away that I can justify staying for two hours and visiting with friends. So far, we've been out for Starbucks both nights. It's a sacrifice, but I'm willing to make it for Holly to play soccer.

I made a new recipe last night, Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Bucatini. Since I can't find bucatini at the grocery store, I'm renaming it--BLT Pasta.



Bread Crumbs:

3 c. French bread cubes
1 T. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
salt to taste

Put bread cubes in food processor and process until coarse. Pour oil into pan and heat to medium/medium high. When oil is hot, add garlic and bread crumbs. Toast until golden, 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from pan and set aside.

6 slices thick-sliced bacon, diced
3 c. grape tomatoes, halved
1-1/2 t. sugar
1-1/2 c. thinly sliced leek
3/4 c. dry white wine
1-1/2 c. chicken broth
1 T. red wine vinegar
3/4 t. red pepper flakes
12 oz. pasta--I used little wheels for fun
3 c. fresh spinach leaves
pinch of dried thyme

Wipe out pan with paper towel, and cook bacon until crispy. Drain on paper toweling, reserving 3 T. of the bacon grease.

Carmelize tomatoes and sugar in bacon drippings over medium heat. Cook until tomatoes begin to brown, about 5 mins. Add leeks; saute until wilted, 3-4 minutes.

Deglaze pan with wine; simmer until liquid is nearly evaporated. Add the broth, vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is reduced by a third, about 5 minutes.

Cook pasta per package directions. Add spinach, thyme, and bacon pieces to pan with tomatoes. Drain pasta and return to pasta pot. Top with sauce, stirring gently to coat pasta. Add a handful of reserved bread crumbs and stir a few more times.

Place on serving plates, top with grated parmesan cheese and additional bread crumbs. Serves 6.

Trevor's basketball team slaughtered their opponents in their first game yesterday, 22-9. Robert's been really laid out with a cold but managed to make it to the game. It was so important to me that he be there to encourage and coach Trevor from the sidelines. Trevor played very well, scoring a basket for his team, and also volunteered for the first time to lead the teams and coaches in prayer before beginning to play.


Holly even gave up her sleeping-in day to watch Trevor play. Fun, fun morning.

Trevor's day got even better for him when he was invited to spend the rest of it at a friend's house, and he was included when they ate dinner at a restaurant before bringing him home.

Robert was still very sick this morning, at least a little better than yesterday. The kids and I went off to church anyway, as Holly wanted to meet with the pastor heading up a summer missions trip to Arequipa, Peru this summer. God's laid it on her heart to go; we've been praying about this. In a great twist, Pastor Mike was not there, but I heard the message loud and clear to get off of Facebook and concentrate on other things for awhile. I'd already been off for the weekend and found the time to read an entire book. With Robert sick, if it hadn't been for Holly, we wouldn't have gone, one more reason that the teaching really hit home with me.

Robert reconfigured the router. Holly got her Kindle hooked up to the wireless connection; Trevor hooked up the Wii. The kids are now playing Mario Cart (and who knows what else) with people from who knows where around the world.

It's been a pretty good, very interesting month, and best of all, very un-January-like.

Weekly menu

Ooh, I've been so bad at blogging again. Maybe today!

Tortilla Soup
Potato and Red Onion Frittata, smoothies
fish and chips (hey, the frozen stuff, nothing fancy!)
French Onion Salisbury Steak on Cheese Toast, salad
Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Bucatini
Shrimp in Garlic Sauce

On the back burner:
anything with ham
chicken souvlaki
Marlboro Man Sandwiches
Crispy Parmesan Chicken

Books (reviews)

Not much of a review anymore, but just a running list of what I've been reading over the past two + months.

Saturday Morning by Lauraine Snelling

Recommended by a patron at the library, I never should have listened. While the book read like a poor imitation of Neta Jackson's Yada Yada House of Hope complete with a battered women's shelter, it was published five years ago. Maybe Neta copied Lauraine. Whatever the case, this was boring; Yada Yada rocks!

Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler

Handler is a best selling author, with two books to reach #1 on the NY Times Best Seller List. On March 28, 2010, her three books took the #1, #2, and #3 spots on that same list. This inane, insipid, stupid book is the only one of the three I've read (yes, mildly funny too--once or twice).

"Upon books the collective education of the race depends; they are the sole instruments of registering, perpetuating and transmitting thought." Harry S. Truman

If this is a best-selling author in our country, we are doomed. Seriously.

Broken Things
Hidden Things
Precious Things by Andrea Boeshaar

Light Christian fiction about a woman who goes back to her hometown and reconnects with old friends, including an old boyfriend. The series continues and expands into the lives of peripheral characters. Nothing remarkable, but interesting enough to continue reading the series.

Just Walk Across the Room by Bill Hybels

I chose because of a conversation about Bill's Willow Creek Church. I have mixed feelings about the book, so I hesitate to label it shallow.

Peony in Love by Lisa See

I have always enjoyed Lisa See, and I particularly have long been enamored with Chinese historical fiction. When Peony pines away (literally, she dies) over a love that can never be, the tale turns to the Chinese afterlife--but I really don't know more than that because I stopped reading prior. Certainly does not live up to See's other works, a disappointment. Oh, there's much more to the story, but I had enough.

Don't Say I Didn't Warn You by Anita Renfroe

The problem with comedians writing books is that the material is good for only a few chapters. They may be entertaining to watch but get boring while reading. I shortened the title of this book--it's all you need to know, similarly to what it's like to read the book.

Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi

When this book was first published, I joined the waitlist to read it, and then passed when my turn came up. I'm tired of reading whiny autobiographies of famous has-beens and expected this to be more of the same.

I picked it up again recently. The book is written in present tense--although that was hugely annoying, I was able to get past that. It was a good read, telling of Agassi's childhood with an overbearing father who seemed impossible to please. Even hating tennis at a young age, Agassi was sent to a tennis school at age 13, where "schooling" was a distant second priority. I appreciated his honestly in how he looks back on his life and career, both the highs (to him, very few) and lows. The book ends shortly after his retirement from tennis. He seems to have found peace in his marriage to Steffi Graf, as a father, and through founding a charter school for disadvantaged children in Las Vegas.

I continue to be surprised that I liked it.

This Stranger, My Father by Robert Hawks

Part of our library's young adult fiction collection, I read this book based on the storyline and reviews on Amazon. Twenty years after escaping federal prison, teenager Patty's father is rearrested. He escapes a second time, and with Patty, and together they attempt to escape the U.S. Marshals in pursuit.

Boring, completely unbelievable, and definitely not worth suggesting to my kids.

A Woman's Place by Lynn Austin

Lynn Austin is the author of the riveting Chronicles of the Kings series. A Woman's Place follows the burgeoning friendship of four very different women through their factory work as electricians during World War II. A pleasant read, it also provided insight into the women who provided support on the home front at this time in our country's history.

Shopping with Holly

Holly and I went to the mall for specific clothing for an upcoming event. Normally, shopping is not something I enjoy. Today, I made sure we had plenty of time, and it helped immensely that I enjoyed her company. :)

She's still feeling blah, but at her request, we visited Bubblecake. She's going to feel bad anyway, so we may as well make it worth it.



I laughed out loud at this license plate we saw, referencing the Virginia Tech Hokies and the University of Tennessee Volunteers.



As part of my planning for loads of time to shop, we stopped at Walmart to pick up a dinner of rotisserie chicken, a bag of steamed corn, and my new favorite find, a bag of steamed potatoes made expressly for *real* instant mashed potatoes--sans the flakes.

How's that for a run on sentence?

And it's Monday...

So far today:

Robert asked where in the area friends of ours live. "Southwest Denver," I replied. Not quite; they live in southwest Roanoke.

Trevor asked me to throw him a pen. This is not something I would not ordinarily do, but it's a pretty clear path from the kitchen table to the t.v. cabinet. The pen began to flip, end over end, and the pen point hit the cat right on top of the head. Cat is not happy. And the worst part of it is he was on the couch, not even halfway to where I was trying to throw the pen.

Now I'm going out driving with Holly. Hope we make it back in one piece.

New Year's Eve

I can barely remember that far back!

We had friends over in the evening. The boys played video games and visited with us--because we were in the room with the food! Holly was not feeling well. Robert and I fixed cheese fondue, meatballs, homemade Chex Mix, rum cake, a cookie plate, hummus, and shrimp dip.

I first made these meatballs last Christmas for a finger foods potluck. The young men couldn't get enough, and my double batch was one of the first things to disappear. It's one of the funniest recipes I've ever seen. I also made this on Christmas Eve for us to snack on at home, before making them for New Year's Eve.

Crockpot Meatball Appetizers

1 jar of grape jelly
1 jar of chili sauce
1 package of frozen meatballs

Place meatballs in crockpot. Empty both jars into saucepan on stove, and cook on medium, stirring often, until jelly is melted and all is blended well. Pour over meatballs. Cook on high for several hours, stirring occasionally if the sauce doesn't completely cover the meatballs.

I have found that the size of bottle doesn't really matter. I have no idea what I did last year, but this time, I used two bags of meatballs, a big jar of jelly (32 oz.?) and two jars of chili sauce (about 12 oz.?). Store leftovers in the fridge.
_____________________________

I love Chex Mix. I pick through the pretzels and anything else to get to the chex--wheat first, followed by rice and corn. I made Pioneer Woman's recipe a few years ago, but it didn't wow me. I went back to the basics this time. It was very good, but I will increase the spices by 50% next time.

Original Chex Mix

3 c. Corn Chex
3 c. Rice Chex
3 c. Wheat Chex
1 c. mixed nuts (any mix with peanuts is a little too boring!)
1 c. bite sized pretzels.
1 c. bagel chips (homemade, recipe below!)
6 T. butter or margarine
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 t. seasoned salt
3/4 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. onion powder (I just crushed up dried onion flakes)

Heat oven to 250. In a large bowl, mix cereals, nuts, pretzels, and bagel chips; set aside. In a small bowl, melt butter, then stir in seasonings. Pour over cereal mix, tossing to evenly coat. Pour onto large rimmed baking pan, and bake one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. (I think I baked mine for 1 hour, 15 mins. total). Spread of paper towels to cool, and then store in airtight container.
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The kids' favorite part of store bought Chex Mix has always been the bagel chips. Instead of trying to find store bought bagel chips for my own Chex Mix, I decided to try making my own. According to Holly and Trevor, I've made these once before but I don't remember! These turned out great--so well, that I ended up making a second batch so we'd have plenty to snack on.

Bagel Chips

2 bagels (I used four mini-bagels)
2 T. melted butter
1 t. garlic salt

Slice bagels into 1/4 inch slices. Dump into gallon-sized ziplock bag. Mix butter and garlic salt. Pour into ziplock bag, seal bag, and shake like crazy to evenly coat bagels slices as quickly as possible.

Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes, until chips begin to toast. Cool on wire rack; store in airtight container (if they last that long).
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At midnight, we went outside to set off our customary fireworks. For the past few years, we've done this with a lot of privacy and no need to consider neighbors. This year, I was struck with the silliness of me hushing everyone as we went outside, only to set off the somewhat loud fireworks. They aren't fancy or big, but they are more substantial than sparklers and snakes. There was a bit of a laugh when one set off a couple of others at the same time!

hApPy NeW yEaR!

Practically the "old" days

Friday:

Finishing a great book with Trevor.

Unexpected snow, with giant flakes falling outside.

Holly still feeling lousy and had a pajama day. (While one is unusual, the other really is not.) She's been feeling lousy for almost a month with what seems like an unrelated variety of symptoms and has seen the doctor twice. Her blood test came back fine; she's on a stronger antacid, plus a muscle relaxer for her headache.

I printed off a couple of paper dolls from the old Making Friends site. Holly and Trevor sat at the table, coloring and cutting out just like they did when they were little. Holly made Russian girl scouts; Trevor added his own cutouts to create Link, complete with sword and shield strapped to his back.

Soup cooking on the stove for dinner.

A great catch-up kind of day. We don't have enough of that time where we just hang out around the kitchen table together anymore. I miss it, and it brought back such sweet memories of our earlier schooling days.



A day I don't want to forget.

Basketball

Trevor decided to play basketball this season with our homeschool rec league. The season kicked off with a mini-tournament, each team playing four 7-minute games this afternoon.

He's not played basketball in four years, and it's been super cold outside, too cold to get much practice in now that we have a basketball hoop on our driveway. But everything came back to him, and he did a great job taking directions.



We're on the blue team for soccer, so it was strange to don a red shirt. I sat in the bleachers, the lone red mom in a sea of my blue friends. Trevor had a blast, seeing old friends and making some new ones.



I had a great afternoon too, catching up with my own friends. Robert made his way around, visiting with parents and players from his soccer team. And it was an extra bonus that Trevor's team was undefeated!

Recipe - Cheesy Garlic Bread

Our new favorite. Who needs a main dish?

1 loaf of French bread, any style
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. parmesan cheese, grated
1T. dried onion
6 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 c. mozzarella, shredded
1 c. mayonnaise

Slice bread vertically into 1/2" or so slices, and slide the bread, still in loaf shape, onto a double thickness of aluminum foil. Mix remaining ingredients together. Keeping the loaf shape, spread some of the cheese mix onto one side of each slice of bread. Wrap up with aluminum foil, pressing to ensure loaf keeps its shape.

Bake in 350 oven for 30 mins. until cheese has melted.

*Easier alternative: Slice loaf in half. Spread half of mixture onto each half. Place cheese side up on a pan, and broil until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Let set for a few minutes before slicing.

Hockey . . .

of a different sort. We still can't believe that Trevor got an air hockey table for Christmas (thanks to a wonderful aunt and uncle). Trev worked hard at following directions to get it put together.



Robert and Trevor warmed up. Notice the smile on Trev's face. I took a series of photos here, and he showed the same joy in every single one! I love looking at these.



Holly joined in the fun. I have to add that Trevor lost this game but still couldn't stop smiling.



Trevor expressed surprised when I asked him if he'd play with me. I had to remind him that I *did* have a life before children--and then I played well enough to tie him. I guess I was just lucky. (wink)

Weekly menu

Husband Delight, garlic bread
Robert's choice
Tortilla Soup
spaghetti with pesto sauce
Potato and Red Onion Frittata, smoothies
Orange Chicken, rice, potstickers, egg rolls, pineapple
breakfast burritos
Indian butter chicken, jasmine rice, pita bread, fried broccoli


On the back burner:
anything with ham
chicken souvlaki
Marlboro Man Sandwiches
Shredded Beef Tacos

Princesses

Oops!

I somehow missed this photo in the last post.

We teased Robert about doing his own Christmas shopping this year. He literally bought a few things, gave them to me, and told me to give them to him for Christmas. I was not entirely amused. But the name tag on this top gift amused me. Trevor wrote it.

To Dad, From Dad

And this is the real reason why we didn't need to go shopping on our shopping day!

Christmas

Once I get a day or two behind in blogging, I procrastinate and torment myself over not blogging. It's a vicious cycle; I'm much too hard on myself. I hate going back so far, it makes me feel like a complete failure. And then I know how stupid I am for thinking that way, and the vicious cycle starts all over again.

We woke up to a lovely white Christmas morning! It was completely unexpected; gorgeous.


Robert and I woke up waaaay before Holly and Trevor, and we had time to read the paper, drink coffee, and get dressed. I can't help but think about the Christmases when they were younger, waking up bleary eyed, so excited, while we'd make them wait in the hall, or on the stairs, until we had everything by the Christmas tree just right: Cards placed on the tree branches, fire in the fireplace, soft lighting, Christmas music, and video camera rolling. Such sweet memories!

Trevor kept with tradition, passing out every gift from under the tree before we began opening.


Trevor leafs through a catalog in search of a still-unknown gift (which turned out to be a gift card tucked within the pages).


I get caught up in writing everything down and my picture taking becomes spotty. To top it off, every year, my Christmas pics are dark and or blurry. Perhaps it's that "mood lighting"; perhaps it's that my boy moves at the speed of light!

I opened this chopper from my mom, while my husband and kids snickered. Everyone should know to avoid giving me sharp objects!


No words necessary!


Our coffee pot was beginning to wear out. I bought a new one for Robert and he bought a new one for me. We should have known--while out shopping earlier in the week, we passed by a giant coffeemaker display, and both of us averted our eyes and bypassed it completely. We were each relieved the other didn't stop to check them out. LOL.


It's always been our tradition to give Christmas ornaments. I found a neat handcrafted Link (from Zelda) one online for Trevor. While at the ceramics store with Trevor earlier in the month, I decided to make one each for Holly and Robert.

As expected, we had a wonderful rest of the day. Dinner was simple compared to years past: spiral ham (heated in the microwave at the last minute, my best holiday secret!); cheesy mashed potatoes; Spinach Madeline; baked corn; and our ever-present Pretzel Jello Salad.

The snow had continued for most of the day--lovely snow, lovely Christmas.


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"The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great light, and those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, upon them a light dawned." Mat 4:16