"The Library Lion" book review

It was, of course, the interesting title that caught my eye, but the beautiful illustrations were what made me cram this bigger sized book into my already overflowing library bag.  I love beautiful artwork combined with happy prose to give my kids. I think it helps them develop an appreciation for both.

The Lion is such a stately, noble looking beast that it is not at all incongruent to think of one reclining on a bean bag in a sunny corner of the library.  Think of the scene in the opening credits of The Addams Family--a large, bored looking lion wanders through their stately mansion on Cemetery Lane.

Anyway, in The Library Lion, a lion has to learn about rules in the library, just like kids do, and that all rules themselves sometimes have to be bent.

"I Love My New Toy" book review

We came home from the library last week with our usual load of books randomly picked off the shelves, but a couple of them have really been enjoyed by the boys this week, way more than I would've expected.

Haukin has asked me to read  I Love My New Toy every day, I think.  It is VERY relavant to him and his brother.  The simple illustrations are hilarious--Haukin giggled more and more over every page as the plot unfolded.  Both boys know exactly what it is like to have a brand new toy that someone else wants to play with--and then horror of horrors!  what if they break it?  Hopefully the ending of this book taught the boys a valuable lesson, but if not, they still love the pictures and the  expression of voice required to read it.

I am definately going to look into more titles by Mo Willems and more books in this Elephant and Piggie series.

Homemade Kefir

Today I made kefir, which is a cultured drink, usually made with milk but sometimes also water or soy milk or coconut milk.  It worked perfectly the first time.  I was impressed.  Must have had something to do with having the perfect place to let it culture.  Take Note:  the best place to culture drinks like kefir and kombucha is on your boiler!  Mine is downstairs in the laudry room where it is dark and quiet and warm.  The surface of the boiler is maybe 70-75 degrees or so. This is what it looked like after I had blended it with some organic bing cherries and put it in a jar.

This is what it looked like after it had set for a while.

It is a fairly sour drink, so I added stevia to make it palatable to the kids.  Don't think the dh was too impressed.  This is what it looked like after I shook it well and served it in his favorite Carnival glass.

Yum.  Drink your probiotics!

Who's Picasso, Mom?

Zane is my inquisitive soon-to-be six-year-old.  He has the memory of an elephant, and his brain is a sponge.  I have no idea where he heard about Picasso, but that was his Question of the Day yesterday, along with "what is double probation?"  ??blink. What??

This morning he came up with one that I actually understood, "what is light speed?"  I knew right away where this came from. He and Haukin spent the morning watching Star Wars.

Captain Solo: "Hang in there Chewy, while I make the calculations for the jump to light speed."

Or something like that.

So Zane and I have several things to research for school next week.  He loves using the Internet, although I don't think we'll be watching any more video clips about "what is inside me"  (a question from last week) after he got completely worked up from watching a video about internal parasites.  Now whenever he steps outside he is constantly on the watch for dog poop.

New year's resolutions (subject to revision)

Winter sunrise on the Cottonwoods
Prologue:
Just as an aside, not really an official Resolution, but I do plan to take more pictures this year.  I've been mostly inspired by all the fantastic blogs I've been reading, especially Sarah's, who is an excellent photographer and shares her work on her blog.  Another motivation is having great visual content for my own blog!

Resolutions:
1. Seek out and learn from godly mentors.
      This is sort of doing my part in the whole transfer of knowlege from one generation to the next, which is
      seriously lacking in our culture.  Besides the fact that I need all the help I can get, besides the fact
     that we all need to be obeying Titus 2.


2. Increase and develop personal discipline.
    a.  Do a study on the spiritual disciplines and determine what specific goals and routines will help me.
    b. Establish daily routines and guidlines for physical disciplines--i.e. exercise, eating, and scheduling habits


3. Increase and develop creativity, knowledge, and expression.
    a. Redecorate the boys' room (Wind in the Willows theme).
    b. Blog regularly (3-4 times/wk)
    c. Learn how to use my new Adobe Photoshop Elements 8!
    d. Learn color work knitting.
    e. Get the piano tuned--and find a teacher for Zane.
    f. Finish my wedding album--it's about time!


4. Read these books:
   a. Practical Theology for Women: How Knowing God Makes a Difference in Our Daily Lives (Re: Lit Books)
   b. Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches
   c. Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate
   d. The Family Worship Book: A Resource Book for Family Devotions
   e. The Life of John Newton
   f. The Bible and the Closet
   g. Meet the Puritans: With a Guide to Modern Reprints
   h. Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer
   i. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life
   j. Teach Them Diligently: How to Use the Scriptures in Child Training, Study Guide


5. Memorize:
   a. Galatians
   b. Ephesians (note* lest you think I am aiming to high, I've already done this and it will be review)
   c. Philippians--already have some of it done too.
  

This is a pretty preliminary list, because for each of these resolutions I have specific goals toward carrying them out; I have to tackle things in little bits.  For each resolution I have weekly and monthly goals. We have to remember that Reality and Life happen, so of course these are all subject to revision as I deem necessary. There will be unplanned, last minute projects, and I'm sure I'll read books other than the ones listed here. I may seem ambitious, but better to aim high.



What are your New Year's Resolutions and how are you breaking them down into workable goals? 

Using Up Freezer Zucchini

Last night I created a recipe that has been floating around in my head for the last year or so.  My freezer gets overloaded with shredded zucchini every summer and I am usually at my wits' end to decided what to do with it.
 
So here's what came from the stove last night.

Zucchini Chicken Alfredo
1 ziplock bag full of shredded zucchini, thawed and drained
1-2 t. lemon pepper

The Alfredo
butter
flour
milk
1 1/2 cups cooked cubed chicken
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 1/4 c shredded sharp white Cheddar (I used some with Pesto in it--delish!)
salt and pepper
pesto or basil (opt.)
1/2 red pepper, diced

Put the zucchini in a pan or skillet with the lemon pepper and warm it until the liquid pretty much evaporates.  This is what will replace the usual pasta.  Very healthy!

Make a roux with the butter and flour and milk by melting the butter, throwing in the flour (amounts are according to how much you want to end up with, I suggest about 3 T butter and 1/4 to 1/2 cup flour.)  After you make a sort of paste with the butter and flour pour in the milk, enough to make as much sauce as you want, with a little extra to account for evaporation and thickening. Whisk until all the lumps are gone, and heat steadily until it begins to thicken.  Add chicken and pepper flakes, salt and pepper and cheese.  Let the cheese melt into the sauce. Add red pepper.

Serve the alfredo over the zucchini and enjoy.  Empty out that freezer!

Wordless Wednesday

Splattering Spaetzle

Last night we made the traditional German spaetzle and goulash fleisch (sp?) that Thomas' family enjoys around the holidays.  It didn't taste quite like his mom's (considering I used the last of our Barefoot Merlot) but it was quite good, once we figured out a good consistency  for the batter.  Here is Thomas cooking the noodles.

We discovered that it can be quite hairy to have two cooks trying to cook two different things in the same work space, our kitchen is not very accomadating at this time. You should've seen the state of the KitchenAid after we got done mixing the Spaetzle.  Next time I'll get a pic.  I was working on the Yummy Red Cabbage, whose recipe I'll have to share for anyone who appreciates cruciferous concoctions.

Yummy Red Cabbage: origin unknown (sorry I don't remember where I got this recipe)

8 oz. red cabbage, sliced

1 apple, sliced or chopped

1 oz. butter, 2 t. oil

1 sm onion, chopped  or sliced thin

2 cloves garlic minced

1/4 t. gr. cloves

1/4 t. cinnamon

dash nutmeg

salt & pepper

1 t. brown sugar

1 T red wine vinegar

Melt butter and oil. Cook onion then add apple and garlic and cook 2-3 min.  Turm to Hi and add cabbage; stir-fry 5 min.  Stir in spices, salt and pepper. Turn to Lo and cook 10 min.  When tender turn up heat and add sugar and vinegar.  Stir and serve.

This is delicious and not slimy like my mom's (sorry mom).  Not too sweet either, and the spices make it taste special.

We also enjoyed a Rye bread called Limpa which I made from my favorite bread machine cookbook,

The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook, which has about a zillion great recipes for breads in the machine, and they work!  What I usually do is use the machine to do all the work except baking, because the DH likes to have his bread shaped like a traditional loaf, and I don't mind this extra step, especially since I get out of all the mixing and kneading, etc.

Hope you are all back into your routines for the New Year.  I'll be posting Resolutions soon.  Meanwhile, here is our latest family photo (a rare sight!).

Signs and Facts

Know where the Mad Hatter came from?  Not Lewis Carroll, if that's what you thought, although he did fit one right into his Alice adventure.  I read today on Jon Barron's web site that during the 19th century  some hatters used mercury to make their wares.  The results were "baldness, severe muscular tremors, dementia, and fits of wild, uncontrollable laughter. Thus the phrase: "Mad Hatter." "

Interesting, huh?  Stay away from Mercury, and get those old fillings replaced, Thomas!

On another note,  one of the first Signs of the New Year is.....

Seed Catalogs!  These give me plenty to occupy the long hours of winter, waiting and planning for spring.

Full Moon Rising on a New Year

                                                Psalm 19:1,3  "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork.....THERE IS NO SPEECH NOR LANGUAGE WHERE THEIR VOICE IS NOT HEARD!

Happy New Year!  The moon was telling me of God's glory this morning.