Date for Pains

 You are invited!

Artist David Babcock and his artist wife, Julie, will be staying with us Monday, Memorial Day night.  If you want to come meet him, shake his hand, congratulate him on making WORLD RECORD for longest scarf knit while running a marathon...come on over!  Cookies and s'mores, our backyard anytime afte 5 pm!

Pre-existing complications aside, and after months and months of physical therapy, and trying really, really hard to NOT bend over and pick anything up (I am allowed to squat to get to floor, that is it) I went to the doctor under duress.  John scheduled a double appointment for us, or I would not have gone.  I dislike strongly the feelings of helplessness, mortal bodies falling apart...  He gets to have knock-out-shoulder cracking surgery since he can't lift his right arm and his shot last month didn't help.  And I got a shot today which should help.  Bursitis.  Left hip.  Which explains the pain that I thought was my back.  Making my bulging lowest disc back pain suddenly the most noticeable thing again.  Numbness in my left leg could be bursitis or back-related nerve.  Which may need another shot, this time in spine, or surgery if that doesn't help get inflammation down.  Lovely.  Actually, I am thankful, for bodies and the reality of mortality.  Even though it hurts.

Reminds Me of Mine: Timetravel + Crepe Recipe

This is a photo of not-my oldest son.  Anonymous child in the aisle (2 years old) reminds me of him.  Same tow-headed blond haircut. (Grandma Sandy said he looks like her tow-headed blond baby, too!) He played with John's shoe, laughed a silly giggle, did everything he could to stay awake during the Church meeting..

Here are the other two real sons last Sunday, playing Italian "Shoot"  (thank you again, Emma+Dean!).  They all started out life with that white-blond hair and have darkened with age.

Tai Chi paintings are back on way to Pittsburgh and I have David's Boxers back in dinning room.

(John cooking salmon for dinner, smothering it in buttermilk...)

Lu asked for my current crepe recipe (yes, they change over time):  I apologize for the lack of exactness.  I cook by feel/taste/texture/smell.

(no sugar in batter, that makes them brown too quickly).  Disclaimer:  I like an egg-tasting crepe.  More eggs than milk.  And real butter makes a huge difference, but NO OIL in batter. I think the whisk helps make them a little frothy, lighter, maybe, but I would need a test kitchen to try with or without whisk, see if that makes the difference?  This made a huge batch for 2 families, a breakfast meal plus leftovers. 

big metal bowl + whisk
crack in 2 dozen eggs and whisk
add one can evaporated milk (NOT Condensed)
fill empty milk can with cold water and add, whisk
sprinkle in 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 shakes of Kirkland (Costco brand) vanilla (maybe a tablespoon?)

add cups of flour, whisking well.  Really well.  Try to keep count of how many cups of flour.  Stop when thick enough for crepe batter.  I counted in 8 and then lost track.  Sorry, should have written it down.  It is a consistency thing, you will know it when too thick or too runny...

cook one crepe in real BUTTER in pan.  If too runny, add more flour.  If too thick, add more regular milk (if you have more cans of evaporated milk, you can use that, but the flavor changes.  I use at least one can, but regular milk cheaper, and water is free!).  I usually go back and forth a few times with too much flour, too much milk until just right.  Keep whisking. 

Half way through cooking you may need to add more water/milk because the batter will thicken as it stands.
Pouring just under 1/2 cup batter in my big pan for each crepe, ease pan around in circle to fill pan with batter, flip as soon as can so it doesn't overcook.  I like them barely golden, still soft.  Stack to keep heat in them.  Keep re-buttering pan every 3-4 crepes for flavor.  Cooking heat is between 9-8 on dial on my stove, (6:00 is as hot as will go, 12 straight up is off.  If that helps.)

Our family likes 2 pkgs (8 oz) cream cheese softened mixed with 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup whipping cream, a shake of vanilla, mixed in mixer for perfect spread.  And Nutella, of course

The last time I made a crepe batch for just my family I used 1 can milk and 12 eggs and no extra milk...
(smaller batches I use blender, and always start with eggs first blended, then milk, then salt, vanilla, then flour.)

PS.  When I was adding labels, discovered recipe post in July 2010 where I used to use sugar in batter and used less eggs, but exact same cream cheese spread!  Here's to the evolution of a recipe, change for the better!

So Close...

I ran out of beads, almost to end of necklace.  Can't fake this, must go get another plastic tube.

Tuesday Morning store has boxes covered in Indian "embroidery" said the tag.  Looks like patchwork quilts, cool idea to use quilt tops that aren't going to get quilted...

Speaking of quilting...peek-a-boo preview of quilt top waiting to quilt.  So it isn't a quilt yet, but close....

Moms R Us

These are from Mother's Day 11 years ago.  It must have been really bright and sunny out, hard for the kids to keep their eyes open.

And their heads up and turned the right way (love Emma's hands on Roxie's head!)

I got teary finding these old Mother's Day photos.  This is what it is like, in the trenches!  

I think of my daughters and wonder what they think it is like being a mom. 

Being the oldest in a big family gives you lots of chances to feel the frustrations of being a mom without the benefits of having a husband to help and the joy of seeing your children grow, learn, and love you back!

(yesterday at DC Temple with Suzanna)

I want my daughters to look forward to motherhood.  Not to feel rushed, but positive about the potential, possibilities, and the promises.

(Flour Baby Mahonri was a lot of work and good practice for Roxie, but real babies are more rewarding, more work, but easier to love as you serve them.)

 (Fairy Festival in Darlington yesterday!).

A Wedding to Create A Marriage: Public, Official, & Permanent

Me & husband of 25 years.  He is a keeper, yes.

 Weddings are fun!  Celebrating is fun!  I love to see couples starting out together...

How cool is an OREO tower?  There was a fountain of milk next to it (instead of a chocolate fountain, same hardware).  Below is their cake (top layer was an actual cake, rest of tiers were triangular cut cheesecake brownies).

Butterflies everywhere, because she loves them, and he proposed with one:

Cute story:  they love to Geo-cache, and he planted a "fake" one, complete with log.  When she found it, she tried to put it back, saying it was somebody's proposal, turned around and saw him down on one knee with a ring..

Jon Schmidt played the prelude--so we have something in common with this couple!  The groom sang a song to her that was swooning romantic.  The bishop married them in a nice ceremony.  She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He is not.  He comes to Church with her and attends John's Sunday School class so we have gotten to know him a little bit.

They obliged me with a photo kiss.  Actually, I have never seen such a kissy couple at a reception! Super happy, sweet vows exchanged (she loves him more than milk.  And more than bacon.  Made everyone laugh, but by the end we were all teary).

Part of our gift to the newlyweds was a Mr & Mrs.  Actually, it was really just a fun way to decorate the package.
During the reception there were several drawings--at the guest book spot there was a big jar we could put our name in to win one of her beautiful vases and pots--she just graduated from BYU-Idaho with an art degree, emphasis ceramics.  It made me want to stay to the end!

I am convinced that all the details of the party don't matter as much as how the newlyweds treat each other, if they stick together at the reception, if they kiss and kiss and kiss blissfully unaware of anything but each other in that moment...Dancing is fun.  Details of decorating can be memorable.  Food details can be forgotten.  But how happy the new couple is, how they hold on to each other, how you can feel their love for each other--that is the celebration.  That is what you think about as you walk back to your car hugging your sweetie and feeling grateful for marriage and love and couples who want to be together!


Psychology Today article:  Marriage is the process by which two people who love each other make their relationship public, official, and permanent.

Double Baby Shower (FLOUR BABY)

 We had a baby shower for our 12-almost-13 year old's baby boy.  And for another newborn baby boy of a 13 year old father.  Mahonri and Leo, each held by their single parents below.

When I invited her brother Max, out of context, his eyes widened...

(Roxie with GREAT GRANDPA John!)

And I had to quickly explain it is an English class assignment, to carry and care for a 5 lbs sack of flour, dressed up in baby clothes, swaddled.  Be a parent for a week and a half, 24 hours every day.  Unless you contract a babysitter, which you have to pay in chores.  Not a class on human development (carry an egg) but a writing assignment, similar to the experiment that takes place in the book, Flour Babies, by Anne Fine.

Roxie says Mahonri is getting heavier.  He goes everywhere in her arms.  No stroller or baby carrier allowed (although a health teacher is doing project as well, and he has baby carrier).  No babies in backpacks or grocery sacks.  Forbidden to keep in your locker or home alone.  Protect your baby from the weather (we had a crazy storm yesterday and it was tough to keep him dry!) She has been very faithful and sweet with him, and says, delightedly, that he takes lots of naps, so she can read.

Grandma & Grandpa brought presents:

One of my favorite games we played:  guess the correct popular baby names by decade according to Census information.  (I only used the top 20 names, for years 2000, 1990, 1960, 1940, 1910, 1880, put them out of order on sheet and let them circle correct decade).  Grandma Sandy and Laura both got them all correct. 

Smell/taste/guess 10 bottles of unlabeled baby food. GROSS!  The Texas Tacos and cupcakes made up for it!

Make as many words as you can from the baby's name.

NOT say "baby" "boy" or "son" or your corsage (tissue paper glued to clothes pin) gets taken away by whomever caught you saying the word.

Carry/waddle with a ping pong ball between your legs and drop it successfully into a cup.  Balloons under shirt makes it so you can't see your knees or the cup--we didn't do that detail with a mixed gender guest crowd.

Blindfolded undress (baby doll, not REAL flour babies!) and change baby's diaper!

Write down wishes/blessings for baby.

So far Roxie has been a great mom!

And this gives us a good chance to pass on what we learned as parents:

(Yes, that is a MAM pacifier, hot glued in place & GRANDPA John showing off his burping skills!)

I am a grandma of a flour baby, and we have had fun with outfits, trying not to give too much advice. I am surprisingly protective and fiercely loyal to this little guy, and it is comforting holding him, rocking him with that dance/rhythm that comes back with a baby in your arms.  There is power in role play.  I look forward to reading Roxie's project at the end of the week and a half.

She has already told me she would like to find Sunday clothes for him for Church, maybe a bow tie or something...

Homemade Gifts for Mother's Day

If you soak these craft sticks for 24 hours, or boil them for 15 minutes, they become bendable, pliable.  To make the cuff small enough, a jelly jar had the smallest curve circumference.  DO NOT USE slopped glasses like the one pictured above.  STRAIGHT sided glasses, mugs, or jars work better for a consistent curve.  Too big, and the cuff falls right off your wrist.  They are still bendy when dry, so don't worry about making them "too small"--smaller the better.

 Dry for 24 hours, then write a statement word with regular Elmer's white glue.  Let dry.  Rub wood stain over craft stick, let dry, and finish with protective clear coat.

Permanent sharpie markers also work to decorate, but bleed into wood...paint, decoupage with pretty paper, lots of options!

Making wrist cuffs for Mother's Day craft with seminary students!

My favorite is "WOW" or "MOM" depending on which way you read it.

Other suggestions: wise, grace, lovely, gorgeous, faithful, vibrant, friendly, peace, courage, truthful, virtue...