Can I just say sometimes I hate the limitations with blogging. It can be so frustrating, for instance when I discovered that I can't copy and paste words, or that it messes with the formatting from how it is in the draft to how it looks on the preview. It thinks it can do it better. And most recently-- because I started the draft of week 14 before week 13 it publishes it first even though I try to publish it after and I can't change it! ARRRR! Who wrote the software for this site anyway? My point is that week 13 and 14 are out of order. If anyone knows of a way to override this little feature let me know. Note to self be sure and draft in sequence.

Week 13 Sunday November 8, 2009


Chicken Noodle Soup



The month of the plague continued culmintaing with me as the final victim of the swine flu. Saturday and Sunday were worst days . I was pretty out of it, so JJ and the kids took care of dinner and made a wonderful Chicken noodle soup in my honor. Isabel stood in for me as the photographer so she didn't cook dessert. They were still operating on a Halloween candy buzz!

The way I spent Saturday and most of Sunday

Onions MMmmm





I love this little video. It reminds me what cute little supporters the kids have become of each other.












Veggies and spices Yummy

The Helpers -- I think they are sneaking outside for some jumps on the trampoline! They did help with dinner though.

MMM MMM Hearty Goodness !

This was a great meal for me that day. It hit the spot. I really appreciated JJ and the kids making dinner. And Isabel thanks for being the photographer-- you did a great job! I will have to dig up the recipe from JJ and then I will add it in.

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Week 14

Saturday, Novemeber 14, 2009

Life Long Dreams

I have realized that when we are on vacation keeping with our little tradition simply isn't practical. We are usually rushed eating dinner after church so we can begin the drive home. This particular weekend we visited JJ's family in Las Vegas for a special performance his younger brother Zach was in. for the past couple years he has been involved in an organization called Life Long Dreams that JJ's mom co founded with another woman named Tsalane. It is a musical performing group for children with special needs. This wonderful group is made up of many different kids and situations. Some have special abilities, some come from difficult home lives, some are simply friends or relatives of the other kids. They had their big fundraiser performance and it was incredible to watch. I have been attending various performances since the beginning and it has been amazing to watch their progression as performers and people. It is a wonderful organization and has worked wonders in the lives of it's participants. I am excited to watch it grow and develop through the years. Their motto is "No talent too small, and No dreams too big." I think those are words to live by indeed! I've decided for posterity's sake I much prefer to remember the performance than what we had for dinner on Sunday. So I have made this a tribute to Life Long Dreams by sharing some video and pictures of the performance. I recommend watching the videos they are short but touching. Nothing can compare to being there that night, but here is a little glimpse into a performance that didn't leave a dry eye in the theater.
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Here are some photo ops and the videos are below...

Ivan and Zach

Ivan has become part of the family. Zach calls him his "black brother." We all think of him as our brother.

The Kids came out and walked the red carpet before the show. They really got into it!

The show was organized into Themes made of several songs because the costume changes were really hard on some of the kids.

They started with some songs of the Heart

The girls in the Dresses are sisters and they have beautiful voices. Sabrina (on the left) sounded like an Angel singing "My Heart will go on." I wish I had got it on video. I was too busy taking pictures through most of the show.

Miss United States of Las Vegas from a past year came and crowned a couple of the girls during one of the songs- they were beaming!

They did a 50's sections with some great classics

This is Tsalane who started Life Long Dreams she was a dancer who was diagnsosed with Rhuematoid Arthritis which put a halt on her career. As she struggled with her limitations from her condition she found a passion to help children who struggle with everyday limitations to have a chance to perform and share their talents.

One of my favorite parts of the show were the Phantom of the Opera songs. Here they are dancing to "Masquerade".

They ended with some songs from Highschool musical and their favorite

"We are all in this together."

JJ's mom with someone I don't know.

The super star Zach and I

Who said he can't be superman?

These are some videos... They are super sweet!

What I love the most is the new meaning the lyrics have when these kids sing the songs!

Various singing Las Vegas singers donated their time and talent to the show. They sang with the kids and in between the costume changes.

This was a highlight for me to see Zach singing "All I ask of You" with a professional. It was so tender.

"Who said I can't be superman?"

"I Believe I Can Fly"

This was another highlight for me. Context is everything.

My Girl

Ivan he's so adorable. He definitely loves the stage!
I love his million dollare smile-- you just can't help but smile too!

"The Climb"

I love the words in this song and even more with these kids singing them. The other performers were dressed in hiking clothes and walked out into the audience during the song. Everyone was enthralled seeing there pictures on the screen too.

"The Prayer."
These were some professional local singers. The man has Cerebral Palsy and it's great that he comes and participates to show the kids they really can do what they want to do despite the hurdles they have to jump.

"We are all in this together."

These are words to remember. I think about what happier world this would be if we remembered this in our daily lives as we come in contact with others.




" Go Zach"

That kid-- he sure is a ham! He simple blossoms on stage!

"We are the Children"
Everyone did start giving. It was wonderful to see people's generosity. They were putting $100 dollar bills in the collection jar and buying the kids paintings and other things they had made. Everyone was blown away by their performance and touched by the cause.

This was an experience I will never forget and I am so grateful for the chance we had to go and support Zach and my mother-n-law they are doing some great things!

Week 12

Sunday November 1, 2009



Chicken Pot Pie, Halloween Candy

Another week in the month of the plague. It started with the stomach flu which made it's unpleasant way through each child, Now it was out with the Stomach Flu, in with the Swine Flu-- yippey! Isabel and Jordan were sick, poor things missed out on trick or treating. Laney had to go for them. She was good sport explaining at each house why she had two buckets. She came home loaded and Isabel and Jordan quickly got over missing out on the fun when they saw how much candy was waiting for them when they recovered! Since we had sicklings in our midst Chicken Pot Pie seemed appropriate for the occasion. Notice we did not do a dessert. I figured there was more than enough treats in the house with 3 buckets full of candy, especially for the sick ones. Plus I cleverly reasoned that the Chicken Pot Pie qualified for dinner and dessert because it was, after all, a pie! The kids seemed to buy it and that's all that matters.

Laney with the stash!


My guilt from the previous week was absolved when I called several times for helpers to start dinner and this is what they were doing. Yes that is Isabel the one who sobbed about missing out on cooking last week and this time wouldn't leave her drawing.




Laney was ready and willing





Isabel did join us.




This is what the "helpers" were doing. Actually for the record, JJ did come in and cook the filling after their light saber fight. Can you believe that little kid is sick? Resiliance. Actually he got very sick with extremely high fevers the next day, probably because he was doing this when he should have been resting.



" "I know how to put on Band aids myself."

apparently so-- licking it first- yeah that will help it stick!




Rolling the Pie Crust

We call this video "Meany"

I'm always amazed that week after week even despite little episodes like this. Cooking always remains in their minds a net positive. Maybe I shouldn't document anything negative-- that is after all the beauty of photographs, no matter what fighting or crying went on during family events, all you have on record is everybody smiling for the picture!

Laney did get her turn

What a cutie!

MMm Mmm filling up the pie

Ready for the oven!

It really tasted better than it looked!

Jordan was more interested in drawing than eating.

I love Jordan's little drawings. As of late, he spends a good portion of his day drawing and coloring. It's pretty amazing a few months ago his work was exclusively of the abstract in nature. Now he draws scenes full of skies, people, clouds, houses, flowers etc. There is no gift more precious than the drawings of little children. My fridge is constantly covered in thier works of art. I have to rotate them frequently and I am always pained with guilt when one of the kids finds their drawings in the recycle bin. Laney actually checks the recycle bin regularly having caught on to my habits before the other kids. Every day she rescues at least one of her homework papers from an untimely death. Her drawer is quite full, but it makes her feel better to hold on to them a little longer even if she doesn't look at it again until I make her purge her stash.

I guess I can relate, I find myself keeping things I know will eventually toss not having used it. Somehow the comfort of keeping it until I have oficially proved it's uselessness out weighs the inefficiency becuase of the off chance I could be wrong. My sympathy for my children doesn't however change my behavior towards them, I continue to stash their school papers and old drawings the recycle bin every chance I get--now I just try to be more discreet. Hypocrisy at it's finest!

This is Isabel's Opinion of the meal!

Everyone else loved it too!

Homeade Chicken Pot Pie

1/2 cup butter
1 onion chopped
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 can chicken broth (or homeade stock)
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups cooked chicken
2 cups frozen vegetables (we used fresh vegetables instead)

saute onions in butter until tenter. Add flour, salt and pepper stir until blended. Cook for about a minute then add broth and milk stirring constantly until it thickens slightly. Add chicken and vegetables. (we cooked it on high for a little while until the pie crust was ready) pour into pie crust. Lay other half of crust on top. Pinch the edges and cut slice in the top of the crust. Bake @ 425. for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.



Pie Crust

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold butter
1/4 cup butter flavored shortning
4-6 tbsp. ice water

Mix flour and salt. Cut in butter and shortning until crumbly. add water 1 tbsp. at a time until mixture comes together and forms a ball. Do not over mix. Cut dough in half and roll out between floured pieces of wax paper. Pull off top piece and flip into pie plate. (this recipe makes enough crust for top and bottom in a 9" deep dish pie pan. ) roll out the other half for the top.

Week 11
Sunday , October, 25 2009





Leftovers


This is the week JJ and I recieved the Lamest Parents in the World award. As you might have guessed from the menu title we didn't cook this Sunday. I knew given my DNA it was bound to happen sometime-- I just wasn't quite prepared for what would ensue when we told the kids. There was a menu planned. Unfortunately we had things we had to do after church and by the time we got home, I had just enough time to make food for a baby shower that night. I quickly realized our special dinner wasn't going to happen. As the kids watched us heating up leftovers from the previous night's dinner, confusion and dismay spread across their faces. Laney and Jordan were only mildly disappointed. They let us off the hook with an "ahhh, but we want to make dinner." Isabel, however, burst into tears. I had a conflict of emotions flooding through my mind as I listened to her sobs. I was secretly pleased to realize exactly how important our cooking episodes had become. I do harbor a slight suspicion the majority of pain was a result of a break in her routine rather than the loss of our memory making. Cynicism aside, despite her weakness for dramatics, she sincerely has come to look forward to Sunday night cooking as important family bonding time and for that I am grateful. I take it as a sign our goals are being achieved. Though happy she cared, I felt really awful for letting Isabel down and mommy guilt set in. But I suppressed it as I hurridly finished the food for the baby shower. She got to help me a little and that made her feel better. I have no photos, because though the thought occured to me to take a picture of Isabel crying, I thought it in bad taste. Sometime I'll make it up to her.