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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.

Week 10 Sunday October 18, 2009

Gnocci Pancetta, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

This week was a lesson in flexibility. It started when JJ took Isabel and Laney for a hike before dinner and they came back too late to start the planned Bolognese Red Sauce. Scrambling to figure out a speedier recplacement, we bent the rules a bit and JJ created his own sauce which he named Gnocci a la Pancetta e Zuccini. It sounds much more impressive in Italian. It means Gnocci with Bacon and Zuccini.

While the Girls were on their Daddy Daughter Hike...


This is what Jordan was doing

Jordan had the Stomch flu and spent the day like this. That morning when he bacame sick fortunately and unfortunately all he had in his stomach was a red vine found from last night's movie night. If you are a mom reading this you know what the unfortunate part means. All I can say is thank goodness for my carpet steam cleaner.

Also unfortunately, he had spent the night spreading his sick germs climbing over each and every blanket we owned during our debut backyard movie and campout under the stars. Which meant laundry time for me.

Our Movie Night and Campout

While the weather is nice maybe we'll invite our friends and neighbors next time if they are interested.

So while Jordan spent the night passed out on the couch, we hurridly raced to finish dinner.

Isabel quickly, perhaps a little too quickly, measured out the ingrediants for the cookies. When I came around to check the butter and sugar we realized she put in the amount for the recipe below the one we were making. So instead of chocolate cookies with peanut butter chips we had peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips. No harm, no foul.

The mixed up recipes

I went to quickly measure the peanut butter and found it was the kind you have to mix. Darn Fresh and Easy-- why do you have to be so fresh? :)

Gnocci's Ready

I found some pre-made Gnocci at Safeway for the lazy cook. Also for the lazy cook....


My Self Stirring Pot



Here it is, the videographic evidenece you have been waiting for. My pot in stirring action.

With a lid that allows steam to escape, this is perfect for making Sauces, Risotto, Stir Fry's, steamed veggies, soups, etc. Most anything that would need to be cooked in a frying or sauce pan can would be a candidate for this wonderful creation. It has a little arm that rotates around the bottom of the pot where the built in heating unit is so it doesn't burn. This is a key feature for the distracted cook such as myself. I tend to get busy doing other things and often forget the food cooking with only the smell of dinner burning to act as a reminder to pay attention. With my handy dandy pot I can busy myself and rest assured my food is well cared for. I have become so dependant on this little thing. A couple of months ago, to my horror, I pulled the little arm piece out of the garbage disposal freshly mangled and too warped to work anymore. It was a long week or two while I waited for a new pot to come in the mail. It scares me to be so codependant on a kitchen appliance, what if it becomes discontinued someday? What would I do then?.....ooh I shudder the thought.

Laney, Laney

I think this face means she's enjoying herself.

Everyone enjoyed dinner and dessert despite the change in plans. As long as there is Dinner and Dessert, actually I can leave out the dinner part, everyone is happy.

MMMM ....Cookies:)




JJ doesn't really remember what he put in as I can recall there are varying amounts of ...

Bacon

Chopped onion

Zuccini

Half and Half
Peccarino Romano Cheese

and after that I can't be sure.

I'll make sure I pay closer attention when JJ gets creative.

Peanut Butter Cookies- Herman Style

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup peanut butter

3 cups flour (use a little less)

2 tsp. baking soda

We added Chocolate chips because I'm a chocoholic.

Blend ingrediants & form into balls. Roll in sugar. Press with fork. The recipe said to bake @ 325 for 10-15 minutes but I just baked @ 350 for about 8 min. Don't overbake. These were yummy especially dunked in milk! I would use a little less flour next time.

For the record we have since made the Chocolate Peanut Butter recipe and has become our favorite chocolate cookie recipe so here is the recipe so I don't lose it.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

1 Cup Butter

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 4oz. box instant chocolate pudding

1 bag peanut butter chips

Blend ingrediants. Add peanut butter chips. roll into balls and press flat. Bake 350 for about 9 minutes. Cool before removing from the pan. They come out like warm dough -- let them cool and then they melt in your mouth. Yummy Yummy!

Both these are great Halloween recipes. Easy and they have the black and orange motiff going for them :)

Week 9 Sunday October 11, 2009

Before I launch into the log of our Cooking escapade. I just wanted to make a little tribute to Laney. She turned six the day before on the 10th. These are a couple photos from her birthday.

My little 6 year old.

Eating her birthday breakfast of choice.

During the day, while I was making her special birthday dinner (she is celebrating next week with a few friends-- this was the off party year). I noticed Laney wasn't playing outside anymore with her siblings and neighbors. I found her curled up asleep in her bed with this writing piece laying next to her:

I like Myself

by Elayna Warriner

be kuse im me.

im happy

im silly

i like to read belkuese to i goe to bed.

I'm so glad she likes herself--we like and love her too for those reasons and more. She has always had such a zest for life, ever since she was a baby. She posseses an infectious spirit of happiness and silliness. Her little giggle is priceless. I've never heard a more joyful sound. We love you Lane. The world certainly became a little brighter six years ago!

Fajitas, Pumpkin Cobbler

Seeing as we weren't able to make the Fajitas last week, we opted for it this time. I had been craving some good Mexican food. JJ had made a trip to the Ranchers Market for some hispanic jems. Yummy peppers, mexican green onions, jalepenos, salsa, and of course some of their fresh homemade fajita size tortillas. That store really has great deals. I would shop there more if I wasn't worried about getting caught with a bullet from a drive by on the way in. Hence the reason JJ did the shopping. As for dessert, Inspired by the fragrance of my Pumpkin Spice candle we found a seasonal recipe online-- Pumpkin Cobbler.

JJ and the kids making the Marinade. He said "Let's hope it tastes better than it smells. I don't know about this recipe."

Laney liked the Apple Cider smell

Jordan, Jordan, Jordan

What are we going to do with you? We have been working on getting him to stop sucking his fingers. You can see how well it's going. Tonight when I was tucking him in. He got the cutest little look on his face as he said we was going to sneak sucking his fingers when I wasn't looking. At least he's honest.

The look she gave me because I took a picture of her spill




It's all in good fun.

Helping Hands in the Kitchen

Mmm...... Garlic

JJ using a bread knife to cut the meat :) interesting...
I'm glad I'm not doing that, I really loathe cutting raw meat.

JJ said I need to be in the pictures too.

Me and My big girl-- one day she won't need a chair to be taller than me.

Hear that Chicken sizzle!

Fajita Time!

Water... Water...
Jordan and Laney thought the Fajitas were too Spicy
Good thing JJ decided to only use 1/2 a jalepeno pepper instead of the 2 he chopped.

Whew!

Isabel Appreciates Spicy

She even went back for seconds.

Yummy Yummy, if you like spicy !

Warning, Warnig, Sugar overload--

This is a dessert to be consumed in small doses especially if accompanied by icecream , which is the only way to serve this decadent dessert. Bottom line, I would only make it if there are plenty of dessert lovers in the house.


Pumpkin Cobbler

1 cup sugar
3 eggs, beaten
30 ounces pumpkin
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounces evaporated milk
1 lb yellow cake mix
1/2 cup sweet butter, melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together sugar, eggs, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and milk. Grease a 9x13 inch pan and pour the above mixture inches. Sprinkle the DRY cake mix on top. Pour melted butter evenly over the cake. Pour the butter slowly and carefully because it sometimes likes to go all in one spot! Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes. Serve warm!