Blogging

I have a special message to all of you who, when Knox first discovered toilet paper and Skip Bo cards, told me, "Hold on...it's only just begun!"

Here's the message:



YOU WERE RIGHT!!  :)



Now that we're fully mobile we can stand on our tiptoes and open closet and bathroom doors.  We can open the dishwasher by ourselves and empty out the (dirty) silverware in about 5 seconds.

We can pull mommy's purse down from a very high perch, dig out her shiny black wallet, empty it of all its credit cards, and scatter them throughout the apartment with glee.

Not only can we once again throw toys and daddy's keys in the toilet (since we can open the bathroom door on our own), but we can also now reach the water in the toilet bowl and splash around trying to fish them back out.

We can empty a basket of toys out onto the floor and spread them to the remotest corners of 6 different rooms faster than you can "Like" a Facebook comment.

Yes, the force of Hurricane Knox has grown in epic proportions over the past couple of weeks. :)

That, along with some new projects and commitments I've started this Fall, is taking a toll on my blogging.

And that is perfectly all right with me.

Because, you know, there are actually things in life that are more important than blogging. :)

Dear friends who check my blog daily...thank you for making this blog so fun for me.  You're the best. 

I'm not giving up blogging altogether, but I'm afraid my blogging frenzy of the past 9 months may be winding down...for the time being at least.

I will try to keep posting occasionally, but...Hold on, Curious George just brought me a bottle of white vinegar he discovered in a dark, far back corner of a kitchen cabinet.  And he is handing it to me with the hugest, proudest smile...

What was I saying?

Yeah, that's pretty much how it goes. :)

Faithful blog readers, I love you all.

Happy Wednesday!

Cookies Sheep

One of the most special things in the whole world to me is when I receive a letter or package from one of my girls in China.  It's been over three years since we left to attend seminary, but the friends we met there are friends forever. ♥

This week we got a fun box for Knox from Auntie Catrina and he is loving it!

This cool yellow star shirt may be Knox's favorite shirt EVER. 

 He LOVES the smiley stars on his new shirt.

And if the smiley stars aren't enough to bring a smile to YOUR face, just read the tag:

  

COOKIES SHEEP

THIS HAS AN UP. TO DATE

FASHION FEELING

SPECIAL CONCEPT

COOKIES SHEEP

"Farm Natural Health Feel and Smell"

One of our favorite pastimes in China was searching Chinese clothing stores for the best "Chinglish" shirts.

This one is adorable.

I miss my Chinese sisters...

and I LOVE CHINA!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Okay I know I already busted out the pumpkin muffins, but I'm not COMPLETELY done with summer yet in the kitchen. 

I have been waiting for an excuse all summer to make this chocolate zucchini cake and I finally got it last weekend when Mark and Eli came over to watch the Ole Miss game with Josh and Knox.

Bingo!  My excuse to make chocolate zucchini cake!!

(Football = Excuse to make yummy food of any kind.)

I only wish Eli was old enough to try a piece of cake.  Check out this cutie!  I think he likes me. :)

My mom has been making this recipe in the summer for as long as I can remember.  I think this may be another one that originated with my Aunt Monica but I am not sure.  All I know is that it's AWESOME. 

And dangerous.  It's really hard to just eat one piece.  We love, love, LOVE this cake!

If you don't want anyone to know there is zucchini in your chocolate cake, just peel the zucchini before you shred it up.  Everyone will rave about how moist the cake is and you can just smile and nod and keep that secret ingredient to yourself.

But if you want to show it off, like I do (or if you are just plain lazy, also like me) feel free to leave the green peel ON. :)

Enjoy!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1/2 cup sour milk*

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

4 Tbl. cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

2 cups shredded zucchini

1 cup chocolate chips, divided

*Just add a little lemon juice or vinegar to the milk to sour it.

Preheat oven to 325.  Cream butter, oil and sugar.  Add eggs, vanilla and sour milk.  Beat till well blended.  Mix all dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and add to creamed mixture.  Beat well.  Stir in zucchini and half cup chocolate chips.  Pour batter into greased 13x9 pan.  Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips over the top.

Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

And he's off!

Development of the week. :)

Memaw's Pumpkin Muffins

Three years ago I went to my very first seminary wives' Bible study group.  "SWING groups" we call them... Seminary Wives in Nurturing Groups.

Our husbands meet a lot of people in class, but we student wives have to work a little harder at meeting people here sometimes.  SWING groups give us a fun and meaningful way to make friends, and connect, and grow together.

As I was preparing this past week for my new small group, I kept thinking back to my very first SWING experience...and all the wonderful friends I made...and all the things we learned together. 

And I also kept thinking about Memaw's delicious pumpkin muffins.  :)

Because at that first SWING meeting during my first semester in Dallas, a dear friend named Chelsey welcomed us all into her apartment with a warm batch of her Memaw's pumpkin muffins. 

They were delicious. 

(I've had the pleasure of meeting Memaw, by the way.  Not only does she make amazing muffins...she is precious!)

This morning I got to celebrate, with a very special group of women, the start of a new small group and a new semester and new friends.   

And we did so, appropriately, with Memaw's Pumpkin Muffins. ♥

Memaw's Pumpkin Muffins

Combine dry ingredients:
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup flax seed
3 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger

Add remaining ingredients:
2/3 cup water
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 can or 2 cups pumpkin

Mix until well combined.  Pour into greased muffin tins and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or till toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

bak 2 skuL.

Well, this has been quite a week.

I forgot all about blogging this week.  I guess I was too busy looking at all the flood pictures of Vermont!

You never really think a really big storm is going to hit a place YOU call home...and then it does.

It's still hard to believe.

A week like this really makes you pause and count your blessings.

I'm so thankful my family in Vermont is safe and well, but so sad for all the damage that was done. ♥

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In-between looking at flood pictures this week, we've been gearing up for a brand new semester! 

It's here already?!

For Josh, this means setting his alarm extra early and dusting off his schoolbooks...he started his first classes today!  It's going to be another busy semester but we're ready. 

Bring it!

For Knox, the beginning of a new semester means, well...

It means learning more and more new words (like peepee, for example, which wasn't exactly next on my list of words I was hoping he would learn...though I guess in retrospect it is a good one to know).

It means getting to play with Daddy's school bag...

And, apparently, it means printing fax confirmations for faxes we have never sent. :)

(I have no idea how he does it but confirmations keep appearing out of nowhere on the printer!!)

For me the start of this new semester means working out the details of a brand new SWING group I'm heading up this year. 

I'm super excited to get started!!!

So...

Vermont, we love you!

And Semester #7 (of ?), we're glad you're here.

When Life Throws You Beets, Make Pancakes

One thing we have been very thankful for during our time at seminary is that Josh's brother Mark and Vanessa (and now Eli!) have been here with us the entire time. 

We all moved to Dallas on the same 110 degree day three years ago...sharing the same big moving truck. 

And we've all been here ever since. 

They've been a blessing in so many ways...it's good to have family close by.

This week, though, Mark, Vanessa and Eli are gone away on a trip.  And they left us with a very important black bin when they left.

It's their veggie bin that they use to pick up local (mostly) organic veggies every Saturday. 

That's right, we get to eat their veggies while they're away. :)

 Don't you feel healthier just looking at all those veggies?

It was really fun to get this bin.  There was a little bit of everything in there.  Including this kale, which Josh has been using in green super smoothies all week:

Bananas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, an onion, mini peaches, oranges, green beans, the cutest little eggplant, broccoli...

and beets.

Beets. 

The beets are what stumped me.  I had absolutely no idea what we were going to do with the beets.

I don't hate beets, but I don't love them either.  I'm just kind of on the fence about beets, you know what I'm saying? 

But I didn't want them to go to waste, so I found a recipe for beet, carrot & onion pancakes.  Doesn't that sound like a good way to consume beets?!

(Unfortunately) these aren't the kind of pancakes you smother with maple syrup.  No, these are the kind of pancakes you douse with salt instead.

It was an interesting experiment, and came out pretty good.  If you hate beets, you will tolerate these pancakes.  If you are on the fence about beets, you will like these pancakes.  And if you love beets you will LOVE these pancakes.  We would make them again.

And one thing is for sure:  No matter what your opinion is about beets, you will definitely feel like a health super hero and be very happy with yourself for eating so healthily after eating these pancakes.  :) 

So the moral of this story is:

Next time life throws you a box of beets...

Make pancakes.

Beet and Carrot Pancakes

• 1 1/3 cups (packed) coarsely shredded peeled beets (from 2 medium)
• 1 cup coarsely shredded peeled carrots (from 2 medium)
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (I used a little less)
• Extra Salt (lots)
• Low-fat sour cream or cottage cheese

Preheat oven to 300°F. Place baking sheet in oven. Combine beets, carrots and onion in large bowl. Mix in egg, salt and pepper. Add flour; stir to blend well.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Using 1/3 cup beet mixture for each pancake, drop 4 pancakes into skillet. Flatten each into 3-inch round. Cook until brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.

Transfer pancakes to baking sheet in oven; keep warm. Repeat with remaining beet mixture, making 4 more pancakes.

Serve pancakes as a side dish with sour cream or as a main dish with cottage cheese.  Sprinkle pancakes generously with salt.



Sweet Beet Baby



Grandpa Porter's Photos & Photography 101

Last week my family was invited to a reception at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (the hospital where I was born) :) in Brattleboro, VT because the hospital hung a display of enlargements of my great-grandfather Porter's photographs in their administration wing.   

My great-grandparents, Porter C. Thayer and Edith Webster Thayer, were photographers when photography was till somewhat of a novelty.  

They held a photography studio in Townsend, VT in the early 1900s and Grandpa Porter traveled (by horse-drawn cart) all around Southern Vermont capturing and preserving on camera images of rural life...working people, towns and landscapes.  

His photos are now quite well-known and have become an important piece of Vermont history.

If you stop at a General Store in Vermont today you are likely to find some black and white postcards with Grandpa Thayer's trademark white descriptions at the bottom of each picture.  His photos pop up all over the place.

This past year Brooks Memorial Library and the University of Vermont have been working together to digitize 1,250 of my great-grandfather's photos in order to preserve them, which I think is very exciting.

And the display at the hospital is an honor.  Here are some photos of the reception last week, courtesy of Bratteboro Memorial Hospital.

My Dad & his brother Bill, Porter's grandsons

 

Dad & Mom, Aunt Mary, Uncle Bill, my cousins Bill & Becky

So...with Grandpa Porter's photography skills on one side and Josh's photography skills on the other we're expecting great things from Knox in the photo realm...  (no pressure) :)

We've started his training early, check it out.  :)

Porter's Great Great Grandson, Photographer in Training

Chickpea Salad with Lemon, Parmesan & Fresh Herbs

I just found my new favorite summer side of the season!!

It was another Epicurious find...Epicurious never lets me down.

I was going to make this for a "salad bar" potluck this past week but I wasn't able to go at the last minute so later in the week I made half a batch for Josh and Knox and me. 

And then we all wished I had made a whole batch. 

We polished off most of it with grilled chicken and vegetable kebabs for dinner and then Josh and I fought over shared the remainder for a late night snack the same evening.

And then I licked the bowl.

I did.

Who knew chickpeas could be so glamorous?!  It's the fresh lemon juice, garlic, basil, parsley and salt...they make them POP. 

I will be making the other half of my batch this week. 

We can't wait.

Chickpea Salad with

Lemon, Parmesan & Fresh Herbs

• 4, 15-to 15 1/2-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 small garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 1/3 cup (packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Coarse kosher salt

Combine rinsed and drained chickpeas, chopped fresh basil, chopped Italian parsley, fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and pressed garlic clove in medium bowl. Add grated Parmesan cheese and toss gently to blend all ingredients thoroughly. Season chickpea salad to taste with coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. DO AHEAD: Chickpea salad can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Serve salad chilled or at room temperature.