Late, late, late

I know, it's been a while since I've written, and alot has gone on since then. The major event was of course...well...is it my husband's new job, or our new baby on the way, or our awesome family vacation. It could be all of them, but today I'll focus on the vacation, since it came first. Well, the baby news came first, but announcing it came later, so I'll try to record it in the order that the world knew about things!

Anyhow, since most of my readers are on facebook, I'm not going to post a million pictures of our trip. I'll just list where we went, and what we did (more for my own memory, so I don't forget).

We started out early on Feb 4, heading down I-5 towards California. All the way through Oregon and then at Grant's Pass, we veered over to the coast, ending our first day in Crescent City, CA. This is the start of the Redwood Forest, so that was pretty exciting for this prairie girl. Those trees are huge! We stayed the night right on the water (probably wouldn't have if we'd known a tsunami was coming the next month, as that is where the huge waves hit after the Japan earthquake) Anyhow, it was beautiful, although pretty cold and windy. We took advantage of the hotel's pool and sauna, as well as running down to the local deli for soup and sandwiches.












The next day we headed south on Hwy 101. This follows the Redwood Forest as well as the coast down to San Francisco. I had really wanted to see the Golden Gate bridge, but we neglected to put that in the waypoints of the GPS, and it took us the most direct way instead, which happened to be over a different bridge across the Bay (the northern most one). Because it was almost dusk, and we were still quite a ways from our destination, we continued on the path we were on. I did get to see the bridge (about 1 mm. tall) far out across the water. It'll have to do for now! We then got lost in Oakland due to another GPS failure (the exit was on the opposite side of the freeway as we were told it was going to be), and that was a bit unnerving. We managed to get back on the route, and made it to Gilroy, CA that night.












Gilroy is the 'Garlic Capital of the World', and you can smell it as soon as you're getting near. We had to try some garlic stuffed olives, which we fabulous. We also headed out to Casa De Fruta, which is an old farm-turned-tourist-trap. We had fun there, and then headed south towards Solvang, CA (via the backroads that the GPS kindly took us on) The drive was beautiful through some of California's most beautiful farmlands and vineyards. California sure is bountiful when it comes to producing good things to eat!












In Solvang we found our hotel, and then headed out to discover. It's a small Danish town with cute shops and all sorts of curiosities. We ended up getting there late enough that many of the shops were closed, but we did get to a few. By then we were hungry, so Greg remembered Andersen's Pea Soup (http://www.peasoupandersens.net/history.shtml ) in the next town over so we went there for supper. It was delicious, and we found out there was another one on our way home, so we visited it again on the return trip! We also enjoyed the pool at our hotel again, and then hit the road early the next morning.












We headed south from Solvang to the coast, following it to try to find a beach to go to. California's beaches are private, making it difficult to find a good one easily. We did find a state park, so paid the toll and played in the sand and splashed in the waves a bit. It was 0830 in the morning, so it wasn't real warm, but after that, we were headed towards the desert, and I knew our chances of finding another beach were slim to none. We then headed through LA (with an emergency kiddo potty stop just as we reached the city limits, of course!) and onwards towards Arizona. We ended up getting to Greg's brother's house in the evening, and surprising our nieces and nephew there. Then to Grandpa and Grandma's for the night.

The next few days we spent in AZ, catching up with family and just relaxing and visiting. Didn't do anything too thrilling. Went to church and caught up with the folks there, and let the cousins play alot.

On Monday morning we got ready to go. Greg had to make a quick trip to our old chiropractor to get readjusted, and then we dropped by Grandma's work to say our goodbyes and we were on our way. We stopped at my great Aunt R and Uncle J's house in western AZ, and then headed north towards Las Vegas. We reached Hoover Dam about dusk, so just drove around and looked without getting out of the car much. It was pretty chilly, so we headed on to our hotel a few miles further. We had hoped to drive down the "Strip" to see the Las Vegas lights at night, but alas, we had a boy with a tummy ache and 2 more kids who didn't want to be buckled in for 1 more minute, so we stayed put at the hotel and ordered pizza.












In the morning, we took our drive down the Strip, and wow! some of those buildings are amazing. I had mixed feelings about the whole place. In awe in some ways, but disgusted in others at the lavishness and waste and sinfulness that goes on there. We decided to head back to Hoover Dam for a closer look, and I'm glad we did. So much history there, and amazing architecture to design both the Dam and the Pat Tillman-Mike O'Callaghan Bridge (which is now open) We then had to get on the road to make it to my uncle J and aunt H's for the night.

After a lovely visit and comfy night's rest and delicious breakfast, we got back on the road. We stopped first at Simonian Farms which has the most amazing raisins I have ever tasted. Most of them are jumbo, so they have way more flavor, just due to size than any you'd find at the store. We then drove all day (lunch at Andersen's Pea Soup again) and ended up for the night in Redding, CA. A snowstorm was brewing, so that's as far as we dared to push it in the dark.

The next morning, the road conditions didn't sound great, so we were prepared for the worst. We ended up having to chain up for about 30 miles (which means driving max 35 mph), and although the roads didn't get too bad, they were pretty slushy/soupy. Then it was smooth sailing through OR (and rain clouds, of course) all the rest of the way to Kalama!

It felt good to go on vacation, but even better to get home. We spent 8 days in the car (some longer than others), and although the kids did very good, it was still tiring! I do love the family time of being able to visit so much, and pointing things out to the kids. Also, having Greg around all day, every day was really nice too. We seem to kind of forget about 'us' when he goes to work and we get caught up in the tasks of every day. It was nice to refresh (or maybe 'reboot' is a better word) our family once again.

The one thing that our family laughed about for most of the trip was James' theme he came up with. When I'd give the kids a snack I once said "no choking" as a joke/warning. Then later I had told someone that there was "no whining" allowed on our vacation. James took these two comments and whenever we ate something or someone was complaining (usually Elise because she was bored or something), James would shout out, "No Whining, No Choking...you know the rules". It was pretty cute!

Monday Blues

Since it's Monday, and I'm extremely unproductive on Mondays anyhow, I may as well update a blog post. This one will be on New Years resolutions. I often try not to set them, as I then feel so let down when I can't hold up to my standards. But, I made some rough ones anyhow, and have been doing okay so far (I know, it is still January!)

1) Eat more veggies. Although I try to get us to eat a goodly amount, it seems like supper is the only time we do (unless we're eating leftovers from supper that already have them in it) So, my goal was to have at least 1 veggie at lunch and double up so we eat 2 at supper. That has been working well, although is more work overall. My mom has been on a weight loss program (and has lost 25+ lbs and counting) and they really promote upping your veggies.

2) The other weight loss thing they promote is your 8 glasses of water a day. I've been really working on that too, since I tend to drink coffee in the morning and then forget to drink much the rest of the day. I got out my measured water bottle and have been drinking, drinking, drinking. I have to add lemon juice to it to get that amount down in a day, but I've been pretty successful (most days!)

3) Reduce clutter. I subscribe to a few magazines which give all kinds of organization tips in January. I comprised a list of the things that looked most relevant to my situation and posted it (in huge letters) on my fridge. It has really helped me sort out what to keep and what to get rid of. Since I have no attic, no basement and no garage, storage space is at a premium. And since my storage places were all full, that left a huge problem. I've gotten rid of 5 boxes so far, and plan on many more. And I got some more shelving for books put up, finally!

1) Is caring for it WORTHY of my time and energy?

2) Does it have a home? (most important before you buy something, otherwise it’ll just get shuffled around the house, causing disarray)

3) What does this item contribute to our family? (does it contribute to the better good of your family’s goals and well-being?)

4) When did I last use it? (put your hangers backwards on the closet rail, and turn forward when you wear something, then evaluate in 3/6/12 months and get rid of unworn clothes)

5) Can it be easily replaced? Do I have a specific use for it? (not a 'someday' use)

6) Only touch it once! (don’t set it down, when by taking a few more seconds you could put it in its home)

4) Clean my carpets. Our whole house (except kitchen and bathrooms) is carpet, so this is a necessary evil. Got that done this past Saturday. Yipee! Good for another while!

5) Get annual family pictures taken. I usually do this in the fall, but our fall was pretty busy and emotionally exhausting. We were finally able to book a date and get them done.

6) Husband to get a new job. Check!! Greg's been pretty burnt out at his present job, and has been offered a different one which he has accepted. Less hours, less money, less stress, more family time (every Friday off!), less commute=less gas money, more projects done around the house although less money to do it with! We're looking forward to the changes and challenges that it will bring.

7) Exercise more. Well, this has been the hardest due to a) bad weather b) coughing kids c) logging trucks on our road for the past month starting at 0330 and going until dusk. But, I haven't given up. My mom suggested many months ago that I look for a rebounder (mini trampoline) for the kids to jump on when they can't get outside. I started thinking that if I found one, then I could get some exercise too. I did end up purchasing one, and love it. Exercising is actually fun. I look forward to getting up each morning to jump on it. It gets my heart rate up, and is great for so many things. I have hated all forms of exercise that I've tried(except swimming which doesn't really fit my life right now) so was really surprised that I love this. I do workout videos for floor exercise on it, as well as the rebounder videos that came with it and ones on youtube. If you want more info, check out http://www.busywomensfitness.com/rebounding.html or just google 'rebounder benefits'. It's great for people who only have a few minutes and for those who have health limitations. You still get benefits even for minimal effort. It's especially great for the elderly, with proper instruction. And the double benefit is that the kids love it. They can be found jumping many times a day (usually fighting over whose gets to jump!)

8) Get more plants. I love plants, but hate paying money for them. So, I finally caved and bought 3. They cheer me up, filter the air and just brighten any ambiance.

New kids sayings:
James: (to himself as he's going to bed, walking very slowly) "Oh...I feel like an old man. Except I'm not an old man. Actually, I'm a young man. Actually, I'm 3." Keeps walking and gets into bed. (He does love the word 'actually' and uses it many times a day)

James: Mom, can you call that babysitter and say, "hey, can you come back, my kids like you" And then when she was coming, he tells me, "you know why I like N, because she doesn't make us cry. Not even ever." I'm not sure if he was comparing her to me or what, as I have to admit I do make them cry occasionally, due to their misbehavior or displeasure of course!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Here's a recipe that I just love. It's quick, easy and full of flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese/Neufchatel, softened
• 1 can (10 ounces) chunk white chicken, drained
• 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce
• 1/2 cup ranch salad dressing (optional, in my opinion)
  
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
• Tortilla chips

Directions

• Spread cream cheese into an ungreased shallow 1-qt. baking dish. Layer with chicken, buffalo wing sauce and ranch dressing. Sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve warm with tortilla chips. Yield: about 2 cups. (from Taste of Home)
  

Christmas 2010

Since this happened to only be our second Christmas at home in our 7 years of marriage, we weren't sure what to do. Most people have their traditions, which don't include asking people over who aren't on their "traditional" list. I've tried to start some traditions, but due to our track record, they haven't become traditions, only because we've been not home.

So, I had really hoped to start some, to begin those memories for the kids that they can look forward to each year, as we did when we were kids. I've tried to incorporate things that both Greg and I did as kids, but also come up with some of our own new ones. This is what we did.

Christmas Eve: (when I was a kid we always opened our gifts on Christmas Eve as my mom said we all slept better (and later on Christmas morning) if our gifts were already opened. And even if we woke up, we had our new toys to play with so we let my parents sleep in.) First Greg and the boys brought some care packages to our neighbors, which I've always wanted to do, but haven't since we're never home. Then we started with dinner, which is homemade sushi. We did invite our neighbors D, P and A over to eat with us since they weren't doing much anyhow for supper. This was fun but challenging. We concluded why sushi eaters are so skinny and also why we have to pay so much for it. Lots of work for not much results. But, it was a fun dinner, and I hope to make it an annual thing. I enjoyed it, so maybe I'll just make them in advance and we can just eat them at dinner time. Then we eat rice pudding with fruit soup for dessert. (also my family tradition as well as a Finnish tradition) I added cardamom and coconut for an Indian flair and made it with coconut/almond milk (one of our friends just married a man from India and at their wedding reception they had some and it was fabulous!) We also drink sparkling cider and buy some specialty cheeses and crackers as appetizers. I grew up having pickled herring too, but could only find a 1 qt. jar of them, and decided I didn't want them that bad!

Then our neighbors went home to open their own gifts, and we proceeded with our evening. We first listened to the tape of Greg when he was 5 reciting Luke chapter 2, and then had the boys sing us a song. James chose Away in the Manger and Luke chose Silent Night. Elise hummed along to both while sitting on the piano bench in the background. (we videoed it on the camcorder, so I can't post it on here for you) Then we opened our gifts, starting with the youngest kid first, one at a time (so the procedure lasts longer). It was a late night when we finally had them settled down to bed. The kids gifts had nametags who they were from, and as also is the tradition in my family, they were from characters in books. Peter Rabbit, Tigger, Piglet, Minnie Mouse, and there always has been a gift from Buddy Squirrel too, whoever he is. (my Grandma K started with him, so perhaps he's out of an old book she used to read to her kids)

Christmas morning: We slept in (and missed church because of it) and the kids opened their stockings. (I try to put only useful but still fun stuff in them, such as a new fun toothbrush, etc) James was shocked (and even hesitant) to even open his for fear of either nothing or coal, I'm not sure which. Maybe even disbelief that Santa even came. We then proceeded with waffles with peaches and whipped cream on them. Greg's family always had waffles (with strawberries) on Christmas morning, so that's his family's tradition. We then gathered our stuff and headed down to my aunt B's in Portland for the day. My uncle M and aunt RA and their son I were there also, and we had a fine dinner of fish chowder with homemade bread with lots of treats to munch on besides. We just relaxed and visited all day and then stayed the night there. The next morning we went to church with B, but then had to leave shortly after as Luke was feeling under the weather.

When we got home, Luke was pretty sick. Fever and just no appetite and lying around. He then started coughing in the night, to the point of throwing up he would cough so hard. Then Elise started in with it too. By Monday, Luke was pretty well except the occasional cough, but Elise was a sick baby. She was feverish and just wanted me to rock her all day, with occasional coughing to the point of throwing up too. Both their ear canals were reddened, so I wondered how they could all be infected, but was treating them as such, especially since Luke had been complaining that his ears hurt. She was still sick on Tuesday and Wednesday, and didn't eat anything, and I could barely get any fluids in her. At night she would cough and gag many times a night. On Wednesday I took her to Urgent Care, since she didn't appear to be getting any better (as kids usually do by waiting a couple days) and it was diagnosed as RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus), and we were told to go home, use Ibuprofen for the fever and wait it out, since it's a virus and there's nothing you can do (for 7-10 days). By this time, James had it too.

They did prescribe a steroid to help open her airways, (another option is a nebulizer to open the airways), but were told not to use it until the next morning, as it would likely make her dizzy and spinny/hyper (just what we'd need at bedtime!) At bedtime she started coughing, and was either coughing or crying for almost 5 hours. The coughing fits would scare her so bad that when she could finally breathe again, she'd start crying...which would make her start coughing again...and round and round we'd go. Nothing seemed to work to make either of them stop, and she was exhausted from not eating or drinking for 3 days too. Poor little thing. I did finally get her breathing helped by making a tent with her blanket over her and I so that the air she was breathing was warm and moist (with fresh air coming in too), and that finally was what settled her down, as long as she couldn't tell the blanket was over her! We both fell into a fitful sleep and then all of the sudden I heard James get up coughing and gagging and so I jumped up to help him. He had jumped out of bed in a panic, and couldn't find Greg or I (I was in the spare room with Elise, and Greg had our bedroom door shut so he could get some sleep from all the coughing). I found James in a corner behind the Christmas tree, in the dark gagging with a panicked look on his face because he just didn't know what to do. The poor little sleepy boy needed help, and couldn't find either of the people who could help him. With my guidance, he was able to cough up his phlegm and then calm down. At that point I just started crying. He looked so scared standing there, and I'm so thankful that I was awake enough to hear him (even though he was only a short distance away) Greg heard all the commotion and came out, and we said some more prayers and hugged James (who was now relaxed and back asleep with more cough syrup) and then we all went back to bed.

That was the worst night. The next couple nights each got better, but we were still up numerous times helping the kids with their coughs. The coughs are finally almost gone, but I'm told that the RSV virus stays in a person for 6 months and can recur, so I'm going to be doing some immune boosting now that they're better. I don't care to go through that again, although I am thankful it wasn't pneumonia or whooping cough which would have been the next diagnoses on the list.

Our Christmas was nice, but the thing I loved the most was the kids. Luke was the most fun, because he actually remembered past Christmases and knew what was going on. He seemed the most excited too. He wanted to see pictures of Greg and I when we had Christmas when we were kids and wanted more and more stories about childhood Christmases. James was fun, but more confused "when is Santa coming?" "so how does he get the gifts into our stockings?" "can't we open our presents yet?" and Elise was just enjoying the lights and the sparkle of the ornaments (and taking them on and off the tree). And putting Mary and baby Jesus from the Nativity set into the Little Einsteins rocket and zooming them around.

Here's a few of the boys latest cute sayings, so I don't forget them:

My boys logic:
Luke: They wouldn't let Pluto be a planet anymore.
James: So he went to live at Disneyland instead....
Luke: How can they not let him be a planet anyhow? Who's in charge of that?
James: I don't know, I just don't know.

James asked for "rectangles" for breakfast. When I asked him to explain better what that might be, he said, "you know, the kind we put snow on". I finally figured out he meant pannukakku with icing sugar on it!

He also asked me to shut off their cd player because it's "playing cool music and we don't like cool music" (Elise had turned the radio on instead of their usual Christmas cd)

ps. I'll try to post some pics as soon as I find my camera!

Christmas Letter 2010

Dear Friends and Family;

I have sat down many times already; trying to think of what to write this year for our Christmas letter, and nothing has come to me. Today this song came to mind, and I thought I’d share it to remind us all, to take that extra moment to let those around you know that you love them.

In our own family we have recently suffered the loss of my uncle Rich Schaaff at age 53, and how thankful we are for the times we shared with him. It hit home again how important it is to be ready to meet our Lord, as our own day could come unexpectedly. How fragile life on this earth really is. And how no matter what differences/opinions/hurts come between people, it’s not worth the heartache to have unresolved conflict. Let’s prayerfully strive to be willing to offer that forgiveness to others that Christ has offered us, for we never know when it may be too late to make things right with someone.

As for our family, we’re doing fine. The kiddos are getting bigger each day. We are trying to savor the “best years of our life” (as many older folks have reminded us) but it’s a delicate balance as things get pretty chaotic at times. We are thankful for the daily blessings that have been given to us by our gracious Father in heaven, and seek to do His will as we continue on our journey.

Wishing you and yours a blessed Christmas Season and New Year.

In God’s Love and Peace,

Greg, Rachel, Luke (5 1/2), James (3 1/2) & Elise (20 months)

"Don't Save It All For Christmas Day

"
~Celine Dion
Don't get so busy that you miss, Giving just a little kiss, To the ones you love
Don't even wait a little while, To give them a little smile, A little is enough

How many people are crying, People are dying...How many people are asking for love

Don't save it all for Christmas Day, Find a way, To give a little love everyday
Don't save it all for Christmas Day, Find your way
Cause holidays have come and gone, But love lives on, If you give on
Love...

How could you wait another minute, A hug is warmer when you're in it
And Baby that's a fact.
And saying "I love you's" always better, Seasons, reasons, they don't matter
So don't hold back

How many people in this world, So needful in this world
How many people are praying for love

Let all the children know, Everywhere that they go, Their whole life long,
Let them know love…

Double Peppermint Bark

This is the next Christmas must-have in our house. My aunt B makes it every year, but waiting until she gives us some is never soon enough. Plus, I like giving it out, as everyone else seems to love it too! This recipe is right off the McCormick peppermint extract bottle. It's the one I've liked the best.

Double Peppermint Bark

INGREDIENTS

1 package (12 ounces) white chocolate chips

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

8 to 10 drops green or red food color (optional)

1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes

DIRECTIONS

1. Microwave chocolate chips in large microwavable bowl on HIGH for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until almost melted, stirring after 1 minute. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in peppermint extract.

2. Spread on large foil-lined (or wax paper) baking sheet to 1/4-inch thickness. (Add food color, drop by drop, over mixture). Using a wooden skewer, swirl color through chocolate. Sprinkle with crushed candies, pressing lightly into chocolate with spatula. (I actually prefer to mix them right into the melted chocolate, it works better that way)

3. Refrigerate about 10 minutes or until firm. Break into irregular pieces to serve. Store in covered container at cool room temperature or in refrigerator up to 5 days.

Finnish Prune Tarts (recipe)

Here's my favorite Christmas baking item. My Mom made them when I was growing up, and if you're of Finnish descent, you likely have had them. If not, don't judge them until you try them. They are amazing!! There's no sugar in them, which I think is what makes them so addicting. I use my aunt Susie's recipe (in the Kurtti cookbook), but there is also one in the Finnish Cookbook (by Beatrice Ojakangas). Susie's recipe has a much simpler pastry (one step rather than two), which is why I chose it. Susie also told me that the original pastry recipe says "add liquid" because it had a shot of whiskey in the pastry. Hmm. I wonder what that tasted like!

Finnish Prune Tarts
1 lb. butter (not margarine) at room temperature
3 c. flour
3/4 c. cold water
1 pkg. dried prunes, cooked and mashed*

Cut 3 cubes of butter into flour. Add liquid. (Chill 15 minutes) Cut dough in half. Roll out (with flour to prevent sticking) into a 16"x16" square about 1/8-1/4" thick. Spread half of the last cube of butter on the dough. Do the same with the second half of dough. Cut each square of dough into 12 squares (or 3" squares, however many you get) Cut in each corner to make slits for a pinwheel shape (or use a tart cutter if you have one). Drop 1 t. of cooked mashed prunes into the center of each little square (I prefer to transfer dough to cookie sheet first) and fold in every other corner to middle, making a pinwheel. Place cookie sheet in fridge until they get cold. I often pull the sheets out of the fridge on Christmas Eve and bake them, then serve them warm. Bake 450*F for 5 minutes, and reduce to 425*F for 15 more minutes. *If they aren't already cut up in the package, cut prunes into small pieces. Then cook on med-low heat with a bit of water and then mash.

Enjoy!!

The notes in brackets are mine. I found if I chill the dough before rolling out, it works better, and then I don't chill it on the pans. But, this changes the baking time. I bake them 11 1/2 minutes at 400*F, and this works out well for my oven. Any longer and the pinwheel tips burn, any shorter and they don't brown yet. I also found that they turn out fine without that last cube of butter added, if you're trying to watch calories (and who of us isn't!)

Oh, and James said to me when I was taking the picture, "that's a weally nice pwate you have da tawts on Mom. Or is it a window? It looks like a window to me!" As a matter of fact, it does!

Christmas baking

What do you do for Christmas baking? I have old traditions, which I'll post soon (I hope), but this is a new one for our family. I used to work for a doctor from Spain, who would bring us trays of this from a specialty bakery (Italian) and it was divine! I've been meaning to make it since, but it finally became a reality. My husband wants it on the "must have" list for every year. And that's fine with me! And before we start, does anyone know the difference between baklava and bellaclava?? We once heard a comedian make a joke about them, and have always swapped the words at will since.

Baklava

"This is simple and easy. Serve it in cupcake papers. It freezes well, too."

Prep Time:30 Min,Cook Time:50 Min, Ready In: 1 Hr 20 Min

Recipe Yield 1 - 9x13 inch dish

Ingredients

• 1 pound chopped mixed nuts (some almost ground, some coarser for texture) toasted preferably
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Toss together cinnamon and nuts. Unroll phyllo and cut whole stack in half to fit the dish. Cover phyllo with a damp cloth while assembling the baklava, to keep it from drying out.
3. Place two sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the prepared dish. Brush generously with butter. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the nut mixture on top. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, ending with about 6 sheets of phyllo. Using a sharp knife, cut baklava (all the way through to the bottom of the dish) into four long rows, then (nine times) diagonally to make 36 diamond shapes.
4. Bake in preheated oven 50 minutes, until golden and crisp. (I baked it 35 and it was done)
   
5. While baklava is baking, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir in honey, vanilla and lemon zest, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
6. Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately spoon the syrup over it. Let cool completely before serving. Store uncovered.

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/easy-baklava/Detail.aspx

If I make it again, I think I'll increase the honey and decrease the sugar/water. I love the honey taste, and with this one, it's pretty mild. I used almonds and pecans, but I know pistachios are great, as well as adding hazelnuts! It's also healthy. Butter, honey and nuts are all healthy, aren't they?! ;)

Update Dec 2011: I used same amount of honey, but used half brown, half white sugar and the flavor was perfect. Might try some Roger's Golden Syrup next time, as I'm sure that would be dee-lish! Used almonds, pecans, pistachios and hazelnuts

Uncle Rich

I first met Rich at my aunt Julie's condo when they were newly dating. I had just gotten back from my first trip to Alaska (2001) and we were hanging out at Julie's while I was in Oregon on vacation. I don't recall where Julie was (I think she was on a phone call for an extended time in the house), but I was stuck (so to speak) alone with Rich on the back patio. We talked about my trip, looked at my pictures and covered many other topics, killing time while waiting for Julie to rejoin us.

At that point, my first impression of him was that he was a know-it-all, and that he was just far too huggy. Those of you who know me, know that I'm not the kind of person to hug someone I've just met, especially not my aunts new boyfriend!! But, it seemed that Rich and Julie were destined to get married, so I figured I'd just better get to know him (and hopefully prove my assumptions wrong). And wrong they were. Well...I'll explain.

The reason he seemed like he knew-it-all, was because he was a good 20 years older than I, and had that much more life experience than I did. He also was always very interested in others, so he learned a wealth of information from being a good listener and an excellent conversationalist. He was also a salesman, which helped in those areas too! And the hugs, well, he just hugged everyone. Whether he knew you or not, you got a hug. It didn't take long for him to be welcomed into our family, and what a blessing he was to us all. He is surely missed!

At the funeral home for his visitation, Rich's brother stated how that if we could all listen a bit better, hug a bit more and be more open, this world would be a much better place. I agree. These were Rich's greatest strengths, and we could all learn a lesson from his example.

My favorite story of his though, is when he lived in New York City. He was selling furniture in a multi-leveled (4-5 story) building, and was showing a family around, pointing out different pieces to them as they went. There was a 12 or 13 year old boy with his parents, and the boy kept ripping tags off the furniture and throwing them on the floor. (I'm remembering he had ripped like 100 or so tags off different pieces) Rich had patiently asked him to stop, nicely asked the parents to have him stop, to no avail. So, on one of their ride up to the next floor, Rich ended up behind this kid in the elevator. He then (I can't specifically remember) either elbowed the kid in the back all the way up to the next floor, or gripped the back of his collar while giving him a smiling do-it-again-and-you'll-really-pay look, and then they proceeded on with the tour. The boys parents wondered why he was behaving so well at last (they hadn't seen a thing), as the boy was good as gold the rest of the time. If he even thought about misbehaving, Rich would glare at him and he'd shape right up! It was probably the first "discipline" the kid had ever had.

It's been a while...

It's now December, season of the calendar being full almost every day. I've wanted to write for a while (not that I have anything that enlightening), but sleep has always called me first. Or Christmas cards, or trips to town, or kids needing help, or something.

Anyhow, I had meant to share my own encouraging thoughts, if anyone should need them. (to tie into the previous post) This one is a story that my dear husband told the Sunday School class a few weeks ago, which I overheard. Some of the kids have really been into rock tumbling and polishing this past summer, especially after they got a rock tumbler and didn't have to painstakingly polish the rocks by hand anymore! (from a garage sale) Anyhow, the kids had all been seeing the "before" and "after" states the rocks had been in. Greg questioned the kids on what the rocks looked like before and got the answers rough, bumpy, dirty, poky, etc. Then what were the rocks like after and he got shiny, smooth, pretty, etc. He then likened our lives to those rocks. How when we start out we are rather rough, bumpy and dirty and then how God tumbles us around and in the end we're shiny and smooth, and beautiful. But...that tumbling is never fun. Going around and around in a tumbler can't be very fun, but if the rocks never got tumbled, they'd never get smooth. If we never face hard times in our lives, or allow God to turn us in the right direction, we'll never have that beauty of Jesus shining out from us (only our sinful selves). How wonderful if we can be willing to be used for His honor and glory, no matter what life may throw at us!

One of the things I like to do when faced with adversity is to sing. Because usually when I'm low, that's when the devil likes to put evil thoughts in my way. But when I sing praises to God, those thoughts vanish. Reciting Scripture does the same thing. There is no room for evil, when our hearts are filled with Jesus and His love, His forgiveness and His truth. My absolute favorite song in these times is "Because He Lives" and I belt out the chorus loud and clear, to convince myself more than anything, and to reassure my kids of where our strength lies. "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, because He lives, ALL FEAR IS GONE, because I know, He holds the future, and life is worth the living, just because He lives!"

There are so many other hymns and songs that have been written in times of trouble that can really help us in our own tough times. I recently had a decorative plate holder I wasn't using, and put it in my kitchen window as a songbook holder so that I can sing while I do dishes. The better we know our hymns and our Bible verses, the more "arrows" we have against the temptations we may encounter. When we try to face him on our own, we will most certainly fail, but with Jesus on our side at every turn, we can do nothing but win!!

Encouragement

A friend of mine posted this note of encouragement on facebook, and permitted me to share it here. No matter what kind of trial you are facing, may you trust in His Word, as your sure foundation. And if you're not facing anything tumultuous, perhaps someone around you is and you can encourage them on the journey.

"God loves you so much that he will not allow you to become stagnant in your faith and spiritual walk. When you go through difficult times, he is not necessarily "testing" you, but drawing you closer to Himself, so you will realize that you need him MORE than you need the security of your daily life.

The security we find in this life is only temporary; a tornado could blow your house apart, or drought might make food scarce, but with God, you have security in everything, forever. Because He is taking care of you. He owns everything in the world, and remember, Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find.

But if you are asking God for security in this life, like enough money to keep your house, or some extra food in the freezer over winter, he might have a completely different plan than you; he might mean for your family to move across country in the next year in order to grow yourself closer to Him.

"No," I respond to your thoughts. "Change is not evil!" It is not something to stamp your foot at and cross your arms and mumble under your breath because God wants to grow you into something new and bold and strong in faith, and you just don't see it being possible.

He is in the business of doing miracles, and for Him, nothing is impossible. He sees you at the end of your life as a bold and strong woman of faith, just as much as he sees you as the tiny baby you were, unable to do anything for yourself. He brought you through a lot of changes in life, and he still plans to bring you through many more to grow you to be more like Jesus. He's not going to just let you remain a spiritual baby; he is going to allow change in order to grow your soul outside of the confines that you were born with.

"I'm too shy," you say. "I don't know what to do!"

But God does.

Like the potter with the clay, he needs to take this lump of unformed soul and mold it into a magnificent vase for holding flowers in. Never mind that you are an unformed lump of clay; God is forming you into something better. Just allow him to mold you rather than fighting against him and trying to get off the potter's wheel. Humble yourself to his caring hand.

He knows exactly which trials you need to go through in order to grow into a mature and shining woman.

If you don't know what to do in order to submit to God's changes, try prayer:

Oh God, I'm overwhelmed with the changes in my life, and I'm scared about what the future will hold. I don't know what to do. Help me to trust in you completely. My faith is in you, not in money or posessions, and I need your comfort, and to have you right next to me so I can survive through these difficult times. Please grow me into what you want me to be, and help me to know it's you bringing me through this."

Add your in your own thoughts, stir in a few raisins and some shredded carrot, and bake it at 350º for about 20 to 30 minutes, and voila! Carrot cake!

Matthew 6: 24-27 "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"

I have more of my own thoughts on this subject, but it's late so I'll share them another day when I can think clearer...nighty, night.

A Week Later

After a whirlwind week, one in which we had the visitation, burial and memorial, we are still recovering. My parents, younger sister and her little guy were able to come down from Canada and they stayed with us during it all. It was such a blessing to have them here, especially under the circumstances. As I've mentioned before, we (Greg & I) get tired of being strong all the time. It's nice to have someone "older and wiser" to lean on once in a while.

I have to say though, that the whole thing left me rejoicing and feeling very blessed but also very befuddled and disappointed. Rejoicing and blessed because of my extra large family (118 descendants from my grandparents down) and the love and support there is in that. But also disappointed because the opportunity I had to be with them was spent keeping kids quiet and calm, keeping kids fed and happy, and keeping kids still during the long stretches of sitting. Not visiting and "fellowshipping" as I would have liked. I also find it disheartening that at these type of events, I don't know what to say. I'd love to just talk and talk about memories of our loved one that has gone on, but I never know if others want to also. I also don't do well with small-talk on a good day, and when we're grieving and I'm trying to drum up conversation with cousins that I don't see very often (while trying to feed a baby who needs a nap terribly badly), it just doesn't come out very productive by any stretch of the imagination. And that discourages me. I want to have a good conversation with family, about a good (deep as opposed to shallow) topic and reacquaint myself if much time has gone by since the last time I've seen them. I also want to make sure that all the new in-laws are included (those who've married into the family in the past few years), but doing that also takes time and energy that isn't available to me at mass functions.

And the other part, is that I still haven't cried. Oh, tears have almost surfaced a few times, but then vanished before rolling down my cheeks. And that isn't good. Crying is an essential part of healing, and yet it eludes me still. My life still goes on as usual for the most part, but for my aunt, it is drastically changed. I wish I could take some of that emptiness and quietness of his absence away, but I cannot. I do hope that I can help her (and the rest of his and our families) share the burden of grief, and come out positively on the other side of it someday.

So, there's where it's at for me. A bit here and a bit there, but mostly still overwhelmed and in a state of disarray about it all.

Untitled...not sure what to think, say or feel

As I begin this, I'm just not sure where to start. These past few weeks have been a whirlwind, and as soon as I thought I was getting used to one thought, another would bombard me (and all of our extended family), finishing today with my uncle Rich passing away. I think I'll start when I met him, and come forward in time until today.

Rich joined our family in 2001 when he married one of my spinster aunts Julie at the age of about 45. He was the newest addition of uncles, and so became more of a friend since we met as adults (unlike all my other aunts and uncles). We got married shortly after (2003), and he and Julie took the photographs at our wedding. Rich had an amazing eye for the beautiful, and out of the 8 rolls of film they took, there was not one bad picture in the bunch. And you will note that was before digital when you couldn't just hit delete on the bad ones!












We then got back in touch with them in 2005 when we moved up to WA. We stayed at their house when we arrived here, and have been good friends since. Rich had to work weekends much of the time (to his dismay), so often we'd visit late at night after he got off work, or we'd end up only seeing Julie.












Rich finally quit his job at the end of August to pursue his two passions - fly fishing and photography. He and Julie went on a trip to Yellowstone after he quit, and throughout the trip, he wasn't himself. He did all the driving, but that was all. He didn't even bring out his fishing rod, which was very unusual for him. He had been feeling generally ill (aches/pains/tired), but the doctor had not been able to find anything specific. When they got home from their trip, he was feeling very short of breath one evening, and they went to the ER. When they did a chest x-ray, they found he had pneumonia, but also that there was a mass on his lung. Cancer. In doing more testing, they discovered it had spread to his stomach, liver, lymph system and in the end it was throughout his body. He was able to get oxygen at home, but then that wasn't enough. His heart would hurt, and when they got back to the hospital, they found that his pericardial fluid had built up around his heart causing undue pressure on his heart. They drained 1L off and kept it draining and although he felt much better, he was still having shortness of breath. That was last Wednesday night, less than a week ago. He was admitted to the hospital and then on Friday transferred to a different hospital with a cancer center in hopes of getting started on chemo that day. Saturday he was still too short of breath to begin treatment. Sunday the same. Monday he decided that chemo was just too much, and that he would go home with hospice. Today he was better in the morning, so plans were made to bring him home. But around noon, he began to get much more short of breath (his O2 levels going down, down, down), and his pulse just kept going up and up. He never made it home. He was only 53 (almost 54) and had been married to Julie for 9 short years. His battle was short (3 weeks from diagnosis), but valiantly fought.

But now he's really home, in heaven. Even as close as we were as family, we never quite knew where he was spiritually, as he didn't talk about it too much. He believed in God, but we never knew if he accepted Jesus as his personal Savior. Well, before he died, he did. He acknowledged this, and from the friends and family that were with him, he was a changed man. He was sad about leaving Julie, but excited about getting to heaven to see his Savior. What a blessing! How wonderful that he had time to clear things up about his eternal destination. We have all been praying for him, and now can be at peace that he was at peace.

Tonight ours and his families gathered at their house, and I was (and everyone else too) kind of numb. Not sure if we can really believe what has happened. Not sure how life will go on without him. Not sure if we should be more sad or more joyous for his victory! But, we do know one thing. We have trust in God our heavenly Father, and He knows what lies ahead. If we but trust, we won't go wrong. "Look ever to Jesus, he will carry you through" as one song says.

The following is a link to his photography website, as well as an article that will be published in a fly fishing magazine about him.

http://www.eastforkfly.com/index.html

http://unaccomplishedangler.com/2010/11/rich-schaaff-fly-fisherman-photographer-friend/














This picture was of Rich imitating Luke, and trying to get him to stop crying. He said to Luke, "see, I can make that same face and just as much noise as you". It didn't help, as you can guess!