Tuesday, November 30, 2010

It's the great pumpkin seed

As mentioned in a previous post, I've been cooking up some pumpkins. Sam's feeding  a few to the chickens and there are more stored away in the basement  When I was putting away the last of the fall decorations on Sunday, I decided to crack a couple open and see what happened. It was a three generation group effort as Olivia scooped the seeds out, I cooked them and Mom harvested the finished product. We now have 4 pints of pumpkin in the freezer and hope to do some baking with it in the coming weeks.

One of the pumpkins was a special variety from our friend and professional gardener, Barb. (Hi Barb!) The seeds were hull-less (?) . Sam loves roasted pumpkin seeds so I decided to try roasting some. Since I ran out of time and energy, I had left them in the frig. Tonight I pulled them out, did a final rinse and put them on a cookie sheet.
I tossed them with olive oil and some smoky sea salt I had bought at the co-op and roasted them at 350 for about 15 minutes. And they are so yummy--especially the dark ones!
I'm not sure if I will ever do this again--but it was fun and something I'd always wanted to try.

While we're in the kitchen, l feel a need to introduce the newest member of the family (as we are known for our propensity to assign human characteristics to inanimate objects).  After installing our new backsplash, the shiny chrome fixtures had to go, so I went fixture shopping. (Completely off-topic, but how does one's career path end in a plumbing showroom?? )
It was finally installed last week. I came home excited (yes, I mean it, I was totally looking forward to this moment) to see the new faucets. What I saw literally stopped me in my tracks as I gasped, "SWEET JESUS!"
I've named it Igor. It's getting better. At least I don't jump every time I see it. It's going to be ok.
I think.

Monday, November 29, 2010

In other news--Viewer Discretion Advised--And don't say I didn't warn you


 These get a little graphic




Zac's big buck deserves its own post.

No fewer than 5 cameras, cellphones and blackberries captured this event. We called ourselves the redneck paparazzi. And agreed that we needed to cover up the Barbie jeep in the back of the pickup. As everyone rushed back into the house to publish and disseminate the photos via text and facebook, Sam quietly hosed down the garage for the third time in 8 hours.

It feels good:

At the end of a dreary Monday, when a cold rain is forecast to turn into heavy wet snow, to be home where the temperature right now is hovering in the upper 70s. And I mean upper.

To not have backed into anything
 To not have run out of gas (with a newborn in the vehicle)
(May or may not be topics for future posts)
 To not have to watch, read or listen to any more Black Friday promotions
To have spent Black Friday entirely in my pjs, doing nothing more than wondering if I should get dressed.
To have spent time yesterday with this little guy and this big guy
And this sweet girl--who was the beneficiary of my $5 "while they last" scarcity mentality WalMart purchase
To have a cheap digital camera instead of relying on my phone. (Although I have a couple cute photos I can't find on it)

To have cooked 3 pumpkins
With a little help from Olivia and Mom.


To have postponed Monday night supper. And to have another week to get my house decorated and in order.
To have dinner thawing on the counter and just needing to be put in the oven. Don't judge until you've tasted this. I don't have the luxury of take-out, fast food or other options. I usually make every meal from scratch. Until I've discovered:
To have spent the time while dinner was in the oven reading to Mom: The Land Magazine, her first Christmas letter, pumpkin recipes and an Advent devotional.

To have surprised Sam with his favorite dessert.

To focus on the things that feel good.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

From turkey to toy story

Dinner was great--Sam was the most thankful. He did not have to wash all my dirty pots and pans! No matter how hard I try to clean up after myself, the kitchen is always a disaster when I make a big meal. We have plenty of leftovers for later and 4 pies to consume. It's snowing and blowing right now.
Everyone is watching Toy Story 3 now, Mom's napping in the chair.
Are you ready for a Thanksgiving treat?  Well, here you go:
Sorry the photo isn't better--used my phone.

the first guests have arrived

With the dinner! we ordered the prepared meal from Jubas. All we have to do is carve the turkey.
 Mom is peeling home grown sweet potatoes
The punch is ready.
I'm off to butter the lefse and add brown sugar or cinnamon sugar.

Thanksgiving thoughts continued

My bedside clutter is in a bag in my closet
But my laundry is all folded and put away.

Should I use the good glasses that can't go in the dishwasher or the ones that match my dishes?

At least I've had a shower...

Thanksgiving thoughts

thought # 1
It's the little things
Today I am thankful for many things. Right now I am most thankful that I did not have to stick my hand up a turkeys hiney and pry out the still frozen giblets.


Thought # 2
Having a clean refrigerator on Thanksgiving is a good thing.
Cleaning the refrigerator on Thanksgiving morning is a really bad idea.
Back to cleaning up the mustard sauce that's all over the floor and cupboards....

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

No Treble

Ummm, am I taking this whole treble thing too far? Quite possibly. Have no fear, it will end soon, as soon as I finish my grand treble finale.


After church on Sunday, Denise, Amber, Olivia, Harrison and I headed to the Presbyterian church for their annual Swiss Steak Dinner (Attention Chicago Manual of Style freaks, myself first and foremost included, this event is worthy of capitalization) We decided to do take-out this year. Mom went to the dinner with Carolyn so we wanted to get in our comfy pants and plop at home and eat. The guys were deer hunting so we also figured we could eat their pie and then feign shock, surprise and outrage that "someone" must have forgotten to give it to us.

Mom arrived back home as we were finishing our lunch and quickly settled into her chair. Baby Harrison  fell asleep in her arms and the rest of us settled in to watch the Vikings . Denise was crocheting but soon was sound asleep. Mom's head nodded as she fought a losing battle to stay awake. Her arm was falling asleep so I took Harrison. On the love seat across from me, Amber's eyes were closed leaving Olivia and I to amuse ourselves--quietly--as Harrison was on my lap.

Here's a snippet of our whispered conversation:
"Omee, how do you know which one is a daddy deer and which one is a mommy deer?"
"The daddy deer have antlers," I replied holding my hands up on each side of my head to demonstrate.
"Those aren't antlers, they're horns," was her response.
"No, antlers"
"Horns"
"Antlers"
"Horns"
"ANTLERS"
"HORNS"
I realize that I am trying to win an argument with  a 4-year old, "OK, horns then," I surrendered.
Olivia giggled with glee and said, "No they're not, they're antlers."
What can I say--I was set up. By a 4-year-old.

While Olivia played with her Barbies, I decided to take a few pictures of Harrison;

All that's missing is the background symphony of snoring. \
Here comes big sister

And I discovered the joy of a nap without ever closing my eyes.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Decorating Treble

One item that didn't make the cut can only be described as the seashell equivalent of the Poker Dogs paintings.
You know the one I mean 


It should come as no surprise that Sam is the person responsible for finding this whimsical addition to our home decor
 I don't know, they're awfully cute

The attention to detail is breathtaking

 This little guy reminds me of Sam's Uncle Steve.

So, after hours of soul-searching, gut-wrenching deliberation, these little guys have been relegated to the closet containing out-of-favor decorating items.
Did I make the right decision?

Friday, November 5, 2010

"Why Treble in the Kitchen?"

you ask. Here's how it all started:
As I have been putting the house back together, re-hanging pictures, generally getting whatever decorating juices I possess flowing again, I've had to make a few changes. It's been fun to see everything come together, even though I thought I was content with bare walls and a home with zero personality. I felt maybe I was getting in touch with my inner minimalist, but one day instead of going through the garage, I entered the house through the front door. It was like I had hit the bland button--going from the beauty of fall colors and my elaborately decorated front yard and deck and into Beigeville.
With help from family and friends, I emptied boxes and totes of my stored decorating treasures. My copper collection again graces the south entry wall and family photos are back in their places. I added some new things along the way and love the way it turned out.
I had to make some hard choices along the way....
  

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Treble in the Kitchen

First off, let me clarify that I am certainly no busier than any other woman who juggles a job, caregiving and housekeeping. There, I have one sentence written. Now it's time to take Mom her coffee and get ready for work.