Merry (Last) Christmas

For Christmas of 2024, Nathan gave Kevin, Malia and I an experience gift consisting of a trip to Color Me Mine. Malia’s gift certificate also specified that lunch would be included. But after Christmas break, everyone went back to school. And as is common in college, balancing school, work, and church callings left Nathan with very little free time. Once school ended in May/June, we were up to our eyeballs in prepping Matthew to head to Arkansas and planning a wedding. The week after the wedding, everyone went back to school. So those experiences didn’t happen in the timely manner that we had all anticipated. We did head to Color Me Mine during Nathan’s fall break this year, but Malia ascertained that it did not count as her gift because 1) lunch was not included and 2) an outing where Kev and I were in on the fun was absolutely not the outing with her brother that she expected. I know we are old and boring, so I get where she is coming from. LAUGHING WITH TEARS SMILEY However, during our adventure in the fall, a plan was hatched in which Malia would be transported to Logan between Christmas and New Year’s to spend some time with her older siblings.

Nathan was home for a week and when he went back to Logan on Sunday evening, Malia went with them. She stayed with Daniel and Tawni, so some coordinating of schedules was necessary as they were in Orem with Tawni’s family all day on Sunday. Once they all made it back north, they gathered at Daniel and Tawni’s abode and played games. I love that playing games is such a beloved pastime for my kiddos. It is so much more interactive than just watching a movie. Not that they don’t do that too, and not that a movie viewing can’t be a fun social activity, especially when the film is accompanied by much joking and commentary, but in my opinion, playing games is a great way to enjoy the company of others and get to know them really well. I mean, a rousing round of any number of games can tell you a lot about a person. You learn who is super competitive, who is a poor loser, who takes things too seriously, who is a fantastic problem solver, who is willing to take a loss for the team, etc. And to throw in a real-life example of how game playing can help you get to know people, Daniel and Tawni met in a Dungeons and Dragons group. They played weekly for two years before they decided they wanted to give dating a try. So, they have proven that being an avid game player can lead to marital bliss. WINKY SMILY But editorializing aside, they gathered, they played, they stayed up late, they had lots of fun.

Yesterday was a full day of sibling time. Tawni had to work for a few hours in the morning, so Daniel, Nathan and Malia played more games while she was gone. Then they all headed to Raising Cane’s for lunch. This not only filled the obligatory “lunch” portion of the Christmas gift, but Cane’s is one of Malia’s most favorite meals ever. Nathan may be addicted to Chick-fil-a, but Malia is hooked on Cane’s. And in her defense, they do make one of the better versions of fast-food chicken fingers. The menu is not as varied as Chick-fil-a, but where food allergies are concerned, often that is beneficial. Anyway, it has been probably a month since the last time we hit Cane’s, so Malia was definitely ready for a dose of fingers and fries. 

After lunch, they went to Color Me Mine and exercised their creativity. Apparently, the location in Logan has fancier paint options than the one we visited, because Nathan sent us details on all the cool speckled paints they have. Several of the kids made use of said fancy paints, and I’m excited to see how everything turns out. That’s one of the fun things about painting ceramics. The color and luster of the paint are completely different once they are fired, so you make a plan based on your desired end result, but don’t really get to see how it will all work out until you pick up your pieces. It’s also fun to see what piece each person chooses. There are lots of options and I don’t think I’ve ever done an outing where more than one person selected the same item.

Once they were done painting, they visited the Pepperidge Farm store at the factory up there. With all the goodies significantly cheaper than at normal retail stores, they loaded up on goldfish crackers and Milano cookies. Nathan even grabbed a couple of bags of the new white chocolate Milano cookies that I can eat sans headache. They are so good! And I appreciate that he thinks of me. Malia, who is hooked on hoodies, also came home with a Goldfish logoed sweatshirt.

In the evening, Daniel and Nathan got sent away since it was officially a girls’ night. Charlotte, one of Tawni’s sisters, joined them for pizza, nail painting, and a movie. With three brothers and no sisters, Malia hasn’t had the opportunity for a whole lot of girls’ nights. I mean, there have been some, especially with Kate, but those have been relatively few. So, Malia was pretty darn happy about the whole thing. She gets along really well with Tawni too. They text all the time and I could not be more pleased that Malia is getting a glimpse of what it is like to have a sister.

When Kev picked Malia up today, she was tired but happy. When the gift was given last Christmas, we did not yet know that there would be a sister-in-law to join in the fun. But having Tawni around has been such a blessing already. And as I’ve mentioned before, Malia misses her brothers so the chance to spend a few days with them was a fantastic thing for her. I just means that it was even quieter than usual around here…

Christmas-Part II

While we didn’t get to actually see Daniel and Tawni on Christmas, we did get to see them today. They had some presents to receive as well as some to give. In fact, they timed their arrival very carefully based on what they had selected for Malia. They gave her fifty-five rubber ducks, but they didn’t just give them to her in a box, they hid them all over the house. That meant that they needed someone to get Malia out of the house for a while. Nathan was their accomplice and he was funny about it. He put “crime” as an event on his calendar so that he would remember that he was taking Malia up to visit Kevin’s mom, thereby getting her out of the house long enough for Daniel and Tawni to arrive and hide half a hundred ducks. 😂 Upon her arrival home, Malia was less than thrilled but a good sport nonetheless when she discovered that she was going to have to hunt down her Christmas present. As of now, she has discovered forty-five and there are no others in obvious locations. This might take her a while. 😉

Daniel and Tawni got me a book I’ve been wanting. It’s basically a chemistry of cooking book so I’m excited to dig into that. Nathan got a plush microwaveable dumpling. Which he was thrilled about. And of course, he had to go pop it in the microwave right away. And Kevin received a set of decals for one of the models he is working on. In addition to the Doctor Who Little People for Daniel that I bought as an impulse purchase because it made me laugh, we had several humorous T-shirts for Tawni, some itty-bitty polyhedral dice and of course, the gift of cow for both of them. Which gave them both context for the comments and deleted video that happened on Christmas. 

We spent the evening playing games, which was fun. We love board and card games and got a new one for Christmas (The Bears and the Bees) that I think is already one of Malia’s new favorites. And after Kevin and I bowed out due to age and needing to work towards bed, the kids played some raucous rounds of Five Crowns. I’m so glad that all of them get along so well. The only missing piece this evening was Matthew, and in about a year and a half, he will be back in the thick of things.

So delayed Christmas was fun. And it made me feel a bit better about the quiet Christmas. With Tawni’s extended family living fairly close, delayed Christmas was an option and I’m very grateful. I know that the older set of kids could well end up living far away from here, and so I’m glad for any time that we get with them. And who knows? Maybe living far away will mean Kevin and I traveling for Christmas at some point in the future. 

Change for Christmas

Christmas was different for us this time around. This past year has brought some significant changes for our little family and that led to a very quiet Christmas day. Matthew was celebrating in Arkansas and since we enjoyed having Daniel and Tawni with us for Thanksgiving, they were with Tawni’s family last night and today. So, this morning, it was just Nathan, Malia, Kevin and me. We slept in just a bit and got breakfast started before we explored what was in the stockings or opened any presents. That was definitely different. And with only four of us on hand, Malia requested standard French toast for breakfast instead of the overnight versions we have done in past. We were able to cook enough slices on the griddle for all of us to eat at the same time which was a bit tricky when feeding six people and needing an allergen free version as well. So, while the past several years have been calmer due to having older children, things were extra quiet today. 

Having said that, we did still have fun. Malia’s gifts this year are largely experience gifts, so she didn’t have much to open. But she was fine with that since one of those gifts was the Benson Boone concert in October and the other is tickets to see Hades Town when the Broadway touring company is here in March. She was/is ridiculously excited about both of these events.

Nathan received a variety of small things with his big gift being the gift of food. For the past several years, we have purchased a quarter cow from Cory, Kevin’s brother. Cory buys a cow, feeds it through the year, and then sends it to the butcher each fall. When Kevin called to ask about cow this year, Cory asked if we wanted half a cow instead of a quarter. Half a cow is far more than we can eat with just three of us at home, but we talked about it and thought that Daniel and Nathan might be interested in having a bunch of really good beef as a Christmas present. They concurred, so a bunch of Cory cow (that’s what we call it around here to differentiate from the run of the mill beef we get at the store) and a small chest freezer for Daniel and Tawni (with the agreement that Nathan could keep some of his cow there as well) were their gifts for this year.

However, 140 pounds of beef is extremely difficult to wrap and put under the tree, so I went looking for a small toy cow of some sort so they would have something to open. What I found were small plush cows that moo and walk around when you push a button on their backs. I added in some Styrofoam meat trays leftover from Halloween raw meat Rice Krispy treats a few years ago, some saran wrap, a personalized Cory Cow nutrition sticker, and used grocery bags as wrapping. I thought it would be funny and was pleased when it made Nathan laugh. His first reaction was to take a video of the walking, mooing cow and send it to the fam in the Facebook Messenger app that we use to communicate with Matthew. However, that would have spoiled the fun for Daniel and Tawni who are scheduled to be here on Saturday, so once he knew they would also be the recipients of an identical package, he quickly deleted the message before they had a chance to see it. Matthew watched it before it was deleted though, so he got to see the barnyard antics. And Daniel didn’t see the video but knows there is something entertaining waiting for them. 

I got a fabulous bread cookbook from Nathan, one I’m excited to get into to learn some additional tips and tricks for breadmaking. And Kevin got me an authentic widow’s mite. Let me give a bit of explanation about that one. Malia has been really into coin collecting over the past few years. It is something that is interesting to her and a shared interest with Matthew which is fun for both of them. There is a coin shop that Kevin has been taking her to on occasion, which Malia loves, and I’m assuming the widow’s mite was purchased on one of their trips. It was meaningful because over the past several years, the number of things I’ve missed or been unable to do as a result of the headaches has risen significantly. And often it leaves me feeling like I’m failing in pretty much every aspect of my life. That widow’s mite, which is tiny, much smaller than I had imagined, was a reminder that I’m doing what I can. I’m giving what I can when I can. And the Lord knows exactly what I’m dealing with and accepts my offering, no matter how small it may be. So, it was a little something that was completely unexpected, but such a good reminder for me.

As for Kev, I have a gift for him, but it hasn’t arrived yet. It is due to get here sometime around my birthday…

With only four of us at home, not as many physical presents to open, and no small children bouncing around like maniacs or deeply focused on their new toys, we knew that we would have a good amount of free time this afternoon. Factor in some busy schedules, and it seemed like this afternoon would be a good time to decorate gingerbread. This year’s creation was a gingerbread train with each of us assembling and decorating one car. Nathan claimed the engine, Malia selected the caboose, and Kevin and I took the two middle cars. We had fewer ginger-dead type occurrences this year with Malia’s car being the only one with casualties. One of her gingerbread people was falling out of the car and the other was being run over. But the rest of our cars were G-rated. 😂

With almost all the nieces and nephews teenaged or older, last night’s Christmas Eve festivities were more mellow as well. We did dim sum for dinner at my parents’ house again to try to ease things for my mom. She still felt like she needed to be up and about prepping all kinds of things, but we tried to take care of it all. We had no plans for a program or anything, but my mom did want to sing some Christmas carols. However, I don’t know if that actually happened or not. We knew Matthew would be calling today, but he unexpectedly called last night as well. His mission president told them all to call home and that they could talk to their grandparents on occasion, so his timing was perfect. He talked to my parents for a few minutes and got to say hi to the cousins. Even Sam said hi to him, which is fantastic as Sam is usually pretty reticent in situations like this. And since we had already finished eating dinner and Matthew had the go-ahead to talk to grandparents, we booked it down the hill to Kevin’s parents’ house so he could talk to them as well. Before we took off though, Esther had a Christmas present for me with identical ones for my other sisters. She gave us a “Sisters” Christmas tree ornaments. As in the “Sisters” musical number from my favorite Christmas movie, “White Christmas.” The same song that I use a snippet of as my text tone for my sisters. It made me laugh out loud. It was perfect!

We got to talk to Matthew again today, which was nice because it meant that Daniel and Tawni jumped onto the video call as well. Matthew spent part of the day with some members and had the opportunity to play some board games, which was great. He appreciated the few presents we sent him and was wearing his microwaveable Snoopy stuffed animal as we spoke. I was able to find some chocolate candy bars that are safe for him and he likes those as well. He did say that the deck of playing cards Malia sent were the ugliest thing he had ever seen, but since they were the Benson Boone cards that feature a picture of his abs on the backs, it is a totally valid opinion. 😂

Tawni’s family decimated the bowl of Chinese pretzels they took, so apparently, they were a hit. And Daniel got to experience the mayhem that was Christmas with her extended family. They don’t open presents one at a time like we do, it’s a free for all with what Tawni describes as a mountain of wrapping paper in the middle of the room. And apparently, she was impressed enough with our Thanksgiving turkey to have a go at the brined, trussed, and herb roasted version for their Christmas dinner. The turkey cooked faster than expected and dinner ended up being later than expected so she reported that it ended up a little dry, but she also said that she got positive feedback from family members concerning the fabulous flavor.

This year has really been a transition year for us. This is the first year that we’ve had to share kids with in-laws and that is going to take some getting used to. With Daniel and Nathan both on track to graduate in the spring, things have the potential to change even more over the next year depending on where the work takes them. Both of them are applying for jobs all over, not just here in Utah, so no one knows where they will end up as of yet. Having my children be elsewhere has been a bit of an emotional adjustment and I know that it will take some time to wrap my head, and my heart, around it. But I also know that they are doing exactly what they should be doing. As parents, we spend years and years teaching our children to be capable, independent adults and now that they are, I’m not going to get all offended by that fact. I am going to miss the years when their focus and home were here, but it’s absolutely right that over time, their focus should shift as they establish their own homes and families. But it is all a bit bittersweet for my mama heart. Things will never be the same and while I know that change is inevitable and the changes we’ve had this year are good ones, I still have my sad moments.

But I also know there is still joy to be found, even in the changes. I have seen that as my kids have met challenges head on and been strengthened by them, becoming stronger and better people as they do so. I’ve seen that as they have accepted and fulfilled new callings with enthusiasm, becoming a little more Christlike in the process. I’ve seen that as all my children gain knowledge and skills and look forward with hope and optimism to what their lives may hold in the future. I’ve seen that as Tawni has become a part of our family, weaving her way into our lives and our hearts and making Daniel a better person. And I know I will see the joy in ways yet unknown in the days to come. 

Santa Claus is Coming Around…Again

Sometimes you just have to revisit a classic. And today’s Christmas themed pancakes were exactly that. Strawberries, whipped cream, a few blueberries and banana slices and our breakfast was transformed into the likeness of the jolly old elf himself. Delicious!

A Passion for Peppermint

Nathan has a mild Chick-fil-a addiction. His desire to budget wisely generally makes his consumption of said food stuffs reasonable, but when the peppermint milkshakes return each year, his temperance is sorely tried. In fact, this year he and his friends created a sticker chart to keep track of how many shakes each one of them consumes. They didn’t decide on a prize for the winner, nor did they decide if the most shakes consumed or the most constraint shown determines the winner, but they made the chart!

When the peppermint delights returned last month, Nathan encouraged me to give them a try because he was pretty sure I would like them. However, upon closer inspection, we discovered that they contain chocolate, which is not good for me and my far too frequent headaches. And we never take Malia to Chick-fil-a because despite the fact that the peanut oil they use in their fryers is considered free of the proteins that trigger allergies, it has always seemed like an unnecessary risk to me. So, we take her to Cane’s instead. Add to that the fact that caloric delights of all kinds are notorious for being unsafe for those with nut allergies and that means the peppermint shakes from Chick-fil-a are also not the best option for her. But we try not to let the allergies and food restrictions get in our way any more than necessary, so we made our own.

Nathan says they are just as good as the authentic branded version. And I might just have a new holiday treat addiction. They were delightful! Oh, and his friends think that even the homemade copycat version counts where the sticker chart is concerned. 😂

A Cheesy Christmas

While most of my culinary creations in the past month have fallen into the dessert category, today was my Christmas themed meal day. It wasn’t a completely new concept this year, but it did have a not Matthew friendly twist. This year’s pull apart Christmas tree bread featured a cheesy filling. It was an addition that we have happily gone without for the past eighteen years, but I’ll be honest and say that it felt like a treat to be able to put a little dairy on the menu. And both Kevin and Malia asked for a repeat performance in the near future, so I think they enjoyed it as well. We added to the Christmas tree theme with some fun cucumber and tomato trees. They weren’t quite as cute as the ones I saw online, but they were recognizable and added some necessary veggies to our meal. Even the soup was themed…sort of. The sausage and orzo soup had roasted red peppers and spinach, so I figure it ticks off the red/green Christmas color palette. 😉

I feel like I’ve had a bit of a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year and I’m sure that having the weather acting more like spring than winter has contributed to that, but I think having a little seasonal cheer appear on the dinner table has helped.

Producing a Pretzel Precedent

Today was Chinese pretzel day #2 for Daniel and Nathan. Their first pretzel day was scheduled so that Jacob and Marissa (one of Nathan’s neighbors) could participate. But Tawni had to work that day, which necessitated a second pretzel day. Today’s pretzel making allowed Tawni, Charlotte, and Cami (two of Tawni’s sisters) to experience their first ever pretzel day. The boys have gotten their production line pretty fine-tuned and with five sets of hands working together, I suspect the whole process went much faster than it does around here. Nathan told me that the first timers were certain the end product needed some powdered sugar or even some Nutella, but once convinced to try them, they determined that the pretzels don’t need any adornments. Because they really don’t. 😉

I suspect that by feeding pretzels to their friends and new in-laws and associated extended family, Daniel and Nathan are setting a precedent. Before they know it, everyone will want to enjoy some pretzels every year. But as the boys seem to enjoy the whole process, maybe that’s a good thing. There is something to be said for handing down family traditions and knowledge to future generations. And honestly, I’m glad they are enjoying cooking their heritage. And eating it!

Speaking of eating, after Daniel and Nathan headed up the pretzel making committee, Tawni took over and became the entire dinner cooking committee. Tawni likes to cook. And she isn’t a follow-a-recipe kind of cook. She is a feel-the-vibe kind of a cook which basically means she is creative and cooks and seasons according to taste. My little Logan crew and their cronies have started giving Tawni a challenge to use a specific ingredient or two and then giving her free reign to cook whatever she wants for dinner. Nathan calls it the “choose your own adventure” kind of dinner.

Earlier this week the challenge was to make chili using a specific citrus spice blend Nathan had. The result was a white chicken chili well-seasoned and spiked with lime juice. Tonight, the instruction was to use some Cory cow. Sirloin ramen was the result. It looked delicious. And it makes me wonder if I could step up my cooking game with a bit of experimentation. I sometimes get bored with our menu and boredom leads to dissatisfaction after dinner which leads to a desire to nibble on other things not because I’m still hungry, but because the meal I ate was not satisfying for my tongue. Malia has become a super picky eater of late, and that is definitely not helping matters. I’ve tried to choose dinners that I know she will eat, but that way leads to boredom as previously mentioned. So maybe I need to just break out of the routine and try something different. Maybe I need to try a “choose your own adventure” kind of meal once in awhile…

Crafting a Confection

One of the things Malia cannot eat is fancy chocolates. Ingredient wise there isn’t always anything that makes them dangerous for her, it’s the cross contact. There are certain things that always have cross contact with peanuts and fancy chocolates are one of those things.

Now this is going to seem like a squirrel moment but stick with me. It all works.

Years and years ago, I used to make caramels every year at Christmas. I love caramels and the homemade ones were far, far better than those square cubes of Kraft caramels that I ate as a kid. But after Matthew was diagnosed with his plethora of allergies, I stopped making the caramels. It just seemed too mean to make such a tasty treat and tell my little guy that he couldn’t have any. And all those years ago, I was not as experienced where cooking without all his allergens was concerned, so I didn’t know how to make a version that worked for him.

With Matthew away from home right now, I have been taking advantage of being able to cook with a bit more freedom. We have discovered that there are some things that we simply prefer in the Matthew friendly versions, but other things have been a delight. And for the first time in many years, those annual Christmas caramels came to mind. And I knew I would be making some. But the cool thing is that with eighteen years’ worth of experience cooking for Matthew, I made some delightful coconut milk caramels last month and sent them off to Arkansas last week. Matthew said they were delightful. Anyway, back to the normal dairy version.

A few weeks ago, Malia happened to spot a box of chocolate-covered caramels that didn’t have anything on the label that would seem detrimental to her health. Now let me educate you just a bit. There is a law in place about labeling for food allergens that are actually in foods, but there is no law regarding labeling for cross contact. Many brands include a “may contain…” or a “manufactured on the same line…” statement on their packages, but they are not required to do so. As such, when I find a product that doesn’t contain any kind of statement, I always treat it as a possibly dangerous item. Especially when it falls into a category that is generally unsafe. Like fancy chocolates. So, we bought the chocolates, with the caveat that I would contact the company and if they were unsafe, we could send them home with the older kids. I did contact the company and unsurprisingly, the caramels had cross contact with just about everything. So, Daniel, Tawni, and Nathan got some fancy chocolates, and I promised Malia that when I made caramels, I would dip some in chocolate so she could experience the wonder.

This week was caramel week and today was dipping day. For years I’ve just used normal spoons and forks for dipping chocolates, but I recently picked up a cheap set of chocolate dipping tools, and they made the whole dipping process much faster and easier. And some simple chocolate drizzling spoons gave me the opportunity to dress the chocolates up just a bit. They turned out pretty, which makes me ridiculously happy. Because tasting good is fantastic, but looking delightful and tasting good is even better! Malia sampled some as soon as she walked in the door after school, and they have earned her stamp of approval. Even the early ones that aren’t as pretty as the others. 😂 As for me, I’m enjoying the undipped caramels. And with a good Matthew friendly version in my cookbook, they just might be back on our yearly Christmas menu.

Priorities

With finals over, Daniel and Nathan have turned their focus to far more important things-Chinese pretzels. They scheduled a day that was soon enough after finals that Jacob and Marissa, one of Nathan’s friends, would still be in town as both of them wanted to participate in the making of the pretzels. Because those who help make them have part ownership and eating rights pertaining to the finished product. And anyone who is addicted to these crunchy little wonders knows that one or two is just never enough! Nathan has picked up a few more tips since last year’s inaugural pretzel day, and this time he knew exactly how to adjust the batter to get optimal results. They turned out perfect!

As a side note, Nathan Facetimed me to see if their early pretzels looked right and it just so happened that I was at my mom’s house today helping her make pretzels, so he got the Chinese Grandma’s stamp of approval! And I guess if you look at it the right way, this whole process is about learning and passing on cultural and family traditions, so if we call it family history maybe that is a good way to rationalize the importance of the event. Or maybe I’m just trying to justify eating my own body weight in Chinese pretzels. 😂

Preoccupied with Peppermint

It’s a well-established fact that I love to bake. And it’s also a fact that I’m a big fan of cheesecake and have really enjoyed creating some amazing ones here at home so that my food allergy kiddos can enjoy the creamy, dreamy taste of a good cheesecake as well. Over the past few years, I’ve reserved cheesecake for my birthday, but I came across a white chocolate peppermint cheesecake recipe that looked absolutely divine, so I jumped the gun a bit and made cheesecake a few weeks in advance. I mean, peppermint flavored goodies at Christmas time are kind of ubiquitous and I know that I won’t be craving that particular flavor as much once January rolls around. So, I broke my one treat a week rule, which honestly, I’ve broken pretty much every week since Thanksgiving, and created a red and white swirled confection that just screams out North Pole.

I wanted to make sure there was plenty of peppermint flavor, so I used peppermint extract in addition to the Andes white chocolate peppermint baking chips the recipe called for as well as a bit of extract in the whipped cream I swirled on top. The verdict on this particular cheesecake is that it is delicious, but maybe just a bit too strongly flavored. I think that if I leave the whipped cream plain next time, the flavors will balance better. But despite that, I really enjoyed it! It is rich, creamy, and I suspect it will be making a repeat appearance in Decembers yet to come.

Tender Mercies

There is a tender mercy in the fact that Matthew is spending his first Christmas away from home in an area where he has extended family of a friend here at home watching out for him. Megan’s aunt has been an absolute rock star. Not only has she invited Matthew and his companion into her home on multiple occasions, but she was here for Thanksgiving and hand delivered a letter to me from Matthew and took a little package from us back to our missionary in Arkansas. And this morning she sent me a text asking what kind of Christmas candy Matthew can have. I sent her a few options, and she put together a whole little gift bag full of goodies for him and another for his companion. She checked with me to make sure she got it right, and she absolutely did. Everything she chose was perfect for Matthew.

Matthew has been a little down the past few weeks. Big holidays away from home can be tough, so I’m enormously grateful for these little things that become big things for those young men and young women who are away from their families serving the Lord. I only hope that there is a sister in Honduras who is watching over Megan’s aunt’s son while he serves and spends his first Christmas away from home. 

People Person

 Rather than the three or four Christmas concerts we’ve attended the past several years, this year we only had one. And while Malia hated some of the songs they sang (the alto part of “Carol of the Bells” is so boring!), there were some she really enjoyed (a medley of songs from “The Muppet Christmas Carol,” one of our favorite Christmas movies). And she loved that Daniel was able to drive down to attend her concert. As the youngest child, she doesn’t have siblings that attend every concert like the boys did. And she feels that loss. So, the fact that Daniel took the time to come down meant a lot. His finals schedule worked out just right this time around and I’m so grateful he made attending the concert a priority. And I know Malia appreciates it too. She knows that her brothers have busy lives as they try to juggle school, work, church responsibilities, friends, family, and in Daniel’s case, a new wife, but she definitely misses them.

While I know many youngest children who really enjoy having the run of the roost, Malia doesn’t enjoy being the only child left at home. She has always been a people person. Even as a baby she loved being surrounded by people and in those early years, those people were her brothers. They come around when they can and she understands that they can’t always be here, but when they can, it is a highlight for her.

Somebody’s Watching Me

Last night, Malia asked me if we had any googly eyes. It is one of those craft items that I’ve had hanging around for years for those random times I want them, and my supply was greatly increased some years back when Nathan used googly eyes as a high school dance ask or response, I don’t remember which. So, I replied in the affirmative, having no idea why she wanted them. Her reason? Whimsy.

The eyes on the microwave are the ones that keep throwing me off. I catch a glimpse from the corner of my eye, and my brain tells me there is something not quite right…

Her Own Drummer

Malia has a strong personality. She has her own ideas of how things should be and most of the time, she cannot be swayed. I learned years ago that she simply doesn’t think the way I do. Even as a preschooler, she pushed back at my way of doing things. She balked at any kind of organizational system I tried to employ in her room. I stopped buying clothes for her without her consent when she was about five because if it was not to her liking, there was no way in the world she was going to wear it. And things that she had happily worn a year or two before became anathema to her. So rather than waste the money, I began consulting her on all clothing purchases. And if she does not want to do something, she really digs in her heels and trying to get her to change her mind is like fighting a forest fire with a Dixie cup of water. Basically impossible. So, we save the big fights for the things that matter. But it’s not that her way is bad, it’s just different than my way. We kind of sum it up by saying that she thinks like an artist, not an OCD perfectionist like me. 

Her style and way of doing things is sometimes more obvious than others. And this evening was one of those times. She invited her longtime friend Acie to join her for an impromptu gingerbread house decorating event. Although both girls had the exact same house kit, Malia assembled hers in her very own way. And was perfectly happy with the results. 

Malia says that if you look at it just the right way, it looks a bit like Rudolph. That’s her artist’s brain working. And yet, she has a point…  😂

Some Final Comments on This Week’s Meringue

Two days after being baked, the meringue is still light, foamy, and not at all sticky. It is not weeping and there are no little beads of moisture developing. It is still firmly attached to the top of the lemon filling. And strangely enough, the filling seems less watery today and the crust is nice and crisp. I have no idea how that works. The crust was completely waterlogged yesterday. The only explanation I can come up with is that the excess water leaked out of the cut pie into the pan allowing the remaining slices to dry out a bit. But who even knows? 🤷

I’ve been reading up on why lemon meringue pie is prone to becoming watery and I have a couple of tips to try that could potentially help. So there really might be another real meringue pie in the not-so-distant future. Anyone who knows me well knows that a culinary conundrum is like the call of the wild to me. I have to figure out how to fix the kitchen chemistry so that my brain can let it go. I guess it’s a good thing that we like lemon meringue pie!

Let me wrap things up with a completely non-pie related matter. It would seem that the meringue and the turkey were not the only successes this year. Apparently, this year’s gravy was also top notch. We ate leftovers for dinner this evening and once the mashed potatoes were gone, Malia asked if she could heat up the last little bit of gravy and eat it with a spoon. 😂

Culinary Experimentation

Let’s talk about turkey. For those that don’t remember, I bought a fancy roasting pan three years ago. I did loads of research, read lots of reviews, and selected a solid option. I used one of those $2 disposable foil pans from the Walmart prior to my purchase, so I was very excited to have a Bonafide roasting pan. But then…the pan failed its main purpose. For three years in a row, the back of my Thanksgiving turkey was not cooked. Even when I overcooked the breast in an effort to get the entire bird up to temperature, the back stubbornly remained a vehicle for salmonella. I tried everything I could think of to solve the problem-cooking the turkey on a lower rack, adjusting temperature, tenting the turkey to slow the cooking of the breast, doing the first part of the roasting with the back side up instead of down, etc. And nothing seemed to help. As you might expect, there was some frustration that increased exponentially with each year. So, this year I bought the $3 pan (inflation happens), and was ready to redneck my disposable roasting pan with rolls of tinfoil in place of the rack from my swanky and useless roasting pan, which was too big to fit the foil pan.

But this morning, I was watching a video about how to truss a turkey (since I only do it once a year, I always have to review the procedure prior to turkey time) and saw an alternate and intriguing turkey roasting method that used just a standard shallow baking sheet with a cooling rack used as a roasting rack. And an idea began to take root. The standard half sheet baking pan used in the video I watched is the most commonly used sheet pan in my kitchen. I have half a dozen cooling racks that fit inside the previously mentioned pans, but I also have a super fancy roasting rack that came with my super useless roasting pan. And the fancy rack fits perfectly inside the basic sheet pan. And just like that, my plans changed. The hardware for roasting this year’s turkey changed to one of my 26-year-old work horse baking sheets and my fancy rack. I was hopeful and honestly, a little bit excited.

The results of my change in hardware were absolutely stellar. Not only was the entire turkey cooked, but the breast was still nice and moist when the back was fully cooked. And since the rack lifted the turkey above the edges of the pan, hot air circulated around the entire turkey which meant even the bottom was beautifully crispy. As an added bonus, the turkey roasted faster due to the increased air flow.

So, let’s count those pros:

1. The entire bird was cooked.

2. The breast was still moist when the back was done.

3. The entire turkey was crisp. Yum. More crispy skin for everyone.

4. The roasting time was shorter.

5. I didn’t have to spend any extra money or time to have the appropriate hardware. Yes, $3 isn’t much, but it’s more than spending nothing.

And the cons:

1……

I’m never going back. It was a complete success. I did put a little water in the bottom of the pan right at the beginning of the roasting time so the butter and herbs that dripped wouldn’t scorch, but once the fat of the turkey started to render, that problem was solved. And I am a happy, happy camper today. Chock full of turkey and nearly drunk on success.

Now, let’s talk a bit about the other highlights of the day.

Daniel and Tawni were here for Thanksgiving this year. Now that they are married, we are in the season of alternating holidays with them, so it was nice to have them here. As I mentioned yesterday, Tawni got to experience pie day at my mom’s house which even in this year’s scaled back version was mighty impressive to a two-pies-only person. She got to sample our assortment of favorite pies, and the cranberry orange custard is the clear winner. She loved that one just as much as we do and fully supports Daniel and Nathan in their plans to make more cranberry orange custard pies in the very near future.

Tawni was fascinated by my turkey ministrations, commenting that her mom’s prep is much simpler. But let me reiterate that I enjoy cooking. So doing a delightful butter and herb rub, stuffing the turkey with aromatics, and trussing the bird to allow a more even bake is just part of my routine. She has been educated on our whole “skin the turkey” routine and while, like most people, she just didn’t understand the draw, she is also one of those try-anything-once kind of people. So, she grabbed a fork and watched as my other children jockeyed for position, and then followed their lead as they dug in. And due to the previously mentioned butter and herb rub and the fabulous new old roasting pan, the skin was delightfully crisp and flavorful. And now she completely understands our compulsive need to eat that skin while it is crisp and hot. And I suspect in future she will gladly participate in the good-natured fight for the best bits that always happens.

The portion of our day not spent eating turkey and way too much pie was whiled away playing games and talking to Matthew. Kevin and I talked to him for a good long chunk last night, so today he focused his time on his siblings. Daniel, who loves jazz music just as much as Matthew does, played him a little snip of a jazz arrangement of the Harry Potter theme and Matthew was absolutely drunk on the music. Limiting his listening to only what is in Gospel Library has been harder than he expected. Music is how he expresses his joy and what he listens to corresponds to his mood and is often what he turns to when he needs a little emotional lift, so listening to his normal music has been one of the things he misses a lot. Daniel knows Matthew well and knew that just a little jazz would be a balm to his soul. 

Now, I need to make some further comments on the meringue. It was light, fluffy, voluminous, and delightful. It was not sticky, even though I made the pie yesterday. I have learned a couple of tips that solve that problem and the tips are the same for the egg-free version. The only fly in the ointment was the fact that the lemon filling got watery, so watery that the crust got soggy and collapsed. That has never happened with the Matthew friendly version, so I think next time I will try the allergen free filling with the egg-based meringue. But even a bit watery, the pie was delicious and the meringue was completely satisfying. And tall. So beautifully tall!

I am filled with gratitude today for all the blessings I have. I have an amazing family and spending the day with them was a joy. We all missed Matthew, but he is in the exact right place for now and will eventually make his way back home. Tawni has been such a wonderful addition to our family, and she makes Daniel incredibly happy. Malia is becoming a wonderful young woman who adds laughter to our home. Nathan comes home and plays our piano which gathers dust when he is away. Kevin does all the cleaning after I use every dish in my kitchen to create the lovely kitchen chemistry that becomes our holiday meal. And the covenants we make means that this joy can be eternal. My heart is full. I am truly blessed.

The Real Meringue

I’ve spent the past two decades learning how to bake without eggs and milk, which are in all reality the basic building blocks of so many confections. But out of need, I experimented and failed and tried again and over the years, I’ve gotten pretty good at creating a variety of allergen free versions of cakes, cookies, pies, candies, etc. Most people never even know that the goodies that show up at ward events or bake sales are sans milk and eggs. And I’ve never begrudged the need to make such accommodations in my cooking. It was just one of my missions in life to ensure that Matthew never felt the sting of his allergies in his own home and to provide him with the childhood joys of enjoying a warm chocolate chip cookie, savoring a sticky sweet cinnamon roll, and blowing out the candles on a decadent birthday cake. 

Having said that, with Matthew away from home for a season, I’m happily taking advantage of the opportunity to use more traditional ingredients in some of my baking. I used real eggs in Malia’s birthday cake, made fudge with real butter, and am already thinking about what kind of cheesecake to make for my birthday. But the one I’m super excited about today is meringue made with real eggs. The bean juice works, which still kind of blows my mind, and talking about “bean juice pie” is always a fabulous conversation starter, but I have actually been a little bit giddy about being able to use real eggs so that I can get some of the stability and volume that is such a struggle with bean juice. I know some folks are making magnificent meringues with aquafaba from chickpeas, but since Matthew is allergic to those, I’ve been using the liquid from navy or great northern beans, and it just isn’t as stable. But it works. And the lemon meringue pie is one of Matthew’s favorites, so I’m happy to bean it up and I feel like I’m learning new things every time I try it. 

So, it was a bit of a heady feeling to separate the eggs, turn on the Bosch, and watch the volume increase. I know that probably sounds stupid, but I enjoy baking. It is like therapy for me. Seriously, I was feeling anxious last week so I made bread. And it definitely helped my mood. And it is much cheaper than the hourly rate of most therapists. And as an extra bonus, it leaves a much better taste in your mouth. 😜 So yes, I’m not ashamed to say that today’s meringue filled me with glee. Piling it up high on top of the lemon filling made me smile. Creating the traditional peaks that held their shape in a most marvelous manner resulted in a ridiculous grin. And taking the final results out of the oven perfectly browned and still just as voluminous nearly made me laugh. I can hardly wait to taste my creation!

Other than the luscious lemon meringue, our pie menu is small this year. We have two pumpkin pies (plus a tiny one for Kevin’s parents), a cherry pie (which is Malia’s favorite), and a cranberry orange custard (which is Nathan’s favorite pie of all time). So, six pies in total, five for my own little crew. Tawni is flabbergasted by the whole pie thing. The thought of a full pie per person just blows her mind. She says they usually have about two pies and that feeds the entire extended family. However, my mom’s thirty-two pies still make my half dozen appear extremely moderate. And Tawni did get to experience pie day at my mom’s house, which is pie making on an entirely different level. 😂

With today’s baking done, I can turn my mind to the next culinary adventure-attempting to get my entire turkey cooked. And regardless of the outcome of that endeavor, I’m looking forward to the post-turkey pie eating!

Choral Pros and Cons

Pro: Every year, sixteen choir students from each middle school in our district are invited to participate in a district honor choir. Auditions are held by each choir teacher who then selects which students will be a part of the choir. Malia auditioned this year and was one of the students selected to represent her school.

Con: Learning music on her own, especially those with lyrics not in English, is a fairly new thing for Malia and she was super stressed out the night before the first of their two big rehearsals because she didn’t have it all learned.

Pro: Learning music along with other choir members is usually easier as the director will spend time helping each section to perfect their part, there are more people singing the same part, and hearing all the harmonies together can make it simpler to find your own part.

Con: The guest conductor this year doted on the sopranos and tenors, yelled at the basses, and pretty much ignored the altos. Malia was pretty peeved when she got home.

Pro: Despite the less than attentive conductor, Malia did, in fact, get things mostly figured out by the end of their second rehearsal.

Con: She was a bit nervous walking all alone into the choir room the night of the concert. Not knowing anyone there was a bit stressful for her. However, she was fine once some friends from her own school showed up.

Pro: The kids did a fantastic job! The four numbers they performed were well rehearsed and it was a very enjoyable concert. 

Con: On their final number, there was a good amount of standard choir swaying that is frequently seen as appropriate riser choreography. Malia was on the very edge of the alto section. There were so many kids that Malia was standing on a box rather than the actual risers and the movement inadvertently sent her closer and closer to the edge which made her very nervous!

Pro: Although she could feel that her toes were hanging off the edge, he didn’t actually fall off the box. 😂

Con: The adrenaline-fueled performance high after the concert meant that Malia forgot to actually eat dinner and had a meal comprised of sugar cookies and doughnuts. 

Pro: Despite all her nerves and her dislike for this particular director, she still came away with a fantastic performance high! (Even if it did make for an extraordinarily unhealthy dinner. 😜) Singing with a big choir like that is such a fun thing and I’m glad Malia had the opportunity to do so.

It’s a Small World

When Matthew received his mission call to Arkansas, we were bombarded with people telling us they had ties to the area-parents living there, extended family in the area, stationed there in a past military posting, etc. For some reason, the parts of Arkansas and Missouri in which he would be serving seem to be teeming with folks who have ties right here. And now that he has been transferred to Bentonville, he has had his first small world encounter. 

You might remember that during his senior year, Matthew met a girl who has similar allergies to his. It was a big moment for him, meeting someone who really gets what his life is like, and we started referring to her as his allergy buddy. Her actual name is Megan, and she has an aunt who lives in Bentonville. In fact, her aunt lives in one of the wards that Matthew is currently serving in, and he met her on his first Sunday in Bentonville. Megan’s aunt was quick to invite them to have dinner in their home, and this evening I got a message from her, with a picture of Matthew and his companion at their dinner appointment.

I know this doesn’t happen to every family who sends out a missionary, but we have been blessed to receive messages from members that all of my sons have worked with during their full-time missionary service. It is always a blessing for me, to know that there are folks watching out for my kids and a reminder as well, that we are a worldwide church and that people all over are doing the best they can to live the gospel, just like me. 

Running Gag

noun: a joke/gag that is repeated many times in slightly different ways

I don’t know if this is a normal thing for most families, but around here we have a proclivity for running gags. We will have a totally random topic or word or song pop up in our conversations and then for some reason we just keep working it in…over, and over, and over. Ask Nathan about pants. That one’s been rolling around for almost ten years now. Anyway, revisiting the gags usually ends up being funny or at least making Malia roll her eyes so hard that she can see her brain. Earlier this year, the DARE song was the gag. Drugs and that catchy tune from our kids’ 5th grade participation in the DARE program just came up far more frequently than was probably good for us. But it was funny. And so, it kept happening. After a while we aged out of that gag, and something else took its place. 

For some reason, cannibalism has been an on again/off again joke topic throughout this year. I think Malia started it with a random comment in the group chat my kids have established with their cousins on Kevin’s side of the family. But as I’m not actually in that group chat, I’m not certain. Nevertheless, cannibalism is a topic that has popped into our joke/random comment repertoire fairly frequently of late. And that led me to select this year’s Halloween dinner: man-burgers. And while this evening’s repast did not have the visual impact of some I’ve created in previous years, it did hit that running gag. And it was tasty. And simple to prepare. And honestly, I needed that this week.

As for costuming this year, Malia and two of her bestest friends planned a group costume. Malia was Eeyore with her friends dressed up as Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. Malia sent me a text from school this morning telling me that one of her teachers had the exact same costume as she did. At least she was amused and not utterly humiliated. Because as a middle schooler, it could go either way. This evening, she is off at a friend’s house for a Halloween party, still in costume, of course. 

Nathan hasn’t really dressed up for Halloween for years, but this year he decided that he wanted to join the festivities. He dressed up as Steve from Blues Clues, a kids’ t.v. show that was popular when he was part of the preschool demographic. He was super excited about it and watched an entire episode of Blues Clues to get into character. And then he made a short Blues Clues inspired video for us rather than just sending a picture. With Blue and his handy dandy notebook in hand, he headed off to work and school with some of his notes for one of his jobs written in his notebook. With a giant crayon, of course. 😂 And he turned heads all day. Everyone in his generation is familiar with Blues Clues and even as he was walking back to his apartment this afternoon, he could see heads turn in recognition as the cars drove by. 

Halloween has become a much slower holiday in our entire neighborhood, not just our house. Families have grown up, just like ours, and it seems like there are fewer and fewer kids knocking on the door every year. We still make sure to keep some candy on hand for those that come, but we make sure to buy stuff we like so that it will actually get eaten eventually when the doorbell only rings a dozen times.

As usual, I already have ideas of fun foods I want to create next year. But as for next week, we begin making pies!

Muppet Killer

Having Halloween fall on a Friday is always fun. Because not only is there no school tomorrow and no need to drag sugar coma inflicted children out of bed in order to get them to school (although we really don’t need to do that anymore, which is nice), but it is pancake day! And having time for Halloween pancakes on actual Halloween is great! So, I had a pancake plan, a plan that involved lychee and blueberry eyeballs casually dropped on top of some lime green pancakes all draped with a bloody lychee syrup. It was a good plan, a tasty one, but there was a very unfortunate, and completely unexpected, outcome. When I assembled my first pancake stack, it looked exactly like Kermit the frog. Except bloody. 🤦

Killing Kermit was not exactly on my to-do list for today, but sometimes our days don’t go as expected. 🤣

Boo-tifully Simple

In my fun food endeavors, sometimes things can get pretty complicated. Making normal foods look super cute can often mean extra time in prepping, preparing, and presenting. On the other hand, sometimes simple efforts can have very positive results. Today’s Halloween themed dessert falls into the latter category. A package of frozen puff pastry, a can of cherry pie filling, and a cookie cutter were the main components of today’s creation. Add in a simple powdered sugar glaze and a purchased tube of black piping gel and a sweet little treat was born. And honestly, who doesn’t like a nice cherry turnover?

Are You My Mummy?

Like pancakes, sugar cookies are a blank canvas with an infinite number of possibilities. I don’t utilize them as often as I do pancakes, but sometimes I just crave a good sugar cookie. Add a simple Halloween themed twist, and dessert is served. An added bonus? When arms or legs break off due to super soft dough or ineptitude (yes, sometimes I just muck things up) or someone ends up with only one eye (I was rushing because I was really supposed to be cooking dinner rather than decorating sugar cookies), there is no need to worry. Sometimes mummies just lose parts. It’s all part of the deal. So those little baking mishaps add a charming Halloweeny twist. And whether whole or maimed, they taste good. 

Merry…Fall?

Last Christmas Nathan jumped on the whole experience gift train and gifted Kevin, Malia, and I with a trip to Color Me Mine. He went back to school after Christmas break and was out of town with friends for his spring break. Once his semester was over, we were neck deep in getting a missionary out the door and planning a wedding. About five minutes after the wedding, school started again. And so, though it had not been the intention, we found the calendar rapidly creeping towards Christmas once again and had yet to redeem last Christmas’ gift. Nathan only had one day for fall break this year, but he didn’t have any plans, so he drove down and helped us make applesauce last Friday. And on Saturday, we finally made it to Color Me Mine!

As it is fall, the Halloween and Christmas pieces are in stock, so Kevin and I opted for something Halloweeny. Kevin chose a sorcerer’s hat, and I painted a cute jack-o-lantern. Nathan opted for a super cute dinosaur mug, and Malia selected a roller skate. Apparently, Benson Boone has a music video in which he roller blades (I only know this because Google tells me so) and so her selection was in honor of her recent attendance at his American Heart Tour concert. She painted her skate red, white and blue, and paid a bit of homage to Boone by adding his initials to the back. It was super fun to sit for an afternoon and create a little something fun.

Once we finished painting, we headed over to Tsunami for dinner. We haven’t been since before Matthew left on his mission and we were all missing it a bit. And the funny thing is, all his allergy info is linked to Kevin’s account so even though Matthew was not there and we had a server we have never worked with before, she came to the table and immediately began to address the allergy needs. Which is why we love the staff at Tsunami! They are super fantastic! And another of the servers that we have worked with multiple times, asked where Matthew was and how he is doing. 😊

For those who have never been, ceramics painted at Color Me Mine get glazed and fired before you take them home, so there is a bit of a wait. Ours was actually a pretty quick one as our things were ready today, four or five days ahead of schedule. They all came out looking great! And it makes me want to go back soon and choose something Christmasy…