The End of the "Birthday Season"

I come from a very large family, so when birthdays come around, birthday greetings may start coming in a day or even a few before the actual birthday, and may extend for several days beyond. Frankly, I like extending one's birthday celebration for as long as possible, and have always said, "Never mind shooting for the actual day; any time in the 'birthday season' will be great."

This year our family has had even more than the usual number of things going on it seems, so when my birthday rolled around earlier in January, there simply wasn't a time when all of us were available to celebrate. Jon and Paula and the girls came one evening, bearing roses and tulips and cards, and we had a great visit. But Gary and Sara and Reed were not available to join us then. Each weekend since, one family was available but not the other, until this Sunday. The kids announced that they would be bringing dinner and we would, finally, celebrate Mom's/Nana's birthday."

So, last evening, they came and brought a yummy spaghetti dinner AND my birthday cake. I really had to laugh, and will smile for some time in the future, every time I think about it. Sara went to the supermarket to buy a birthday cake. Reed went with her and really, REALLY wanted to pick out "Nina's" birthday cake. (Reed has always called me Nina, despite the girls calling me "Nana;" hey, that works for me!) Sara finally agreed and Reed picked out my cake.

When they arrived, Reed came through the front doors, carrying the cake himself, and beaming ear to ear. I got so tickled at the cake he chose and thought his Nina would LOVE. And, of course, I did! Don't you?
I love Monday evenings because I pick him up from school and his Papa and I get him through dinner. That gives us plenty of time to practice our skills at playing Old Maid, War, Crazy Eights, Dominoes, Chinese Checkers, Wii, and a growing repertoire of activities. He always wants to top the evening off with an ice cream cone and is much fonder of ice cream than any cake. As for me, well, more even than the Cookie Monster cake, I just love this adorable, blue-eyed boy.

Knowing that I will grow old, and likely "laughable," whilst my grandchildren are still young and mentally alert enough to cause me great embarrassment, should they choose to do so, I really should be guarded in what I say. But, throwing caution to the wind, I simply must share on my blog something that Reed said that is too cute (and innocent) to go unmentioned.

We all know how children can pick up sayings at school that aren't necessarily what we most like for them to be saying. Reed had heard the kids refer to their hind ends as their "butt." Gary and Sara had been encouraging him to use milder language such as "behind" or "buns." Reed promised to try to remember to use these preferred terms.

I think it was following an ice storm, when the kids had been sledding (although I seem to be somewhat fuzzy on that detail), but Reed came in and told his parents in all seriousness that he'd had an accident and his "breads" hurt. Of course, we simply couldn't let that go, so as the evening wore on, several mentions were made of "the Jensen men and their great 'breads'."

A yummy dinner and an evening with the family--what a perfect ending to my 2010 "Birthday Season."

One More Time . . .

Okay, okay, it's probably "enough already," but I woke up this morning thinking about Steinbeck's book OF MICE AND MEN, and got to wondering what connection it might have to the "best laid plans of mice and men" quote by Burns. I continue to be amazed by the wonderful resources the internet places at our disposal, and when I Googled it, lo and behold, this is what I found:

"Of Mice and Men is a novella written by Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck. Published in 1937, it tells the tragic story of George Milton and Lennie Small, two displaced migrant ranch workers during the Great Depression in California.
Based on Steinbeck's own experiences as a bindlestiff in the 1920s (before the arrival of the Okies he would vividly describe in The Grapes of Wrath), the title is taken from Robert Burns's poem, To a Mouse, which read: "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men . . . ."

I am a real genealogy buff, so I'm a huge fan of the internet for the doors it opens to those of us searching for relatives, both living and dead. But, in addition to that, there's simply little that one cannot find there. When I was in WY in December, spending a couple of weeks with Daddy, there were at least two occasions when he asked me a question about something neither of us could remember (I can't now recall the particulars). In both instances, I said, "I'll be right back." I went to Mother's computer (although she's no longer with us, I still call it that because it was Mother who used it and not Daddy) and returned shortly with the answers we were seeking. Dad just looked at me and shook his head. "You can find ALL THAT on the computer?" I said, "Oh yes, and lots more. In fact, there's little one can't find on there."

I love many old-fashioned things and ways, but I must say I'm extremely thankful for modern technology, as well.

With that said, I'll sign off for now and head to our grandson's basketball game. Perhaps more about that later. Have a great day and stay safe and warm!

"The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men . . ."

I sat down at my computer a few moments ago to add an addendum to my "Feed My Sheep" blog, lest I leave any readership with the false impression that I did, indeed, feed the missionaries evening before last (as was my intention, no doubt!).

The thought that came to my mind as I searched for a title to this blog entry was "The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men." Rather than simply type it in as today's blog entry title, it occurred to me to Google it to learn to whom the quote should be attributed. Imagine my surprise when I learned that it was none other than the Scottish bard Robert Burns, himself! And with this quote pertaining to my failed "Burns Night Supper," I could not help but laugh. What a coincidence!

My research revealed that the quote did, indeed, come from Burns, who used to be a farmer. The poem from which the quote comes was written after Burns ploughed through a mouse's nest out in the winter fields. I guess even mice can prepare for everything but the unexpected. Source: To a Mouse, November 1785

At Book Club last evening, my friend Eden remarked that she had read my blog about feeding the missionaries and the resultant fiasco. I told her that I had typed up that blog while I was waiting for the missionaries to call and let me know they had returned so I could deliver the food to them (for the second time).

Well, it turns out that with all that was involved in the transfer, they were not able to return before 10pm, and dinner didn't work out afterall. I did not mind the inconvenience; I did worry that they went without dinner. I know we can skip a meal, and sometimes it's even good for us, but still . . . I kept thinking, "It could be my son, or yours." Afterall, my sister and her husband are serving a mission right now, and . . . My mind wandered and then I reminded myself that my sister is a great cook, and is always sharing her food with everyone within delivering distance! On the other hand, my cousin is serving a mission in Mozambique, and Jake and his companions usually rely on the members to share meals with them.

The bottom line is, I certainly don't plan to stop feeding the missionaries; further, I hope to continue to try to serve their favorites. But, I hope next time not to "plough through the mouses' nest!"

So, what does one do when one has prepared enough taco meat, fresh chopped tomatoes, avacado, etc. to feed four hungry missionaries? It sounded to me like Taco Soup. So, I used half of the taco meat for a pot of Taco Soup (I froze the other half); made some cheese Quesadillas, and we had a hearty meal on a cold winter day during which we were blanketed with beautiful, white snow! The Ozarks feel a lot more like my home state of WY tonight!

"Feed My Sheep" (Will that be Neeps, Tatties, or just plain Tacos?)

We've all heard the phrase, "Be careful what you ask for." I smiled when that saying came to my mind yesterday. Let me explain.

I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (affectionately referred to as the Mormons). In our Church (as in many others), we have full-time missionaries, who serve at their own expense for usually two years, to assist us in our efforts to share with our friends and neighbors the good news of the gospel. To help them and us in that effort, we sometimes have them into our homes for a meal and to share a lesson with friends, neighbors, or family members who are interested in hearing a message of hope in a troubled world. I recently signed up on "The Missionary Calendar" to feed the two Elders (young men ages 19-21) who are assigned to our Ward (congregation). This evening was to be the dinner.

It occurred to me that it would be nice to fix THEIR favorite dishes instead of my family's for this occasion, so I asked them to share their Moms' email addresses with me a little over a week ago. I told them I wasn't going to tell them why I wanted the email addresses, but that they would know before the month was over.

I heard from Elder Phillips' Mother but had not heard from Elder Simakov's Mother, so I went ahead and planned the menu and did the shopping. The menu couldn't have been simpler: Soft-shelled tacos; refried beans; lime jello salad with cream cheese (I guess it's true what they say about Mormons and lime jello :); and chocolate ice cream. Elder Phillips has a non-diabetic, sugar allergy so the ideas really helped.

What was also very fun was that his Mom said they are of Scottish descent and this week is Scottish Heritage Week. Many families in his home state celebrate with "Burns Night Suppers," in honor of Scottish poet Robert Burns. She suggested I ask him to speak a little Scottish Gaelic for us, and also ask him if he knows what "Neeps" and "Tatties" are, and maybe share a Scottish poem.

Being of Scottish descent myself (on my Mother's line), my interest was peaked! I now know that "Neeps" are turnips, and "Tatties" are mashed potatoes. I even found a very fun little Irish prayer that I thought we could read as a "choral reading" before the blessing on the food:

A Grace Before Dinner
O thou who kindly dost provide
For every creature's want!
We bless Thee, God of Nature wide,
For all Thy goodness lent:
And if it please Thee, Heavenly Guide,
May never worse be sent;
But, whether granted, or denied,
Lord, bless us with content. Amen!
by Robert Burns

I was not familiar with the above poem by Burns, but smiled when I came upon another more familiar one entitled "Comin’ Thro the Rye."

Taking all these things into consideration, I planned our own version of a Burn's Night Supper. I made the salad yesterday and was well on my way to preparing the rest of the dinner when I learned that, due to the ice and snow storm that is slated to move into our area late tonight, the "powers that be" decided it would be safer to go ahead and make the transfer of missionaries this evening before the storm hit. (One is moving to another part of our City and another is headed to OK, while two others are coming here.) So, I said I would prepare for the four of them instead and deliver it to their apartment as there was no time they could pin down to come here. (This was actually a good thing, I guess, since our granddaughter came down with strept last night. We kept her today and I took her to the doctor this morning. Her daddy came and spent time with her this evening but she's safely ensconced so she doesn't have to get out in the storm, and because she'll have to miss school tomorrow. I wouldn't want to expose the Elders!)

I wanted to blog about the fun little bit I learned about our Scottish heritage, but also wanted to address the "be careful what you ask for part."

I did hear from Elder Simakov's Mom yesterday. She had been busy and had just got around to checking her email. Understandable. I told I had already planned the menu but would have another dinner soon and prepare her son's faves. She sent several yummy recipes but I truly had to smile. First, I need to explain that she is Russian and has been in the U.S. "3.5 years and proud of it." The first recipe she sent me was for the following:
Herring Under Fur Coat or Seledka pod Shuboj (Herring Salad)
She suggested I might want to ask for help inasmuch as it would take me about an hour to fillet/bone the herring.

This recipe consists of beautiful and multiple layers of fish and vegetables and sauces, mounded and "frosted" with the sauce that is vibrant reddish from the beet juice. (For the not-so-faint-of-heart, check out this site:
http://www.enjoyyourcooking.com/salads/herring-under-fur-coat-herring-salad.html)
I really do think it would be fun to try sometime, but would need more than a moment's notice to plan and prepare. I think I shall pass the recipes shared by this neat Russian woman along to the Ward where Elder S. is moving. Who knows? Perhaps there's an adventurous cook there who will be willing to tackle them.

Bon Appetit!

Oh, to be Ten, Again!

A greater than usual number of "No-public-school"days has provided some fun opportunities to spend time with our grandchildren, as mentioned in a prior blog. Yesterday was another such day. With schools closed for Martin Luther King holiday, the grandchildren spent yesterday pursuing other interests. Gingersnap was with friends; Reed attended a day program sponsored by the Park Board; and Nana (that would be me) got to spend the day with Miss Ky and Megan, Ky's "BFF" (that would be "Best Friend Forever," as verified by the split-heart necklaces they both wear).

Ky has been asking for some time if I would try to find a time to take her to Casper's, a funky chili restaurant owned by Ky's homeroom teacher's mother. Ky's Daddy is a Casper's fan and has also talked a lot about it. Challenge is that Casper's is open only for lunch and only Mondays-Fridays. Yesterday provided the perfect opportunity, so we headed out for an adventure. I had been there before but it was a first both both girls and they were not disappointed. They declared Casper's to be "the tiniest and craziest restaurant we've ever eaten at!"

The decor (if you can call it that) is nothing short of far-out, and I had to laugh at Ky's question when the chili and root beer were delivered. The chili was overflowing the cup and running onto the plate beneath. So, Ky asked her Nana (who is usually trying not to run things over or to wipe up excess food on the plate, "Nana, is it supposed to be like that?" I laughed and said, "Yes, here, it is!"

As you can see from the picture, Casper's is nothing short of a kwanset hut. Amazingly, one will almost always find every seat full and a line waiting for someone else to leave so they can have a space. I don't frankly find the menu all that appealing, but the flying mermaids, the large-lipped flying fish, and the "way-out" restroom, with "coconut-shell monkeys staring at you" (per Miss Ky) is just too fun to pass up. I took pictures and then printed them out when we returned out so the girls could do a scrapbook page to commemorate the event. (And they had a picture taken with their teacher's mother to share with their teacher.)

Steve picked Reed up from school and took him for ice cream and then played Old Maid with him while I fixed dinner. The three of us joined for another game of Old Maid before it was time for Reed to go. He is good at beating us at a number of games, although he lost at Old Maid last night. Sara said, "He's like his Daddy; rather competitive and doesn't like to lose." She added that she's trying to teach him to be a good loser as well as a good winner. We assured her that he was, indeed, a good sport about losing. The final time he lost, he laughed and tossed the Old Maid card into the air.

It's true that we spend a lot of time--and expend considerable energy!--with our grandchildren, but I have a feeling these good times will be gone and our grandchildren grown long before we're ready for them to be.

Talents and Gifts

It was my privilege to teach the Relief Society lesson this past Sunday on "Our Heavenly Family." What a wonderful reminder of the Divine Nature that each of us possesses. I was touched as class members shared their responses to my question, "What talents were you blessed with that you have used to bless the lives of others, and what talents have others used to bless your life."

Of course, we know that charity is the pure love of Christ, and that charity is based in service; service rendered in terms of actual deeds performed as well as in a generosity of spirit as we pray for, nurture, and set good examples for one another. I am so thankful for the many in my life (both male and female, although I focused this week on the women) who are such great examples to me. Those would include women in my family (my Mother was the most amazing woman, and I have sisters who are awesome, along with cousins, and dear, dear friends!) Sometimes, women we know only by reputation or from a distance provide for us tremendous examples of faith and perseverence, from the women in the scriptures to women who serve in public office or write inspirational books for our edification. These women--not those behind the glamorous faces on the Hollywood magazines--are the role models worthy of emulation. It is these women who remind me of the blessing it is to be "A Mother in Zion."

I carried on my "Aloha-tradition" and shared cookies during my lesson. I've been asked for the recipes, so I will share them here. NOTE: I must give credit to One far greater than I for creating the roses and tulips, but my kids brought them for my birthday and they were too beautiful not to add as props. :)

Pineapple Cookies with Pineapple Glaze
(Recipe makes about 3 dozen, depending of course on how large you make them.)

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup Crisco or butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Drain pineapple, reserving 3 tablespoons juice for frosting. In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar. Add egg; mix well. Add drained pineapple and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 325° for 17-20 minutes or until golden. Immediately remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.

Frosting:
In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar with enough of the reserved pineapple juice to achieve a smooth spreading consistency. If you ice while the cookies are warm, it will form a glaze, or you can wait until the cookies have cooled for more of a frosting.

Carrot Cookies
¾ cup shortening (I used ½ cup butter and ¼ cup Crisco)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 cup cooked carrots, mashed
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup nuts (I omitted the nuts inasmuch as some cannot have them)

Cream shortening (and/or butter) and sugar. Add egg and carrots. Sift dry ingredients together and then add to creamed mixture. Add vanilla, and nuts, if desired. Drop by spoonful onto cookies sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes (until “set) at 350 degrees.

Icing
1 cup powered sugar
3 tablespoons Orange Juice
Rind of 1 orange, finely grated

Ice cookies while warm
Makes about 3 dozen, depending of course upon how large you make them. ENJOY!

Along with loving to teach the Relief Society lessons and interact with these amazing women, I love the Visiting Teaching program and the opportunity to meet new sisters. I'm always torn because I love to continue visiting the women who have been on my route, but I also know from experience what fun it will be to become better acquainted with someone new. With the new year, I was given a new friend to visit with, as well as a new friend on our list (a young mother I've desired to get to know better).

When I was in WY in December, my sister Jan (who was recently called as the Education Counselor in R.S.) taught her first lesson. It was amazing! And she made some wonderful handouts (based on President Monson's "Warm-Fuzzy" Conference talk) that she found on visitingteaching.net. That was my first introduction to this great site; another example of someone willing to provide a service that greatly blesses others. I found a wonderful 2010 calendar on this site, as well as the cutest cards designed to provide contact information to those new to one's route. I printed them out, laminated them, and added magnets to the contact cards for easy posting. Everyone loved the calendars and the cards!

Inasmuch as the theme for January was Self-Reliance, it provided a wonderful opportunity to share a few things that will go perfectly into a "72-hour emergency kit." I had already picked up some fun microplush throws in a bright turquoise, and when our Ward's featured items were waterproof matches, flashlights (or lighting sources), and candles, I was able to find the cutest "smiley-faced" LED lights for $1!

Grandberries--The Best Anti-Aging Medicine Ever!

If you are a grandparent, I needn't explain to you that there's simply nothing like grandchildren to keep you young. They add an element of F-U-N to every holiday (well, EVERY DAY!) that seems to be lacking when adults-only are present. Because Gingersnap (Britt) and I were both under the weather this Christmas, we had an enjoyable Christmas but I didn't get many good pictures of the grandchildren. I did have a couple of other occasions recently to take some pictures, however, and wanted to share them on our family blog.


Britany sings with an all-girls high school choir called Bell Canto (Italian for "beautiful singing"). I had the opportunity to hear them sing (and to take some fun pictures) when they performed recently at the Battlefield Mall. I thought the picture of Brit and two of her close friends was very cute and, in fact, we picked up some cute "FRIENDS" photo frames and Brit gave each of them a picture of the threesome for Christmas.

A look out our back door might help to explain why Papa and Nana had the pleasure of spending today with Reeders and Miss Ky. This much snow and windchills of -13 degrees are atypical for Springfield. The City does not have a lot of snow removal equipment, and temperatures this low can also mean power outages. Thus, the public schools (and more than 270 other schools in the region) were closed yesterday and today.

Reed and Ky spent the morning playing Wii. I sweated for 45 minutes on the Schwinn Airdyne while I watched them "sword fight" one another, bowl, and frantically paddle their canoes in an effort to return the "cute" lost ducklings to their grateful mother. Isn't technology great?!! Now, if I could just find a program that would do my exercise for me (with the same or better results, of course!). Hmmmm.....
Ky and Reed wanted Stromboli for lunch so I told them to wash their hands and prepare to make it. They didn't have to be asked twice!

When the Stromboli was finished, they didn't have any trouble talking Papa into joining them for lunch.

I have two hours before my date-night movie with my hubby, and my office is still a disaster. But you know what? I'll bet it will still be here tomorrow, and the grandberries won't be. I think I made a good choice, don't you?