Here are the news stories I managed to actually read (or hear on the radio) in between all the kid stuff. Sadly, it was not a very happy year over all, but at least we're mostly still standing. Hopefully the next year will be a bit on the brighter side. Top Ten News Events of the Year (in no particular order)
10. Gold Boom
9. Death of Kim Jong Il
8. Famine in East Africa and North Korea
7. Osama Bin Laden Killed
6. European Economic Crisis
5. Arab Spring
4. Occupy Wallstreet
3. American Economic Crisis
2. Nuclear damage in Japan
1. Earthquake in Japan
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Pantry Month
A friend of mine used to say that if she lived near a Whole Foods it would be terrible because she would be so very poor and fat. I have to say that is how I am feeling right now and with no help from Whole Foods at all. The holidays have done a number on both our budget and our waistline, and there will have to be some form of intervention. Thus my family will be experiencing Pantry Month for the next several weeks. Having employed it before, I'm confident that Pantry Month will cut both dollars and pounds in short order.
How does it work? Simple. When we go to the store for groceries, the only things we will be buying are perishable items. That means milk, eggs, bread, veggies, fruit, etc. are fine. What is not fine is prepackaged processed "pantry" food. If it can stay on the shelf for weeks, months, or even years, we do not want it! Why? Because the pantry foods are the ones that usually cost the most and are often worth the least. Chips, cookies, and candy all live in the pantry, and look at what they will do for you!
Of course there are some good things to be found in the pantry, and you should feel free to work through your supply of those. Dried beans, peas, pasta, rice, and other staples are almost always hidden in my pantry, but I don't often use them because I have more convenient foods to use instead. Let's get back to cooking more from scratch and less from a can or bottle.
I know this works because last year I saved quite a bit of money. A normal grocery shopping trip costs between $70 and $80 (plus whatever my husband spends on "luxury" items). When we buy only perishable items, the total is more like $25-$30. That means by the end of the month we will have saved $150-$200! That will certainly help to offset our Christmas splurges.
The plan: buy only fresh items for the next month, use up all the extras in your pantry, and cook healthier meals from scratch. The benefits: save money, have a tidier pantry, and maybe even lose a holiday pound or two. Give it a try! You'd be surprised at how easy it can be.
How does it work? Simple. When we go to the store for groceries, the only things we will be buying are perishable items. That means milk, eggs, bread, veggies, fruit, etc. are fine. What is not fine is prepackaged processed "pantry" food. If it can stay on the shelf for weeks, months, or even years, we do not want it! Why? Because the pantry foods are the ones that usually cost the most and are often worth the least. Chips, cookies, and candy all live in the pantry, and look at what they will do for you!
Of course there are some good things to be found in the pantry, and you should feel free to work through your supply of those. Dried beans, peas, pasta, rice, and other staples are almost always hidden in my pantry, but I don't often use them because I have more convenient foods to use instead. Let's get back to cooking more from scratch and less from a can or bottle.
I know this works because last year I saved quite a bit of money. A normal grocery shopping trip costs between $70 and $80 (plus whatever my husband spends on "luxury" items). When we buy only perishable items, the total is more like $25-$30. That means by the end of the month we will have saved $150-$200! That will certainly help to offset our Christmas splurges.
The plan: buy only fresh items for the next month, use up all the extras in your pantry, and cook healthier meals from scratch. The benefits: save money, have a tidier pantry, and maybe even lose a holiday pound or two. Give it a try! You'd be surprised at how easy it can be.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Christmas '11 Review
A slow great time was had by all. For the first time in many years, it was just a few of us on the big day, and I think that actually worked out really well for Delphinium. She took her time with each phase of events, and I'm pretty sure that allowed her to enjoy things rather than having her get overwhelmed. As far as I can remember she didn't even cry once.
We got up when she did, eat some breakfast, and did stockings once Daddy woke up. That alone was exciting since there were so many little goodies in there! The look on her face was unforgettable as she pulled out wind-up babies, kaleidoscopes, animals, and even a chocolate coin. She would have cheerfully stuck with that for the rest of the day, but no, no there were bigger things in store. The stockings were hung in our family room near the fireplace. However, in our living room lived the tree and the presents.
We'd been working hard all morning to keep her out of the living room, so she wouldn’t see the major, unwrapped gifts from Santa. Once breakfast and stockings were accomplished, we could finally turn her loose. Speaking of expressions, the one she made for the bouncy cow was particulary interesting. "Cooooooow! Moooooo!" and then bouncybouncybouncybouncybouncy as she figured out its use.
The cow was eventually displaced by the glory of a tray of wooden food which could be "cut" by a wooden knife (think Velcro). A new baby doll came next "New baby! New baby!" which was very much loved and petted until it was literally thrown aside for a train booster pack (more track and goodies for her beloved wooden train). Things continued in this vein for some time, and that is why, at about noon, we had a break for lunch and naps. This meant leaving a good portion of the presents still wrapped under the tree, but what's the point in rushing?
A pesimist would say that this is proof of the crass commercialism of our age. A kid gets so many gifts that she can't even open them all, and when she does they just get thrown aside in an instant when the next thing appears. I have to disagree. Each of her new presents will be rediscovered in the weeks ahead as she takes the time to really appreciate what she has. Some things, like the baby doll and the trains, are already fixtures. Other items will take more time to make an impression.
On the whole I'm really happy with our Christmas experience. Of course it would have been nice to have our uncles, aunties, cousins, and grandparents there for the holiday, but since they couldn't come, it was good to find the silver lining in a small holiday. Who knows what next year might bring.
We got up when she did, eat some breakfast, and did stockings once Daddy woke up. That alone was exciting since there were so many little goodies in there! The look on her face was unforgettable as she pulled out wind-up babies, kaleidoscopes, animals, and even a chocolate coin. She would have cheerfully stuck with that for the rest of the day, but no, no there were bigger things in store. The stockings were hung in our family room near the fireplace. However, in our living room lived the tree and the presents.
We'd been working hard all morning to keep her out of the living room, so she wouldn’t see the major, unwrapped gifts from Santa. Once breakfast and stockings were accomplished, we could finally turn her loose. Speaking of expressions, the one she made for the bouncy cow was particulary interesting. "Cooooooow! Moooooo!" and then bouncybouncybouncybouncybouncy as she figured out its use.
The cow was eventually displaced by the glory of a tray of wooden food which could be "cut" by a wooden knife (think Velcro). A new baby doll came next "New baby! New baby!" which was very much loved and petted until it was literally thrown aside for a train booster pack (more track and goodies for her beloved wooden train). Things continued in this vein for some time, and that is why, at about noon, we had a break for lunch and naps. This meant leaving a good portion of the presents still wrapped under the tree, but what's the point in rushing?
A pesimist would say that this is proof of the crass commercialism of our age. A kid gets so many gifts that she can't even open them all, and when she does they just get thrown aside in an instant when the next thing appears. I have to disagree. Each of her new presents will be rediscovered in the weeks ahead as she takes the time to really appreciate what she has. Some things, like the baby doll and the trains, are already fixtures. Other items will take more time to make an impression.
On the whole I'm really happy with our Christmas experience. Of course it would have been nice to have our uncles, aunties, cousins, and grandparents there for the holiday, but since they couldn't come, it was good to find the silver lining in a small holiday. Who knows what next year might bring.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Merry Christmas!
"Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home! "
~Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, 1836
~Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, 1836
Friday, December 23, 2011
The Night Circus Reviewed
Ooo! Ooo! I really love this book! Ok, ok I know that is not a descriptive opening, and I would have marked my students down for such sentiments, but I just can't help myself. Let me try that again. The Night Circus is highly enjoyable because it is a very successful fantasy story. It captures that glamorous, ethereal quality that really good magical realism does so well, but manages to maintain an originality that is quite unusual.
Marco and Celia have been bound since childhood to compete in a game of chaos versus order. The venue is a fantastical circus whose creator, performers, and attendees have no idea what is really going on. The medium is magic. Each competes by manipulating the circus into ever more extraordinary directions, and the result is a dreamscape of different tents. Parallels I noticed were with The Tempest (which is often quoted) and Romeo and Juliette. If you're not a fantasy person, the quality of this book might well be lost on you. However, the fact that this is a first novel does make it all the more impressive.
Marco and Celia have been bound since childhood to compete in a game of chaos versus order. The venue is a fantastical circus whose creator, performers, and attendees have no idea what is really going on. The medium is magic. Each competes by manipulating the circus into ever more extraordinary directions, and the result is a dreamscape of different tents. Parallels I noticed were with The Tempest (which is often quoted) and Romeo and Juliette. If you're not a fantasy person, the quality of this book might well be lost on you. However, the fact that this is a first novel does make it all the more impressive.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Super Quick Curry Pumpkin Soup
Okay let me first say that I enjoy cooking. I love the sights, the smells, and of course the tastes of whipping up a real meal from real ingrediants. However that doesn't mean there aren't nights when I'm struggling to something, anything remotely healthy, on the table. Sometimes I rely on frozen goodies from Trader Joe's, but this is another option:
Quick Curry Pumpkin Soup
1 bottle curry sauce (we like TJ's simmer sauce)
1 can light coconut milk
2 cans pumpkin
Optional: veggies such as onion, carrot, potato, etc.
Method: Dice and saute veggies (if using). Pour pumpkin and curry sauce in a large pan with veggies. Cook for ten minutes to blend flavors. Blend in coconut milk, and finish with salt if needed. Serve with crusty bread and/or salad.
Quick Curry Pumpkin Soup
1 bottle curry sauce (we like TJ's simmer sauce)
1 can light coconut milk
2 cans pumpkin
Optional: veggies such as onion, carrot, potato, etc.
Method: Dice and saute veggies (if using). Pour pumpkin and curry sauce in a large pan with veggies. Cook for ten minutes to blend flavors. Blend in coconut milk, and finish with salt if needed. Serve with crusty bread and/or salad.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Baby Loves Advent House
Goodness, gracious we are so lucky to have our fabulous advent house! Auntie C. gave it to us a few years ago (B.B. or Before Baby) and we always liked it and appreciated it as holiday decor. However there is no way M or I could possibly enjoy the house as much as Delphinium does. Now that she understands the idea behind it we are inundated with requests for "house?! house?!" every day. We lift, we show the correct drawer, and then the baby does the rest by herself. She pulls the tiny knob, peaks inside, and then uses her little hand to pull out the prize. Sometimes it is a sticker (which is pretty good) sometimes it is a tiny animal (which is quite good) and sometimes it is a chocolate coin in a gold wrapper (which is REALLY REALLY good). Thanks Auntie C!
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