cooking dinner

aww look how small he was

Oliver really likes cooking, but not all meals are child friendly to cook.  Tonight I was making our version of teriyaki chicken which involves covering raw chicken with raw eggs, then flour, then the eggy floury chicken goes for a dip in some hot oil.  Since I usually cook dinner while we are waiting for Jim to get home, and Oliver doesn't play well alone in his playroom...I have to get out something extra fun to keep him busy while I cook this dangerous meal.

-Plastic storage bin
-Measuring cups
-Spray bottle
-Squeeze bottle
-Some animals
-Warm water colored with food coloring (blue/green to remind us of St. Maarten)
-Beach towel for misplaced pours and splashes

It always starts off the same.  Boy, outside the water, pants.  Then there is boy, outside the water, in underwear.  It always ends the same.  Boy, naked, in the water.  By the time he is chilly dinner is finished.  A quick dry and dress and we are ready to eat. 

vacation

Jim's cousin got married last Wednesday.  I know right, who gets married on a Wednesday?  Well when you invite your guests on a week long Caribbean cruise, you can get married any day of the week because they all feel like Saturday.  

Let's take a few moments to view what was going on last Jan/Feb...

snow

ice

Now a few photos of this January...

shuffle board on deck

wedding party

perfection

sunshine & palm trees

st. maarten



ice cream after a swim in the pool

 

Lucky for us our captain decided to stay on course, you know, as opposed to sailing up next to the shore and then tipping over.  Though hearing about that story while your in line to check on for a cruise trip does cause a slight bit of nervousness.  Now, the trip wasn't all sunshine and palm trees.  Our first port, a small private island, had to be skipped due to rocky seas and high winds.  We sailed on.  After three days of sailing we docked in St. Thomas.  We couldn't get off in St. Thomas because the wedding was that day, on the ship and there wouldn't be enough time to really do anything.  However, we didn't feel sad about not getting off because it rained most of the day.  The wedding was beautiful and the reception was very fun and Oliver tore up the dance floor. 

Oliver had a great time.  All his favorite things were right there.  Mama, dada, grammy, pop-pop, water, swimming, ice cream and food.  He didn't get sea sick and he wasn't fussy.  Lovely.  We also learned that Oliver loves shows.  In the evenings the cruise ships always have some sort of semi cheese ball singing and dancing sort of show.  Jim and I figured we would take him to a show and if it didn't work out we would just take turns seeing them.  The moment the intro song started to be played by the live orchestra he was hooked.  Sat still on my lap, watched, and clapped when he saw others clap.  The last night of the cruise the show was different, not a song and dance show, more of a variety show.  At one point a comedian came out.  About three minutes into his set Oliver calls out "It is showtime!"  Meaning, this guy should step aside and let the show begin.  Hilarious.  

 

Sleeping arrangements. 
When we got to the room and unpacked our stuff we then went and requested a pack and play for Oliver to sleep in.  We left and walked around the ship.  When we got back there was no crib, rather a bed that had been pulled down from the ceiling...kinda seems like the opposite of a pack and play.  The moment Oliver saw it he was in love.  The ladder was so fun to climb and he thought being up high was best.  "Hello down there mama."  We figured we would give it a try for a night and if it didn't work out we would ask for a pack and play again.  But it worked just fine, and he didn't fall off.  I totally forgot to snap a picture of him up there, but you can kind of see his bed in this pic where he is checking out a towel elephant.   

 

Today, is the one year anniversary of the judge in Russia giving us a yes!  Relive the joy and tears right here.

burgers

Over here I wrote about some new year's resolutions.  One resolution involved making a new meal at least once a month.  New meaning something I had never made before. 

Rachael Ray is probably the person who has taught me the most about cooking.  She is creative and attainable all at the same time.  So when looking for a new something to make I turned to her everyday magazine.  I picked it up at the airport in Orlando and read it at least three times before touchdown in Kansas City.  The best thing about the magazine is that there is a photo of every finished product.  I love to know what the food I'm cooking should look like.

For this evenings meal I choose burgers.  Yeah I know, burgers doesn't sound very new and fresh, but for me it's actually huge.  I can't remember a time I've made a burger.  Jim always grills them and I always just buy the preformed burgers and toss some seasoning on them before sending them off to him. 

I didn't make them exactly as she said, because I'm grocery list writing challenged.  She calls for mustard in the burger.  I assume I've got that in the fridge, who doesn't?  Well you know what they say about assuming... so I put in some worcestershire sauce and steak seasoning.  Tasted great.  The onions were my favorite, but I'm weird like that. 

back in 2011

My mind if filled with thoughts of what we were doing this time last year.  January 19th was the day our plane took off for Moscow.  I'd been there before, but it was still so foreign, so different, so Russian, so cold and oh so wonderful.  The days ahead of us were filled with medicals, appointments, flights, visits, court, approval, and waiting. 

Today, January 19th 2012?  Oh today the three of us are exploring sunny St. Maarten.  Hiking around a mountain and hopefully taking a zip line ride, minus Oliver because they say he is too short for such an activity.  I'm lucky I squeaked by the height requirement.  We are in the midst of a Caribbean cruise with some of the extended family for our cousin Sara's wedding.

Photos and more "year ago" stories to come when I'm done sipping tea on a sandy beach and actually have internet.  (this was written on the 14th) 

a different kind of light box

Early on when I first became a teacher I learned that creative ideas for projects and such are 25% you and 75% searching for other people's ideas.  Sharing, stealing, whatever you want to call it. 

Here is something from that 75% of stolen/shared ideas...

Necessary supplies
-large box
-Christmas lights
-electricity

Instructions
-poke lights through box "roof"
-plug in

Not required, but fun
-markers
-crayons
-balloons

This idea was stolen from the Play at Home Mom Blog which
can pretty much teach you a million things to keep
your kid busy for a million hours and educated them
at the same time.  Amazing, I know! 

keep the adoption tax credit going

Adoption is expensive.  It just is.  When you birth a child you can get help with all that prenatal stuff and labor and such.  Insurance help, government help, etc.  When you adopt you can apply for grants, but if you happen to fall in the middle you don't qualify for many grants but the cost is still mind boggling.   So there is an adoption tax credit.  We get ours this tax season, and will use it to rebuild some of the savings we had to use for the adoption.  It certainly doesn't cover the full price of the adoption or even half, but it's still an awesome program. 

I don't think people should have to be turned off from adopting a child because of cost.  "I'm sorry small orphan boy I would adopt you, but your country is insane and it's way too expensive.  My country is ridiculous and doesn't support adoptions the way they support biological children.  They canceled the adoption tax credit so now there is no way I can afford to even think of adopting you"  No, that's just wrong.  Would you agree?  If yes jump over to this site and take a minute to sign a petition to help extend the adoption tax credit through 2013.

The encouragement....   

worth the effort

I always make the same cheesecake.  It's delicious, but sometimes you just need to try something new.  Jim requested cheesecake for his birthday and instead of the regular one I made this one.  Oreo crust, cheesecake, chocolate mousse, chocolate ganache.  It was perfect.  All layered up and wonderful.  She mentions espresso and rum, I did skip those things, as they were listed as optional, and I don't like either.  Other than that I made it just as written.  It's totally worth the effort and the calories, just invite some friends over to help you eat it.

resolve

I still don't believe January is the start of the new year.  I've always followed an academic calendar.  I don't usually make any resolutions, preferring to just adjust as needed.  However, I do have a few ideas for this upcoming year.  So I'll jump on the band wagon, celebrating the new year in January not September and placing a few goals in front of me.  12 goals for 2012...if I list 12 things I bound to accomplish something, right? 

-Grow more!  Not height, I think I'm set here at 5'1.  Grow more food.  Last year I planted a bunch of herbs and some jalapenos.  This year I need to grow way way more basil, thyme, rosemary, sage, red peppers, lettuce, and whatever else I can fit.

-Spruce up our yard.  Mulch, trim, dig, and plant.  Our backyard is a scary place! 

-Have our hardwood floors refinished.

-Sew a new project each month.  I got a sewing machine for Christmas and I want to challenge myself to use it!

January - covers for couch throw pillows, they are certainly not perfect

-Cook at least one new meal a month.  I cook a lot, but still only use 5-10 recipes from each cookbook.  

-Enroll Oliver in a preschool and teach him colors, shapes, and how to play basic kid games

-Put together some skill based bins for Oliver.  Cutting bin, gluing bin, etc.

-Organize the basement, and the garage, and the office, and the....


-Get a Kansas license and register to vote in this state.

-Lose a pound or two or ten or.....

-Inspire someone to adopt.

-Do something tangible to help orphans, particularly the Russian variety, particularly the ones from Oliver's orphanage. 


What are you up to this year?  Are you anti resolution or do you set and fail the same resolution over and over?  Are you one of the few that sets a goal and gets it done!?!