Fast Food Friday Returns!

On Fridays I do lessons with "The Girls" and then we go as a family to the gym. Bob works out and I swim. Then Etta joins me for a quick swim. (She loved it even more tonight because she got to wear the goggles that Santa put in her stocking.) Pretty soon Mae will get to join in the fun.

But adding kids to this equation has really created the need for a "fast" dinner. Even with s 3:30 snack Etta was asking for dinner as soon as we stepped out of the gym. So I have been trying to make things that are ready pretty much when we walk in the door.

Today I made "Black-and-Blue Pizza" from the Dec/Jan issue of Taste of Home. I was first drawn to it because of Bob. It's got blue cheese and bacon. Two of Bob's favorite things. So even though it didn't look right up my alley, I decided to try it because he was a good sport about the pea & lettuce soup that I made...[Yep, peas and lettuce. I try to go "meatless" once a week. Sometimes the recipes I try are good. Sometimes they are not...]

So today I made this pizza:

Black-and-Blue Pizzas (I got the recipe in half because I felt we only needed one)

• 2 loaves (1 lb. each) frozen bread dough, thawed [I made my own dough in a bread machine]

• 8 bacon strips, chopped

• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips [I cut mine into bite size pieces]

• 5 tsp. blackened seasoning [I have no idea what this is, so I used pepper and another spice that I use for tacos]

• 3 shallots, finely chopped [I just used 1/2 a yellow onion that I had]

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 jar (15 oz.) Alfredo sauce [I made my own]

• 2-1/2 cups sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms [I just used regular fresh mushrooms]

• 1 can (3.8 oz.) sliced ripe olives, drained [I used Kalamata because they were already open]

• 1/2 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil) [I used oven roasted tomatoes from this fall]

• 1-1/4 (5 oz.) blue cheese

• 3 Tbsp. minced fresh basil or 3 tsp. dried basil

• 2 Tbsp. minced fresh thyme or 2 tsp. dried thyme

• 12 slices provolone cheese

• 3 oz. Parmesan cheese, shaved into strips or 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Roll dough into two 16-in. x 10-in. rectangles; transfer to ungreased baking sheets and build up edges slightly. [I used a square baking stone.]

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon; drain, reserving 2 Tbsp. drippings. Sprinkle chicken with blackened seasoning; cook chicken in the drippings until no longer pink. Add shallots and garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Set aside.

Spread sauce over crusts; top with chicken mixture, bacon, mushrooms, olives and tomatoes. Sprinkle with blue cheese, basil and thyme; top with provolone and Parmesan cheeses.

Bake at 450 degree for 14-18 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.

What was left by the time I finally got the picture. The provolone is layered on top, but there are a lot of yummy bits underneath - promise!

Now, I was a bit wary because blue cheese is not my favorite. But this pizza turned out GREAT! How great? Well, if you regularly read my blog you will know that I have decided to see if Etta will eat more of our actual dinner fare (she usually eats everything - but mostly deconstructed. Ie: no casseroles or things that are mixed up.) if I allow her to help create dinner. I did not let her help me prep any of the food, but did allow her to help sprinkle it on and spread it around.

This child does not eat pizza. Good old American, pepperoni pizza. She will eat dough dipped in sauce, pepperoni in slices and mozzarella, but not as pizza. She also has never chewed up and swallowed a mushroom and has spit out Kalamata olives a variety of times. But as she was helping me spread the goodies she repeatedly said, "Can I try dat? Can I have a punch [pinch] of dis? A bite of dat?"

I almost could not get the mushrooms on faster than she was eating them! She ate a couple of Kalamata olives, "Dat's yummy mommy!". And the ringer, "Can I try dat cheese mommy?" The blue cheese. Well, why not. And? I had to pry the container out of her hands before she went crazy and ate the rest of it. Wow, if you don't tell them it's yucky sometimes they never know!

But the real test would be if she actually ATE the pizza - as pizza - at dinner time. We started with "salads". She ate a little bag of baby carrots, some red cabbage and a handful of blueberries. "Etta, would you like some pizza?" "Yes mommy!" So I cut a square into strips and put two on her plate. Before I could even start my own those two were gone. "More pizza please!" And she ate the rest of that slice. "Etta, would you like more pizza?" "Yes please!" And went on to eat another half a slice.

Quite a break through. I would have to say that overall this dinner was a success. It really wasn't that time consuming to make and was very flavorful.

Baby Dedication

On Sunday, December 12th we dedicated Mae to the Lord. She is about the same age that Etta was when we dedicated her. (This post is from the day that Etta was dedicated.) Unlike other denominations the Baptists do not baptize babies. They wait until the person (child or adult) is ready to accept the Lord and then be baptized. (Bob and I were both baptized on October 17th, 2007.)

We gathered with friends and family to promise that we would raise Mae with respect to the Lord.

December was "baby month" (well, hello Baby Jesus) and I gave a testimony about our journey to our children.



Grandma Cathy and Baba Steve were in attendance.



Waiting patiently for mommy to be all done talking.



Pastor Matt doing the "ceremony".



Brad & Linda, Sherri and Lynn & Barb were also in attendance.

"Walking"

Etta loved her walker and I think that Mae is going to also. Mostly she just wants to see what sister is doing...

Little Chef

So, I really like to cook. A lot. I like to try out new recipes, whip up old favorites and just get in and create meals.

In my head it is a super great idea to let Etta help me cook.

In my head.

In reality, after we have gotten started, it's not such a super great idea anymore.

But...Etta now also really loves to cook/"help mommy bake". Which I guess is a good thing. It makes me be aware of what I am doing, try to look at it differently so that I can allow her to do things that she is capable of doing so she feels involved and kind of let go of my control issues.

Uh hem.

That is kind of a tough one for me.

But she really loves it. And being at the stage where she really is being a pretty good helper (most of the time) I figure that I need to capitalize. Either she will continue to grow in her love of cooking and spending time with me - or she will start to hate it and never want to help in the kitchen again. Either way, I really need to treasure this time.

Sooooooo, it was really great to get a box in the mail before Christmas from a friend that I had taught with way back in the day when I started at Jenifer. She was the art student teacher and a terrific person. (On a side note: Billie ended up creating a B-E-A-U-tiful flower girl basket for our wedding using a cheap basket, florist wire and pink ribbon. She is awesome.)

We gleeful tore in to this surprise, before Christmas gift and I was amazed at the bake set that she had sent for Etta. An apron and a full array of cooking aides. Measuring cups, measuring spoons, a silicon brush, a spatula and cooking "shears". Etta was ecstatic and wanted the apron on right then. It was a hit!

That in turn prompted me to empty one of my "mommy drawers" and give Etta an actual drawer to keep her own real cooking "stuff" in. Wow, two and a half and she already has nicer cookware than I do. Who would of thought.

Anyway, our first cooking exploration with the new stuff wasn't actually cooking, but mixing. We made our annual batch of holiday cheese spread. She got to wear her apron and use her spatula. And she really couldn't have been happier. Except for the fact that we got to try out the cheese on a roll when we were done mixing. (She ended up eating a ton of that stuff by the time it was gone. I am currently testing the theory that kids will eat what they make....)

New apron, new spatula, "old" chef's hat. And if you zoom in you can probably even read the recipe for the cheese spread!

I also read that 2-year-olds should be able to unload silverware and tear lettuce for salads. So, Etta does just that. The silverware is good for same-same sorting and she loves the hands on of the lettuce tearing. She also helped me roll up crescent rolls this afternoon and will help with dinner prep tonight. See - when I'm typing this it is starting to sound like a good idea again...we'll see when I am up to my eyeballs in help tonight!

Four Month Annibirthery

On Sunday Mae turned four months old. The pics are from that day, but her doctor's appointment was today so I thought I would wait to post until I had cold, hard stats. Let's see: 11 pounds 7 oz and 23.5 inches long. Not too shabby I guess. About the 25% for height and, to quote the doctor, between 5-10% for weight.

Okay, sounds good to me. So when I got home I pulled out Etta's baby book to see how much smaller she was at four months. Boy, was I surprised. Etta was 12 pounds 10 ounces and 24 inches long. And all this time I was thinking about how much bigger Mae must be than Etta was...These kids, they can surprise you!

Mae is a very happy baby. Most of the time. She is much more of a momma's girl than Etta ever was. But that is okay with me. I kind of missed out before. But it bums Bob out a bit, but he gets it.

She loves to watch big sister play with her toys so I set her up in her walker or on the floor gym and just let her watch. This gets big grins and lots of coos. On that subject, she "talks" WAY more than Etta ever did - until Etta actually started talking...

She's been sleeping through the night and is on a pretty good schedule. Although I go back to work at Beacon today, so that will all have to be adjusted now. But that's okay. She is a pretty agreeable baby.

I couldn't get her to stretch her legs out - but I also couldn't keep her from smiling!

Okay, maybe *one* leg...



SO happy!!

"The Girls"

In our house we have "The Boys" which refer to Jonah and Noah and "The Girls" which refer to Rachel and Jackie. Twin girls that I started in band in the 5th grade and then started private lessons with after I quit teaching in public school. We have had lessons about once a week, sometimes once every two weeks, for the last three years. (Our longest hiatus was when Mae was born...) This includes through summer vacations.

Watching them grow and develop as musicians over the past five years has been incredible. As a director of a band you see growth in a lot of students over the years. But working with them privately opens up a whole new world. I don't get to watch them bloom just as musicians, but as girls growing into women.

They do not come from what many would consider the "best" circumstances. Adopted at 18 months here in Lewiston they moved to Texas. (They are, of course, big TCU fans!) Then before 4th grade they moved back to Lewiston. I first saw them when I was doing the band preview speech the spring of their 4th grade year. They were absolutely the *cutest* little girls I had ever seen. Identical twins. Very polite. Very energetic. After I had given my whole spiel one of them said, "Um, we want to play the violin." Oh no!! We do not have a strings program in Lewiston and even when we did, I did not teach it. But I knew that I wanted these girls. "Come to the show and try and we'll find something for you to play in band!"

They did and were sold on the french horn. The school was able to provide TWO free french horns for them to use. (They are also very low on the financial side of matters.) Amazingly enough I had a student teacher both semesters of their 5th grade year so I was able to pull them out to work with just them very often during that first year of band. Since they don't have a lot to do at home, or the means to go out and do a lot of things, they started practicing. A lot. And it showed. They were into book II of our band series by the end of the year and showed no signs of slowing down.

During sixth grade they just kept right on going. My maternity leave was the end of that year. I had heard that they were going to have to go to school at Lapwai the next fall due to a move that they had to make to different housing. I was devastated. Here were these two phenomenal musicians who were about to go into a music wasteland. Bob had left there the year before and his replacement left a lot to be desired musically.

So I contacted their mother in hopes that I could give them free, private lessons to make sure they were still challenged. She readily agreed to this arrangement. It would mean a lot of extra driving and waiting long hours after work for her, but was worth it in her mind.

The day before school started their seventh grade year I received a call from their mom. Low and behold they had found different housing in Lewiston and would be going to Jenifer. She was wondering if I would still do lessons. Of course!! I was going to miss having them in band but I wouldn't have to miss helping them become better musicians. We started the next week.

After a year of doing lessons on just the french horn they decided they wanted to be in jazz band. Now, I was the kind of teacher who let pretty much any instrument be in jazz band, but even I would have said no to french horns. They read completely different music and it is a huge headache writing out parts for all of the songs. So, if that wasn't an option they wanted to learn to play the trombone. I just happened to have two extra trombones whom no one was using, so we started up lessons on the trombone also. And after a year of those lessons they auditioned and made the junior high jazz band for their 9th grade year.

These girls are amazing. They practice both instruments on average of 30 minutes a day. It is like pulling teeth to get "average" kids to practice 30 minutes a WEEK! If I tell them to practice something particular and they don't, I call them on it. And then they fix it. I am hoping to get them into college on scholarships when they are done with high school. With maybe a few stops at All-State along the way.

In the 7th grade they wanted to try some different sports. Decided it didn't really work for them and decided to focus on their music. And? Just before Christmas we received my Grandmother's upright grand that had been at my Aunt's in New Mexico. When the moving van got here with the piano they loaded up our piano and took it up to the girls. Their Christmas gift from me? Beginning piano books. I have all of the faith in the world that they will be as proficient on the piano as they are on the french horns and trombones.

It is students like this that make teaching worth while. Thanks, girls.

Their mom works at a local nursing home so they go often (at least five or six times a year) to play for the residents. I join them when I can. Such as at Christmas. The residents LOVE them. After we played our trombone trio I had a piano student play a few songs. The resident I sat down next to leaned over and said, "They ARE going to play their french horns aren't they?"



Having them play at the nursing home really helps with their self confidence and self motivation. They normally pick out the duets and practice them with just a bit of guidance from me. They now know if they make mistakes it's not the end of the world. They are going to be MUCH BETTER performers than I ever was or could hope to be.



The last few years they have joined us for our Christmas production at church and our Christmas Eve service. After enjoying themselves they have now started coming to our church! This past Sunday was their first day. I am hoping that they enjoy themselves and continue to attend.



"The Girls" and their mom, Michelle.

Twinkle Twinkle Part II

At our Christmas Eve service the children dressed as wise (wo)men & angels and sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. It was pretty sweet!

Ummmmmmmmm,



Bob signing the words.



And Noah & Etta thinking, "What the...?"



The whole crew.