The 1st Snow -- a party for the rest of us.

You guys know that I’m no Special Events Maven.  One of my besties is; and honestly, I have been missing her spunky-just-because parties.  She’s a genius. 

Me, well, let’s be frank, most days my house isn’t even clean.  Ok, every day except when there’s company.  So when I say we had a 1st Snow Party, please don’t conjure images of photo booth props, perfectly laid buffet tables, or color-coordinated decorations.

No.  With me, it’s more:

{in Olaf’s voice}  “Hey, it snowed.  I love snow.”  … “It’s Friday.  Thank goodness.”  … “We should watch Frozen.”  … “Ah, what the heck, we’ll make it a sing-along.”  … “Ooo, maybe even have themed treats.”

…  …  … 

{2 Pinterest-ed hours later}  “So, all treats paleo are out.  WTFlip is arrowroot anyway?  Guess I’ll raid the cupboards and throw cotton balls on the table.”  

And that’s what I did.   The key here is raid the cupboard.  I didn't use anything we didn't already have on hand.  I wanted a "white" meal, and the kids were flexible enough that beige/yellow counted.  And there were white beans in the chili, so they let that count, too.  

I present to you: THE 1st SNOW – a party for the rest of us. 

  

See, I told you I used cotton balls.

I was making vegetarian chili anyway.  So, it became troll bites (beans look like rocks) 

with a side of Christoff's Corn Bread 

Popcorn for the movie: Sven's Snowflakes

More snackies: Carrots as Olaf's Noses and Han's (a dip) Humus.

See what I did, there?

Blue-green "ice" candy for Elsa's Ice Palace Pieces

Don't judge the source, people.  The Officer and I break bad sometimes, ok?

"He only likes to tinkle in the woods" Yellow Snow Lemonade.

I have a nine year old boy, folks; had to keep it relevant.

Snowmen in Summer

Jazz Hands.

The piece de resistance: Anna's Snow Pie

A vanilla creme meringue -- my first! 

Also, I used a regular, pre-fab pie crust.  

And I sprinkled some white, snow like sprinkles on the top.

Because, snow.

I had to get a shot of this lovely.  

Games:

Defeating Marshmallow

I had some white Styrofoam cups and extra cotton balls, so the kids had 60 seconds to throw as many "snowballs" (cotton) into Marshmallow (the Palace Bouncer) as they can.  Winner gets 1st piece of Elsa's palace.  Make distance age appropriate.  Lots of giggles.  

Make your own Olaf
I had different size Styrofoam balls and some brown pipe cleaners in the craft box.  Add markers and you've got a make your own snowman station.  Good for the time between eating and watching the movie, while Mom was trying to clean the ridiculous mess she made making a pie.  To check out the Firefly and Koala's creations, check the background of the pie picture above.  

Movie
Turn on the flick and sing at the top of your lungs.  Good for the whole crew.

I've decided that we're having a 1st Snow as an annual event.  It will no doubt evolve; but it was fun to celebrate that weather occurrence our family loves most.  

  

Mini Strawberry Shortcakes

I am so proud of my minis!  We have challenged ourselves to going without sugar for 30 days, and they are 8 days in and doing wonderfully.  The hard part: it’s summer and we usually do lots of treats (because we can) during the summer, especially for our afternoon reading-snuggle-tea time.  And let me tell ya, Pinterest doesn’t exactly help.  But, we’re going strong and they’ve taken to checking nutrition labels to make sure everything they eat has less than 10g of sugar per serving. 

I know even 10g is a lot, but compared to where we were before (cake for breakfast, pie for lunch, and ice cream for dinner, anyone?), it’s a huge improvement.  Go Team!

Three of the yummies -- the most I could keep on the plate due to mini theft.

To that end, I’ve been on the prowl for treats that are healthy and summery and fun.*  This one was a major hit, so much so that they kids have begged me to go to the store tomorrow and get more strawberries.  That is saying something, considering I attempted this treat because the ones in the fridge were on the very cusp of going bad – another reason I decided to “hide” the strawberries under layers of yogurt and wafers. 

My only strawberry.  It really did taste like shortcake.

I know, I’m a horrible mother. 

So without further ado, the recipe:

Three ingredients -- I can handle that.

Mini Strawberry Shortcakes

1lb package of fresh strawberries

12 vanilla wafers

¼ cup Greek vanilla yogurt

                Directions

·         Crush 12 vanilla wafers.  I put cookies in gallon freezer bag and used a marble rolling pin until they were finely crushed.

·         Hull strawberries

·         Roll strawberries in yogurt -- I used a bamboo skewer to hold the berry.

·         Roll strawberries in crushed wafers.

·         Make sure the kids leave you just some – I had to throw elbows to get mine.  Okay, that’s slightly hyperbolic, but I did have to sternly shoo minis away so I could try one.

*Side note: Because our eating had gotten so out of control, I told the kids that I wasn’t counting fruit sugars against them.   At this point, we need to be getting real food into our bodies and fruit is a definite improvement!    

Perhaps it's the Altitude...

I am not given to the leanings of conspiracy theorists.  In fact, I frequently find them tedious and contra to the stance my family holds (upholding the constitution, defending the country against all enemies both foreign and domestic, etc…) regarding our duties as citizens of these United States. 

Yet today, I have to ask:

For what purpose does the government need an inventory of my home?

I raise this question because yesterday two government agencies, FEMA and the Colordao Department of Public Health and Environment, hosted a special assembly at my children’s elementary school (to be fair, the school is also a middle school.  We’re a small mountain community, folks).  They discussed emergency preparedness and necessary safety measures that should be taken in the event of a natural disaster, such as flood or wildfire.  All relevant and appropriate information for mountain kids; and informational presentations that I appreciate and endorse. 

However, at the end of the assembly, the children were given scavenger hunt lists to take home, fill out, and return for the next FEMA and CDPHE visit. 

These "Scavenger Hunt Lists"  are an inventory of twenty-seven items that should go into a family disaster kit.  After the children have located the Family Disaster Kit, they are to check off each item individually.  If an item is missing, the child is instructed to “go on a scavenger hunt” for said item to place in the kit.   The child is scored on the number of items in their Family Disaster Kit.   Once the child has inventoried the Family Disaster Kit, the parents are to fill out and sign the “verification form” to indicate that the child has completed the assignment.  Both parent and child are instructed to return the Verification Form, checked Inventory – oops, sorry, I meant – Scavenger Hunt List, Matching Activity (not included in packet sent home), and Word Search (also, not included in take home packet) to his/her school. 

What happens after the child completes the assignment and returns them to the government agency,…erhm…school? 

Why, they get their very own Cinch Sack with Emergency Supplies Inside!  That’s right, kiddies, all you have to do is tell Uncle Sam what’s in your parents’ house and you, too, can have your very own government sponsored emergency preparedness bag.  And yes, the items in the bag are very cool; and yes, kiddies, you want them very much.     

     

So why are the federal and state governments bribing – pardon me, strongly encouraging – my child to inventory my home?  Because “studies have shown” that a child’s ability to respond to and recover from an emergency or disaster is connected to how adult caregivers react and respond.[1]  It’s for the kids’ sake, after all.    

Is it just the air up here, or does that sound like a hauntingly familiar strain from not-too-distant history? 

One wonders what inventory will be next…

---

[1] While the specific studies are not referenced in the letter sent home to families, the Weber-Morgan Health Department in Utah is mentioned as a pioneer of the “I’m Not Scared When I’m Prepared” family project.  

How to have a productive writing day

1.) Turn off the internets.

2.) Ignore clutter.  All.the.clutter.

3.) Hydrate.  Caffeinate.  Study.  Create.

 4.) Find new writing station – maybe standing will get the blood flowing to the brain.

 5.) Ignore the fridge.  And pantry.  And freezer.  And no, you may not go to the Quick Mart for chips. {this tip is also helping Rachel Held Evans who tweeted it a few weeks ago}

 6.) Stop blogging about writing.  I mean it.

7.) Stop writing lists.  Especially just to check things off of them.

8.) Open documents and reread for clarity.  And inspiration.  Stare blankly at screen, hoping the pages will write themselves.

9.) Put your blasted fingers on the keys and just start typing things.  Don’t worry, the words are in there.  They just need the chance to get out.

 10.) Pray.

11.) Repeat.

Mountain Hippie: Oil Pulling

As some of you may know, I’ve tried to the Paleo diet in the past.  And for Lent (not just, but the timing is apropos), I’m going back on it.  I doubt I’ll go all the way off again because getting back on the wagon is too dang hard.  And I feel really yucky when I’m this far gone.  Anyway, I have decided to bump up my start by looking into a detox.  I do not want anything harsh or chemical induced.  Really, I’m just looking for a gentle way to reset my body and help it begin the healing process.  So, here’s what I’m trying today. 

I’ve read a bit about oil pulling recently – it just keeps coming up – and happen to have a substantial amount of coconut oil on hand, thanks to the reintegration of Paleo.  Also, I’ve been looking at introducing natural detoxifiers to help undo the damage I’ve been inflicting on my body for years.  And today, I read an article saying that oil pulling relieves psoriasis.  Hello!  I’ve been looking at natural help for this very issue for a while now, to the extent, that I’m *this close* to joining the No-Poo movement.  In reality, that was the cincher; I’m just not ready to give up my shampoo yet. 

                What is oil pulling, you may ask (as I did just a few short weeks ago)? 

Well, it’s some “ancient” technique to detox your body by swishing unrefined, organic coconut oil around your mouth for 20 minutes (no swallowing) and then spitting out the toxins.  (You can go here, here, or here to read a more technical and articulate articles on this practice.) 

Again, I was lured in by three things: I have a ton of coconut oil on hand.  Right now.  I am currently seeking natural detoxifiers and psoriasis relief.  And I can do this while typing on my computer.  While the above article delineate the benefits of extended use, I didn’t find any that told me what to really expect my first go ‘round.  And so, because I have very limited personal boundaries (ah, internet the pseudo-anonymity you offer is so helpful), here’s my first experience with oil pulling. 

I used 1 teaspoon of unrefined, organic coconut oil.  It seemed a reasonable amount to start with, since most articles call for between 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon.  I scooped the oil out, since it’s in a solid form, because we’re at 8,800 feet with 6 inches of fresh powder, and looked at it for a few seconds.  Since it would begin as a solid, I couldn’t decide: was I supposed to just suck on it ‘till it melted?  Or chew it like gum?  Upon the realization that there’s no time like the present to solve that dilemma, I popped the little ball into my mouth – it took a moment to wedge the solid oil out of the teaspoon – and set the timer.  Then I nestled into my favorite chair and decided to live-blog my experience.  Here ya go: 

First impressions:

• 20 minutes is a long time
• Wow, that’s a lot of coconut oil.
• The texture is like chewing a lotion bar
• How do I not swallow for 20 minutes?!

After the first few minutes:

• 20 minutes IS a long time.
• The coconut oil melts more slowly than I expected.
• The texture issue is gone because the oil has melted.
• How DO I not swallow for – oh, crap.  I swallowed a little bit.  Am I going to die?! 

Last impressions (After 20 minutes):

• 20 minutes is a really freaking long time – I had more than enough time to write this article, take the photo, run it through Instagram, scroll Facebook, look up some more articles, use interpretive dance in an attempt to communicate to the Officer what I was doing and why I couldn’t talk to him or answer the phone, find the requisite baggie into which I would dispel the used oil, and reheat my coffee because 20 minutes is a loooong time.    
• I have no idea how people do more than 1 teaspoon at a time.  Good for them.  My mouth was full-to-the-brim the entire time.
• My mouth definitely tastes coconutty.
• ALWAYS spit used oil into trash or plastic bag when done – it will clog your pipes if you spit it directly into the sink.  I am so glad that one article mentioned this in the instructions.  I totally would have used the sink. 
• I think I swallowed a lot more than I realized.  Oops.

Will I try this again?  Yes, because I want to see what results I will have with consistency.  But I may have to supplement with jowl exercises, because I feel like swishing for 20 minutes every day might not benefit my age-induced decreasing skin elasticity.  Basically, I don’t know if saggy jowls are an adequate trade-off for a reduction of psoriasis on my scalp.  (Because, you know, there’s always the No-Poo movement.)

How about you, reader, any hippie-ish experience you’ve tried recently (or thought about trying)? 

Killing Mush Brain.

We have all had a serious case of mush-brain lately.  You know that state where we can't really think of anything to do, other than watch a movie or play a hand-held device, or otherwise become zombies in front of a glowing screen.  And to make matters worse, I've gotten really *really* lax in the sweets department.  The "this is only for Sundays" cereal has been making twice daily appearances on the table.  And more often than not, I've said "yes" to the slightest whim of a sugary snack.  We're becoming sugar-screen zombie with mush for brains.  

But I've come to realize, once again, that I am captive to too much of this.  And none of it is satisfying.  None of it is life giving.  None of it is lasting. Rather, it is draining, destructive, or wasteful.  It can be at once numbing and infuriating.  It draws me away from all that is good, only to suck me under and hold me there until I can no longer see the way up.

What's worse is that I'm dragging my kids down with me.  Therefore, I decree that for the next two weeks (at least):

I am unplugging screens for two weeks.  No t.v., no Netflix or Hulu or Amazon.  No movies or series or episodes.  Not even Kindles.

Instead, I will read scripture and pray and create and play games and talk to my kids.  And read books.  And be silly and laugh and do science or make music and find beauty.    

I am unhooking the internet.  No Pinetrest or Twitter or Instagram or Facebook or Snapchat or Spotify.  Not even blogging. 

Instead, I will journal and pray and walk outside, breathing deeply the crisp winter air and watching the snow on the pines.  And I will write letters and call old friends and be in the moment.   

I am purging sugar from the house.  No cakes or cookies or candies or hot chocolates or cereals that make Halloween envious. 

Instead, we will eat fruits, drink herbal teas, and add honey to foods that need sweetening.  

    

Because our bodies are made for better things than screens and sugar.  Our minds grow stagnant and mushy with this steady diet of processed food and false ideas.  And because I think that we need to relearn how to be with each other.  And we need to silence messages that are harmful and counter-scriptural.  We need to pull our eyes and hearts and minds away from what this world keeps screaming is so important, and look instead for the face of the One who truly is. 

Until then, wish me luck.  The zombies are likely to riot.   At least initially.  

A Resolute What We're Reading Wednesday

Where have you been?!  {read in Mrs. Weasley’s voice}  More demand than question.

Well, Christmas.  Family.  Construction.  And, of course, resolutions.  So there’s that.

For now, because I am aching to keep said resolutions (and boy do those eat up one’s day), I’m going to give you a glimpse of the literary ones.  For accountability.  And because I feel terrible for leaving you alone for so long. 

In 2014, I’ve resolved to read all of the books BEFORE I see the movies:

The Hobbit

J.R.R. Tolkien

Yes, technically I’ve already ready this one; but I want to read it to the minis first, too.  Thankfully, Peter Jackson decided to make it easy for me by breaking it up into thirds (though as a filmie – kinda like foodies, only with cinema.  Try using it to wow your friends.  I’m angling to have it added to Websters in a few years.  I digress. – I’m pretty disappointed that he did this.  C’est la vie). 

The Book Thief

Markus Zusak

Haha!  I just finished this one.  Eh.  I’m hoping the movie’s better.  The narrative device became tiresome and as distracted as contemporary teens’ interactions.  Yeah, I know it’s YA fiction.  But still.  I’m interested to see how the director and screenwriters parlay this into the film.

Divergent

Veronica Roth

Pure, YA fluff.  The Firefly and I will be going.  What can I say?  She’s way ahead of her reading level and there’s just not much out there for her.  Plus I’ve already read this one, too.  She just finished.  In a day.  So, yeah, it’s fluff.

Mockingjay

Suzanne Collins

Again, YA fluff and the Firefly’s favorite.  I’m a terrible mother.

Lone Survivor

Marcus Luttrell, with Patrick Robinson

Probably not one I’d read on my own, but I know the Officer will want to see it and I bet he’ll even read this one before the theater.  And if he’s willing to read my manuscript, I feel like I should compensate.

 And now, for the more challenging (and non-movie related) literature, in 2014 I will read:

On the Origin of Species

Charles Darwin

I’ve decided that I’m going to follow my own advice: if you haven’t read it, you can’t comment on it.  If I hold myself to this policy, then I can hold others to it as well.  So, there.  Plus science in public school is woefully lacking. 

Paul and the Faithfulness of God

N.T. Wright

 

By now, I’m assuming you know that I’m a fan of Wright.  The Officer and I actually got to listen to him speak in Denver recently – great date night for nerds!  It’s a four volume opus that I am beyond excited to crack.  Good thing it’s what I gifted the Officer with at Christmas!  Oh, don’t poo-poo, I’m willing to let him have first shot at it. 

We’ll stop there for now.  I’m going to alternate fluff with intellectual challenges this year and broaden my non-fiction, non-school horizons. 

Because a mind is a terrible thing to waste. 

I’ll check in and let you know my thoughts on each.  On a totally unrelated topic, does anyone know how to become a critic for PluggedIn online reviews?  Because I could watch some movies and read some books and really let the world know what I think…