Summer Corn Cakes

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Yes.  Another Pinterest Repin.  This one is my SAVORY board cover so I just had to try it.  It's so pretty.  It's so yummy.  I will now post the original ingredients, but know that I was able to pull things from food storage and, by rehydrating the freeze-dried corn, I had perfect kernels for this recipe, and my buttermilk was from a mix.  Also, I didn't have a scallion but I did have a leek, so I substituted that and took out the minced garlic.  Now, there are two different recipes here, one for the corn cakes and one for the Chopped Tomato & Avocado Salsa.  Pay attention and be sure to get all of your ingredients for both recipes.  Pay ATTENTION...I emphasize this because I put the red onion in the salsa instead of the corn cakes because I was trying to watch the Republican National Convention at the same time. 

Corn Cakes Ingredients:3 ears of corn, shucked1 cup all-purpose flour1/2 cup cornmeal1/4 cup diced red onion1 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking sodaSea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste2 tablespoons well-shaken (not stirred) buttermilk (sorry, just had to use that James Bond reference)2 tablespoons unsalted butter, meltedCanola oil, for frying
1.  Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with a brown paper bag.
2.  Cut the corn from the cobs into a large bowl.  Scrape the stripped cobs with the back of the knife or spoon to release the juices into the bowl.
3. Place 2 cups of the corn kernels into a food processor. Pulse several times until the corn is slightly pureed but still chunky.  Scrape into the bowl with remaining kernels.
4.  Add flour, cornmeal, onion, basil, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pepper to the corn.  Stir to mix.
5.  Add the eggs, buttermilk, and butter, and stir just to combine--do not overmix.
6.  Place a large skillet over medium heat.  Add just enough canola oil to cover the bottom, and heat until sizzling hot.
7.  Scoop the batter onto the skillet, one heaping tablespoon at a time.  To avoid overcrowding, do in batches of 4 or 5 at a time.  Fry the cakes 1-2 minutes per side, until golden brown.


8.  Drain on the lined baking sheet, and place in the oven to keep warm while cooking the rest of the cakes.  Serve warm with LARGE spoonful of the Chopped Tomato & Avocado Salsa.


Chopped Tomato & Avocado Salsa Ingredients: 1 large tomato, cored and chopped1 scallion, trimmed and minced1/2 jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded and diced1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro1 garlic clove, mincedJuice of 1 lime1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1.  Place all ingredients, except avocado, in a bowl and stir to mix.  Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve (for up to 2 days).
2.  Just before serving, add the avocado and mix gently.



Source:  Ezra Pound Cake

S'mores Treats

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I remember coming home from school to these. I LOVE S'mores and these are perfect for an after-school snack without getting all smokey.

Ingredients:
2/3 Cup Corn Syrup (I use white)
1 (12 oz) package Chocolate Chips (your favorite--I used Semi-Sweet)
1 tsp Vanilla
6 - 8 Cups Golden Grahams Cereal (I use closer to 6 Cups because I like them well coated)
3 Cups Mini Marshmallows

1. In a Large mixing bowl, pour your Graham Cereal and Mallows in. You don't need to mix them yet.
2. In a Medium saucepan, bring just to a boil (not quite!) corn syrup. Remove from heat and immediately add the chocolate chips. Stir until smooth.
3. Add vanilla and stir until smooth, again.
4. Pour over the mallows and graham cereal. Stir until will incorporated. The chocolate may seem a bit thick, but persevere! Also, don't worry if the mallows melt a little. That's the best part!
5. Press into a greased 9x13 pan and cut into squares when cool.

Source: My mama, Karri H.

Emily's Apple Crisp

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This weekend is General Conference. I love Conference weekend, especially October Conferences. My whole family gathers together and spends the weekend in the North Georgia Mountains at my grandparent's mountain home. (yes, Georgia has mountains).

It's my little family's tradition to go apple picking between Conference sessions. Lucky for us, my grandparent's mountain home just so happens to be in the Apple Capitol of Georgia. I love seeing my son running around the orchards looking for that perfect apple. We usually come home with a peck (or more) of apples. We LOVE apples. What all do we do with them? Oh, I little bit of everything. One of my favorites, Apple Crisp!

Picking apples in Ellijay, Georgia last year

This recipe has been in the works for close to 7 years. It's 100% my creation and am pretty proud of how I've been able to tweak it and make it perfect!


APPLE CRISP

Ingredients:
6-8 apples, peeled and sliced (Make sure they are good cooking apples. My favorite are Rome Beauties... but you can only find those in the South :-) )
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup oatmeal, old fashioned
1 cup flour
1 stick of butter or margarine, softened
2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1. Grease 9x13 glass baking dish.
2. Toss apples in a small amount of sugar and cinnamon. Arrange apples in greased baking dish.
3. Mix all remaining ingredients together. You can either use a pastry cutter or a stand mixer. I prefer the mixer, it gets the butter distributed more evenly. The mixture should look crumbly. Spread evenly over top of apples.
4. Bake 45 minutes until apples are tender and top is crisp.

Makes 6 servings



Top with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream... and ENJOY!!

Best Bran Muffins

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I've never understood why bran muffins get such a bad wrap.  They are tasty and healthy.  How can they miss with that combination?  Enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 c. wheat bran
3/4 c. flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/8 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 egg
1 stick of butter, melted
3 heaping T. low-fat sour cream
1 can of pears (or peaches), drained and chopped
1/2 c. molasses

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Prep muffin tin with liners or spray with cooking spray.

2.  Mix dry ingredients together.  Mix wet ingredients together, including fruit.

3.  Add wet to dry and mix until just combined.

4.  Divide among 12 muffin cups and bake for about 20-25 minutes.

Source:  sarahjio.com

"Boiled" Eggs

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Oh, y'all...you have got to try this technique when you need to boil a large number of eggs.  Like a dozen or two.  So quick and easy!  I saw this on....wait for it...PINTEREST.  Yes and it was a success.  I did it quickly while I was preparing Veggie Shooters for a board meeting--which was my 9/27 post.


Ingredients:
Eggs (can't get any simpler than that)



1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2.  Place eggs in muffin pan.
3.  Bake for approximately 25 minutes.



Perfection and easier to peel than boiled.


Source: Pinterest. 

The Sweetest Thing I've Ever Baked

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You may have noticed how quiet it's been around these parts, and here is the small but very sweet reason. Lily arrived on Wednesday, September 8th at 12:24 pm, wide-eyed and screaming to announce her presence to the world.

I will get back to the kitchen, I promise, but not just yet. I want to take some time to enjoy our little Rosh Hashanah blessing.

In the meantime, lots of love to you all from me, A. and little L.

Grilled Salmon Salad

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This salad was thrown together for lunch one afternoon at my parents' house.  Originally, the plan was to grab a pizza, but Miss F decided she didn't want pizza for lunch, so we threw that plan right out the window.  My mom had a salmon steak in the fridge and off we went to make a salad.  She was in charge of grilling the salmon, while I prepped the salad and dressing.  This salad is bursting with summer flavors. The dressing is tangy and complements the salmon perfectly.  And it tasted so much better than carry out pizza.  I just used the veggies that my mom had on hand, but it would work well with any summer vegetable.  Just don't skip out on the avocado...

Grilled Salmon Salad

1 salmon steak, sliced in half
1 teaspoon olive oil
Juice from half a lemon

1 head of romaine, chopped
½ cucumber, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
½ cup cooked corn kernels
¾ avocado, diced

¼ avocado, mashed
3 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil

Heat the grill to medium-high. Brush the salmon steaks with olive oil and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Grill 3 to 5 minutes per side, until salmon is cooked through.

Divide the romaine, cucumber, tomato, corn and avocado on to two plates. In a small food processor, process mashed avocado, vinegar and sugar. Pulse until well combined. Drizzle the olive oil into the dressing with the processor running. Drizzle the dressing over the prepared salads. Place each salmon steak on top of each salad. Serve.

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Tropical Pork Pineapple Kebabs

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When I saw this recipe pop up in the last Secret Recipe Club reveal on I Am a Honey Bee, I knew I had to try it.  It is very similar to my favorite kebab recipe, but I loved the addition of chili garlic sauce.  Next time I make these, I am going to increase it to one tablespoon, I love the heat.  I made things easier on myself by using canned pineapple, but I imagine it would be amazing with fresh pineapple chunks.  C was a fan, except for the mushrooms, which I was happy to eat off his plate.  Miss F only ate the pork and bell pepper.  I am still puzzled by her pineapple aversion.

Tropical Pork Pineapple Kebabs

¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 gloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon of brown sugar

1 pound of pork tenderloin, cut into 1″ cubes
1 20 ounce can pineapple chunks
1 red pepper, cut into 1” squares
1 zucchini, sliced into ½” thick pieces
½ pound whole white button mushrooms

Soak 10 wooden skewers for at least an hour before using them or use metal skewers.

Combine the soy sauce, juice, vinegar, garlic, chili garlic sauce and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Reserve two tablespoons of the marinade. Add the pork to the bag and marinate for 1 hour or more. Thread the pork, pineapple, red pepper, zucchini and mushrooms onto the skewers.

Grill the kebabs over medium-high heat. Using a basting brush, brush the kebabs with the reserved marinade each time you turn the kebabs grilling each side. Cook the kebabs until done with an internal temperature of the pork is 145 degrees. Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

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Recipe Swap: Red's Ultimate M&M Cookie

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The theme of this week's recipe swap is dessert. I was so excited to get a cookie recipe in the swap because Miss F was starting back to school and needed a portable treat for her lunch box. She is obsessed with M&Ms, which made this her dream cookie. I had a ton of M&Ms on hand from a friend's candy buffet at her birthday party. I usually use M&Ms in Monster Cookies, but they are not safe to send to Miss F's school because they have peanut butter in them. These will be made quite often over the school year. Thanks to Tastetastic Voyage for the fantastic recipe and to A Taste of Home Cooking for hosting the swap.  I submitted Strawberry Tres Leches for the swap, I am sure C is jealous of whoever got to eat it!

Red’s Ultimate M&M Cookie

1 cup butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 12-ounce package M&Ms

Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; blend into butter and sugar mixture. Stir in M&Ms. Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and centers are still soft. Do not overbake. Cool 1 minute and place on wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

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Crockpot Tortilla Soup

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On Mondays, Miss F has ballet and tap class after school, which means there isn't much time to cook dinner after. I am not a huge fan of most crockpot meals, I like stews, shredded meats and soups, that is about it. I love chicken tortilla soup, so I decided to try and make it in the crockpot. It was a total success! C did complain about the fried tortilla smell, "so much smell for such little strips," but the dinner was delicious. Even Miss F was a huge fan, though she opted not to have avocado on hers. Which I found quite strange because she loves guacamole.

Crockpot Tortilla Soup

4 cups chicken broth
1 roasted Poblano pepper, chopped
1 package frozen corn
1 can Rotel tomatoes and jalapenos
1 to 2 chipotles in adobo, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 corn tortillas
Vegetable oil
1 avocado, chopped
½ cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 lime

Stir together the broth, Poblano, corn, Rotel, chipotles, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper in the bowl of the crockpot. Add the chicken breasts. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred with two fork, return to the crockpot.

Slice the tortillas in half and then into strips. In a small sauce pan, heat two inches of oil over medium high heat. Fry the tortilla strips in batches until golden brown and remove with a slotted spoon.

Serve the soup garnished with the tortilla strips, avocado and cheese, along with a squeeze of lime juice.

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Cherry Barbecue Sauce

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My dad requested pulled pork for his birthday dinner. Miss F and I loaded up the car with the bread machine (for brioche buns), my crockpot, a pork shoulder and our swim suits to spend the birthday with Grandad. I made this barbecue sauce the day before, it was inspired by Confections of a Foodie Bride, but I cannot stand store bought barbecue sauce. The only sauce I have ever found even remotely tolerable is McCutcheon's, but I have only ever seen it in Maryland.  I have seen McCutcheon's jellies here in Texas, but the barbecue sauce remains elusive.  This sauce works perfectly on Dr. Pepper pulled pork.  It may not be the fanciest of birthday dinners, but it sure was tasty.

Cherry Barbecue Sauce

¾ cup ketchup
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup water
20 cherries, pitted and cut into eighths
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon soy sauce
½ to 1 teaspoon Sriracha
1 tablespoon minced onion

In a small sauce pan combine ketchup, vinegar, water, cherries, sugar, Worcestershire, mustard, soy sauce, Sriracha and onion. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve.

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Penne with Chicken and Vegetables in a Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce,

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It's time again for my favorite recipe swap, blogger's choice. This time I was assigned Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations. There were so many amazing recipes to choose from, but this pasta dish stood out to me.  I love roasted garlic and C doesn't complain about the smell like he does with sauteed garlic, so it was a win-win.  This sauce is amazing.  I will definitely be using the sauce on other pasta recipes as well.  The roasted garlic really sets it apart from a regular alfredo sauce.  Miss F devoured her pasta, broccoli and bell peppers.  We don't have a grill, so I roasted the chicken while the garlic was roasting.  Thanks to A Taste of Home Cooking for hosting another great swap!

Chicken and Vegetables in a Garlic Cream Sauce

1 head of garlic
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound of penne pasta
1 red bell pepper, chopped
½ red onion, chopped
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon corn starch
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 head of broccoli, chopped
6 to 8 basil leaves, chiffonaded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut the top portion of the garlic head, drizzle with one teaspoon of the olive oil and season with salt. Wrap the garlic in foil and bake for 45 minutes and let cool. Remove the garlic cloves by squeezing the garlic from bottom. Add roasted garlic cloves into a mortar and pestle, mash until it resembles a paste. Add a little bit of olive oil to help liquefy.

While the garlic is roasting, place the chicken breasts in a greased baking dish. Drizzle the olive oil over each breast and sprinkle with basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes. Slice into strips after resting for 5 minutes.

Cook the penne per package directions. While pasta is cooking, heat the remaining teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and onions to the skillet. Cook until the onions are slightly translucent for 5 minutes. Whisk together the prepared garlic paste, cream and corn starch. Pour the cream mixture into the pan. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the parmesan cheese and broccoli and mix well. Let it cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Stir the penne into the sauce. Top the pasta with the sliced chicken; garnish with basil leaves and additional parmesan cheese.

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Recipe Swap: Red's Ultimate M&M Cookie

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The theme of this week's recipe swap is dessert. I was so excited to get a cookie recipe in the swap because Miss F was starting back to school and needed a portable treat for her lunch box. She is obsessed with M&Ms, which made this her dream cookie. I had a ton of M&Ms on hand from a friend's candy buffet at her birthday party. I usually use M&Ms in Monster Cookies, but they are not safe to send to Miss F's school because they have peanut butter in them. These will be made quite often over the school year. Thanks to Tastetastic Voyage for the fantastic recipe and to A Taste of Home Cooking for hosting the swap.  I submitted Strawberry Tres Leches for the swap, I am sure C is jealous of whoever got to eat it!

Red’s Ultimate M&M Cookie

1 cup butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 12-ounce package M&Ms

Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; blend into butter and sugar mixture. Stir in M&Ms. Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and centers are still soft. Do not overbake. Cool 1 minute and place on wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

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Chewy Chocolate Cookies

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These cookies are amazing. I cannot stop eating them, they are rich with chocolate and perfectly chewy.  Miss F was a great helper baking the cookies, her favorite thing to do was to scoop the cookies, but I think she was mainly in it to sneak tastes of the batter.  Thank goodness most of the cookies will be sent with Miss F in her lunch box.  These cookies would be perfect to use in any kind of sandwich cookie. Thanks to Dine and Dish for the amazing recipe.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

1 ¼ cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs then add the vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; gradually mix into the creamed mixture. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake 9 minutes in the preheated oven. Cookies will be soft and still look slightly doughy. Let set and cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes then remove from sheet onto wire rack to cool completely.

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Salmon with Avocado and Tomato Salsa

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Salmon is my most favorite fish. I buy it at the fish market near my parents house then break it down into individual filets to make whenever C is out for the evening. This recipe was inspired by Corn Cakes with Pulled Pork and Avocado-Tomato Relish.  This dish is absolute perfection in my eyes.  The tart vinegar pairs perfectly with the rich salmon and avocado.  The relish would also be fantastic on tilapia or red snapper.  I added one teaspoon of the Sriracha to my single serving, so feel free to increase if you like things a touch hot.

Salmon with Avocado and Tomato Salsa

4 6-ounce salmon filets
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 avocado
2 roma tomatoes
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Sriracha

Preheat your broiler. Line a pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Lay each salmon filet skin side down and brush with one tablespoon of the oil. Salt and pepper each filet. Broil for 6 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of your salmon filets.

Chop the avocado and tomato and place in a small bowl. Pour over the remaining tablespoon of oil, vinegar and Sriracha. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve each filet with a large spoonful of the avocado and tomato salsa.

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Jack is Ten Months

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I know that I say this every month, but child, please slow down. I love every phase and it is getting more and more fun with each passing day, but I want to savor it too. I need to enjoy the sweet kisses and snuggles {I take advantage of these every moment that I can because I know a day will come when he will no longer want or need my kisses or hugs}.

Jack continues to crawl around the house, getting more interested in his toys and things that could be toys. He loves door stops and we have discovered that cords, phones and remote controls can be great motivators of getting our little one to crawl.

He also loves doors. He wants to close every door that he can find. If you set him down, he will make a beeline for the closest door.

Standing. Oh my. Our little one loves to stand. He has been pulling up on anything he can get his chubby little hands on. Us. The couch. A laptop bag. The bathtub. He just wants to stand. When he first stood up in his crib, he was a little confused about the whole sitting back down part.

His favorite "word" seems to change each week... At the beginning of the month it was "boom." I have no idea what he thinks it means, but he says it all of the time, "Boom, boom, boom." We think it is hysterical and we say it right back. Sometimes we sing, "Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang." And he giggles and says, "Boom" back to us. Week two, he was stuck on "Rahhr." And week three his word is, "Diddle." It is so funny to listen to him string these "words" together. He uses inflection and different words to make "phrases" which keep us laughing.

Jack knows his name and if we ask, "Where is Sophie?" He will start searching the room for her. He has been doing this for some time. Now he also searches for "Dada." Not so much me... maybe because I tend to be the one holding him and asking the questions?

Sometime in the last month Jack started the habit of turning sideways or all the way around in his high chair when we are eating out. I guess he would rather watch all of the people around us than stare at us. He also turns sideways in the grocery cart. If he can get turned sideways in a seat, chances are, he will.


Firsts include sitting up from a laying down position and pulling up to a stand. Jack has been pulling up while in our laps for some time, but this month he mastered pulling to a stand using furniture, his crib, a lap top case, a basket... really anything that he can prop himself up on. It is amazing how much he is learning. I also caught him trying to crawl into the dishwasher for the first time.


Jack also had his first visit to the Creative Discovery Museum in Chattanooga with his cousins.


Jack loves to shake his head "no" whenever we ask a question. If we nod and say, "yes" he just giggles and shakes "no." We get a kick out of asking him questions just to get the "no" response. The funniest example of this is when we were at Life Group on the first Thursday of football season {Daniel and I don't watch football, so we were enjoying the visiting}. I asked Jack if he liked football. Before he could shake "no" one of our friends informed us that we at least had to give him a chance to like football for himself :)

At the end of the month I experienced the first instance where I think he deliberately did something I told him not to. He crawled over to Sophie's water dish. I told him "no" in a strong tone. He looked up me, shook his head "no" and then proceeded to dump the water all over the floor. 

Oh my. I am not ready for this.

Up until recently Jack seemed to be very sensitive. He cried at loud noises and would also cry if we have to make a loud sound to get his attention. I think he may be outgrowing this phase as he has not been bothered in recent days.

Jack continues to be a delight to us. That time between supper and bedtime is better than TV. Watching Jack discover new things and play with us is a treat.

End of month statsHeight: 28.5"Weight: 21lbs 2ozClothes: 12+monthsFoods: We continue to introduce lots of different foods. He really likes grapes, strawberries and tomatoes right now.Words: He continues to make lots of different sounds and "words" we still haven't determined if he really understands that Da Da is Daniel or that Ma Ma Ma is me.Movement: Our guy is on the move. Crawling became coordinated and sped up this month. He is mostly focused on getting places so that he can pull up to a stand. He uses the couch and coffee table to "walk" around. Occasionally he will let go and stand for just a second before plopping down on his butt. We had a few tough days where he would sit or stand in his crib and he didn't really understand that he needed to lay back down in order to go to sleep. He seems to have figured this out.Teeth: Jack still has 2 teeth, we keep thinking more are coming in, but so far, no dice. 
*I will be writing monthly updates of Jack with pictures of Jack and the Tonka truck on the 11th of each month. One Month Old. Two Months Old. Three Months Old. Four Months Old. Five Months Old. Six Months Old. Seven Months Old. Eight Months Old. Nine Months Old.

2012 Book 22: How to Be an American Housewife

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How to Be an American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway is a novel about a Japanese woman, Shoko, who chooses to marry an American GI shortly after WWII in an attempt to better her life. She was from a small village close to Nagasaki and heart problems plague her throughout her life, presumably from the effects of radiation. Shoko receivers her parent's blessing for her marriage, but her brother considers her decision to be unforgivable.

The book is separated into three parts. The first part is Shoko's story. The second part is from her daughter's perspective. The final part brings the women together, melding both of their stories together.

It was an interesting perspective of culture. Each chapter begins with an excerpt from a fictional novel written for Japanese women on how to be American housewives.

Example: Once you leave Japan, it is extremely unlikely that you will return, unless your husband is stationed there again or becomes wealthy. Take a few reminders of Japan with you, if you have room. Or make arrangements to write to a caring relative who is willing to send you letters or items from your homeland. This can ease homesickness. And be sure to tell your family, "Sayonara."

The cultural aspects of the book are both intriguing and sad. Shoko basically had to pretend to forget her culture and raise her children in the American way. All the while, she would remain an outcast for the duration of her life for not being an American woman. On top of this, she harbored a dark secret for the majority of her life. A secret, that she is finally able to release herself from before she undergoes heart surgery...

This was not my favorite work of fiction, but I found it interesting nonetheless.

Excerpts from the book:

My own mother had taught me how to cook by observation. No formal measurements. Learning how to cook was like learning a language. You picked it up...

"You could be the smartest woman in the world, but you're still a woman. A poor Japanese woman from a country that has lost a war... The best you could hope for is to go to college, pretend your high-class, and marry a diplomat."

Japan wasn't democratic like America. Who you were descended from counted for more than what you made of yourself...

For the first years of my marriage, it {the book fictional novel, How to be an American Housewife} had been my handbook, my guide to doing everything. Rules for living, American style. Sometimes it was right, and sometimes it was not. Sometimes I liked it, and sometimes I didn't. But that was just like life. You don't always get to do what you want, do you?

Nothing could have been different in the circumstances I was in. The person I used to be could have made only one choice; the grown-up Shoko might have made a different one. That was how life was. You only figured out the right thing after you were old.

2012 Book 23: On Becoming Baby Wise II

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I find it interesting that I read the second book in the Baby Wise series just as a research paper on a 5-year study of the topic of sleep training was released. I find it mildly amusing that with the release of this paper came headlines that were completely opposite. On the same day, my Facebook feed was full of opposing articles and thoughts on the subject. Dear media: I become more and more disenchanted with you and your biases with each opposing side you take.

I am not hear to argue about sleep training or whether you choose the "cry-it-out" method. I think we all find ways to parent that work for us. We need to take more time to try to understand each other than just arguing about so-called facts. 

I read Baby Wise on the recommendation of several parents that I admire. The methods in this book worked for many people I know and I choose to follow this method. The biggest thing I learned from the first book was that having a consistent routine is key. Eat. Play. Sleep. Repeat. It gave me bearings as a new mom. I was able to meet the needs of my child before he got to the crying stage. I also learned that "crying it out" means different things to different people. It is not unloving. You do not ignore your child. You take care of them and meet their needs. You also encourage them to learn how to self-sooth. If you have never tried this method or never tried to understand it, I really don't think you have a place to judge.

I follow a blog called Science of Mom. This woman is a mother who also happens to be a researcher. She has written some great posts on the topic, including The Cry-It-Out Controversy. If you are interested in learning more about the newest study and its claims, please take a moment to read her blog post: The Last Word on Sleep Training.

Now that Jack is 10 months old, I felt the need to get a better understanding of how to adjust his schedule as he begins to require less sleep. My sister suggested that I read the second book in the Baby Wise series: On Becoming Baby Wise II: Parenting Your Pre-Toddler Five to Fifteen Months by Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam, which covers ages 5-15 months. 

I didn't feel like this book was as good as the first. Also, we have chosen some different methods of parenting that don't align with all of the methods outlined in the book. And I think that is OK. I really think parenting is about discovering what works for you. Finding understanding of your child. Learning how to be a good parent. And those things are going to be different for everyone.

The best parts of this book for me where the ideas of routines and what should be happening during the day. How often my little one should be napping and playing and how to meet his needs. This book also discusses the beginnings of discipline. It goes into depth about how discipline is different from punishment. It gives some guides on how you can begin to discipline your child. The recurring theme is Begin as You Mean to Go.

Daniel and I have discussed the discipline thing. At this point, Jack doesn't need true discipline. He doesn't push the limits. We have begun to introduce the word, "No." He has some understanding of this, but we also feel like he is still in a learning and discovery phase. If he doesn't do what we say and continues down the path he is on, we remove him from the situation. I know this will become more of a challenge as Jack grows, but that is a topic for another day.

Another big component of this book is about the difference between "baby proofing" and "home proofing." Baby proofing is when you make everything "safe" in the sense that you rely on locks and gates and anything else you can think of to keep baby from getting into trouble. 

“Home-proofing” your child means setting appropriate limitations on your pretoddler’s mobility, and gradually introducing freedoms when his safety is no longer the primary concern. – This is the method we are following.

The book also discusses personality and temperament. This was my favorite part of the book. It made me realize that both Daniel and I have grandfathers who were never a part of our lives. We have no idea what they look like or what kind of temperament's they had. It is kind of weird to have missing puzzle pieces – for our sakes and Jack's. 

The biggest drawback to this book is that it is kind of "preachy" which is unfortunate. There is some good material here but this type of tone can definitely be a turn off. Especially when you are a new parent trying to navigate the waters of how to parent best for your child.

Excerpts from the book (kuddos to you if you have stuck with me this long):

As his body grows, so does his mind, accompanied by an acquired understanding that his actions will generate reactions from Mom and Dad by the cute and not-so-cute things he does.   The first step toward reasoning skills and comprehension is the development of healthy learning patterns and good habits.   ...parents are society’s representatives and are expected to bring their little ones into reasonable behavioral conformity.  You do not want to prevent your child from exploring life, but you do want to provide reasonable guidance in the process.   A baby understands the meaning of words long before he can verbalize them.   When parents focus only on their children’s wrong behavior, then the right behavior they are hoping to instill is left undefined. That eventually translates into a child who learns to avoid what not to do, rather than what he should do...   ...the purpose of punishment is to set a value on wrong behavior—to make it expensive. Punishment should always be tied to deeds that are morally right and wrong. That is why true “punishment” is not appropriate until a child is old enough to comprehend the meaning of right and wrong. That will not happen until the formation of conscience, which emerges around three years of age. The conclusion? You do not punish a baby.  The joy of discovering how something works becomes the motivation that perpetuates a longer attention span and deeper levels of concentration.   1. Heredity bestows capacity 2. Environment provides opportunity 3. Personality recognizes capacity and improves opportunity...  “A child is born in part, he is made in part, and in part he makes himself.”   Heredity, it has been said, determines what your child can do, and environment determines what your child will do. Supervising all three aspects are the caretakers of life—Mom and Dad.

Don't Waste Your Life

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When it comes to the death of someone young, or at least someone close to your own age, it always seems so senseless. So unfair. So tragic. So many unanswered questions. So sad. So hard. So many thoughts. So many images flashing through my mind when I close my eyes.

This past week a friend of ours, Patrick Halstead, was taken off of life support after a drowning accident. It all makes no sense. We sit and question what could have happened. We wonder, why? What is God's purpose in all of this?

And there are no answers.



Patrick was a good father and a good friend. He was the kind of guy who would go the extra mile to check on you, just because. 

A few years ago when I was rushed to the ER for a blood clot, Patrick showed up at the ER {shortly after I posted a status update to Facebook}. He came at a critical time for me... I had just learned that besides having a blood clot in my leg, I also had a pulmonary embolism and they would be admitting me to the hospital for a week. Daniel had gone home to pack for the hospital stay and I couldn't reach him to update him about what was going on. I was terrified and alone when Patrick walked through the door. He was one of the few to visit me in the hospital and at the time he didn't even know me that well. He just showed up. Not many people just show up at the critical times in our lives... Patrick was special in that way: he always made time for people.

I hate that Patrick is no longer with us. I hate it for his son. I hate it for his family. I hate that we didn't get to see him when we were in Charlotte a few months ago. But Patrick taught me something invaluable: People are important and I need to be better about making time for people; making time to show up.


Today is Patrick's memorial service in Charlotte and my heart aches for his son, for his family, for those closest to him. When I hold my own son, my heart breaks a little more.

Patrick will be sorely missed by many. I take comfort in the fact that while life was not always easy for him, he was able to take the opportunity {after a lay off from Verizon} to work at the White Water Center in Charlotte doing something he loved. I take comfort in the fact that he didn't waste his life. I take comfort in knowing that I will see him again in Heaven.

Patrick -- I hope that you knew that you were loved. I hope that you knew that you touched a lot of people by showing up. 

*Pictures from a camping trip in the North Carolina Mountains in September, 2008.

Incline Railway: My {Very Late} Birthday Present

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Very late may be a bit generous of a descriptor since this was supposed to be my birthday present LAST YEAR. Just 11 months late, but who's counting?



Last year Daniel surprised me with a trip to Chattanooga for a birthday breakfast at the BlueGrass Grill and a proposed trip to the top of Lookout Mountain on the Incline Railway. The only problem was that it was really foggy and we didn't feel like the views would be worth it. 


Plus I was almost 9 months pregnant and the thought of going into labor on the steepest train in the United State, while ascending a mountain didn't seem like the best idea...



At the time, we did take a scenic drive up Lookout Mountain and I experienced my first Braxton Hicks contractions. However, Jack did not show up for another week.



Anyways, I recently informed Daniel that he better figure out when he could take me to the Incline Railway since my birthday is fast approaching and he still owed me a trip. So on Friday, we headed to Chattanooga for a day of family fun.


We really needed that time together. We have both been busy with work and home improvement projects; then last week a friend of ours died unexpectedly. It just felt right for us to take some time to be together as a family.


We made it to the base of the Incline Railway in time to make one of the last trips to the top. This railway is the steepest in the United States. At the top the grade is 74% – which is kind of nuts! The track splits halfway up the mountain so a train going the opposite direction can pass.


We enjoyed our scenic ride up the mountain. We only had about 30 minutes at the top since it was late in the day. It was probably the perfect amount of time for Jack. I think he had a good time riding the train.


After our railway experience, we headed downtown to attend the Three Sisters Bluegrass festival at the Riverfront. We decided to eat The Blue Plate Diner, which is right behind the grassy area where everyone sits for the concert. We even scored a table on the patio without having to wait too long. We had a lovely dinner and finished it off by splitting a slice of their Moon Pie Cheesecake for dessert.



This is our second year to attend Three Sisters -- it is very family and dog friendly event that happens to be free. We ended up leaving about 9 eastern since Jack was falling asleep in our arms; despite his best efforts to stay awake to watch all of the kids, dogs and general concert craziness. I'm sure that we will be back in the future.



It was a good day. We are trying to be more proactive about not spending our ENTIRE weekends doing things that can wait. We want to make more concerted efforts to spend time together doing things we love. Sometimes the chores can wait.