Wednesday, December 31, 2008
2008 in Review
IRL buddy and Facebook mate, Laura, came up with this. IMHO, it counts a blogging meme and a great way to close out the year.
What I liked about 2008
1) Finding our local homeschool 'home' with JFH and getting to know some incredible women including LCD, Elizabeth, Rachel, Laura L, and Sarah.
2) Finding some new statewide friends (Kim and yet *another* Laura) to dive into creating SHEAF with.
3) Getting some medical stuff fixed
4) My 40th birthday present (which came early)
5) Twilight....thank you Stephanie Meyer! and True Blood (vamps for the grownups) Thanks to Elizabeth L. for showing me the light
6) The Obama election..campaigning on the streets of JAX was a life changing experience for me. Not only am I glad he was elected but being part of the process was incredible.
7) Facebook (thanks to Kim H.) How did I ever survive before? What did I do with all my time??? The ability to find and connect with people past and present is amazing and a real gift to be able to part of the day to day lives of my friends. Also the ease with which I can find new people to argue with (like Aaron Caton!)
8) Yumi's visit to us this summer, complete with trips to Tampa and Atlanta....she's forever a part of our family.
9) Improv classes...cheaper than therapy and lots more fun
10) Rediscovering the joy that my family brings me...again and again.
What wasn't so hot about 2008
1) Medical issues that had to be fixed.
2) Brian travelled for work...lots!
3) Being so far away from my BFF...you know who you are!
4) Multiple hard drive failures with old and new computers in the early part of December
5) Trying to balance too many balls and occasionally dropping the most important one (family)
What I liked about 2008
1) Finding our local homeschool 'home' with JFH and getting to know some incredible women including LCD, Elizabeth, Rachel, Laura L, and Sarah.
2) Finding some new statewide friends (Kim and yet *another* Laura) to dive into creating SHEAF with.
3) Getting some medical stuff fixed
4) My 40th birthday present (which came early)
5) Twilight....thank you Stephanie Meyer! and True Blood (vamps for the grownups) Thanks to Elizabeth L. for showing me the light
6) The Obama election..campaigning on the streets of JAX was a life changing experience for me. Not only am I glad he was elected but being part of the process was incredible.
7) Facebook (thanks to Kim H.) How did I ever survive before? What did I do with all my time??? The ability to find and connect with people past and present is amazing and a real gift to be able to part of the day to day lives of my friends. Also the ease with which I can find new people to argue with (like Aaron Caton!)
8) Yumi's visit to us this summer, complete with trips to Tampa and Atlanta....she's forever a part of our family.
9) Improv classes...cheaper than therapy and lots more fun
10) Rediscovering the joy that my family brings me...again and again.
What wasn't so hot about 2008
1) Medical issues that had to be fixed.
2) Brian travelled for work...lots!
3) Being so far away from my BFF...you know who you are!
4) Multiple hard drive failures with old and new computers in the early part of December
5) Trying to balance too many balls and occasionally dropping the most important one (family)
Friday, December 12, 2008
Communist Cookies
I'm taking part (slightly later due to hard drive issues) with a virtual cookie exchange. Check over at Another Suburban Mom for a list of all participants.
I've chosen my infamous Commie Cookies. Back in the summer of 2004, the presidential candidate wives released their cookie recipes. I believe Laura Bush's was some dried cherry/chocolate chip/oatmeal concoction. Teresa Kerry, who later disavowed her cookie recipe, submitted pumpkin spice cookies. As part of our annual 4th of July party, I made both and people had to vote which cookie was better.
My dad, who was to the right of Atilla the Hun, loved these cookies (and I've modified the recipe from the original)...until he found out they were Kerry cookies. With as much vocal outrage that a man without a voicebox could muster he declared them communist cookies.
The name stuck and we make them every fall instead of pumpkin pie.
Communist Cookies
Ingredients:
1 C (2 sticks) butter - use the real stuff please!
1 C Sugar
1 egg
1 can pumpkin puree (not the pie filling!)
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/3 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 C toasted walnuts chopped
1) Set oven to 375 and coat baking sheets with non stick spray
2) Cream sugar and butter. Then beat in the egg, pumpkin, and vanilla
3) Mix flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin spice. Then put the flour mixture in with the pumpkin mixture (do this in batches to ensure its well mixed)
4) Drop batter in teaspoon fulls (or whatever size you want) onto baking sheets. Bake for 10-15 minutes (check at 10 minutes) The cookies aren't quite solid on top when done but are firm on the bottom. And a touch of golden goodness on the edges is also a good sign.
These make *soft* cookies!
I've chosen my infamous Commie Cookies. Back in the summer of 2004, the presidential candidate wives released their cookie recipes. I believe Laura Bush's was some dried cherry/chocolate chip/oatmeal concoction. Teresa Kerry, who later disavowed her cookie recipe, submitted pumpkin spice cookies. As part of our annual 4th of July party, I made both and people had to vote which cookie was better.
My dad, who was to the right of Atilla the Hun, loved these cookies (and I've modified the recipe from the original)...until he found out they were Kerry cookies. With as much vocal outrage that a man without a voicebox could muster he declared them communist cookies.
The name stuck and we make them every fall instead of pumpkin pie.
Communist Cookies
Ingredients:
1 C (2 sticks) butter - use the real stuff please!
1 C Sugar
1 egg
1 can pumpkin puree (not the pie filling!)
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/3 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 C toasted walnuts chopped
1) Set oven to 375 and coat baking sheets with non stick spray
2) Cream sugar and butter. Then beat in the egg, pumpkin, and vanilla
3) Mix flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin spice. Then put the flour mixture in with the pumpkin mixture (do this in batches to ensure its well mixed)
4) Drop batter in teaspoon fulls (or whatever size you want) onto baking sheets. Bake for 10-15 minutes (check at 10 minutes) The cookies aren't quite solid on top when done but are firm on the bottom. And a touch of golden goodness on the edges is also a good sign.
These make *soft* cookies!
