Honoring Heroes

Today is a day that many people around the world remember with deep sadness. They remember where they were when they heard the news. They remember what they saw on TV for weeks afterwards. They remember the shock and the anger. Everyone has a memory of that day.

In the aftermath people rallied, reached out to the ones that they loved in their lives, supported America and clung a little harder to the important stuff in life. Years have passed, is it just another day to most or will it be one that forever changes us? Will our children remember this day?

9-11 touched our family in a very deep way, not because we personally knew anyone who lost their life but because we are part of the brotherhood and lost 343 members of our extended family that day. It still brings forth deep emotion in our family and is still cause for our hero to choke up, which in itself is a very rare event. That event stirred something deep within my hero and I believe that stirring is part of the reason he struck out on a new career path which lead him to what he does today. He has always had that fire within him, but something about the loss of so many kindred spirits really struck a chord. He is passionate about the safety of those that serve in the fire service and is blessed to be able to channel that passion into a job. Our family is always aware of the sacrifice these heroes make every day, not just on days such as 9-11.

Many heroes were born and lost as a result of the events of 9-11. Take a moment to reflect upon the kind of sacrifice it takes to be a hero. What are you willing to give? How can you honor the unsung heroes in your life, your neighborhood and your country?

*** This was originally posted 9-11-08

JOY

Wordless Wednesday

Something to make you smile.

Vidalias

It's the time of year again where we see vidalia onions in our grocery stores. This is one of our favorite recipes for those sweet little gems:





Onion Salad


1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix together and pour over vidalia onions, sliced into rings, in a large jar. Let sit in refrigerator for 3+ hours. Drain onions and then dress with the following mixture:

1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup salad dressing (we are mayo users)
2 tsp. celery seed

Enjoy. Yummy salad. Even the men love this one.

Juice Box Hero....stars in his eyes

ETA- Adding the video clip from youtube for my obviously young readership. ;) Keep forgetting how old I am. lol



Standing in the rain, with his head hung low
Couldn't get a ticket, it was a sold out show
Heard the roar of the crowd, he could picture the scene
Put his ear to the wall, then like a distant scream

He heard one guitar, just blew him away
He saw stars in his eyes, and the very next day
Bought a beat up six string in a secondhand store
Didn't know how to play it, but he knew for sure

That one guitar, felt good in his hands
Didn't take long, to understand
Just one guitar, slung way down low
Was one way ticket, only one way to go

So he started rockin
Ain't never gonna stop
Gotta keep on rockin
Someday hes gonna make it to the top

And be a juice box hero, got stars in his eyes
Hes a juice box hero
He took one guitar, juice box hero, stars in his eyes
Juice box hero, hell come alive tonight

In a town without a name, in a heavy downpour
Thought he passed his own shadow, by the backstage door
Like a trip through the past, to that day in the rain
And that one guitar made his whole life change

Now he needs to keep rockin
He just cant stop
Gotta keep on rockin
That boy has got to stay on top

And be a juice box hero, got stars in his eyes
Hes a juice box hero, got stars in his eyes
Yeah, juice box hero, got stars in his eyes
With that one guitar hell come alive
Come alive tonight

Yeah, hes gotta keep rockin
He just cant stop
Gotta keep on rockin
That boy has got to stay on top

And be a juice box hero, got stars in his eyes
Hes a juice box hero, got stars in his eyes
Just one guitar, put stars in his eyes
Hes just a juice box hero, aah aah aah
Juice box hero, juice box hero, hes got stars in his eyes
Stars in his eyes

We purchased the DVD of the elementary school air band production for the year and this is one of the songs a group does. When we watched it the first time Iceman says "oh no, not Juice box hero, I hate that song". It's been his earworm ever since because he's always singing the chorus.

Where are you Spring???

Went to farmer's market today. Not many plant vendors braving the cold but I did come home with 3 orange begonias and some gorgeous torenia called gilded grape- yellow with lovely purple throats. Wandered the greenhouse at Canadian Tire but didn't find anything that caught my eye- price point or plant quality. I'm on the hunt for lime green petunias, my neighbor found some but I have not been as lucky. We have frost warnings again tonight but the weather is supposed to take a turn for the better this weekend.... about dang time. Our summer is short enough around here without having such a crappy spring. blah!

I have the following plants waiting to get outside:

peppers
tomatoes
morning glory
cilantro
basil
dill
million kisses begonias
peas
lettuce
datura
love lies bleeding
bellflower
english daisies

as well as some perennials from my neighbor that I have yet to identify that are in buckets on my back deck.

My gardening to do list:

buy more annuals
increase size of shade bed
build raised beds for perennials off back deck
add compost and peat to my veggie bed
plant my veggie garden
dig out pots and window boxes from storage

12 on the 12th

1. Rainy, cold day made getting up a challenge.
2. Enjoyed a cup of Earl Grey Creme tea ( gift from a sweet friend).
3. Had my nails done while sipping a Tim's (first cup of coffee this week). Got a funky green apple sparkly, smile line.
4. Enjoyed lunch with my nail tech who is also my friend. It was good to visit with laughs.
5. Made dinner.
6. School paperwork, several field trip forms to fill out tonight.
7. Home reading with Turtle.
8. Watched Biggest Loser finale. First year I was sucked into the show but I blame it on the 18 year old, wish Mike would have won. The finale was way too long. the Hero and Kodiak are out at soccer tonight so La Diva and I watched while the littles went to bed.
9. lmbo @ all the wackadoodles commenting on the Dooce's bathroom redo.
10. Wasting time on Twitter.
11. Read blogs and articles in honor of CFS/Fibromyalgia Awareness day.
12. Going to heat up my hand mittens.

Fibromyalgia Awareness Day

Let the Gardening begin

For Mother's Day my hero and the crew built me a raised garden bed. We used the plans from Ree, the Pioneer Woman's site. My hero built it with a little help from Iceman and Kodiak. Kodiak stained it for me with some mistint stain I found at Rona (it's kind of more purple than taupe but it does the job and I don't hate it). Turtle hauled away all the empty bags of compost, peat and zeolite. La Diva kept up on the laundry and other chores that day so they could get my gift completed. I'm so pleased with it and looking forward to getting my hands dirty. I've started some seedlings and also been given some plants by my neighbor. I was going to get a picture of it up today but my neighbor came calling and said I could help myself to some of her perennials. She's thinning out some beds. Now I have to figure out all that she has given me as she had forgotten most of the names. I have some iris and a pink rose bush for sure.

Swine flu aka hamthrax aka H1N1

Read one of the many articles on the swine flu today to discover that I regularly have 4-5 of the 7 symptoms. Lucky for those around me that fibro isn't contagious.

wordless wednesday

The Naked Egg

La Diva playing for her first music festival at the UofA

Good Friday... off to Love according to John play

Forgot to mention...

Kodiak had his cast removed Wednesday night. He's quite excited as his first soccer game is next Tuesday. He was shocked at how much muscle tone he lost in that month. He's been packing around a stress ball to try and strengthen his hand a bit. He adapted so well to doing things with one hand that the first day it was hilarious to see him almost walk out the house with only 1 arm in his coat, trying to do things with his left hand instead of both. I'm glad it healed so quickly. He would have been so upset if he had to miss any of his soccer season.

Pining for spring

I've been having issues with my hands lately which is why I haven't posted much on either blog. Typing hurts and some days so does using the touch pad. I'm desperate for better weather and while we had a tease of it on Monday/Tuesday, today I woke to a skiff of snow on the lawn. I started some seedlings and have a few sprouts of lettuce and basil so far. My morning glory seeds have exceeded the height of the dome on the seed tray and will need to be transferred to a larger pot soon. We are going to build a raised garden bed this spring so I'm looking forward to that. I've been spending some time surfing the net and thought I'd share some of the latest sites I'm enjoying.

I've been enjoying the following gardening blogs:

My Square Foot Garden

Life on the Balcony

Alberta Home Gardening

Also some interesting reading for my conservative friends (my liberal friends may not be appreciative of them):

Mother of All Conservatives

Human Life Matters and Mark Pickup ( interesting aside~ I went to the jr. high school named after his father and his mom was my music teacher for a time. She was also a dear friend of my parents and I have a piece of Mark's artwork hanging in my living room that was our wedding gift from her)

I've also been enjoying my friend Crafty's new cooking blog "Crafty's Cafe" from which I also discovered Mennonite Girls Can Cook.

Thankful Thursday!!

So extremely grateful for a medical doctor that listens to their patients, is not rushed by a waiting room of people and is willing to do what she can to get a proper assessment of Iceman's learning challenges. She was very puzzled by the arrogant school board jackers test recommendations. She is not one to slap a label on a child and agrees that medication is not the solution to everything. I feel so extremely blessed to have her as my own doctor and for my children. This is such a HUGE relief to me. I have been falling deeper and deeper into that pit of feeling like I've failed my child somehow because of some egghead's jackery. I feel, for the first time in a long while, that we will get to the bottom of Iceman's difficulties and will finally be able to help him reach his full potential.

The Naked Egg

We started this cool experiment on Friday. Iceman loves science experiments and he is quite thrilled with the whole thing. Next step will be to try and shrink the egg. It is very fascinating and easy to do so I thought I'd share it with you.

UPDATE: The shrinking egg is disgusting. It's not finished but it is not a pretty picture in the meantime.

12 on the 12th

I had hoped to do a 12 in pictures this time but I haven't taken the time to learn our new camera so I'm afraid to take out the memory card. I know I'm a technotard ;). Maybe the Hero can help me out when he returns.

1. Watched Turtle and Iceman follow the clues to the Easter surprise.

2. Spent some time in reflection about Easter. We had our time with my family on Friday when we went for dinner and then attended Love According to John at the Jubilee.

3. Breakfast which included our traditional stootzing with the colored eggs.

4. Watched the kids play soccer with their new rebounder net.

5. Visited with my neighbor and came home with some tomato plants.

6. Discussed garden plans with the Hero.

7. Cooked Easter dinner- ham, asparagus, roasted baby potatoes and cheesecake.

8. Cleaned up from dinner, folded laundry.

9. Got the boys showered and into bed.

10. Hung out with La Diva.

11. Looked at square foot garden plans online.

12. Waiting for the Hero to return from a fire.

He is Risen

He Chose the Nails

Kodiak is turning into a bear

We've had temps from 9 - 15 Celsius this week which means that Kodiak has been in shorts all week. His legs will rarely see pants until about October. It would appear that over the winter his hormones have kicked in big time covering his legs with manly man hair instead of the boyish fuzz that used to be there. About a month ago he had to shave his upper lip for the first time too. It looks due for another pass of the razor. A month between shaves is probably not too serious but it's all too much for this Momma. My first born is seriously morphing from boy to man. I'm SO not ready for this.

Salsa Chicken Bake

I've been trying to use up the things I have in my pantry. The prices of fresh produce are through the roof right now so I've been using more frozen or canned things than I usually do in my cooking. Last night's creation was as follows:

Ingredients: (measurements are all approximates I just threw it together)

9 Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 cups basmati rice (we bought one of those huge bags on sale so I'm using this alot these days)
1 can of black beans
2 cups frozen corn
1/2 jar of salsa (1 + cup)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream

Cook basmati in rice cooker. Brown chix thighs in olive oil, season to your taste. Add salsa and roughly 1/2 cup water (chix broth would be tastier but I didn't have any on hand) and simmer. In a 9x13 glass pan layer cooked rice, beans, corn and then top with chix thighs, pouring any sauce over. Top with shredded cheddar that has been mixed with sour cream. Bake til cheese is bubbly and dish is heated through (roughly 20 minutes in 350 F oven).

It was a hit with the whole crew which is no small feat. Iceman gave it 10 stars and even Turtle gave it a thumbs up which is nothing short of a miracle with him lately (Mr. Picky all of a sudden). Kodiak and the Hero added some Franks Lime Hot Sauce to pump up the heat. They all said they'd like me to make it again.