Need to Borrow a Cup Sugar from your Neighbor?

Okay, this is funny...the visit from our former Indonesian student prompted me to pull out my Indonesian cookbook and start exploring recipes. As anyone who cooks Thai, Malaysian, etc. knows, getting the proper ingredients can be challenging in Olympia. Almost all Indonesian dishes call for galangal root, a ginger-like root but not quite. I've been on a quest to find it but haven't had any luck. The other day while shopping I ran into my friend and neighbor Christine, I tell her of my recent trip to the Asian market searching for galangal. She says why didn't you ask me?I have it, I'll give you some! Why limit your borrowing to eggs, sugar and flour when you have a neighbor with galangal root?

A Day of Bowling...

Nothing but technique here!

Forrest and Zachary

Bowling, family fun or humiliation? So I have a new name in our family, "Gutter Girl," yup, that's right. We played 2 games, I came in last each time. I begged Lit to put up the bumper rails for me, like we had for the kids. Don't worry about me though, I was able to leave the bowling alley with a self-esteem somewhat intact. Forrest and Zachary however, burned up the alley with their bowling. It was fierce competition. Their bowls were like missiles on a mission: straight down the middle, then a swerve to right, hits the bumper, ricochets off the side, swerves to the left, hits the other bumper, goes towards the middle again and hits the target straight on! Talk about accuracy. Seriously, why doesn't everyone play with the bumpers up?

What Are Your Real Needs?

Today we visited a church in Renton called New Beginnings with our friends Darrell and Eika. It was a very warm and welcoming congregation with lots of soulful singing, unbashful praising, and just down right fun! The pastor is Dr. Leslie Braxton. Tomorrow, MLK day, he opens up the Legislative session here in our Capitol rotunda. Today's sermon resonated a note for both Lit and I. The basic idea was: it's not how much you have, but what you do with it. Hallelujah to that! I know for me, I always have to pull the reins in from my wants and attempt to distinguish them from my needs. When you get right down to it, one requires very few needs to live. Yet it is so easy to get caught up in the race for more. Sometimes it is a challenge to live the values you believe and not get pulled under with our materialistic and narcissistic culture. What are your thoughts?

Who Says Dinners During the Week Have to Be Boring?

I asked Forrest to set the table for dinner the other night; he spent the majority of his time setting out an elaborate candle display in the center of the table. I expected the fire alarms to go off. He insisted we turn off all the lights and was so proud of his handy work. Who says family dinners can't be romantic?

Christmas is Over...But Too Cool Not to Share!

Lucas Get his Braces Off!

No more brace-face, no more little rubber bands around the house!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all! We hope every one's holiday was restful, fun and meaningful. On Christmas day it actually snow PNW. After living here for about 20 years, it was the first snow we have seen on Christmas day. What a treat! It was a wonderful day, full of presents, family, friends, and yummo food. I prepared a 4 course Southern Italian meal of: mixed seafood salad, spaghetti with anchovies, salmon with fennel, sweet potatoes fritters, cauliflower salad, broccoli, figs wrapped in prosciutto. For dessert we were treated to Eika's cranberry tart and Christine's grasshoppers. Wine: Critone, Val di Neto, a white wine with a hint of citrus.

Lucas was with us for about a week. While here, we trekked up to Mt. Rainer. After surviving the car slide from hell, we celebrated our survival with a fun day of snow shoeing. The snow was deep and fluffy. Forrest and Lucas made it their mission to see how much snow they could dump on me. Through pure luck on their part and bad timing on mine, I was the walking bull's eye for every tree they purged. Mom's always persevere. In between I caught the much need winter's silence I craved.

Highlights of 2007

2007 in Review

Running the 1/2 Marathon, Trip to Portland w/Eika, Omaha, Williamsburg & D.C., Suzuki Concert, 8th Wedding Anniversary, Dinners w/Friends, Hosting International Students, Lucas' Awesome Grades, Lit's Last Annual Training in Germany, Military Retirement, Lit Coaching Third base for Forrest's Baseball Team, Lit playing Pirates of the Carri bean in Orchestra, Getting Hermie-the-Hermit Crab, Singing with Masterworks Choral Ensemble, Make-a-Wish Fundraiser for MCE, Dinner w/ 3 aunts all over the age of 90!

Thanksgiving in Omaha

It was such a blessing to spend Thanksgiving in Omaha with all my mom, aunts, uncles, first cousins and second cousins. Spending time with such a loving, fun, and shy and non-opinionated (yeah, right!) group of people was fun. On the second day of our trip my Aunt Pam treated me to Omaha Symphony Concert. It was their Pop's concert that included the Irish Rovers. A talented and hilarious group of men. Omaha's new concert hall? Two thumbs up!

Lit was treated to a "man's" day of shooting. What is a visit to the Midwest without a day at the shooting range? In his infinite wisdom, Lit challenged Uncle Ken to drive down a gully in his big rig. Give Uncle Ken a challenge? He took the bait, off the road they go, down the gully, over the ridge...a Dr. Suess adventure.

Forrest had a blast with his cousin, Sammy from Minnesota. They were buds when we lived in D.C. They reunited in Omaha like a day had not past since they last saw one another. Needless to say, they were inseparable for the entire rest of the trip.

We all enjoyed the trip to Boy's Town. I have been there many times as a young girl, but this trip was special because we were given a tour by a 15 year-old resident. She has lived there for 3 years and credits Boy's Town for saving here life. Way to go Father Flanagan!

A Feast at Faith

Forrest is thriving at Faith Lutheran. A small school of about 150 students. His teacher, Mrs. Broman is wonderful. She is kind, patient, loving and fun. Who could ask for more? We feel very blessed to have him there. In November, the children prepared and feast for parents. It included food they made and a presentation about the orginial Thanksgiving. Each child made a placemat. Without looking at the name, I could spot my kid's as it said: "Thanks for the universe, hole gost, jesus, hvin, food, God." That's my Forrest who beats to his own drum. (Photo: Forrest praying at Japanese Gardens, Portland)