persimmons
clean floors
Catchphrase
a good/effective/easy lesson plan
chocolate chip cookies
tennis
peppermint mocha coffeemate
instaburn logs
Goodwill fab finds
pomegranates
bear hugs from my boys
beds that make themselves
the public library
my lovely church home
game nights
almond steamers
NPR
cuddling on the couch w/DH
the Daily Show on Hulu
decluttering
and I'll leave it there for now. Because actually, the beds don't make themselves around here....defective.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Tylenol
Kelincha has a headache. The best cure for which is a super hot shower. But then I'll have to get out of said shower and my house will be too cold. And so, I have a headache.
Friday, January 1, 2010
you can skip this one
2009 Review
Saw this here and thought I'd write up a similar post for myself. My memory is so bad, 2009 is already a blur, so I figure by writing this now, maybe next year I'll at least have these things to remember about 2009.
What random cool things happened in 2009?
First thing that pops to mind is meeting D at a wedding in New Braunfels. We drove down there and ended up sitting next to her and her daughter at the reception. Discovered that we were neighbors! It's been great getting to know her better, sharing playdates, and having a friend living a stone's throw away.
Aka got to be in the same class with his bf for another year. He played t-ball for the first time. Said a million and one funny things. Grew up too much!
Uka turned 3! Finally started talking in somewhat understandable words and sentences at the very end of the year. Obsessed by trains, "bulldo"s, big trucks. Greets me each morning by coming in to whatever room I'm in with his arms outstretched for a hug. He says, "I need me!" when he wants his mommy.
First family vacation. We spent time in beautiful Arkansas. So refreshing!
Favorite Books of 2009
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close was one of the last books I read this year, but it was gorgeous.
Myth of a Christian Nation blew my mind.
The Year of Living Biblically and The Unlikely Disciple helped me to see the church and Christian culture with the eyes of an outsider. Both were quite thought-provoking.
World Made by Hand was another lovely book.
Did you move anywhere?
We moved into our new house. We stayed in the same neighborhood where we were living, in fact, the same neighborhood in which I grew up, but it still felt like a big change. And for the better! We've enjoyed getting to have people over, meet our neighbors, have more space for kids to play in.
Describe your birthday
DH threw me another "surprise" party! Seriously, I think I created a monster! The house was a mess, and I saw a text on his phone at the last minute that tipped me off in case I had any remaining doubts. When DH saw that I knew there was going to be a party, he asked me to stay and help cook (instead of going to coffee with my friend) Ha! Anyway, it was a fun party and I received a beautiful ottoman from World Market that I'd been salivating over and never thought I could afford to purchase.
What's something you learned about yourself?
My feelings still get hurt way too easily by things that shouldn't bother me.
Made new friends?
Yes, I've made many new friends at church and around. I've actively sought to cultivate frienships. It takes a lot of work, but it's worth it of course.
What do you want to change in 2010?
Get rid of jealousy, foster contentment. Spend more focused time on my kids and hubby.
Saw this here and thought I'd write up a similar post for myself. My memory is so bad, 2009 is already a blur, so I figure by writing this now, maybe next year I'll at least have these things to remember about 2009.
What random cool things happened in 2009?
First thing that pops to mind is meeting D at a wedding in New Braunfels. We drove down there and ended up sitting next to her and her daughter at the reception. Discovered that we were neighbors! It's been great getting to know her better, sharing playdates, and having a friend living a stone's throw away.
Aka got to be in the same class with his bf for another year. He played t-ball for the first time. Said a million and one funny things. Grew up too much!
Uka turned 3! Finally started talking in somewhat understandable words and sentences at the very end of the year. Obsessed by trains, "bulldo"s, big trucks. Greets me each morning by coming in to whatever room I'm in with his arms outstretched for a hug. He says, "I need me!" when he wants his mommy.
First family vacation. We spent time in beautiful Arkansas. So refreshing!
Favorite Books of 2009
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close was one of the last books I read this year, but it was gorgeous.
Myth of a Christian Nation blew my mind.
The Year of Living Biblically and The Unlikely Disciple helped me to see the church and Christian culture with the eyes of an outsider. Both were quite thought-provoking.
World Made by Hand was another lovely book.
Did you move anywhere?
We moved into our new house. We stayed in the same neighborhood where we were living, in fact, the same neighborhood in which I grew up, but it still felt like a big change. And for the better! We've enjoyed getting to have people over, meet our neighbors, have more space for kids to play in.
Describe your birthday
DH threw me another "surprise" party! Seriously, I think I created a monster! The house was a mess, and I saw a text on his phone at the last minute that tipped me off in case I had any remaining doubts. When DH saw that I knew there was going to be a party, he asked me to stay and help cook (instead of going to coffee with my friend) Ha! Anyway, it was a fun party and I received a beautiful ottoman from World Market that I'd been salivating over and never thought I could afford to purchase.
What's something you learned about yourself?
My feelings still get hurt way too easily by things that shouldn't bother me.
Made new friends?
Yes, I've made many new friends at church and around. I've actively sought to cultivate frienships. It takes a lot of work, but it's worth it of course.
What do you want to change in 2010?
Get rid of jealousy, foster contentment. Spend more focused time on my kids and hubby.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
panic at the disco in my kitchen
New Year's Eve is coming up, and it is the biggest holiday of the year for former Soviet citizens. In deference to atheistic Communism, they took all the trappings of Christmas and moved them to New Year's. You've got your gift giving, your "New Year's" tree, your feast, your in-door sparklers....yes, in-door. Don't you too usually light sparklers inside? Mix that with a confined space and their typical vodka drinking ways and all I can say is, "Fire hazard, fire shmazard!"
This year we have several Uzbek friends joining us and as I try to decide what to cook, I feel that old feeling of stage fright creeping up on me. It was a feeling quite common to me when we lived in Uzbekistan. I always felt, rightly or wrongly, that my worth as a human being was being judged based on how well I cooked dinner. Which was not always very well! In the early days of our marriage, I remember serving up a not particularly well received breakfast to DH's family. Back then, I thought that when making boiled eggs, the point was to boil them for as long as possible. (I was scared of salmonella, ok?) That idea went for potatoes and pretty much anything else boiled as well. I was not particularly well trained in the culinary arts and had to learn on the fly (thanks Mom!) In addition to trying to learn to cook with only the help of Betty Crocker's Cookbook, I was also hobbled by not having access to a grocery store, being somewhat afraid of turning on the gas stove top, being very very afraid of turning on the oven, and by basically thinking that cooking was a lot harder than it really is. So that particular breakfast, with the overcooked eggs, was greeted with a less than enthusiastic response and a pointed question, "Why did you get married if you can't even boil an egg?" ouch.
Thankfully, my belief that anything can be learned from a book turned out ok this time, and my cooking skills and self-assurance have improved with time. Not only that, but my relationship with DH's family also took a drastic turn for the better. But still, when it comes to cooking for other Uzbeks, my old lack of confidence peeks around the corner. Sure, I think the Uzbek dishes I make are good, but I don't know how they seem to people who grew up with them. What if my version of osh seems as far off base as the pizza I ordered in Kiev that was topped with ketchup, mayonnaise and corn?
Wish me luck! And if you don't have anything else to do, come eat with us on New Year's eve. At least I know you won't be able to tell whether my finished dishes are authentic versions or not.
This year we have several Uzbek friends joining us and as I try to decide what to cook, I feel that old feeling of stage fright creeping up on me. It was a feeling quite common to me when we lived in Uzbekistan. I always felt, rightly or wrongly, that my worth as a human being was being judged based on how well I cooked dinner. Which was not always very well! In the early days of our marriage, I remember serving up a not particularly well received breakfast to DH's family. Back then, I thought that when making boiled eggs, the point was to boil them for as long as possible. (I was scared of salmonella, ok?) That idea went for potatoes and pretty much anything else boiled as well. I was not particularly well trained in the culinary arts and had to learn on the fly (thanks Mom!) In addition to trying to learn to cook with only the help of Betty Crocker's Cookbook, I was also hobbled by not having access to a grocery store, being somewhat afraid of turning on the gas stove top, being very very afraid of turning on the oven, and by basically thinking that cooking was a lot harder than it really is. So that particular breakfast, with the overcooked eggs, was greeted with a less than enthusiastic response and a pointed question, "Why did you get married if you can't even boil an egg?" ouch.
Thankfully, my belief that anything can be learned from a book turned out ok this time, and my cooking skills and self-assurance have improved with time. Not only that, but my relationship with DH's family also took a drastic turn for the better. But still, when it comes to cooking for other Uzbeks, my old lack of confidence peeks around the corner. Sure, I think the Uzbek dishes I make are good, but I don't know how they seem to people who grew up with them. What if my version of osh seems as far off base as the pizza I ordered in Kiev that was topped with ketchup, mayonnaise and corn?
Wish me luck! And if you don't have anything else to do, come eat with us on New Year's eve. At least I know you won't be able to tell whether my finished dishes are authentic versions or not.
best of 09 catch up
Best Workshop or Conference- I went to a very helpful workshop on teaching reading to adults. As a teacher, this is the area that I struggle with the most. We have very limited time with our adult students, and I find that I tend to skip over reading, thinking that they can do it on their own time. The workshop given by Heide Wrigley helped me with some new ideas and also, just to better understand the need for classroom instruction in this area.
Album of the Year- hmm...well, I used to be very concerned with music, constantly scouring music magazines and pouring over the bins at CD Warehouse, but, getting married, having no money, living in Uzbekistan, having kids....it "cured" me of that particular obsession. All that to say, my finger is not on the pulse anymore. This year I listened to plenty of different things, but I actually only bought one CD and it was Taylor Swift's "Fearless." I love her music, pop hooks, first love kinda lyrics and I think...*mic grab------"I'mma let you finish but (insert your fave here) had the best album of the decade!*
Best Change you made to the place you live- I moved! Yay! No more meth labs, no more pit bulls running around unleashed, no more downstairs neighbors shouting profanely through the night. No more bumping into the walls in my teeny tiny kitchen. No more 3rd floor breezeways that look like they may detach from the building any moment. Yay for our own house!
Thanks for your attention. Good day!
Album of the Year- hmm...well, I used to be very concerned with music, constantly scouring music magazines and pouring over the bins at CD Warehouse, but, getting married, having no money, living in Uzbekistan, having kids....it "cured" me of that particular obsession. All that to say, my finger is not on the pulse anymore. This year I listened to plenty of different things, but I actually only bought one CD and it was Taylor Swift's "Fearless." I love her music, pop hooks, first love kinda lyrics and I think...*mic grab------"I'mma let you finish but (insert your fave here) had the best album of the decade!*
Best Change you made to the place you live- I moved! Yay! No more meth labs, no more pit bulls running around unleashed, no more downstairs neighbors shouting profanely through the night. No more bumping into the walls in my teeny tiny kitchen. No more 3rd floor breezeways that look like they may detach from the building any moment. Yay for our own house!
Thanks for your attention. Good day!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
I'm looking through you....ikra.
This morning I sat down and enjoyed a bowl of ikra for breakfast. (or stood by the microwave and devoured it, same diff) Ikra means "caviar" in Russian, but this is actually a spread made from eggplant and other vegetables. I learned how to make it from my first neighbor/slum lord in Tashkent. Standing here, eating that, it was amazing how I found myself transported back to that first year in Tashkent, (ikra = time machine in a bowl?)
We had been living in a 1 bedroom student apartment (which translates into unfurnishedexceptforTVthatonlyplaysUzbekculturaldancingalldaylong) in Tashkent with DH's cousin for a couple of months upon arrival, waiting for DH to get a job placement. It was an age of innocence. I was enjoying the adventure, and very sheltered from the realities of life in Uzbekistan, fresh off the boat (plane, whatever, you know what I mean) When we found our first apartment, our very own, I didn't care or even notice that we were paying $25 a month for a place that should have been condemned. (Literally, since as we later found out the building had been built upon an old landfill and was unstable) That $25 rent was more than DH's salary at the time, but I also had some small income coming in from teaching.
Our bedroom contained a twin bed and an armoire and was so small that we could only open the door of the armoire half way before it intersected with the bed and wouldn't open further. Our nights consisted of sleeping back to back, trying not to push the other person onto the floor. Our kitchen had no cabinets or counters, but a big old desk worked as an improvised counter top/workspace, and we also had a little 2 burner camp stove. When we moved in, the whole place was covered in what I was told later was roach feces. Ah, yes, but it was home, and ours. We were proud.
Tytya "Aunt" Alla was our landlady and next door neighbor. She was a middle-aged, unmarried woman; an ethnic Korean whose family was deported to Uzbekistan during the time of Stalin. She was God-sent to me. After DH started his job, he was kept out till 9 or 10 most evenings. I knew little language and very few people in Tashkent. I can't remember now how I spent my time, I had already started teaching at that time, but it was part-time. I had also by then discovered an English library which I considered a gift from on high. But, in moments of loneliness, Tytya Alla was always there and ready to talk (and talk and talk and talk), the only thing I had to do was nod occassionally and say "da", which was good because my Russian at that time was only good enough to say "Where is toilet?" and "How much? Give 1 kilo please"
Koreans in Uzbekistan are known for their salads and canning abilities, and so it was from Tytya Alla that I learned to make ikra and DH learned to can homemade pickles, for which he is now famous throughout Central Asia. The paper on which the recipe is written is speckled with oil, crumpled and dirty, but a treasured possession. Here for posterity I'll share it with you!
Ikra:
salt
carrots 1 lb
onion 2 BIG ones
eggplant 3 lbs or 2 big ones
cilantro if desired
garlic 4 or 5 pieces
oil 1 1/2 cups
tomato 1/2 lb
red bell pepper 2 pieces
jalapeno 2 or 3
Cut everything up into small to medium sized cubes. Heat the oil in a heavy pot like a dutch oven and fry the onions till brown. (About 15 minutes)
Add the carrots and salt to taste and fry for about 7 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, bell pepper, and eggplant, stirring occasionally and left uncovered. You can also add the jalapeno, garlic, and cilantro if using at this time. Keep the flame up at medium. Allow to cook for at least 45 minutes.
The finished product is usually canned, but you can also eat it right away. Yum!
We had been living in a 1 bedroom student apartment (which translates into unfurnishedexceptforTVthatonlyplaysUzbekculturaldancingalldaylong) in Tashkent with DH's cousin for a couple of months upon arrival, waiting for DH to get a job placement. It was an age of innocence. I was enjoying the adventure, and very sheltered from the realities of life in Uzbekistan, fresh off the boat (plane, whatever, you know what I mean) When we found our first apartment, our very own, I didn't care or even notice that we were paying $25 a month for a place that should have been condemned. (Literally, since as we later found out the building had been built upon an old landfill and was unstable) That $25 rent was more than DH's salary at the time, but I also had some small income coming in from teaching.
Our bedroom contained a twin bed and an armoire and was so small that we could only open the door of the armoire half way before it intersected with the bed and wouldn't open further. Our nights consisted of sleeping back to back, trying not to push the other person onto the floor. Our kitchen had no cabinets or counters, but a big old desk worked as an improvised counter top/workspace, and we also had a little 2 burner camp stove. When we moved in, the whole place was covered in what I was told later was roach feces. Ah, yes, but it was home, and ours. We were proud.
Tytya "Aunt" Alla was our landlady and next door neighbor. She was a middle-aged, unmarried woman; an ethnic Korean whose family was deported to Uzbekistan during the time of Stalin. She was God-sent to me. After DH started his job, he was kept out till 9 or 10 most evenings. I knew little language and very few people in Tashkent. I can't remember now how I spent my time, I had already started teaching at that time, but it was part-time. I had also by then discovered an English library which I considered a gift from on high. But, in moments of loneliness, Tytya Alla was always there and ready to talk (and talk and talk and talk), the only thing I had to do was nod occassionally and say "da", which was good because my Russian at that time was only good enough to say "Where is toilet?" and "How much? Give 1 kilo please"
Koreans in Uzbekistan are known for their salads and canning abilities, and so it was from Tytya Alla that I learned to make ikra and DH learned to can homemade pickles, for which he is now famous throughout Central Asia. The paper on which the recipe is written is speckled with oil, crumpled and dirty, but a treasured possession. Here for posterity I'll share it with you!
Ikra:
salt
carrots 1 lb
onion 2 BIG ones
eggplant 3 lbs or 2 big ones
cilantro if desired
garlic 4 or 5 pieces
oil 1 1/2 cups
tomato 1/2 lb
red bell pepper 2 pieces
jalapeno 2 or 3
Cut everything up into small to medium sized cubes. Heat the oil in a heavy pot like a dutch oven and fry the onions till brown. (About 15 minutes)
Add the carrots and salt to taste and fry for about 7 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, bell pepper, and eggplant, stirring occasionally and left uncovered. You can also add the jalapeno, garlic, and cilantro if using at this time. Keep the flame up at medium. Allow to cook for at least 45 minutes.
The finished product is usually canned, but you can also eat it right away. Yum!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Redacted
The in-house censor takes some of the fun out of blogging. Ah, the joys of paranoia are many.
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