christmas card 2011

Here's a preview of our Christmas card for this year--our first year sending them out!

Photo Card

View the entire collection of cards.

happy thanksgiving!

We're anticipating a lovely Thanksgiving this year, spent in AK with my mother-in-law's family. Although I'm not exactly thrilled about the idea of flying, and even less so about flying with 9-month-old Z.

I went to visit my brother in Houston a few months ago, and the flight home with Z was definitely not one of the highlights of the trip (!). I'm considering getting some homeopathic Calms Forte to (hopefully!) settle her down so she'll sleep most of the way (which, if you read the previous post, you'll understand what a treat that would be). I'm going to research it a little and see what I can find out, since I'm not comfortable giving her Benedryl to make her sleep; she's not allergic to flying, as far as I know.

What things has God blessed you with this year that you are thankful for? An obvious one for me is my sweet, bright, strong, energetic, lovely little Z who just fills my life with joy. But there is so much more: my dear, encouraging, funny, amazing husband; the wonderful friends God has put in my life; a home that we can use to His glory...there are just so many things to be thankful for.

What are you thankful for this year?

Have a great one, everyone!

well.

It has been quite a while since I've updated--much too long in fact. So many wondrous things have happened these past nine months. I've watched my little Z-girl talk to her mirror, pick favorite toys, learn to crawl, enjoy butternut squash with cinnamon; and most recently, I've watched her attempts at standing on her own (without holding on to anything!). It has been a fascinating nine months that have flown by faster than I ever expected. I guess I always just thought people were exaggerating or being cliche when they declared how quickly babies grow. It is with a bittersweet recognition that I confirm those declarations.

As I speak, husband J is trying to put Z down for her nap. Trying because Z absolutely despises naps (and bedtime) with every fiber of her tiny being. She screams, cries, flails--it doesn't matter whether she's being nursed down, rocked, or left in her crib. It's all the same to her. It just means she won't be able to explore for that hour or two and that, apparently, is a fate worse than death.

Well, she's asleep now, so I should probably go cook or do some chores or something while I have the chance. J is working from home at the moment, and hasn't a clue (hopefully) that we're about to host a huge 30th birthday party for him. Hurrah!

I'll hopefully have some sweet photos and recipes from the party.

Cheers for now!

nesting power.

It's hard to believe that in less than a month (she is due February 24th), our little girl will be here.

Not only has this realization sent me into the frenzy of cleaning, organizing, reorganizing, and rearranging commonly referred to as "nesting," but it has also got me quite excited to show my precious one the world.

Even before I found out I was going to become a mother, I thought how wonderful a thing it would be to show a child just how much there is to know about the world, and how fun to begin to rediscover things myself in a whole new way by viewing them through a child's eager, curious eyes. Now I'm more excited about the prospect than ever, but also feel the gravity of the responsibility that awaits me. I am forced to realize how dependent I have to be on Christ in order to love, disciple, and discipline our daughter the way I want to be able to.

fall is fun.

Fall is here. Vibrant oranges, reds, and yellows adorn the trees. Fallen leaves dance on the ground, stirred up by the chilly breeze. The sky begins to a look a little more grey, and decorating store fronts and front steps are pumpkins of varying sizes.

I can't believe Thanksgiving is in only one week. That festive fall holiday where family and friends gather in the cozy shelter of a home and share laughter, stories, and delicious food. One carries along the traditions of one's own family into the next when one gets married, and just as I will always remember the wonderful, magical Thanksgivings hosted by my mother--a fabulous cook and Proverbs 31 woman--I also cherish the newness and warmth of Thanksgivings with my husband's family (which still includes my own mother, when she isn't visiting my brother and his wife in Texas).

The Byrds have a longstanding Christian heritage that builds with each successive generation. At Thanksgiving (and Christmas), all the commercialism and watered-down emptiness of "Turkey Day" melts away like the pats of butter thrown into a pot of steaming mashed potatoes. Thanksgiving becomes a holiday where everyone celebrates how truly thankful they are for freedom, for each other, for their Savior. It is good to remember the heritage of one's country, as well as that of family. After all, the landing of our forefathers at Plymouth is why we even celebrate Thanksgiving today. Ultimately, we have them to thank for this fun-filled feast day.

I so look forward to our daughter experiencing true Thanksgiving through her godly great-grandmothers, great-grandfathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, and cousins.


Here's a recipe for Cranberry Nut Bread my mother always made during Thanksgiving and Christmas. The taste of it instantly brings back memories of waking up to the smell of it during my childhood in our warm apartment in Brooklyn. Mom would always make several loaves, and give some away as Christmas presents, or freeze some for future breakfasts. I don't know what mystical land I thought the recipe had floated down from, but you can actually find it on the back of a bag of Ocean Spray cranberries!


Cranberry Nut Bread

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use safflower oil)
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/2 cups cranberries, coarsely chopped (I use a mini food processor)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (My mother always used walnuts, but I suspect almonds would do well, too)

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9 x 5-in. loaf pan. Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in orange juice, oil, orange peel, and egg. Mix until well blended. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Spread evenly in loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan, cool completely. Makes 1 loaf.

Note: You can also used two smaller loaf pans and get two loaves out of one recipe. I think this bread tastes its best after sitting about a day or so. I feel like the flavors have had time to blend more by then. Also, the image of the bread at the top isn't mine, although it looks exactly the same when sliced.

Enjoy!

Indian Cuisine

So, as promised, here's a little tidbit about Indian food.

I've always enjoyed the unique and full-bodied flavors in Indian food, but I got on a real kick when Joel and I ate at an Indian restaurant in Jersey City. The homemade naan bread (a traditional flatbread made with yeast that can be topped with different things or flavored) we had was incredible--we probably could have eaten just that for lunch! We each ordered a dish, but when our meals arrived, they were served on huge platters that had several small dishes, including the ones we had ordered. I remember there was a cup of chick peas and green peas that were swimming in a delectable creamy sauce, and also a cup of hot tomato something-or-other.

Anyway, I decided to try to cook up some Indian delights at home. Naturally, I went to good old google for some recipes, and I came up with a small menu: egg fried rice and Rajma with store-bought Tandoori brand naan bread (on sale at ShopRite!).

Rajma is the Indian word for "kidney beans." I got the delightful recipe from here:

http://www.recipedelights.com/recipes/vegdishes/Rajma.htm
(I didn't use any green chiles; if you like your Indian spicy, go ahead and throw these in.)

I got the egg fried rice recipe on this site as well.

http://www.recipedelights.com/recipes/Contributors/eggfriedrice.htm
(I didn't have any mint, so I didn't use that ingredient.)

You'll notice that both recipes call for "Garam Masala Powder." This spice is a combination of spices that gives most Indian dishes such a fragrant and complex flavor. It can be bought in a store, but I decided to try to make my own. Some of the spices are not so common, but I had most of them. I found a good, simple recipe on here:

http://indianfood.about.com/od/masalarecipes/r/garammasala.htm


If you enjoy Indian food, I highly recommend these recipes for your next dinner!