Yummy, Gooey, Christmaseee, Goodness!

Crunchy? Gooey? Sticky? I have a serious weakness. Is it chocolate chip cookies? Sourdough bread? Lasagna? Salmon? Asparagus? A Good burger? Avocado? Cheese? Pears? Wine? YES, YES, YES! Food. Truly I love food! And as a food lover, there is no better time of year than Christmas. Deliciousness is everywhere.

The pinnacle of Christmas time treats for me recently (although asking me to settle on just one item is ridiculous) has been Moose Munch. Oh my, yum yum yum! Caramel popcorn drizzled with Dark Chocolate and Clustered with almonds, pecans, or pretzels. My husband and I decided last night to make it homemade and send some to his grandparents! It was such a fun project! Is there really anything more captivating than a mouth watering sweet treat? I think not.

Finding the right balance of healthy eating and keeping a lid on my gluttonous ways is something I am still working toward. :) But if there is one thing I continue to learn, it is that within reason food is a gift to us to be enjoyed, so here you go folks. The recipe is below (along with a picture I took). Happy Holidays!

Christmas Moose Munch:

1 heaping tablespoon solid coconut oil

1 cup unpopped white popcorn

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups light brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups chopped nuts (almonds or pecans)

6-8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Heat coconut oil in a large pot over high heat. Add 6 kernels to pan as testers; cover. When at least 3 of the kernels pop, add remaining kernels. Shake pan occasionally as corn pops. Keep over high heat until popping slows to a few pops per second, about 5 minutes. Empty popped corn into a large brown paper bag. Add 2 teaspoons salt. Shake bag to distribute salt and drain excess oil; discard unpopped kernels. Measure 13 cups of fully popped kernels; spread on Silpat (or parchment paper) in a large roasting pan or on two cookie sheets; set aside.

Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and baking soda in medium heavy saucepan; heat to boiling over medium-high heat. Cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 235 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Be sure to heat the caramel completely or it will come out too chewy.

Carefully pour caramel mixture over popcorn. Stir mixture with heat-resistant spatula or buttered wooden spoon to evenly coat popcorn, working quickly to coat kernels.

Bake popcorn 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes to continue coating uniformly (this is very important). While popcorn is baking, chop up 2 cups of desired nuts (almonds, pecans, etc.). Remove pan from oven at the end of the hour (caramel should be evenly dispersed over all the popcorn, with no puddles underneath it). While popcorn is still cooling, Break apart any clumps of popcorn with your hands. Sprinkle the nuts on top of the cooling popcorn. Melt semi-sweet chocolate morsels in small sauce pan over low heat. Drizzle over caramel corn and nuts. Refrigerate to harden the chocolate. Once cooled, break apart any remaining clumps. Eat. Enjoy.

Rif-Ram-Bah-Zoo

Talk about "slow to catch on" ... Before I went away to college, I regretfully spent way too many years of my life oblivious to the pure ecstasy of College Football. This doesn't make a lot of sense if you know my family history. Grandpa (Donald Robesky... go ahead, google him) played college football in the 1920's at Stanford University under Pop Warner and is still listed in the Stanford Football Hall of Fame. This was prior to the NFL and so winning a Rose Bowl back then was a very big deal (still is)! I was therefore raised with college football in my blood, and now my blood runs purple (with a strong streak of cardinal red in it... shhh... not to be confused with the Trojans). Needless to say, I believe I have sufficiently "caught on" and am so excited to celebrate the Rose Bowl this year as my alma mater is embraced, undefeated, for a second year in a row into a BCS bowl. I was a little nervous that we (Texas Christian University- TCU) were going to have to play Stanford and then I would be forced to decide a true loyalty. I have no idea how I would choose. So, in honor of my beloved Horned Frogs I would like to lead us all in a boisterous cheer as we anticipate the big day we play University of Wisconsin- Madison. Please join me ...

"RIFF RAM BAH ZOO, LICKETY, LICKETY, ZOO, ZOO, OOO WAH, WAH OOO, GIVE 'EM HELL TCU!"

Thanksgiving 2010

Last week was Thanksgiving. I was challenged by a friend to take stock of things I am not particularly grateful for and discover a new way of thinking about gratitude. For example, "I am thankful for dirty laundry because it means I have clothes to wear." Upon reflection I discovered a number of things that were hard to give thanks for. So at the risk of being too open, here are some things I am Truly, Truly Grateful for this Thanksgiving. Gobble Gobble!

I am Thankful (and Praising God) for our unemployment because it forces me to put into practice each moment of each day Trusting in the Lord, Leaning not on my own understanding, In all my ways acknowledging Him, and allowing Him to direct our path.

I am Thankful (and Praising God) for unemployment because it means I get the time with my husband that I have wanted so badly during 2 years of long distance dating.

I am Thankful (and Praising God) that this year I don't get to decorate our home for Christmas, because it reminds me in my heart that what makes this season Beautiful and Special are not Christmas trees and twinkle lights, but the Truth that a Savior was Born who is the Prince of Peace and Lord of Lords.

I am Thankful (and Praising God) that I am away from many of my friends and family because it means that Tim and I have more space to focus on our new marriage and learn what it means to be committed to Love and Serve each other.

I am Thankful (and Praising God) that I live near the 91 because it means that my brother lives nearby and I can see him whenever I want. It also means that when I am stuck in traffic I am blessed because the Lord has provided us with transportation and gasoline to get to the places we need to go.

I am Thankful that we have indestructible ants in our bedroom and sometimes even in our bed because ... hmm... this is a tough one for me. Maybe someone can give a suggestion of why this is something to Give Thanks for?

I am Thankful that no matter what happens and no matter if we lose everything, then I still have everything because I have God. No matter what, Tim and I do not need to fear.

Other things I am Giving Thanks for this year:

• The Gift of a Loving Husband
• A family who loves and supports each other
• The provision of our lovely home that we love (even though it is temporary and not ours :) which is great because it means we are not responsible for a mortgage)
• The joy of time to learn new things
• Rose bushes in our backyard with Roses the size of my head and the warm weather
• The opportunity to travel to see friends and family for the holidays
• The Excitement of looking forward in Hope and Expectation of all that this year has to hold for Tim and I
• Treasured friends who remind us of what is important in this Life and learning new lessons from their inspiration and encouragement
• Deep conversations that make my heart so full
• Surprising moments of Belly Laughter

Wiggle-Butt Tortilla Chip

I have a puppy. Selah. I LOVE her. No that just doesn't do it justice. I really, really LOVE her. It should be no surprise to those who know me that my second post would be about her. Selah is a 6 year old Boxer I've had since she was 8 weeks old. I had never owned a dog before, but she was just so cute. And what could be so tough about owning a dog?

Life with Selah is an adventure. Let's review. She came to me with kennel cough which racked up huge vet bills quickly. She refused to sleep in her kennel so I spent weeks "sleeping" on the floor next to her with my hand thru the cage (solution: she sleeps with me). She had her cornea punctured playing with another dog which led to major eye surgery. She failed puppy training 5 weeks in a row ... Shall I go on? She greets all guests with barking, licking and jumping (sufficiently humiliating her owner); she chases the mailman until we get warning letters from USPS and have our mail withheld; and because of Selah USPS enforced a neighborhood policy that all dogs had to be inside if people wanted their mail delivered. She tracks dirt all over the house, has allergies which make her perpetually itchy, has a sensitive stomach so she eats a complicated mixture of expensive food, and on and on. The adjustment to becoming a dog owner was immense.

BUT, how do I express to you why I love her? It doesn't make much sense. But she has given me so much unconditional love and so much joy. She continues to inspire me and remind me to celebrate the sweetness of Life, every single teeny-tiny detail.

Some of my sweetest Selah moments: She licks tears off my face. She cuddled at my feet while I had the stomach flu one year. She's taken endless long walks with me during months of unemployment. When I walk in the door after any length of time, she wiggles, bounces, and bends like a kidney bean all over. She wags her two inch stubby tail, but it simply won't go fast enough so her whole body joins in to express her overabundance of joy!

Truly every part of Selah's day is significant enough to REJOICE in. She...

Smiles a huge, goofy, jowly, slobbery smile after a passionate run (wiggles her tail)

Inhales her food like it is the first time she has tasted it (wiggles her tail)

Takes naps in the forbidden white chair (wiggles her tail)

Charges at the cat to make her run (wiggles her tail)

Positions herself for a tummy rub (wiggles her tail)

Instigates a wrestling match (wiggles her tail)

Steals chocolate (wiggles her tail)

She loves affection and attention and believes no one can do wrong. She trusts completely. She has no pride. Isn't afraid to communicate what she needs. Embraces fun with no fear. Gives her affection freely and without prejudice. And she isn't aware that sometimes she is totally uncool, but if she knows she couldn't care less. She wiggles her tail.

As for me, I struggle with fear. I worry. I exert plenty of energy to save face in front of others. I don't always know how to love or be open to being loved. I am not cool, and while most days I don't care, sometimes it sure would be nice to have some cool points! But with my sweet pooch around I am reminded to set aside my worries and to laugh deeply. To Remember that each day is a Gift from the Lord. And His mercies are new each morning. If only I had a tail.

PS. Selah smells like freshly baked tortilla chips when she wakes up from long naps. I couldn't love her more!

Life is Beautiful.

Recently I adventured into my parents’ basement in search of childhood photos. I was belatedly collecting them for a slideshow to exhibit in a remote corner at my wedding reception. I was determined that all guests should decide for themselves if they wanted to see how “cute” Tim and I were as children, to gaze upon my mom’s 80’s perm, her Huge eye-glasses, and Dad’s mutton chops, or discover for themselves my foray into the world of dance recitals and musical theater. While very cute in concept, too often these slideshows are too long or boring, and I felt like it was best to give the opt-out option on this one. Surely someone out there is grateful for that decision.

But for me personally, as I sat on the floor that day surrounded by 20+ years of Christmas’, birthdays, and camping trips, I began to understand why these shows get too long. These images were precious windows into a lifetime of both significant and seemingly insignificant moments that I had underestimated the power of when seen woven all together. To my regret I am not sure I fully appreciated those moments then or now. But truly the compilation of those real Life moments displayed together was Captivating. Even Beautiful. I was struck by the impact of these photos on my "sentimental button" and was reminded that Simply put: Life is Beautiful. All of it. Unfortunately, I am guilty of forgetting this or at the very least I am guilty of disregarding it in favor of focusing on all that is "so hard." Because let’s be honest, life is no walk in the park. But I am hopeful that some of these life lessons will stick with me and that with each moment I am Slowly Catching On that Life is Captivating and Beautiful and meant to be rejoiced in.