Thirty

And here we are, at the end of the Daily Blogging Experiment.  It was good for me to be forced to write for all 30 days, and I am better for it.  While I won't be repeating it in the near future, I think November was a most excellent month to try this out.  And in the spirit of November, which to me means THANKS, I leave you my final, grateful post.

I am grateful for so much in my life.  I am not going to bore you with a laundry list of how much I love my family, or how thankful I am for Diet Coke (if you've been here a few times, you already know my feelings on these particular subjects).  I'm just going to cover all my bases and tell you how thankful I am for my Heavenly Father.  Life is not always simple, easy, or fun, but he is always watching out for my family and I.  I know that the trials that are placed before us are given because we CAN endure them, and that we are richly blessed when we endure to the end.  I also know that while he does not always answer my selfish, pleading prayers, the answers he does provide offer insight and direction which do always make me better.

Twenty Nine

I came across the most enchanting book today.

This is Paris by Miroslav Sasek, was first published 50 years ago, but is timeless and charming.

He describes the large and small details of the city, from the flower girls to the gendarmes, the Seine to the Louvre.  His illustrations are bright and detailed, his wording simple.  It captures the charm of one of my favorite cities.

I think I will purchase this for Big Sis' birthday.  I've already promised her a trip to Paris when she turns 16 , and this will be a lovely way to tantalize her with a tiny piece of the City of Light.
(Don't worry, as we get closer I'll give her the choice between college tuition or the trip)

Twenty Eight

In gathering my advent calendar activity ideas, I included "Drink hot cocoa from our Christmas mugs".... assuming that I had Christmas mugs.  Turns out I was sadly, sadly mistaken.

Seriously, Christmas china for 12 and I don't have any matching mugs??

I'm thinking of trying out out Design Mom's idea for DIY Monogram Mugs.  Big Sis LOVES to get crafty, and if I re-mix the Advent activities, I can get two days worth out of the project (making them, then using them).  It was challenging to come up with 24 Christmas activities, and I will gladly dump a weaker one for a craft this fun.

 (image from Design Mom - seriously, how cute are these???)

Twenty Seven

Big Sis switched schools this year, and it has been a change for the better.  The teachers seem more interested, the parents more involved, the learning accelerated.  Despite being mere blocks from each other, the change in schools also came with a change in demographics.  With our 'starving student' status, we are definitely in the financial minority, but thankfully the focus on designer kiddie jeans and status backpacks seems to not yet be affecting the first grade.

While waiting for dismissal last week, I overheard 2 moms discussing teacher gifts.  I was taken by surprise when one stated that last year she gave her son's teacher a $25 Starbucks gift card and travel mug, $25 in movie tickets, AND a $25 gift card to her favorite restaurant.   $75 in gifts for a teacher???  I was planning on a homemade goodie basket, but now..... well, it's still gonna be a homemade goodie basket.  I don't mean to minimize the impact a great teacher has on a student, but my budget does not support $75 in "thanks".  Is that the expectation???

Do you get gifts for your kid's teachers?  Do you spend this much?  Am I a cheapskate?
(The last question is rhetorical.....)

Twenty Six

Our mini-Thanksgiving was a delicious, exhausting success.  It's amazing to me that I can spend all day in the kitchen & the meal is demolished in 20 minutes.

One new recipe I tried this year was for green bean casserole.  I grew up on the creamed-soup-and-canned-beans version, and for 2010 I wanted to do a bit better.  I went with Alton Brown's recipe from Food Network, and I loved it.  I was also surprised at how simple it was, and how much more flavorful it was.  If this is a tradition in your family too, I urge you to try it from scratch.

Best Ever Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients

For the topping:

• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Nonstick cooking spray

For beans and sauce:

• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 pound fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 12 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup half-and-half

Directions

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Combine the onions, flour, panko and salt in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Coat a sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray and evenly spread the onions on the pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. Toss the onions 2 to 3 times during cooking. Once done, remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use. Turn the oven down to 400 degrees F.

**I had big problems with the onions.  Not sure if my oven was running hot, but my onions were more Extra Black than Extra Crispy.  I would probably try frying them next time.  

While the onions are cooking, prepare the beans. Bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil in an 8-quart saucepan. Add the beans and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to give up some of their liquid, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 of the onions and all of the green beans. Top with the remaining onions. Place into the oven and bake until bubbly, approximately 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.  

Twenty Five

Are you a Black Friday shopper?

I've been there, done that, and feel no need to repeat it.

I was waiting in line at a store the other day & another customer was recounting last year's Black Friday adventures while waiting for Wal-mart to open.  "Oh yeah, we were out there at 1am with our lawn chairs and our blankets, just talking to everyone around us!  It was great!".

Sorry if I'm a wet blanket, but waiting out in front of a store, in the cold, in the dark, for 3-4 hours, with 250 strangers, so I can save $20 on a DVD player is NOT my idea of a good time.

My feelings are further confirmed by the rain dripping down outside my cozy window as I type this.

The last time I did Black Friday was back in Des Moines.  I was pregnant, so I was up at 4am anyway.  I hit Old Navy (store open, no line), the mall (3 stores, no lines, out in 20 minutes), Target (arrived as doors opened, purchased 2 movies & 1 toy - spent longer in the checkout line than my total time in the store), and Toys r Us (horrendous line, bought nothing).

Total shopping time: 2 hours.  Psychic toll: still TBD.

It's hard not to get caught up in the hype to SHOP NOW.  I feel the pressure even more because 90% of my shopping is done and wrapped.  Today my inbox was flooded with deals, and it's hard to resist the lure of 30, 40, or even 50% off.  Sure, I can always pick up just one more thing..... But will she even notice?  Will he even play with it for more than a day?  

We have so much stuff already, and from Christmases past, I know that more than 3 or 4 gifts for each child results in a glazed look & sensory overload.  So once again, I am fighting the siren song of Target/ the mall, and opting out of Black Friday.  

Instead, I'll be at home, slippers on, hot chocolate in hand, assembling my tree & watching the rain fall gently outside.

I salute you, soggy shoppers.  May victory be yours & may your credit cards not burst into flames.  

Twenty Four

Do you Groupon?

I am usually the last one to the party when it comes to a trend, a hot topic, or the latest & greatest.  But in this case, I think I was right on time.

Groupon is a marketing site which offers a different deal every day.  It promotes local businesses and services, and can be customized by your city or zipcode to reflect promotions that will best fit you.  Groupon usually highlights a deal that is 50-90% off, and a minimum number of people must commit to buying the deal before it 'tips' and opens to everyone.   Sometimes deals found in other cities can be redeemed online, so it offers even more options if you're willing to check it out.  Although there are many days when I don't take part, so far I have bought the following:

• $25 for $50 of Gap merchandise.
• A mani/pedi for $25.  (Can't wait to use this!)
• Half-off Detroit Science Center tickets (ended up paying $24 for 4 tickets, which included an IMAX movie & also allows us to go to the Children's Museum on another day).
• $25 for $50 in merchandise from Nordstrom Rack.  

Most of the deals have an expiration date of several months out, so no need to fear purchasing & not being able to use.  I've seen deals for restaurants, hotels, attractions, yoga, personal training, teeth whitening, clothes, jewelry, cupcakes, and much more.  Check it out!