El Sicko

Two words for my readers: Sinus. Infection.

Not only did Santa Claus bring a beautiful display of Christmas treasures, but a sinus/ear infection as well. It's okay, because I still believe in the magic of Christmas.

To help resolve my illness, I whipped up a batch of Jan Monforton's famous Beef Barley Soup, promising to warm the bellies of all who enjoy it. Here is the recipe:

BEEF BARLEY SOUP
This is for a single batch.

5 qt. water
1-1/2 to 2 lbs. beef soup meat (beef shanks are good)
1 med onion, diced or minced
8 beef bouillon cubes
1 Tbsp. worcestorshire sauce
1 Tbsp. soy sauce, regular or low sodium
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
3 or 4 drops Tobasco or Red Hot Sauce
1/4 c. ketchup
1/8 tsp. pepper
Combine all the above in a large pot, bring to boil, then simmer for several hours til meat falls off bone. Remove meat and soup bones (treat for the girls?).
Crumble the meat into small pieces, and add back to the broth. (Sometimes I'll do this process in the evening, then set the soup outside to chill and let any
fat rise to the top, then do the following the next day)
Add to soup:
2 carrots, cubed or cut as small or chunky as you like.
2 celery ribs with leafy tops, finely choped
1 Tbsp parsley flakes
2 medium-to-large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1-1/2 c. quick barley (or use regular barley, but a smaller amount)
Simmer for several hours, til vegetables are fully cooked.

As mentioned, this soup is amazing. I just ate a bowl and I already feel better. Jan usually bakes several loaves of whole wheat bread to serve along side the soup, but my bread making abilities are not up to snuff (even with a bread machine).

I will be sure to start taking some pictures for the blog on my new camera.

Lazy Days Ahead

So, I successfully navigated yet another holiday season at Casa Mofo and Casa Norton. I was rewarded on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with wonderful "prizes" for my visits--a much needed camera, Uggs, apron, fat kid pants (sweats), perfume, maternity clothes (that don't fit yet, because no "belly" exists), and several sleep-in mornings. All in all, it was a truly a great Christmas. The BEST moment of my break thus far came on Boxing Day, December 26.

Dave and I were invited to Jack Becker's 1st Birthday-a truly momentous occasion. Kady decorated the Becker household (a gorgeous house, might I add) with a tie motif. Ties hanging from the chandeliers, laying across tables, fashioned to busts on mantles. It was so cute. Kady truly outdid herself in the decor department. I think she may need to begin a career as a party designer. Jack was a cute as ever, rocking' out a "tie" onesy. I had been planning a great 1st birthday present for Jack for a while---I definitely knew I wanted to get him a shopping cart. SO, after shopping around at Toys R Us, Target, etc., and finally venturing to The Doll Hospital and Toy Soldier Shop in Berkley, Michigan, I found the perfect shopping cart. I am proud to say, it was the coolest gift at the party and Jack loved it! Unfortunately, every picture I took on my NEW camera was deleted because I forgot to put in the memory stick (blame pregnancy brain). Hopefully Kady got some good pictures for her blog, www.ourbeckerblog.blogspot.com
Here is the shopping cart:
I'm back home now in Bloomington celebrating the last 5 days of my break. I love being at home with the dogs and the prospect of REAL rest. I am going to be doing some soup-making and cooking-baking in the next few days. Holler.

Pregnancy update #5: No baby bump, still. Hmph. I feel normal. Yes, its weird.

Awaiting a Shitshow

So the Monforton children have affectionately named our Christmas Eve party, "The Annual Shitshow." With all the preparations, yelling, and planning that takes place, "shitshow" is a rightful name. We are now T-minus 24 hours and counting:
The basement is clean.
The shopping is finished.
Joey is hungover, but optimistic about tomorrow's cooking performance. (He had Leo's for lunch, which helps any hangover or mild illness.)
Dave and Jennie are en route to Casa Mofo.

Let the games begin.

Made in Detroit

I have been celebrating all things Detroit (and Christmas), especially all things related to food.

I have enjoyed Leo's Coney Island (twice). I think if the Three Wise Men didn't have frankincense and myrrh, they surely would have sprung for some Lemon Rice Soup and a nice Greek Salad. Yeppers.

I had a great Polish meal at Polonia in downtown Hamtramck with a great friend, Mrs. Peggy Maley. She is my friend Erin's mom and we have kept in touch since leaving for college. She is super awesome to talk to, especially about politics. We see eye to eye on several issues, which is a nice break from political "discussions" with my conservative husband. (I love you Dave, just not your politics.) I have a beautiful plate of stuffed cabbage (golabcki), potatoes, and carrots. Yummy! Pete, Peggy's husband, enjoy the combination plate---stuffed cabbage, pierogies, sausage, and sauerkraut. (I'm drooling again.) Peggy had the roast beef, which looked nice, but it wasn't Polish enough for me. I love Poland and Poland's food.

And finally, in celebration of Dana's graduation from college, we had our Ohana dinner at the Forest Grille in Birmingham, Michigan. HOLY JESUS, was it good. The chef focuses his menu on seasonal and local items. Seriously, this was the 3rd best meal I've ever had. Scallops wrapped in bacon atop a nice "pile" of whipped cauliflower, almonds, capers, and a balsamic reduction. This was the Christmas miracle. SO GOOD. I polished off my dinner, enjoyed some doughnuts on the menu, and laughed at my drunk family.

Once again, Michigan awesomeness. Loving being at home in le' Mitten.

Christmas Cards

I finally finished my Christmas cards.....er, Holiday cards. I don't want to offend anyone, so I always send "Happy Holiday" greetings. No need to exclude anyone from a celebratory wintery season of magic, wonder, and cookies.

Dave and I are in Fort Wayne visiting Big Jim and Joan before Christmas. We will head back down here on Christmas Day, when Dave's brother and girlfriend arrive.

Last night, we hiked at a local golf course. I was able to see the sheer athleticism of Biscuit in action-----herding a large pack of deer-----I wish I had my video camera. It was awesome. Her trusty accompliss, Beans, was about 20 yards behind bringing up the rear. Beans is built for short distance, not a marathon spring like her sissy. I am happy to report no deer or dogs were injured during this activity.

VACATION

Today is the first day of my two-week break. Words cannot express my excitement. In celebration, I slept in 'til 9 am, watched several reruns of One Tree Hill and Giuliana and Bill, had Dave make me breakfast, watched my birdfeeders for about 20 minutes, all in my sweatpants (it is 11:25 a.m.----we are way past the sweatpants/morning threshold).

I plan on doing much relaxing, cookie baking, cleaning, skiing, television watching, and sleeping during my two-week break. Again, so excited.

Pregnancy update #4: Feeling 97%. I have this weird nose-drippy thing happening. I have allergies (in the winter no less). I am enjoying meat again. I get out of breath very easily. I'm thinking this is how someone who weighs 500 pounds feels. Ugh. No bump. Pants are feeling a wee bit tighter (frown).

Praying for Snow

Everyday I ask the Baby Jesus in the Manger, Santa Claus, Hanukkah Harry, and Festivus Fred for snow. I understand the whole thing about "praying for snow" is more relevant in the mountains, but it is the closest thing I can have to mountain magic living in Indiana. Tonight, I think my wishes might catch up with me ......
If this scenario pans out how I think it might, I'm in for another "personal snow day." I need to run to the store if that is the case---I need more butter and pecans to make cookies.

The Weather Outside is Frightful, but the Indian Food I Made is So Delightful.....

What better way to celebrate a self-imposed snow day than wrapping presents, finishing up ornament hanging, and making Indian food for dinner. All in all, it was a successful day. Last night, the weather here in south-central Indiana was a bit interesting. Blowing snow, wind, some more snow, ice, etc. I decided to possibly consider a snow day for myself today if this Mother Nature shenanigans continued into this morning. Lo and behold, it did. I woke up at 5 a.m., cruised through 3 news stations and NADA! I.P.S.: no 2 hour delay. Of course! I.P.S. always has school. BAH! I looked a bit closer at the television and noticed EVERY OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT IN CENTRAL INDIANA WAS ON A DELAY. No fair! Ugh! I glanced outside, saw no plow or salt truck, emailed my colleagues, and went back to bed. I figured my 70 mile commute would be a disaster with the advisory and warning issued for Indiana. I was right. Apparently things were quite harry on the roads this morning.

I settled nicely into my "snow day," and found myself to be quite productive. I would show before and after pictures, but my camera went to Jesus last week. I'm hoping Sinter Clas brings me a new one in 2 weeks.

Here's to a blizzard the week we are suppose to return from Christmas break........

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas?

I'm not going to lie. I have ZERO Christmas decorations up. Yes, I'm embarrassed. I haven't shared this with anyone. This is usually my favorite time of the year. I get super pumped BEFORE Thanksgiving to put up the lights, etc. However, this year, not so much. BUT, I feel the tide turning. I woke up this morning feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day---this will include, but is not limited to:

Putting up outside Christmas lights
Putting up Christmas decor in the house
Finish/put away the laundry
Make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
Find a dressy outfit for Dave's work party tonight
Drop off some clothes to Goodwill
Start Christmas cards

So far, it is looking good.

I have been a horrible blogger this week because I've been super busy revisiting my therapist and attending much needed dinner dates with my girlfriends. Thankfully this next coming week is much slower. I can actually come home and cook dinner. I'm feeling like cooking again, which brings me to my weekly pregnancy update.

Pregnancy Update #2
Feeling much less tired this week. Today marks the first day of my second trimester. The squirrel is still in my uterus and it is still alive. The exercise ban has been lifted: I can hike and be normal again. I am thinking of eating meat this week, especially pork. I had 3 sips of wine at my wine club meeting. Not a good idea. Felt sick the next day. The squirrel no likey petite sirah. I still feel fat. Thankful that I am 1/3 thru this and the bean is healthy. We will find out the sex next month.

Congratulations to Kady Becker for completing her first week of work as a mom. Jack is very proud, and so are Beans and Biscuit.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Woke up to yet another morning with snow! I'm super excited! Hooooolllllleeeeerrrrr! Biscuit demanded to be the first one out the door.......she maintains a "safe" backyard: Squirrel free.




This is her most important job, next to keeping Beans safe at puppy school. Apparently she spends the majority of her time at puppy school (when Beans is there), following her and watching her closely-----Beans can definitely take care of herself, but I guess Biscuit does not feel adequate not doing her "job." (Lots of quotations in there.) Even funnier, Beans is the alpha dog at our house. She is sure to remind Biscuit what toys belong to her and when she is acting out of line. Biscuit doesn't care. She will be the first to groom Beans' ears, help clean her off after a bath, and be sure she is resting comfortably. I'm hoping this behavior can be parlayed into car of their baby human sibling. Beans is definitely ready. She is very nurturing towards me. I know she'll be a great "Nana" to her baby sibling. Side note: While Biscuit prefers being out-of-doors when the snow comes, Beans likes to stay inside maintaining the safety of her couch, window, blankie, and her family.



In celebration of our first big snow, Dave and I are taking the 4-leggeds on a hike with their best pals, Wrigley and Henry. Henry looks like the a white wolf and Wrigley is a nice yellow lab. Both of these pups take the #2 and #3 spot of best dogs in the world behind Doyle Harrell. Obedient, loving, curious. protective, and soft----they are some seriously awesome canines. (Oh, Cooper and Tucker Becker and nice dogs, too!)

December means Snow!

Welcome lovely month of December! I have quite a bit to blog about, so I am going to get right down to biz-niz.

Yes, I'm pregnant. For the record, this blog will not be solely dedicated to charting/discussing/monitoring my pregnancy. While I will take moments to discuss SOME things, I will try my best to keep this about news, facts, and current opinions. I feel like a blog dedicated to Baby Horton Norton would be not in my character. I follow two great blogs:

www.ourbeckerblog.blogspot.com
www.joshandjessicabrown.blogspot.com

Both of these blogs are wonderful. Kady and Jessica have done a beautiful job recording their pregnancies with pictures, ideas, and moments----I am keeping pregnancy to the professionals. They are way more artsy-fartsy, and I would look like a fool trying to make something as cool as theirs.

Pregnancy update: I feel great. I get tired in the evening. I don't have a belly, just a beer gut. I crave ramen and Spaghettios. I have to take it easy because Baby Horton is being difficult. Beans totally knows I'm pregnant, while Biscuit could care less. I'm not decorating or painting anything yet. I am finding out the sex. My great friend from middle school, Mrs. Melissa Wills Bowles, is due a week after me. Awesomeness.
Thanksgiving break, Part II:
I have since recovered from the Lions' horrible loss to the Pats. I don't blame Tom Brady OR Shaun Hill. The Lions need more talent. They have plenty of heart. I am hoping for a win this weekend against the Bears. I'm not a Bears fan, though I think Bears' fans are hilarious. ROAR!
Dave and I spent the rest of our holiday weekend in Fort Wayne with my kick-ass in-laws. We told the grandparents about Baby Horton. They are super pumped. Dave went on a bunch of hikes, and I decided to continue my "taking it easy" to the coach. I caught up on tons of HGTV and Food Network with Big Jim Norton. FYI, he is great to hang with. He is super relaxed, he laughs at all my jokes, and he wears the slippers I gave him for Christmakkah two years ago. He definitely is #1 in my book. Oh, and he loves Purdue, which is hilarious. (Dave received his MBA from Kelley at Indiana University. This creates minor friction.)

I started to dabble with Christmas shopping. I have a pretty good game plan on how I'm going to attack my list. I'm going to keep things simple and strategic. I love shopping during the holidays, though the mall can be overwhelming. I am going to take my plan to Brown County this weekend. It smells nice and there is a great jewelry store there, Silver and Gold. It is a family owned small store with gorgeous estate jewelry. They also do custom pieces as well as repair. Dave has been tricked into going in the store before----He is clear on what my tastes are. Maybe one day I'll finally get the 3 carat sparkler with sapphires that I desire. However, I can wait.

I have began my annual bad-Christmas-movie-marathon. I started with John Denver's The Christmas Gift. I Love This Movie! It is super cheesy, but more importantly, it was filmed in Steamboat during the 80's. It doesn't get any better than that. During the month of December, I usually watch The Family Stone about 40 times. This is by far the best holiday movie of all time. I will go ahead and post from Dana's blog about her critique of this film. I think her writing captures my sentiments as to why it is so frigging awesome:




Ah, yes, The Family Stone. This film ranks very high on my list of favorite all-time movies, and even higher on the favorite holiday movie list. I've decided that I won't write an actual review of it, because I'm beginning to think that I can't write a decent one. I love talking about movies, but as yet, I can't write a cohesive, coherent review. Instead, I will just write a sort of commentary-- that way, I can highlight the aspects that I love, and won't feel compelled to discuss the aspects that don't interest me. [Note: I am very interested in directorial prowess. I really am. But, I have no idea how to judge a director. I look at episodes of television shows that had one of the actors at the helm, and I don't see any difference between those, and the episodes that are directed by legitimate directors. Given that I've studied film academically, I should probably get a handle on that. Like, soon.] So, I made some notes as I watched the film, and my commentary will reflect the order in which I made these notes. Ah, blessed, blessed autonomy. Basic plot: Everett Stone, the oldest child of the Stone family, brings his girlfriend, Meredith Morton, home for Christmas. Chaos ensues as Meredith tries to fit in with Everett's family. And then awesomeness ensues because Diane Keaton is involved. * Some movies are written with built-in "bookends"-- literary or cinematic devices that occur at both the beginning and end of the story. TFS has two kinds of bookends. First, the story begins and ends on the afternoon of December 23rd, in the Stone family home, when one of the Stone siblings, Thad, returns to his childhood home for the holiday and holiday preparations are in gear-- there's a year that separates the two. There's a significant shift from one arrival to the next, but still. Also, cinematically, the main story begins and ends with a shot of a pair of female hands wearing a striking silver ring. This second set of bookends is a little more sentimental than the first, but both are powerful and effective tools to shape how the story is told to the audience. * Hands play a significant role in the movie. The title of the movie is a double-entendre-- the main characters are part of the family Stone, and a significant element in the story is the passage of an heirloom diamond ring, a family stone. Get it? One of the promotional shots for the film is of a female hand holding up a ring finger, much like one would hold up a middle finger. Cheeky. And clever, because it clues the audience into the idea that hands play a role in the story. One of the characters is deaf, so some of the spoken dialogue is coupled with American Sign Language, so we are forced to watch the actors' hands. Again, one of the first shots is of female hands-- Diane Keaton's character is introduced first through her hands. We see female hands, looking like they have epic stories to tell, folded and holding onto a white Christmas tree ornament. The camera tilts up to show Keaton's gorgeous and powerful face, her expression pensive and pained. We find out soon enough just why her expression reads that way, and we also find out why those hands are so valuable. Keaton plays the Stone matriarch, Sybil-- she is a wife, writer, mother, cook, and grandmother. Her hands stroke, type, comfort, stir, and squeeze-- much of the story is based on how the various characters interact with Sybil's wise hands. One particularly tender moment, between Sybil and her husband Kelly (played with surprising gravity and aplomb by Craig T. Nelson), shows Sybil taking her husband's hand, and leading it to her chest. She silently asks for the same comfort from her husband's hand as she offers to her loved ones. (Oh, I dare you to watch the scene without tearing up. Plus, in marvelously torturous Hollywood fashion, the most bittersweet holiday song is playing, sung by Judy FUCKING Garland. Seriously. That whole sequence is brilliant.) Anyway, there are a handful [hahhaha] of other instances of how important hands are in the movie-- and it's one of my favorite elements. * The set designers, production designers, location scouts, and costume designers all had a SERIOUS hand in telling the story. Even though the script and actors are wonderful, so much richness and detail is gleaned from the look of each shot. The house where most of the action takes place is decorated to the hilt-- it really looks like a family occupies it, and if you look closely, it gives details to each character. For example-- Everett, the oldest Stone child, played by Dermot Mulroney [hhhhhhhot], is introduced to us as a straight-laced, successful businessman. He has met his girlfriend while on a trip to Hong Kong for something involving an upcoming IPO. We are invited into his childhood bedroom, and see nothing that would indicate his interest in finance. His walls are covered with maps and cultural artifacts. The back of his bedroom door is decorated with a large poster of [I think] Vishnu, a Hindi deity. The remnants of his athletic success are tucked into a drawer. All of these things run counter to what we've learned about him prior to seeing his room. Another example-- Sarah Jessica Parker's character, Meredith Morton, Everett's girlfriend, goes through a major transition from beginning to end, and the changes in her appearance serve as little guideposts for the audience. (It's as though the costumer and make-up artist are sending us a message, "Did you guys get that? Her hair is messy now. That should tell you something. Also, she's not wearing anything with a collar. Don't ignore that!!") We first meet her as the picture of yuppie polish. Perfectly tailored grey suit, tight and intricate chignon, icy diamond earrings, somewhat severe albeit immaculate make-up-- she's an ice queen. In the denouement, her hair is loose around her shoulders, her eye make-up is smudged and flattering, and she is wearing a comfy-looking t-shirt. Lovely. I just really like that the costumes and personal artifacts on the actors tell us something about them, if we just look a little closer. When you watch the movie, pay particular attention to the ring on Diane Keaton's hand at the beginning. It plays its own little role. Also, the way the actors interact with the set is great-- one particular shot that I love is when Meredith is coming down the stairs at the Stones' house, and she stops to greet Ben Stone, her boyfriend's younger brother (played by Luke Wilson), and the shot is just hilarious. There's a crystal chandelier hanging above her head, and the camera captures her face with a few dangling pieces of crystal just above her hairline-- it looks as though she's wearing a crown of ice. This is a subtle sight-gag, but the movie has plenty of them. It's like the DP (director of photography) is developing inside jokes with the audience, and I love that. * The Stones are the consummate family-- they communicate in quirky ways, and there are specific relationships between different members, and they all have different stories to tell, and different windows on the world. There is a fluency between the members, and it is interrupted by Meredith. There is a huge contrast between Meredith and the Stones', and it is shown in stomach-churning detail when Meredith tells the story of how she and Everett met. Her inability to tell a decent story is like nails on a chalkboard to the rest of the characters. That scene is excruciating to watch. But it sets up the main conflict. We begin to differentiate the priorities and values of the Stone family versus those of Meredith. I can't quite articulate this point, but the idea of fluency plays a role in the story. Conflict arises because Meredith can't speak the language of the Stone family, much like she doesn't understand the sign-language used whenever Thad is present in a scene. * There are thousands little flashes in the movie that are just breath-taking. I find new ones each time I see it. Claire Danes, as Julie, Meredith's sister, has one such moment when she raises one eyebrow in response to something happening to one of her hands [yep, for real...it's an archetype], and that eyebrow speaks volumes. Ty Giordano, as Thad, watches his brother Everett react to meeting Julie, and there's this quick moment where we see a flash of amusement in Thad's face. I noticed a new one when I watched the movie again tonight-- Sybil is taking a nap when her pregnant daughter, Susannah (a very talented-- and Michigan-born!-- Elisabeth Reaser) lays down next to her. It's a silent acknowlegement of a hard truth, and Sybil's tortured realization is written all over her face. We see Sybil grimace and blink hard, fighting back her demons, and then she turns to face her daughter with a calm and capable face. Diane Keaton is BRILLIANT. Rachel McAdams has several of these flashes, where she relies only on her gorgeous face to forward the story, and her portrayal of Amy Stone, the youngest sibling, is made all the richer for it. (McAdams seems on point to take up any mantle she chooses. I love that she chose this role, an immature and frosty little sister, and just acted the hell out of it. She carried The Notebook and could've held out for other plum roles. Instead, she was a smaller part of an ensemble, and showed she could support and keep up with a powerhouse like Lady Awesome Diane Keaton. Ballsy move, McAdams.) Hers is the last face we see, and it's the best kind of gut-punch. I am particularly drawn to Amy Stone because we're both the baby-girls of our families, and we're both smart-assses, and we're both still trying, with uneven success, to adjust to being adults. Shh. Of course, there are funny parts, and quotable parts, and pretty scenery, and there's the whole Christmas element to it, but these really play second-fiddle to the other elements that I've mentioned...at least, in my opinion. The best and most resonant movies in DanaLand are those that straddle the line between drama and comedy, where not everything turns out ideally, but the characters find a way to move forward despite obstacles. Plus, coming from a larger family and a very close network of friends, I identify with stories that address how a single person fits into a community of loved ones, and how one can carve out a life, not just a living. Anyway-- see this movie. If you've already seen it, watch it again. Watch it with your full attention and look for the details that I've mentioned. Think of it as a holiday gift from me to you!

Clearly, Dana's writing is grand. Me, not so much.

Oh, it also snowed on December 1st. I am taking this as an omen. I love snow. I love Christmas. I'm hoping this a great holiday season with much to be thankful for.