Day 7 ~ Nutmeg ~ 12 Days of Homemade Chai

I had never bought a whole nutmeg prior to making the ever popular Lithuanian Krupnikas liqueur this past Christmas. Since then, I've been grating fresh nutmeg over all kinds of things. 

One item that hasn't escaped this chronic nutmeg sprinkling is my chai. It is such a beautiful addition to every kind of warm frothy drink—why not with the chai as well? 

Use a fine Microplane to grate the nutmeg seed. Just a pinch is all that's needed for each cup. You won't be disappointed with the rich flavor that fresh nutmeg has to offer.

Nor will you be at a lack of entertainment as you stare at the fun wiggly patterns uncovered as the center of the seed is exposed. 

Oh wait, that's me. I'm the one staring at the wiggly patterns inside the small seed. If you didn't know any better, you'd think I had found the following description on the internet and followed the advice given there for using nutmeg in combination with Rockstar to experience another dimension. Hmmmm. Wacky, wacky stuff on the internet my friends. Click here to read the whole exchange on answers.yahoo.com

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My mind has been on fun Bollywood dancing lately. And if the wiggly patterns of the nutmeg aren't entertaining enough, check out this video. It might be a tad more interesting!

Vaa Ji - honestly I have no idea what this song is called

Day 6 ~ Star Anise ~ 12 Days of Homemade Chai

Looking for that depth and complexity of flavor for your chai but not exactly sure which spice delivers? Look no further than star anise.

This little fruit offers a liquorice-like bouquet that builds nicely into the complexity of the chai spice mix. Like most of the spices in this masala chai, star anise has considerable health benefits.

It is known to:

~ be a digestive aid helping to relieve gas, bloating, abdominal cramps, constipation, indigestion and stomach aches

~ help expel mucus thanks to its expectorant properties—which is the liquefaction of thick mucus—aiding healing from colds and the flu

~ have antiviral properties

~ be an antioxidant helping to ward off certain types of cancer

Be aware that Chinese star anise is considered safe for consumption and provides many health benefits. The Japanese star anise, however, is toxic when ingested and should never be consumed. Also be aware that you can't tell the difference between the two dried spices. Read your package carefully before adding to your tea.

On a different and slightly less alarming note, an alternative to star anise—should you not be able to locate it at your local grocer, or you've been turned off by the warning stated above, or you simply find it too darn pretty to put into your tea to be discarded only a short time later—is fennel. It offers a similar flavor and depth and is a fine substitution for star anise in masala chai.  

My chai without one or the other of these ingredients always leaves something to be desired. Don't be left desiring. Add the darling star anise or the budget friendly fennel. You'll be glad you did.

Please note: The ideas shared here are for informational purposes only and do not substitute for professional medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your professional health care provider regarding your unique health concerns.

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Something about tonight's Superbowl Halftime show made me flash back to the cover art from this remarkable '90s hip-hop group. Cue the Lite Brite costumes on the Black Eyed Peas backup dancers, perhaps one of the more interesting parts of the show.

Day 5 ~ Giving It Some Kick ~ 12 Days of Chai

Some folks like their chai spicy, others not so much. The good news about brewing your own at home is that you are the master of the spice. You can heat it up or tone it down depending on your mood for the day.

Black peppercorns provide the baseline for the kick in my chai. This is one spice I don't crack before adding to the mix. I prefer the flavor to seep out.

Cayenne pepper, on the other hand, is reserved for those of us who like a strong punch with our kick. 

Just a small amount for the whole batch usually does the trick. Adding it at the very end of the brewing process ensures that I avoid unwelcome sneezing and irritating coughing all morning long. 

Thanks to my friend, the Beekeeper, for demystifying this phenomenon for me. For the longest time I couldn't understand why I sneezed like a madwoman every time I got my brew on. If it wasn't for her I'd still be thinking I was under some obscure chai makers curse. 

The Wood Brothers - Spirit

Day 4 ~ Masala Chai ~ 12 Days of Homemade Chai

"Black teeeee. White teeee." The call came through the tent walls as the sun rose in the East. 

Every morning without fail, high in the Himalayas, the alarm would sound, "Black teeeee. White teeeee." 

In India, it's all chai. Chai is tea. 

In the camp the cooks would offer two drinks—plain black tea, or tea with a hearty dose of milk and a touch of sugar as the British would have it. 

"Black teeeee. White teeeee." That's chai. And that's how my husband tells the story of his time in India just before our marital engagement.

He was away for weeks upon weeks. For a young girl in love, that was a long time to be gone. I missed him dearly. I dreamt of his journeys in the crowded cities and the barren mountains. I thought of yaks and sherpas and dahl and tea.

He wrote me letters. I still have them tucked into my journal somewhere collecting dust on a bookshelf.

When he came back from his trip he told stories. Strangely, it seems the only thing I can remember from those stories is the "Black teeeee, white teeeee" wake-up calls. I'm sure there was more to his adventures than this single high Himalayan song.

I realize now why that song has stuck with me all these years. Tea traditions are fascinating to me. Although to understand Indian tea traditions we must first make a stop in Great Britain. 

It was early in the twentieth century. The East India Company was importing a lot of tea from China to supply Great Britain's habit. 

They became concerned about this monopoly on tea and decided to diversify. The Brits found that India was able to produce tea as well. Within three decades India became the main grower of the tea so richly enjoyed by the British. 

Feeling the need to impose the British culture on the people whom they ruled, a group called the Indian Tea Association instituted an aggressive promotional campaign to get the Indian people to drink their own tea. Which in turn equaled greater sales and greater profit for the East India Company. 

The British-owned Indian Tea Association encouraged tea breaks for all factories, mines and textile mills. 

Independent vendors, known as Chai Wallahs, would add spices, increase the amount of sugar and alter the proportions of milk. This meant their product required less tea per volume, which in turn, meant these vendors spent less money on tea. This angered the Indian Tea Association because the vendors were putting less money in the East India Company's pocket and more money in their own. 

Thanks to this smart business move by those Chai Wallahs of old we have come to our treasured spiced chai latte, better known in India as masala chai.

That short history of masala chai may not be entirely accurate. But it went a little something like that. At least according to our trusted old friend Wikipedia.

This version of chai that I hold so close to my heart contains the quintessential spice, cloves. They are beautiful, fragrant and an essential part of my beloved masala chai.

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All of this talk about the British makes me recall one of my favorite British bands of all time. Perhaps they are yours too?

The Beatles - Help

Day 3 ~ The Signature Flavor ~ 12 Days of Homemade Chai

No need to push me into a corner and force me to say 'Uncle'. I'll admit it, I love my chai spices. This one especially. Cardamom has taught me the value of utilizing the whole spice. Not just pieces of it, but the whole kit 'n kaboodle.

Green cardamom is the fanciest type of all cardamoms. Picked while still immature and sun dried to preserve its bright green color—green cardamom retains aroma and flavor better than the other types of cardamom available—namely cardamom seed and ground cardamom.

In the thousand iterations of my chai recipe, I have tried them all. The ground cardamom leads to an extremely gritty bottom of the cup, which always seems to find its way into the top of the cup as I'm tilting it towards my mouth. Which makes me do this weird spitting thing that would make my six year old son very proud. I've decided that I don't like chewing on my chai. Therefore, this option has been left in the dust.

The cardamom seeds, on the other hand, are easily strained out when the brewing is complete, but they lack a certain essence in the big picture of the chai concentrate.

Therefore, I use the whole pod, crushing it with a mortar and pestle moments before it's added to the mix so that it releases all of its magnificent oils into my concentrate.

I've found this component of the chai spice mix to have a profound effect on the end result.

While it may be true that cardamom pods are the third most expensive spice in the world—behind saffron and vanilla—it does not take very many to infuse their magnificent flavor into my drink. For what these little pods offer, they are worth every penny.

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A long time ago I worked in a large banquet hall as a server and we would host our fair share of Indian celebrations throughout the year. No matter the reason for the party, there was always an Indian dance performance that accompanied the evening's events. There were plenty of occasions when I would trip and nearly spill my entire tray all over the fine patrons I was serving thanks to my eyes becoming completely fixated on the dancers on stage. This video brings me back.

Day 2 ~ Crushed Cinnamon ~ 12 Days of Homemade Chai

Cinnamon, beautiful, cinnamon. 

Magnificent to look at and even more divine to take in. She is an ancient spice fit for kings and queens. 

The inner bark from the cinnamon tree was used in ancient Egypt not only as a beverage flavoring and medicine, but also as an embalming agent. 

Mentioned in the Hebrew Bible in the book of Proverbs, the lover's bed was perfumed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. Heavenly.

Her list of discovered health benefits is ever growing.  Cinnamon is known to:

~ be an anti-inflammatory food

~ have anti-clotting effects on blood platelets

~ contain antimicrobial properties and can be used as an alternative to traditional food preservatives

~ control blood sugar by slowing the rate that the stomach empties after meals thus reducing the rise in blood sugar after eating

~ reduce blood sugar, triglycerides, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and total cholesterol in type 2 diabetics

~ boost brain function through its aroma

For my chai, I crush the sticks into small chips with a mortar and pestle. Crushing the cinnamon bark (and all other spices for that matter) releases their essential oils making them more flavorful.

Not only do the cinnamon chips infuse all of this goodness and flavor into my chai concentrate, but the mortar and pestle experience helps me work out some of my pent up angst. Which can be quite satisfying after a long hard day on the range.

All angst aside, the cinnamon chips are an elemental component of my chai spice mix. 

And this music here, it's such a sweet accompaniment to my sweet cinnamon experience. 

Trace Bundy - Sweet Child O' Mine

SOURCES:

Valero M, Salmeron MC. Antibacterial activity of 11 essential oils against Bacillus cereus in tyndallized carrot broth. International Journal of Food Microbiology. 2003 Aug 15;85(1-2):73-81.

Hlebowicz J, Darwiche G, Bjorgell O, Almer LO. Effect of cinnamon on postprandial blood glucose, gastric emptying, and satiety in healthy subjects. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2007 Jun;85(6):1552-6.

Khan A, Safdar M, Ali Khan MM, Kjattak KN, Anderson RA. Cinnamon improves glucose and lipids of people with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2003 Dec;26(12):3215-8.

Zoladz P. Raudenbush B, Lilley S. Cinnamon perks performance. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Chemoreception Sciences, held in Sarasota, FL, April 21-25, 2004.

Day 1 ~ In Pursuit of the Perfect Cup ~ 12 Days of Homemade Chai

It is days like today that initially got me turned on to brewing my own chai at home. 

Outside my window the snow is falling lightly, covering the brown hue of dead winter grass with millions of miniature crystals brilliantly radiating white as they collect on the frozen ground. The temperature is far beyond cold. Stepping out in it for even a brief minute is enough to chill my bones for an hour. 

It is times like this that a perfectly crafted cup of homemade chai is my companion as I fall into a cozy wintery bliss.

Responding to my unyielding urge to hold a warm mug of that subtly spicy, perfectly sweet, black tea latte between my palms, I decided to try my hand at crafting my own brew just over a year ago. 

I started with a basic recipe a friend clipped from the newspaper and tweaked the ingredients each week until I found the perfect blend. 

This new craft quickly became an obsession. Every morning I would wake up to that beautiful cup of chai. My morning elixir was now an integral component of each day's routine. 

The beauty of working on my own recipe is that I was able to identify the spices that intrigued my palette the most. Bring up the spice, tone down the sugar, tweak the complexity of flavor. Ahhhh, the perfect cup. 

There is a certain feeling that arises when enjoying the work of your own hands. I imagine it might be similar to painting a picture and taking a deep sigh every time you see it hanging on the wall. Or knitting a fantastic winter hat, and as you wear it, feeling the love that went into every stitch. Or quilting a baby blanket for your best friend's firstborn child and experiencing true joy every time you see that baby wrapped up in it, all blissed out. 

As if all this good juju wasn't enough — the chai delivers just the right amount of caffeine to help me get my feet a-movin' in the morning, the creaminess to feel like I'm having desert for breakfast, and the medicinal value inherent in many of the ingredients to keep up my vitality during the long days of stay-at-home mommyhood. 

And on those mornings when I'm lucky enough to share a cup with a good friend over deep conversation, I might as well be in heaven.

Join with me friends, as I journey through twelve days of homemade chai in pursuit of that perfect cup.

Every Other Month - 11,980 FT.

Two words. Soul sport. 

 There is a certain magic that happens the moment I step foot on the slopes.

 And gaze out upon God's great creation.

 And marvel at the grandiose spectacle of nature herself.

 And man's manipulation of it.

For a moment, I tuck myself deep into the trees. 

The snow is soft. And I am alone. It is silent. The air is still.

I lay back and look up. And am reminded to find the silent and the still inside myself. Ahhh.

 And there's no place I'd rather be in that moment.

Until the next moment comes along. When there's no place I'd rather be than sharing the most divine chocolate bar with a swinging chair full of beautiful women.

Natural Breathing Treatment

It's that time again. Everyone seems to be getting sick around these parts. In my opinion, the worst thing about dealing with head colds is the congestion. The cold may be gone but the dang congestion that lingers around for weeks on end is enough to make me want to chop off my head. Just before taking to such drastic measures for relief, I'll usually try this home remedy first.

It works powerfully thanks to these factors ~

Eucalyptus oil is a common decongestant and expectorant for inflammations and infections of the upper respiratory tract. It also offers anti-viral and antibacterial properties which help deal with infections.

Rosemary has anti-inflammatory compounds while thyme relaxes the bronchial tubes.

This is the perfect combination for relieving all that stuffiness. And it's inexpensive to boot.

ALERT: You do not ingest this remedy. You breath it in. (Just had to say it!)


Natural Breathing Treatment


You'll Need:

3 cups boiling water
1 TBS dried rosemary
1 TBS dried thyme
10 drops eucalyptus essential oil
kitchen towel

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Transfer to a glass bowl, measuring cup or what ever else is handy. Add 1 TBS rosemary and 1 TBS thyme. Stir well.

Add ten drops of the Eucalyptus oil. Stir well.

Place your head directly over the steaming bowl of herbs and oil, place a towel over your head to trap the steam in and breath deeply through your nose for a few minutes. Fun patterns of floating herbs will be your view while you wait for the treatment to take effect.

In times past, this treatment has saved me from progressing into a full-blown sinus infection. Thank God for cheap, easy and effective home remedies!

Please note: The ideas shared here are for informational purposes only and do not substitute for professional medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your professional health care provider regarding your unique health concerns.

On occasion I enjoy going to YouTube and searching a keyword to see what it comes up with. I couldn't be more pleased with today's selection. This alone is my motivation to never consider chopping my head off again.

miss A - Breathe

Dry-Rub Baby Back Ribs

Simple. Delicious. Crock pot dinner. 

Enough Said. 

Sweet and savory. No sauce needed. Serve on the side if you wish. But I don't think you'll be inclined to dip. 

Enough said. 

Dry-Rub Baby Back Ribs

Ingredients:

1-2 racks pork baby back ribs (approx. 3-4 lbs)

1/3 C brown sugar

1 TBS paprika

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cumin

3/4 tsp black pepper

3/4 tsp white pepper

3/4 tsp oregano, dried and crushed

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (half this amount if you prefer less heat)

1/4 tsp sugar

The Preparation Method:

You'll need to get a large crock-pot ready to receive the rubbed ribs.

Preparation is literally complete in two minutes from now.

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix well.

Shake the spices over your racks of ribs. Cover completely. Be generous.

Use your fingers to rub the spices into the meat. Repeat on the backside (bone side) of the rack.

Place the ribs inside the crockpot standing on their edges.

Set on low-heat. Cover. Walk away. Let cook for 8-10 hours. Follow the cardinal rule of crockery cooking: Don't remove the cover.

And there you have it. A delicious rack of dry-rub baby back ribs with minimal effort. YuMmy!

Play this song as you prep your ribs. It's the perfect accompaniment for this dish.

Memphis Jug Band - K.C. Moan

You're Gonna Miss This

My vision is becoming blurry. I can hardly talk. I might express my current sentiment in an ah-ta-ah-ta-ah-ah-ah kind of exhale. I'm nearly choking.

It's that song again.

You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days
Hadn't gone by so fast


These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this

No matter my current circimstnaces or locale, it never fails, I turn into a full-on weepfest when this ballad starts to play.

Don't even get me started trying to relate the lyrics to a friend. My hubby can attest to the streams of tears running down my face as I try to describe the meaning of the song to him. And then I have to stop talking about it to regain composure. I still don't think he knows why I like it so much.

But truly, there is something that touches me so deeply when I stop to think about all the rough moments
that I own as a parent. Despite how I so desperately want the moment of agony to cease — cue three young children screaming all at once for hours on end — I know that I'm gonna miss all of the beautiful moments of the young years when they're gone.

Turning back the pages even further, starting with the birth of my first child, I tear up just thinking about it. That labor. Those deep sensations of the womb.

That day, when the uterus gives its first real squeeze, it's a feeling unlike any other.

Despite how uncomfortable, unusual or un-freakin-believable those contractions may be, they harness a power and a beauty. The whole process downright touches the most primal places of the soul. If you let it.

The labor is a place where I have the opportunity to connect with the billions of human mothers who have birthed before me, not to mention the 490,000 woman who are birthing their children on the very day that I am birthing mine.

The intimacy of connecting with that deepest place in my body, it's a gift. One that I don't have the opportunity to receive countless times. For me, I've received the gift three times. And I miss it. I wish I could experience it every day. Well, maybe not every day.

Last night, I as taught my childbirth class, I had the special privilege of encountering one of my favorite moments of the whole series.

The Dramatization.

Those of you reading this who've taken my class know exactly what I'm talking about. Actually, you don't need to have taken my class to have seen me role-playing a woman in labor. Now that I think about it, I guess I do it at will random times throughout the day.

Anyhow, this morning it occurred to me for the first time why I so thoroughly enjoy performing this little skit of a woman working it out as she labors.

No, it's not that I get to strap on the fake belly — though it is fun to remember when my babies were always so close.

Nor is it the thrill of performance. Between you and me, I have been told that I could take my labor skit to Broadway. Shhhh.

When I really get down to it, I realize that it is the opportunity to represent labor for what it is.

A time to get primal.

A time to sing my birth song.

A time to embrace the power of the mantra, "My Body Rocks!"

A time to move and rock my body as I respond to some of the deepest body sensations I will ever have the privilege of knowing.

To paint the picture for you, my labor skit includes strapping on the fake belly, closing my eyes, finding my rhythm, changing position, moaning and groaning. And the beautiful part of it is... there are fourteen sets of eager eyes sitting before me realizing that all of this is normal in labor. There is nothing weird, spooky or scary about it.

The walking, the pacing, the pelvic rocking, the swaying, the hip circles... all of these responses to my labor are positive. This is how I respond to the profound message my body is giving me. Keep moving, shift the baby down, more pressure on the cervix, greater release of oxytocin, stronger contractions, larger movements with my hips, deeper groans with my voice. All of it is normal. All of it is beautiful.

This is labor. It is a treasure. And boy do I miss it.

(And special thanks to the Science and Sensibility blog for the impetus to write on this topic today!)

Trace Adkins - You're Gonna Miss This

The Swedes

I have a Swedish friend who has spent the last several years indoctrinating me with the 322 national celebrations of Sweden. It does not cease to amaze me week after week, all throughout the year, as she relates the joys of yet another Swedish holiday.

In fact, we were just over at her house the other day celebrating "the throwing out of the Christmas Tree" festival, somehow I forgot the Swedish word for this. Anyway, this cheery celebration includes dancing around the tree singing silly Swedish songs, removing all the decorations, eating the ornately designed gingerbread house, and the whole event is then capped off by throwing the tree out the door.

If you don't believe me that there is a national holiday every other week, check this out and you will know that I'm not pulling your leg. Not only do a thousand of these festivals exist, but the Swedes are pretty serious about celebrating them. At least that's what I observe from my one Swedish friend. She does represent all of Sweden doesn't she?

Whether or not she represents the whole nation, I gotta say, I love the Swedes.

They are a hearty and kind people.

They love to be naked.

They make magical buns of delight. But instead of bacon, theirs are sweet buns filled with all kinds of nordic surprises.

And as described above, they love to celebrate. It seems to me that it doesn't really matter the reason.

It's dark eighteen hours a day... let's gather around the bonfire.

The light is returning... let's party.

Time to say goodbye to Christmas... let's join in with the neighbors as we all toss that big bristly bush out the door.

All this to say, my Swedish friend has taught me a thing or two about winter, cold and carrying on.

It's a good thing too. The other morning it was somewhere in the realm of negative ninety degrees outside. My husband called on his way to work to report that I had left the interior lights on all night in the car. He wished me luck on getting it to start.

It didn't. After much cursing and dumbfounded acknowledgement of how I could possibly do something so dumb I accepted the fact that we were walking to school. Despite the children bundling up into puffy little snowmen, about halfway there I became increasingly concerned about all of us turning into icicles. The children pulled the baby sled in an attempt to keep the blood flowing. We began running. The baby's hood wouldn't stay on and his hair was flapping in the wind. I don't think we've ever run so fast in our lives, on snow that is.

And after warming up in the school building for a few minutes we regained sensation in our extremities Bubba and I embarked on our run home. When I turned around to make sure the baby was still hanging tight in the sled I saw this bluebird sky.

And I knew there was reason to celebrate. The joy of having legs that run. The fantastic sensation of lungs that breath. The great and mighty sun that shines. And babies that say "WOoHoO!" all the way home.

Chili for a Chilly Day

Chili is my run-to dinner when the temperature outside drops into the single digits. It's hot, hearty and hella good. 

This weekend I made a batch to welcome home my two favorite skiers after a long day on the slopes. 

Chili for a Chilly Day

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

1 sweet green bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

(2) 14 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained

(2) 15 oz cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

8 oz can tomato sauce

4 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp dried crushed basil

1/4 tsp black pepper

The Preparation Method:

Chop onion, garlic and sweet green pepper. You'll need to use your imagination for what a chopped sweet green pepper would look like here. When it came time to cook my chili I didn't have one because I used it in another recipe earlier in the week. Doh.

In a large soup pot, crumble the ground beef and begin browning over medium-high heat.

Add the chopped onion, garlic and sweet pepper. Time to use your imagination again. Close your eyes and picture little specks of green in this photo.

Saute this mix until the meat is throughly browned and the onions are tender.

Add all of the remaining ingredients - diced tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato sauce, chili powder, basil and black pepper.

Stir to combine. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The flavors in this chili come together so nicely in such a brief amount of time. Enjoy with a cool crisp salad and some cornbread. You'll be in heaven in a hot, hearty and hella good kind of way!

This chili is also easily adapted for the crock pot. Ol' Bessie loves going to work on this first thing in the morning. Mama is extra happy in the evening when all I need to do to get dinner ready is grab a ladle and start dishing.

Crock-Pot Method:

Brown meat, onions, garlic and green pepper as described above.

Place in the crock-pot with all of the remaining ingredients.

Mix well to combine.

Cook on the low heat setting for 8 - 10 hours or the high heat setting for 4 - 5 hours.


I found this video when I was googling how to spell "Hella Good". One 'l' or two 'l's? That was the question. It's two 'l's. Thanks for your help Gwen.

No Doubt - Hella Good

The Stock Show

I lost track in December. 

I lost track of how much money we were spending on food. Between the out-of-town guests, Christmas parties and special holiday food, I threw in the towel. One thing I do know, those Lithuanian Bacon Buns and pounds upon pounds of Heavenly Burnt Sugar Almonds don't really fit in well with my $150 week budget. But it was the holidays after all. My "Why not?" motto kicked into high gear. 

I lost track of time. I have no idea how many weeks remain until my dear hubby walks across the stage to receive his diploma on that glorious day in May. When he's on break from school I guess I don't really care. 

I lost track of all sense of reality. I had a short holiday break from teaching my childbirth classes. I did, however, have the special privilege of attending a beautiful Christmas night labor and birth. These all night doula jobs always throw me into a time warp. It's hard to know which end is up after welcoming a new life into the world. The experience is gloriously otherworldly, no matter which way you look at it. 

But the biggest shift over the break was my dear husband finishing his finals in mid-December and not having to return to his schoolwork until mid-January. Somehow I forget during the semester how much life really changes when he doesn't have school to contend with. A schedule of full-time work, family, socializing and climbing almost feels slow paced.

Take for instance our family outing yesterday.

On a whim we decided to spend the afternoon at the stock show.

It was easy breazy going to a huge event like this with two adults and three children. There were a million people there, a hundred thousand wild animals (make that one hundred thousand and three when you add my rowdy bunch to the mix), and ten places to be all at once.

It felt so good to experience all the new sights and sounds as a family. After all, God did only make this woman with two hands and two eyes. I swear, during pregnancy with the third child God should have made a special provision to grow a second set of arms and a third eye for us ladies.

But that's not needed when all five of us are together. Thank you God for not answering my pregnancy prayer. That would look weird.

Just look at these youths. So calm. So serious. So invested in the advertisements selling horse semen. I can't blame them for being captivated. The horses in those catalogs are drop dead gorgeous.

If you study those catalogs long enough, you could order semen from a horse that looks like this. I suppose that would make sense if you had a mare to inseminate. We don't. So we won't be ordering any semen today. Shucks.

Or you could order the semen from these big guys. Take a close look at that man standing next to these beauties. He was not a small man. In fact, he was a huge man. Good thing, because these were the biggest dang horses I have ever seen with my two eyes. And they were majestic. I don't want their semen. I want them. For my backyard. You better believe my four year old was begging to bring them home. Sweet girl. Daddy said no.

And when the day was done and it was time to head home, the children were so exhausted they crashed within minutes of buckling into their seats. And this, my friends, gave me the greatest gift of all - time to talk with my husband uninterrupted all the way home.

So here's to the beginning of my sweet husband's last semester of this four-year journey towards a diploma. It's been long and tiring. But I think we're all ready to get 'er done. Only 18 weeks to go, in case you're counting!

I about fell over when I first heard this Auctioneer start singing his song at the stock show last night. I've never heard anything like this before, but it made me want to dance. Clearly I don't frequent very many auctions.