9.30.2010

Stand For the Family

My new favorite book:

Stand for the Family by Sharon Slater.

I love it because of it's powerful messages: We can make a difference in the world! and, Motherhood is the most important, and most rewarding of all the jobs I can choose to do. This is a great read and has renewed my commitment to my marriage and family, and to the betterment of the lives of all the people of the world.

(Ok, I do have to add a warning...now that I've actually finished the book. I do not recommend this for younger readers as it talks about too many sensitive subjects in too much detail for the younger crowd. It is an adult read, that gives parents information that they can then talk about with their kids, screening the info to make it age-appropriate for their needs. It is a book full of the first-hand experiences of the author during her 10 years attending UN meetings and "World Congress of Family" meetings, in addition to a great set of research to show the scientific backing for why the traditional family unit is the best way, and really the only way, to go. Sharon Slater also succeeds in providing a host of ways to help protect and promote the family, which gives me hope and renewed energy in my daily efforts as a wife, mother, and wanna-be activist for the traditional, nuclear family.)

9.29.2010

Chocolate Mint Tingle

My favorite dessert:

CHOCO-MINT TINGLE SHAKE
by Josh Blackwelder

Serves 4.

1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa (we like Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa, or Callebaut)
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup milk
24 cubes frozen whole milk (freeze 4 cups milk in ice cube trays)
10 to 15 peppermint discs (20 to 30 ounces)

Heat unfrozen milk and sugar over medium heat. Whisk in cocoa until dissolved. Pour chocolate mixture in blender. Add milk ice cubes and pulse blender until cubes are all blended up. Add peppermint candy and run blender on high for 5 seconds or until candy is finely chopped. Divide among four 12-oz. glasses. Serve immediately.


Note: use a high-powered blender like a Blendtec or Vitamix for best results. We burned out a few cheap blenders making these before we finally got a real workhorse.

Another (less important) note: This has a lot less fat and less sugar than the average chocolate shake made with icecream, and costs less to make too.

p.s. I would post a picture but am having trouble with the blog...can't seem to get the "add a picture" function to work. Maybe later when someone a little more tech-savvy gets home from work.

9.27.2010

Max's blessing day








A nearly perfect day. A beautiful blessing given by Josh. Beautiful weather...blue and sunshiny. The only regrets: I let myself stress out for a few minutes after church when we were trying to get the food ready, and I completely forgot to invite my grandparents!! Duh!! I really feel bad about that and wish I could go back and change that.