Blog Family Drawing

by Anya

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas 2010

Merry Christmas everyone!
Thought we'd post today with some faves, highlights and a few lowlights for the Smithereens from 2010.

First, some faves that we everybody had on their list:
TV - The Middle - we all cackle at this one every time we watch.
On DVD - Gilmore Girls - (you can see our previous post here) We've made it through season 5 and are gearing up to start season 6!

Now, everyone's specifics: (You'll note some common themes, but the above are the only ones that ALL of us agreed on)

Karen:
Movie - Toy Story 3 - lots of laughter but pass the tissues!
Books - The Help by Kathryn Stockett; So Long, Insecurity by Beth Moore; The Emotionally Healthy Church by Peter Scazzero; Forgotten God by Francis Chan; Half-Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
Podcasts - Harvest Church, Billings; North Point Church, GA; The Village Church, TX; Focus on the Family
Random faves - Americano w/ Half & Half; Pandora internet radio, especially Chris Tomlin, David Crowder and Hillsong; Anya's knockoff recipe for Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Highlights - Experiencing and seeing God's healing touch above and beyond what I had asked or imagined; Homeschooling Emily
Lowlight - Grieving the loss of Baby Blake, the newborn son of my niece Becca, her husband Randy and son Cam.

Anya:
TV - Phineas & Ferb; Hawaii Five-0; The Good Wife; Avatar (animated series)
Movies - The A-Team; Despicable Me; Toy Story 3
DVD - The Italian Job
Books - The Help, FableHaven series, The Hunger Games series, Academy 7, The Mysterious Benedict Society; and best of all The Count of Monte Cristo! Yeah baby!
Song - Pedal to the Medal by Kazzer
Artist - Fee; Owl City
Food - Pioneer Woman's Parmesan Chicken
Candy - Shockers
Highlights - Going to Disney World this summer; expanding shelves of books!; baby sitting all the kids of church staff families
Lowlight - High school...nuff said!

Emily:
TV - Avatar (animated series); The Good Wife, Hawaii Five-0; The Event
Movies - Toy Story 3, The A-Team, Despicable Me
DVD - The Italian Job
Books - Every Soul A Star; Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life; The Mysterious Benedict Society series
Food - Almost everything Mom makes; dark chocolate pomegranites
Artists - Brandon Heath, Fee
Highlights - Going to Disney World; being homeschooled
Lowlight - having wisdom teeth removed and getting braces - they hurt!

Jenna:
TV - Hawaii Five-0; Phineas & Ferb; Avatar (animated series)
Movies - The A-Team; Despicable Me
DVD - The Italian Job (editor's note: can you tell our girls love this movie about thieves driving Mini Coopers?)
Books - Akiko series; Holes
Food - Anything Mom makes is good; Bajio!
Highlights - Getting Marshmellow (my stuffed bear my sisters gave me for my bday); Cinnamon (my stuffed cat my parents gave me for Christmas) (Editor's note - she's allergic to cats, so this is the only one she can have, although she'd LOVE to have a real one); getting to go to Disney World
Lowlight - Having to get braces

Rich:
TV - Lost - I miss those people!; The Good Wife
Movies - Toy Story 3; Inception
Books - The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini; The Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose; The Hunger Games series by Suzann Collins, The Help
Random Faves - Americano; Tillamook Northwest Berry Patch Yogurt; Jason Gray's Everything Sad Is Coming Untrue; Peanut M&Ms
Highlights - Taking over Children's Ministry at our church; Disney World with our fam, G'pa and my sister's fam; Fridays at home
Lowlight - discovering the depth of my despair and resentment toward God, but finding my way back to Him and His unfathomably deep love!

That's us! Hope you enjoy some space and peace during this Christmas/New Year's week, and that you realize the joy and passion God feels for you!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

In Defense of the Blessed Bean

There's a problem here in Utah. It goes unnoticed by those of you outside the state, unless you actually venture here and experience the problem first-hand. It's a discrimination, a shunning, a devaluing of an entire species.

It's not racism, not misogynism, not even religious persecution.

It's worse, as it affects people of all cultures, races, genders, nationalities and creeds.

This scourge of Utah, this vile offense?

I call it javaism.

Because the majority of the citizens of our fair state belong to a faith that deems coffee sinful -- even going so far as to equate it with drugs during Red-Ribbon week at our girls' school -- those of us who partake of its joyous aroma, who sip from its savory umber pool, are seen as suspect, and, unlike those of you in the rest of America with a coffee shop and/or drive thru espresso shack within a coffee beans throw of each other, are made to travel inordinate distances to enjoy the fragrant lusciousness dispensed by that soul-patched barista lest the availability of it's goodness entice others into its buzz-filled web.
I love the simple cup of coffee. I don't love it for the caffeine rush (honestly, I don't even notice a jolt...but I may be immune to it after 25+ years of imbibing). I don't want it with frou-frou creamers or flavors. Just give me a warm cup filled with water that's run over those roasted and freshly ground beans, and I'm satisfied. Content. Happy.

What could possibly be wrong with that lovely cup of joe? What offense can be found in its aromatic enticements? I know not.

What I do know is that there are few created things as gratifying, as restful, as simply blissful as my morning java.

So I defy the prevalent javaism of my community. I embrace the ever-present coffee scent that permeates my home. I smile graciously at the passerby holding that white and green paper cup that he carries like a scarlet letter. And I boldly drink the nectar of the blessed bean, in my car, in the store, at the park, yea, even in a restaurant after dinner.

And I savor it, thanking the Creator of all good things for His wisdom, His foresight, His oh-so-wonderful ingenuity in making that unassuming little plant, that one day would provide the cup that enriches my life today.
Thanks, God, for coffee.

It is very good.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

How it should have looked

During the post about Jenna's birthday, I showed you our less-than-beautiful cake that we made.

Here it is again in case you forgot.
We made it again, and while it still wasn't perfect -- I can NOT figure out a way to get it to completely release from the pan. We've made this dang cake about 15 times, and it always sticks a little. Maybe we should rename it Sticky Cake -- it did turn out closer to what we want it to look like.

Voila.
Honestly, though, either way it is ridiculously good. It's probably a ridiculous amount of calories as well, but it's made with dark chocolate, so I just think about the antioxidant value of it's lusciousness.

And try to forget the shamefully large amount of butter that's in there as well.