Category Archives: Stuff I Actually Think

So long, Zach-A-Roni!

2 Mi Familia, 4 Home & Garden/Food & Seasons, Stuff I Actually Think

He is gone.

The room is strangely empty now, the one that was once “Tredessa’s room,” but is now “Zach’s room.”  Sandy-the-dog wanders in and out with a sad look on her face.  “Where is Zach?,”  I can tell she is wondering.

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My nephew Zach (brother Tim’s oldest son) has been living with us for the past year.  He first came for 5 or 6 weeks as an intern for Heaven Fest 2008and then after thinking it over and getting accepted as a ministerial worship intern at Northern Hills, decided to return.  He worked at Safeway.  He did the church stuff.    And he lived with us…veeeeeeeery quietly!

What a great kid.  I mean, he is an awesome young man.  But he is also such a great “kid” with a sweet heart and gentle spirit.  He came from amazing parents and is, after all, my nephew!  So, you gotta love him for that, right?

Pasta overload.

Poor Zach.  I not only rarely cook anymore (only for crowds), I don’t grocery shop, either.  So the fact that he was able to avoid complete malnutrition and starvation while living here is a testament to how low-maintenance he is, care and feeding-wise.  But in my mind, a fresh, hot steamy pot of pasta with a simple sauce of some sort is heaven (Italian food, my favorite).  The same for Rocky and Jovan, Zach’s home-away-from-home-which-was-already-away-from-his-Butte-home.  So, one of the observations he made shortly after coming to dwell here was: you guys eat a lot of pasta.  Thus?  “Zach-a-roni.”

Backstory: his dad, my little brother, Tim, had these massive tonsils as a young kid.  So he spent most of his toddler/pre-school years with them, before the surgery, apparently swollen and he constantly choked on his food.  For whatever reason, spaghetti was the worst.  I guess it would start to slide down his throat and there would be a dramatic scene with “Timmy” choking and gagging.  When he got the tonsils out, the doctors gave them to my mom in a jar because they had never seen such huge, honkin’ ones.  It was quite the spectacle.  Consequently, Tim never like pasta after that.  So, I am pretty sure Zach’s pasta experience was pretty inconsistent and sparse…until he got here and found people like us who could eat it every night.

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People overload.

We are big and loud.  We have lots of birthdays and dinners and celebrations of all sorts.  I think we overwhelmed Zach with them.  Last fall we had Tristan’s birthday and then a big end-of-summer bash and then Rocky’s birthday, then mine and the very same week Hunter’s.  Zach was heard to commentate: you guys have a lot of birthday parties.  Pretty sure it was pure misery for this quiet kid!

My prayer for Zach.

May it go well with you, Zach.  I pray that you will comprehend the bright future God has in store with you and that you will courageously embrace life’s adventures and all the days the Lord planned for you (and wrote in His book for you) before you were even one day old (Psalm 139).  Be led by the Spirit.  Get into the Word and let the Word get into you.  Follow hard after God so you can lead well.  Play music that will bring the smile of the Lord into the room (like David the shepherd boy did).

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Live up to your unique role as a family firstborn and realize the 360-degree impact you have.  Sing loud and strong.  And let what is in you out – for the treasure you hold will bless many.

It was our honor to host you here, to have the young man of God sleeping in the upper room.  Come again, anytime, sweet nephew of mine!

 “Look now, I know that this is a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly. Please, let us make a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.”   And it happened one day that he came there, and he turned in to the upper room and lay down there.”   2 Kings 4.9b-11 NKJV

Be blessed, Zach…Aunt Jeanie

NOTE TO SELF:  Write and tell his parents what a fine son they have raised.

Tristan’s “Big Night” (because he is turning 29)

1 Christ is All, 2 Mi Familia, 3 Celebrations & Festive Events, 4 Home & Garden/Food & Seasons, 9 TV & Movies/Books & Entertainment, Stuff I Actually Think, , , , , , , , , ,

Happy Birthday, Tristan Kelley!

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pictured: The sign made by Steph and Stormie with a nod to The Office, naturally.

You are at that age – you know?  The one everyone claims to be when they don’t wanna be the age they really are?  So pretty much, for the next year, everyone will think you are lying about your age.  But you’re not.  Like McCaulay Culkin, you are actually 29.  Which puts into perspective for me the little boy you were so many years ago when we watched Home Alone with our kids, and Stephanie, in particular.

Family.

When you chose Stephanie, when you decided (which in retrospect seems uncharacteristically devilish of you) to pursue Stephanie in spite of a road-bump whose name I shall not bother to mention here, you got us all, the whole loud, crazy, undone and un-in-law-tested bunch of us, lock, stock and barrel.

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And we are grateful to your parents for the wonderful son they raised.  We thank God that you were nurtured and encouraged in a godly home, prepared and equipped to be the man you have become – a great husband to Steph and a true daddy to the bambinos.  Tell your mom and dad thank-you for me, will you?  Because they did really raise a courageous son, one who, in spite of the size and girth of the sum of us, is not only equal to the task, able to withstand our faults and failures and shortcomings as much as enjoy any good, but strengthens us as a family, bringing rich character and treasure to us.  Who could have known when you became one of us that one such humble young man’s presence in a family could change our course so drastically?  Tris, you brought  an increase of the favor of God upon us and I can’t remember life before you became our “son.”  We are blessed.

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pictured: he must have said something funny at the family party; a shot from the recent Kelley photo shoot taken by Tredessa; the apparent Rocky/Tristan “butt” shot…for their wives only, I am sure.

 

Food ~ The Glorious Timpano

As usual, we had your annually-requested-birthday fruit pizza (see recipe) instead of a cake (but I really am game to create free-standing drum set someday), which nearly drove several family members into a sugar coma.  And, much to Stormie’s delight, your celebration became an opportunity for her highly-sought-after Timpano ~ as made famous by the cinematically beautiful movie, Big Night, starring Tony Shalub and Stanley Tucci.  The movie is wonderful.  The food they prepare is inspiring.  Stormie’s version is delish!

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Frolic.

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What a silly family we are, sometimes, huh?  But what great times celebrating each other and just being with people who’ll love you to the end!

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Twenty-nine wishes for Tris on his 29th birthday.

  1. May the storehouse of good in you always be full to running over!  “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him…”  Matthew 12.35
  2. I wish for you to know the deep things of God and to increase in wisdom as He leads you.
  3. I hope you and Stephanie will always remain madly in love, and that your life’s pursuits will  keep you running into each other in happy, romantic collisions.
  4. I pray that the love you bestow upon your children will come back to you a hundred-fold.
  5. Long life!  And may it go well with you because you keep the 5th commandment to honor your parents.  Keep doing that.  You can’t go wrong. 
  6. God?  Bless Tristan.  Really bless him! 
  7. I wish you 50% off days at Mile-High Comics every Labor Day!
  8. I wish for your full talent as a musician to be recognized beyond your wildest dreams and that you be compensated duly.
  9. May you get all the best drumsticks and Zildjian cymbals you ever need.
  10. I wish for you to have good students: the kind who don’t waste your time and who will really learn from the treasure-trove of musical knowledge you possess.
  11. I pray that as you have dared2work at dare2share, you’ll  get credit in heaven for the harvest!
  12. Tris, I hope you will always be strengthened by knowing that you are so well loved by our whole family.
  13. The time you need with the people you love.  Thank-you for working so hard to provide for your family, for doing whatever it takes, but enjoy time that belongs to you, too.
  14. And that secret dream?  May the resources and location come to pass quickly by the divine hand of the Lord.  He is on the look out for you, I know it!
  15. Rest.  I wish rest for you.
  16. Peace.  I wish peace for you, too.
  17. And joy.  I wish an abundance of the joy of the Lord to be your strength.
  18. X-box 360 expertise.  As if you even need this wish – may you do reeeeeally well in X-box tourneys and beat everybody (except occasionally let Rocky have a victory since he is your “little brother”)!
  19. I hope you’ll…laugh (you thought I was gonna say “dance”, didn’t you?).
  20. I wish for your sense of humor to get even keener, if that is possible, so you can keep us laughing!
  21. Surprises.  I hope this year will be full of really good surprises for you.
  22. I wish increased relationship and bonding between you and all the siblings (the sister you were born to and her husband, and all the ones you have because of Stephanie).  Their lives are so enriched in the knowing of you.
  23. Cool t-shirts, the perfect jeans, great hair cuts and shoes that make your feet go “ahhh.”  You have your own style and I wish for it all come to you easily this year!
  24. Songs.  New songs.  Lots of them.
  25. Beats and rhythms only heard previously in the halls of heaven.  Bring ’em on, Tris!
  26. I wish lots of English toffee for you and other sweet sundries, which I guess can be made possible if I will only get busy.  Sometime between now and Christmas, maybe…
  27. I wish more kids for you, but apparently you are not going to receive that little present, but can’t you just see it?  Six or seven more little redheads running around??!  Wouldn’t the world be a more delightful and magical place???
  28. I am hoping for lots more conversations with you because I learn so much and am so moved by your insight and wisdom on so many different topics.  You are truly one of the smartest people I have ever known in my life.
  29. And finally?  I pray for God to bless you back, in the same kind and with the same measure with which you have loved us, shown respect to us, honored us and become a part of us.  And if He answers that prayer, and I know He will, you will be blessed – on your 29th birthday and always.  And I am believing for that! 

We love you, Tristan.  I hope you will always know how much.  Happy Birthday to you!…mom (and so honored to get to share that role just a tiny bit even though you already have a wonderful mama)

NOTE TO SELF:  Break out the toffee recipe because Tristan is worth it, even if it isn’t Christmas.

Jeanie & Julie & Julia

4 Home & Garden/Food & Seasons, 9 TV & Movies/Books & Entertainment, Stuff I Actually Think, , , ,

I saw the movie again last night, for the second time, Julie and Julia.  And here is what I know: I will never be Julia Child, for I truly am one of those people who, though loving the fine meal, the meal that takes hours to prepare, will not use her time for that.

But I defy anyone to improve upon my lunch today.

From my garden: tender, young green beans, stir-fried with crushed garlic and barely salted, the savory flavor of them rivaling a fillet mignon.  A purple bell pepper sizzled into submission in extra-virgin olive oil.  Thick, perfectly round slices of zucchini browned to a caramelized sweetness, and seasoned just-so, so delectable it is hard to believe it is not a sin.

Accented by imported Greek Kalamata Olives, which have been soaking in olive oil and red wine vinegar just long enough, and a thick, soft chunk of cave-aged blue cheese cut from a hand-made wedge, which has been cured to its full potential, the blue veining a work of tongue-tingling art (and some sort of chemical reaction to the penicillin they use in its’ creation).

You would be hard-pressed to find a meal anywhere as delicious and beautiful as this for any price.  And done in 10 minutes, start to finish.

Had I added  tomato,   I fear it might have been too much heaven.

Favorite quote from Julie & Julia:  I could blog.  I have thoughts.

Loving the late-summer harvest…Jeanie

NOTE TO SELF:  Get another hobby besides food.

If you can’t beat ’em

4 Home & Garden/Food & Seasons, Stuff I Actually Think

Those darn garlic chives.

I have been battling with them for 3 years now, since I purchased one 99-cent plant, innocently believing I had to have them.  Now they are everywhere and they grow quickly and no matter how many times I chop off, mow over and uproot, their will to procreate is greater than my ability to control them.

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So, I decided to disrupt the bee-feast and bring some in to enjoy, for the flowers are nice and long-lasting.  But now I smell like garlic.

All the better to keep the vampires away.

Which brings me to to this:

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That is correct!  TONIGHT (September 4) ~ An outdoor showing of TWILIGHT!!!  It is here in Brighton at the Prairie Center (just southwest of I-76 and Bromley).  Live music starts at 7 o’clock, the movie at sunset.

You know what fans we are of Twilight.  It isn’t a Vampire story.  Trust me.  It is a love story!  Well, I guess it is a vampire love story.

Best TWILIGHT lines:

Too many to list, really.  You can go here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1099212/quotes or any-stinking-place on the internet.  Twilight is everywhere!

But here are a couple to whet your appetite:

Edward:  What?  Bella: I can’t dance.  Edward: Well I could always make you.  Bella: I’m not scared of you.  Edward: You really shouldn’t have said that.

Edward to Isabella:  Your scent, it’s like a drug to me.  You’re like my own personal brand of heroin.

Edward:  Do you trust me?  Bella: In theory.

Edward: And so the lion fell in love with the lamb.  Bella: What a stupid lamb.  Edward: What a sick, masochistic lion.

They just show up

4 Home & Garden/Food & Seasons, Stuff I Actually Think, , , ,

I am a planner.

You carefully sketch and design your gardens and borders.  You plan for height and variety, texture and color.  You create walkways and growing areas, a border here, a berm there.

Early spring finds you growing seedlings on the window sill.  It takes such effort and exact science to make the small plants whole and healthy enough to finally be transplanted into the garden where they will grow to bring you joy and food for the season.

But for all the careful planning, for the pages of written plans saying eggplant will go in this square and a Japanese cucumber will go in that square and hmmm, let’s plant Nasturtiums here, there are the unexpected plants for which I did not account, the “volunteers.”

From out of nowhere.

There was a day I’d have pulled them all at first sighting, but now I don’t.  Now I see a Zinnia or a Marigold that has decided to grow in a crevice or between bricks or have just plopped themselves right in the middle of a walkway, and I give them their space.  Now I am glad they have upset my carefully laid plans and have just shown up, out of nowhere ~ a gift, a happy surprise.

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The volunteers, sometimes flowers, sometimes a vegetable of some sort, while often getting a late start compared to the seedlings, ultimately catch up and are stronger and more established than the plants I’ve been coaxing, fawning over, encouraging to grow.  They are just there.  They just showed up, no work or toil.  Just there for the enjoyment.  They are divine blessings – an infusion of favor that I didn’t have to work hard to get, which makes them all the more delightful.  And cherished.

pictured: some “volunteer” zinnias I keep getting to cut and enjoy inside; they just keep producing blooms and I did not do one thing to deserve it…

The Garden Alphabet

4 Home & Garden/Food & Seasons, Stuff I Actually Think, , , , ,

I admire poetic people, the ones who can express the deep feelings and thoughts of the soul with a new turn of a word or phrase.  I always wish I could do that, but I can’t.  If I could, I’d have written a thousand songs by now.  As it is, I can dream up the melodies, but I can’t get the words right.

But when I go to the garden in the early morning hours, my observations are downright Dr.-Seuss-like.  And they show up fast.  So today, sometime during the time I played in the dirt and pulled the weeds and watered the plants and argued with the spiders about territory and rights and got chased by wasps and picked the produce and swept the patio and plumped the pillows and drank some lemon water and de-weeded some pathway cracks, I observed this:

The purple petunias are pungent today, heavy and sweet with perfume.

The peppers are plenteous, parading in glory,  papilionaceous and pretty.

And it is not just that I have created 2 great entries for “P” for writing a children’s garden book (oh the dreams I harbor), but that those two things are perfectly and totally true today.  In my garden. 

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images from google because I was just too lazy to take pictures…however, I have a lot more pepper varieties than this!

A true tomato

4 Home & Garden/Food & Seasons, Stuff I Actually Think, , , ,

I spent the entire week in Puerto Rico poo-pooing their very sad looking tomatoes.  They were barely-pinkish, transparent, rubbery-looking things that resembled something that some one may have tried to grow at some point or the other, but which had been aborted too soon and now were in a state of perpetual laboratory-like strangeness.

dsc06954 this may have been one of the better ones at the resort, truly…

So, seriously: we eat at these great restaurants.  Everything is beautiful, but every time – terrible, terrible tomatoes.  What on earth?

So, a long day on Palomino Island was my final day.  I dragged the beach lounger knee-deep into the ocean and let the waves splash over me all day while a hot breeze cooled my skin.  I got burned.  A deep burn, but it was OK because I had been careful not to burn before, so the base tan protected me (I hope Ali, who has agreed to help me un-do previous sun damage on my skin, is not reading this – because we just talked about it the night before I went!). 

Tredessa looked at me and said, “Mom, you are burned.  You are as red as a tomato.”

And then, the reason I am so proud of her, the reason I admire her intelligence so, she made the distinction, “But not like a Puerto Rican tomato.  Like one of your tomatoes.”  And I beamed.  Tomato red.

Now this is a tomato.

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From my garden.  A small tomato and some basil.  If it is slightly blurry, forgive the photographer (me).  I think it is because I may have been shaking a little bit in anticipation of sprinkling some salt on these slices and eating them.  Because, omygoodness, they are sweet and tangy, and the juice, which tries unsuccessfully to escape my tongue and run down my face, is madly divine, the fountain of life, more potent than wine.

I have written about tomatoes before – oh, yes, I have!

I would like to dedicate this blog to Bryan.  Read here and here and here – for old times’ sake, Bry.  And oh, what the heck?  Here is my roasted tomato recipe for Cody, but Bryan, you can enjoy it again, too – right before you re-read this blog about YOU, where I seriously question whether God wants us to be friends if you hate tomatoes!   ;)

El Coqui

5 Songs I am Singing, Stuff I Actually Think, , , , ,

The song.

We arrived in Puerto Rico late on a Monday night to the most intoxicating chirping and tropical song.  Luke and I both thought they were surely piping in the sound of large birds,  for the trees around the entire resort were alive with sound – loud sound.

El Coqui.

Luke and I were wrong.  The sound, we were told, were the male tree frogs calling out, wooing the females, from sun-down to sun-up.  The Coqui (which means “little frog”) got its’ name from the sound it makes: ko-kee’, a sort-of whistle or chirp.  There must have been thousands of them there.  They lullaby’ed me all night long.

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I miss their song already.