Double Match

THE call came on Rod's birthday. We were matched with twins! They are 20 months, boy and girl and live in our county. We went to our disclosure meeting and finally got to meet them yesterday. We have felt God's hand in every step, especially during our visit yesterday. We plan to see them almost every day this week and will have a transition date probably by next week. We are truly thankful and look forward to the busy adventure we have ahead.

Foodies

My oldest brother is a Foodie. Every Christmas we look forward to his family visiting the week after Christmas to New Years. He always has interesting and unique food experiences to share. Whether it's searching out a restaurant he heard about on one of his favorite podcasts, Splendid Table, or a particular style of food he is trying to perfect, he is always enlightening us with his new find. This trip he made homemade potstickers. They were delicious and Cee watched with interest as he made them and then turned it over to her. He surprised her with a potsticker mold on his return from a daytrip to L.A, so this is what she wanted to do this afternoon.

Cee took over using all the tips she had picked up. I found this recipe.

My favorite part was the sauce. I could pour it on anything. I used the three ingredients my brother used ("Lee Kum Kee" soy sauce, rice vinegar & ground ginger) in the proportions listed in the recipe. Cee wants to invite her friend over for a sleepover and have them both make this for dinner that night. They are both foodies in training.

Festa do Divino Espirito Santo ( Feast of the Holy Spirit)

The girls were honored to be asked to participate in the Festa this year on Pentecost Sunday (the descent of the Holy Spirit).  The Festa is a celebration of the Portuguese people of the Azore Islands.   A queen is chosen to represent Saint Queen Isabel (Elizabeth) of Portugal.  

The origin of the celebration is when the people of Portugal were starving.  Queen Isabel promised God if He would help her feed her people she would give him all her jewels.  Her cruel husband, King Diniz did not want her mingling with the poor.   He saw her with an apron and demanded she reveal the food she was carrying to the poor.  When she opened her cloak, instead of bread, roses poured out.

There are two special parts during the Festa demonstrating St. Isabel's full devotion to God.  One in Mass where "her" crown is placed on the altar (symbolizing St. Isabel giving up her riches for God) and the second during the feast of sopas when the Queen puts on her apron and serves the people the first portion.  In a spirit of Queen Isabel's offering, the meal is free to everyone.

The Queen this year was the girl's second cousin.  She made a beautiful, gracious Queen.  

It is nice the girls can participate in a piece of their heritage.  It is in a neighboring small farm community.  It's a beautiful day to see them in the parade, celebrate Mass in a small Chapel, and enjoy the feast surrounded by an orchard.  Maybe not far removed from the origins of this beautiful feast.  

We Have Another March Birthday!

Happy Birthday to our Godson!!!  

Poor guy is just getting over pneumonia but is sure to have a fantastic day.  He is a great pitcher, soccer player and cousin!  He makes the girls laugh all the time.  Hope you're feeling much better and enjoying a super duper day!

Baking with Grandma

At the start of Catholic Schools Week, the girls had an open house at school on a Sunday morning.  The 4th grade class did cultural stories and dishes.  Cee asked Grandma if she had a Portuguese snack she could share.  Grandma and Joe graciously offered to come on a Friday night so Grandma and Cee could bake together. 

Grandma brought some kale soup and homemade bread to share with us.  This is her delicious sour dough bread - it was beyond good.

Cee was in her glory not only having Grandma all to herself but to be doing something she loves.  She definitely gets her love of baking from this side of the family.  During a recent cross-country trip Grandma asked if she could do some baking at some friends they were staying with, just to get some baking therapy.  Hmmm, I can't imagine that will ever happen to me.   

They are making Portuguese Biscoitos (Rod calls them "hoosh koosh")  A light crispy cookie (similar to biscotti but lighter) with a slight hint of lemon.  They are wonderful w/ tea and have such a mild taste, they are addicting.

It was hard to leave some for the open house but somehow we managed.

Grandma is showing Cee a tip to check if they are done.  They should be crisp and snap apart. 

 
Here are the two satisfied bakers enjoying their work.  Today is Grandma's birthday and I can bet she is in her kitchen baking something up just for fun.  Happy Birthday Grandma and thank you for the baking lesson!

Dang, I Need a Photography Class!

I'd like to blame my camera for the wrong settings...but I'm the one that messed them up.  I don't know whether to stop people to get posed shots or come in incognito for the action shot.  Here's my poor attempt at Thanksgiving pictures.  One things for sure I have interesting subjects :)

"Ahh, what time was this dinner supposed to be ready? ...and yes that's another knife injury for Dinga.

The generous Hostess.  "Come a little closer, I love my picture taken!"

It's hard to get a bad picture of this group...but I had the potential to get a great shot with all that cuteness and color.

The generous Host.  I must say the placement of this photo was just what I envisioned ;)

One more cup on this table, please!  (the After - looking for sales in newspaper and picking names for Christmas and of course drinking the beverage of choice)

loving Cousin Tee w/ Jae eating up the attention.

Happy Thanksgiving

I'm thankful for my hard working- fun husband, three unique and wonderful daughters, our little soul in Heaven, my faithful honorable father, my late mother who gave me a lifetime of love and faith in 24 years, my always loving mother-in-law and intelligent husband, my loyal brothers and sisters, my awesome brothers and sisters by marriage (how lucky did I get), my talented Godchildren and nieces & nephews, patient friends, our loved ones who have gone before us lighting our way, the great land we live in, pets who give us great joy, our warm home, , and the vast opportunities we have been given.

...but mostly to a God who provides all those blessings and all that I need in times of great joy, sorrow, and all the ordinary life moments in between.  He is good always and I trust Him.   May you have a beautiful day of giving thanks with the ones you love.

8-20-08, A Big Day!

Happy belated birthday to these two, Papa and Cee - 9 and 80!

Here they were nine years ago!

We had a busy morning on the 20th waking Cee up for her bday breakfast in bed and then preparing for the girl's first day of school.  

After the first day of school was complete we traveled to Papa's to share a big birthday treat!  

August 2oth - a big day!

A Big Surprise

After we arrived at our destination and set up the trailer we walked into town to have some chowder.  We arrived back at camp to a big surprise.  Around the corner behind the trees was Rod's sister and family.  They asked their children where they wanted to go on their vacation (Sea World being one of the choices) and they chose to be with their cousins and grandparents (I guess it's okay that their uncle and aunt are here too).  

We were all surprised (except Grandma who kept it a secret), to see them travel from down South.  We had a lot of fun yesterday afternoon with the kids playing, adults talking and a classic bbq and campfire.  




We're so happy we didn't cave to the pressure of packing Wednesday afternoon.  We were very close to canceling this vacation.  If we had we would missed out on a lot of fun.  A good lesson in perseverance :)

Family Reunion

We had Rod's annual family reunion this weekend.  There is always lots of fun and games.  In fact all the attendees (around 75) are split into two teams and asked to wear their team colors.  There's the Jocks in green and yellow (farming colors) and the Angels in blue and white (for the Blessed Mother).  We receive a fun 5 page newsletter a couple weeks before the reunion with team assignments, memorable events, induction into the 5 for 5 club (attending 5 reunions in a row), pictures, reunion stats, and past 'door' prize winners (the actual screen door from the house of Rod's Great Grandparents - the reason we're all together).  

The arrival of the newsletter stirs a lot of excitement in our house.  First they fight over who gets to see it first, discuss who's on which team, what will be worn, how long until the reunion...  I don't know, but this doesn't seem to be the normal reaction to an upcoming family reunion - this is real excitement and anticipation.  As we were down to the last days before the reunion the taunting between the two teams (we were split 3 on Angels and 2 on Jocks) became heightened and almost escalated into tears.  We overheard one of them saying the other had to go to Confession for lying because they said they were going to win!  

I'm sad to announce the Jocks took it this year.  You can probably decipher who was on which team by the picture above (during a rice blowing competition).  Thanks to the hard work and creativity of the reunion planners, we had another great day!  

Come On Over

Today was Kaye and Cee's piano recital.  They have one every Summer and Winter.  We have invited family before but more often we have kept it small, sometimes just the 5 of us.  This year Kaye liked her recital piece so she wanted a personal audience.  It worked out according to her plan although we didn't exactly construct the plans ourselves.  You see we are timid hosts.   We leave a trail of disgruntled people behind us.  Those who could rightly complain we don't ever call, invite them over, come visit...and this has been going on since the beginning of us.  Don't get me wrong we love our family and friends it just happens this way.  We love it when we do finally get together it's just all the planning and prep involved leaving behind all the undone things of our regular life.  It's nice when people are patient with us and then take the initiative themselves when it has been too long.  Thank you to all you patient loved ones!

Today was such a day and we really enjoyed ourselves.  After the recital instead of going out to lunch we had our family over for a bbq and swim.  Everyone contributed and best of all no one was in a hurry.  It was a relaxing Sunday spent with family, just as Sundays should be.  ...and Kaye and Cee did great.  They're so cute, just love watching their nervous excitement.  Here are some pictures of the day.  Someday, just someday we may surprise everyone and throw a big bash - just because.  (You might not want to hold your breath though)

Something Good

First Moments as a Father

Happy Father's Day to my husband and father.  I'm so proud and in awe of how they love, provide for, and guide their children.  How did I ever deserve them...

"For here you are, standing there, loving me

Whether or not you should

So somewhere in my youth or childhood

I must have done something good."