Dear 2010

Dear 2010,You and I had some good moments, but I have a confession to make.  I'm glad we're almost through.  It's time we move on.Yes, I at least owe you an explanation.  So here goes a long one.You and I started off on the wrong foot.  In January, I was sleep-deprived and exhausted with an 18-month and 3-month-old and didn't know how I was going to survive.   Thankfully, my maternity leave ended, and in February, I returned back to work full-time with my firm in Manhattan (while my children were in the care of my in-laws).  But ever increasingly, I felt a naggingly strong conviction that I needed to be home more often but wrestled with the thought because (1) it would mean a huge financial sacrifice and (2) I wasn't cut out...

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God's Providence

{ our shattered sun roof }While driving on the NJ turnpike at 70 mph last night on our way back home from Virginia, an ice sheet from a bus next to us fell and crashed on our sun roof.  Glass shattered everywhere - shards fell on my husband (who was driving) and were inches away from hitting the boys (I was in the backseat with them).  Thankfully, James remained calm and composed while driving and everyone was okay.   But it could have gone wrong in so many ways.   All the "what-ifs" started racing through my head:- "What if James had jerked and veered off the road?"  - "What if I had been driving with the boys by myself as originally planned?  I would have completely freaked out."  - "What if I hadn't put the blanket up to block...

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Moist Banana Bread

There is truly nothing better than fresh-baked bread right out of the oven (well, actually fresh-baked cookies could give it a run for its money).  This holiday, I was on a banana bread fix and made 6 loaves over a 3-day span.   I made it Christmas eve morning for the boys and my in-laws, made it for my extended family gathering on Christmas day, and then made another batch for my college holiday gathering on the 26th.  And amazingly enough, I'm still not banana-ed out!Here's the recipe I use for a moist great-plain-for-breakfast or even-better-when-paired-with-vanilla-ice-cream banana bread.MOIST BANANA BREAD{ Prep time: 15 minutes; Bake time: 1 hour }Ingredients4 ripe bananas1/3 cup melted butter1 cup sugar (you can reduce to 3/4 cup)1 egg, beaten2...

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Ready for the Christmas Festivities!

The banana bread baking in the oven, Christmas carols playing in the background, stockings stuffed with goodies waiting to be opened, and the boys dressed in their Christmas pajamas.  We're ready to get the festivities started!We'll start by singing "Happy Birthday, Jesus".Merry Christmas Eve, everyo...

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Excellence in Mothering Award Goes to ...

{ circa 1981 in maryland }My mom who turns 59 today. I love this woman with all my heart and consider myself amazingly blessed, not only to have her in my life, but to have been raised and nurtured by her.  She has been a beautiful example of a woman who embodies and breathes Christ in her humility, her honesty, her integrity, and her servitude.When I was a junior in college, I suffered major injuries from a skiing accident that nearly required me to have my leg amputated.  But thanks to good surgeons, several operations and lots of prayers, my leg healed (although not 100%) and I was eventually able to walk again 6 months after the accident.It left me with huge scars that cover most of my left calf and part of the thigh.  A few weeks ago, my...

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Peppermint and More Peppermint

{ peppermint pretzels with peppermint cocoa.  yum.  }Chocolate-covered peppermint pretzel rods drizzled with white chocolate paired with peppermint chocolate cocoa (available from Crate & Barrel).  Could there be a better match?  I think I've died and gone to peppermint heaven.The pretzel rods were super easy to make!  I followed the same steps as I did for making the chocolate-covered pretzels but made two variations.  First, I added 2 teaspoons of peppermint extract to the melted chocolate to give it a more minty taste.  And then I drizzled white chocolate over the dark (I used a chopstick to do this) to make it more decorative before sprinkling on the peppermint.Delicious.Chocolate-Covered Peppermint Pretzel Rods{ Makes...

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Cookies Galore

Cookie tins galore (gotta love the Christmas Tree Store)!  Now I just have to start filling them ...

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The Master Plan

I had it all mapped out (and at the age of 10, no less).     { illustration by stuart lee }THE MASTER PLANGraduate with honors from high school.Get into a good university and obtain a business degree.Land a good job, climb up the corporate ladder, and eventually start my own ad agency.Travel the world and enjoy all of life's pleasures.If I get married, great, but I'm not counting on it. I was determined to make my life a success story.I got up to the part where I was able to get into a good university but soon realized I didn't really care much for business school.  I loved English and enjoyed Religion, but what was I going to do with that?  The practical side of me kept telling myself to chug along.  Stay on course. ...

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Chocolate-Covered Peppermint Pretzels

{ the perfect combination of salty and sweet in really festive shapes }Some snacks are just dangerously addictive.  Chocolate-covered pretzels are one of them.  It's the perfect combination of both salty and sweet.  I made a batch last week, and while my husband and I were idly surfing the web, we devoured the entire bag within minutes.  Since you possibly can't go wrong with these, I decided to make them as holiday treats for my office, my husband's, and for my sister-in-law's holiday party.  Yes, that's a lot of pretzels.   Last night, I went to the local grocery store and spent a while in the snack aisle looking for the right pretzels.And you cannot imagine my delight when I saw this!I was so excited, I let out an audible squeal and...

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Spicy Korean Tofu Soup (Soondobu Jigae)

{ apologies for making your mouth water }It's cold and wet outside.Perfect excuse for spicy tofu soup!  Not that I need an excuse.  This is my favorite dish.  It's called soondobu jigae in Korean.  I could eat this all year round and have been known to (even on sweltering hot summer days).  But this soup is particularly good when it's cold out - it hits the spot and immediately warms you up!  And my personal motto when it comes to tofu soup is "the redder, the better."  I love it extra, extra spicy!  There is a Korean restaurant by the name of So Gong Dong in northern New Jersey infamously known for their tofu soup.  And for good reason.  It's amazing!  James and I have tried...

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Lights of Jolly

After dinner tonight, we took the boys out for a stroll around the neighborhood to check out the local Christmas decor.  I have to say some of our neighbors have done a fine job decking the town with lights of jolly.   Creates such a festive mood!Maybe next year, we'll be venturous enough to try it ourselves (just have to work with the one external electrical outlet located in the backyard).  By "we", I probably actually mean "hubby".  He'll most likely oversee the logistical details and provide all the manual labor involved.  I'll just pick out the pretty decorations and admire his handiwork. ...

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Vanilla Cookie Sandwiches with Buttercream Frosting

{ cookie sandwiches with peppermint and toffee }Although it's hard to find the time with two little ones, I love baking and trying new recipes when I can.  And I love baking even more when my son lends a hand!  Today CJ and I made these delights.  I got the recipe from Better Homes & Gardens Ultimate Cookie Book (one of my favorite cookie recipe books).I love that the cookie itself is soft, chewy, and has just a hint of sweetness (which is perfect for the kids!).  When paired with the buttercream frosting, it gives it that perfect sweet guilty pleasure (perfect for the grown ups!).  The crushed candy adds a nice crunch.  I used peppermint candy canes and Heath toffee bars.Vanilla Cookie Sandwiches with Buttercream Frosting(from Better...

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Through the Muck and Mire

There was a 48-hour window this past week that had me thinking "Why, oh why, do we put ourselves through this?"  ("this" referring to parenting). CJ, my 2-and-1/2-year-old, was happily eating his pizza during dinner Saturday evening when all of a sudden he started making a gagging noise.  Next thing I knew, a small chunk of his food had come back up.  Then he started to gag again, and I knew I only had a matter of seconds.  I quickly swooped him in my arms and made a mad dash to the kitchen (I wasn't going to make it to the bathroom).  Just a few inches before reaching the kitchen sink, my son threw up his dinner, lunch, breakfast (and maybe even dinner from the night before) all over himself and all over me.  The poor thing was so frightened - he didn't know...

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Wrapping Up 2010

{ snapshots of 2011 calendar created for nathan's 1-year birthday signed by friends and family }Still a few weeks left in 2010 but I'm already contemplating what 2011 will have in store.  This year went by so quickly, most of it is a blur.  But here is a summary:- Spent most of the year adjusting (and quite honestly, surviving) as a mom of two.  I tell people the transition from one to two kids is so much harder than going from zero to one!  All of the sudden, your attention is divided between two very dependent, needy children who rely heavily on you.  And there is very little time for yourself with the overlap in schedules and such.  And no quiet, alone time plus a sleep-deprived Rachel is a recipe for disaster!  I don't...

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The Son's Return

{ the love of a father }While the wayward child foolishly wastes away all of his Father's riches and inheritance, the Father (broken-hearted but not without hope) calls the son's name and waits and waits and waits eagerly for his son's return.  And when the son finally finds his way back home and is seen from a distance on the long, dusty road, the Father is done waiting. Instead, he runs and runs and runs with open arms ready to receive and hold his beloved once again.The Father does not give up on ...

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Winter Wonderland

Who would've thought a day at the beach in December could turn out to be so much fun?  Let Us Go!  (to the tune of "Let It Snow")Oh the weather outside is frightful But the beach is always delightful And since it still hasn't snowed Let us go! Let us go!  Let us go!We don't really care much for shoppingInstead would rather go hoppingOn the beach while the tide is still lowLet us go!  Let us go!  Let us go!The December wind chill blows in the airBut we simply just don't careBecause we love the sandy beach soLet us go!  Let us go!  Let us go!The sun is slowly settingAnd, my sons, it's time for gettingBack home before it gets too coldLet us go!  Let us go!  Let us ...

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Beginning to Look Like Christmas

It just doesn't feel like Christmas until the tree is up (even if the bottom portion is somewhat bare - we don't want our boys demolishing it!).{ Cue Johnny Mathis:  "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas / Everywhere you go ..." }And so begins the season, and December always ends up being a crazy, hectic month filled with holiday parties, church programs, birthday celebrations, Christmas shopping, work projects and so on.  I have a tendency to stretch myself thin, so I'm being very intentional about not going overboard and instead really relishing the holiday for what it is - a celebration of the greatest gift given to man.  A baby named Jes...

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