Apple Bacon Turkey Day

This year we spent Thanksgiving with my mom and my nephew, Shelbie.  We hauled our food, our fixin's, and even the barbeque up to her house so we could cook and visit together all day long.  It was fun!

We had WAY too much food.  It's hard to prepare a "feast" for my normal family size plus two.  I always want to make new food dishes along with the old ones that we love, but there just aren't enough people to eat everything.  So, we ended up with a lot of food.  Jason cooked the turkey on the barbeque grill.  His apple bacon turkey was AH-MAZING!  Very yummy.

I learned a few things this go-around:

1)  Naked turkeys are quite entertaining for the 12-and-under crowd.  When Jason unwrapped the thawed turkey, it was like Christmas morning.  The giggles, shouts, and guffaws coming from the kitchen were hilarious as the boys poked, prodded, and man-handled the turkey.

2)  Quinoa is NOT to be cooked at a 2:1 ratio with water.  We had mushy quinoa salad, which was not as appetizing as fluffy quinoa salad.

3)  When mixing egg yolks into a hot, boiling syrup, make sure they are well-tempered.  Unless, of course, you like scrambled eggs in your coconut-pecan frosting.  Otherwise, you'll have to start over, which is what I opted to do.

4)  Pumpkin fudge is y.u.m.m.y.

Superhero update: Kyle-ee-oh Smile-ee-oh

Nicole Kraus Photography

Superhero Kyle-ee-oh has been hard at work developing his superpowers.  Literally.  Kyle's desire, willingness, and ability to help and work with others is quite amazing.  He jumps at any chance to work outside or alongside others.  Whether it's stacking wood for the winter, pulling weeds in the garden, trimming branches, or anything work related, he is happy to help.  This summer we hired Mario to do some landscaping work for us.  Kyle volunteered to be his assistant and worked hard filling the wagon with weeds and pulling it in the hot sun.  He is certainly honing his worker bee skills, and I'm proud of his willingness to pitch in and work well after the interest has waned in those around him.  He is our little superhero worker bee.

Kyle is becoming quite the stealthy snugglebug.  When Mom or Dad sit down anywhere, before we know it Kyle has quietly snuck onto our lap or draped his arm around our shoulder.  He loves to be loved and never refuses a hug, kiss, or tickle.

Kyle also works regularly on the skills every superhero should have like jumping, flying, catching air, etc.  These activities keep him very busy and he's quite willing to do this type of training.

Every superhero has a secret weapon, and Kyle's continues to be his stealthy smile.  As mentioned in my original superhero post about Kyle-ee-oh, Kyle has SMILE POWER and nothing has changed on that front.  Not too long ago, the bishop of our church spoke with Kyle in an interview.  When they were finished, the bishop said, "I have a new nickname for Kyle."  Curiously, we asked what it was.  He said, "Smiles!"  That's our Kyle!

Kitty Chronicles: The art of weaving

Have your ankles ever been rubbed by a friendly cat who wanted to greet you?

Cats often affectionately rub against anyone who might be standing nearby.

It's the beginning of a fine art, this rubbing.  

A dip of the chin and a tilt of the head as the top of her head meets your unassuming leg.  

A gentle rub down through the neck, as she walks forward to further caress the length of her body.

Near the end, a swish of her tail completes the transaction.

Ah... but a quick pivot enables her to repeat the process over and over again.  

Back and forth.  Back and forth.  

The more skilled feline will take the leg rubbing session to another level, however.

With the promise of food or drink coming from the ankle's owner, she follows the legs as they walk toward the source of food.  

Walk beside the moving legs?  No.

Instead, she skillfully weaves in and out of the swishing legs,
perfectly timing her entrances and exits so as not to harm her benefactor.

Here, it becomes a fine art, this weaving.  

A synchronized dance between feline and owner.

The feline displaying her true sense of grace, beauty, and timing.

Is this ability inherent in all cats?
Nope.  And definitely not in ours.
Beauty, temperance, speed, agility.  Twig has been blessed with all of these.
But with graceful leg rubbing?  Not so much.
As Twig approaches to rub your legs, he lowers his head, moves forward, and....
CONKS squarely into your shin.  It's more like a football tackle than anything.
Then, as he continues his rubbing attempt, his forward movement clumsily bumps along your leg like sticky sneakers on a gym floor.
And then, abruptly, he's finished--ending all too quickly.
Twig's is a dance all right.  But it's more slam dancing than ballet.