Lillies of the Valley

I'm having another random moment.

The Lilly of the Valley. Probably one of God's most perfect flowers.

Delicate in it's appearance, yet resilient in it's strength. This little beauty will take over any space it is planted in. In Northern Wisconsin, it flowers in May. Which could be 65 degrees or 35 degrees. It braves any weather and any circumstance to make its presence known.

I happen to have a small bouquet of them on my desk right now. They are cheerfully dangling over the edge of a cheap, red plastic cup, giving off their intoxicating perfume. I braved a very cold rain as I was leaving the house this morning in order to enjoy this little burst of Spring in my cubicle.

How delicate is the human race? Yet, how resilient are we when we are facing a trial? Can we beat off the bad weather and force our way out of the storm to show our beauty and share our intoxicating perfume of triumph? Can we be a burst of joyful Spring in the dowdiness of everyday life? Who can we touch today?

Things to ponder.

Knitted Coffee Cozy

Once again, this is the pattern that I started with. I MUST give her credit! She designed a beautiful thing...I executed it poorly!

So like I said last week, I had to modify the pattern to something that I had an easier time doing. I loved the original pattern stitch, I just needed to start from the bottom and work to the top.


My design on the left....The original design on the right. See my wonky bind off edges on the original one?!?


This is the backside of mine.

Knitted cup cozy pattern

material: less than 2 oz of yarn, 7dpns

CO 40st, join to make circle
row 1: k1, p1
row 2: inc, continue in established pattern around.
row3-16: repeat rows 1 and 2 ending with 48 stitches
row 17-18: purl each st aroundBO in purl.
Cut, leave long end for winding.

If At First You Don't Succeed.....

......try, try again! When I signed into Blogger today, I realized that I haven't posted in 10 days! I told myself I wouldn't let the blog go anymore...yet, here I am....

There hasn't been anything terribly exciting to update you on. My arm is doing great. I can't put much for pressure on my hand but I am noticing a lovely lack of pain when I am writing, crocheting, knitting, typing.... I am working my way back into cooking. I can cut veggies and fruits but I still cannot cut chicken. It takes a particular torque and pressure that I just can't achieve in my present level of healing.

I am discovering that not every dish I create for supper is a hit. Take the Chicken and Wild Rice soup I made for supper last night. I had boiled down a deli chicken carcass, removed the bones and peeled the meat off of the bone and threw it back in the broth. Then I chopped some celery, carrots and onion and threw it in. I added about a cup of wild rice, maybe a little more(?). Flavored it with some basil, thyme, pepper, garlic salt and rubbed sage. Thickened it with a little corn starch and milk. Added about a 1/2 cup of milk and 2 tbsp butter to the pot and called it good. Hubby and I loved it. Daughter gagged down a bite and son wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. Go figure. I just had a leftover bowl for lunch that was just as good as last night. lol

However, the chicken (or chicken/black bean) enchilada recipe that we have been messing with has been perfected and the kids beg for those! All you do is cube up about a pound or so of chicken breasts and cook, in a decent sized skillet, with about 2 tbsp olive oil, a chopped onion and about 2-3 cloves of minced garlic. Then, you add to the pan 1 little can of diced green chilies, an 8 oz cream cheese cubed or cut into strips for easier melting and 1/2 a can of nacho flavored cheese (this is my one processed food item I just can't give up yet). Mix until smooth. At this point, you can either add a can of drained and rinsed black beans, or leave it as is. Then, spoon a small portion into warmed (wrap in tinfoil, put into 325 degree oven for 15 minutes) 6" corn tortillas, roll and place seam side down in a sprayed or greased 9x13 pan. This should make you two pans. Pour a can of enchilada sauce on EACH pan. So if you have two pans, you'll need two cans of sauce. Sprinkle generously with cheese (we like sharp cheddar). Leave uncovered and cook at 375 for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly and cheese begins to brown a little at the edges. This has become an absolute favorite food in our house. I don't know why I ever thought enchiladas were hard to make!! lol My hubby has had to make the last few batches, though, cuz of the inability to cut chicken. I'm sure he'll be happy to hand the job back to me. :)

I've been working on knitting some coffee cup cozies. I started with this pattern. Mine does not turn out as cute and tight as hers. Mine is all loopy on the bind off. So I sort of redid it to suit me. Here's what I came up with:

Knitted cup cozy
material: less than 2 oz of yarn, 7dpns

CO 40st, join to make circle
row 1: k1, p1
row 2: inc, continue in established pattern around.
row3-16: repeat rows 1 and 2 ending with 48 stitches
row 17-18: purl each st around
BO in purl. Cut, leave long end for winding.

I will try to post a picture of it soon. It's sort of cute. :)

Ok, I think that's all I have to blather on about for today. Let me know if you try any of the recipes. :)

Tah!

USAPL National High School Powerlifting Meet 2010

Most of you know that Stefani, my daughter, is a powerlifter. If I had more time, I would post about each of her meets this year. You may not want to read it, but I like to brag. :) However, I do NOT have that much time on my hands. So I will just share with you the best and hardest fought meet of her season. The USAPL (United States Amateur Powerlifting) National High School Powerlifting Meet was held in Wisconsin Dells this year at the Kalahari Resort. It was an amazing weekend!

Stefani had her work cut out for her. As much in her mind as anything. We found out just before the meet that there was going to be a girl in her weight class at JV that we didn't think should be allowed to lift there due to her age. We made this "assumption" based on the rules that the USAPL had listed for the competition. Apparently we were wrong and this girl was allowed to compete against Stef. C'est la vie! She had to get herself mentally prepared for this. The other things she had to over come were the fact that she had decided to lift in the bench competition without the assistance of a bench shirt. It can increase the bench by 50-100 lbs depending on how well you let the "tool" work for you. She never got comfortable with it in her practices and felt overwhelmed by the possibility of having to compete with it on. So she made the choice to lift "raw". The last thing to overcome was the fact that when her weight class started...she missed her first squat on a technicality. This can be a hard thing to come back from. If you bomb all three squats, you scratch on the whole competition and you have just come all that way for nothing.

She came back from all of the things she had to overcome with shining colors! She ended up taking first and is the 198+ USAPL JV NATIONAL CHAMP! I couldn't be more proud of her!
The thing that made me the proudest was something she told me after she had won. She was in the back waiting to see what the last two girls were going to do. If either of them got their last deadlift, they could take first. And Stef would end up in either second or third. She prayed and said "God, if this is what you want for me, then you'll make it happen. If not, then I'm ok with second. I'm really ok with it." She felt as though she had done the very best she could and gave it over to God. I hate to say that God made a team win at football over another team, or anything like that. But, I will say that my daughter had favor. The second to last lifter was able to increase her lift in the last minute to a weight she could not lift in hopes of taking over...and missed it. The last lifter wanted to increase her lift in the last minute to a weight she knew she could get...and would have won...but the head judge had called "bar loaded"...and she couldn't get her lift increased. Luck or Favor of God? Call it what you want...I call it favor.

1st Pic: Stefani, Cassy, Morgan and Tyler. The four freshman that made to it National's from our school. The girl's all took the Championship in their respective weight classes and Tyler pulled out a fourth, when by all intents and purposes should have been on the bottom of the list.


2nd Pic: Stefani seated on the National Guard Orange County Chopper. My cousin, Isaiah, is a recruiter for the National Guards. He, also, helps coach a powerlifting team in Mauston. He helped with the National Meet and requested the Chopper to have at the meet. All of the Champions had their picture taken on the bike.


3rd Pic: The family. Teo, Tony, Stefani and Me. Tony is an assistant coach on Stef's lifting team.


4th Pic: Stefani's last squat. 140kg/308.6lbs She nailed it.


5th Pic: Stefani's second bench. I think it's 125lbs. Can't remember the kilos. She missed her last bench for 132 lbs. She did lift 130 at State. The most amazing thing to me is that Stefani lifted raw and almost out benched the other girls that wore bench shirts. Next year, she will be wearing a bench shirt and she is going to ROCK!! When she does use it, she benches somewhere around 180-ish.


6th Pic: Stef's second deadlift. I got a really bad pic of her last deadlift that was 308.6. I was cheering so much, I forgot to take the picture of her lockout. I think this lift is around 300-ish lbs.


7th Pic: Stefi on the podium. :) I couldn't have been happier for her. She worked SO HARD!!


Next time, I'll be better about posting about her lifting competitions. She and her brother and Daddy are back up in the gym tonight to start her summer training schedule. It will be Teo's first season in powerlifting next year. Tony wants to get him over the 'whining' that will occur as he learns how to squat and deadlift, etc. And Stefani has the goal of seriously increasing her raw bench, so that when she does wear her bench shirt she will blow everyone away. She wants to work on her squat too. She is going to have a title to defend next year in Corpus Christi, Tx. :)

Homemade Granola

Home Made Granola
by Elizabeth Mareno 2010

Ingredients:

6 Cups Rolled Oats
1/2 Cup Honey
1/2 Cup Canola Oil. (I'm sure you could use less, this is my preference)
1/2 Cup Rough Chopped Raw Walnuts
1/2 Cup Rough Chopped Almonds (blanched or peel on...your preference)
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Tsp Almond Extract
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
1 Cup Raisins or other dried fruit of choice


Place your oats and nuts in a large mixer bowl.

Put the honey, oil, cinnamon and extracts into a small pot. Warm until honey is loose and runny and the flavors are well incorporated. Then slowly pour the liquid into the mixer bowl while using the large paddle. I find that it sticks less. :)

Once you have all of the wet and dry ingredients incorporated, spread a portion of the mix very thin on a large, greased cookie sheet. You will have to do this several times to make it through all of the oat mix.

This picture is just a freebie. lol. It has no purpose, I just wanted to show you an example of the size I leave my walnuts. I take a portion of the mix before I add the nuts and cook it separate for my daughter...she's not a nut-lover.

Then put the pan in the oven for 20 minutes set @ 300 degrees. You can cook it longer to get a crisper granola. At 20 minutes, there is a bit of a "chew" to the oats. Don't get me wrong, they are crisp after cooking (It crisps as it cools)...but, once you start adding any moisture to it...it is chewy. If you find you don't like this texture, double bake it. I have done that and it has enjoyable results. OR just avoid the double-baking and bake it about 25-30 minutes watching to make sure you don't burn it or get it darker than you like.

After your granola is cooled completely. Add your dried fruits of choice and store in an air-tight container. Our house is not hot, so I leave it on our counter. I've heard some others say to store it in the fridge....you may have to see what works for you.

This granola makes a lovely cereal, yogurt topping, fruit topping, snack.....you name it. I leave the fruit out and use it in any recipe calling for a "granola cereal"....like cookies. :)

Enjoy!

Carpal Tunnel Repair

Well, I have gotten my right arm's carpal tunnel repaired. Just gotta say, it's not something I'm looking forward to for my left arm. Even though they say I should....??

It was a 12 minute procedure. The longest 12 minutes of pain I can remember. The doctor had to keep shooting my arm up because I could keep feeling it as he was cutting my arm open. The tourniquette hurt like *BLEEP* and by the time he was done, I was just ready for him to cut the whole arm off just to stop the pain. Yes, world, I am a wuss!!

Friday and Saturday were a blur of narcotic laced pain killers. By Saturday afternoon I was thoroughly sick to my stomach. My husband put in a new ceiling in my living room and I slept for hours on the couch in the middle of the room. He could've dropped ceiling dust and cooties all over me (and probably did) and I would never have noticed. I do not do well with codeine, so it seems. Sunday I was pretty proud of myself for breaking my addiction (tee-hee-hee) and going to church "clean". (I do not mean to offend anyone dealing with addictions. I know they are horrible things.) Then I spent the rest of day asleep. A four hour nap and I was more than ready for bed that night.

Monday...enter in the frustration. I am wearing a cast of sorts on my arm to restrict the mobility of my wrist while it heals. I have trouble cutting things, feeding myself, writing, typing, etc. We won't even get into the adaptations my personal hygeine has had to undergo. Today is Tuesday. I am at work today. My arm is absolutely exhausted from the funky position I have to hold it in to do anything. I never realized that my ENTIRE job consists of lifting heavy, awkward things, writing, typing and working a mouse. My co-worker has graciously said she will work for me Thursday. And I get this vile thing off my arm next Tuesday. Thank GOD!!

So, with all of that.....they say I should get my left arm done because it was in the same condition my right arm was in. I am afraid that when I see my doctor on Tuesday next, that he will suggest scheduling the surgery.

How do you nicely say.....Not a chance, bucko!...??

Good News, Bad News and an Ode to my little store

Hi all.

I have good news and bad news.

Good News!!: I have sold my store. Hallelujah! I am now free to further pursue my dreams. Like, going back to school. I want to go back for Graphic Design. I have discovered that is something I really like and wouldn't mind having a degree in. Took me till I was almost 38 to find out what I wanted to do when I grew up...but, I suppose, better late than never.

Bad News: I will not have internet access for a while. So I will not be able to be on here for a little while. I am actively looking for an alternative to our local phone company. We have several internet needs between school for my kids and just keeping up with life in general. So, I WILL find a way.

I was so excited, relieved and at peace with the store selling. I am finding now that I am mourning it a little. I have spent time crying. Somebody put it into a neat perspective for me. She said "You birthed this." And I did. In lots of prayer and hard work. I knew I would never keep it forever. I knew that I opened it to sell it. And the fact that it has is an absolute testament to the power of the Word of God. I just feel so stupid for crying over something I've been aching to get rid of. Almost like never being happy even when you get what you want. Except I am happy. I am most moved and touched by how much God loves me and takes care of me. He has totally held me in the palm of His hand and has rescued me right at the point where I thought I would come apart at the seams. But, I'm going to miss my store. At least for a little while. And then life will get busy and I will be so glad for the freedom that the pain will go away.

So, goodbye little store. You have been good to me. I have learned many things and gained much experience. You are in a cherished little corner of my heart.

Crock Pot Pulled Pork Loin

Another "came up with it one-day" recipe for you to try.

Crock Pot Pulled Pork Loin
by Elizabeth Mareno

Need:
3-4 Lb Pork Loin or Roast - Lean
Minced Garlic
Dried Basil/Oregano
Salt and Pepper

Place roast in crock pot. Cover entire top of roast with minced garlic. (no kidding, the whole top)
Sprinkle Basil/Oregano over the top till its dark and everything looks covered in dried herbs. ( i know this is vague) Even if it looks like too much, trust me, it's not. I use a salt grinder. I made a few passes over the top with the salt and the pepper....and cook for 8 hours.

Simply shred the pork roast into the juices it created and serve on buns. It's incredible.

Crafting and Life Update

I don't have much to say, really.

I have still been working so much that I have not done any designing. I didn't even get my submission in to the magazine in time. Trying to decide, now, whether or not to just put it on here as another free pattern. I want very much to share the pattern. But, I want very much to see if I am good enough to have a pattern submission accepted as well. It's a conundrum.

Have great ideas in my head about things. Have a Vulpix (pokemon toy) about 1/4 done. Actually more, I just have to do his head and tail. But, I have had no desire to work on that. To be honest the carpal tunnel in my arm is getting ridiculous. I HAVE to go see a doctor. I lose sleep at night from the pain in my arm. I can't knit or crochet very long and I have to set things down cuz I can't do it anymore. That is seriously cramping my style. Seriously.

As far as what I have on the hooks and needles. I am currently working on a ripple afghan in crochet being done in scraps only. And this one really is scraps. I will not buy any yarn for this one. I know you've heard that a hundred times from me if you've heard it once. But, I mean it this time! On the needles, I just finished up 3 pairs of wool mittens **for the family. I just have one more pair to go. And I have a 'mind of its own' log cabin-ish afghan on the needles. This one, too, is scraps only. This one is the almost full skeins of yarn that get left over in the pile. They are too little to do a big project and too big to just use for potholders, etc. So...I'm making it work. :) But, these, too are moving very slow. The whole arm thing.

We've made some decisions about the store. We currently have a buyer in the works. I'm believing that God is going to move things and we will be able to sell. Just be in agreement with us. And if you can't be in agreement...then just don't say anything at all.

I'm tired. I'm worn out. I work way too much. I'm ready to go back to being a part-time employee and being home with my kids. They are at an age where they need me even more than when they were babies. Then, it was the physical need. Now, is the time of life where the big questions and big decisions come up. I don't want to be absent when they happen. Or be too tired to care. They are arrows and I have every intention of pointing them with a destination and a future.

**Leave the fun fur out of this pattern and use Wool-Ease chunky for a GREAT mitten! Size 9 needles for women's hands. Size 10 needle and a few extra rows before the finger decrease for men.

Crock Pot Southwestern-ish Chuck Roast

No pictures for this. Just don't have a working camera at my disposal. After thinking about this, somebody, somewhere probably came up with this idea before me. However, I didn't get this recipe from anyone but my own brain, so I'm posting it as an original recipe. I hope you enjoy this as much as my family did. :)

Crock Pot Southwestern-ish Chuck Roast
by Elizabeth Mareno

Serves about 5-6 people generously

Need:
3-4lb chuck roast- frozen
1- can tomatoes and green chilies- do not drain.
1- can Bush's Texas Chili Starter (we use medium heat)
Ground Cumin
Instant Rice (we made a 4 serving size and had tons left over)
Shredded Cheese (optional)
Large crock pot (ours is an oval 6 Qt)

Put the frozen chuck roast into crock pot. Pour can of tomatoes/chilies over the top of the roast, juice and all (don't add extra liquid). Sprinkle generously with cumin. Cook 8 hours.

About 15-ish minutes before serving, remove all fat and bones from roast (i just leave it in the crock pot and do this), then shred meat. Add the can of chili starter. Let cook in crock pot about 15 minutes while you get the instant rice ready.

Serve over rice with shredded cheese. Last minute serving add-in's could be jalapeno's for some heat, extra green chilies, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips....use your imagination.

This makes AWESOME leftovers!!

Oatmeal-Fruit Preserve Bars

This is my family's current favorite dessert. Wonderful for Fall parties. We've used raspberry preserves and apple butter....wonderful any way you slice them!

Oatmeal-Fruit Preserve Bars

1-1/2 sticks of butter/margarine (3/4cup)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/2 cups of rolled oats
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
10 oz jar of preserves, any flavor

Cream together butter and sugar till fluffy. Mix flour, salt and soda together to incorporate. Add oats and flour mixture to butter mixture till crumbly.

Take 2/3 of oat mixture and press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Spread preserves over the oat mixture. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture on top of preserves.

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until browned. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting. Also serves great right out of the oven as a 'crisp' with ice cream.