Mystery Ingredient Monday#3

Welcome to Mystery Ingredient Monday (MIM)

Mint 

My Neighbor grows Mint in her yard and I can have some. BEST. NEIGHBOR. EVER!

 Last week I thought I was going to give you all something totally unexpected by choosing Mint, but I guess I'm just an ordinary girl. (Anne is choosing this weeks Mystery Ingredient, MI. Click here or here or here to visit her blog and get in on MIM! I'm so excited to discover what it is)

My one weakness in life is a stupendous  pedicure. I don't have time to keep up with a foot beautifying routine so I drive over to my favorite local Mani/Pedi salon. I go about once every 2-3 months. They always remember me, ask about my kids, if I don't have them with me, take great care of them if I do. And they have a statue of Mary in their salon. Winning!

Now for some Mint

Mint aromatherapy was in my foot basin..

Yea. You probably didn't want to see the blue colored mint foot basin.

The girls got a mini mani: picked their own color 

Marie's choice was gold... Maybe she was channelling her inner King Midas. I don't know?

Elise picked a more refined pink or  as Baby J would say "peent".

I ventured for something a bit summery with a wild orange... Cajun Shrimp per the OPI label. (Their polish names are so fun)

My youngest sister in law came a long and choose this blue. Unfortunately I forgot what it was called so, I'm going with Mrs. Peacock. 

                        

Let's talk Mojito's; they're my one true weekness. I crave them every summer.

A phenomenal Mojito is so refreshing on hot sticky days here in the Lou. After some practice we (Robert and I) have come up with the prefect Mojito with a not-so-secret-secret ingredient that I will share with you.

Not-so-secret-secret-ingredient

A Clan's Tale Mojito 

(Pitcher Serves 8-10)

20 Fresh Mint Leaves

1 tsp Lime juice

2 Cups Rum

1/4 C homemade simple Mint syrup (secret ingredient)

36oz Club soda or tonic water

3 limes (squeezed and juice reserved) 

Mint Simple Syrup

5 Fresh Mint Leaves

1C water

1C sugar

Directions: Mint Simple Syrup

Add sugar and water to pot and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pull it off heat and add Mint and allow to cool. 

*since you only need about 1/4C of the syrup, refrigerate the rest and use for individual mojito's through the week. 

Directions: Mojito

Muddle 20 Mint leaves and 1 tsp of lime juice in a small container until mint is bruised and starts to excrete it's flavor. Add leaves and juices to a pitcher. Add Rum, simple syrup, club soda, and all remaining lime juice from the three limes. Mix, serve over ice and ENJOY! 

Looking forward to seeing what you came up with. Leave a comment below so I can check your blog since I didn't set up the inlikz, sorry. 

Now off to Anne and Jessica to see their Mint concoctions as well as the new MI. Let us go fourth and be inspired! See you next week at Annes' blog. Also, thanks for the prayers for my MIL's surgery. It went well but she has a long recovery, keep her in your prayers.

If you want to play along but don't have a blog, instagram or tweet it #mysteryingredient, or tag us in a facebook post about your dish so we can marvel your creativity! (Yup, I too yanked this from Anne's site.)

Theme Thursday Dad

Joining Cari for this weeks Theme Thursday: Dad

My DAD:

Me and my dad 

He is a hard working man with integrity and honor. A father to three of the loveliest girls a man could ever have the pleasure of not paying a dowry for in order to gain three equally awesome son-in-laws. Let me not forget my poor brother, who had three sisters to deal with. Yes, it was my father and brother and all that estrogen. 

My dad and Papa Smurf 1983

Even now, my dad is the "Papa" to 6 grandchildren and wouldn't you know it. Only one of them is a boy and he's mine, unless my older sister breaks my monopoly when she has her babe in December???

At least all the estrogen isn't in his house 24/7...

All the grandkids are smitten with their Papa and who couldn't blame them with his charm and belly laugh that rivals Good Ole Saint Nick? His jolly man is a wonderful father and grandfather who has learned the virtue of patience and still has a full head of dark hair! I don't know how he did it, but I'm so glad he did. 

Now for a few adoring snap shots of my dad and my kids...You can see the love he has.

Robert IV

 Chasing Helping Elise find eggs

Teaching Marie how to navigate the pumpkin patch

Go link up with Cari and friends or at least go check out some amazing dads!!

Mystery Ingredient Monday #2

I'm feel'n SUPER FLY!! (said with all kinds of swank and swagger that I don't possess) that this little-O-blog has recieved some attention from some BIG-O-bloggers. I will attribute it to my much more suave SIL's whom are literature extraordinaires. Thank you for helping this random idea become successful.

Last week Jessica kicked off the Mystery Ingredient Monday (MIM) with her choice of Cherries.
This week is my choice, so at the end of this post you will find our new Mystery Ingredient (MI).

Cherries

I used these. Whole dried tart cherries

Robert has a keenness for cherries and since fresh ones aren't in season all year long, we buy the dried to get him through the other 9 months of the year. They are plump even though they're dried and have a sweetness to complement their tang. Usually we eat them out of the bag, by the handful like the primates we are... Yes, we have opposable thumbs.

I thought I would spice things up a bit. I have an Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe that calls for coffee and pretzels, I figured adding cherries would bring a whole new level of YUM. So, I went with it. Robert did all my prep while I nursed the huge babe I birthed so he would be content while I played baker with the girls. 

Look how all the ingredients are showcased so beautifully. 

Boy oh boy does this photo come back to bite me in the-you-know-what!

My intent was to show the importance of prepping your ingredients, especially if you have children who want to help. Doesn't it look like I know what I'm doing? HA! Just wait...

Here's our end result. 

Good news. They taste great. 

Bad news.

1. They are a bit rubbery chewier than I like.

2. They aren't as fluffy as they should be.

3. You see the 2 WHOLE sticks of butter in the previous picture...

Yea. That didn't get prepped.

Soooo, the recipe calls for 14 Tablespoons of butter not 16 and well, since I thought all the ingredients were prepped, I didn't bother to double check the ingredient list. Also, I pulled the butter out and placed it on the counter so Robert thought I was going to prep it. Nope, sure didn't. I just started following the directions. Yup, I added all 16 Tablespoons of butter. Whoops! This is why I don't usually bake or cook. But hey, I thought I would be genuine and share my mistake, because well, you live and you learn. And humility helps us grow in virtue. Am I Right. Plus it does showcase the importance of prepping. 

SURPRISE!!

Added bonus to this post curtsey of my husband and his mother, who both, decided to play along. A family that bakes together... Shares a lot of L O V E. Love. 

My Mother-In-Laws' entry

Jessica submitted this fun Cherry Clafoutis recipe last Monday when she announced Cherries as her MI. My Mother-In-Law equipped with her savvy William Sanoma Cherry Pitter  and some family friends gathered around and went to work on this fabulous dessert! I promise you. It was divine! 

My Husbands' entry

Because all the O'Brien's have a healthy sense of competitions. Robert had to throw down too. Well in reality he was baking it for the Catholicism DVD series we take part of once a month; it just happened to fall on this Sunday and he just happened to uses Cherries. Okay, okay, okay... He made other things for it too. But still. 

His recipe is from the April/May 2010 Cooks Country magazine.

 Titled: Cherry-Almond Coffee Cake.

I know, it even looks prettier than mine. Whatever.

Oh.My.Goodness! I could eat this everyday for the rest of my life but that sure won't help me shed the extra baby weight I'm still lugging. The great and all powerful, almighty, Culinary-Extraodinair, himself had a bit of difficulty with this recipe. This MIM has caused him to seek new heights. He has never worked with almond paste before, so that proved to be a challenge causing him to remake the cake.

He also warned that the recipe is written convoluted. The streusel and cake ingredients are combined in the list of ingredients; it's not until you read the directions you are instructed to separate certain ingredients. It was a lot of work, tasted awesome, but ultimately, a lot of work. 

If you would like me to post the cookie or coffe cake recipe, comment below or send me an email. I'll be happy to hook you up! Hope your endeavor was as eventful. Go link up with Jessica so we can see what you came up with. 

Now, I'm off to see what Jessica and Anne whipped up with Cherries. 

Stay tuned for next weeks post on what we did with... MINT! Yes, MINT. That is my MI choice this week. Feel free to play along. I'll host the link up next week, so see you back here on Monday. Go fourth and be inspired!

Theme Thursday: Girls-Roll'n in the deep (thoughts)

Linking up with Cari at Clan Donaldson for this weeks Theme Thursday:
Girls! I.Love.My.Girls!

They are high octane from the moment their beautiful eyes open in the morning until they close for the night. They love passionately and do their best to test their boundaries. They play tea party while slaying the bad guys with their bow and arrows. They talk incessantly, screech the loudest, and want more than anything to grow up to be my mini-me's.    

Here's a true story for ya:

Tuesday I had one of those self depricating afternoons were I felt like a failure of a mother and disciplinarian. After the second time Marie stormed into my bedroom while nursing the babe (who was up every 15 min the night before and had not napped yet, due to equal parts Wicked-Loud sisters and teething) I almost lost it. 

Marie's first gust of wind into my Oasis was to inform me she placed her arrow on Elise's head, on purpose. (Bow and arrows, confiscated)
Her second gust tore through my door with such violence I thought the whole frame was going to unhinge from the walls. What was that urgent? She proceeded to tell me how she poked Elise in the forehead with the tip of a colored pencil. 

Really? REALLY?
"Go to your room" I boomed! 

As I slowly gave up on the fact the babe was not going to drift off to Never Land, I pondered what could be going on with her. Why was she suddenly a glutton for punishment? Why is she being so mean to her sister, teasing her and blatantly disobeying; then telling me her offense. Does she want to be punished? Does she need more attention? Am I being rude and snide to her? All these thoughts and more raced through my head. There has to be a root cause. I know she's only 4 1/2 but she is so much more mature than that. It's hard to think she doesn't really have a grasp of her actions.
Where am I failing her. She doesn't have too many outside influences (and those she does have are amazing) so, this has to be here, in the home.
The train of thought began to unfold to something bigger. WE, as women (generalizing) can be so nurturing and loving but have so much snark and attitude! It's like an innate ability. Born with it. Done. Learn to live with it. Or, overcome it.
While I wondered in great anger what to say that would help her realize her ruthlessness and flippant attitude was not acceptable, I became aware of the security she felt to be able to confide in me even though she knew she did something wrong. This trust I knew needed to be fostered; my over-reaction could weaken that bond of trust I worked from birth to form with her. I want to keep it intact for when she ventures out into the world beyond our front door. Mentally: "What do I say? Keep it simple and state the truth."
I calmly went to her room where she sat on her bed playing. I sat down next to her and with all the love and conviction I could manage in my voice, I tried my best to convey how proud I was she came to me when she did something wrong but her behavior was unacceptable. I expressed, as I always have, SHE is NOT bad, her actions and decisions are bad.

Later that evening, Robert and I had a chance to discuss the overly dramatic text he received that read a little something like "I wouldn't come home if I were you", sent during that time of chaos (the crying babe and screaming toddlers and sleep deprived wife). He reminded me that our girls aspire to be like me; Marie always says how she wants to grow up, go to school, get married, and become a mom.
Still feeling like a failure, I asked Robert if I am someone to be proud of? Am I selling my self short because I don't have a ton of accomplishments on my resume? Am I serving others in my vocation as I have been called to? I know it sounds self indulgent but when you are entrusted to raise the children The Lord has blessed you with to be His loving handmaidens; you wonder at times if you're good enough. 

His response was money baby! They are words he has spoken in the past, but like a good homily, you thirst to be reminded.

Summary:
"You will be remembered in 100 years. Not because you have a list of self-fulfilling accomplishments that are probably just a disguise for a lack of purpose and happiness in your life but because there is NOTHING more difficult, more rewarding, and more accomplishing than raising our children. It will be YOU our great-grandchildren will talk about while making Margaret's Rolls.
You have goals; To get to heaven. Help those around you get to heaven. Raise our children to be the next generation of loving, inspirational, hard working, self confident, God loving adults. You're doing a great job. Every time they show compassion, every time they genuflect, every time they make the sign of the cross, they pray, they sing and dance with joy, they learn something new...All those times are because of you. They want to be a mom because of your example"!

He's right. Mothers' (generalizing again) give selflessly to their family. And it is so important to impress upon our younglings the joys and humility that comes with our vocation. Our every action and word is hung out there in all its vulnerability and glory for them to see. The good examples we set for them will nurture their growth into confident women, ones we will be proud of. So, I will continue to torment myself with their every action and pray I do the right thing. I'll read books to help me navigate these unchartered territories, I'll listen intently to others experiences and advice. I'll rely heavily on God's graces to help me form His children into exemplary women who will know their roles and vocation  will be every bit as rewarding, satisfying, and glorious as mine.
I am enough! You are enough! And.They.Are.So.Worth.It!

I keep thinking of the lyrics to John Mayers' Daughters:
"...Girls become lovers, who turn into Mothers, so Mothers be good to your daughters too"

Mother's in the making

Marie holding Robert IV

Elise holding Robert IV

There is nothing like witnessing your daughters love! 

Mystery Ingredient Monday #1

Welcome to Mystery Ingredient Monday or MIM. Since the web is full of acronyms, I'll add one more into the mix. (Pun intended)

How it works:
Kinda like Iron Chef
Each Monday a Mystery Ingredient will be announced by one of the three blogging sista's (Jessica, Anne, and myself). The following Monday we will blog about our creative endeavor, so, make sure you're following these blogs:Housewifespice, The Bazin Chronicles, and A Clan's Tale. At the end of our post, the next sista will announce the following weeks Mystery Ingredient. We will take turns and invite you to play along with us. No rules. Seriously! We would just break them. You can be as creative and innovative as you wish. Or, keep it simple and fun. Maybe instead of using the ingredient for consumption, you use it in arts and crafts. Whatever goes. We're pretty laid back and roll with the flow.

Let us go forth and be inspired! Off to Housewifespice for the first Mystery Ingredient.

Leave a comment on any of our blogs if you would like to participate.

Grandparents

Allow me the pleasure of introducing you to my beloved Grandma and Grandpa Zatorski.

Their wedding day 

As a young girl I visited Grandma and Grandpa Z's house often. They loved me greatly. Grandma called me her "Tashi-weeders" and would take my feet into her hands and say "grow little feet, grow". I was always grandpas little girl. He would follow me around like a puppy dog.
I especially remember Christmas time in all it's glory. The living room softly lit by the trimmed tree decked out with large Christmas lights of the early 80's. It shimmered from afar with loads of tinsel. Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby joyful sang Christmas carols, I recall to static of the record player as Mannheim Steamrollers took over their place.
The scents of Christmas were intoxicating. The smell of a real tree can never be replicated by scented candles. I don't care what anyone says. Home made fudge (with and without nuts) made their way into crystal candy jars, a multitude of cookies that grandma spent hours baking were tucked into tin cans. Chocolate covered cherries sat in their boxes waiting to be devoured and of course the nuts, oh the nuts, still in their smug shells waiting for you to figure out how to use the bloody nut cracker.  The Nativity set had it's place under the tree, I would crawl under there and play with it. Grandma made the last lap, before everyone arrived, around the house making sure everything was just the way she wanted it. Grandpa played in a room around the corner from the kitchen. His enjoyment came in the form of model trains; building, painting, and constructing villages of days gone by in the Wild West.
It was splendid and had everything I will ever need to treasure my Christmas memories with them.

You might be wondering why I am taking a trip down memory lane about Christmas with my grandparents when it's only the month of May? 

Here's the long version.

It's been over ten years since my last conversation with my grandfather. He always took an interest in my life as an young adult and when some complication arose from a surgery he had, I spent my morning with him. I brought a purple rose to him in the hospital and helped him eat his scrambled eggs and toast. We talked about life and how unique the color of the flower was.
He proudly told every visitor about the flower. When I left his side I felt awful and helpless. (I had not yet found my faith and was living a life without prayer and the understanding of God). In the middle of the night I received the dreaded call, Grandpa was in a medical coma to keep him comfortable and he wasn't going to make it through the night. I rushed up to the hospital and was there with my mom, grandmother, aunts and uncles when he passed away. For months I would get into my car and drive in silence. I could smell his after-shave...a true mystery.

Fast forward ten years and you will find the same dreaded phone call came upon me last Sunday morning. This time I was equipped with Faith. I knew this day was coming, Grandma had been declining over the past few months and I came to terms with that. I had been up to visit her while she was still able to converse, it was my "good bye" to the grandma I was loosing. When I received the phone call I was, thankfully, running out the door to Mass. I say "thankfully" because it was that hour I needed to spend in prayer and ask The Lord for the graces I, and my family, needed to get through this time of suffering and grief. After Mass Robert told me to decide if I wanted to go visit her and "just go do it" if that was what I wanted. And, it was. He held the fort down while I spent some time with my family and grandma. I held her hand and talked to her. She could not respond but would flutter her eyes open and squeeze my hand. I spoke for her. I knew she was aware I was there. I fought back tears as I spoke. I mentally prayed for her suffering and her soul. I knew it was bringing her closer to God. I knew my suffering was too. I could see her suffering was bringing other family members to take time out and pray. It was bringing them closer to God as well. We all leaned on Him during her final hours. When I left on Sunday afternoon I was sad to see Grandma in such a state of agony. I just wanted it to be over. I wanted The Lord to have mercy on her and take her now. Even though I have my faith I still struggle with the thoughts of "Am I really open to God's will? Or, Am I praying for my will to be done?" The Lord made us with emotions and a human mentality along with free will in order to choose to love Him. It is because of the human mentality and emotions, opposed to a divine one, that  also can make it hard to watch loved ones suffer and feel sorrow.
This time I didn't feel helpless. I knew I could pray and how to pray and what it meant to pray. So, we continued to pray for Grandma and she made it through the night, suffering, carrying her cross. On Monday afternoon I received a particularly hard phone call from my mother, giving me an update on grandma. It was then I tried my hardest to pray for Gods will. With in a half hour, my mother called back to tell me she was gone. My mother and a cousin held her hand as her soul departed from this earth. I felt so at peace. I texted my sister in law, Jessica, who had been praying for her. She texted back "May she rest in peace". It was the second time in my entire life that I felt the meaning of those words.

May she rest in peace.
When I think of my grandparents, I will think of them like this. In love on Christmas with all the Christmas Glory.
 

Grandma & Grandpa Christmas 1983:
 My momma and I in the back ground.

Theme Thursday: Self Portrait

Another week gone by and another Theme Thursday arrives. Joining Cari at Clan Donaldson for some fun, you should too.

Back in December I got braces. Yes for the first time, and Yes they were sooo uncomfortable! I was promised they would be worth it in the end. So far, so good. I have seen such a drastic change in my bite already.

My hang ups:
1. I feel like a prepubescent teen!
2. I have build ups on my bottom molars so it is very difficult to eat!
3. Food, Ugh, Love Food! Not so much when it's stuck-in-my-teeth-GROSS!
Floss, brush, rinse, repeat and repeat and repeat. Still...feel...gross.
4. P-A-I-N...Oh, bring out the bottle of Whine... The-P-A-I-N
5. Limited on what I can eat. I love food and not being able to eat what I want when I want really stinks. I would like to say I have been and exemplary model in temprense. But I won't. Because I haven't. I've just changed up my eating habits (I tell my self it's out of necessity) to all things soft and bad for you... which is really an oxymoron, in my opinion. Soft things like, brownies, danishes, pancakes, milkshake (I know liquid, but still soft) banana bread, and Monti Christo sandwiches. Oh, the good stuff that is so bad for ones body, especially for ones eyes. My poor eyes... they have to cast themselves upon the scale number hovering over the same number for the last few months. No improvement on loosing any more of that baby weight since the braces have been added. UGH...Exasperated sigh of discontentment and total unfairness!

On the plus side:
My husband loves them. Truly. He says he enjoys how the edges of my mouth are always turned upward, so it looks like I have a constant smile.

I sorta envision a less creepy version on the Cheshire Cat.

What do you think?

My selfie??

Taken with the IPhone (again) because I could turn the camera around to see what I was doing.Which was a necessity to the success of NOT dropping the baby I was holding. Sneaky sneaky... I had to crop his cuteness out of the picture. Honestly... I can't go to the bathroom alone, let a lone take a picture of myself sans babies.


Anyway. Enjoy this number for 2005ish! Smile Like You Mean It... Robert used to serenade me with these lyrics.