The Day of Love

As I sat to work on this blog post, I realized that I got the winning number! I got to post on Valentine's Day! That also led to a second realization that maybe no one will read my post since they will be so busy celebrating love, but that's okay. I will just think of this as a diary entry and enjoy the writing even if I am the only reader. :)

I love Valentine's Day. I wonder if part of the reason I am enraptured with it is because as a child I received the nickname of "Lovable Lizzi." No, it was not that I was especially sweet or darling. It was actually the opposite. Seriously. My Mom thought it might be helpful to give me the nickname to encourage me to be more loving to others! Now that is very hopeful, positive parenting! I'm not sure if it worked, or not, but I do love this holiday. Not just the pink and the hearts and the sweet little valentines (although I love those too!) but the emphasis on loving others.

While my husband never fails to bless and spoil me, and I look forward to and appreciate all he does, and I have no doubt in how much he loves me, I also don't think of Valentine's Day as simply a romantic holiday. It is all about love, and love is for everybody! I love making valentines and sending them to loved ones, near and far. I love attempting to make heart-shaped cookies to give to my guys. I love decorating my home with hearts- well, I guess I always love that, even at un-Valentine's Day times.

To Our Health

Our guest blogger today is Maude's husband.

If I may, I'd like to propose a toast.  A toast to our corporate health as a nation.  Cheers.

Wait.

What exactly did we just drink to?

If you have been listening to NARAL President Andrea Miller you might be laboring under the delusion that in some way contraception, birth-control pills, abortion-producing drugs and sterilization are integral facets of our national health.  Well, they are.  They have become our necessary placebos that delude us into thinking we've achieved some sort of sustainable level of fitness as a country.  The web has been on fire for the past few days with the Catholic church's refusal to comply with provisions in the new mandatory federal health care law requiring employers to cover services which may contradict one's conviction.  But we only allow conversations about Obamacare and separation-of-church-and-state to persist because we can't articulate the root causes of the illness which we know is out of step with the principles we claim to hold dear as a nation.

Pharmacuetical birth control destroys self-control.

Sister Chat About Being Mothers of Toddlers/Babies

Maude: This week I wanted to talk about being mothers of toddlers/babies since we are all there right now.

Lizzi: We sure are!

(We were just in the potty as you typed that, actually...)

Haha!

Maude: First, let's start with where you are at in your parenting.

Esther: I am trying to catch my diaperless little boy and stick a diaper on him

Maude: haha! For me, my little girl is entering her "terrible twos."

Esther: My son is a day away from being 16 months

lots of climbing, falling, and starting talking

Lizzi: I have an almost 3 year old, and a just-turned one year old

Maude: We will soon be starting the battle to end thumb-sucking with my little boy...

Lizzi: I've heard from adults who used to be thumb suckers that they all had to stop on their own...

They said they just had to get embarrassed enough

Some even when they were 6 or 7!

Maude: Yeah, some have told me it wasn't until college!!!

Lizzi: Wow! They said their parents tried everything..

Maude: I don't expect that much trouble - he doesn't do it all the time like some kids do but I do want to make an effort so he knows he is supposed to stop. If he doesn't right away it isn't the end of the world but I don't want my lack of action to be the cause of teeth problems later.

Lizzi: I guess its such a comfort thing

Yeah, that's tough

Maude: What are you guys dealing with right now?

Or about to start?

Lizzi: Our one-year old is (and has been for a long time) a screamer

So we are dealing with that and how to handle it

Maude: Oh dear! That would be hard

Lizzi: It is shrieking, and now he thinks it is sooo funny

And sometimes big brother joins in then too

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

I know where all my snow went... to Rome - and I want it back!!!

I love snow and cold weather.  I truly do.  And living in Virginia is killing me!  I remember past years of fun in the snow and I am becoming a bit cranky and feeling sorry for myself with my warm and dry winter.

A snowy view from my mom's porch.

Country snows are so quiet and peaceful.  It makes everything pristine postcard perfect.

Making yogurt

I have been making my own yogurt. It is surprisingly easy.  I was intimidated at first by this seemingly daunting task (or at least I always thought it would be daunting) but truth be told the most simple, trivial task turns daunting when you have a toddler hanging on your leg, wanting held, and whining at you the whole time. Despite the difficulty, it turned out quite well (and it truly is easier than you think).

Let's talk about what you would need to make this happen:

• You need milk (I have used goat milk before but today I just used whole milk.) You may use any kind you would like, skim, whole, 2%. I like mine fatty so I use whole (it makes it extra creamy!)
• You need yogurt "starter" aka yogurt you already have. You will need at least a Tablespoon. You will want this to be plain not flavored.
• You need ice
• You need a pan(s) (you can truly accomplish this with just one pan)
• You need a candy (food) thermometer.
• That's it! (told you it was easy)

Lau Sah Bao, in all its Yummy Goodness

I am blessed to be married to a wonderful man, who happens to be of Chinese ethnicity. This means that I have been able to enjoy a wide array of foods that until meeting him, I had not tried. One of my favorite eating experiences (and one I crave regularly) is dim sum. Dim sum refers to little dishes, or foods that are served in small portions. They are typically served in steam baskets, and you order many and share. The best sensory dim sum experience is when you go to a restaurant where the items are still loaded on carts and pushed around the restaurant. When the cart comes near your table, you just look over the wares and point to what you want. It is so much fun!

Not every dim sum restaurant is this way, and that's okay. The food is still delectable. ;) When we were visiting Singapore over Christmas, we went to a dim sum restaurant that is known for its Lau Sah Bao, or flowing golden custard bun. I hadn't seen this type of bun before, and so it was my first time to taste it.

Lau Sah Bao (Flowing Golden Custard Bun) in a steam basket

Memory Monday - Spending Time with Japanese Friends

I went to school at a university that was partnered with a school in Japan which made that tiny West Virginian school one of the most international experiences you can have in the country and certainly in the state.   The student population was 40% American, 40% Japanese and 20% students from other countries.   On top of that there were only 600 students so it was impossible not to interact and become friends with international students unlike larger schools.

I studied Japanese and loved so many of the people I met.  My roommate, Masako, and my good friend, Takumi, were two of my very favourite people and I invited them home to experience a traditional American Thanksgiving.

We took Masako and Takumi to see a nice old house in the area.  I am the 3rd from the left and Esther is the little girl in red beside me!  Lizzi is 4th from the right.  Masako is beside me and Takumi is 2nd from the right and everyone else is one of my siblings.

A heart of generosity

Esther:  I think we will talk about a "heart of generosity". We have been going through a sermon series on generosity.  Generosity of time, talents, resources, and money
Lizzi:  Ok!
Maude:  Sounds good.
Esther:  We have been talking about that a lot in our home and how to live that out.
Esther:  I thought my first question would be when have you really seen that displayed?
Has someone every really blessed you?
with money, time, gifts?
Lizzi:  I have a very great, recent example
A couple weeks ago we had a big storm here and our power went out
The house got pretty cold and we told some friends that we were going to find a hotel to stay in
And they insisted that we stay with them. Not only was that very sweet and generous, but it was even more so because she was a week overdue from delivering their first baby!!
She could've gone into labor anytime, and her parents were already at their house too
Esther:  I have been blessed to see this displayed numerous times. But, one thing that really comes to mind is when we first got married. Numerous family members and friends just gave us furniture, couches, bed, and Andrew's great Aunt gave us a washer and dryer! It was such a blessing we were left with hardly any wants.
That is awesome Liz!
Lizzi:  They were really the hands and feet of Jesus to us.

Valentine's Day Expectations (and what they reveal about marriage)

Two months into our marriage my husband and I celebrated our first Valentine's Day together. He bought me a plunger. Now if that doesn't say something about the difference between the expectations of men and women on Valentine's Day (and when it comes to marriage) nothing will.

The tenth Valentine's Day we celebrated as a married couple, my husband bought me flowers, a nice card with an even nicer message hand-written inside, and (very important) a box of fine chocolates from a local chocolatier. I think you'll agree that we've come quite a ways in ten years.

The reason for that is quite simple really. I've gotten much better at communicating my expectations and he has gotten much better at hearing those communications.

Secret someone(s)

Today is February first! And not only is this wonderful because a very special person was born the 25th of February (*cough*cough ME!)  I now only have 24 days till my birthday! I am a big fan of birthdays... especially my own.  The other reason  February is special is because of this little holiday that happens on the 14th, we call it Valentines Day.  In our family (the O'Brien clan that is) we started celebrating Valentines Day long before the 14th. It all started this day, the first of February.  Mother started something called "secret someone". To be completely honest I don't really remember how it all came about* (I am one of the babies you know; sometimes that means I don't know how some of the family traditions started I just know that we do them!) Are you curious about this  "secret someone" tradition? Well, let me tell you all about it. (If you are not curious you can stop reading for that is all I am going to be talking about. Just thought I'd let you know!)