This last week has been Hanukkah (or Chanukah, spellings vary since it's not an English word to begin with!) Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday, dating from about 160BC, and commemorating a miracle where one flask of oil kept the temple menorah lit for eight days, inspiring the Jews sufficiently to be able to defeat the invading Greeks and send them packing. Since Hanukkah is scheduled in the Jewish calendar, it is on a different date on our calendar each year--ranging anywhere during the month of December.
Two years ago I shared Hanukkah can be for Christians too, and it bears re-reading if you don't remember it. It has several ideas for ways to celebrate the holiday, including singing or listening to songs, lighting a menorah, telling the story of Hanukkah, playing dreidel, or eating traditional Hanukkah foods. In the past our family has just eaten latkes and retold the story on one of the nights, but in the future I would like to get a menorah and light the candles each night as well. Considering my family, I suspect that reenactments of the story are likely as well. ☺
Here are a few songs:
Candlelight by The Maccabeats (a cappella)
Eight Days of Hanukkah
Light the Candles (a childrens chorus, an original song written by their teacher, quite pretty)
Miracle by Matisyahu (serious lyrics by a serious Jew, with a hiphop beat)
A men's dance and a women's dance if you'd like to see something traditional, and a song (it only has pictures, not video) Everybody Dance (to the Hanukkah Song) that kids will love dancing to
Lich'vod Hachanukkah (a traditional song in Hebrew--the full lyrics, and translation, are at the link)
and even (if you're a little less reverent) Adam Sandler's Hanukkah Song
Here are some traditional Hanukkah foods (since the miracle was about oil, traditional holiday foods are cooked in oil or deep fried):
Latkes ("potato pancakes")
Suvgani'ot (jelly-filled doughnuts) (this isn't really an authentic recipe, but it is jelly-filled doughnuts!)
Here's a bit of a chuckle for you: this year (2010) there have been wildfires burning in Israel. And the Greeks are among the neighbors who have sent planes to help put out the fires. As a friend of a friend pointed out "The irony of Greek planes flying over Israel helping to put out fires on Chanuka has not been lost on Israelis. [But] we are all very, very grateful for the help of some of our neighbors and all of our friends. Truly a blessed and welcome surprise."
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Mindless or Mindful
Recently a friend posted on her blog about her goal to live more mindfully. She talks about how her intelligence and acute powers of observation lead her to be overstimulated and overwhelmed in many situations. She has tried many forms of calming herself--limiting the stimulii--but in the long run they don't work. So, instead, she is trying something new: mindfulness. Rather than try to calm her mind down or turn it off, she is maintaining its full power, but directing it in more specific ways.
For years I've been aware of my tendency to get stressed out over things that didn't matter (or that didn't matter enough to warrant the amount of stress I was pouring onto them). One of the things that came out of that was that I struggle to fall asleep at night. It has been normal for me to lay in bed for at least 30 minutes trying to fall asleep, and I don't consider myself to be 'having a hard time getting to sleep' unless I have been laying still for over an hour but still feel alert. Even when I'm tired, even when my body begs to rest, even as I lay still and close my eyes, still my mind races on and on. My husband offered the helpful advice of "just clear your mind" but I am literally unable to do that. I do not know how to think of nothing. I do not know how to empty my mind. But reading Chandelle's post helped me realize what I do know how to do: I do know how to focus on something, and if I thoughtfully choose my points of focus, I can seriously affect my life.
I have always liked the guided relaxation portion of my prenatal yoga DVD. The instructor guides my focus through the various parts of my body, encouraging softening and relaxing and releasing throughout. I like the physical stillness yet mental awareness of yoga, and I am now realizing that this state is so good for me. I can observe and absorb with great focus, while my body is still (or engaged in some mundane task). So even as my mind is alert, it is able to be still. (edit--here is a post with a list of some of the things I do to practice mindfulness.)
This year one of my goals was to increase my awareness of the interconnectedness of things. I believe that all truths--spiritual, scientific, emotional, or otherwise--all fit together. Which, by extension, means that all things have a spiritual aspect to them. As I have sought to observe--and tap into--that spirit, I have found my own spirituality growing. I may not find the time to spend hours in scripture study, and I have missed more church meetings this year than I care to count; yet, in spite of that, I feel closer to God and experience more peacefulness than I used to as well. It has been a remarkable exercise in mindfulness, even though I didn't think to call it that when I started.
So that's what this is about. Since this is my space, I'd like to take this one day a week to highlight the inspirations that cast rays of light into what is otherwise a difficult way to live. Simple things, humble things, beautiful things, ugly things that make everything else more beautiful, or maybe ugly things that are simply ugly, but wholly accepted in each moment of mindfulness -- whatever catches my attention in a way that helps me slow down and just breathe for a few precious seconds.I thought about her post in the context of some of my recent life path--and I realized that mindfullness is a substantial part of what is bringing me peace too.
I have always liked the guided relaxation portion of my prenatal yoga DVD. The instructor guides my focus through the various parts of my body, encouraging softening and relaxing and releasing throughout. I like the physical stillness yet mental awareness of yoga, and I am now realizing that this state is so good for me. I can observe and absorb with great focus, while my body is still (or engaged in some mundane task). So even as my mind is alert, it is able to be still. (edit--here is a post with a list of some of the things I do to practice mindfulness.)
 |
| The Celtic "Tree of Life" showing the interconnectedness of life |
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Tallow
We bought a half a cow a few weeks ago. They asked us if we'd like the scraps, and (under the assumption that it would be soup bones and such) we said yes. But actually it's not soup bones, it's a lot of sinew and fat. So I'm rendering out the tallow to make candles (which is all kinds of exciting and fun!)
Tallow is solid at room temperature, but becomes liquid when heated, so to render the tallow I chop up the fat chunks, add a little water, and boil them until all the fat separates from all the other stuff. Then I strain it (to get out little chunks of sinew or meat) and let the water and fat separate and cool until the tallow solidifies (at which point I can pick it off the water in a big chunk).
This morning Wolf saw a container on the counter where I'd left some tallow to separate and cool overnight. He asked what it was, and we told him it was tallow "you know, the fat from the cow."
"Oh," he said knowingly, looking at the container and seeing a solid part and a liquid part, "the tallow and the oil."
"No," Hubby clarified, "the tallow is the oil, it's just solid at room temperature."
"Really?" Wolf asked.
"Sure," I interjected. "After all, cows are solid at room temperature!"
Tallow is solid at room temperature, but becomes liquid when heated, so to render the tallow I chop up the fat chunks, add a little water, and boil them until all the fat separates from all the other stuff. Then I strain it (to get out little chunks of sinew or meat) and let the water and fat separate and cool until the tallow solidifies (at which point I can pick it off the water in a big chunk).
This morning Wolf saw a container on the counter where I'd left some tallow to separate and cool overnight. He asked what it was, and we told him it was tallow "you know, the fat from the cow."
"Oh," he said knowingly, looking at the container and seeing a solid part and a liquid part, "the tallow and the oil."
"No," Hubby clarified, "the tallow is the oil, it's just solid at room temperature."
"Really?" Wolf asked.
"Sure," I interjected. "After all, cows are solid at room temperature!"
Friday, December 3, 2010
Facebook Friday: Gratitude Edition
I haven't done one of these in a very long time, but I thought I'd do a bit of a recap of some of my status updates from the last month or so...for most of the month of November I posted things I was grateful for. ☺
11/1
"My opinions change with new information" (seen on a poster at the Rally to Restore Sanity). I don't care if you agree with me, only if you are honest with yourself about why you believe the way you do: whether it's based on habit, fear, hope, or facts. On election day tomorrow, please vote, and please give your vote the thought and integrity it deserves. Then we shall see what we shall see. ☺
11/2
Jenni is thankful for baby zerberts (if I hook him up to nurse but then don't pay enough attention to him, he GETS me. heeheehee!)
11/3
Jenni has 4 boxes going to the post office today... I'm so grateful for MDC's Holiday Helper and the chance to send things to families who need them (and that I can send *goods* since I can't afford to send anybody money this year)
11/4
Jenni is grateful for a week where many things have fallen into the places that they need to be. "All things work together for good"
mmmmm, muffins. What's not to love about muffins. :) (exploring a new recipe tonight...or, rather, a new adaptation of an old recipe: almond poppy seed muffins...
[Wolf ate two of the giant-size muffins (as in, a third of the batch). He said they were amazing, and "way better than those costco ones mom." Hmm, I seem to have succeeded!!]
11/5
Jenni worked her tail off all day. All the pumpkin is processed and frozen/canned, three pies (two kinds) cooked, three loads of dishes, and kitchen floor swept and scrubbed. Pie Night: Game On!
11/6
Jenni is grateful for long phone calls with best friends, automatic dishwashers, and warm tea and long johns when it's snowy outside.
Jenni is thankful for my Hubby, for the things he does to try to make me happy (and for keeping me posted on politics, because I get wrapped up researching parenting stuff and sometimes forget that there's a whole world out there).
11/7
Jenni is so so so grateful that my husband is into politics instead of sports; that I am never a football/basketball/baseball widow; and that he doesn't know (or care) about the scores or ratings.
11/10
Jenni's kiddo seems to have an ear infection. :( Poor guy. At least we've never had one of these before (and at least it's the kiddo who is old enough to tell me "mommy my ear hurts" in the midst of his crying)
11/12
Jenni's little birthday boy has fallen off things (big head-banging/bawling falls) three times this morning...it seems that no matter what I do, the boy WILL find something to climb...and then fall off of. Perhaps I should
lace the birthday cake with arnica?! ;)
11/15
Jenni is grateful for my telephone...but also wants to let you know that I unabashedly screen calls. I will not be a slave to this technology, I will get to it if I get to it...but if I'm busy (or I don't recognize the caller ID) I let the machine get it. If you leave a message, I promise I do call back.
Criticism is always more about the critic than the recipient.
11/16
Jenni had a full freezer. Then my Hubby found pork shoulders on sale (BOGO) and brought home 42lbs of pork. Then we picked up our half a cow (another 300+lbs of meat). So I rearranged the freezer...and I got most of it in there too.
[I got almost 3 boxes worth into the freezer...there were 4 boxes of meat and 1 of scraps. Thankfully some friends let us borrow some freezer space...and very soon I'll be melting down those scraps to render the tallow and make candles! I did a little experimental batch and am excited to do the rest. I feel so domestic and sustainable and stuff!]
11/17
Jenni is helping my 10yo son plan a Percy Jackson/Greek Mythology based party. We thought parties would be a fun way to do a book club for kids. And also, we are dang good at themed parties. (He told me he feels sorry for "those kids who just get regular parties")
11/18
Put this as your status if someone you knew was killed by Lord Voldemort. As everyone knows, being killed by an Unforgivable Curse, having your soul sucked out by a dementor, or getting petrified by a basilisk is a truly tragic fate for anyone, muggle or wizard. 93% of people won't copy and paste this. Will you make this your status to spread awareness of this growing threat?
Shared link: BYU Carillion (bell tower) gets into the Harry Potter spirit
11/19
Jenni is playing doctor mom again...[Bear had spots all over] my money is on an allergic reaction to the amoxicillin. He's never had an antibiotic before, and thankfully it's a mild reaction...but I should have guessed (since I'm allergic to penicillin myself)
(The doctor concurred with my diagnosis).
11/24
Jenni just might have the best bff in the world. (You know who you are SisuGirl)
Jenni thinks peppermint tea might be the perfect food.
11/25 Thanksgiving math: if the pie crust recipe makes 1 1/2 crusts (because I have deepdish pie pans), and I need a total of 5 pie crusts, then how many recipes do I need? (Note, 3 of the crusts will be bottom crusts, but 2 will be top crusts, which are normal sized...)
11/28
Jenni has a christmas tree up, an advent wreath out, a fabric countdown chain up, and now I just need to sew presents. ☺
11/29
Jenni always breathes a little easier on the morning of Nov 29th, because it means the baby made it through the night of the 28th (which was the night my sister died 21 years ago). Rest in Peace Amethyst. I miss you. ♥
Jenni is sewing away on a nativity advent calendar. It's so cute.
11/30
Happy Saint Andrew's Day (national day of scotland). We're makin stovies, rumblethumps, shepherds pie, and shortbread. Are you scottish too?!
12/1
"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." (JFK)
Shared link 12 Exercises for Mindful Parenting (fantastic article)
12/2
Jenni has a sudden and very urgent need to learn how to make a boston cream pie. Anybody got a tried-and-true recipe for me? Or will I need to find my own? (nobody had a recipe, so I'm going to try this one)
12/3
Jenni is grinding wheat and baking bread while the snow blusters outside.
11/1
"My opinions change with new information" (seen on a poster at the Rally to Restore Sanity). I don't care if you agree with me, only if you are honest with yourself about why you believe the way you do: whether it's based on habit, fear, hope, or facts. On election day tomorrow, please vote, and please give your vote the thought and integrity it deserves. Then we shall see what we shall see. ☺
11/2
Jenni is thankful for baby zerberts (if I hook him up to nurse but then don't pay enough attention to him, he GETS me. heeheehee!)
11/3
Jenni has 4 boxes going to the post office today... I'm so grateful for MDC's Holiday Helper and the chance to send things to families who need them (and that I can send *goods* since I can't afford to send anybody money this year)
11/4
Jenni is grateful for a week where many things have fallen into the places that they need to be. "All things work together for good"
mmmmm, muffins. What's not to love about muffins. :) (exploring a new recipe tonight...or, rather, a new adaptation of an old recipe: almond poppy seed muffins...
[Wolf ate two of the giant-size muffins (as in, a third of the batch). He said they were amazing, and "way better than those costco ones mom." Hmm, I seem to have succeeded!!]
11/5
Jenni worked her tail off all day. All the pumpkin is processed and frozen/canned, three pies (two kinds) cooked, three loads of dishes, and kitchen floor swept and scrubbed. Pie Night: Game On!
11/6
Jenni is grateful for long phone calls with best friends, automatic dishwashers, and warm tea and long johns when it's snowy outside.
Jenni is thankful for my Hubby, for the things he does to try to make me happy (and for keeping me posted on politics, because I get wrapped up researching parenting stuff and sometimes forget that there's a whole world out there).
11/7
Jenni is so so so grateful that my husband is into politics instead of sports; that I am never a football/basketball/baseball widow; and that he doesn't know (or care) about the scores or ratings.
11/10
Jenni's kiddo seems to have an ear infection. :( Poor guy. At least we've never had one of these before (and at least it's the kiddo who is old enough to tell me "mommy my ear hurts" in the midst of his crying)
11/12
Jenni's little birthday boy has fallen off things (big head-banging/bawling falls) three times this morning...it seems that no matter what I do, the boy WILL find something to climb...and then fall off of. Perhaps I should
lace the birthday cake with arnica?! ;)
11/15
Jenni is grateful for my telephone...but also wants to let you know that I unabashedly screen calls. I will not be a slave to this technology, I will get to it if I get to it...but if I'm busy (or I don't recognize the caller ID) I let the machine get it. If you leave a message, I promise I do call back.
Criticism is always more about the critic than the recipient.
11/16
Jenni had a full freezer. Then my Hubby found pork shoulders on sale (BOGO) and brought home 42lbs of pork. Then we picked up our half a cow (another 300+lbs of meat). So I rearranged the freezer...and I got most of it in there too.
[I got almost 3 boxes worth into the freezer...there were 4 boxes of meat and 1 of scraps. Thankfully some friends let us borrow some freezer space...and very soon I'll be melting down those scraps to render the tallow and make candles! I did a little experimental batch and am excited to do the rest. I feel so domestic and sustainable and stuff!]
11/17
Jenni is helping my 10yo son plan a Percy Jackson/Greek Mythology based party. We thought parties would be a fun way to do a book club for kids. And also, we are dang good at themed parties. (He told me he feels sorry for "those kids who just get regular parties")
11/18
Put this as your status if someone you knew was killed by Lord Voldemort. As everyone knows, being killed by an Unforgivable Curse, having your soul sucked out by a dementor, or getting petrified by a basilisk is a truly tragic fate for anyone, muggle or wizard. 93% of people won't copy and paste this. Will you make this your status to spread awareness of this growing threat?
Shared link: BYU Carillion (bell tower) gets into the Harry Potter spirit
11/19
Jenni is playing doctor mom again...[Bear had spots all over] my money is on an allergic reaction to the amoxicillin. He's never had an antibiotic before, and thankfully it's a mild reaction...but I should have guessed (since I'm allergic to penicillin myself)
(The doctor concurred with my diagnosis).
11/24
Jenni just might have the best bff in the world. (You know who you are SisuGirl)
Jenni thinks peppermint tea might be the perfect food.
11/25 Thanksgiving math: if the pie crust recipe makes 1 1/2 crusts (because I have deepdish pie pans), and I need a total of 5 pie crusts, then how many recipes do I need? (Note, 3 of the crusts will be bottom crusts, but 2 will be top crusts, which are normal sized...)
11/28
Jenni has a christmas tree up, an advent wreath out, a fabric countdown chain up, and now I just need to sew presents. ☺
11/29
Jenni always breathes a little easier on the morning of Nov 29th, because it means the baby made it through the night of the 28th (which was the night my sister died 21 years ago). Rest in Peace Amethyst. I miss you. ♥
Jenni is sewing away on a nativity advent calendar. It's so cute.
11/30
Happy Saint Andrew's Day (national day of scotland). We're makin stovies, rumblethumps, shepherds pie, and shortbread. Are you scottish too?!
12/1
"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." (JFK)
Shared link 12 Exercises for Mindful Parenting (fantastic article)
12/2
Jenni has a sudden and very urgent need to learn how to make a boston cream pie. Anybody got a tried-and-true recipe for me? Or will I need to find my own? (nobody had a recipe, so I'm going to try this one)
12/3
Jenni is grinding wheat and baking bread while the snow blusters outside.
Candlelight - The Maccabeats
Happy Hannukah
I love this--some nice, cleancut, Jewish boys making darn good music, complete with harmony, cultural literacy, and a catchy beat!
I love this--some nice, cleancut, Jewish boys making darn good music, complete with harmony, cultural literacy, and a catchy beat!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Saint Andrew's Day (Nov 30)
 |
| Stovies |
On our dinner menu are things like:
 |
| Shortbread |
Shepherd's Pie
Rumbledthumps
maybe even Bannock Bread
 |
| Banoffi |
Shortbread or Trifle or Banoffi
 |
| Trifle |
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
By way of explanation...
...yes, I've been watching Firefly. Yes, I appreciate that their spaceship is named "Serenity," but no, the new title here is not intended as an allusion to the ship nor the show.
It is intended as a very realistic application of the word as per my recent increase of zenness.
But, since it's a good song, here ya go
It is intended as a very realistic application of the word as per my recent increase of zenness.
But, since it's a good song, here ya go
New Name
I changed the name of this blog.
It seemed appropriate.
☺
I debated over calling it "Chaotic Serenity" or something like that, but truthfully, even when things get nuts, serenity is a state of mind, not a situation...so serenity can be always (and in spite of chaos). So I kept things simple.
I thought about calling it "Simple Serenity" or something like that too...but again with the keeping things simple. ☺
Oh yes, and the new photo at the top--taken from my porch. Seriously, I live in paradise. ♥
It seemed appropriate.
☺
I debated over calling it "Chaotic Serenity" or something like that, but truthfully, even when things get nuts, serenity is a state of mind, not a situation...so serenity can be always (and in spite of chaos). So I kept things simple.
I thought about calling it "Simple Serenity" or something like that too...but again with the keeping things simple. ☺
Oh yes, and the new photo at the top--taken from my porch. Seriously, I live in paradise. ♥
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Christmas Countdown Chain
When I was a kid we always made a paper advent chain to count down the days to Christmas. I've made paper chains for my kids, but between the environmentally UNfriendly heavy use of paper, and the fact that one tug from a baby = busted chain, I decided to make a fabric version.
I was inspired by this tutorial, but I adapted it for what I had.
I made my own tutorial here.
I was inspired by this tutorial, but I adapted it for what I had.
I made my own tutorial here.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Thanksgiving
"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." ~Thornton Wilder
If you don't remember it, or haven't read it recently, take the time to read President Monson's talk on gratitude from last conference. If you're not going to do that (be honest), then at the very least watch this little video
Now let's all go out and follow President Monson's counsel to "cultivate an attitude of gratitude." ☺
If you don't remember it, or haven't read it recently, take the time to read President Monson's talk on gratitude from last conference. If you're not going to do that (be honest), then at the very least watch this little video
"Our minds have a marvelous capacity to notice the unusual; however, the opposite is true as well. The more often we see the things around us--even the beautiful and wonderful things--the more they become invisible to us. That's why we often take things for granted...because we see things so often, we see them less and less."
Now let's all go out and follow President Monson's counsel to "cultivate an attitude of gratitude." ☺
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