Hi all. I know I haven't posted in awhile because I've been too busy with posting on Facebook and Twitter.
Facebook has won my heart when it comes to blogging and posting photos and videos.
I'm discontinuing this blog and I am grateful to those who followed Kristie's journey on this blog for her new kidney.
Since this is my final post, I can tell you that Kristie's health is great. Her creatinine is stable and her new kidney is functioning perfectly. And most of all, she's back to her happy healthy self.
Thank you God for your many blessings.
Come on, you can do it! Sign up today; its' free and easy. Search for me once you're there and invite me to be your friend, then you'll see my posts. I try to get on it every day.
See you on Facebook.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Fun photos of Calla
At the playground
At playground with Aunt Kristie. They love to swing together on the "big girl" swings.
Katie and Calla both in pigtails.
Grandma and Calla at the sandwich shop.
Calla at her swimming lessons with her teacher Eric. Eric got her to go underwater! She loves to swim.
Geez, I can't believe its been since July 17th that I've posted to the blog. you can find me on facebook and twitter now too.
We're in Sacramento for our August trip and go home Thursday. Things are great with Kristie's health and we're moving forward now with life! Yay!
Friday, July 17, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Calla Videos
Grandpa couldn't resist and bought Calla's first set of golf clubs. She loves it!
Calla watering Grandma's flowers.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Our Movement - Official Store - TOMS Shoes - A Pair of New Shoes is Given to a Child in Need With Every Pair Purchased - One for One - TOMSshoes.com
Calla
Wow. Walking thru the mall with no diaper on Calla was quite the challenge. Don't ask.
Its been a fun week with the little rascal and I'm glad Mommy and Daddy are coming home tomorrow!
She's an angel one minute and as Katie puts it a monster the next. It wears me out.
By 5 p.m. I'm pretty much done but she has 3 and half hours to go!
Ever heard of hulu.com? Its a site where you can watch television shows so that's where we watch Elmo at 4 p.m. each afternoon.
Oh, its 4, gotta go...
Its been a fun week with the little rascal and I'm glad Mommy and Daddy are coming home tomorrow!
She's an angel one minute and as Katie puts it a monster the next. It wears me out.
By 5 p.m. I'm pretty much done but she has 3 and half hours to go!
Ever heard of hulu.com? Its a site where you can watch television shows so that's where we watch Elmo at 4 p.m. each afternoon.
Oh, its 4, gotta go...
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Good News!
Kristie's creatinine was 1.8!!! She had her monthly check up last Tuesday and we just got the labs back a couple of days ago.
Normal creatinine level is 1 or below and for a kidney transplant patient, 1.8 is really really good! In fact, she's never had this low of creatinine since she developed kidney disease in 2007.
SWEET! Thank you God!
More good news, I've lost 6.5 pounds thanks to Alli! Katie gave her half full bottle of Alli she had left and since she can't use it now since she's pregnant, I started taking it about 2 weeks ago. Since that time, I've lost about 5 pounds.
Alli is a fat blocker but you don't really notice a difference except I pee alot more. The literature claims that you'll lose 50% more weight while on a weight reduction program - I'm doing Weight Watchers - and its working!
I was struggling on WW before, even though I was NOT cheating, the weight just was not coming off - a half pound here, a half pound there, nothing of much consequence; then I'd go up a pound out of nowhere...very frustrating.
So, thank you Alli!
We're headed to Sacramento (with Nigel this time) on Saturday to take care of Calla while Katie and Nich spend 5 days in Kaui. Its their 10 year anniversary trip...Yay!
Can't wait to get warm again. Here's the rule in Seattle...don't expect it get to above 75 in a consistent manner until after July 4th...just doesn't happen. Am counting the days until July 5th.
Life is Good!
Normal creatinine level is 1 or below and for a kidney transplant patient, 1.8 is really really good! In fact, she's never had this low of creatinine since she developed kidney disease in 2007.
SWEET! Thank you God!
More good news, I've lost 6.5 pounds thanks to Alli! Katie gave her half full bottle of Alli she had left and since she can't use it now since she's pregnant, I started taking it about 2 weeks ago. Since that time, I've lost about 5 pounds.
Alli is a fat blocker but you don't really notice a difference except I pee alot more. The literature claims that you'll lose 50% more weight while on a weight reduction program - I'm doing Weight Watchers - and its working!
I was struggling on WW before, even though I was NOT cheating, the weight just was not coming off - a half pound here, a half pound there, nothing of much consequence; then I'd go up a pound out of nowhere...very frustrating.
So, thank you Alli!
We're headed to Sacramento (with Nigel this time) on Saturday to take care of Calla while Katie and Nich spend 5 days in Kaui. Its their 10 year anniversary trip...Yay!
Can't wait to get warm again. Here's the rule in Seattle...don't expect it get to above 75 in a consistent manner until after July 4th...just doesn't happen. Am counting the days until July 5th.
Life is Good!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Lovely Photos
at Steve & Rebecca's house Memorial Day weekend near San Francisco. A little chilly but a GREAT day! Thanks for a fabulous time guys!
The bunny in our yard yesterday eyeing our new plants! I know what he's thinking!
Getting comfy for the drive-in with Katie & Kristie last weekend. We saw Up! and it was awesome!
Our girls night out (while Calla & Nich were in ID) We had the BEST meal at Scott's Seafood Restaurant in Sacramento overlooking the river. Katie had filet mignon and crab legs and I had lobster tail and Kristie had crab raviloi. SO YUMMY!!!
Kristie loves anything with crab!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
THE PROJECT
Our 2.5 mile walk today with the doggies.
Kristie pretended she was on the treadmill to keep up. This is along the American River Trail.
Katie's about 17 weeks pregnant! Kinsey Lee McCleary Miller will be here around November 2!
The project is coming along nicely! Stay tuned for the final pics tomorrow!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Health Care Reform
This is an email I rec'd today from President Obama's team:
Good afternoon, You are receiving this email because you signed up at WhiteHouse.gov. My staff and I plan to use these messages as a way to directly communicate about important issues and opportunities, and today I have some encouraging updates about health care reform.
The Vice President and I just met with leaders from the House of Representatives and received their commitment to pass a comprehensive health care reform bill by July 31. We also have an unprecedented commitment from health care industry leaders, many of whom opposed health reform in the past.
Monday, I met with some of these health care stakeholders, and they pledged to do their part to reduce the health care spending growth rate, saving more than two trillion dollars over the next ten years -- around $2,500 for each American family.
Then on Tuesday, leaders from some of America's top companies came to the White House to showcase innovative ways to reduce health care costs by improving the health of their workers. Now the House and Senate are beginning a critical debate that will determine the health of our nation's economy and its families. This process should be transparent and inclusive and its product must drive down costs, assure quality and affordable health care for everyone, and guarantee all of us a choice of doctors and plans. Reforming health care should also involve you.
Think of other people who may want to stay up to date on health care reform and other national issues and tell them to join us here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/EmailUpdates Health care reform can't come soon enough. We spend more on health care than any country, but families continue to struggle with skyrocketing premiums and nearly 46 million are without insurance entirely. It is a priority for the American people and a pillar of the new foundation we are seeking to build for our economy.
We'll continue to keep you posted about this and other important issues. Thank you, Barack Obama P.S. If you'd like to get more in-depth information about health reform and how you can participate, be sure to visit http://www.HealthReform.gov.
Good afternoon, You are receiving this email because you signed up at WhiteHouse.gov. My staff and I plan to use these messages as a way to directly communicate about important issues and opportunities, and today I have some encouraging updates about health care reform.
The Vice President and I just met with leaders from the House of Representatives and received their commitment to pass a comprehensive health care reform bill by July 31. We also have an unprecedented commitment from health care industry leaders, many of whom opposed health reform in the past.
Monday, I met with some of these health care stakeholders, and they pledged to do their part to reduce the health care spending growth rate, saving more than two trillion dollars over the next ten years -- around $2,500 for each American family.
Then on Tuesday, leaders from some of America's top companies came to the White House to showcase innovative ways to reduce health care costs by improving the health of their workers. Now the House and Senate are beginning a critical debate that will determine the health of our nation's economy and its families. This process should be transparent and inclusive and its product must drive down costs, assure quality and affordable health care for everyone, and guarantee all of us a choice of doctors and plans. Reforming health care should also involve you.
Think of other people who may want to stay up to date on health care reform and other national issues and tell them to join us here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/EmailUpdates Health care reform can't come soon enough. We spend more on health care than any country, but families continue to struggle with skyrocketing premiums and nearly 46 million are without insurance entirely. It is a priority for the American people and a pillar of the new foundation we are seeking to build for our economy.
We'll continue to keep you posted about this and other important issues. Thank you, Barack Obama P.S. If you'd like to get more in-depth information about health reform and how you can participate, be sure to visit http://www.HealthReform.gov.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Kidney Donation Site
Rain, rain, go away, never come another day. Woke up to a thunderstorm last night about 2 a.m. Supposed to rain for another two days then sunshine this weekend. Sigh.
On a good note, Kristie is feeling good! God is good! Thanks for all your prayers! I watched a segment on the Today show on kidney transplants and the average wait time for kidney donations is 5 years...not good. People die every day who are waiting for a kidney. But there is good news. A doctor started a matching website for people who need kidneys and those who want to donate their kidney while still living. Go to http://www.matchingdonors.com/ and register if you need a kidney or register if you want to donate your kidney.
Having donated my kidney to Kristie, I can tell you its totally worth the 2 to 6 week down time. Just to see her smiling face every day, happy and healthy.
If you know of someone who needs a kidney, have them register on this site. The Today show indicated that 6000 had registered to give kidneys and only 400 to receive them, simply because nobody knows about the site! Let's get the word out!
Kristie and I are headed to visit Calla in Sacramento May 16 for a couple of weeks. I need some sunshine and Calla time!
I've lost 3.5 pounds on Weight Watchers and Nigel's lost 10. Go figure but its all good. He is working out alot harder then me.
On a good note, Kristie is feeling good! God is good! Thanks for all your prayers! I watched a segment on the Today show on kidney transplants and the average wait time for kidney donations is 5 years...not good. People die every day who are waiting for a kidney. But there is good news. A doctor started a matching website for people who need kidneys and those who want to donate their kidney while still living. Go to http://www.matchingdonors.com/ and register if you need a kidney or register if you want to donate your kidney.
Having donated my kidney to Kristie, I can tell you its totally worth the 2 to 6 week down time. Just to see her smiling face every day, happy and healthy.
If you know of someone who needs a kidney, have them register on this site. The Today show indicated that 6000 had registered to give kidneys and only 400 to receive them, simply because nobody knows about the site! Let's get the word out!
Kristie and I are headed to visit Calla in Sacramento May 16 for a couple of weeks. I need some sunshine and Calla time!
I've lost 3.5 pounds on Weight Watchers and Nigel's lost 10. Go figure but its all good. He is working out alot harder then me.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Cute girls
Aren't we cute? This is our group at Treena's 3 day walk event. Treena is fundraising for the 3 day walk this Fall. We had a great time!
I was searching for ways to recycle the old cell phones we have and ran across a site called http://www.gazelle.com/ They buy your old electronics like cell phones, pdas, backup systems like Seagate, digital cameras, laptops, etc. Granted, they don't give you a whole lot for them, but if you're wanting to recycle them, its a good choice.
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
I'm getting into the 3 Rs now. I just took another load of clothes to my favorite consignment store yesterday, after I cleaned out Kristie's closet! Kristie's lost so much weight that she's down to a size 8 and she went from a 36DD to a 34C. Wow. And since her kidney doctor wants her to stay her current weight of 120 pounds, I felt it was safe to clean out the closet.
My next project is to find a place to donate all my old glasses to. I went on the Lion's site and they recycle old eyeglasses to other countries who need them so I'm going that route. Turns out my church is a drop off for them...go figure.
We're going to see the Soloist tonight. Jamie Foxx is one talented individual...did you know he has a sister with Down's? And, of course, Robert Downey, Jr. rocks.
I'm starting to get into country music...well, the new country music anyway. Like Rascal Flatts, NOT the twangy stuff. Did you know that Darius Rucker is now a country singer? Oprah had him on with Carrie Underwood, Sugarland and someone else, I can't remember. So I ordered some CDs and just started listening to them. Sugarland can be twangy but they have a few good ones.
Katie had her first ultrasound yesterday and all is well with the new baby. Yay. She also took her 3 hour glucose test and she's not diabetic, yet. Course, that's what happened the last time and then she became diabetic a few months later. So, we'll see. Her new due date is November 2nd.
I had my blood drawn last Monday for my hormone levels. Can't wait to find out what's going on with that next week. Takes 5 business days to get to the doctor.
It was 74 for two days last week and then dropped 25 degrees. Depressing.
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
I'm getting into the 3 Rs now. I just took another load of clothes to my favorite consignment store yesterday, after I cleaned out Kristie's closet! Kristie's lost so much weight that she's down to a size 8 and she went from a 36DD to a 34C. Wow. And since her kidney doctor wants her to stay her current weight of 120 pounds, I felt it was safe to clean out the closet.
My next project is to find a place to donate all my old glasses to. I went on the Lion's site and they recycle old eyeglasses to other countries who need them so I'm going that route. Turns out my church is a drop off for them...go figure.
We're going to see the Soloist tonight. Jamie Foxx is one talented individual...did you know he has a sister with Down's? And, of course, Robert Downey, Jr. rocks.
I'm starting to get into country music...well, the new country music anyway. Like Rascal Flatts, NOT the twangy stuff. Did you know that Darius Rucker is now a country singer? Oprah had him on with Carrie Underwood, Sugarland and someone else, I can't remember. So I ordered some CDs and just started listening to them. Sugarland can be twangy but they have a few good ones.
Katie had her first ultrasound yesterday and all is well with the new baby. Yay. She also took her 3 hour glucose test and she's not diabetic, yet. Course, that's what happened the last time and then she became diabetic a few months later. So, we'll see. Her new due date is November 2nd.
I had my blood drawn last Monday for my hormone levels. Can't wait to find out what's going on with that next week. Takes 5 business days to get to the doctor.
It was 74 for two days last week and then dropped 25 degrees. Depressing.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Michael J. Fox
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fhb8Vf2bbqI
Michael J. Fox is a true inspiration! A great man, a great leader, a great family guy, and soooo funny! I bought his new book yesterday, Always Looking Up, and it chronicles what's been going on with his life and his Foundation to find a cure for Parkinson's Disease since he quit his television show, Spin City in the year 2000.
I've always loved Michael J. Fox (and love saying his name). I grew up with him in Family Ties and all his movies, from Teen Wulf to the Back to the Future movies. It took me a while to get used to the humor on Spin City but he's fantastic in it. (Of course, Nigel watched it for Heather Locklear.)
I wasn't sure where I stood on the whole stem cell research issue but after reading his book...I cannot put it down...half way thru it already...go buy it now....you'll love it...I now understand that the stem cells will be thrown away if we don't use them for research. Most of them are left over from invitro fertilization. It makes sense.
His Foundation is www.michaeljfox.org Let's all donate to help cure Parkinson's Disease in our lifetime. Even if its $5 or $10, it will help!
I bought another book...Hungry Girl 200 under 200. 200 Recipes under 200 calories and all have Weight Watchers points. Yes, I started WW again. I'm a lifetime member you know. Sigh. Been on it a week and have lost a pound. Geez, a whole big whopping pound. Nigel started with me and he's lost 6 pounds. Every day he weighs himself and loses something. NOT ME THOUGH! GRRRRRRRRRRR! We're eating the same thing...does that make sense? NOOOOOOOOO!
My goal is to lose 20 pounds by October when we head to Hawaii for two weeks. I can't wait!
Michael J. Fox is a true inspiration! A great man, a great leader, a great family guy, and soooo funny! I bought his new book yesterday, Always Looking Up, and it chronicles what's been going on with his life and his Foundation to find a cure for Parkinson's Disease since he quit his television show, Spin City in the year 2000.
I've always loved Michael J. Fox (and love saying his name). I grew up with him in Family Ties and all his movies, from Teen Wulf to the Back to the Future movies. It took me a while to get used to the humor on Spin City but he's fantastic in it. (Of course, Nigel watched it for Heather Locklear.)
I wasn't sure where I stood on the whole stem cell research issue but after reading his book...I cannot put it down...half way thru it already...go buy it now....you'll love it...I now understand that the stem cells will be thrown away if we don't use them for research. Most of them are left over from invitro fertilization. It makes sense.
His Foundation is www.michaeljfox.org Let's all donate to help cure Parkinson's Disease in our lifetime. Even if its $5 or $10, it will help!
I bought another book...Hungry Girl 200 under 200. 200 Recipes under 200 calories and all have Weight Watchers points. Yes, I started WW again. I'm a lifetime member you know. Sigh. Been on it a week and have lost a pound. Geez, a whole big whopping pound. Nigel started with me and he's lost 6 pounds. Every day he weighs himself and loses something. NOT ME THOUGH! GRRRRRRRRRRR! We're eating the same thing...does that make sense? NOOOOOOOOO!
My goal is to lose 20 pounds by October when we head to Hawaii for two weeks. I can't wait!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Katie's Birthday
Katie's bday present from Nich & us - a painting of her dogs!
Nigel, Calla and me
Opening presents!
We had a GREAT time in Sacramento! We celebrated Katie's 30th birthday and it was very fun. I cooked all morning and we had a yummy menu:
Steak sandwiches
Vegie sandwiches
Mac & Cheese
Fruit
Vegies
Dips
Hummus
Pita chips
Cupcakes
Nich and Cathie decorated and set up the bar! Katie's friends arrived and we all had lots of fun, complete with Katie's demonstration of her Zoomba moves!
Nigel, Kristie and I stayed in Napa at our timeshare for 4 nights. And we listened to an update presentation and rec'd a free vacation to Hawaii...yay! I hate the presentations but sometimes they're worth it (as long as you don't buy anything!) It was only an hour's drive from Sac.
Sunday, Nich, Katie, Calla, and Cathie (Nich's mom) drove up and we all hung out at the pool and had lunch in Napa. I had a spectacular facial on Monday while Nigel played golf and then we went home that night.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Snow and the Green Room
It was snowing this morning...April 1...and that ain't no April Fool joke!!! What the heck is going on???
We're leaving for Sacramento tomorrow morning for Katie's 30th birthday party! Yay! We've been planning it for weeks so we're excited. Oh, and may we have a little sun please?
We needed a project last weekend so the white room is now the green room and its gorgeous! We love it!
Before
During
After!Friday, March 27, 2009
BIG NEWS
First Lady Michele Obama - she's awesome!
Future President Calla Suzanna McCleary MillerGo to whitehouse.gov and read all about what our President is doing! What a GREAT website! Now the american people can actually be involved in what's going on in Washington D.C.
Oh, and if you own a home, take advantage of the 4.85% interest rates to refinance now.
DRUM ROLL PLEASE!
Katie and Nich are pregnant! SWEET! Calla will have a brother or sister in early November. No, she hasn't been to the doctor yet but took 3 home pregnancy tests that were positive. And she feels sick, a sure sign.
Maybe he/she will be born on Kristie's birthday, November 11. Or my birthday, November 21?
I can't wait to hold a sweet little baby again. Sigh.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Love at First Sight
Aaah Barry Manilow. His first hit was "Mandy" in 1975 and when I heard it, as a girl of 14, I was in love! He was my first serious "artist" crush.
Kristie and I went to his concert last night at the Comcast Arena in Everett. It was a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis and the place was packed! He sang all of his previous hits, and when it came to Mandy, he showed a video clip of him singing on the Dick Clark show (in white pants and a baby blue silk shirt and long blond hair!); after the first part of the song, they merged to him singing the song on stage at the piano...I was crying at that point. And I was thinking, this is crazy, I shouldn't be crying, get a grip!, but it seemed to just bring back all those memories of how you felt when you're 14!
Other highlights were "Somewhere Down the Road" and "I can't smile without you". We had a GREAT time!
Remember Bobbie Sherman? He was my second crush.
Rant: Why would Everett build an event center smack dab in the middle of downtown and NOT build a parking garage to go with it? Really annoying.
Sorry for the delay in updating my blog. I've been really sick with a darn cold that just won't quit. I caught it from my darling Calla so it was worth it but man oh man. I'm still blowing my nose and its been two weeks!
Oh, big news...I took off my artificial nails last week, after 18 years. My thoughts were that surely, now that I'm older, I would be able to grow my own nails. I was mistaken. I can't do it simply because of the shape of my nail beds. I know what you're thinking but its true! They're going back on this week. Sigh. At least I tried.
An update on my Women's Group...its the best. I'm really enjoying it. Thanks for asking.
Kristie is feeling REALLY GOOD! PRAISE GOD. Thank you for your prayers.
I just had my annual physical and am off birth control pills for 3 weeks; then I will take an FSH test which will tell me if I'm fertile or not. I'm hoping not. Will let you know.
Have you had your mammogram lately? Mine is scheduled for next Wednesday. Yippy Skippy.
Are you watching American Idol? We are and we're voting. Don't be a phone snob. Vote for your favorite! My prediction for the final - Danny and Adam. The guys are definitely better than the girls this year.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Catching Up
The e and 3 keys are working! I got a new keyboard which I installed myself. Nice.
Our Vegas trip was great. My conference was awesome...the new Spring/Summer line of jewelry is fantastic. Lots of pretty stuff! I actually won a 14 k gold, diamond, and topaz ring because our team did over $300,000 in sales last year. In fact, over 60 women won that special ring. It was great.
Nigel and I saw a couple of shows, Wayne Brady - sooo funny! And Penn & Teller - great magic show! I'd recommend both. You can take kids to the P&T show but not the Wayne Brady show.
We had lunch with Sue & Stephen at Emeril's restaurant, Delmonicos, at the Venetian...yummy! We had the best steaks ever!
We got home Tuesday and then I picked up Kristie on Wednesday.
She had a GREAT time with Katie and Nich. Thanks for taking care of her!
My last cooking class when we returned home from Vegas was really fun. Our chef asked us to choose a favorite dish that we wanted to learn how to cook or cook better. I chose Beef Stew. After making the dish with Chef Tom, I figured out what I was doing wrong at home...I was cooking it too long and it was getting tough. I also learned how to make a "slurry" with flour and water thicken it a bit.
We also had:
Steak Tartar - not my favorite but okay
Paella - not my favorite but okay - a beautiful looking dish though
Lavender Creme Brulee - I prefer vanilla - we got to burn our own tops though - very fun
Chicken Diavolo - not my favorite but okay
Beef Stew - really good
I needed some Grandma time with Calla...the last time I saw her was right before Christmas so almost 3 months! Tickets were $79 each way so last Friday I flew down to Sacramento and came home Sunday night. Just me. It was so nice to spend time with Calla. She's so adorable. I'll post photos when Katie gets them to me. (I need to buy a new camera; mine is just not working anymore.)
So, here's what she's into:
Talking - well almost. She's saying some words like "Wuv you" "Aunt K" "Ganma"
She LOVES BOOKS! I've never known an 18 month old to just want to sit and read for an hour. She'll go pick out the books - a stack of them - make you sit on the couch with her and read them to her. Its her favorite.
She loves being outside. She loves running errands. She does not like to just stay home.
She eats every 2 to 3 hours. We should all take a lesson on that one.
And the big news is, we went to Ikea and got her a "big girl bed". Nich and I put it together on Sunday (Katie was sick) and she's sleeping in it just fine. She likes it alot.
I just love watching her grow up. Its always sad when I have to leave; I so wish we lived closer.
I'm working hard on earning my trip to Cabo San Lucas - a 5 star all inclusive resort. Wanna help me? Go to my website at www.myparklane.com/jmoore and do some online shopping for yourself or gifts for others.
Sorry, I know, shameless advertising.
Our Vegas trip was great. My conference was awesome...the new Spring/Summer line of jewelry is fantastic. Lots of pretty stuff! I actually won a 14 k gold, diamond, and topaz ring because our team did over $300,000 in sales last year. In fact, over 60 women won that special ring. It was great.
Nigel and I saw a couple of shows, Wayne Brady - sooo funny! And Penn & Teller - great magic show! I'd recommend both. You can take kids to the P&T show but not the Wayne Brady show.
We had lunch with Sue & Stephen at Emeril's restaurant, Delmonicos, at the Venetian...yummy! We had the best steaks ever!
We got home Tuesday and then I picked up Kristie on Wednesday.
She had a GREAT time with Katie and Nich. Thanks for taking care of her!
My last cooking class when we returned home from Vegas was really fun. Our chef asked us to choose a favorite dish that we wanted to learn how to cook or cook better. I chose Beef Stew. After making the dish with Chef Tom, I figured out what I was doing wrong at home...I was cooking it too long and it was getting tough. I also learned how to make a "slurry" with flour and water thicken it a bit.
We also had:
Steak Tartar - not my favorite but okay
Paella - not my favorite but okay - a beautiful looking dish though
Lavender Creme Brulee - I prefer vanilla - we got to burn our own tops though - very fun
Chicken Diavolo - not my favorite but okay
Beef Stew - really good
I needed some Grandma time with Calla...the last time I saw her was right before Christmas so almost 3 months! Tickets were $79 each way so last Friday I flew down to Sacramento and came home Sunday night. Just me. It was so nice to spend time with Calla. She's so adorable. I'll post photos when Katie gets them to me. (I need to buy a new camera; mine is just not working anymore.)
So, here's what she's into:
Talking - well almost. She's saying some words like "Wuv you" "Aunt K" "Ganma"
She LOVES BOOKS! I've never known an 18 month old to just want to sit and read for an hour. She'll go pick out the books - a stack of them - make you sit on the couch with her and read them to her. Its her favorite.
She loves being outside. She loves running errands. She does not like to just stay home.
She eats every 2 to 3 hours. We should all take a lesson on that one.
And the big news is, we went to Ikea and got her a "big girl bed". Nich and I put it together on Sunday (Katie was sick) and she's sleeping in it just fine. She likes it alot.
I just love watching her grow up. Its always sad when I have to leave; I so wish we lived closer.
I'm working hard on earning my trip to Cabo San Lucas - a 5 star all inclusive resort. Wanna help me? Go to my website at www.myparklane.com/jmoore and do some online shopping for yourself or gifts for others.
Sorry, I know, shameless advertising.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
GOOD NEWS! Dr. O'Neill called last night and Kristie's labs were pretty good!
Creatinine was 2.2 (down from 2.6)
Rapamune was 4
Prograf was 3.3
Hematocrit was 30
SWEET!
And the sweetest part is that she doesn't have to see the Dr. until March 10th!
I'm breathing a sigh of relief...in and out, in and out.
Thanks everyone for your prayers!
Creatinine was 2.2 (down from 2.6)
Rapamune was 4
Prograf was 3.3
Hematocrit was 30
SWEET!
And the sweetest part is that she doesn't have to see the Dr. until March 10th!
I'm breathing a sigh of relief...in and out, in and out.
Thanks everyone for your prayers!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Catching Up
Kristie is feeling so good! Thank the good Lord! She's excited to go on vacation this week...she leaves for Sacramento on Wednesday to stay with KT and Nich for a week. They're driving down the coast to have a little getaway.
Meanwhile, Nigel and I leave for Vegas on Thursday. I'm attending my Park Lane Conference and he's golfing! We're also having lunch at Emeril's Steakhouse (YUM!) on Sunday with my Sue & Stephen, and seeing a show with September & Phillip on Monday...Wayne Brady, here we come! We come home on Tuesday.
Last Wednesday we went to see Kristie's regular Nephrologist (aka kidney doctor) and he was happy to have her back on his roster. I was fairly frank with him about my questions/concerns with the transplant team and he confirmed my hunches. Hopefully, we'll be done with the team for a while. Dr. O'Neill is so much more laid back and straight forward. He wants to see Kristie once a month...yay!
Okay, onto Cooking Class! Again, so much fun! The dishes are getting a bit more complicated and a bit more time consuming. And since Chef Tom likes to talk, I didn't get home until 11:15 on Wednesday night! Our emphasis was on braising and stewing.
So here was the menu:
Gregorio's Arroz con Pollo (chicken with chirozo and rice)
Basic Pot Roast
Corn and Leek Medley with Cream
Mixed Greens with Bacon Vinaigrette
Black Beans with Sherry
Braised Fennel with Mushrooms
Lemon Curd
I made the Fennel and learned that I really don't like fennel...oh well. I also made the salad and helped with the Lemon Curd. The Lemon Curd is to die for! I mixed some of it with my plain yogurt this morning for breakfast...nice.
Concasse means taking the skin off the tomatoes in boiling water.
We had so many leftovers that I took home dinner for Thursday! Yummy.
We have two classes left. The next class to take is the Techniques Class which, again, is a six class series. Then the Essentials Class and then the Masters Class.
But, I'm excited because after you take 5 classes with this school, you can be put on the Student Assistant list and then sign up to help with classes for free! SWEET. Michele is our SA and she said it's totally worth it.
It was Nigel's birthday yesterday so I surprised him with attending a Magic Show that was a fundraiser for Special Olympics and then dinner on the water at Saltys in West Seattle. The Magician, went into the audience and chose Nigel to come on stage for the classic stint of musical hands. It was hilarious. Kristie had a good time too. It was a fun day.
Then we came home and watched Righteous Kill...only watch it if you love Al Pacino and Robert Deniro...which we do. Good acting.
Meanwhile, Nigel and I leave for Vegas on Thursday. I'm attending my Park Lane Conference and he's golfing! We're also having lunch at Emeril's Steakhouse (YUM!) on Sunday with my Sue & Stephen, and seeing a show with September & Phillip on Monday...Wayne Brady, here we come! We come home on Tuesday.
Last Wednesday we went to see Kristie's regular Nephrologist (aka kidney doctor) and he was happy to have her back on his roster. I was fairly frank with him about my questions/concerns with the transplant team and he confirmed my hunches. Hopefully, we'll be done with the team for a while. Dr. O'Neill is so much more laid back and straight forward. He wants to see Kristie once a month...yay!
Okay, onto Cooking Class! Again, so much fun! The dishes are getting a bit more complicated and a bit more time consuming. And since Chef Tom likes to talk, I didn't get home until 11:15 on Wednesday night! Our emphasis was on braising and stewing.
So here was the menu:
Gregorio's Arroz con Pollo (chicken with chirozo and rice)
Basic Pot Roast
Corn and Leek Medley with Cream
Mixed Greens with Bacon Vinaigrette
Black Beans with Sherry
Braised Fennel with Mushrooms
Lemon Curd
I made the Fennel and learned that I really don't like fennel...oh well. I also made the salad and helped with the Lemon Curd. The Lemon Curd is to die for! I mixed some of it with my plain yogurt this morning for breakfast...nice.
Concasse means taking the skin off the tomatoes in boiling water.
We had so many leftovers that I took home dinner for Thursday! Yummy.
We have two classes left. The next class to take is the Techniques Class which, again, is a six class series. Then the Essentials Class and then the Masters Class.
But, I'm excited because after you take 5 classes with this school, you can be put on the Student Assistant list and then sign up to help with classes for free! SWEET. Michele is our SA and she said it's totally worth it.
It was Nigel's birthday yesterday so I surprised him with attending a Magic Show that was a fundraiser for Special Olympics and then dinner on the water at Saltys in West Seattle. The Magician, went into the audience and chose Nigel to come on stage for the classic stint of musical hands. It was hilarious. Kristie had a good time too. It was a fun day.
Then we came home and watched Righteous Kill...only watch it if you love Al Pacino and Robert Deniro...which we do. Good acting.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Olympia WA
Chris Strano and Kristie McCleary lobbying at the Capitol today in Olympia today! What a GORGEOUS day!
Don't they look cool???!!! Very cool.
We had a GREAT time and I'm glad we went. We met with Senator Fred Jarrett, Representatives Judy Clibborn and Marcie Maxwell.
It doesn't end today; please keep making those phone calls. We'll be attending a Town Metting next month to keep it in the forefront.
Monday, February 2, 2009
I turned on the Superbowl just to see the score with 6 minutes left...nuff said. I'm sure my family in Arizona were not happy...sorry Dad, Ken, Sue, Stephen, Laurie.
What was I doing before then?
Went to church and listened to an amazing preacher, Roosevelt Hunter. He's an African American who preaches around the world. The topic was A Perfect Storm. A few months ago, he wasn't feeling well, was dizzy when he stood up so he went to the doctor and they found a 4 inch tumor on his colon. The guy is in his 40s so a bit unusual. So during the surgery, it was not 4 inches, but the size of a grapefruit. They took it out but it had already spread to his lymph nodes and he's at stage 4. Sigh.
He's a dynamic speaker and talked about the passage in Mark 4 where Jesus was in the boat with his disciples; Jesus fell asleep and a storm came up. The disciples were afraid so they woke him up. Jesus calmed the rain and winds and waves.
The point was if we never go thru a storm, we don't have the chance to draw near to God. To trust him to get thru the storm; to get thru to the other side.
I feel like with Kristie's illness, we're going thru a storm. We're not thru the other side yet, but we're getting close. And, it's been a test. Definitely. The bad news is, I haven't always trusted as I should. I've screamed and cried and said a few explicit words. But the good news is I have grown closer to God.
Then, Kristie had her friend Greg over and we all watched a movie together - Jurassic Park. This is actually a monumental thing...Kristie's never in her life had a friend over. Greg lives with his sister and niece.
We're fighting the Governor's budget right now. She's trying to eliminate the Adult Day Health Program entirely from the budget. This program is vital to about 2000 developmentally disabled adults in WA state. Kristie attends this program 16 hours a week.
Kristie and I are lobbying in Olympia tomorrow with about 150 others to try and save this program. Pray we succeed. It's really important.
If you live in WA state, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE call and ask them to save this program. The number is 1.800.562.6000.
Why does everything have to be such a struggle for people who, thru no fault of their own, were born different...Good grief.
What was I doing before then?
Went to church and listened to an amazing preacher, Roosevelt Hunter. He's an African American who preaches around the world. The topic was A Perfect Storm. A few months ago, he wasn't feeling well, was dizzy when he stood up so he went to the doctor and they found a 4 inch tumor on his colon. The guy is in his 40s so a bit unusual. So during the surgery, it was not 4 inches, but the size of a grapefruit. They took it out but it had already spread to his lymph nodes and he's at stage 4. Sigh.
He's a dynamic speaker and talked about the passage in Mark 4 where Jesus was in the boat with his disciples; Jesus fell asleep and a storm came up. The disciples were afraid so they woke him up. Jesus calmed the rain and winds and waves.
The point was if we never go thru a storm, we don't have the chance to draw near to God. To trust him to get thru the storm; to get thru to the other side.
I feel like with Kristie's illness, we're going thru a storm. We're not thru the other side yet, but we're getting close. And, it's been a test. Definitely. The bad news is, I haven't always trusted as I should. I've screamed and cried and said a few explicit words. But the good news is I have grown closer to God.
Then, Kristie had her friend Greg over and we all watched a movie together - Jurassic Park. This is actually a monumental thing...Kristie's never in her life had a friend over. Greg lives with his sister and niece.
We're fighting the Governor's budget right now. She's trying to eliminate the Adult Day Health Program entirely from the budget. This program is vital to about 2000 developmentally disabled adults in WA state. Kristie attends this program 16 hours a week.
Kristie and I are lobbying in Olympia tomorrow with about 150 others to try and save this program. Pray we succeed. It's really important.
If you live in WA state, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE call and ask them to save this program. The number is 1.800.562.6000.
Why does everything have to be such a struggle for people who, thru no fault of their own, were born different...Good grief.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Cooking Class
Cooking Class last Wednesday was all about Grilling! We grilled all seven dishes...even the salad.
So here was the menu:
Grilled Chicken Breast with Citrus Compound Butter
Flank Steak with Dry Rub
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
Grilled Local Zucchini
Caesar Salad
Grilled Pineapple w/vanilla Mascarpone
Bacon Fat Grilled Collard Greens
So the chicken was awesome! So moist and juicy. When was the last time you had a juicy boneless chicken breast? Brining is the secret! Here's the recipe:
8 skin on boneless chicken breasts
4 T kosher salt
1 C brown sugar
2 quarts water
Combine the water, salt and sugar. Place the chicken in the brine for an hour.
Make the compound butter:
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 lemons, juice and zest
1 stick butter, softened
1 lime, use the zest
2 T cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all and roll up in a log style in wax paper and freeze while you're preparing the chicken.
Grill: Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. grill until done on both sides. Plate and place 1 T of butter compound on each breast. It will melt over it and be really yummy!
This is the most delicious chicken!
I was in charge in the Grilled Pineapple which was fabulous! The dollop of mascarpone cheese after grilling was lovely. On a side note, Nigel gave me a cheese making kit for Christmas and I just now got around to watching the DVD where, among other cheeses, she demonstrates how to make mascarpone cheese! It looks easy. (Of course, that's what I said about the last batch of cheese I attempted and ended up throwing away!)
Kristie is feeling GREAT! Thank you for your prayers. Her next doctor appt is next Wednesday and its not with the transplant team...its her first appt with her regular kidney doctor since the transplant. Yay.
So here was the menu:
Grilled Chicken Breast with Citrus Compound Butter
Flank Steak with Dry Rub
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
Grilled Local Zucchini
Caesar Salad
Grilled Pineapple w/vanilla Mascarpone
Bacon Fat Grilled Collard Greens
So the chicken was awesome! So moist and juicy. When was the last time you had a juicy boneless chicken breast? Brining is the secret! Here's the recipe:
8 skin on boneless chicken breasts
4 T kosher salt
1 C brown sugar
2 quarts water
Combine the water, salt and sugar. Place the chicken in the brine for an hour.
Make the compound butter:
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 lemons, juice and zest
1 stick butter, softened
1 lime, use the zest
2 T cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all and roll up in a log style in wax paper and freeze while you're preparing the chicken.
Grill: Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. grill until done on both sides. Plate and place 1 T of butter compound on each breast. It will melt over it and be really yummy!
This is the most delicious chicken!
I was in charge in the Grilled Pineapple which was fabulous! The dollop of mascarpone cheese after grilling was lovely. On a side note, Nigel gave me a cheese making kit for Christmas and I just now got around to watching the DVD where, among other cheeses, she demonstrates how to make mascarpone cheese! It looks easy. (Of course, that's what I said about the last batch of cheese I attempted and ended up throwing away!)
Kristie is feeling GREAT! Thank you for your prayers. Her next doctor appt is next Wednesday and its not with the transplant team...its her first appt with her regular kidney doctor since the transplant. Yay.
Monday, January 26, 2009
President Obama's Weekly Address
Saturday, January 24th, 2009 at 5:55 am
President Obama delivers Your Weekly Address
In his first weekly address since being sworn in as the 44th president of the United States, President Barack Obama discusses how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan will jump-start the economy.
"This is not just a short-term program to boost employment," he said. "It’s one that will invest in our most important priorities like energy and education; health care and a new infrastructure that are necessary to keep us strong and competitive in the 21st century."
The Administration is still working with Congress to refine the plan, but in the address, President Obama lays out the key priorities. He goes into detail, noting that the plan will update our electric grid by laying more than 3,000 miles of transmission lines; weatherize 2.5 million homes; protect health insurance for more than 8 million Americans in danger of losing their coverage; secure 90 major ports; renovate 10,000 schools; and triple the number of science fellowships.
Watch (yes, a real Utube style video) the President's weekly address at www.whitehouse.gov.
Its only 5 minutes...you've got 5 minutes right?
How cool is this? To watch your President every week update us on America's weekly progress...Nice!
President Obama delivers Your Weekly Address
In his first weekly address since being sworn in as the 44th president of the United States, President Barack Obama discusses how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan will jump-start the economy.
"This is not just a short-term program to boost employment," he said. "It’s one that will invest in our most important priorities like energy and education; health care and a new infrastructure that are necessary to keep us strong and competitive in the 21st century."
The Administration is still working with Congress to refine the plan, but in the address, President Obama lays out the key priorities. He goes into detail, noting that the plan will update our electric grid by laying more than 3,000 miles of transmission lines; weatherize 2.5 million homes; protect health insurance for more than 8 million Americans in danger of losing their coverage; secure 90 major ports; renovate 10,000 schools; and triple the number of science fellowships.
Watch (yes, a real Utube style video) the President's weekly address at www.whitehouse.gov.
Its only 5 minutes...you've got 5 minutes right?
How cool is this? To watch your President every week update us on America's weekly progress...Nice!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Movie Reviews, Katie
Movie Reviews...okay...ummm...errr...okay...I thought...well...ummm...(clearing of the throat) Let's chat about Paul Blart - Mall Cop. Disappointing is the first word that comes to mind. I'm a big Kevin James fan and since I know that he's normally hilarious I'll forgive him this movie. Not that it didn't have its funny moments...it did, definitely. I didn't like all the fat jokes. It's a renter.
We just returned from seeing Slumdog Millionaire. Its about a boy who is from the India slums who is on India's version of "Who wants to be a Millionaire." This movie has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Its an excellent film. We enjoyed it very much. Yes, its about his appearance on Who Wants to be a Millionaire but its actually a love story (but not a chick flick) and about how he grows up. Very well done and a contender for the award for sure! I'd see it before the Academy Awards because its sure to win and you'll want to say you've seen it.
Guess what? No doctors this week! Now that you've picked yourself up off the floor...I'll say it again. No doctors this week! Well, I think anyway. We went for labs on Friday and they never called me so, as they say, no news is good news.
Katie turns 30 on April 12th...wow...incredible. She is so awesome. Those of you who know her, understand why I say that and those of you who don't ...well, you're missing out. She's a brilliant writer and will be a famous author in the next few years. (You might want to get to know her now before all the hoopla happens.) I know that probably all mothers are proud of their daughters but I'm especially proud of Katie for all the sacrifices she has made for Kristie. Lots and lots of them. They do not go unnoticed.
Kristie has a great life because of people in her life who love her and put her needs first. Katie is one of those people. Thanks Katie. You're the best sister in the whole wide world and the best daughter.
I talked to Katie, Nich and Calla today using Skype...if you don't have Skype, get it right now. Its free to download and free to use when calling from computer to computer. Nigel uses it to call his Mom in England for only 2 cents a minute. It works so well that we cancelled our home phone last month, saving us a big whopping $40 a month. Nice.
Calla is getting so big and, of course, she's beautiful. And she said Grandma...well...gama...but that counts! She's sweet.
We just returned from seeing Slumdog Millionaire. Its about a boy who is from the India slums who is on India's version of "Who wants to be a Millionaire." This movie has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Its an excellent film. We enjoyed it very much. Yes, its about his appearance on Who Wants to be a Millionaire but its actually a love story (but not a chick flick) and about how he grows up. Very well done and a contender for the award for sure! I'd see it before the Academy Awards because its sure to win and you'll want to say you've seen it.
Guess what? No doctors this week! Now that you've picked yourself up off the floor...I'll say it again. No doctors this week! Well, I think anyway. We went for labs on Friday and they never called me so, as they say, no news is good news.
Katie turns 30 on April 12th...wow...incredible. She is so awesome. Those of you who know her, understand why I say that and those of you who don't ...well, you're missing out. She's a brilliant writer and will be a famous author in the next few years. (You might want to get to know her now before all the hoopla happens.) I know that probably all mothers are proud of their daughters but I'm especially proud of Katie for all the sacrifices she has made for Kristie. Lots and lots of them. They do not go unnoticed.
Kristie has a great life because of people in her life who love her and put her needs first. Katie is one of those people. Thanks Katie. You're the best sister in the whole wide world and the best daughter.
I talked to Katie, Nich and Calla today using Skype...if you don't have Skype, get it right now. Its free to download and free to use when calling from computer to computer. Nigel uses it to call his Mom in England for only 2 cents a minute. It works so well that we cancelled our home phone last month, saving us a big whopping $40 a month. Nice.
Calla is getting so big and, of course, she's beautiful. And she said Grandma...well...gama...but that counts! She's sweet.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Movie Day and Cooking Class
Well, its been a busy week and I'm tired. So we've deemed this weekend "movie weekend". We're going to see Mall Cop today for a little Kevin James' fix and then tomorrow we'll see Slumdog Millionaire that seems to be the buzz for the Academy Awards. Check back to see my reaction to both.
I'm the type of movie goer that is fairly superficial. If its a comedy, I want to laugh out loud, not just chuckle. It also has to have some sort of viable story but that requirement really is secondary.
If its a drama, it has to have a story that makes sense and moves along at a fairly quick pace.
I did LOVE Australia because its 3 stories in 1 but it's slow. However, Nicole and Hugh made up for the slowness because they were so fun to watch and the cinematography was stunning.
I absolutely ADORE true life stories...my favorite.
Okay, so Miss America is on tonight. Take a looksee at Miss Illinois' jewelry. My jewelry company, Jewels by Park Lane, is her official jewelry sponsor (they're based out of Chicago.) And, for the first time ever, the public can vote for their favorite to get into the top 15. Honestly, I can't believe there still is a Miss America Pageant but if you get past the beauty judging stuff, they do a lot of good for charitable causes. Well, that's my justification for watching every year anyway.
Oh, here is the cooking class report for last Wednesday:
Our menu was:
Roast chicken
Mashed potatoes
Pan Gravy
Candied Brussel Sprouts
Salad with blue cheese and cranberries
Balsamic vinaigrette
Squash Soup
Candied pecans
Roasted pears with Camembert cheese
I volunteered to make the mashed potatoes because I noticed on the recipe card that they were using a food mill. Now, I've seen them do this on the Food Network (which I watch constantly, I admit I'm addicted) but thought to myself "that's a lot of work and it can't make that much difference" HOW WRONG I WAS!
I know what you're thinking, why not just throw it all in the kitchen aid (or whatever you normally do) to mash the potatoes with some chicken stock...well, that is what I normally do and to be honest, sometimes it turns out and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it turns out sticky or gummy or just not a very good texture. My instructor (the Mario Batali look alike chef) says its because all the starch comes out of the potatoes and ruins the texture.
I'm a convert. Use the food mill and you'll see what a difference it makes! If you want creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes, here's what you do:
Peel and cut 4 pounds of yukon gold potatoes into uniform chunks. Cover with cold water, add some salt, and bring to a boil. Boil until done but not mushy. Drain and put the hot potatoes thru a food mill a little at a time. Melt a stick of butter and 1 cup of half and half together in a sauce pan. Pour over the potatoes a little at a time and mix to get that creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper and you're done! DELICIOUS!
So delicious that I went out and bought a food mill at Macy's yesterday. (Had a gift card from Christmas...thanks Nigel!)
I remember growing up that we used a food mill for making applesauce but that was it.
The Squash Soup was to die for! I didn't care for the brussels. Or the pears, which surprised me but oh well.
Here's what I learned:
How to dice an onion - I sort of knew this but got to practice the right way with a sharp knife.
How to use the food mill.
How to peel a butternut squash the easy way.
How to truss a chicken.
So much fun! Oh, and I put my knife block and all my rusy knives in the recycle bin this past week. I'm taking my two good knives to get sharpened next week. Can't wait!
On another note, one of Nigel's coworkers attended the Inauguration. She said they left their hotel room at 4 a.m. and it was 12 degrees. During the day it only got up to 20 degrees. Brrr. She said it was an amazing experience.
I'm the type of movie goer that is fairly superficial. If its a comedy, I want to laugh out loud, not just chuckle. It also has to have some sort of viable story but that requirement really is secondary.
If its a drama, it has to have a story that makes sense and moves along at a fairly quick pace.
I did LOVE Australia because its 3 stories in 1 but it's slow. However, Nicole and Hugh made up for the slowness because they were so fun to watch and the cinematography was stunning.
I absolutely ADORE true life stories...my favorite.
Okay, so Miss America is on tonight. Take a looksee at Miss Illinois' jewelry. My jewelry company, Jewels by Park Lane, is her official jewelry sponsor (they're based out of Chicago.) And, for the first time ever, the public can vote for their favorite to get into the top 15. Honestly, I can't believe there still is a Miss America Pageant but if you get past the beauty judging stuff, they do a lot of good for charitable causes. Well, that's my justification for watching every year anyway.
Oh, here is the cooking class report for last Wednesday:
Our menu was:
Roast chicken
Mashed potatoes
Pan Gravy
Candied Brussel Sprouts
Salad with blue cheese and cranberries
Balsamic vinaigrette
Squash Soup
Candied pecans
Roasted pears with Camembert cheese
I volunteered to make the mashed potatoes because I noticed on the recipe card that they were using a food mill. Now, I've seen them do this on the Food Network (which I watch constantly, I admit I'm addicted) but thought to myself "that's a lot of work and it can't make that much difference" HOW WRONG I WAS!
I know what you're thinking, why not just throw it all in the kitchen aid (or whatever you normally do) to mash the potatoes with some chicken stock...well, that is what I normally do and to be honest, sometimes it turns out and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it turns out sticky or gummy or just not a very good texture. My instructor (the Mario Batali look alike chef) says its because all the starch comes out of the potatoes and ruins the texture.
I'm a convert. Use the food mill and you'll see what a difference it makes! If you want creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes, here's what you do:
Peel and cut 4 pounds of yukon gold potatoes into uniform chunks. Cover with cold water, add some salt, and bring to a boil. Boil until done but not mushy. Drain and put the hot potatoes thru a food mill a little at a time. Melt a stick of butter and 1 cup of half and half together in a sauce pan. Pour over the potatoes a little at a time and mix to get that creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper and you're done! DELICIOUS!
So delicious that I went out and bought a food mill at Macy's yesterday. (Had a gift card from Christmas...thanks Nigel!)
I remember growing up that we used a food mill for making applesauce but that was it.
The Squash Soup was to die for! I didn't care for the brussels. Or the pears, which surprised me but oh well.
Here's what I learned:
How to dice an onion - I sort of knew this but got to practice the right way with a sharp knife.
How to use the food mill.
How to peel a butternut squash the easy way.
How to truss a chicken.
So much fun! Oh, and I put my knife block and all my rusy knives in the recycle bin this past week. I'm taking my two good knives to get sharpened next week. Can't wait!
On another note, one of Nigel's coworkers attended the Inauguration. She said they left their hotel room at 4 a.m. and it was 12 degrees. During the day it only got up to 20 degrees. Brrr. She said it was an amazing experience.
Monday, January 19, 2009
God Bless America
Kristie loves Martin Luther King. She has books and tapes and loves to hear him talk. Today our country honors him. As well it should.
I'm watching Barak Obama on CNN right now helping to paint a teen center. How great is our country?! Thank God we live in America. I wish we could have gone to Washington DC to watch this historic event. I'm DVRing it all day tomorrow since I have to take Kristie to get labs in the morning and won't be home until after 2 p.m. Then I have my Women's Group tomorrow evening.
God Blessed America with Barak Obama. I'm a Republican and a Democrat. I believe government should help people (especially the most vulnerable) and our leaders should work together to make that happen. I can't wait to see what the next 4 years will bring. My hope is he will unite our country.
So today, we left the house at 6:15 a.m. and arrived home at 2:15 p.m. Sigh. Kristie had her stint taken out of her bladder. Dr. Chapman also "tested" the link between her new kidney and her bladder to make sure it was not blocked; it wasn't. At least they didn't cut her open, they went thru her you know what. Good grief.
When Kristie comes out of anesthesia, she always asks me two things. First, she asks me if I'm mad at her. Next, she asks me if I still love her. She's done this 4 times in the last 6 months, after each procedure. It breaks my heart each time.
I forgot to mention that I'm taking a series of cooking classes at Culinary Communion. My first class was last Wednesday and even though Kristie was still in the hospital and I was dead tired, I still went. It's a 3 hour class and then we eat our food!
I LOVED IT!
There are 8 in my class - 5 men and 3 women. I'm the oldest (which suprises me because I expected older women to attend this class) and the most experienced cook and the only one that said "I love to cook" while introducing ourselves.
Our instructor chef is Tom Black who was the Executive Chef at the Barking Frog Restaurant; that restaurant is #2 is our state. Its exquisite food. Nigel and I ate there once (its rather spendy) and we would definitely go again.
So, like I said we cooked for 3 hours. There were 8 of us and 8 dishes. Here was the menu:
Salad with blue cheese and cranberries
Green Goddess Dressing
French Onion Soup
Pork Chops with Fresh Herb Sauce
Sauteed Wild Mushrooms
Spaetzle
Sauteed Green Beans with Bacon
Myer Lemon and Goat Cheese Tart
YUMMY! We were each assigned a dish and I chose the French Onion Soup.
We all started by learning to slice an onion correctly and holding our knife correctly. After each of us sliced our onion, I carmalized all of them in a huge pot (not saute pan) using only 1 T of butter. It was amazing. Took a while but an amazing result.
Our instructor poured us some wine and it was so fun just cooking, drinking wine, visiting with the other students.
Chef Tom said that my onions were carmalized perfectly and called the students over to look at them. Nice. Lots of roasty toasty flavor.
I learned that caramalizing onions doesn't depend on butter or the pan. It just takes time.
I learned not to peel garlic by smashing it. If you smash it, the juices stick to the peel which you throw away.
I learned to throw away my butcher block that holds my knives because bacteria grows in the slots. (Hmmm, I've had that butcher block for over 10 years.)
I learned to get my cook's knives professionally sharpened.
We're going to learn about roasting, steaming,sauteing, braising...I can't wait to learn how to properly braise.
And I can't wait to learn how to make homemade chicken stock.
The French Onion Soup was delicious (mainly because the homemade chicken stock was to die for.)
So much fun! I can't wait for Wednesday night's class!
I'm watching Barak Obama on CNN right now helping to paint a teen center. How great is our country?! Thank God we live in America. I wish we could have gone to Washington DC to watch this historic event. I'm DVRing it all day tomorrow since I have to take Kristie to get labs in the morning and won't be home until after 2 p.m. Then I have my Women's Group tomorrow evening.
God Blessed America with Barak Obama. I'm a Republican and a Democrat. I believe government should help people (especially the most vulnerable) and our leaders should work together to make that happen. I can't wait to see what the next 4 years will bring. My hope is he will unite our country.
So today, we left the house at 6:15 a.m. and arrived home at 2:15 p.m. Sigh. Kristie had her stint taken out of her bladder. Dr. Chapman also "tested" the link between her new kidney and her bladder to make sure it was not blocked; it wasn't. At least they didn't cut her open, they went thru her you know what. Good grief.
When Kristie comes out of anesthesia, she always asks me two things. First, she asks me if I'm mad at her. Next, she asks me if I still love her. She's done this 4 times in the last 6 months, after each procedure. It breaks my heart each time.
I forgot to mention that I'm taking a series of cooking classes at Culinary Communion. My first class was last Wednesday and even though Kristie was still in the hospital and I was dead tired, I still went. It's a 3 hour class and then we eat our food!
I LOVED IT!
There are 8 in my class - 5 men and 3 women. I'm the oldest (which suprises me because I expected older women to attend this class) and the most experienced cook and the only one that said "I love to cook" while introducing ourselves.
Our instructor chef is Tom Black who was the Executive Chef at the Barking Frog Restaurant; that restaurant is #2 is our state. Its exquisite food. Nigel and I ate there once (its rather spendy) and we would definitely go again.
So, like I said we cooked for 3 hours. There were 8 of us and 8 dishes. Here was the menu:
Salad with blue cheese and cranberries
Green Goddess Dressing
French Onion Soup
Pork Chops with Fresh Herb Sauce
Sauteed Wild Mushrooms
Spaetzle
Sauteed Green Beans with Bacon
Myer Lemon and Goat Cheese Tart
YUMMY! We were each assigned a dish and I chose the French Onion Soup.
We all started by learning to slice an onion correctly and holding our knife correctly. After each of us sliced our onion, I carmalized all of them in a huge pot (not saute pan) using only 1 T of butter. It was amazing. Took a while but an amazing result.
Our instructor poured us some wine and it was so fun just cooking, drinking wine, visiting with the other students.
Chef Tom said that my onions were carmalized perfectly and called the students over to look at them. Nice. Lots of roasty toasty flavor.
I learned that caramalizing onions doesn't depend on butter or the pan. It just takes time.
I learned not to peel garlic by smashing it. If you smash it, the juices stick to the peel which you throw away.
I learned to throw away my butcher block that holds my knives because bacteria grows in the slots. (Hmmm, I've had that butcher block for over 10 years.)
I learned to get my cook's knives professionally sharpened.
We're going to learn about roasting, steaming,sauteing, braising...I can't wait to learn how to properly braise.
And I can't wait to learn how to make homemade chicken stock.
The French Onion Soup was delicious (mainly because the homemade chicken stock was to die for.)
So much fun! I can't wait for Wednesday night's class!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Kristie update
We arrived home yesterday about 4 p.m. All is good. Kristie goes back to get her stint out Monday (another 4 hours at the doctors...yay for us.) and then more doctors on Tuesday for labs to see where her new medication levels are at.
Pray for patience for me and for courage for her...both are running thin right now. She's sick of it, I'm sick of it...yeah.
Pray for patience for me and for courage for her...both are running thin right now. She's sick of it, I'm sick of it...yeah.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Kristie Update, Vitamin D
We're still here but its okay.
Creatinine is at 2.0 yay! They've unhooked her IV for now and she's resting today. Had a shower too. Prognosis is that she'll go home tomorrow. Still a little nauseous but not as bad as before. She's eating well but the drinking is still not going well. Kristie's Dad stayed with her last night and I was able to get a good night's sleep. He's staying tonight too.
Please pray that she'll be able to drink...everytime she tries, she's nauseous.
On another note, my cooking class starts tonight. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm looking forward to it...do I know as much as I think I know? Hmmm.
I'm on a quest to get healthy and start changing the way I eat. I know I'll have to do it slowly. More fruits and vegies (I know Cathie and Nich are laughing right now at the vegie part.) But I'm determined to find vegies I actually like without smothering them with cheese and butter.
Another goal is to exercise consistently...Nigel got the Wii Fit and its fun so that will help. They say to get a pedometer and do 10,000 steps a day. To give you an idea, 1/2 hour on the treadmill is about 3000 steps. Hmmm.
Being deficient in Vitamin D is a huge deal. Here's what Dr. Oz says: When you're deficient in Vitamin D, you may be at increased risk for heart disease, cancer, multiple sclerosis and immune disorders, not to mention osteoporosis.
Go buy a bottle of Vitamin D 1000 IUs and take one twice a day with your regular multi-vitamins and Omega 3s.
For Omega 3s, we bought a huge bottle of flax seed oil pills at Costco...flax seed has more Omega 3s than fish oil pills which leave that fishy taste in your mouth. Or is it Omega 6...I can't remember which.
Creatinine is at 2.0 yay! They've unhooked her IV for now and she's resting today. Had a shower too. Prognosis is that she'll go home tomorrow. Still a little nauseous but not as bad as before. She's eating well but the drinking is still not going well. Kristie's Dad stayed with her last night and I was able to get a good night's sleep. He's staying tonight too.
Please pray that she'll be able to drink...everytime she tries, she's nauseous.
On another note, my cooking class starts tonight. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm looking forward to it...do I know as much as I think I know? Hmmm.
I'm on a quest to get healthy and start changing the way I eat. I know I'll have to do it slowly. More fruits and vegies (I know Cathie and Nich are laughing right now at the vegie part.) But I'm determined to find vegies I actually like without smothering them with cheese and butter.
Another goal is to exercise consistently...Nigel got the Wii Fit and its fun so that will help. They say to get a pedometer and do 10,000 steps a day. To give you an idea, 1/2 hour on the treadmill is about 3000 steps. Hmmm.
Being deficient in Vitamin D is a huge deal. Here's what Dr. Oz says: When you're deficient in Vitamin D, you may be at increased risk for heart disease, cancer, multiple sclerosis and immune disorders, not to mention osteoporosis.
Go buy a bottle of Vitamin D 1000 IUs and take one twice a day with your regular multi-vitamins and Omega 3s.
For Omega 3s, we bought a huge bottle of flax seed oil pills at Costco...flax seed has more Omega 3s than fish oil pills which leave that fishy taste in your mouth. Or is it Omega 6...I can't remember which.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Kristie
A quick update. We were admitted to the hospital yesterday about 11 a.m. and things are going fine. Kristie got fluids yesterday after a psycho woman named Rosemary tried to give her an IV which did NOT work and who continued to say that it did work. She then got another IV from a Mary who was very nice. Yeesh. (Rosemary was the charge nurse in the IV dept...I think Rosemary needs to give that job up to Mary!)
Kristie had her favorite nurse, Kristin, take care of her yesterday so we were happy about that. We hadn't seen her since the transplant six months ago.
The GI doctor scheduled her procedure this morning which occurred at 9:30 a.m. They sedated her and put a small tube with a camera down her throat into her stomach to look around.
The good news is that there is no tumor, ulcer, growth or infection. Yay.
So what's making her nauseous? Everyone is in agreement that its probably her anti-rejection drug, Cellcept. How come now after having been taking it for six months? They don't know. Go figure.
So they started switching her yesterday to a new drug to replace the Cellcept but until the medication levels get to the new magic number of 5, she'll be in the hospital. The nurse said it will probably take another couple of days.
Kristie fought the procedure this morning but is doing well now. She hates to be put to sleep...
On another good note, her creatinine was 3.3 last Monday and then 2.9 Friday and today its 2.1. The closer it gets to 1 is a very good thing!
Pray for sleep tonight. We got 4 hours last night.
Kristie had her favorite nurse, Kristin, take care of her yesterday so we were happy about that. We hadn't seen her since the transplant six months ago.
The GI doctor scheduled her procedure this morning which occurred at 9:30 a.m. They sedated her and put a small tube with a camera down her throat into her stomach to look around.
The good news is that there is no tumor, ulcer, growth or infection. Yay.
So what's making her nauseous? Everyone is in agreement that its probably her anti-rejection drug, Cellcept. How come now after having been taking it for six months? They don't know. Go figure.
So they started switching her yesterday to a new drug to replace the Cellcept but until the medication levels get to the new magic number of 5, she'll be in the hospital. The nurse said it will probably take another couple of days.
Kristie fought the procedure this morning but is doing well now. She hates to be put to sleep...
On another good note, her creatinine was 3.3 last Monday and then 2.9 Friday and today its 2.1. The closer it gets to 1 is a very good thing!
Pray for sleep tonight. We got 4 hours last night.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Calla Videos & Kristie Update
Best Dad Award!
Best Mom Award!
Yay for Shoes!
I needed some good news today so I pulled up these video clips of Calla this past summer. So cute! And Katie and Nich are such good parents and I'm not just saying that; they really are the best parents I know.
We went to the hospital "Pod A" today for Kristie to get some fluids via an IV because she's dehydrated because she's nauseous and has been vomiting for two weeks. Yesterday she vomited at 2 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. So here's the deal, if she has time to think about it, and its planned for, she's good about vomiting in a bowl. That didn't happen at 1:30 a.m. It went all over the bed, sheets, carpet, and Kristie...not good. Or as my sister Laurie would say...Nice.
The fluids took 3 hours to get and then she had a shot.
I just chatted with her kidney doctor and here's the plan.
If she throws up her pills this weekend and we can't keep anything down her, then we'll admit her to the hospital this weekend. If its manageable this weekend, then we'll admit her on Monday to run some stomach tests. Dr. N is going to talk with a GI doctor to see what they should do.
We have to rule out any stomach issues first (and get the stint out of her bladder...I hate that stupid stint). If there are no stomach issues, then its the meds that are making her sick and they'll have to change them.
Please pray for courage for Kristie and for strength for me.
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