Kids' table

The first night we had Ariana, Niko & Lucas staying with us, we served all 6 kids roast for dinner at the kitchen table and hardly heard a peep out of them. Gabi, Jano, David & I were able to have dinner and adult conversation!

Gabriel noted that we had room at the kitchen table for one more big kid and one more baby (a regular chair and one with a booster seat in it).

The next night was after our afternoon of bowling, so Benjamin & Sofia joined the cousins at the kids' table. Gabriel was thrilled by the table being completely surrounded with kids! That night we had chicken cacciatore and the kids still ate and behaved remarkably well.

This was a new recipe; we got it on the internet. It requires an hour up front, but then it cooks all day in the crock pot. You know how sometimes the crock pot makes chicken rubbery? This recipe didn't! And as you can see, it's a large amount. With pasta, salad & bread, this was enough for 16 people.

In case any of you want to try it, here it is:

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore
1 chicken 5 lbs. cut into pieces
1/4 C. olive oil
1 C. flour
1 C. onions
1 C. mushrooms sliced
1 C. carrots julienned
1 C. green pepper julienned
2 T. garlic minced
8 C. tomatoes chopped and peeled
1 small can tomato paste
3/4 C. red wine
1 t. oregano
1 t. basil
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. pepper
freshly grated Romano cheese

Wash and drain chicken pieces

Heat the oil in a deep skillet. Roll and coat each piece of chicken in the flour. Brown each piece of chicken until golden brown. Add the chicken to the crock pot.

Saute the onion, mushroom, carrots, green peppers and garlic in the same pan for 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes and then add it to the chicken in the crock pot. Cook on high for 1 hour. Turn down to low and cook for 6 - 7 hours.

Taste to adjust seasonings and serve with the Romano cheese.

While all of the cousins were in town, we went on a couple of outings together.

Meg organized a trip to see Happy Feet, then Jano took us all out to Chili's, but we were such a large group, they split us into 3 different tables!

A couple of days later, we all went bowling together.

The kids had one lane and the adults another.

At one point, Gabriel told me he was tired of bowling. Aunt Susan suggested that Uncle Joe take a turn for him. For some reason, when it was his turn, Gabe bowled again, but this time got a strike!

He has an interesting technique. He carries the ball at his chest, then flings it straight out. It lands with a huge thud and makes the whole place seem to bounce.

It was afternoon nap time when we got there, so Paloma fell asleep nursing, and then I was stuck holding her until Susan took over. Amazingly, she was able to put Paloma in the stroller to finish her nap!

I didn't bowl because of the time we arrived, plus I learned last time that it's too hard to help the kids, bowl, keep Paloma with us and happy, and also take pictures.

Some of these pictures are especially dark because Main Event turned out the lights and turned on the loud disco music and glow-in-the-dark lights. (That is a silly phrase, isn't it?) Great fun!
We all felt a loss of energy when the lights came back on!

As anyone local probably remembers, it was really wet the week of Christmas. Gabi & Jano came the night of the 26th and spent the first 3 nights at Lety's house. Our turn to host started on Friday night. Within an hour of our guests' arrival in Bedford, there was a tornado warning here. My dad called to tell us, which caused David to check his Blackberry, and the next thing I knew, David & Gabi had turned the kitchen table sideways, the tvs were turned on to the weather broadcasts, and everyone was huddled in the downstairs bathroom.



Poor Lucas was none too excited by this development. This California cousin had worried about coming to Texas because of tornados and even asked Gabi & Jano about it before they left home.

Here's how it looked out the front door


and in the back, the creek was as high as we've ever seen it!






A few days later, I was telling my family about this, especially how deep and wide the creek was. This got Maya and Mason singing "Deep and Wide" all through lunch!

Amy brought pastries from Stein's this morning--Fran brought them to her house yesterday, confessing that she'd gone overboard with their family's Christmas tradition. They were great--thanks to Fran and to Amy for the home delivery--what a nice surprise!

¡Feliz Navidad!

This year was the most fun I've ever had getting Christmas cards ready to send--I had help! David set up a mini-assembly line: he folded the letters, Gabriel inserted the pictures, and Carmen put them in the envelopes. I did not see who put the stamps on, but judging from the way some of them were placed, I bet the kids did those, too. At one point, Carmen said, "Can I start licking them?" She was looking forward to that part, but that lasted for only an envelope or two! Later Gabriel helped me seal them all using a sponge.

Even though it was fun, it might have been our last Christmas card. Next year our Christmas vacation is only a week long! Also, since I keep this blog all year, it seems silly to write a one-page summary to send out to family we see regularly as well as long-lost friends. We may just do an email card next year. I hope to have switched completely to Roadrunner (or another internet provider!) by then.

A busy day:

At Gabriel's preschool program, he was the first to enter, dressed as an angel. Mom & Jackie were also there, so we took turns with Paloma and the cameras.
Afterwards, Santa was waiting to see the kids. We were planning to skip it since there was a long line and Paloma had just fallen asleep in my arms, but Gabe whispered in my ear as we readied to leave, "If you sit in Santa's lap, you get a candy cane!" Who could resist that?

Next, I went to "help" with the "Mega Party" at Carmen's school. When I got there, I was not assigned a job, but I was wearing my camera around my neck, so the leader said, "Why don't you take pictures?"







Not wanting to waste any of my "day off", I blew & raked leaves for an hour and a half when I got home. The early freeze had caused our trees to lose their leaves much sooner than usual (they usually fall after Christmas).

Next, it was time to finish getting a gift together (it took a week to find & buy Touch of Soy candles, but I finally got some that day by meeting someone in the Walmart parking lot) for the English department party that night. Charis got me started on those candles; she's given me 3 of them. I drew my young friend Kelly, so that's what I got for her.

Finally, I got ready for the party and David ended up making the grape salad for me. For those of you who have asked, here is the mix: 8 oz. of cream cheese mixed with one cup of sugar and chopped pecans (optional) mixed with red & green grapes.





I took Paloma to the Christmas party so I wouldn't stay too late. We had a nice time. Peggy read The Homeless Christmas Tree to us this year.

The next day is one of my favorite school days, the feast-of-the-year: the Coaches' Luncheon, where the coaches and their wives feed the whole faculty, staff & even retired colleagues.

Paloma is 15 months old today. I asked David to take her to her appointment, the first one I've missed, because I didn't think she was getting shots. Usually I nurse her immediately afterwards. David said he did just fine with a lollipop!

She still cracks us up on a daily basis.

We still can't say "applesauce" without the world coming to a halt. Every other effort must wait for her to get a serving of her favorite food if she hears the word.

So yesterday, Gabe whispered in my ear, "Let's say manzana sauce!"

"Great idea, Gabe!"

Less than a minute later:

"Mommy, can I have some manzana sauce?"

Paloma immediately responded, "Applesauce?"

I didn't take any pictures today; I went to a class, came home to a Super Suppers dinner David prepared, then it was already time to get the kids ready for bed.

So here are some of Paloma I haven't posted over the last couple of weeks.

Speaking of cracking us up, here is Carmen's Christmas list.

This time, they've gone too far.

Gabriel brought this family home from school on Friday: the Mucinex character holding his suitcase (he plans to stay awhile), a bride, and a little Mucinex guy (dressed just like the big one).

Gabriel told me he has MEDICINE in his suitcase that will make you feel better.

How far will the advertisers go?

Preschoolers? Really???!!!

And here are a couple of the headlines today that apply:

Kids Brainwashed By Harmful Advertising

Kids see too many anti-impotence ads: doctors

I was just telling my students the other day that we don't let our kids watch commercials. Wow, I am ahead of the curve for once.

Did anyone else see the episode of E.R. a year or two ago where Luka goes off on the pharmaceutical sales rep?