November 9, 2009 by delightsgal
About a month ago, we went up the neighboring canyon and enjoyed some of the Season’s last leaves. A tripod, and rapid-fire on my camera made all the difference. The funniest photos were between settings. We had put the kiddos in the back of the car to drive a little farther down the canyon. The kiddos each got a piece of last year’s Halloween candy to eat while we found a new spot. They were smiling, yelling, “cheese”, and having a blast. I post them another time…hopefully in a slideshow…for I think it is the best way to see the work of the rapid-fire. 
Posted in delightful reflections | Tagged family, outdoors, photography, traditions | 2 Comments »
November 7, 2009 by delightsgal
The builder has discovered his new favorite medium for building: duct tape. He’s been busy creating boats, hideouts, tents, houses and all sorts of fun.
We’ve all been enjoying it…:)
After lunch, the designer decided we’re going to need a new roll before the end of the week.
What do your kiddos love to build with most?
Posted in delights gal's discoveries | Tagged create, family, kiddos | 2 Comments »
November 6, 2009 by delightsgal
ciudad juarez mexico temple, 8×10 oil on wrapped canvas, SOLD
Posted in artful moments | Tagged architecture, art, friends, gifts, lds, painting, temple | Leave a Comment »
November 5, 2009 by delightsgal
I have some really great recipes for Tom Kha Gai from my friends Lisa and Quinn, but here is a quick version I threw together the other night, it took a mere 20 minutes or so to prepare.
ingredients
1 1/2 c baby carrots, quartered
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
3 tbs ghee (you can also use coconut oil, organic butter, or olive oil)
2 tbs dhana jeera (coriander & cumin mix)
1 tsp green curry paste
1 1/2 c sliced mushrooms (fresh)
1 c lemon juice
3 lbs chicken, chopped
2 cans coconut milk
- In a large soup pan warm ghee on medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and carrots. Add dhana jeera, mushrooms and curry paste and stir. Simmer covered until carrots are begining to soften (about 10-15 minutes).
- Stir in chicken and cover for another 4-6 minutes.
- Add coconut milk and lemon juice.
- Serve when soup is warmed through.
We added a half cup of cooked quinoa to our soup. Salt to taste.
serves 6-8
Posted in delectable dishes | Tagged cooking, friends, healthy food, recipe of the week | 2 Comments »
November 4, 2009 by delightsgal
The kiddos are getting better at helping everyday. I wanted to find a way to show them how much they were accomplishing. Yet I didn’t want to fall into the “work only for reward” trap. So we made a chart showing all the things they can do to help (they helped make the chart). Every evening, we draw stars in boxes representing their helpful hands around the house. I love to watch their eyes as they visually understand all the good they can do.
As I continue to ponder these wonderful talks (thx Stacee!), on teaching work within the home:
Family Work by Kathleen Slaugh Bahr with Cheri A. Loveless
http://magazine.byu.edu/?act=view&a=151
My Home as a Temple by Kristine Manwaring
http://meridianmagazine.com/voices/000815hometemple.html
I keep reminding myself to enjoy my housework so that the kiddos will learn to enjoy it too. To Celebrate work every day. To make time for work and play, to enjoy each other as we work.
Is anyone else out there working on this as well? How do you celebrate work in your home?
Posted in thoughts & theories | Tagged family, teach, traditions, work | 1 Comment »
November 3, 2009 by delightsgal
I love a schedule. I feel it is important, and I feel it is important to go with their flow as well sometimes. Generally we eat breakfast and spend some time doing housework together before we begin around 10. Though on Thursday, as I was doing the dishes, and telling them it was pre-k day, they were excited and sat up to the table, ready to begin. So I stopped and we got started…it was only 8:30.
Our alphabet activity for the day used marshmallows to create the letters. They enjoyed making letters, but for some reason their letters kept getting smaller as time went on…:)
We read out of our latest reading program: The Amazing Action Alphabet and Amazing Action Activity book. If you haven’t seen this incredible program…check it out! It very inexpensive compared to the other programs out there and we love it!
During snack we made rice krispy treats. A first for us. I bought the cereal at the store, wondering if I could make it with a more natural puffed rice…but decided traditional for our first try might be best. I was surprised to find the box void of the recipe…but found it online…did you know there is a whole website dedicated to rice krispies? I was not aware of the vast recipes for rice krispy treats!
Anyways, so the kiddos had chosen pink marshmallows which made a fun color…not too far off of the orange shade of a small pumpkin. They helped me stir and melt the marshmallow, and smash them into the pan.
While the krispies were setting up, we watched and danced to “Thriller.” One of these days we’ll have to learn the dance together. It was a fun day!
Posted in kiddo daily delight | Tagged children's lit based activity, cooking, kiddos, teach, traditions | Leave a Comment »
November 2, 2009 by delightsgal
Of course every artist has their own process to achieve their unique style. I thank Nance (bff) for helping me find mine. Finding my process has been a process. At first, I would paint the background orange, but after my palate began to solidify, Nance suggested a quinacridone rose. I found a quinacridone violet that I use sparingly these days. Some canvases start darker than others, but I love the rose acrylic that seeps and hides behind each oil painting.
I have been known to free-style paint at times, but most of my paintings are sketched in pencil. When I feel satisfied with the rendering, I trace the pencil in mars black oil or black ivory oil. Later in the week I’ll post what these paintings for the Condies turned out like…
What sort of processes do you use each day…that you have changed and refined to make them just so?
p.s. I’ve been ever so consumed with the wasatch back artists online gallery of late, so bear with my blogging catch-up that I’m sure will happen in the next couple days. The gallery is about half-way ready. We’re getting really excited!
Posted in artful moments | Tagged architecture, art, friends, painting, process | 2 Comments »
October 30, 2009 by delightsgal
So I’ll admit that I wasn’t jumping for joy when I opened my Plein Air Paradise, People’s Choice Award: a free night stay and dinner for two at Zermatt Resort. We live right next to Zermatt.
Nance and I had painted in the Zermatt plein air competition a year ago and we received a night’s stay for participating. We didn’t even get to use the stay…though we did get to enjoy the pool with the kiddos and Carl’s sister Melissa and Charlie, our nephew.
But tonight, we went and dined at the Seafood Buffet at Schneitter’s Restaurant and had a wonderful evening…(despite our server thinking our certificate had already expired…). I just love being out with the designer: having time to talk uninterrupted and enjoy each other.
Future plans, sushi, crab legs, pumpkin cheesecake, fish tacos from the fish allergy-ridden chef that reminded the designer of the chef on Ratatouille, and discussions of our next big move…it was a great evening. Thank you People’s Choice voters. We really enjoyed ourselves.
Now what to do with that free night’s stay at Zermatt…wonder if anyone would buy it on Craig’s List….
Posted in artful moments, delightful reflections | Tagged art, painting, plein air, time, traditions | 4 Comments »
October 29, 2009 by delightsgal
For the crust:
2 c spelt flour (you could use a gf flour mix or whole wheat flour)
1 tsp salt
1/3 c almond milk
2/3 c coconut oil
2 tbs honey
Blend dry ingredients first, then add milk, honey, & oil. Roll out crust between parchment paper (or use a spoon and push it into the pie as i like to do). Put into the fridge to firm up while making the filling.
for the filling:
3/4 c raw sugar
2/3 c coconut oil
2 tbs blackstrap molasses
1/2 stick butter (1/4 cup)
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/4 c pecans (1 c pecan pieces and 1 1/4 c pecan halves)
- In a sauce pan, bring sugar, coconut oil, molasses, & butter to a boil, stirring so sugar doesn’t still to pan.
- Continue to stir while boiling for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes or until luke warm.
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Stir in pecans, vanilla, and eggs
- Pour into pie crust and bake for 50 minutes
Very important, I forgot, but if you bake your pie in a brown bag, your crust won’t burn.
Enjoy!
serves 6-8
Posted in delectable dishes | Tagged cooking, gluten-free, healthy food, holiday, recipe of the week | Leave a Comment »
October 28, 2009 by delightsgal
So happy to say that music is an integral part of our day. We play and work to music. Quiet Time is coming to an end, but the sounds of Putomayo and African Party are coming down to the kitchen where I prepare dinner. Friday morning we spend with Miss Kristi at Music Together. By Monday the dancer is already asking to go to Miss Kristi’s house again. So we’ll pull out our Music Together book during preschool, sing, move, march around the room, make our own instruments, play on the piano, and just have a great time together.
Sometimes I wonder if we need a larger piano, or at least an additional bench, for all three of the kiddos will pile on at once and when I play with them it gets a bit crowded. We love playing together, even though there are usually three or four melodies going at once…not always so melodious, but I believe it has potential.
I also love to set my lil’ acer on the bookshelf in the kitchen and listen as I do the dishes and tidy up. The dancer will come in and twirl in front of the oven door. The explorer will join in and get his groove on. Then they take turns begging me to twirl with them and it is just oh so fun.
For a while now, my fav music spot on the web has been Last FM. I love hearing similar artists and their building a library of recommendations for you. Lately, my latest online music craze is the World Market Radio. Hours of delightful music brought from all over the world. Reminds me of my travelin’ and explorin’ days, beautiful people I’m met all over the world, and their cultures that I treasure learning a bit about. Most importantly, it makes us all happy!
To enjoy the World Markets Radio, just go to the world Market homepage and look on your top right corner. Beneath “view basket” click on “WM Radio.” Let me know what you think!
What are your favorite music stops on the web?
Posted in delights gal's discoveries | Tagged gifts, kiddos, music, traditions, travel | Leave a Comment »
October 27, 2009 by delightsgal
Is it possible to eat too many smoothies? We rarely make the same one twice, here is one of our latest favs…
an orange smoothie
3/4 c seeded grapes
1/2 small cantaloupe, seeded and fruit cut off of rinds
3/4 c baby carrots
1 banana
1 c frozen peaches
blend until smooth
serves 2-4
Posted in delectable dishes | Tagged cooking, dairy-free, food allergies, gluten-free, healthy food, recipe of the week | Leave a Comment »
October 26, 2009 by delightsgal
growing a family tree, 8″x6″ oil on wrapped canvas.
I’ve been thinking a lot about family lately. Family is such an integral part of life. Friendship and love. The ties we have to one another, our heritage, our geneology, marriage, union, offspring, siblings, parents, life after death, and how it all fits together.
Thinking about loved ones lost and loved ones waiting to be part of growing families. Families just beginning, families with older children making transition into grand-parenthood, and generations.
The designer’s siblings are all but married (his youngest sister is finishing school and it won’t be long…), 14 grandkiddos so far, one on the way, and more in waiting. In my family, I am the eldest of 6, the only one married, the only one with children, and two younger brothers still at home with my parents. There are great dynamics within both families. And then there is this growing dynamic within our own.
How to continue to stregthen ties within our growing up families and yet focus most of our energy on this growing family under our stewardship? How to show my kiddos the unconditional love I have for each of them? How to teach them the importance of family and realtionships that continue through the eternities? How to cherish the sacred bonds the designer and I share…
Posted in artful moments | Tagged art, family, kiddos, relationships, teach, time, traditions | 1 Comment »
October 24, 2009 by delightsgal
Special thanks to the designer for his support, help with the kiddos, and attention to detail as I have been working on a new online gallery with local art friends.
It’s just a work in progress right now, but if you want a sneak peak: http://wasatchbackartists.wordpress.com/
Pretty soon you’ll find a new piece of artwork on the blog every day…by one of our 8 artists living within the Wasatch Back, a monthly invited artist, art news and updates, and more.
I’m so excited. I’ll admit I was a bit anxious to talk with everyone today and propose the plan…the designer reminded me as I left, “Just talk slowly, and you’ll be fine.” I had to smile.
Back when I was in Studio classes in the Landscape Architecture program, I was notorious for getting so anxious before a presentation that I would talk way too fast. If you didn’t know me you would have thought I was on drugs. Seriously. It was that bad. After one presentation some of my classmates were asking that very question.
I had nothing to worry about today, however. A group of friends, ”embarking on a new adventure,” as Janice calls it. I couldn’t agree more Janice!
Posted in artful moments | Tagged art, friends, goals | Leave a Comment »
October 23, 2009 by delightsgal
Nana has a new favorite book: Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. I imagine it is incredible, for she has bought the kiddos Listen to the Wind, that he also wrote, which is the children’s version of the story with gorgeous paper-made illustrations.
The kiddos and I read the book together this week. We learned about children on the other side of the world who are going to school just like them. These children and their villagers worked with Dr. Greg to build a bridge to the neighboring mountain so that they could obtain building supplies. Ultimately, they worked together to build a school for the children of the village.
After reading the beautiful story, I felt so grateful for our little school in the dining room. For the simple things that we learn together. We continued our lessons, working together writing, numbers, using wood pieces to represent their amount, and then making each digit with the wood pieces.
Sometimes I worry about how we are learning things together each day. But after a morning of work and play and studies, all done simply, I realized that the important thing is that we do it. That we learn together, that we love one another as we learn and work together. Just like the beautiful children in the small village of Korphe.
Posted in kiddo daily delight | Tagged children's lit based activity, gifts, kiddos, literary, teach, time | 2 Comments »
October 22, 2009 by delightsgal
I haven’t been in love with french fries this much since las rosas (my roomies and I) were daily requesting “aceto balsalmico per favore” while studying in Italia…
4 red potatoes
1/2 c olive oil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
- After slicing the potatoes oh so thinly (thx to the designer), warm the olive oil in a small sauce pan or pot.
- When the oil is about to “pop” add potato slices and cover
- When they are tender (about 5 min), let them sit on some paper towels to rid the excess oil before dashing the salt and rosemary a top.
Ohh yum.
serves 2-3
Posted in delectable dishes | Tagged cooking, dairy-free, friends, gluten-free, healthy food, recipe of the week | 1 Comment »
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