Rainy Day

From December 2009

Today we woke up to sheets of rain. Well, DJ woke up to sheets of rain. I hunkered down all day and never actually saw any rain. Just the after effects, which I have to say I much prefer. Here are some shots from the "after effects."

From December 2009

From December 2009

From December 2009

From December 2009

From December 2009

From December 2009

From December 2009

Sweet Potato Pie

I decided this year for Thanksgiving that I would try my hand at some real down home Southern cookin'. I had a huge list of recipes and ideas and Southern variations of the normal Thanksgiving foods all planned out but when it came right down to it, I only got to try one Southern food.

I may be adventurous and ready to give up old traditions for the sake of some new ones, but I discovered that I'm the only one in my family that shares those aspirations. Everyone else was happy as a cat to let good things go unchanged. You know the old saying "Why change something if there's nothing wrong with it" (or something like that...)? Well my family pretty much takes the phrase to heart and lives wholeheartedly by it. Which is totally cool. That's fine for them but I still have to experiment. I was just itching to try a new Southern recipe so I did it in a small way and said "No" to four different desserts for a total of 6 people that would be attending my Thanksgiving feast. I put my foot down by golly! (Well, pretty much. I did make a pumpkin pie too as a safeguard in case the sweet potato pie was a flop. I didn't want a mutiny on my hands!) And I think I made some converts to my way of life because they loved my new dessert! Good ol' sweet potato pie. See what happens when you step outside of your comfort zone and challenge those taste buds? (Who knew one could get so philosophical about pie??)

The recipe is so, so good because although yes, sweet potato pie is a lot like pumpkin pie, I tried to find a recipe that would stand on its own and not necessarily be "just like pumpkin pie". This pie has a graham cracker crust and very simple ingredients, which is also great because who wants to make something complicated when it's just going to get scarfed down as soon as it cools slightly from the oven?

Here's the recipe! Tell me if you try it and what you think of it!

Sweet Potato Pie

Makes:
1 (9-inch) pie, 8 servings

Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes, about 10 ounces each
1 3/4 cups fine graham cracker crumbs (about 15 whole crackers, finely ground) (I use cinnamon flavor)
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Wrap the sweet potatoes tightly in 2 layers of aluminum foil and roast them in the oven until very soft, about 1 hour and 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

In a bowl, stir the graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar until well combined. Add the butter and mix until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press firmly and evenly on the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate to create a crust, being sure there are no cracks. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Unwrap the potatoes and peel them. Put the flesh into a bowl and mash well with a fork. Add the eggs, 1/2 cup brown sugar, cream, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla and whip until very smooth with a whisk. Pour the filling into the partially baked crust. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon brown sugar over top and bake in the center of the oven until set, about 40 minutes.

Allow the pie to cool completely before cutting. Serve at room temperature.

(I found this recipe on foodnetwork.com.)

On Tiger and the Media

I just have to get something off my chest and I hate that in doing so, I am adding to the blogging frenzy that surrounds the Tiger Woods melodrama but since not many people read this anyway, I don't feel like I will be doing all that much damage anyhow. Here goes...

I certainly think Tiger Woods has screwed up. Plain and simple, if the reports are true (and I have found that there is usually a inkling of truth even in the tabloids), Tiger is an adulterer and has seriously failed his wife and children. If he's been successful on the golf course, he's been just as unsuccessful in his role as a husband and father. But I have some serious qualms over how this whole thing has played out in the media and I think for me it's been different with Tiger then other celebrities because he's made me realize, although I always knew it under the surface but now it's come straight to the front of my mind, that everyone messes up and the media loves a good screw-up. I have always admired Tiger for trying to stay out of the limelight as much as possible even with his huge successes. He doesn't roll over for the media. He doesn't hold press conferences to announce otherwise minor events in the normal person's life. He didn't sell his baby's pictures to the highest bidder. He always seemed to do his best to stay out of the tabloids. To me, that showed humility and sincerity.

Well, now he's allegedly been involved in some very unbecoming behavior and still he has refused to bend to the media's pressure to become public. After the initial shock of hearing the allegations, I really was not all that surprised. People do stupid things. Why would we expect any more of Tiger? I mean, of course, I didn't WANT him to fail, but that's just what people do. It's our sinful nature. What I am somewhat shocked about is the way the media has reacted and continues to react. It's as if THEY can't believe that Tiger Woods, role model to all children, world's best golfer, man who can (apparently) do no wrong, has royally messed up. Why must they continue to pick and stab and dig at the wound that Tiger himself caused? I think I know why.

The media has always annoyed me because it's two-faced. It's rarely trustworthy. I never know if the story I'm hearing is the truth because the media's goal is no longer to report the news; it's all about ratings and delivering news that is going to cause great ratings. Media is a business first and foremost and that drives me crazy. But since it is a business, the media reports on news that it thinks the people want to hear. So I've been thinking about all this hype about Tiger and how the reports say his game will never be the same again because he will never be able to shake the paparazzi and his image is marred forever and opponents are no longer going to be intimidated by his awesomeness and all that and I wonder "why is this what the media thinks we want to hear?" Have we, as a people, placed our hopes and dreams in celebrities/athletes to such a point that we care when they screw up? I mean, I mess up. A lot. And I know you mess up. And I know our very best friends and family members mess up. But do we want any of that reported on the news? Do we want to read about it everywhere we go day in and day out? I know I don't. When I mess up, I like to try to forget as soon as possible. And depending on the severity of the mistake, I may live with the consequences for awhile but generally speaking, I don't really want to talk about it. I just want to avoid doing it again. And I prefer that others give me some grace and not bring it up either (given that apologies have been made and all that). Well, I think that is what Tiger has tried to do in keeping his private life well, private. I don't blame him one bit and I HATE what the media is doing. I hate that the media always has to find the negative and report on it 24/7. It's just so boring! (And really it truly is boring when all these stories are based on alleged actions, not even real ones yet. That just fuels my fire here.)

So, again although I don't condone what Tiger has done, I feel like more than ever the invasion of the media in people's private lives is so very apparent here. I hope Tiger NEVER feels the need to make a public statement or apology. What he's (allegedly) done has scarred his family. It's hurt his wife deeply. It's probably broken his mother's heart. And Lord knows what his father would say if he was alive. But why does he have to apologize to us? Why is the media and PR "experts" spouting about the need for a public spoken apology or statement? Why do we care?? Tiger's life is his own and ours should be too. We should rest our hopes and dreams on just that, OUR hopes and dreams. Not the aspirations and successes and failures of celebrities and/or athletes. Our hopes and dreams should lie in our families and with our closest and dearest friends who we actually legitimately invest our lives in. What if we stopped caring so much about the personal lives of celebrities and athletes? What would the media focus on then? Perhaps NEWS for once.

UPDATE: Tiger IS an adulterer, by his own admission, and has become part of the scum that sits at the bottom of the celebrity barrel; however, I still stand by this article and don't think he was obligated to apologize to us or anyone but his family.

Winter

It's officially winter in Knoxville. (Well, not REALLY officially till December 20 or something but you know what I mean...). It's cold. It's brisk. The trees have all gone into hibernation or whatever it's called when they lose all their beautiful leaves. There's a general gloominess in the air. All those lovely things that come with winter. There is not, however, any snow. That is something that is hard to come by around here. We actually had a thunderstorm a couple of nights ago. Of all things I have experienced in the winter, a thunderstorm is not one of them. It was a bit unusual.

It's interesting because I was in the Christmas mood so early this year and then we had Thanksgiving and now the Christmas mood is basically gone. I just can't get in the holiday spirit. I'm hoping to change that this weekend and decorate my home, burn a cinnamon candle, watch more Christmas movies and maybe even do some Christmas shopping. Hopefully that will raise the Christmas spirit a little bit.

Also I think part of the lackluster spirit is resulting from the knowledge that DJ and I will be traveling on Christmas Day. We will be headed to the Chick-Fil-A/Peach/Atlanta bowl game festivities. We will spend the week prior to the game in Atlanta, which should be really fun I think but probably not Christmasy. There will be all sorts of activities and events that we will attend with the other trainers and their wives. The game itself is going to be great too. I can't imagine what the energy will be like in a BOWL game. There's a lot at stake there!

What have you all been doing to get into the Christmas spirit?

Turkey Week Adventures

This week my parents are here as guests in my home. I couldn't be happier. They arrived last night and already we have eaten out at a fabulous BBQ restaurant where we all stuffed ourselves silly with ribs, brisket, corn bread, bread pudding and more and then spent time catching up on the last 11 months of our lives. They "slept in" this morning (although by their body clocks, which are in the Mountain Standard Time, they weren't really sleeping in) and woke up to fresh coffee and Berry Cream Muffins. Yum!

We have so much planned for the week that they are here. The plan involves nothing less than shopping, touring two other states besides TN, attending a football game and eating a lot of food (I mean, it IS Thanksgiving week after all). I'm so excited to introduce them to this wonderful town where we've spent the last 3 months of our lives. We will be busy busy busy but hopefully, our week will include a lot of rest and relaxation for everyone too. This is a vacation for all of us (well, except for poor DJ who will still be working all week).

What a great time the holidays are!!

Friday Fingerprints

Best friend Joy and babies in Lake Tahoe - our womanly adventure

Best friend Mom and I in my favorite place, the Black Hills of South Dakota

Best friend Desi and I hiking the (HOT!) La Luz trail

Best friend and husband DJ and I in Los Angeles

Best friend Colleen and I at my bridal shower

These are pictures of God's fingerprints in my life. Lest you think I call everyone my best friend, I will tell you that in fact, these truly are all my very best friends. God has blessed me abundantly with people that I can call, with great confidence, my BEST friends. People that I have fun with, can be goofy with and share special moments with. These pictures represent some times we have shared life together. Without them my life would be very lacking and I know God placed each one of them in my life to show His love to me. They are so SO special.

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This is once again a post to participate with pamperingbeki's blog tradition! To see more fingerprints, go here!

Serotonin Shot

Don't you just love when you are doing a mundane task, whether it be housework or paperwork or picking your nails, and all of a sudden, you get a shot of serotonin? You know, the stuff that makes you happy in your brain? And all of a sudden, all is right with the world and you have the motivation to accomplish any task on your to-do list and the energy to tackle a mountain. I LOVE those shots. I wish there WAS an actual shot you could inject that would do this anytime you wanted but unfortunately I don't think there is. I guess it just makes those natural "shots" that much better. They're kind of unexpected.

For me, these shots are usually caused by something. I don't always know exactly what it will be but there's usually something that will trigger that boost of happiness. Just recently, it was Christmas music and coffee. I absolutely love Christmas music, especially when I am listening to it on Pandora and I get a great variety from tons of different artists and then I LOVE coffee, especially the sugary fattening stuff from Starbucks. Combine those two and that's my "shot"!

What has given you your "happy shot" lately? Does this even happen to you? Or is just me? No, actually I believe everyone gets these shots, some more frequently then others and probably in different ways then others, but yes, I think this must happen to everyone. But tell me, what does it for you??

P.S. If you haven't gotten a happy shot lately, you should leave a comment on my craft post for the giveaway! Just think of the happiness you would experience if you won something from the fantastic people at Right on the Wall!