The Meaning of Excellence

It's snowing pretty heavily out here today, which is sapping away my will to write.  Quite honestly, I'd rather knit and drink endless cups of coffee all day...  *sigh*  Well, anyway, here's the good part: today I'm using a passage  that was sent in by my brother who is currently in Hawaii.  The Master Chief is out there finishing his college degree in criminal justice and gearing up for his wedding next May.  Busy as he is, he still found time to send us this little inspirational piece.  I don't know where he found it, but I hope you enjoy it!

Aristotle's Concept of Excellence
Aristotle was born in Greece nearly 400 years before Christ.  In those extraordinarily simple times, Aristotle's concepts were thousands of years ahead of his time.  He made this statement about excellence:

"We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."

Kinoale
This is an ancient Hawaiian concept which existed before Europeans discovered the Hawaiian Islands.  This concept was eventually put into words  by the late George Kanahele:

Kinoale means that no matter what you did in life...

You did the right thing,

In the right way,

At the right time,

In the right place,

To the right person,

For the right reason,

With the right feeling...the first time.

Arthur Deming was a management leader asked by the U.S. Government to help Japan rebuild after World War II.  He suggested that he teach America first.  He was shunned and sent to Japan anyway, and they developed Sony and Honda and so many other quality products that the U.S. now buys from Japan.  Deming believed that quality management and leadership consisted of:

Maximize customer joy, and

Minimize variation, then you have

Predictability, which causes people to

Trust, which breeds

Loyalty.

How-To's Day: List-O-Mania

I'd venture to say that every family has it's own way of organizing the troops in order to accomplish all tasks and objectives.  Some people set a routine that everyone follows, some people just let things flow and deal with tasks as they arise.  Our household relies heavily on lists.  Seriously, we have a list of everyday chores and our shopping list that both hang on the fridge; we make lists of errands and appointments when we go into town, lists of miscellaneous tasks and projects, lists of people to contact/send things to, packing lists for trips of any length, subject lists for school, lists of books/movies/music to look up... you name it, we have a list for it.  We also believe in having our lists clearly categorized by whatever parameters that apply.  For example, chores are listed under the name of the person assigned to do them, and the shopping list is divided by the particular store or type of store where an item is to be purchased.

Obsessive? Maybe a little, but it's a really effective system for keeping track of things, keeping focused on what needs to be done, and preventing extraneous spending of time, energy and money.  Think about it: making a list is a quick-and-simple form of planning that outlines your activities, getting you in the mindset of doing, bringing, or buying only what you need to.  In addition, you get the tremendous satisfaction of crossing items off a list.

You will, of course, deviate from the list sometimes.  This shouldn't be a huge problem, since the list is really just an outline that helps keep you on track.  We would recommend, though, that you prioritize your lists of errands and tasks so that all the important stuff gets done first.  Above all, be reasonable about how much goes on a list because too much will just look overwhelming and can lead to a serious case of procrastination.

Good luck and happy list-making!

The Thrill of the Hunt...

Hello again.  I'm sorry we haven't posted in a little while; some people have been staying with us for the last couple of days.  We're glad to have them, but guests do tend to upset the balance of our universe.  I think I could use a second cup of coffee...anyone else?

It's the first day of deer hunting season, and nobody went out this morning.  All for legitimate reasons, though: Mamasita and The Godfather had a business meeting, and Ribbajack was told not to go hunting by himself.  It's not like hunting is a huge expedition for us; unlike most people, we do it right here in our back yard.  Mom literally shot a deer from the back patio one year, and last year it was from a deck chair. (No, we are not in the least redneck... or couldn't you tell?)

Yup, this is our 'home on the range'

Hunting is such a longstanding tradition here that when Beena was little, anytime she saw a deer she would point at it and yell, "Bunga-deer! Shoot!"  Now she colors slightly if anyone mentions the word "bunga-deer", but the sentiment remains the same.

It should be noted that our family doesn't just hunt for sport, we also enjoy venison hugely.  If we have an unsuccessful season, everyone gets depressed at the thought of spending a whole year eating nothing but beef and poultry.  The deer out here are wild and purely grass-fed, thus their meat is very lean and healthy, not to mention beyond tasty.  That "gamey" flavor that people complain about, to us is the best part.

With all this talk of game meat, I think I'll go raid the freezer now and see if there's any left over from last year.  To the rest of you: have a happy Saturday!

~ Sgt. Pepper

How-To's Day: Crock-pot Tips and a Chili Recipe

Have you ever found yourself spending a packed afternoon in town, running kids back and forth to various lessons and appointments, only to come home with a car full of hungry people and no easy, healthy remedy for dinner?  In these situations, the crock-pot is a wonderful invention, as I'm sure many would agree, and makes setting up a meal hours in advance very easy.  Most soup and stew recipes can be adapted to spending all day in a slow-cooker, so just throw something together in the morning, set your cooker to go, and forget about it until dinnertime. Sounds simple, right?  That's because it is.  We just have a couple of suggestions to make it that much easier on you:

1. If your recipe calls for potatoes, cut them up and par-cook them in the microwave to ensure that they are soft when it's time to serve.
2. Use a slow-cooker liner (available at the grocery store) for every crock-pot meal to minimize scrubbing that big heavy bowl.  Those liners are very durable and hold up well even against metal spoons.  An added boon to using a liner is that it makes it much easier to package your left-overs by simply lifting the liner out of the crock-pot (assuming it's not punctured) and pouring its contents into a jar or other container.

Most people already have a few favorite crock-pot recipes, but just in case, here's one of ours:

Chili Con Carne y Legumbres (chili with meat and vegetables)
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
2 medium onions, chopped
1 (15oz.) can kidney beans, drained
2 (15oz.) cans chopped tomatoes
1 (8oz.) can tomato paste
1 red bell pepper, chopped
vegetables of choice (see notes)
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup cooking wine

Directions:
Brown meat in a pan with the onion and garlic.  Throw all ingredients into crock-pot. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low.  Serve hot over baked potatoes, rice, or corn chips.

Notes:
We like our chili spicy and full of garlic and vegetables, but not everybody does.  If that's too much garlic for your taste, cut it in half.  Cayenne is pretty hot, so if you're not that brave, just omit it and use 1/2 tsp. of black pepper.  For the veggie content, we do not recommend broccoli, cauliflower, or cabbage as they have a strange consistency in chili, but leafy greens such as spinach or kale are easy and almost unnoticeable.  Chopped roots of any kind (carrots, turnips, beets, parsnips, etc.) work well, too, as well as shredded zucchini.  Essentially, just do what you feel and enjoy!

Fall, in Love with Colorado

Hi! How was your weekend? Ours was spent preparing for deer hunting season, which means mowing sections of the field, sighting in rifles, and setting up hunting perches in the creek. Sounds like fun, no?

It's a cold, wet, foggy day out here, which tends to make focusing on anything but warm bread, warm drinks, and warm blankets very difficult. Focus we must, though, so I have decided to describe the wonders of fall in Colorado... in a poem. If it's an atrocity, I promise not to do it again. But only if you tell me not to :P

Colorado Autumn

by Sgt. Pepper

Colorado's Lady Autumn 

Is a fickle mistress, true.

Her ever-changing moods

Are impossible to subdue.

Unpredictable and timeless,

She reenacts her fine debut.

Each day is wholly different

From all days past she drew.

Some days are hot and bright,

With skies clear, a liquid blue.

The last vestiges of summer,

Last warmth for us to cling to.

Some days are cool and rainy

With skies gray, a cloudy hue.

Supplying much-needed drink

To a land parched hitherto.

Trees turn gold in sunlight,

Earth with leaves they strew.

Snow comes to visit early,

Winter's first cold preview.

Lady Autumn settles in here,

Ancient office she returns to.

She's given us a reason, now

To enjoy a warming brew!

Meet the Family

So now that we have already made three posts, we've suddenly realized that we haven't actually introduced ourselves. However, introducing everyone would take too long, so for the moment we'll just give you the key players. Using our code names, of course. ;)

Top billing goes to The Godfather (Dad). He was an engineer for many years, but within the last 6 years he and Mamasita have started their own financial services business under Primerica. He really enjoys helping families to get their finances in order and build a plan to get out of debt, and he's good at it, too. When he's not working, he likes to do target practice and hunting, play board games, card games, pool, golf, and the occasional first-person shooter on the computer. One thing he has never done: gone bungee jumping.

On top of being a financial adviser, Mamasita (Mom) is a professional homeschooler of 7 children with 23 years of experience under her belt. She loves anything that has to do with food: cooking, baking, eating, and occasionally killing the meat herself (hunting). In her spare time (Spare time? Yeah, right... what's that taste like?), she likes to work out to Jillian Michaels videos. One thing she has never done: piloted a commercial jet (though she did have a pilot's license once).

The oldest sibling at home is yours truly. You may call me Sergeant Pepper (not my idea, but why waste a perfectly good nickname? Besides, it's kind of a long story) or just Pepper for short. My place in the lineup is 5^th child, 2^nd daughter. I manage this blog as the designer, editor, administrator, and one of the writers. I'm into fiber craft (knitting, crochet, etc.), reading, baking, and doing activities with my youth group. One thing I have never done: driven a four-wheeler.

Next up we have Ribbajack (yes, just like the Brian Jacques book). He is the 6^th child and 4^th son. He's probably the closest thing we have to a scientist in the family. He enjoys figuring out how things work, finding new and exciting (try “explosive”) ways to do things, and debating the daylights out of anyone who tries to oppose him on a point that he has already proven. And reading. One thing he has never done: broken a bone (amazingly).

And last but not least we have Beena, the 7^th child, 3^rd daughter. This one is pure artsiness, people. She has a fascination with manga and anime (Japanese cartoons) and has become rather proficient at drawing them herself. We're hoping to feature some of her original artworks later on. Besides drawing, she does some knitting and a lot of reading. She has told us that she both likes and dislikes being the youngest. One thing she has never done: baked a cake by herself.

Most of us have never been to Boston in the fall, either. Anyway, this is us. You'll meet the rest of the clan as we go along.

Cheers!

A Florida Episode

Today we have a short but true story sent in from some relatives of ours down in Florida.  Don't worry, nobody got eaten... but it was a possibility!

We went to Pepper Beach, in Fort Pierce by the Seal Museum one early afternoon. As we sat in our chairs your uncle commented on the two sun-bathing beauties to the side and ahead of us. The life guard tower had the yellow flag slowly blowing in the breeze. It was low tide, which means you could walk out 20 yards before your feet got wet. The surf was almost flat – barely a wave lapping the shore. Suddenly we heard the tweeting whistle going at a frantic pace. Your uncle said “I wonder what’s going on.”  We both looked at the lifeguard tower again. This time the life guard is at the rail waving double red flags and blowing his whistle like crazy. We look out toward the ocean. There were 2 young men on surf boards waiting for waves. Another guy (obviously one of their friends) was shouting to them. A second life guard on the dune buggy was honking the blow horn and waving the surfers in. The guy on the dune buggy stopped by the bathing beauties and pointed toward the sea.  When he left, your uncle got up and went to the ladies to find out what was going on. The life guard had pointed out that the black line just beyond the surf was a school of bait fish that were mating. They were being chased by predator fish such as tarpon. The tarpons are harmless to humans but are food fish to sharks. And that is why when you see schools of bait fish, everyone has to get out of the water. Your uncle could see the fish jumping out of the water. While he tried to show me the black line, suddenly there was a big splash. The other fish (much bigger than sardines) could be seen leaping out of the water like Dolphins. The surfers on shore shouted with glee. One exclaimed, “Did you see that great big tarpon?!”  When the school was a safe distance away the lifeguard flags changed again to yellow; the surfers went back out on their boards; the old folks waded out to get their feet wet, including your uncle.  The activity repeated itself before we left as another school of fish went by. What excitement! Hope you like this chapter in Florida’s wild life.

~ Grandma

How-To's Day: Menu Planning by the Month

What's for dinner?  The age old question that strikes fear in the heart of every person right around three o'clock in the afternoon.  My method of planning a full 31 day's worth of meals at the beginning of each month was born of this homemaker's anxiety of having something healthy, nutritious and different for the troops at dinner time.  I bought cookbooks dedicated to cooking a month's worth of dinners in one day, attended classes and actually did "once a month cooking" for a while.  Grueling!  Beside the blood, sweat and tears that went along with planning meals - making a shopping list, marathon shopping, bribing the husband or cajoling an older child into watching the younger children, cooking and storing the dinners - there came the inevitable issues.  The first problem was that my family tired of the recipes (bland, repetitive), then we realized that several of us have food intolerances.  The final straw was our desire to have fresh, non-packaged food as much as possible.  My collection of so many great cookbooks and "keeper" recipes that I have acquired over the years made the solution easy: why not just keep a calendar in the kitchen devoted to menu planning and write my menu on it?  So that is what I did.

At the beginning of each month I take down our standard-size wall calendar, fold over the new month and begin the process.  We are simple people and we know what we like!  So each week we have our grill day, chicken day, pasta day, beef day, non-meat day, casserole or soup day and one day for the quintessential food...pizza.  Boredom is averted by rotating recipes that fall into the above categories and constantly combing newspapers, websites and library books for new recipes.  Easy!  Now, my oldest-at-home daughter can set up a menu in a cinch.

Essentially, just write the meal name on each calendar day...old favorites need only that, add book title and page number if needed.  If any of your recipes are going to include ingredients you don't usually keep on hand, make a note of those items as you put together your menu and then add them to your grocery list about a week in advance so you have everything ready when the day comes.

Happy meal planning!

~ Mamasita

Hello and Welcome!

Hi there! This is our first time writing a blog, so please bear with us as we get through the development stage.  (Oooo, what does this button do?)

In this blog we hope to share about our favorite recipes, our lifestyle, and our experiences in various fields including homeschooling, working with food allergies, and self-employment.  It's sure to be an interesting ride, and we hope you'll join us.

We're sort of a quirky bunch, so just remember:
Like a bowl full of nuts, take us with a pinch of salt!