As we mark the last Christmas with just two of us, Rakicy and I have spent more time this season talking about holiday traditions and what traditions we want to keep or start. Rakicy's family doesn't have nearly as many traditions as my family, so for the most part I feel like many of the traditions we have are transplants from my side of the family.*
Since we got married we've bought a new ornament for our Christmas tree each year. I label the year and location on the back of each. Some are obviously tied to something specific. Last year's was a snow covered house to mark our new house in Illinois. The first ornament was tiny pewter angel that was on clearance to mark our first Christmas as recent grads with no money.**
Other traditions a little more liberal. I put up Christmas decorations early (generally the weekend after Thanksgiving) and leave them up through Epiphany. It always makes me sad when I see Christmas trees on the curb Christmas day or the day after. We have an advent calendar that has little boxes that you open each day until Christmas. We usually eat Christmas dinner late afternoon on Christmas day. All of these things are subject to change depending on where we are in a given year and what we have going on.
Other traditions are little more nonnegotiable. The one tradition that Rakicy has whole-heartedly adopted is stockings. In my family stockings are big deal, not just a decoration. Stockings were always (and still are when we are home) filled with candy, small toiletries, and other small items. I never realized that this was an exception, but Rakicy had never experienced the stocking full of goodies until he met me. This year we even put up (and filled) stockings for my in-laws, who are coming for Christmas, as a way of introducing them to a tradition that we want to keep. It's a little harder to fill stockings for adults, but hopefully it will introduce the idea that we want to keep, regardless of where we spend Christmas once the baby is here.
I'm curious what traditions other people have. What are the things that you do every holiday. Are they things that were continued from a specific source or things you or your family developed on your own?
Notes:
*This may not be entirely true. Rakicy may just not be able to recall any specific traditions. In either case, we have more from my side of the family than his.
**This statement is misleading in many ways. I had recently finished my bachelors, but was in grad school making very little money. This is only slightly different than our current situation. Grad students in Illinois still make very little money, but cannot even begin to compete with grad students in Missouri in terms of poverty levels.
Dec 23, 2008
Dec 22, 2008
Fudge pt 2
The title of this post should really be Fudge Disaster 08. I always make and give away fudge during the holidays. This year was a little different. My fudge making was doomed.
The first batch of fudge suffered from a condensed v. evaporated milk mix-up. For those who are familiar with these two types of canned milk. They come in the same size can and are generally placed next to each other on the grocery store shelf. While my fudge recipe (see below) calls for evaporated milk, I somehow came home with condensed milk. Condensed milk is basically sugar with a little milk, while evaporated milk is unsweetened milk with less water.
Batch 1 was a total disaster. As I poured the evaporated milk in the pan, I remember thinking it was a little odd. When combined with granulated sugar and marshmallow fluff, the mixture was quickly on its way to hard candy consistency. I threw that batch away.
Batch 2 was a quickly modified batch that I tried to pull together from a couple of online recipes for condensed milk fudge. Instead of my mint fudge, I opted for peanut butter fudge. It was edible, but very grainy and way too sweet.
Enter Batch 3. I was sick all week and needed a diversion from the couch, so I decided to try one more time. I'd seen a very cute fudge presentation on television where the fudge was poured in small muffin tins to set, making little fudge cups. Since my usual fudge dishes were dirty, this seemed like a great option. This method, however, relies on very precise lining of the muffin tin with foil. My best attempt at precision, however, was not sufficient. Instead of lovely little fudge cups, I got semi-cupish shapes with deep groves and ridges, many of which had bits of foil stuck inside. This batch of fudge is now in our fridge because I cannot in good conscious give away fudge "cups" with little bits of foil hidden inside.
After batch 3, I was placed on bed rest due to some breathing issues and the type of umbilical cord the baby has, so there were no more tries.
So technically, I did make fudge this year, I just didn't make giftable, edible fudge.
Either way, here is the recipe, in case you want to try your own luck.
Thin Mint Fudge
2/3 cup EVAPORATED milk
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
7 oz (1 jar) marshmallow fluff
1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup Thin Mint cookies (or Grasshopper cookies) chopped
1 tsp vanilla
In a large, heavy pot, combine milk, sugar, marshmallow fluff, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips, chopped cookies, and vanilla until melted and smooth. Pour mixture into 9x9 pan lined with foil. Chill two hours or until set.
The first batch of fudge suffered from a condensed v. evaporated milk mix-up. For those who are familiar with these two types of canned milk. They come in the same size can and are generally placed next to each other on the grocery store shelf. While my fudge recipe (see below) calls for evaporated milk, I somehow came home with condensed milk. Condensed milk is basically sugar with a little milk, while evaporated milk is unsweetened milk with less water.
Batch 1 was a total disaster. As I poured the evaporated milk in the pan, I remember thinking it was a little odd. When combined with granulated sugar and marshmallow fluff, the mixture was quickly on its way to hard candy consistency. I threw that batch away.
Batch 2 was a quickly modified batch that I tried to pull together from a couple of online recipes for condensed milk fudge. Instead of my mint fudge, I opted for peanut butter fudge. It was edible, but very grainy and way too sweet.
Enter Batch 3. I was sick all week and needed a diversion from the couch, so I decided to try one more time. I'd seen a very cute fudge presentation on television where the fudge was poured in small muffin tins to set, making little fudge cups. Since my usual fudge dishes were dirty, this seemed like a great option. This method, however, relies on very precise lining of the muffin tin with foil. My best attempt at precision, however, was not sufficient. Instead of lovely little fudge cups, I got semi-cupish shapes with deep groves and ridges, many of which had bits of foil stuck inside. This batch of fudge is now in our fridge because I cannot in good conscious give away fudge "cups" with little bits of foil hidden inside.
After batch 3, I was placed on bed rest due to some breathing issues and the type of umbilical cord the baby has, so there were no more tries.
So technically, I did make fudge this year, I just didn't make giftable, edible fudge.
Either way, here is the recipe, in case you want to try your own luck.
Thin Mint Fudge
2/3 cup EVAPORATED milk
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
7 oz (1 jar) marshmallow fluff
1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup Thin Mint cookies (or Grasshopper cookies) chopped
1 tsp vanilla
In a large, heavy pot, combine milk, sugar, marshmallow fluff, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips, chopped cookies, and vanilla until melted and smooth. Pour mixture into 9x9 pan lined with foil. Chill two hours or until set.
Dec 10, 2008
Campus Health Irony
After being in school forever, I have resigned myself to the fact that a visit to a campus clinic for any reason (pneumonia, broken ankle, etc) is likely to involve a lengthy conversation about whether or not I was pregnant. (Since pregnancy is clearly the leading cause of broken bones.)
Who knew that if you are actually pregnant, student health services doesn't actually have any interest in treating you?
Trip one to get a flu shot went something like this:
Them: Oh, you're pregnant.
Me: Yep.
Them: You can't have a flu shot.
Me: The CDC says all pregnant women should get a flu shot.
Them: We can't give it to you without a doctor okaying it.
Me: Okay
(insert lengthy conversation about how they don't have an OB on staff, but can refer me to one. My attempt to explain that I had my own doctor who just wasn't affiliated with SHS (Thank God) was met with a lecture about the dangers of not seeking prenatal care and an offer to test me for other STDs all in the waiting room that happens to contain one of my students.)
I leave with the understanding that I can bring a note from my OB and they will give me the flu shot.
Flu Shot Trip #2
Them: Oh, you're pregnant.
Me: Yes, I have the letter from my OB that you asked for last time.
Them: I don't think that we're supposed to give you the flu shot if you're pregnant.
Me: Last week, you said as long as I brought this letter, you could give it to me.
Them: Yes, but the form contains a box that we have to check that says you're not pregnant.
Me: Can't you write a note next to it an attach this letter.
Them: Oh, I guess we could do that, but I have to call medical records first.
The nurses leave
Them: Medical records suggest that we reschedule your appointment while we figure out what to do.
Me: You've had ten days to figure out what to do. I'd really like my flu shot today.
Them: We just don't generally treat pregnant women for anything.
Me: Every time I'm in here, you're trying to get me to take a pregnancy test, but you won't actually treat me if I'm pregnant.
Them: If you're pregnant we refer you to someone else. We just offer the tests.
Me: Well, you sent out an email saying anyone who fit these criteria should get a flu shot and pregnant women are on there. So, maybe you should take that off, since even with a letter from my OB, you won't give me a flu shot.
Them: We listed as okay in the email?
Me: Yep, it's even on that form.
Them: In that case, I guess it will be okay.
Among my other complaints with campus health, I am very disturbed by the fact that while they won't follow a letter from a doctor, they will treat you, if you can't point out an email as justification.
Who knew that if you are actually pregnant, student health services doesn't actually have any interest in treating you?
Trip one to get a flu shot went something like this:
Them: Oh, you're pregnant.
Me: Yep.
Them: You can't have a flu shot.
Me: The CDC says all pregnant women should get a flu shot.
Them: We can't give it to you without a doctor okaying it.
Me: Okay
(insert lengthy conversation about how they don't have an OB on staff, but can refer me to one. My attempt to explain that I had my own doctor who just wasn't affiliated with SHS (Thank God) was met with a lecture about the dangers of not seeking prenatal care and an offer to test me for other STDs all in the waiting room that happens to contain one of my students.)
I leave with the understanding that I can bring a note from my OB and they will give me the flu shot.
Flu Shot Trip #2
Them: Oh, you're pregnant.
Me: Yes, I have the letter from my OB that you asked for last time.
Them: I don't think that we're supposed to give you the flu shot if you're pregnant.
Me: Last week, you said as long as I brought this letter, you could give it to me.
Them: Yes, but the form contains a box that we have to check that says you're not pregnant.
Me: Can't you write a note next to it an attach this letter.
Them: Oh, I guess we could do that, but I have to call medical records first.
The nurses leave
Them: Medical records suggest that we reschedule your appointment while we figure out what to do.
Me: You've had ten days to figure out what to do. I'd really like my flu shot today.
Them: We just don't generally treat pregnant women for anything.
Me: Every time I'm in here, you're trying to get me to take a pregnancy test, but you won't actually treat me if I'm pregnant.
Them: If you're pregnant we refer you to someone else. We just offer the tests.
Me: Well, you sent out an email saying anyone who fit these criteria should get a flu shot and pregnant women are on there. So, maybe you should take that off, since even with a letter from my OB, you won't give me a flu shot.
Them: We listed as okay in the email?
Me: Yep, it's even on that form.
Them: In that case, I guess it will be okay.
Among my other complaints with campus health, I am very disturbed by the fact that while they won't follow a letter from a doctor, they will treat you, if you can't point out an email as justification.
Dec 5, 2008
Prop 8: The Musical
I'm sure you've probably already seen Prop 8: The Musical, but I feel compelled to post it anyway. Enjoy!
See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die
Dec 2, 2008
Fudge and Furniture Pt 1
Technically, this probably belongs on my recipe blog, and I will probably cross-post it there, but since it really has more to do with procrastination than cooking, it seems more appropriate here. The end of every fall semester generally involves me making several pounds of fudge.* This isn't because I like fudge, in fact, I generally detest chocolate, but I love cooking and know lots of other people who love chocolate. Therefore, fudge gives me a way to be productive, stay healthy, and procrastinate all in one activity.
This is the first semester that I haven't been taking classes, so I would have predicted that the fudge would have been made already. Wrong. I'm not sure if it is the fact that I didn't have a zillion papers to write this week.** I bought all the stuff for fudge and even made a batch when we were down in Arkansas, but haven't yet made any here.
You might be tempted to think that the absence of fudge means that I am entirely caught up. Um, no. Instead I have rearranged my entire downstairs. It's not entirely painted yet and we still need to pick out the new floor, but we wanted to introduce the new layout before holiday guests arrived. The ultimate goal of the new layout is make the downstairs more baby friendly, but essentially the living room is now the dining room, the eat-in kitchen area is now entry way space for shoes and coats, and the weird space with the fireplace that we never used is now the living room.
I'll post pictures and the fudge recipe soon, but for now, I have to finish figuring grades that I promised students :)
Happy last day of classes!
Notes:
*I know I've been making fudge as long as I've been in grad school, but I don't think I started making it until I was a senior undergrad. Apparently, grad school lends itself to finding new hobbies that are solely driven by the need to procrastinate.
**This is not to say that I haven't been busy. Between teaching the internship, knowing that I'm behind on synthesis statements,*** and being pregnant, I feel just as exhausted, if not more, than if I had been taking classes.
***I was shocked to discover that awareness of one's own procrastination, while it doesn't not seem to prevent the act, does seem to have a draining effect. I would like to be able to procrastinate and not stay up at night feeling guilty about it or feel so guilty that I simply get my work done, but I'm not a fan of the guilt trip exhaustion.
This is the first semester that I haven't been taking classes, so I would have predicted that the fudge would have been made already. Wrong. I'm not sure if it is the fact that I didn't have a zillion papers to write this week.** I bought all the stuff for fudge and even made a batch when we were down in Arkansas, but haven't yet made any here.
You might be tempted to think that the absence of fudge means that I am entirely caught up. Um, no. Instead I have rearranged my entire downstairs. It's not entirely painted yet and we still need to pick out the new floor, but we wanted to introduce the new layout before holiday guests arrived. The ultimate goal of the new layout is make the downstairs more baby friendly, but essentially the living room is now the dining room, the eat-in kitchen area is now entry way space for shoes and coats, and the weird space with the fireplace that we never used is now the living room.
I'll post pictures and the fudge recipe soon, but for now, I have to finish figuring grades that I promised students :)
Happy last day of classes!
Notes:
*I know I've been making fudge as long as I've been in grad school, but I don't think I started making it until I was a senior undergrad. Apparently, grad school lends itself to finding new hobbies that are solely driven by the need to procrastinate.
**This is not to say that I haven't been busy. Between teaching the internship, knowing that I'm behind on synthesis statements,*** and being pregnant, I feel just as exhausted, if not more, than if I had been taking classes.
***I was shocked to discover that awareness of one's own procrastination, while it doesn't not seem to prevent the act, does seem to have a draining effect. I would like to be able to procrastinate and not stay up at night feeling guilty about it or feel so guilty that I simply get my work done, but I'm not a fan of the guilt trip exhaustion.
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