Help! I'm making heart shaped paperclips and I can't stop

http://tinyurl.com/brlhfp

They are cute. They are precious. They are addicting.
They are also calorie free!
(Is that a Valentine's treat or what? Don't worry. Chocolate recipe to follow soon.)

He was talking about coffee!

On of my husband's co-workers promised to send us some honest-to-goodness South American homegrown coffee!

We do like coffee just a little bit at our house. Next to the big-boy espresso maker you can see our collection of syrups (cinnamon, Kahlua, caramel, and gingerbread), to-go cups (not to be confused with Togo cups, from an African country of the same name), sweeteners (splenda, sweet-n-low, sugar), sprinkles (cinnamon and sugar), ground coffee from Italy, and Starbucks Verona beans. The French Press coffee maker is in the sink and the teeny tiny stovetop espresso maker is under the counter. In the background you can see the coffee grinder (needed for the French press) and 2 little espresso cups. I registered for those when I got married over 26 years ago. These days Barista-boy uses them to serve shots in. We store these everyday essentials in the Southern Living at Home Jamestown tray. It's lovely when you can actually see it.

Update: Mom is resting comfortably after her emergency appendectomy last night. She's due home tomorrow or Monday. We are thankful for all your prayers and good wishes. I plan on delivering them in person when I go visit her next weekend.

Context is Everything

Strangest quote overheard in my kitchen this week: "He's shipping me a pound of Colombian on Monday."

Easiest Crock Pot Recipe ...Ever!

(Note - since when did I fall into the habit of saying "ever" after every superlative comparison. Have you succumbed?)

Salsa Chicken & Black Bean Soup
(adapted from a recipe over at Crockpot365.blogspot.com)

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 box chicken broth
1 jar 16-24oz. salsa
1 c. sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 T. cumin
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
Toppings: chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, queso fresco (Mexican white crumbly cheese. I'm not quite sure that is the exact translation :-) )
Optional - 1 c. corn. We have a "corn hater" in our house and because his vote counts more than those of the mushroom-haters, well...you can see who won out.

Directions: Open cans, jar, and box. Empty into crockpot. Add mushrooms, cumin, and chicken breasts. I didn't even chop these up until they were through cooking. Cook all day on low. (If your chicken breasts are frozen, start on "high" for a few hours.) The most effort I went to was peeling and slicing the avocado and cilantro. It doesn't get any easier than this folks!

Katie tried this one out first. I agree with her that it seems a bit strange to put mushrooms into something "southwestern", but hey...why shouldn't tex-mex get some mushroom love?

I feel smarter already!

NYT Article

The Chores on the Wheel Go Round and Round

Here, in all its humble homemade glory, is one of my fridge fixtures. The "Chore Wheel" has helped remind the kids whose turn it is to do what for over 5 years now. (I know it goes back at least 5 years because Katie made her own when she moved into her dorm freshman year.) I don't remember where I first saw one of these, but for us it has been a lifesaver. I don't have to nag, I just look at the wheel and see who is up next.

I guess it's a sign of the kids' growing up that the Chore Wheel is almost obsolete. Instead of assigning one person per meal, I now unload the dishwasher when I get up and everyone is on their own to clean up after themselves during breakfast and lunch. The dinner dish worker is now assigned based on current school schedule and sports practice. The Chore Wheel is about to be replaced with a post-it note that says "Kev-T/Th, Kris-W/F, Kels-M/S". Steve and I take on Sunday together to give our workers a rest :-).

So the good news is that, yes, over the years I've worked myself out of the job of doing dishes for the most part. (Young moms, take heart. This will happen to you too!) Cleaning the kitchen has never been my favorite job, but Lynne over at The Sweetbriar Patch posted an excellent reminder the other day. What if, instead of looking at the drudgery of dishes, we saw it as simply "preparing for the next meal"? On the one hand, we will NEVER be caught up with dishes because there is always one more meal ahead. By changing the terms, however, we focus on the fact that we have another opportunity to feed/love/nurture the ones God has placed in our care. We are setting the stage for an upcoming event and we are getting ready for that next occasion when we gather round the table in sweet fellowship.

Your word of the....year?

If you had to choose one word for this new year, what would it be? What are your hopes for 2009? What new adventures are in store for you? I'm planning to make some changes for my health. This isn't something I'm particularly confident about (Hello...I would rather sit inside and play games or read than do that "Exer..." word.) So to counteract that, I'm choosing the word Courage. Here's a great quote:

“Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don’t have the strength. Industry and determination can do anything that genius and advantage can do and many things that they cannot.” -- Theodore Roosevelt

And your word for the year is?