Oh how I love you, Polish doughnut ...

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Back in high school, for some sort of fundraiser, a few parents (aka Amie's mom) would sell paczki's on Fat Tuesday. What, you beg, is a paczki, besides impossible to spell? Well, a paczki (prounounced "poonch-key") is basically a jelly-filled doughnut. And it's delicious. Possibly so delicious because there's alcohol in the dough.

So, every Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras season, I start craving paczki's. And I can't ever find them. Not even in DC with my friend Ms. Kazimierczak's (born in Poland, life of the DC Polish community) help.

Thank heaven my friend Erinn found me a recipe online. If I'm brave enough, I just might try it!! She also said that paczkis are quite similar to German fastnacht, again, she provided the recipe. She was acute enough to point out "Fastnachts use mashed potatoes and paczkis use rum. Therefore, Polish cooking might be much cooler than German." And overall, because Erinn and I judge an entire country's cuisine by their doughnuts, I am in full agreement!

Oh, and Karl Rove, perhaps you should contact Dan and Amber to do some publicity for you. Check out this little ditty for Ron Paul... (thanks Joey for posting it)



HWotD:
ʻāina - land, earth, literally "the thing that nourishes, feeds" (ʻāi means food)
"aye (drawn out)-nah"

* As always, make sure you have all of the okinas(') and kahako's (-) they are very important!!

Blue skies on sunshine mountain...

First of all, thanks for the advice about the dress. I got it. Hopefully it looks cute on me :) Otherwise, I'll get to start this whole shebang all over again, and dh will not be thrilled about that.

In case you need a little help figuring out who to vote for in this election, you can check out this handy-dandy website to match you with your ideal candidate. My highest compatibility with any candidate was 48%. That does not bode well for me this election.

I grew up in the church, and I wouldn't trade that foundation for anything. There were a few things that I still can't figure out though. Namely, I can't come to a conclusion about what a few songs mean.

Exhibit 1:
CLIMB SUNSHINE MOUNTAIN

Climb, climb up sunshine mountain
Heavenly breezes blow
Climb, climb up sunshine mountain
Faces all aglow

Turn, turn from sin and sorrow
Look to God on high
Climb, climb up sunshine mountain
You and I

Exhibit 2:

BLUE SKIES AND RAINBOWS
  Blue skies and rainbows and sunbeams from heaven
  Are what I can see when my Lord is living in me

  I know that Jesus is well and alive today
  He makes His home in my heart
  Never more will I be all alone since He
  Promised me that we never would part

I just don't get it. I know that not every song needs to be steeped in theological gems, but these are just beyond me. I don't get them. And who thinks everything is going to be perfect once you become a Christian? And yet, my kids ask to sing them all of the time at preschool...

Afternoon wedding in California in late March.

Goodness, one of my worst nightmares is figuring out what to wear to weddings. I hate trying to find a dress, and I debate forever with myself about what is appropriate. Especially when it comes to dh and his family. I feel like they all are perfect and I'm not. Or, at the absolute least, I'm the only one who shows I'm not perfect.

Ok, so dh's brother is getting married in California. It's an afternoon wedding. It'll be late March. The bridesmaids are wearing this dress (shown below) in black. It's black, but it's short.
Dh will be a groomsman. What should I wear?

I'm ever the Dutch girl, and was looking through other JCrew dresses, namely from the sale sections... Any opinions about this one? It comes in black or brown in my size.
Or should I just go with something fun and colorful?

Someone, please answer me! Where do you go to get your special occasion dresses? Or should I just visit a therapist and not worry about it so much?

You had me at... the Thadmiral

I was planning not to watch the State of the Union (either with or without the game) but as I was sitting and eating my fabulous German Apple Pancake (orignially from my blogging soulmate, Swiss Ms.). I decided to turn on the tv and venture away from "Make Me a Supermodel." And who popped onto my screen, but Adm. Thad Allen, the Commandant of the Coast Guard. I knew I couldn't change the channel with the Thadmiral on the screen. After all, he did pose for a picture with me at GWU's graduation. He and the retired James M. Loy (how could I not after the Curse of Semper Paratus speech?) are my Coastie Heroes. And Adm. Allen has been a great Commandant who has had to deal with a ton of sticky issues and has come through amazingly.

I tuned in at the perfect time. Just the right amount of little sneaky, giddy, silly grins by the President. And just in time for the bit about "supporting military spouses" and something about helping them find jobs... I wish that I could have been there for the parts about international issues, but I think I'd rather read it.

Any comments on the SotU?

By the winding Wabash River... and the State of the Union

I loved going to Huntington College. I met the best friends ever, learned a lot, grew a ton, and had a great time. Being a United Brethren (which I am not) school, they had all students sign a "lifestyle contract" saying we wouldn't smoke, drink, fornicate, chew, or go with guys who do. Just kidding. We did sign a statement that we wouldn't do most of those things, but it really wasn't an issue for me.

Going for my grad degree at GWU was a different story. We had wine and cheese mixers, and it seemed that at every "networking" event, alcohol was a major player. It was at GW that I first found out about the State of the Union Address Drinking Game. As strange as it sounds, who cares about the State of the Union quite like those students studying in DC? I have never used the game, nor plan to do so, but I always found it interesting...

Surf's Up!

Good news - we went to a church we might like today. Again, we judged it based upon the music, the sermon, and not knowing more than 2 people there. I guess we know one, DH's friend from school who recommended it to us... but it still feels like we're judging something so big on so little knowledge. We'll try again next week and see how it goes :) Woohoo!

Also, does anyone have any ideas about cabins in the Gatlinburg area? We're thinking about going to the Smoky Mountains for Spring Break. Anyone want to join us? (We'll also check out the Armed Forces Vacation Club too). We'd love any advice about that area and what to do there.

Dh and I watched Surf's Up last night. Dude, that was so funny, but I'm not sure it was that funny for people who don't know surfing. There were tons of jokes I wouldn't have understood BD (Before dh). I love netflix - it keeps me busy while DH is studying and I catch up on all kinds of things. Anyone seen any good movies lately? I'll add them to my queue.

I'm super-excited about an opportunity that has come up. We're not sure if it will work out, so I'm not going to post too much about it yet... but if it works out, I'll be one super happy sheila!!

HWotD:
Hale - house, building
"hah-ley"

Porridge?

Because it's A. Norris here (all you HC people should get that joke - get it A Norris "Freezin"?), I decided to take a break from my lovely quilted Christmas tree skirt and make something I learned how to make in 7th grade Home Economics (thanks Mrs. Stanislaw!). I made a heating pad/pouch/bag/thing. Basically, you take a piece of fabric, fold it in half, sew three sides of it, pour rice inside, and heat it in the microwave. I currently think it's one of the best things I've ever made, particularly because it was in single digit temperatures here last night. It gets cold, this keeps me warm.

The first night I made it, I took it to bed, and DH was appalled by the smell. He couldn't figure out what it smelled like, and then said, "It smells like the stuff you eat for breakfast." I eat oatmeal for breakfast (warm oatmeal because it's a cold winter), and I suppose you could call it porridge. (Visions of the Three Bears and Goldilocks as well as Oliver Twist are what appear when I think of the word porridge. "Please sir, may I have some more?")

Anyway, for the last few nights, I've put what is now deemed "porridge" into the microwave for 3 minutes while I do my nightly ablutions. After it's done, I tuck it down into bed by my feet and occasionally feel dh's feet cozy up next to its warmth. I do wish I could do something about the smell though. It does smell like rice!!

Here's "porridge"


This is the quilted Christmas tree skirt I'm making (still making, and it's almost February. Gee, I'm early for next year...).


It's in the "ulu" pattern - breadfruit! There are 4 sets that look like this in a ring around the skirt. I think it looks like reindeer too.
And here's a new hula that I'm learning.