Saturday, December 29, 2012

Les Miserables: the Movie

If I knew how to do photoshop-y things, I would make a picture that has the classic Les Mis Cosette on it, wearing hipster glasses.  And it would say: I heard the people sing before it was cool...  But.  I don't know how to do that, so you have to use your imagination.  Unless Carl knows how to make one.

I have loved Les Miserables since I was in 7th grade... which was basically 17 years ago...  And by loved, I mean have been kind of obsessed.  It is with a mix of pride and embarrassment I share these facts:

1.  My first email address was Eponine83@aol.com.
2.  I once dressed up as Eponine for Halloween (yes, I had to explain to EVERYONE who I was... no one guessed, can you believe that?)
3.  I made my mother wait outside a theater so that I could meet Colm Wilkinson (who is the original and definitive Jean Val Jean).  And I am still a little crushed that he didn't come out.
4.  Yes.  I was that girl who wore her Les Mis t-shirt a little too often in 8th grade.

My obsession has gotten a little more under control as I've gotten older...  But.  It started to come back a bit, once things began heating up for the movie.

My husband & I (along with our families, and my buddy Mere) went to see it opening night.  I know you are all dying to hear my thoughts and impressions of the movie; don't worry!  I am about to oblige :-)

First, let's talk acting.  When I heard the cast ahead of time, I was pretty thrilled; it seemed like they nailed many of the parts.  And for the most part, the cast did not disappoint!!

1.  Hugh Jackman.  Basically seemed to be born to play the part of Jean Val Jean; I had really high expectations.  I thought he looked and acted the part super-duper really well!! ... But, honestly, I was a little disappointed in his singing.  Again, this probably has something to do with the fact that he wasn't Colm Wilkinson.  To me, no one can compare to his Jean Val Jean.

2.  Speaking of Colm Wilkinson...  One of my favorite things about the movie is that they got him to play the Bishop.  PERFECTION.  I was so excited when I heard that he was doing it, and I completely geeked out during that part of the movie.  Uh.  I clapped.  In a packed movie theater.  All by myself.  Want to see him playing JVJ?  Check out the 10th Anniversary Concert!

3.  Anne Hathaway as Fantine...  MAN ALIVE!!!  I loved her.  Loved her.  Even non-Les Mis fans can't deny that she gave a great performance   She totally deserves her Golden Globe nomination.  Here's hoping for an Oscar!!  My favorite Fantine ever!

4.  Ooooooh Russel Crowe...  So.  I was not thrilled by this pick for Javert.  And when I saw some clips, I became even less thrilled.  My poor husband had to hear me lament (several times) that Russel Crowe was going to ruin the movie...  I won't say that he was great, or that he did the part justice.  But he wasn't as bad as I thought he would be.

5.  Jean Val Jean is my favorite character, but Eponine runs a close second.  Samantha Barks was terrific.  It helped that she played her on stage (and in the 25th anniversary concert!).  She had the voice and I loved her!

6.  Eddie Redmayne has maybe made me change my mind about one of my least favorite characters- Marius.  I'm not sure why I haven't like him that much in the past, but I loved him in the movie.  Usually, Empty Chairs & Empty Tables is at the bottom of my "favorite parts" list (usually my butt has gotten pretty numb by the time it rolls around).  But it was one of the BEST parts of the movie!!

7.  The rest of the cast was fine.  Nothing super awesome, nothing super bad :-)

... Moving on...

Admittedly, I have not seen Les Miserables on stage since they re-did it.  I can only compare the movie with the turn-table, folding baracade, version...  In May I get to see the re-staged version!!!...  But, for now, my reference is the old one ;-)

There were quite a few differences.  Ahead of time, I thought I would be upset if they made a lot of changes, but in the end?  I thought they really worked.  Some stuff was in a different order, they took out some dialog/parts of songs, some plot stuff...  But.  I think they were good changes.

I thought doing I Dreamed a Dream after Lovely Ladies really added some emotion behind the song.  It wasn't just about a girl with a broken heart any more.

I loved the way they did Do You Hear the People Sing at General Lemarc's funeral.  So powerful!!

I also loved the way the finale came together.  That is one of the best parts of the show, and I thought they hit the nail on the head!  Not to mention I was thrilled that they included Colm again!!

I was glad they didn't do the full songs for Dog Eats the Dog or Turning (though I wonder if those are cut short in the new stage show too).

I think the movie did a better job than the stage show does of showing how abandoned the student rebels are.  On stage, I never really got how they were sure the people of Paris would rise up with them, and how very wrong they were.

Also.  I was excited how they made Enjolras' death reminiscent of the way it looks on stage.  Hanging upside-down, with the red flag.  That is one of the most striking parts of the show & it was neat to see how they nodded to that.

Some things I didn't totally love:

I was disappointed by One Day More...  There is just no good way to show that on screen.  It is so much cooler when basically the full cast can be on stage at one time for that song.  It lost some of its power without that.

There are several... unsavory... parts in the show.  And I was a little concerned about how graphic they would make the movie.  For the most part?  I thought they did it fairly tastefully...  There is just one part.  With Santa.  If you saw the movie, you know what I mean.  It just didn't add anything to the movie at all.  I think they only put it in their because it was a Christmas release.  Not a fan.

As much as I loved the finale, I was a little sad they didn't include Eponine's spirit with Fantines.  I get why they did it.  And most people probably would think Eponine didn't fit there very well...  But.  I love that she is included in the show.  I missed how Fantine & Eponine harmonize there.

For me, the verdict is still out on the new song Suddenly.  I just don't know it like the rest of the movie.  I am sure it will grow on me.  It certainly helped develop the relationship between Val Jean and Cosette :-)

Overall??  It was great.  I wanted to stay for the next showing, but it wasn't until 10:30 and my husband had to drive us back to Virginia the next day...  Hopefully we'll see it again in the next few days.  I might have more impressions! ;-)

One of the greatest things about the movie???  I got to see it with a whole bunch of loved ones.  My mom & Carl, my dad, Brian's parents & sister Amy, and my best friend all saw it with us.  And.  I know some of them saw it, just because it means so much to me (not because they are Les Mis fans).  It was so special to have them there, and be able to share it with them.

Can't wait to go see the show in Rochester in May.  My mom & I are going, and she is my favorite Les Mis buddy.  We're gonna have such a great time!!

So.  Did you make all the way through this post??  If you did, you 25 brownie points.  Once you reach 500 brownie points, I might actually make you brownies.  So, you are well on your way to some delicious treats.

Also.  If you made it through this post, you might also be a Les Mis fan...  If you saw the movie, let me know what you thought!!


Thursday, December 27, 2012

Red Wine.

I am not a drinker.  I don't have anything against it, or people who do it responsibly.  It's just not something I've ever been into.

But, since I've started cooking more, I've found a lot of recipes call for some kind of alcohol in them.  I know wine and other adult beverages can add a lot of great flavor to things, and decided that I was ready to jump in to cooking with them.

Today when I was meal planning, a recipe I wanted to use called for red wine, so I added it to my grocery list without thinking much of it.  This would be easy, right???

So, I got to the store and when I hit the wine section.

Do you know how many kinds of wine there are!?!?

So, feeling completely overwhelmed, I did the only thing I knew to do...  I called my daddy.

Honestly.  My dad is the best cook I know, so I knew he would be able to help.  And after a 10 minute over-phone wine lesson, I had one picked out.

Then I get to the checkout and buy all my groceries.

It isn't until the drive home that I realize the clerk did not card me.

First, I wondered if somehow the wine never made it to the checkout.  But then I got home and it was right there.

Then I wondered...  Am I so old that she felt carding me was unnecessary!?  I have been noticing more grey hair.  And I have this stupid pesky wrinkle on my forehead.  And I am turning 30 this coming year...  AM I OLD!?!?

In my panic, I (again) did the only thing I knew to do...  I texted my best friend.  I explained the situation, and asked the very dangerous question am I so old that I don't need to be carded?

She responded that I am not old.  That the store was irresponsible.  She is the best of best friends.

I felt very very relieved.

And then I felt guilty because I was more glad about not being old, than I was concerned about a local grocery store potentially selling to underage kids.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

King Tut & Other Disappointments.

When I was younger my family and I were in Chicago, and we went to the Field Museum.  It is a really neat place to visit, and I highly recommend it.  But...

We went to see their King Tut exhibit.  It was a really extensive exhibition- there was a lot of Egyptian history, and ancient Egyptian artifacts; you even got to walk through a replica of a tomb!!  It all seemed to be building to the grand finale... King Tut's famous sarcophagus !  

And then.

We got to the end of the exhibit.

And.

There was no King Tut.

It was called the King Tut exhibit.  They used images of the sarcophagus for all the promotional stuff; the brochure, great big signs on the outside of the museum.  Everything pointed to the fact that King Tut would be there.

I was super disappointed when we got to the end, and found out he was still in Egypt.  

**********************

One of my favorite shows is the Office (the first few seasons, anyway).  In one episode Michael gets gum in his hair... here is his explanation:

I was walking in and I saw something shiny under Stanley's car.  And I got under Stanley's car.  I got under to see what it was, and I messed up my hair.  All for a stupid piece of tinfoil.


**********************

This world promises us shiny, exciting things.  King Tuts and surprises under cars.

And this world is full of disappointments.  No King Tuts and stupid pieces of tinfoil.

Maybe you are feeling disappointed today...

... You were promised a sparkling career, and you find yourself in a dead-end job.

... You were promised that she would love you forever, and now you are alone.

... You expected someone to come home for the holidays, but they've changed their plans.  


**********************



In a world full of let-downs, there is one thing that will never disappoint us... 
Romans 5:5 tells us that 

hope does not disappoint.



**************************

I am not saying that we will never feel disappointed by God.

Anyone who has spent time praying for a sick loved-one, only to have them pass away, knows what it feels like to be disappointed by God.

Anyone who has prayed for an unbelieving family member, only to be rebuffed by them again, knows what it feels like to be disappointed by God.

**************************


But, rather, the hope we have of eternal life will not disappoint.

When we face disappointments in this world, we can know this is not the end.

We will not be disappointed.  

This hope that we cling to, will not let us down.

We will not be disappointed.  

When we reach the end of this life, and make our way into eternity?

We will not be disappointed.  

Monday, December 17, 2012

Bake These Cookies.

So.  Here's a secret:

I don't have a huge sweet tooth.  As I've gotten older, fewer and fewer sweets have been appealing to me.

Want to know an even bigger secret?

Included in that is chocolate...  I like chocolate (or at least tolerate) it in small doses.  Like a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup?  The peanut butter out-weighs the chocolate, and those aren't too bad...  But I just don't like M&Ms.  Or Hershey Kisses.  Or brownies.

Sorry.

I hope we can still be friends.

With that said, there is one thing that I crave pretty consistently  cookies. Chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal, sugar, or my favorites: snickerdoodles.  I love cookies.  So, since moving to Virginia, I've made about a batch a week for my husband and I...  Is that a lot of cookies??  Don't answer that...  We have shared some with guys on the boat.

This weekend I decided I needed to take a break from eating cookies, but I still wanted to make some for the Mighty Monty crew.  I picked a recipe for some extra chocolaty, brownie-like cookies, that I knew I wouldn't like...  Apparently they were a hit.  And I think you should bake some for someone you love:

I found the recipe on Pinterest (again).  It is by Martha Stewart (who I kinda like... again, I hope we are still friends), and you can see the original here.

... Also...  I didn't get any pictures.  Next time kids.

You need:
8 oz of semisweet chocolate...  Honestly, I estimated using a 12 oz bag of morsels.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter... I wouldn't substitute salted for these.
2/3 cup AP flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 tsp salt, plus a pinch... the original recipe called for 1/2, but my cookies ended up just a touch too salty.
2 large eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate! ... the recipe calls for 12 oz of semisweet chunks.  But I ended up using the rest of my bag of morsels, the remainders of a bag of mini chips, and a 60% cocoa fair trade chocolate bar.  The variety of chocolate was really fun for texture in the cookie.  I'd do a mix again.  Use what you've got!

1.  In a bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

2.  In another bowl (or your stand mixer) beat together your brown sugar, eggs & vanilla.  Beat it until it gets light & slightly fluffy...  It won't be as fluffy as it would if you had fat in there like butter or shortening...  It'll take a couple minutes.

3.  In yet another bowl, melt your 8 oz of chocolate & the butter.  Either in a double boiler, or in 20 second increments in the microwave.  Stop just before the chocolate completely melts; you don't want to scorch it!  Stir until smooth.

4.  Beat your melted chocolate into your sugar/egg/vanilla mix.  Don't over-do it, but you want them to be totally mixed.

5.  Add your dry ingredients, and mix on low until just combined.

6.  Stir in your other chocolate

7.  Now...  you could bake these right away.  But you'll find your dough is more like a batter, and you will get really flat (but still delicious) cookies.  Or you can wait 15ish minutes for the melted chocolate in it to cool, and you'll get a more truffle-like dough and less-flat cookies!!

8.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 12 minutes.  I rotated half way through, because my oven isn't very even.

9.  Let cool about 10 minutes on the cookie sheet before moving to a wire rack.

10.  Eat some very chocolaty & chewy cookies!!  You probably should have a big glass of milk handy!




Saturday, December 15, 2012

Christian Colleges


I saw this picture on postsecret.com tonight.  Its making me think about my Christian college experience.  Would Jesus have gone to my school??  I just don't know.

And moreover.  If Jesus did go to my school, why would He haven chosen it, and where would He have fit?

What do you guys think??  Would Jesus go to your Christian college?

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Wild Rice Casserole

Last Saturday my husband was on duty, which meant he was stuck on the boat for dinner.  Rather than spend the evening apart, I went and joined him on the Montpelier for a couple of hours!  It was my first time spending a significant amount of time on board.

I found a delicious looking wild rice casserole that I was waiting to try.  Brian's mom makes the best wild rice soup, and this looked like it would have some similar flavors.  Bringing my husband dinner at work for the first time seemed like a good time to test this recipe!

I found it via Pintrest, by picky-palate.com; you can view the original recipe here :-)

You need:
-3ish carrots- diced
-3ish stalks celery- diced
-some chopped onion... I used less than the original recipe calls for... maybe about a quarter cup?
-3 cloves minced garlic
-2 or 3 chicken breasts ... cooked & shredded.  This would maybe also be good with thighs.   
-cooked wild rice (I used a combo of wild rice & brown rice)
-couple tablespoons olive oil
-2 cups of cheddar cheese
-2 cups chicken broth
-half a stick of butter (4 tablespoons)
-1/4 cup flour

1.  Cook your chicken & rice...  I poached my chicken in some broth, butter, parsley & cracked black pepper.  

2.  Heat the oil in a skillet, and add celery, onion & carrots...  Cook for about 10 minutes.  Stirring pretty constantly, until tender.  I like mine a little more crisp, so you might want to cook yours a little longer if you like mushy. 


3.  Add the garlic, and stir another minute or so.

4.  Take off heat, and add chicken & rice.

5.  In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour and WHISK WHISK WHISK!!  Once you've got your roux on, add salt & pepper.  Then start slowly whisking in your broth.  Whisk the whole time.  I am not kidding.  



6.  Keep whisking, and let your sauce thicken & reduce slightly.  Then add most of your cheese.  Keep up the whisking.  Your arm is pretty tired now, huh??

7.  Add your sauce to the chicken/rice/veggie mix.  It is gonna look AWESOME!


8.  I am sure you could eat this as is.  But do you want to make it even better??  Spread this into a 9x13 baking dish, and sprinkle it with the rest of your cheese.  Bake it in a pre-heated, 350 degree oven, for 25 to 30 minutes.  Or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbly.


9.  EAT!! ...  This was really tasty!  It made A LOT, but the leftovers are great too!!  Though, for just Brian & I, I think I am going to try to cut this recipe in half...  Or.  Does anyone know if something like this would freeze well??  

Saturday, December 8, 2012

The Giver

I don't remember what year in school I read the book The Giver; I think it was either very late elementary or maybe Junior High?  But, since then, it has become one of my favorite books.

In general, I am a fan of that style of story- young adults, living in some sort of dystopian world.  I've read quite a number of books that fit into that genre, but The Giver is probably my favorite.

It's the story of a boy, Jonas, who lives in what appears to be an ideal world.  There is peace, everyone's needs are met.  All seems well...  But as you read, you start to learn that in order to achieve this world, its people have given up so much; color, feelings, memories of the past...  Jonas is selected to become the Receiver of Memories, and the Giver shows him all his world has left behind.

I've found people either loved this book, or hated it.

As I was talking with a friend a few months ago, the Giver came up; she liked it too!  She asked me if I'd read any of the follow-up books the author, Lois Lowry, had written.  I didn't even know there were other books that went along with it!!

I went to the bookstore, and sure enough!  There were 2 more books- Gathering Blue & Messenger!!

AND THEN!

As I was heading for the check-out I noticed an end cap, featuring a brand-new 4th book that concludes the series!!  It's called Son!

I've since finished up all the books.  The Giver is still my favorite, but the other 3 are great too!!!

Anyone else enjoy this book??

What books from school have become favorites of yours???

Friday, December 7, 2012

Back Home

So, my husband and I are both FINALLY back in our apartment in Virginia!  It was a seriously crazy couple months, with Brian's boat being unexpectedly stuck in Georgia.  It was starting to feel like we would never get here, but after 7 long weeks we are both starting to settle back into "normal" life :-)

I've been mostly keeping busy...

1.  I've had some cooking success & some less-than-success:

One of the first nights Brian was home we had a fancy steak dinner.  I haven't made a lot of steak, and my prior experiences haven't been great.  But I found a method that involves searing it first on the stove top, and then finishing it in the oven.  According to the website, this is how restaurants often cook steaks.  I've got to say, it was pretty darn good...  I'll share the step-by-step next time I make it & can take some pictures. 

I found a chicken recipe that involved breading the breasts with Ritz crackers & cheddar cheese...  The picture looked really good...  But the execution left something to be desired.  The breading didn't stick very well, so I sprinkled it on top.  While baking, it got soggy.  And then when I took the chicken out of the pan, the topping fell off...  So, we were basically left with unseasoned baked chicken breasts.  Not delicious.  

Chewy chocolate chip oatmeal cookies = heavenly.  Again, I will be making these again, and will post the recipe once I have some pics.  

2.  I've also been doing a lot of laundry.  Brian brought home a ton of stuff- clothes, towels, bedding, etc...  And it all smells like submarine.  They use something to treat the air on the boat (because they keep circulating the same stuff for weeks on end) and the smell of that is very unique.  It is kind of like an airplane smell, mixed with machinery, and something else stale.  It honestly isn't a horrible smell, but it isn't spring-time fresh either.  And it is hard to get out.  I've been washing --> drying --> rewashing --> redrying --> spraying with Febreeze. This seems excessive, plus it doesn't get the smell completely out.

Anyone have any tips on getting stuck-smells out of fabrics?

3.  Looking forward to a couple things this weekend:

Tonight Brian & I are shopping for Christmas decorations!!  We are for sure getting a tree & lights.  And then whatever else we decide would be good.  I can't wait to put on the Christmas music, and decorate with my husband!!!

Tomorrow night I am going to the boat to have dinner with Brian while he is on duty...  I pretty recently got decals for my car, so that I can drive down to his pier.  So, now when he's working over the weekend, we'll be able to have a meal together...  I'm also trying to decide what to bake for the crew.  I am thinking probably some sort of cookie??

That's about it for now!!  Sending everyone lots of love from VA Beach!!!

Friday, November 30, 2012

All Over the Place: Episode II

This is part two of my recent adventures; click if you missed part one.

Wednesday: So, after I got my mom to the airport I was off for Georgia.  It is a slightly shorter drive to Kings Bay from VA Beach, than it is to VA Beach from Rochester.  So the distance wasn't too bad, and it was a lot of new road for me :-) ...  I was also happy to see the temperature gradually climb the further south I got!!

I drove straight to the Naval Base, and was reunited with my husband shortly thereafter.  There are few feelings better than seeing your beloved after being apart for 2 weeks.

Thursday was Thanksgiving.  After a crazy full couple of days at the start of the week, it was nice to just relax with Brian.  We watched Macy's parade, and looked for our friend Melissa who was tethered to Papa Smurf- we didn't see her, but we did see her balloon!

For dinner we went to a restaurant on the river in Jacksonville- the Chart House.  It was very nice, and we had our first experience with valet parking!  They had a pretty diverse menu, but Brian and I both opted for their traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  We had turkey, corn bread stuffing, roasted brussel sprouts (dad you will be glad to hear that), I had mashed potatoes and Brian had a baked sweet potato.  And we shared pieces of pumpkin & peacan pie for dessert!  ...  Everything was delicious; we were only sad to not have leftovers!

(Incidentally, we are thinking of cooking our own turkey dinner sometime soon!)

One of the best parts of the weekend was that Brian had Thursday, Friday & Saturday off!  After a restful day Thursday, we were ready for some adventures!!

We drove to Orlando on Friday (I had never been!)...  We've talked about going to Disney sometimes, but we want to wait until we have more time to spend there.  So, Brian suggested Sea World!!  It was so much fun!  I was very excited to see Shamu, but as it turned out we both enjoyed the Dolphin Show much more!

I am also an amusement park rides kind of girl.  Point me at a thrill ride, and I'm game.  Sea World has 2 roller coasters; the Manta & the Kraken...  The Kraken was good.  But the Manta?  I am not a fan.  For the first time I walked away from a ride and said "I am not doing that again!" ...  You start out sitting down, but before the car leaves the house, you tilt forward.  So you are face down for the whole ride.  I spent the entire time thinking "what if my shoulder harness gives out!?  I am going to plummet to my death."

Other than the most-scary roller coaster ever, it was a great day!  Great weather, the park wasn't too crowded, and I got to hold my bf's hand all day!!

Saturday we drove east to go to Kennedy Space Center.  Brian wondered if maybe I would not be as interested in this attraction as he was, but we both really enjoyed our time there!  I am maybe not as into the mechanics of space travel as my husband, but I think the history is really neat!

Some great things about/at KSC:
1.  Members of the active military get free admission, and their dependents get a reduced price!
2.  It is a HUGE facility, but they take you around to some of the places by bus.
3.  It is not only a museum, but it is also a working Space Center- which is awesome!!
4.  There are a lot of hands-on activities- we got to touch a moon rock!!!

We drove back to Georgia on Saturday night, and Brian was back to work on Sunday.  And a couple days later, I was driving back to Virginia.  Soon I'll write an update on life here :-)

Want to see pictures from our adventures?  Check out my facebook album (this includes older pictures you may have already seen if you've read this blog before).

Love to all!!!




Sunday, November 25, 2012

All Over the Place: Episode 1

It has been a pretty crazy week; here's a re-cap (in 2 parts):

My mom & Carl were going to come down to Virginia to spend Thanksgiving with Brian & me.  But, the Navy's plans changed, and my husband wasn't going to make it home in time...  So, I re-arranged some things :-)

A week ago today (Sunday), was my last day in Rochester.  I enjoyed church, and got to see many of the people I love dearly.  I came home and hung out around the house, and finished up my packing.  Around 8 pm that night, inspiration struck: since my parents canceled their plans to come to Virginia, I thought that maybe my mom would want to drive down to VA Beach with me to spend a day, and then I would put her on a plane home.  It didn't take much to convince her that this was a good plan.

Monday mom & I drove down to Virginia Beach.  We stopped at a couple places on our way:

- Messiah College, where Brian (and his sister Laura) went to school.  It is right on the way, so it was easy to swing by so she could take a look.  She thought the covered bridge was neat.  She didn't find the pedestrian bridge (that sways as you walk across) quite as cool.

- Gettysburg.  I'd visited with the Dahl's a few years ago, but my mom had never been.  We didn't spend nearly as much time as most tourists, but she did get to walk on a battlefield (Cemetery Hill).

-Steak 'N Shake.  This was my favorite restaurant as a kid, and since we don't have them in Rochester, visits there had been few & far between.  It had probably been 20 years since my mom & I were at a Steak 'N Shake together!

... also... I thought about stopping at Reptile Land on Route 15.  Does anyone else know what I'm talking about??  Anyone ever actually visited?  Every time I pass it, I say I will stop, and never do ;-)

Due to all our stops, when we reached Brian's & my apartment, it was getting late & we were both tired.  It was pretty much straight to bed for both of us!

The next day (Tuesday) I took care of some business things (we hadn't checked our mail in about a month, ugh!) and then mom & I drove over to the Naval Base.  I needed to get security decals for my car, so that was our first stop.  Once I got those, I could drive all over the base, and give her a tour.  The USS Helena (another sub in Brian's fleet) offered us a tour of their sub, but we declined ;-)  ...  I think her favorite stop was to the NEX (which is short for Navy Exchange), and is essentially a huge department store (with low prices & no sales tax!!).

Then we stopped for lunch, and headed to Virginia Beach front.  It was an ok day out; no rain, but it was overcast and windy.  We walked on the beach, and then went into some stores on the boardwalk, and then went back to the beach, back to the boardwalk, etc...

BTW- for anyone who has been to Virginia Beach, hurricane Sandy really did a number on the ocean front.  The beach itself has shrunk at least 50%, and the news is reporting that they will need to truck in 12 million dollars worth of sand to have it ready for Memorial Day next summer.

After the beach, we did a little shopping and then hit the Chick-Fil-A drive-tru.  This was mom's first CFA experience- she says she liked it!!

Then early Wednesday morning we finished loading up the car, and I drove mom to the airport in Norfolk.  It was really nice having her come down with me; hopefully next time she'll be able to spend more time in Virginia!!

Once she was off, I started the second leg of my trip and drove back down to Kings Bay Georgia...  Stay tuned for recap of the second part of my trip soon!!

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Pre-Thanksgiving.

So, I am getting pretty psyched for Thanksgiving!  It seems like my husband will be back in Virginia just in the nick of time, so we'll be able to spend our first Thanksgiving together as husband & wife- something I am truly thankful for!!!

My mom & Carl are coming down to celebrate with us for a couple days.  They haven't seen where we're living yet, and my mom loves the ocean, so it should be a great visit!!  We are excited to have them!

I am half excited, half nervous about Thanksgiving dinner.  This will be the first time I've ever cooked a holiday meal myself...  We are doing a typical Turkey-Day meal; the bird, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, rolls, pie.  The only thing that I am not worried about is the cranberry sauce.  Carl insists on the canned jelly kind!

Does anyone have any tips for me?   Or any good Thanksgiving cooking stories??

Monday, November 5, 2012

Kings Bay Adventures

Hey there :-)

So, I am back in Rochester after spending some time with my husband, who has been in Georgia for several weeks.  Here are some of my experiences from the week:

1.  From Saturday until Thursday, Brian & I were staying in some base housing.  For the first time I got to experience a taste of what it's like to live on a naval base...  Some of it was great, and some of it was frustrating.

  • I felt super cool & official whenever I drove onto the base.  I handed them my id card, and they said "have a nice day Mrs Dahl," and let me in!!
  • There are several different gates to get onto base, and they all have different hours.  It is complicated trying to get back onto base, and having to figure out which road I needed to take.
  • Kings Bay is in the middle of nowhere, so if I wanted to get off-base for awhile, it was quite a drive to get to civilian-civilization.
  • The base itself is pretty; lots of places to walk around.  

I started watching the show Army Wives on Netflix.  It follows 4 wives (and one husband) who are married to military men (and woman) and are living on an army post.  It was neat to start watching that, and then to see the reality of some of that as I was on base...  One of the themes in the show is how people on a base come together & care for one another:

On my first day on base, I went to pick up some groceries.  I got lost, and found out the commissary was closed, and finally found a mini-mart on base.  I had been traveling all day, was in unfamiliar territory, and my husband was on duty until the following morning.  All those things combined, made me a little emotional...  They Navy wife who rang me out commented that I looked new, and asked me how I was doing.  And I maybe emotionally threw up all over her, and she was kind and compassionate.

Living off-base in Virginia has plenty of advantages.  But, I think in some ways, I miss out on some of the connection that people have when they are on base together.        

2.  It was AWESOME spending time with my husband.  I really miss him, and I LOVED every second we had together.  We spent our evenings eating out (we had a kitchenette with fridge & microwave, but no way to cook a proper dinner), and hanging out.

On Saturday we drove to Jacksonville to have some adventures in Florida!!  We spent a lot of time at the zoo, and then went to the beach for awhile; 2 things I really love to do!!!

3.  The weather at the beginning of the week was not great; it was actually warmer in Rochester than it was in Jacksonville the first couple days!  But by the end of the week, things got much better.  Wednesday I went outside to read, and walked around the base.  Thursday & Friday we had to move to a hotel off base (the room we were in on base had previously been reserved for the weekend), and I sat by the pool and dunked my feet!  And then  Saturday was beautiful, sunny and 85 degrees, and we got to wade in the ocean!!

I decided I would probably enjoy living in Southern Georgia or Northern Florida :-)

... And then Sunday I flew back into Buffalo.  And it snowed on my drive back to Hilton.

Want to see pics from my time down there?  Check out my facebook album.

Hopefully I'll be back in Virginia with my husband soon; the date is still a little unknown!

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Love Songs; Part 2

So, if you haven't already checked out part one, go ahead and scroll down (or click this link).

I think most Christians would agree that it is bad to worship anything other than God...  And I may (or may not have) convinced you that when we sing love songs to our bf/gf, we are worshiping them rather than the one who truly deserves our worship.

However, here is why I don't think it is 100% wrong to have love songs about being devoted to another person:

I know very little about marriage, and despite being a Christian for a long time, I know even less about God.  How great is God; beyond our understanding.

But.  Having said that: I will readily admit that my marriage has helped me understand God better.  And knowing God has helped me to understand what it means to be married.

When I see the way my husband loves & cares for me, I can't help but see a little more clearly how God loves & cares for the church.  Just as God is loving, patient, and kind to His people, so my husband is with me.  And just as Christ sacrificed for His church, so my husband works and is diligent and sacrifices for me.

And I hope and pray that just as I yearn to be faithful and honoring to God- that I would also always yearn to be faithful and honor my husband.

Comparing marriage to our relationship with God isn't something I invented.  God Himself uses this example!  We see all over Scripture that Christ is our Bridegroom, and the church His Bride.  We see a God who turns into a jealous husband when His wife betrays Him.  We see a beautiful marriage celebration between us & Jesus Christ.  Heck, the book Song of Solomon is a beautiful love story between and man & his wife- meant, in part, to reflect our relationship with God!

So.  It really shouldn't be too surprising when secular love songs sound like worship music.  And I don't think it's wrong, in the right context, to have a secular song that expresses head-over-heels adoration for another person.

(here is where I would like to mention that I don't include profane or degrading songs that are on the radio...  I don't believe those honor God, or the marriage relationship).

If a worship song sounds kind of like a love song on the radio- so what?  I am the bride of Christ; my Maker is my husband.  And it is totally appropriate to sing a sappy love ballad to God.  It is no less reverent than an old hymn; it is just different.      

Beautiful One
You open my eyes to Your wonders anew
You captured my heart with this love,
because nothing on earth is as beautiful as You.

Beautiful One, I love.
Beautiful One, I adore.

Beautiful One, my soul must sing.  

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Love Songs; Part 1

Over the years, I have occasionally encountered an attitude about Christian music, and I thought I would take some time to share my perspective:

I don't like modern worship music; it sounds too much like the secular stuff they play on the radio.

If you took out God's name from that song, and replaced it with Dave (or whatever name) it would sound just like all the other non-Christian love songs out there.

Christian music nowadays has lost its reverence; it isn't "holy." 

I believe those statements are more a reflection of secular attitudes, than it is a criticism of Christian music.


Let's look at the Christian worship song, "One Thing Remains," by Jesus Culture (which I heart):

Higher than the mountains that I face.
Stronger than the power of the grave.
Constant through the trial & the change.
One thing remains.
You love never fails
it never gives up
it never runs out on me.

Could we flip this song and make it about a guy or girl?  Sure?  We think the love we have for our bf/gf is insurmountable.  Nothing & no one could ever stop it.  My boyfriend's love will never fail me, or give up on me, or run out.  Our love is powerful, even death is no competition for our love...  It's kinda Romeo & Juliet.

Just because we could turn this song into a secular one, doesn't make it less of a worship song.  It just means that sometimes our priorities are a complete mess.

Romeo & Juliet worshiped each other, rather than worshiping God.


Secular songs might be pretty similar to contemporary worship songs.  Not because worship songs lack reverence   But because people singing secular love songs are worshiping their boyfriend/girlfriend.  The love, devotion, and admiration they ought to have for their Creator, is being placed onto the created.

We were designed to worship.  Lets take a look at Colossians 1, and allow me to paraphrase 16-18:

All things were created BY God FOR God, so that in everything HE WOULD BE THE CENTER.

You were created by God, for God, so that He could be your ultimate.  He would be the center of your life. He would be the object of your worship.

But we miss the mark.  So very often.  We worship things that aren't worthy of our devotion-
... money
... power
... pleasure
... status

... we worship other people.

And this is so apparent in secular music.


If you took a secular song, and replaced a guys/girls name with God, you might actually end up with a decent worship tune.


Let's look at the new Justin Bieber song; "As Long as You Love Me" (which, by the way, I also heart):

As long as you love me-
we could be starving,
we could be homeless,
we could be broke.
As long as you love me-
I'll be your platinum
I'll be your silver
I'll be your gold.

So.  Apparently, the Biebs really loves this girl.  It doesn't matter their circumstances, their love is enough.  Now.  Lets tweak it a little-

As long as God loves me-
I could be starving,
I could be homeless,
I could be broke.
As long as God loves me-
He'll be my platinum
He'll be my silver
He'll be my gold.  

I had to change the perspective on the last part.  Because God does not need us to provide for Him...  But I think the message is still clear.  It doesn't matter what my circumstances are- God is enough; He will provide for me.  Hello Matthew 6!!

So.  I think people have it backwards when they say Christian music sounds too much like secular.  I believe the attitude of secular music is too much like worship songs.



Part 2 coming soon; where I maybe revise my opinion just a little ;-)

   

Monday, October 29, 2012

Life Update.

Hello from Kings Bay, Georgia!!

It has been awhile since I've written a post, and I thought I would update everyone on life :-)

So, since I last wrote, Brian's boat went underway (out to sea for a short time) and I came home to Hilton.  I was really sad to leave my husband, but it was also nice to be back.

The Montpelier did not have a very smooth trip out, and subsequently they pulled into Kings Bay to do some unexpected repairs.  And what was supposed to be a 2.5 week underway, has turned into a "we don't quite know when we are coming home" situation.  Sigh.  Life with the Navy is never predictable.

Since we spent our whole time dating & engaged long-distance, being apart for long stretches isn't new for us...  But I know we didn't plan on spending our second month married away from each other.

So, I am down here visiting him for a few days!  He had the day off yesterday, and has his evenings free the next couple days.  It is just so nice to be together!!

It was exciting to fly into Jacksonville; I had never been to Florida before!!  Though I picked up my rental car, and drove right out!  I have now been to 31 states; I would love to do 50 by 50!!!

Yesterday we went to a state park because I wanted to see an alligator, but we couldn't find one ;-)

Praying for everyone in VA & in New York.  Hopefully the hurricane doesn't amount to much.  Though I am kinda hoping my flight home will be canceled and I'll have a few more days with my bf!!

Hey- if you want to see our wedding pics, you can check out my facebook album: Katie & Brian Dahl

Not too much else going on.  I am looking online for new sneakers.

Hopefully will have more adventures to post soon :-)

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Sneezing in the South

Today as I was leaving the grocery store I sneezed.  This is pretty normal; I usually get a sun sneeze when I walk out into the sunlight.  What made this particular sneeze different was that everyone in the parking lot turned and said "God bless you!" ...  No joke.  All 5 of my fellow shoppers said it.

I had 2 thoughts:

1.  I am not an especially delicate sneeze-er.  I am not dainty or cute when I sneeze; I am loud and squeaky.  Once, when I was in High School, I was babysitting, and the kid said "you sneeze like Pikachu," which I think to an 8-year-old boy is a good thing?  But I think most audiences do not necessarily think that highly of my sneezes.

2.  I am living in the South (it's true, I checked!)

My experience has been, the further south you travel, the more polite people are.  When Brian was living in South Carolina the people there were almost sickly-sweet; I was forever being called "hon," and "darlin'."

I know a whole lot of nice people in New York; most people up there are pretty polite.  And I try to be courteous; I say please & thank you.  I call my dad "sir", and women I don't know "ma'am."

But even though I have pretty good manners, I just don't think my politeness is any match for a Southerner.  In the last couple weeks, I have been surprised frequently by how darn polite everyone is; it is kind of disarming actually.

I would say most people here seem genuinely kind and courteous.  But every once in awhile, the politeness has a ring of dishonesty to it...  Like the expression "bless her heart," which I am fairly certain is a nice way of saying someone is completely ridiculous or entirely stupid.  "Did you hear that girl sneeze?  What a racket; bless her heart."

So.  Even if I am not as polite as the rest of the south...  I am just going to be as courteous as any Yankee can be, and I am going to be genuine when I do it ;-)

So.  Those were my thoughts.  Other thoughts/updates:

  • It is kind of weird to think I am living in a state that was part of the Confederacy.  
  • I baked some peanut butter/oatmeal/chocolate chip cookies this morning.  And they are awesome.  If you come over, I will give you some.
  • This weekend Brian & I have a party to go to with the other officers from his boat.  I am 10% excited and 90% nervous.
  • If all goes according to plan, I will be back in Rochester this time next week; Brian will be doing Navy things...  I have such conflicted emotions.  I am going to miss my husband like crazy.  But I am also excited to see all the people I miss.  And also excited to see my cat.  

That's it.  I need to get started writing thank-you notes; I have avoided it for as long as possible :-)  

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Bread Disasters

On several occasions I have tried to make my own bread.  And on several occasions I have failed.

I do fine with cake-y breads, like banana or zucchini; it's yeast breads that I have trouble with.  When my family first got a Kitchen Aid stand mixer I was excited about bread baking; it came with a kneading hook!!!  So I set out to make my first loaf...  All seemed to go according to plan.  Until I went to eat it.  It was dense as a brick.  Sigh.

A short time later I decided to try again.  Same results.  I am pretty sure the Egyptians could have made their pyramids out of the loaves I baked.  

After that, I gave up.  Bread frustrates me.  I am usually a pretty successful baker- I am a great tart maker!  Seriously, I make a mean tart.  Muffins?  No sweat.  Brownies?  No problem...  The exceptions to this are chocolate chip cookies (which is another story) and bread.    

Tonight we are having soup, and what goes better with soup than a nice crusty piece of bread??  I maintain, nothing.  So I decided it was time to try my hand at bread baking again.  I think I was hopeful that when I became a wife, I would magically be able to do all the domestic things that had previously eluded me.

I even found a recipe that claimed to be fool-proof.  You didn't even need to knead it; you just mixed it up and let the dough rise for 12 hours.  So I mixed it yesterday, and baked it this morning.  

It looks pretty.  But I didn't trust it.  So before I served it to my husband, I decided I better check it.  

Sigh.  It is not a success.  It has a nice crisp crust, but the inside?  Not light and fluffy.  Dense & chewy.  

I think the thing that really bothers me is: I followed the directions!!  Every time I've made bread, I've done exactly what the recipe says I should do.  And I get lame results.  

I just think if you follow the rules, you should get what you're promised.  That is how life should work...  And when bread doesn't bake like it is supposed to, it reminds me that this world doesn't always work the way it should...  So, poorly-made bread turns into this metaphysical dilemma in my universe.    

So.  Tonight my husband and I are going to eat chewy bread.  And next time I will buy a loaf.  

Unless anyone has any tips for me???    

Monday, October 1, 2012

Penne with Roasted Asparagus

Have I said how much I love Pintrest??  It makes finding new recipes super easy!  I found one for this Penne with Roasted Asparagus awhile ago, and finally tried it this week:



You can view the original post here; it comes from foodandwine.com.  I followed it fairly closely, but I did adjust the ingredients so that it was better portioned for two and tried to cut the butter way back.  

1/2 pound fresh asparagus
1 T Olive Oil
Sprinkle of Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 pound penne pasta (although bow ties would be great too!)
3 T butter; cut into pieces
1/3 c Parmesan cheese  

1.  Heat the oven to 400.  Trim & discard the ends of asparagus.  Cut the asparagus into 1"-2"pieces, and place on baking sheet.  Coat with olive oil and salt & pepper to taste.  Roast for 10 minutes, until tender; turning once.

2.  Pour balsamic into small sauce pan and reduce FOREVER!  When it reduces to about 2-3 tablespoons, take off heat and add brown sugar & a couple grinds of pepper.

3.  Cook pasta until desired tenderness, drain.

4.  To pasta, add butter, asparagus, cheese & balsamic sauce.  Eat while hot & enjoy!!

I served this alongside baked chicken breasts (which also happen to need a 400 degree oven; about 25 minutes, so I started them first).  Seasoned them with Italian spices, and more parmesan cheese.      


Sunday, September 30, 2012

Church Hunting

One of my least favorite things about moving to Virginia has been looking for a new church to attend.  The one I left at home is great; I had a place, I fit, I knew people.  My church was such a big part of my life, and today I am missing it.

Even though Brian has technically lived in Virginia for about a year and half, he was deployed for a big chunk of time, and has frequently been on duty Sunday mornings.  So, even though he's visited a couple churches on his own, he hasn't found one he has attended regularly.

When I've been down visiting, we've gone to several other churches together.  It is awesome to see how big and diverse is the body of Christ.  A church is a building; The Church is God's people.

But as awesome as it is to experience different congregations, we just haven't found a church that we're going to call our home-away-from-home.

I am ready to be settled in a new congregation.  I grow weary of church hopping:

-Wondering if people will look down on me for wearing jeans.
- Walking in and not knowing anyone.  It seems like every else knows every one else.
- Either being pounced by greeters, or not being greeted at all.
- How do they do communion!?  AM I GOING TO HAVE TO USE A COMMON CUP!?!?
- What are all these songs!?!?  We have sung 7 songs, and I didn't know a single one!  
- Church inside jokes- why is the whole congregation laughing?  Did I miss something?
- Trying to evaluate the teaching, without being an arrogant jerk.

Sigh.  I am super eager to be done with all of that.  There is at least one more church we want to try, and hopefully that'll be it.  If not, maybe we should go back to one of the ones we've liked better, and just stay put there for awhile to get a better feel.

But for today?  Brian is on duty.  And even though it is Sunday, I just can't make myself brave a new church alone.

Thankful that God is in my heart, and I can worship wherever I'm at.  Asking Him to guide Brian & I as we find a new congregation to be part of.  And looking forward to going back to New York in a couple weeks to worship at our home church :-)  

Friday, September 28, 2012

Welcome Home

After a whirlwind wedding week, followed by a great honeymoon with my new husband, I am here in my new home of Virginia Beach.

This week Brian has gone back to work, which has left me on my own during the days (as well as a couple nights).  I am keeping myself busy with:

  • Running errands... mostly to the grocery store.  I miss Wegmans.  A whole lot.  I also spent a morning across town at the Social Security office.  This is about the same level of fun as going to the DMV; you get a number, you sit down, and feel the life being sucked out of you.  But good news- my name is changed with SS & we are one step closer to getting Navy stuff taken care of.
  • Unpacking...  this is my least favorite thing to do.  Right now all I have left is the box of stuff that I don't know where to put.  I am tempted to just stick it in the front closet, but I am going to resist. 
  • Laundry... I love laundry.  I am not even kidding.  There is something so satisfying about taking a big mess of dirty clothes, and turning into a warm pile of folded goodness.  And there is something extra satisfying about getting to do laundry for my husband.
  • Cooking...  something else that I like a whole lot!  I am not a super great cook, but I haven't made anything awful (yet!).  I am still learning how to meal plan, and grocery shop.  And I am on Pintrest all the time looking for new things to try.  I am having fun :-)
Of course, the best part of my day is when my husband comes home from work!  And I am super excited that tomorrow he has the day off!!  We don't know what we're doing yet, but we know we want to have an adventure!!  There is the Neptune Festival at the beach, but the weather may not cooperate.  But whatever we do, it will be awesome to get to spend the day together.  

I am loving marriage & loving life.