My Marketable Mommy Skills

My roommates and I joke with our other roommate, Morgan (who is LDS), that if she wants to find a good Mormon boy to marry, she needs to develop her marketable marriage skills such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, and general wifey attributes. Well, all this last week I have been going through training for my job. I have been learning how to teach to behaviors through effective praise, preventative teaching, and corrective teaching during the day, and at nights I've been learning how to keep my cool while the girls try to push all of my buttons to my breaking point.

My mom always told me as I grew up that when you have a baby, no one teaches you how to be a parent, that there's no manual for mommies. Well, I have discovered the secret to parenting: my job. Usually parents start from the beginning and figure it out as they go. It's slightly unconventional to start with teenagers, but my job is preparing me to be a parent, and a good one at that. I am learning how to deal with tantrums, encourage healthy behaviors, teach to inappropriate behaviors, and be a good role model of what a healthy life looks like. So now I can not only market my marriage skills to potential suitors who come to call, but I can also market these mommy skills I am developing to snag a good Jesus-following boy to marry ;) But hopefully these marketable skills will not evolve into a brochure that will get pulled out along with my baby pictures when my boyfriend comes home. That would be embarrassing. 

Despite working a billion-and-a-half hours these past few weeks because of training, we've also done some pretty fun stuff. Here's some pics of activities that have marketed my mommy skills...

Tonight the whole campus went to the REAL Salt Lake soccer game against the Portland Timbers. It was a tie, but funny to watch the girls get into the game and root for Portland just to rebel against the staff. As far as rebellion goes, I'd gladly take that over anything else any day! 

I've become the official hair-braider in the house. This is what I missed out on not having sisters! Glad I get to be a part of girly bonding now though :)

We take the girls running around the local farms just about every day. This is a sunflower one of the girls found against the backdrop of a blue sky and the Oquirrh Mountains. Beautiful. 

There are a few apple and pear trees in the back yard, so we've been eating really fresh fruit! So delicious! The girls seem to enjoy healthy eating more when they have the experience of picking their food themselves! :)

Friday was the campus service project of picking up trash in random places around Tooele. They were all rewarded with a pizza party and cookie decorating. This is my happy Halloween cookie. It made my tummy happy too. Yummm...

After having a few really hard days in a row of training and working with the girls and working a 17-hour day, I came home to find a bouquet of my favorite flowers by my bed. Thanks Josh for keeping me sane when work is hectic! 

Adventures of the Amateur Culinary Genius

As most of you know, I love my job. I love my girls. Yes, I call them my girls. I love the moments when, despite their emotions and mistakes of the past, they smile and laugh like any other teenage girl. I love the moments when they see their behavior for what it is and realize they need to adjust. I love the moments of accomplishment when pride beams from their soul. I love the other women I work with. And most of all, I love when they feel like being lazy and ask me to cook dinner. 

I, like many of my girls, am beaming with pride this week having realized what I am capable of. And what is that? Cooking. I have always viewed myself as a so-so chef-in-training who can cook a step above buttered noodles, but this week I see myself for what I truly am: an amateur culinary genius.

On Monday I made honey mustard chicken. It was supposed to be a sandwich, but I improvised and made it into a casserole. And it was delicious. But tonight I succeeded in creating the most daunting dinner I have ever attempted: Spicy Asian Orange Chicken, completely from scratch! I thought it was going to be disastrous; the chicken took forever to thaw and the sauce wasn't thickening like it should and the rice cooked too quickly, but it all came together and no one was the wiser of my fears. And it got rave reviews. Just from looking at the recipe I would have never even given it a second glance. But because my job required me to cook that meal tonight, I had no choice. I had to try. It was stressful knowing that if I failed, 9 girls would have starved tonight. But I did it, and I did it well. And I will have delicious leftovers for lunch. Be jealous. 

For those of you looking for a culinary challenge, here's the recipe to try for yourselves (and for those of you who look at this and say, "Daunting? Ha! It's a piece of orange chicken cake!" I say to you, teach me your ways!)

Asian Orange Chicken

Sauce:

5-1/4 cups water

1/3 cup orange juice

3/4 cup lemon juice

1 cup 3 tbsp rice vinegar

1/2 cup soy sauce

3 tbsp grated orange zest

3-1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1-3/4 tsp minced ginger root

1-3/4 tsp minced garlic

1/3 cup chopped scallions

1 tsp crushed red pepper

~

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/4 water

Chicken:

7 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" pieces

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

Pour 5 1/4 cups water, orange juice, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce into saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir in the orange zest, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, scallions, and crushed red pepper. Bring to boil. Remove from heat and cool 10 to 15 minutes. 

**Optional if time allows** Place chicken pieces in a large Ziplock bag with 2 cups of sauce. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Save remaining sauce. 

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in another large Ziplock bag. Toss raw chicken in flour mixture until coated. Place chicken in skillet and brown. Set chicken aside.

Wipe out skillet and add remaining sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Mix cornstarch and 1/4 cup water; stir into sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low, add chicken, and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve over steamed rice with vegetable of choice. 

Manifesto

Manifesto:  n. /ˌmanəˈfestō/ 
                    A declaration of principles, ideas, intentions, ambitions, or actions. 


A manifesto is a powerful thing. One of the most famous is the Communist Manifesto written by German political theorists Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Written in 1848, it presents the Marxists ideas about the nature of society and politics, particularly with class struggles. Today it is considered one of the most powerful political manuscripts. But it started as two individuals voicing what they believed to be true.  


Belief is a powerful thing. It shifts perspectives and perceptions. It powers thoughts and actions. It shapes cultures and nations. What would have happened if Martin Luther King Jr. didn't believe that his infamous dream could ever become reality? What would have happened if the American colonists believed in the monarchy of England? What would have happened if our ancestors really believed the world was flat and believed the coast of Ireland was the end of the world? What if Martin Luther believed that the Bible should only be read in Latin and in mass? What would have happened if the apostles believed Jesus really was dead? Belief is a powerful thing. 


I went to a concert last night to see The City Harmonic, who are known for their song "Manifesto." The lyrics combine the Nicene Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the story of the Bible to declare their beliefs about the world. These are the same beliefs Christians have had throughout history. And it is this belief that has shaped, shifted, and empowered my life. Today, this is my manifesto... 

The City Harmonic performing "Manifesto"

Me, Josh, Jackie, and the band

The Perfect Date

Like Miss Rhode Island from Miss Congeniality, my perfect date is any day that is 68 degrees, because it's not too hot, not too cold, and all you need is a light jacket. Whether this happens April 25 or any other day of the year, I get annoyed when it gets skipped over.

I just checked the weather and was grumbling about the alert at the top of the page. The title read: "SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE WEATHER LATER THIS WEEK..." Never a good sign. The next line: AFTER A PROLONGED PERIOD OF ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES...A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN WEATHER PATTERN IS FORECAST." For those of you who do not speak Meteorologese, let me translate. "It's been hotter than normal. Now it's going to be colder than normal. Oh yeah, and it's going to snow. Enjoy."

But for those of us who like our 68 degree days, we will not enjoy. Oh no. My perfect date will get completely bypassed by 5 degrees. I feel jipped. And what's even worse is that it will span from almost 80 degress today to the 40's by Thursday! SAY WHAT??!? Gross. And the ski bums are happy because they can start skiing this weekend. Even grosser. I was just starting to get mentally prepared to get out my light sweaters and fashion boots, but my down jacket and snow boots? I object. I object very much. I was spoiled last winter living in Portland. I don't want to deal with the snow again. But just you watch; once the first snowflake falls in the valley, I'm sure I'll sing a different tune. I just wasn't ready for that extreme change yet.

So, to take my mind off this and think about pleasanter things, I think I'll watch this movie. And for my first paragraph to make more sense, check out this clip.

My Favorite Places: Roadside Farm Stands

I have many favorite places. One of them I discovered yesterday. Roadside farm stands are amazing! I got a basket of apples and peaches and two ears of corn for 5 dollars. $5!! And they are amazing. So fresh. So delicious. So juicy. And the best part is they were so cheap! How have I never stopped at one before??

One of my favorite parts about being an adult is that I can eat whatever I want for dinner. So tonight I decided to eat freshly harvested corn on the cob and peaches. Best. Dinner. Ever.

I don't have a grill, but I discovered the magical secret to cooking magnificent corn in the microwave. It was the best piece of corn I have ever had. And I would love to share my secret with you.



Magical Microwave Corn on the Cob
-While in the husk, soak it in warm water for 5-7 minutes depending on the size of the ear
-Cook it in the husk in the microwave for 2-4 minutes depending on the size and the microwave (an average size ear in my microwave cooks to perfection in 2 minutes 15 seconds)
-Then husk the corn and cut off the leaves to hold the end (unless you have corn holders)
-Finally I spread butter around the cob and sprinkle lemon pepper on it as well. You can season it to taste as you please
-Then Enjoy!

And if you prefer to eat corn in different forms, maybe this informational video on how to cook popcorn will help you too ;)

Around the World in 55 Seconds

Have you seen this video? It's unreal. So surreal. It's a video from the international space station as it orbits the planet at night. Here's what you see...

"This movie begins over the Pacific Ocean and continues over North and South America before entering daylight near Antarctica. Visible cities, countries and landmarks include (in order) Vancouver Island, Victoria, Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles. Phoenix. Multiple cities in Texas, New Mexico and Mexico. Mexico City, the Gulf of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula, El Salvador, Lightning in the Pacific Ocean, Guatemala, Panama, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Lake Titicaca, and the Amazon. Also visible is the earths ionosphere (thin yellow line), a satellite (55sec) and the stars of our galaxy."


I seriously can't stop watching this. It's amazing. It really feels like I'm flying. So beautiful. Check it out. 

I Get Paid for This?? Seriously???

The best jobs are the ones that don't even feel like jobs. I know I haven't even been working for a whole week and have barely even started the honeymoon phase, but I love my job. I am an assistant at Utah Youth Village working in one of their residential treatment facilities for teenage girls. So far I've gotten paid for doing a puzzle, having a dance party, watching a soccer game, cooking, reading, and best of all, talking. Can't beat that! I know the job has difficult parts (like the hours and discipline), but overall, they are just teenage girls who just need love. Plus, it's in what seems like a remote part of the world on a farm with tons of horses. It's a great environment and despite what it feels like, it's not really that far away at all. A new girl came yesterday, so I know it's just going to get harder as she adjusts and more girls come, but it was so clear that God opened this door for me, and it's so clear already that this is a good fit for me.

My job is assisting the live-in staff, but right now, there are no live-in staff. So, needless to say I'm working a lot. But the days pass so quickly it doesn't even seem like I am working. I don't get to see my roommates much, or Josh even, but the Lord provided this job, so hopefully He will still provide for those relationships despite the busyness.

All in all, I find myself loving what I am doing because I know it's a good fit for me. How many people can say that? So grateful :)

The puzzle I did with the girls and my co-worker. Piecing together those brick pieces were a beast! 

Josh, my pilot boyfriend, did a fly-over at their soccer game on Saturday. I tried to take a picture of his plane, but I couldn't see the screen. Even though I missed the plane, it's a cool picture anyway!

The view of the campus from our driveway. SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!